Saturday at the Library

Saturday is unlike any other day at the library. It is the relaxed day. People stroll in, no rushing. A lady lounges in a chair, leisurely reading a magazine. Another couple spreads out the newspapers on the table. Computers are busy all day, but no one stays on very long. Patrons drop by for books, but stop to chat. The phone doesn't ring nearly as much, but when it does the question is often the same. "What are your hours today?" As the day goes on it changes. "How late are you open?"

Now that it is spring, one of the biggest activities on sunny days is selling the town leaf bags. You can guarantee on the those first bright, warm days that at least ten people will be cleaning up their yards and discover they need leaf bags. Two hours later they return, flushed and sweaty, to announce they need more left bags. I think there must be two groups, the fall leaf baggers and the spring leaf baggers. I sure hope it isn't the same person coming back twice a year for 2 or 3 packages of bags.

As the afternoon winds down, we close at 5:00 by the way, the crowd of patrons thins out. The people finish up on the computers and the newspapers are put away. We start to go through the routine of closing the library. That's when the ten people who knew they had to come to the library all day realize it is almost closing time, but they are sure they can get there before closing to make that copy, check their e-mail and find that book for school on Monday. Usually they are in and out by 5:00, but put the emphasis on usually.

Have a good weekend or what is left of it, that is.

Lisa was a Starr

If you were one of the over 30 people who attended a presentation by Rhode Island poet laureate Lisa J. Starr last week at Bill Library, you were lucky to experience her poetry. To have a product of Ledyard so eloquently express herself was a treat for all who attended. For Lisa, it might have been a touch overwhelming to gaze over an audience that included childhood neighbors and friends, her fourth grade teacher and her father's former secretary. Yet with grace and style, she shared her poetry and her life with a willing audience.

Lisa Silverberg Starr grew up in Ledyard and graduated in 1984 from Ledyard High School. Her father was a prominent local attorney. He died when she was in her early teens after several years of illness. Her mother passed away a few years ago. Lisa, who is divorced, currently lives on Block Island with her two children Orrin (13) and Millie (12) and her dog Brother. They all figure prominently in her poetry. She owns and operates Hygeia House, a ten room inn. She has been poet laureate of Rhode Island for three years and will serve for two more years to complete her term. Her work as poet laureate has been to bring poetry to the less fortunate. To this end she has held poetry workshops in elderly communities, hospitals, shelters and the state prison.

The library is pleased to own a copy of her most recently poetry collection, Mad with Yellow. Her previous books are This Place Here and Days of Dogs and Driftwood.

We were delighted to have Lisa at Bill Library.