Community Conversations

FREE MudQuest Family Adventure this Saturday! Register Now!

Roger Heaney — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:51:00 GMT

Round Rock Parks & Recreation Department presents the FREE MudQuest Family Adventure. The MudQuest Family Adventure is a themed adventure run offering the entire family more obstacles, more mud and more fun than your average run event. WARNING: You will get muddy from head to toe if you want to conquer the MudQuest Family Adventure!

Join us for the MudQuest Family Adventure and Round Rock the Boat Regatta all in the same day!

Theme:
"Pirates of the Rock". Set your sails on Bright Lake, venture the course, Mud and Muck as your family conquers both events! Come dressed as a pirate and win prizes! For more information about Round Rock the Boat Regatta, visit the information page here.

Join us from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Old Settlers Park for MudQuest Family Adventure and stay for Round Rock the Boat Regatta.

Register for MudQuest Family Adventure online now at www.roundrockrecreation.com.

The event is free for the entire family but you must pre-register. The event is sponsored by KB Home Legends Village.

The MudQuest Family Adventure is another quality event brought to you by the Round Rock Parks & Recreation Department with special assistance from the MudQuest Adventure Run organization. Spaces will fill quickly, so register now.

Does environmentalism sound fishy to you?

Linda Sappenfield — Thu, 10 May 2012 17:00:00 GMT

Name the trend--Hunger Games, Downton Abbey, cupcakes, social networking, recycling and eco-friendly lifestyle, financial education for kids, apps, eBooks--and you can count on us to offer enlightening resources. We know that our customers will be hungering for a full accounting.

But not for lionfish.

The ad for The Lionfish Cookbook in my husband's scuba magazine describes this entree's role in the invasivore movement.   "Eat ‘em to beat ‘em": that's the slogan of those seeking to manage invasive species by consuming them, as this New York Times article explains.

Conservation magazine explores implications of this approach, and others warn that extreme caution must be exercised during the sea-to-sushi process. Still, diners with open minds are in for a pleasant surprise: lionfish are allegedly delicious.    Freed from the guilt associated with fattening and non-nutritious foods, lionfish consumers may derive satisfaction from having joined NOAA, The Nature Conservancy, REEF, and other concerned groups in eradicating an aquatic predator currently threatening reef fish populations.

And just imagine the product possibilities as this delicacy is embraced by the masses: Shake ‘n Bake for Lionfish, lionfish noodle casserole, the inevitable new artery-clogging taste sensation at the State Fair of Texas, perhaps a takeout run for some KFL.

Added to the obvious appeal of fork-as-weapon, the lionfish trend affords this attraction that we Americans seem to crave: focus.   Blessed with hundreds of opportunities to use our powers for good, along with thousands of products up for purchase, we are inundated with choices. When a new option incorporates meal selection and world-bettering action, who wouldn't consider it?

Based on checkout figures for home improvement and DIY resources, I suspect that most library patrons (like me) operate more comfortably with challenges involving limits--e.g., budget--anyway. We embrace makeover projects on battered cabinetry or furnishings armed with only hand tools and paint. How empowering it feels to achieve multiple goals: repurposing, cost-saving, aesthetic enhancement.

Books like Upcycling: Create Beautiful Things with the Stuff You Already Have, along with HGTV (whose slogan should probably be "Spray Paint is Your Friend"), and the online resource Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center are proven successes here in Round Rock. Perhaps lionfish will catch on, too.

To make your world (and city) a better place, cardholders can request purchase of The Lionfish Cookbook, recipe guides centered on non-venomous edibles, or many other resources to guide your current path of exploration.

FREE Movies in the Park!

Roger Heaney — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:55:00 GMT

Once again Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department presents FREE Movies in the Park events at Main Street Plaza and Old Settlers Park. Bring your blankets and chairs and enjoy these free family events.

Pre-movie activities start at 7:30 p.m. and the movies start at dark.

Summer 2012 Schedule:

Real Steel
Friday, May 25 at Main Street Plaza
The Main Street Plaza is located next to City Hall at 221 East Main Street. Enjoy a LIVE musical perfomance by Unleashed at 7:30 p.m. before the movie begins.

Unleashed is a band of young musicians from Round Rock. They play and perform way above their years! Members range in age 12-15. They have been together since April 2010. They play classic and current hits from every generation! They perform regularly in venues and concert halls all over Central Texas.

Puss in Boots
Friday, June 1 at Lakeview Pavilion at Old Settlers Park
Old Settlers Park is located at 3300 Palm Valley Boulevard (off of Harrell Park Way, behind the Dell Diamond).
This event is sponsored by Kona Ice.

Dolphin Tale
August 10 at Lakeview Pavilion at Old Settlers Park

Parking is available by the Lakeview Pavilion at Old Settlers Park and at the parking garage behind the Main Street Plaza and there is no fee to park.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and picnic blankets in order to comfortably enjoy the movie. Kona Ice will be available for guests. Come and enjoy the summer tradition of Movies in the Park, FREE events for the entire family!

FREE MudQuest Family Adventure!

Roger Heaney — Mon, 07 May 2012 19:20:00 GMT

Join us for the MudQuest Family Adventure and Round Rock the Boat Regatta all in the same day!

Join us from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 19, at Old Settlers Park for MudQuest Family Adventure and stay for Round Rock the Boat Regatta.

Register for MudQuest Family Adventure online now at www.roundrockrecreation.com. Once you go to our registration page, click on the special events tab to the left and follow the directions to register.

The event is free for the entire family but you must pre-register. The event is sponsored by KB Home Legends Village.

