And we are going to be talking to Joanna Jackson from the Racine Public Library. We were
talking about we were going to have Keona, don't tell me. Reading, but she had a family
for things she had to deal with, right? You know, shaking your head on the radio is not
a good idea. Just so you know, yes, she could not join us this morning, Keon Te, but she's
with us in spirit. Absolutely. She's not dead. She just had family emergency. Yeah,
to deal with. Okay. You said, Oh, she's with us here in spirit.
It was a little sentimental. I said, and we can't talk about people in the past tense either.
They get nervous. All right. I've got rule number two down now. Okay. So Joanna Jackson's here
today is Black History Month. And it's a library. They have a reading. I've heard of these before,
but once you tell people what the reading is of the Racine Public Library. Absolutely. So the
reading is an event that we have on an annual basis every Black History Month. And it's an
opportunity for about 15 different community members to share a contemporary or historical
Black author. And it's like they can share a little excerpt or a poem or something of that nature.
And we all just get to listen and share together. And it's a really, really fun time. Just to
get to hear from a very large selection and variety of people and the different works that
mean something to them. Do you know any off hand? I shouldn't have done that to you. I know
that. I know someone's reading something by Sir John or truth. So that will be. Okay.
These are good readers, right? Absolutely. I'm not a great reader. My wife is because whenever
we have a book to read going to bed, she reads it to me because she's a good reader. I sit there
and I stumble all over the place. You wouldn't know it, but I do stumble. And so it's just
easier if she reads. We all get the gist of it and she reads with authority and so forth.
So how many how many readers do you have? How's this going to work? So we have 15 different readers.
And they'll be reading throughout the whole night. We'll also have a little break in the middle
to just share some local community businesses that are Black owned and things like that.
And then we'll continue on with the reading after that. And it's a wonderful time,
just you get to hear from so many different people. And it's really interesting to see what they
decide to share in terms of because they get to be the ones to select the reader. One special
part of it as well is that no two readers can read the same author. So you're guaranteed to get a
really vast selection. Fights don't break out, do they? I mean, I don't want to read that.
We don't want any fights breaking out. Not at the Black History Month reading, we don't. Okay,
where is it held in the library? So it's on the second floor in the community room, which is a
really nice large space we have for a bunch of different programming. And then we set it up in a
little bit of like a theater style. Okay, and free. Absolutely. Okay, it's making sure I want to get
come there with a good cost money. Now when is it? Now this is coming. It's not now. It's next week,
right? That's right. And once you talk about the date and time. Absolutely. So it will be a week
from today. So that it's another Tuesday, February 17th. And it'll be from 530 to 730.
And then you get a 30 minute little section afterwards. If you want to browse the library,
check out our services, check out the books. No food. No food. Oh, I would want to graduate.
But you will get the food of knowledge for reading. Look at you working at him. That's pretty good.
Okay, I give you credit for that one. That's good. All right. Okay. Now this is in memory of
Mary Finley and Marcy and Eens. That's right. Who are they? So these were two women who were
just really big community advocates for the arts and for community sharing and learning.
And they were also a part of the formation of the reading as well as participants of the
reading. And so we honored them by naming it after them. And that was actually an effort that was
also led by our director Nick Demsky. He is one of the founding members of the reading.
Oh, he'll be in a few, I think two months, one month. He's going to be in soon Nick.
Awesome. Yeah, that should be good. Okay. So that's who they are. These two ladies. Okay. That's
good. Who hosts the event? Do you host it? So we do host the event. But it is a really cool collaborative
effort because we create a committee every year of new individuals. And the committee is a
collaboration between people that are at the library like stuff as well as community members.
I was giving you a chance to take full credit. That's what I would have done. That's what I would have
done. Oh, yeah, I'm control over that. I did everything from ground zero. Yeah, no help. I just
did all myself. That's what I would do if I were you. But you're a better person. I am.
All right. Then who's participating in the read in? Now this is we have a list of people.
We do have a list. How did they get into the reader mode? So that's one of the elements where
the committee comes in in terms of we all help to recruit different members of the community to read.
Okay. If they you have to have a qualification that you know how to read
properly. So you're not going to stumbling all over the place, right?
Well, you know, it is actually okay if you have a little stumble, we won't we won't cut you out.
I wouldn't tolerate that. That's the community part. I'd go next. Okay. And is here a particular
reading you are interested in? You know, I'm going to keep that a secret. Uh-oh. No favorites.
All right. And you know, I would imagine people get to learn during here new authors.
Absolutely. New pieces to hear from and everybody learns. You know, one of my wife picks out
something for us to read. I said, well, I didn't know that. And you know, you know,
you know, a favorite reading. I know when we read the Bible, there was a passage once I read in
Jeremiah 29 11. Now I have it printed on a card that I carry with me. And I said, I didn't know
that existed, but she read it to me one night. And I said, wow, that that's important. Yes. And
so now I wrote it out and I carried with me because I learned something. I know what's it's
doesn't sound like I learned things, but I really do. Okay. So again, there's no age requirements.
