January 31, 2017 • Page 16 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Yankton Library Time To Turn The Page? The Exaggerated Death Of The Library BY TONYA OLSON Yankton Community Library Hello! I’ve recently stepped into the position of library director at the Yankton Community Library and it has already been a wild ride. In less than a month, I’ve attended meetings, declared snow days, met with staff, worked the desk, helped plan programming and so much more. I look forward to more of all of these things, with the exception of the snow days, and to getting to know more about our wonderful community. One thing I can tell you about public libraries is that our death has been largely exaggerated. As a library professional, it can sometimes feel that whenever there’s a slow news day, another person decides to write about the impending death of public libraries. Seems like a no-brainer, right? I mean, we’re 25 years into mainstream internet access! Amazon Prime exists! Everyone has an eReader! Those darn millennials don’t like to read; they spend all their time on their phones! Not so fast. In actuality, more than a quarter of U.S. households don’t have a computer with an internet connection. According to a 2016 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, a majority of people ages 16-49 have used the library at least once in the past year and 40-45 percent of people ages 50+ have as well. Another Pew survey found that the majority of people are still reading print books exclusively, or a mixture of print and digital, with only 6 percent of respondents reporting that they read exclusively digital books. I must say, I’m not surprised. While I use Overdrive (our library eBook platform) to download books to my Kindle and love the convenience of that, there really is something about experiencing the physicality of a book. (Anyway, back to our exaggerated demise.) Pew also found that most people view libraries as positive community spaces, particularly as a safe space for people to meet, a place to learn about new digital trends and technologies and a place to seek trustworthy information. As a librarian, I’m thrilled to hear that public opinion mirrors my own experiences with libraries. I’m excited to help create opportunities for the citizens of Yankton to continue having these positive experiences too. So, if you haven’t been in to see us in a while, stop and visit! You may not find the shushing spinster of librarian caricatures-past (in fact, depending on the day, you may end up wanting to shush us), but I’m confident we have something for you, whether that be internet access, the latest bestsellers, a new TV series to binge on, audiobooks that can be downloaded directly to your phone, or the latest from your favorite magazine, we’ll help you out. As for library events, we will be holding all of our normal programming in February including: three weekly story time sessions, two weekly toddler story time sessions, Thursday & Friday after-school activities, teen events, Yankton Seed Library classes and programs, book clubs, craft nights, the Friends of the Library Book Sale and hosting the LifeServe Blood Bank. We are also excited to be welcoming two local authors in February. Travis Gulbrandson, of Yankton, will be joining us on Feb. 23 to discuss his recent novel, “A Marble Heart.” The following Monday, Feb. 27, Phil & Sandy Hamman of Sioux City will be discussing their recent true crime memoir, “Gitchie Girl.” Both books are currently available at the library and will be available for sale at the events. The library will round out the month with our everpopular Oscar’s Weekend! In the weekend leading up to the Academy Awards, we will be screening several of the nominated pictures. We’re currently finalizing the showings, so look for more information on that soon. The best way to follow along with all of our library happenings is to follow us on Facebook by searching Yankton Community Library or check out our events calendar on our website at http://library.cityofyankton. org. You’re also always welcome to call or email us with questions at library@cityofyankton.org or 605-668-5275. We look forward to seeing you! Appreciation Remembering A Vulnerable, Iconic Superstar BY STEVE JOHNSON © 2017, Chicago Tribune A key thing to remember about Mary Tyler Moore is this: She was a television star like few others, the centerpiece of two classic series. Moore, who died Wednesday in a Connecticut hospital at age 80, was Laura Petrie, the title star’s young wife in “The Dick Van Dyke Show” of the early 1960s. And a decade later, the name on the show’s title was hers as she played Mary Richards, Twin Cities TV news producer and, as a single career woman who wasn’t pining for a partner, icon of the feminist era. Lots of people wind up in TV shows. Few make it into good shows, fewer still into ones that can be fairly called “classic.” But to land in two such means you have something a little bit magical to bring to the table reading, and then to American living rooms. In Moore’s case, beyond the evident brains and beauty, it was the suggestion of a soul beneath the TV comedy lines and situations. On paper, Laura and Mary were very different women who were both emblematic of their times, but in each of them there was something that seemed essentially Moore. She brought a hint of fragility to these characters, of the way we all work sometimes to hold it together, that put viewers squarely on her side. She could and did convey pluck and can-do spirit, of course — “You’ve got spunk,” TV boss Lou Grant famously told Mary Richards. “I hate spunk.” — but it was the vulnerable kind more than the brassy kind. Two of her signature lines were delivered with a quaver of exasperation at the men who had degrees of control over her life: “Mister Grant” to Ed Asner’s Grant, “Oh, Rob,” to Van Dyke’s Rob Petrie. Although she was more often the straight man for other actors’ laughs, she had impeccable timing. In between Asner’s two lines about spunk, Moore does a perfect aw-shucks routine that gives the punchline its power. In another “MTM” episode, a friend makes a vulgar green dress for her. “She designed it especially for me,” Moore says gamely, in the same spirit that she is trying to summon up as she wears the thing. But the immediate throat clearing and almost desperate look away tell of her true horror. Or watch as the realization of what is happening in “Dick Van Dyke’s” enduring “That’s My Baby” episode plays over the face of Laura Petrie. Husband Rob has convinced himself that their baby was switched at the hospital with that of another couple. He invites them over to fix things, over Laura’s protestations. And when the couple walks through they door, they are African-American. Van Dyke does the deft double take that starts the laughter. But Moore makes it roll onward. She takes Laura, wordlessly, from the truth dawning to unabashed delight in this little domestic comedy to, perhaps, an upbraiding of her husband — all of this in just a few seconds — to remembering her manners and rushing over to introduce herself. The famous scene at the funeral of Chuckles the TV Clown on “MTM” came close to delivering the full spectrum of Moore. As she and colleagues wait, Mary Richards upbraids them for joking at a funeral. The eulogy starts, and, hearing the absurdity of one Chuckles character name and catchphrase after another, Mary, of course, is the one who can’t contain herself. She giggles, she snorts, she breaks into louder laughter, all the while trying to play it off with coughs and look-away gestures. When the speaker can no longer ignore her, he invites her to stand and laugh out loud because Chuckles loved laughter and, the man says, abhorred tears. And Mary, standing there in somber black dress, breaks down in sobs. It’s the funniest moment yet, not only for the rapid emotional switch, for this essentially good person once against doing the exact wrong thing, but because it is entirely true to the vulnerability she has stuffed into this character. A great TV series is alchemy. All of the major parts — writers, actors, storyline, cultural moment — have to be working or the show falls off by more than a little bit. But indisputably, Moore was a key to both of these timeless shows, as you’ll be able to see if you take a few commemorative minutes to call up a few episodes online. She had the good taste to want to be part of them, the chops to handle what they asked of her and to sneak in something extra, and the courage to stand proudly with them as they occasionally led the nation forward on social issues. She had something we loved, and it is entirely fair to go ahead and call it spunk. Some customers want to stand out from their competition. Some want to run their business at peak efficiency. We make it happen! From custom business cards to banners, we print quality materials and guarantee on-time delivery. From small print orders to complex bound documents and brochures -- we make it happen! Bulk Mailing From design to delivery we provide bulk mailing at discount prices. Color Printing We print full-color marketing materials, advertising and business essentials. 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