A giant possum, hugelkulture, and the Ghost of Babe

Linda Sappenfield — Thu, 03 May 2012 20:03:00 GMT

The Spirit of Babe has haunted my house since last weekend, and I'm fine with that. Given her valuable assistance in my latest DIY effort, the least we can do is play host for a while.

Babe Didrikson Zaharias entered the picture when I resolved to remedy the last traces of the Possum Who Ate Through Our Roof. Structural repair issues were long since completed, but water stains blighted the ceiling of the smallest bedroom, which currently houses my elliptical machine. Every time I exercised, the off-putting yellowy clouds presented themselves for contemplation. Someone needed to make them disappear.

Don Van Natta's Wonder Girl: The Magnificent Sporting Life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias is assigned for an upcoming discussion, and, having acquired supplies for a ceiling re-paint, I'd run out of excuses for not executing that task, too. The Playaway version came to the rescue: once I'd stashed the little audio of Wonder Girl in my pocket and installed the earbuds, Babe and I were set to multitask.

I, however, am not a Wonder Girl, and thanks to artsy architectural features which add extra height, the endeavor proved to be a little scary. Balancing on an upper rung of the ladder with the roll of painter's tape clamped in my teeth and wielding an upraised extended-handle paint roller, I was tempted more than once to climb down and just never look up again. But by then, I'd already gleaned enough details about Babe's determination, grit, and dogged pursuit of her goals to be shamed into finishing the job. Who would want to rank with the class of female she'd have pegged "sissies"?

So now thoughts of Babe greet me on every approach to that room (you know, the one with the pristine ceiling)--and not just because of her Olympic medals, controversial approach to image-making, and astounding athletic versatility.

You might have encountered another (less paranormal) example of just-in-time information delivery this week:   the library's Keyhole Gardens, Wicking Beds, Hugelkultur, and Beyond! program on Tuesday. On that very evening, City of Round Rock Communications Director Will Hampton called to remind us of the new water rates, designed to encourage conservation.

Co-worker Eric, one of the program's presenters, reported that nearly fifty attendees engaged in a lively exploration of gardening practices and technologies for conserving water.   That represents a remarkable attendance figure for a weeknight event, but then water issues loom larger with each passing month.

Finally, my reference colleague Chris reminded me of an instance proving that the library can equip you for nearly any eventuality, including frivolous ones.  You should know that September 19 will be here before you know it--and that our Mango Languages online learning resource offers a course in Pirate!

There's Still Time to Submit Your Poetry!

Eric Towler — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 20:49:00 GMT

Whether you're a seasoned poet or just putting pen to paper for the very first time, we want to hear how it is that you make a rhyme.

Even if rhyming is not your greatest ability, that's ok because poetry is full of possibility.

You need not make a rhyme to submit your creativity, because versatile is poetries proclivity.

So send us your thoughts and tell us what you think. You can write about anything, even the kitchen sink!

We'll accept poems through the first week of May. So grab some paper. Come on, what do you say?

(Please remember we are asking for original poetry only. By submitting work for this project you attest that you are the original creator and owner of the intellectual property. Further, by submitting entries you license the Round Rock Library to include those entries into its published compilation, sales of which will benefit the Friends of the Round Rock Public Library. We thank you for sharing your creativity.)

What can you say about a 70s hit?

Linda Sappenfield — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 19:17:00 GMT

It's like a dare in reverse.

Assure me that "you have to read this book", and a little neuron deep within my gray matter commences to flash in a no-I-don't- you-can't- make-me sequence.   Not coincidentally, I'm often the last in my crowd to pick up trendy titles--The Hunger Games, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, The Help, etc.

On the other hand, should the recommendation be couched in terms of "it reminds me of that other book you told me about and I loved" or "too slow-moving for me but you'd go for it", I'll chart a beeline for the bookshelf.

I did just finish the recent and gushed-over Defending Jacob yesterday and judge the mass approval to be entirely justified. Seriously, you have to read it.

But the soon-to-be-available (June) The Innocents by Francesca Segal sounds exactly my cup of tea. Reviewers note its thematic similarity to Edith Wharton's Age of Innocence, so it gets English major points (even more so because it also calls Zadie Smith to mind). Morever, I adore first novels, and not only is Segal a debut novelist, she's been--according to her homepage-- authoring the "Debut Fiction" column in The Observer for three years.   And, while the premise should be engrossing, it doesn't promise to achieve blockbuster status--extra credit for potential mild obscurity. (I'll be thrilled should sales prove me wrong on this point.)

Speaking of popular hits, though, you should know that Francesca is the daughter of Erich Segal, well regarded as a Yale classics professor but unfortunately more celebrated for his 1970 bestseller, Love Story.  Segal's 2010 obituary in The New York Times quoted a Variety article naming Love Story "the first of the modern-day blockbusters."

The writeup further asserts that the film version of Segal's book salvaged the finances of Paramount Pictures, "which was facing imminent destruction". At this point in my background-checking of the Segals and Love Story, numerous Fun Facts began to surface. I was reminded, for example, that Harvard classmates Al Gore and Tommy Lee Jones were said (by Segal) to have inspired aspects of the Oliver character and Oliver's troubled relationship with his father.

According to Mr. Segal's Washington Post obituary, Love Story was nominated for the National Book Award, but judges threatened to resign unless it was withdrawn.

Did you know that Erich Segal received writing credit for (among other movie projects, including the screenplay for Love Story) the Beatles' Yellow Submarine?

And now I can wield a comeback the next time someone rolls his/her eyes dismissively at English-major books: Tommy Lee Jones majored in English.

Come make a splash at the new Main Street Water Fountain!

Roger Heaney — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:47:00 GMT

The Main Street Plaza Water Fountain is now open for a splashing good time for summer fun! We are pleased to inform our residents that the Main Street Plaza Fountain is water conservation friendly. The fountain recirculates and filters its own water source and has very little evaporation.Come make a splash! The Main Street Plaza Water Fountain is now open Sunday – Wednesday 7:30am to 10:00pm and Thursday – Saturday 7:30am to 11:00pm. Bring the kids and let the fun begin! While you’re on Main Street, why not try one of our amazing restaurants and make it a day or evening of fun!

Birdbrains, unite!

Linda Sappenfield — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 20:12:00 GMT

It's true what they say--tweeting on the job is sooo distracting. But the dove, sparrow, and grackle families outside the library windows intent on nest arranging and procreation are definitely in twitter mode.

One of the two dove nests currently defies several laws of physics by somehow accommodating a mother and two fluffy youngsters who seem to enlarge right in front of our eyes. Doves are second-rate nest builders at best, so we were agog at Mom's success at balance and containment even before the kids came along. How soon will those adolescents fledge and leave the nest? Will they volunteer, or will parental pressure be brought to bear?

We can't see the sparrow nest. That tiny domicile is situated just outside on the window ledge and its view blocked by the frame. But anyone could relate to sounds of a busy household.

The grackles are another story entirely.  Their nest looks roomy and sturdy and even exhibits symmetry (so we knew it didn't belong to doves), but the mother bird was difficult to spot and identify. With the help of whatbird.com and several identification guides from the library's collection, I arrived at the unsurprising conclusion that the brown female is one of those stately yet raucous types who frequent our bit of urban forest. And then Papa Bird finally showed up, confirming the guess; he's much more distinctive. This is why I love Roger Tory Peterson's bird guides; he generally illustrates females and juvenile birds along with the males and even positions "confusing" species side by side so you can compare markings, etc.

But I've had suspicions about Mr. Grackle ever since I (a) spotted two females hanging around, only one of whom brings food to the nest and (b) read that some grackles will mate with one female and then abandon her for a second one during the nesting period. Do we have a feathered temptress trying to lead Papa astray? Or have I just read one fiction review too many? Time will tell.

And--this is the wonder of bird watching--time always tells quickly. Young birds emerge, develop, and leave the nest in two or three weeks. The avian youngsters could be viewed as micro-grandchildren (revel in their cuteness and above average development) or perhaps characters in a living mini-series in which intergenerational issues resolve themselves within days, not decades.  When the baby doves take flight, I'll relish a "my work here is done" aura of self-congratulation.

If you haven't already pegged your favorite bird sites, take a look at whatbird.com, US Geological Survey's Bird Checklists, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds. You can ask bird-related questions (identifying, dealing with noise, etc.) Two live bird cams--great blue herons and red-tailed hawks--chronicle the Circle of Life, good and bad. Will the great horned owl attack again? When will the eggs hatch?

Having fully activated your bird radar, you may begin to appreciate the exotic species all around you. Only this week, right here in the library, I've observed a Cardigan-Clad Empty Nester, a Ponytailed Seersucker Wearer, a Red-braided Songbird, a Bleary-Eyed Testprepper, and a whole flock of Texas Websurfers.

May Maddness

Jane Dance — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:28:00 GMT

We have a crazy, busy month ahead for May, and it's going to be lots of FUN! First of all we have Early Release Gaming on May 2, in the Teen Room from 2:00pm-3:30pm.

Then on May 12th, in the Gallery Area, from 10:00am-3:00pm we have Mother's Day Knitting & Crochet Time. Teens and adults are welcome to join us and either make a surprise gift for Mother's Day or bring your mother and learn how to make a simple coaster together. Bring your own projects too! There will be supplies for early arrivals. At 11:30am & 2:00pm there will be a Spinning Demonstration showing how yarn is made. Refreshements will be avialable too.

Book club is on May 15th, 6:30pm-7:30pm in the Teen Room and we will discuss City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Stay after book club for TAB and hear about our plans for the summer.

Finally we have the Cardboard Boat Regatta on May 19th in Old Settlers Park, with TAB members crewing last year's boat which they have adapted for this race. The races start at 12:00pm, so be there, cheer on the Library boat and have fun!

All creatures of habit great and small

Linda Sappenfield — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:55:00 GMT

Scene witnessed while I waited in a customer service queue; the venue shall remain nameless: just ahead stood a young woman juggling several items requiring the attention of the person behind the counter--and a cell phone parked between shoulder and ear.

Deep in her narration of personal issues (about which the rest of us would have preferred to remain ignorant), the chatterer glanced up periodically to see when she might expect her turn. Not frequently enough, though; absorbed in conversation, she failed to notice that a clerk had looked meaningfully at her a couple of times--the clerk who currently had no one in front of her and had occupied herself with paperwork, awaiting an opening to invite the customer forward.

In the fleeting moment between ending one conversation and speed-dialing the next one, the customer did achieve eye contact with the staffer. And that was sufficient. "Ah," the employee observed, "If you've finished talking, I can assist you now."

That phone disappeared like magic. Judging from the covert smiles registered on other faces in line, I wasn't the only one who approved.

Resorting to phone chat to fill every spare moment is a habit--an annoying one, in this case--but who doesn't have one or two of those? Coincidentally, I just got my hands on Round Rock Public Library's copy of Charles Duhigg's The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business.

I love a good makeover as much as the next reader, and this book stands out amid transformational titles. It doesn't exhort you to become a different person so much as it promotes awareness of why you've allowed cravings to drive you while underscoring how much change potential you already possess.

Though not far into the book, I've spotted some easily relatable examples that could equip even non-science major types to grasp the mental processes in question. I comprehended the fundamentals of string theory for about five minutes after reading Brian Greene, so clearly anything is possible.

Referencing unique case studies, historical events (Montgomery bus boycott), and popular culture (Febreze marketing, Cinnabons franchise locations, Tony Dungy's coaching), Duhigg's message is loaded with empowerment.

This is a busy week, so I'm relieved to note that the text portion of The Power of Habit is under 300 pages. I can finish it and still avoid the habit of overdue book returns. And besides, small items can still exert tremendous influence for good or ill. Just consider the power of cookies, lottery tickets, and smartphones.

Round Rock City Council to rededicate three revitalized community parks this Saturday!

Roger Heaney — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:08:00 GMT

The Round Rock City Council will host three ribbon cuttings to rededicate Rock Hollow Park, Settlement Park and Buck Egger Park and the community is invited to come and celebrate this Saturday morning. Light refreshments will be served. The ribbon cuttings will take place at the following times and locations:

9:00am Rock Hollow Park, 1415 Apollo Circle
9:45am Settlement Park, 1401 David Curry Loop
10:30am Buck Egger Park, 900 S. Mays

The City Council approved $750,000 in 2011 and $625,000 in 2012 as part of the Repair and Replacement Program to revitalize community parks throughout Round Rock. This program is also part of the City Council's overall Neighborhood Revitalization Program. The City's Parks Development Division has been steadily revitalizing various parks throughout the community collaborating with local neighborhoods to ensure local needs are met.

Rock Hollow Park located at 1415 Apollo Circle has received a $128,388 face lift including the installation of a ½ mile of concrete trails and various ADA accessibility improvements.

Settlement Park located at 1401 David Curry Loop received a $141,643 remodel that includes new playscapes, concrete trails, retaining wall, privacy fencing, shade structure, pond aerator, ADA accessibility improvements and new trees.

Buck Egger Park located at 900 S. Mays, with the use of $430,711 from the US House and Urban Development Community Development Block Grant funding (CDBG), now includes a new parking lot, a new synthetic turf multipurpose field (the first ever in the City) and a new grass multipurpose field.

Additional parks scheduled for revitalization this year include Somerset Park located at 1814 Taron Cove. Renovations will include a new playground, concrete trail, shade structure, site furnishings (picnic tables, benches, drinking fountains) and basketball court.

Chisholm Valley Park located at 1201 Tray St. will include the renovation of playground, shade structure, ½ mile of concrete trail, multipurpose recreation field, site furnishings (picnic tables, benches, drinking fountains) and trees.

Other community parks that will be revitalized this year include Kinningham Recreation Center located at 1000 Southcreek Dr. and Mesa Village Park located at 1401 Georgetown St.

Round Rock residents can get all the latest online parks development updates at the Parks Development Blog. There, residents can find project expected completion dates, amenities and watch videos showing the progress of all the parks development projects.

We Want to Publish Your Poetry...Again

David Sharp — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 15:34:00 GMT

Welcome to April and the plethora of celebrations it brings. April is the national month of Humor, as you might have suspected with the typical celebration of foolery taking place on the first. You may not have known, however, that April is also the month dedicated to the celebration of guitars, to lawns and gardens, and to keeping America Beautiful. April is the month we celebrate pecans, welding, peanut butter and jelly, children's books, tweed, pretzels, hairstyles and honesty.

April is also (here is the big one) National Poetry Month!

April is the month we celebrate poetry and all it has meant to us. Here at the Round Rock Public Library, we celebrate poetry by publishing it. That is to say, we publish your poetry. In April of last year, we began collecting verses of local culture from Round Rock Citizen Poets for publication in a book. This year we will celebrate by having original contributors and authors of that book read their poetry.

We will also be collecting poems for the second annual Round Rock book of poetry. Celebrate poetry this month by creating your own, then send it to us by way of postings to this blog or just e-mail them to dsharp@roundrocktexas.gov. Poetry can be of any style, but we have 4 categories to start you off.

Story Poetry: Tell us a story.

Metaphorical Poetry: Write a poem about something that is really about something else.

Image Poetry: Create a poem with vivid imagery. Use any or all of the senses.

Totally Freestyle: Give us some poetry with attitude.

Join us also in celebrating National Poetry Month on:

April 17th with a live poetry reading featuring selections from the authors of the first poetry book compiled by the Round Rock Library. These are works by your own friends and neighbors.

April 26th for National Poem in Your Pocket Day. Just carry a short poem you enjoy in your pocket all day and share it with those you meet.

Celebrating the Poe in poetry

Linda Sappenfield — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 19:01:00 GMT

It's April, National Poetry Month, and the sad but timely news is that poetry and e-readers don't play well together. Craig Morgan Teicher observes in the 3/26 Publishers Weekly that it's "surprisingly hard" to recreate as digital display the irregular line lengths and distinctive indentations with which poets craft their work.

Another threat to poets' peace of mind has been with us for centuries: those irreverent types who can't resist the temptation to parody or pay homage to their favorite verses. I have it on good authority that some of these people even blog.

Cultivating my own bit of Round Rock lately, I've encountered (as you have) a vibrantly stubborn landscape challenge that thrives on adversity. The spiraling despair of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Bells" seemed the ideal point of departure for my tribute to this worthy opponent:

THE WEEDS

Note the plethora of weeds -
Tall weeds!
What a dismal chore their lushness guaranteed!
In the pleasant afternoon,
At their quantity we swoon
And we forecast hours rendering them less.
For each unwanted sprout
Means everyone will doubt
Our success.

And the neighbors -ah, the neighbors-
Those expending all their labors,
Who can guess
At the hours, hours, hours
Mitigating some distress
‘Mid the shrubberies and flowers
Lest their yards appear a mess?
They fight vegetations evil
In this campaign quite primeval
Soldiering on.
Though the dandelions should cower
Still they tower, tower, tower,
Tower
Those paragons of weeds!
Uninvited plants exceed
Those we've coaxed to grow from seed!
Toward their absence we proceed.
Spending time, time, time,
Fighting these botanic crimes,
For the overthrow of weeds,
Of the weeds -
Spending time, time, time,
Fighting these botanic crimes,
We're swiftly chopping weeds,
Oh, the weeds, weeds, weeds-
We're expertly lopping weeds;
Spending time, time, time,
Turf is freed, freed, freed,
Righting these botanic crimes,
Cheer abating of the weeds,
Of the weeds, weeds, weeds -
And negating of the weeds,
Of the weeds, weeds, weeds, weeds,
Weeds, weeds, weeds -
End the greening and the preening of the weeds.

Did you know that 58 percent of Texas waters are impaired?

Will Hampton — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 13:15:00 GMT

It is estimated that up to 90 percent of those impairments are due to polluted storm water. Storm Water is the result of rain runoff and even snowmelt that travels across roofs, yards, parking lots and streets and into our creeks and waterways.

We are currently conducting a survey to gauge residents’ knowledge and perceptions about storm water so that we can tailor future outreach and pollution prevention efforts. The survey is available through April at http://www.roundrocktexas.gov/survey.

In 2007, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) began requiring urbanized areas to create a Storm Water Management Program to maintain and improve local water quality. TCEQ required cities to create a plan and obtain a permit to ensure compliance with EPA regulations and the Clean Water Act.

The Storm Water Management Plan addresses several TCEQ mandated elements:

Public Education and Outreach
Public Participation
Illicit Discharge Detection
Construction and Post Construction Storm Water Management
Pollution Prevention

Please help us by providing your feedback as we strive for a storm water program that is effective, efficient and meaningful to the citizens of Round Rock.

Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt & Movie in the Park all in one fun filled evening!

Roger Heaney — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:44:00 GMT

Flashlight Easter Egg Hunt & Movie in the Park this Thursday, April 5 at Old Settlers Park.

When the park is dark your flashlight will be your guide to candy, eggs, and prizes! In this annual flashlight egg hunt bring your light and basket to search for eggs in our treat filled hunt ring and then stay for the Movie in the Park event featuring the Easter family movie "HOP." Shine your light bright to find the special golden eggs you can redeem for a special prize basket! Please meet at the Lakeview Pavilion 30 minutes before your hunt time to check in.

Flashlight Egg Hunt & Movie in the Park schedule:

7:45 p.m.: Twilight Egg Hunt, for ages 0-4 years. Not quite as dark for our younger hunters. Only one parent will be allowed in the hunt ring to assist, Parent must stay with hunter at all times.

8:15 p.m.: Flashlight Parent Assisted Hunt, Ages 5 Years and Older- One parent will be allowed in the hung ring to assist, Recommended for our younger hunters. Parent must stay with hunter at all times.

8:30 p.m.: Flashlight Children Only Hunt, No parents allowed in the hunt ring, Recommended for our older hunters)

8:45 p.m.: Movie in the Park featuring the family Easter movie "HOP"

**Parents may choose which hunt they wish their Flashlight Egg Hunter to participate in, you know your child best; please choose the hunt most appropriate for them. The Movie in the Park will begin right after the egg hunts.

Meet at the Lakeview Pavillion in Old Settlers Park for check-in before the event. Please arrive 20-30 minutes early for your hunt.

Date: April 5
Fee: $4 Early Registration (December 1 – April 2)
$5 Late Registration (April 3 – Event Day)
Where: Old Settlers Park – Lakeview Pavilion & Festival Area

Purchase your tickets online at www.roundrockrecreation.com

Pre-register for the Flashlight Egg Hunt to avoid long lines on the day of the event. Register online.

You may also purchase tickets by phone by calling 218-5540 or purchase tickets in person at the Clay Madsen Recreation Center or the PARD office located at 301 West Bagdad, Suite 250.

The Egg Hunts are proudly sponsored by:Randalls Market and Spirit 105.9 Radio.

The good, the bad, and the literate

Linda Sappenfield — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:19:00 GMT

While brooding about our Western Problem this week, it's been easy for me to imagine Sam Bass and A.W. Grimes finding some aspects of downtown Round Rock--just a few blocks from the Chisholm Trail--pretty familiar.

You can still mosey in off the street through a set of double doors for music, relaxation, and a chance to re-connect with civilization. The library is one such place, though we don't currently feature liquor or anyone who could properly be addressed as "barkeep". We're at least as effective as a saloon in terms of an inside track to local goings-on, which, thanks to our police department, are less volatile than in the old days.

And that's our current worry: too few desperadoes. We recognize that some folks here in Round Rock are devoted readers of Western novels. Authors aren't producing as many of the traditional stories--with iconic outlaws and morally upright loner heroes--as they used to. The Western genre is evolving in much the same way that Romance has, which means that some readers will be gratified or even recruited and others, sadly, not so much.

Our challenge will be to replace volumes that appear to have traveled on one trail ride too many, and we'll seek out new publications for all our Western fans.

Outside of Westerns, hero-villain distinctions are even more diverse and blurry. Even if the good guy can be readily identified, the bad guy might not be a guy. In Rebecca Dean's forthcoming The Shadow Queen (fiction) and Juliet Nicholson's Abdication (nonfiction, due out in May), divorcee and eventual Duchess of Windsor Wallis Simpson stars as the troublemaker.

In this election year, political figures inspire scathing criticisms and glowing endorsements that end up side by side on the bookshelf. For further evidence that the powerful and high-placed enjoy no immunity from judgment, consider What in God's Name? by Rich Simon. Due out in August, Simon's tale imagines that the CEO of Heaven, Inc. has lost interest in Earth; two minor angels have extracted God's promise to prevent the planet's destruction--that is, if they accomplish their near-impossible mission.

William Kent Kreuger's fictional Trickster's Point (August) features a protagonist convincingly framed for murder. Identifying the real perpetrator (who's killed the governor-elect with an arrow to the heart) is only one issue; he'll begin doubting the goodness of the deceased every bit as much as the public suspects him.

And what if it turns out that we're the miscreants? Some recent books make a convincing case. Wasted World: How Our Consumption Challenges the Planet speaks for itself. Others, such as The Startup of You: Adapt to the Future, Invest in Yourself..., Control Your Destiny or Someone Else Will, Change Your Mind, Change Your Life, and any number of diet and fitness titles highlight our failure to achieve full potential or at least optimum BMI.

We (unlike Sam Bass) can yet be reformed. But achieving a lifestyle turnaround or career re-start could demand more spark than we're experiencing that day. Should we decide to delay our transformation a bit longer and come and hang out downtown--well, worse decisions have been made (e.g., by Sam). Perhaps if the library, Friar Tuck's, Star Co., Junior's, Krave, Louisiana Longhorn, Quinn's, or Main Street Plaza had been options in Sam's day, he'd have achieved a more favorable--not to mention lengthier--outcome.

Still, I doubt that he was ever destined to be a latte drinker.

FREE Round Rock Youth Fishing Derby this Saturday!

Roger Heaney — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 20:30:00 GMT

The City of Round Rock Parks and Recreation Department presents the first annual Youth Fishing Derby from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. this Saturday, March 31, in Old Settlers Park at Bright Lake. The event is free but you must register at www.roundrockrecreation.com.

All children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

There will be two age divisions in this catch and release derby:

Junior Division (ages 6-9)
Senior Division (ages 10-12)

Prizes Catagories (for each division)
Total Weight of Fish Caught
Number of Fish Caught
Largest Bass Caught

Event Schedule:
8:00 - 8:45 a.m.: Check In/Registration
9:00 - 9:15 a.m.: Derby Rules
9:30 - 11:30 a.m.: Fishing Derby
12 - 1:00 p.m.: Award Ceremony and snacks

Register at www.roundrockrecreation.com

For more information, please contact Round Rock Parks and Recreation at 218-5540.

Come join us for this FREE family event!

Parks Develoment Updates Issue #6

Roger Heaney — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:52:00 GMT

Play for All Abilities Park - Project Complete (March 2012)
Now open!

Rock Hollow Park - Project Complete (March 2012)
Now open!

Buck Egger Park - Project Complete
Opening in April!

Somerset Park
Status: Construction (90% Complete)
Est. Completion: March 2012
Park Amenities: renovation of playground, concrete trail, shade structure, site furnishings (picnic tables, benches, drinking fountains) and possible basketball court

Current Project Progress
Playground equipment installed, 95% of sidewalk installed, pavilion installed, basketball court 95% complete
Need to install site furnishings, playground surfacing, surface basketball court, and finish remaining sidewalk

Chisholm Valley Park
Status: Construction (90% complete)
Est. Completion: March 2012

Park Amenities: renovation of playground, shade structure, +/- ½ mile of concrete trail, multipurpose rec field, site furnishings (picnic tables, benches, drinking fountains), trees

Current Project Progress
Playground area 95% complete, concrete sidewalks 95% complete, decomposed granite trail is based, multipurpose field is graded, pavilion is installed
Need to pour concrete curbs and install decomposed granite trail, install playground surfacing, site furnishings, install masonry columns on pavilion

Rabb House Redevelopment Project
Status: Design
Est. Completion: Design - Spring 2012

Park Amenities: design and construction documents for the redevelopment of Rabb House (damaged in September 2010 flood)

Current Project Progress
Conceptual Master Plan is completed, will be presented to City Council on April 10th

OSPV Reuse Water Project
Status: Design
Est. Completion: Summer 2012

Park Amenities: removal/replacement of existing irrigation system valves, heads, etc. to comply with reuse water requirements. Renovation of existing irrigation system at Lakeview Pavilion area, Football Complex, Cricket Field, etc.

Current Project Progress
Utility Dept. to start mainline work and point of connections in April
Compliance repairs and time sensitive renovations tentatively scheduled for late Spring 2012
Major renovations tentatively scheduled for June/July 2012

Kensington Greenbelt Improvement Project
Status: Design
Est. Completion: Design - May 2012
Construction – September 2012

Park Amenities: replacement of existing trail, playground, site furnishings and addition of pavilion structure

Mesa Village Improvement Project
Status: Planning
Est. Completion: Design – May 2012
Construction – October 2012

Park Amenities: replace existing asphalt trail with decomposed granite, replace existing pavilion, and improvements to existing multipurpose field

Brushy Creek Regional Trail Gap Project
Status: Design and Right-of-Way Acquisition
Est. Completion: Spring 2013

Park Amenities: +/- 2.5 miles of Brushy Creek Trail from Sonoma subdivision, across Brushy Creek, connecting to Rabb Park and AW Grimes Blvd multi-use path. Also connects to Greater Lake Creek Trail totaling approx. 7 miles.

Current Project Progress
R.O.W. acquisition negotiations on-going
Surveying and environmental review on-going

This old thing? I only wear it when I want to feel uninformed.

Linda Sappenfield — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:54:00 GMT

"So, you guys are still in it, then? Way to go!"

The kind gentleman in the queue at Walgreens was addressing me--why? A quick self-survey revealed that I was sporting a favorite T-shirt, emblazoned with the image of a smiling mythical bird wearing buckled shoes. The giant letters proclaiming "KANSAS" were another clue.

Awkward. I'd chosen the shirt for Saturday because of its nice un-rectangular fit. Also, it's appropriate for errand running and lawn mowing, two items on the day's checklist. And Jay the Jayhawk is cute.

Embarrassed though I am to admit it, NCAA wasn't on my radar screen.

Displayed on my desk is a photo of my daughter at her KU graduation. I love Lawrence, Kansas; it's a small Austin, minus the capital component. So, naturally we wish KU well. And I usually track the NCAA tournament because friends and co-workers are interested, and it's fun. But I'm not an avid basketball fan; at that moment I couldn't have sworn (though it's a safe guess) that KU was still in the hunt. Wearing that jersey definitely bought me unearned sports fan cred.

Should I assuage my guilt by reciting the Rock Chalk, Jayhawk chant a few dozen times? Or maybe I could come clean about some librarian assumptions that don't hold up, either:

You librarians must be completely unbiased about genres and authors. Well, we try. We tend to seek out books beyond our comfort zones. For me, joining three book clubs helps me achieve wider experience so that I can recommend reads in less favored areas. To balance my love for English-major standards, I'll try edgier takes on classics: Victoria Patterson's This Vacant Paradise (Wharton's The House of Mirth); Francesca Segal's The Innocents (Wharton's The Age of Innocence); Eleanor Brown's The Weird Sisters (Shakespeare); Peter Cameron's Coral Glynn (du Maurier's Rebecca); Hilary Jordan's When She Woke (The Scarlet Letter meets The Handmaid's Tale).
And surely you're not swayed by pretty book covers or clever titles? I for one am a sucker for a daring or inventive title--which explains how I first came to appreciate Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) and probably accounts for my reading a reasonable amount of nonfiction. As for judging books by their covers--you bet. That's a good thing. Particularly with lesser-known authors or publishers, if we select items in the interest of scope and variety, lame book covers still deter potential readers from even trying them.
Even though librarians aren't attorneys or tax preparers, you can tell me which forms I need, right? No, we really can't--and shouldn't. We'll gladly help you locate forms when you specify names or numbers, but if we guess which paperwork you need, we could send you down the wrong path entirely. Out of concern for your well-being, we will not be speculating about that. You, our valued customer, deserve better--and by that we mean the expertise of qualified tax and legal professionals!

Spunky Shaylah 5k & Inspiration Walk at CMRC this Saturday!

Roger Heaney — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:48:00 GMT

Join us this Saturday! Register Now! This 1st annual event honors Shaylah Dame and the Shaylah Dame Skatepark. Celebrate Shaylah's passion for life and love by participating in the benefit driven 1K Inspiration Walk, 5K Fun Run/Walk or both. Feel free to show your spunk during the 5K-run with a team, wear a spunky outfit-show your spirit!

The first 300 5K registrations will be guaranteed a Spunky Shaylah 5K shirt. For a small donation, to celebrate the 1K Inspiration Walk, decorate a flag to honor who inspires you. Contact the Clay Madsen Recreation Center for more information at 218-3220.

Date: Saturday, March 24, 2012
Time: 8 a.m. 1K Inspiration Walk | 8:30 a.m. Spunky Shaylah 5K
Where: Shaylah Dame Skate Park, behind Clay Madsen Recreation Center, 1600 Gattis School Road

Spunky 5K Registration (Event shirt included)
Pre Registration Fees (ends Thursday, March 22)
Youth (ages 15 and under): $12
Adults (ages 16 +): $20

Late Registration:
Youth (ages 15 and under): $17
Adults (ages 16 +): $25

1K Inspiration Walk (Does not include event shirt)
Youth (ages 15 and under): $5
Adults (ages 16 +): $10

Contact the Clay Madsen Recreation Center for more information at 512-218-3220. register at www.spunkyshaylah5k.com.

All Ready For April?

Jane Dance — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:44:00 GMT

The first few months of the year have gone so fast! Make the most of April by joining in the fun programs we have planned.

Book club is on the 3rd Tuesday of the month as usual and that is on April 17th, in the Teen Room. We'll be discussing The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Aprrentice # 1). Take a look to here to learn about the best selling series. Following book club TAB (Teen Advisory Board) will meet to plan future Teen programs. Join us and give your iput! One question Miss Jane will be asking is, "What new Gaming equipment should we consider buying?"

On April 24th, Almer Joers from Randolph Brooks FCU will be giving you the opportunity to attend a fun class learning about Savings and Investments, in Meeting Room A, 5:00pm-6:00pm There will be door prizes and also pizza/refreshments served @ 6pm. Join us, learn some cool stuff, and amaze your friends and family with what you learn that will help your financial planning in coming years.

Finally we have a fun, fun, fun program at the end of the month, with a Doctor Who Party! We'll be in Meeting Room C, April 28th from 1:00pm-4:00pm. We'll have a Doctor Who trivia quiz, Doctor Who themed food, Doctor Who Photo op and Doctor Who games. Did I mention this is a Doctor who Party? Dress as your favorite character if you would like to, or in Doctor Who blue.

Award-winning silence not reserved for the Oscars

Linda Sappenfield — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 16:30:00 GMT

Did you catch the article about Girl Scouts' 100th anniversary in last weekend's Parade magazine? My favorite change-is-good reference was the singularly 21st-century merit badges. According to the GS website, Scouts can now achieve recognition for geocaching, entertainment technology, digital moviemaking, screenwriting, product design, and many such nontraditional pursuits. All the more reason for you to justify stocking your freezer next time the cookies come up for sale!

Authors and publishers, too, are realigning classic concepts to current trends. This recently acquired selection in the library's New Nonfiction collection is from Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc.: How to Win Friends and Influence People in the Digital Age. Astrology and cookbooks are two perennially popular topics here, so this 2012 offering should find an audience: Lobster for Leos, Cookies for Capricorns: an Astrology Lover's Cookbook.

With her gutsy new memoir about rearing two autistic sons, independent filmmaker Jeni Decker revisits both a timely concern of recent years and a comic success from David Sedaris. Titled I Wish I Were Engulfed in Flames: My Insane Life Raising Two Boys with Autism, Decker's book offers a candid take on what is generally rendered as a solemn undertaking.

Another theme receiving an overdue re-think involves approximately one third of the population: introverts. According to Susan Cain, author of Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking, those born with an introverted constitution are generally thought to possess "a second-class personality trait, somewhere between a disappointment and a pathology".

Cain observes that Western culture actively rewards extroverts; she seeks to promote the merit of introverted modes. Psychologists have noted that these behaviors--listening, reflection, analysis, sustained attention--offer great value in the workplace. Cain notes that introverts manifest high degrees of innovation and creativity. Forbes' photo gallery of World's Most Famous Introverts includes, among others, Warren Buffett, Gandhi, Albert Einstein, Steven Spielberg, J.K. Rowling, Larry Page (co-founder of Google) and Steve Wozniak (co-founder of Apple).

An introvert myself, I was nonetheless surprised (pleasantly) by some assertions in articles I found online via the library's Academic Search Complete database (including "Just Be Quiet" in the Jan/Feb 2012 Psychology Today," Introverted Talent in America, Buried by the ‘Influence Score'" in in the 10/7/2011 Christian Science Monitor, and "In Quiet Praise of Introverts" from the 1/24/2012 USA Today).

Amazing strides forward could be accomplished if extroverts and introverts alike devoted a bit more effort to appreciate and emulate one anothers' gifts. Those of you who have maintained successful life partnerships with a member of the opposite persuasion know what I mean.

My husband delights in pointing out how frequently, in the course of reporting some heinous crime, newscasters employ the expression, "Neighbors described him as a quiet man...."

Though not a psychologist, I can personally report a high correlation between introversion and sense of humor.

Beware the sticker shock of March

Linda Sappenfield — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:07:00 GMT

Never underestimate the power of the shamrock.

Determined to forgo the usual March themes for book displays--Irish-Americans, springtime--I first imagined a celebration of National Caffeine Month (maybe next year) but settled on horror fiction. Beneath a graphic that co-worker Kate judged "really creepy" lurks an assortment of chillers starring Dracula and his kind, zombies, and other popular but horrifying stuff. This array is titled Beware the Ides of March AND...

It's eye-catching, all right, but so far those books don't seem to be moving as briskly as book tower items generally do. Is the topic too off-putting? Or are patrons resisting the shamrock-free selections because they've vowed to get their taxes completed this week?

At least the nod to Julius Caesar works--too well.

"Beware the Ides..." is an entertaining allusion for those of us who aren't Caesar. We relish the novelty of alarm; the Ides is only one day per month, and anyway it doesn't apply to us. This week, however, another JC quotation came to mind. The library community is pondering the latest news from e-book publishers, and that does concern us.

Remember Marc Antony's inspired appeal to the crowd: "Lend me your ears"? It's deemed a great example of metonymy: substituting a word representative of an attribute for what is actually meant. What Antony really wants to borrow, of course, is the crowd's attention.

Famous lenders ourselves, library people who circulate books are honestly more excited about sharing the knowledge in them (and in our e-books, databases, audiovisuals, and events). Our customers may think we're about loaning books, but we're fundamentally about access.

And because we provide (ebooks are leased through Overdrive, the major supplier/lender of ebooks to public libraries, for as long as a contract is active with them) that access with tax dollars, libraries nationwide have been anxiously monitoring moves by major publishers seeking favorable distribution formulas for their ebooks:

Last year, HarperCollins placed a 26-checkout limit on ebooks leased to libraries. Libraries pay HarperCollins' price for the product but may no longer access it after the 26^th use.

Last month, Penguin Group closed its partnership with Overdrive, which is our library's ebook platform. We were allowed to keep the Penguin titles we'd already leased (Kindle users now need to follow a new workaround procedure for those). We cannot, however, acquire any new Penguin ebooks for our patrons to borrow; those must be purchased individually by private users. Penguin still allows libraries to purchase and share its printed books. Other "Big Six" publishers who do not make new ebook titles available to libraries include Simon & Schuster, Hachette, and Macmillan.

Last week, Random House announced price increases for ebooks leased to libraries. Some charges rose as much as 300%. A library leasing Eisenhower in War and Peace before the price jump would have paid $40; after the hike, it's $120. Blessings by Anna Quindlen now costs $45.00, triple the $15 "before" price tag. George R.R. Martin's A Dance with Dragons now lists at $105.00 in ebook format.

This surely won't be the first or only time anyone says this, but I can't resist: Et tu, Random House?

Play for All Abilities Park Grand Opening Celebration this Saturday!

Roger Heaney — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 20:50:00 GMT

The Play for All Abilities Park Grand Opening Celebration will take place this Saturday, March 3 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The formal presentation and ribbon cutting will take place at 11:00 a.m. and the gates to the park will be officially opened after the presentation. Join us for the official ribbon cutting ceremony, refreshments and LIVE entertainment! The entire community is invited to take part in this historic event!

PARKING INFORMATION:
Due to limited parking at the park, only residents with handicap placards will be permited to park in the general parking area of the park. General parking will be available at Callision Elementary School located at 1750 Thompson Trail, Round Rock, Texas 78664. We will provide complimentary bus service from the school to the park during the entire event. Come join us for this historic event!