No age requirements. Anyone is welcome to no registration. No registration. Don't sign up.
Just do the pop-in. Just come on down. Do the pop-in of the library. That's right. And there's
plenty of parking, whether it's right there by Memorial Hall or across the way. That's right.
That's still now. Did they really use that they still use those parking meters by Memorial Hall there?
They still do. So bring your quarters because I tried to put money in there twice and it jammed
up. I couldn't get it in there. Oh no. Yeah. We'll have to talk to the city about that.
And you can't even see it on. I get the mayor coming in tomorrow. Oh, Thursday.
All right. There you go. That's a topic. Yeah. I got the mayor coming in here. I'll tell him
you said so. No, wait. You can't even see it on there either. What about the across the way
in the big parking lot that's a little downhill? Is the big meters there too? The one that's
like right next to the parking lot. Yeah. It's it's between the lake and the library. Yes. So there
are two the further a lot. Yeah. I believe it used to have a meter. Negative is your credit card.
But I do believe you. I don't like that. No, I don't like that. I don't like the credit card
thing. We'll talk to the mayor about it. All right. He didn't know I'm going to ask him that.
But I'm going to sit where you are on Thursday. We'll get this. All right.
Join a jacket is here from adult services at the Racine Public Library to explain what
adult services are to people who aren't confused. Absolutely. So I'm an adult services librarian.
So if you've ever been to the second floor of the Racine Public Library, that's often where you'll
find me. And I help with services on that floor. So for instance, if you've ever come in and
needed to do a print job or you're looking for the latest Stephen King novel, that's where you'd
probably find me. And that's where I can assist and help. So I put a movie on hold called
Eleanor of the Great. I love you. That is. It's about a senior citizen traveling to New York City.
And I saw the preview for it. It didn't play in theaters around here. So I got this the note
yesterday saying it was in. Now I looked it up and it's you didn't have it at this library.
There's a couple of DVDs looking for one is one from the 1950s movie. And I looked it up and it's
at Williams Bay. It's in Elcorn. And I figured with the other one of it's out there somewhere.
I feel so bad when I ordered it and I asked him to pick because I know some guys got a
schlep out there all the way to Williams Bay to get it. Well, you know, he'll go he's going to do
that route every day. So I know, but I feel bad thing. Oh, God, this guy never stops with these DVDs.
Come on already. Why don't you pick something? It's in the library. What have to go and
slip all the way out the Williams Bay to get this thing? Our delivery drivers are absolutely
in there. I know they are. They are. So and the movie was bells. It's it bells on their toe is
a sequel to cheaper by the dozen. And I wanted to see the sequel. And it's I said to my wife,
but it's at Williams Bay in Elcorn. That's a long drive. And I mean, well, you don't have to drive.
I help it. Somebody's got to drop it. I feel bad out there. So, um, but they do it in the snow
and everything. They do. Wow. Okay. Let's talk about some things coming to the library. April
and May. I can't wait for April and May. Yes. I have had it with the snow. I've had it with the
cold. I've had it with the snow shovels. I've had it with the plows. The plows are good,
but they keep pushing the snow back in my driveway. But they got to do it. I understand that.
I understand that I understand it. I don't say anything bad because the mayor is coming in.
April and May programs coming soon to the library. Keep an eye out for recene. Oh, you'll get
a recene. See, we're seeing library.info slash calendar. They've got a whole bunch of new things
coming, including citizen science series. You know what that is? Yes. So citizen science is
actually a really cool way for community members and other individuals to participate in
larger research and science. And for instance, you can upload photos to different apps that help
to aggregate that data for the use by actual researchers and scientists. I'm lost already.
So an example, let's say you're outside of WRJN and you see a bird. You take a picture of
that bird and it gets uploaded to a website where a bunch of other people in recene have also
uploaded pictures of birds that are in this area. And so then other people say, you know what,
I think that's a Robin. And then it gets classified as older robins that are in this part of
recene, like near our WRJN. And then that information goes up to a big database where researchers can
then use that information and maybe someone's doing a red Robin study or something like that.
Look at you. Yeah. Something science. And you too can help science. That's the special part.
Oh, I like that. All right. This is a lion I saw in the neighborhood walking up and down roaring
in the neighborhood. Actually don't laugh when he's to walk my dog on the lakefront. It's right
near the zoo where I live. And in the morning, you can hear the lions roaring at the zoo.
Oh, wow. Because they're waking up. They're hungry. They're roaring. And you're
and my dog here goes out where the lion. Where's that coming from? A little beagle. Oh, wait,
wait. I don't mean. Yeah. So that's good. I like that.
Um, oh boy, I'm going to trouble this one. The return of Tyco Drum Group.
Why don't you finish the word there? What is that? Oh, yes. So the Tyco Drum Group
he beaky. They're going to come visit our library and do another performance.
Oh, yes. Oh, when is that, you know, that I don't know. Okay. That's why you have to go
to calendar. That's right. All right. And Earth Day programs. Yes. I don't know what they'll be
featuring, but they're going to absolutely be a lot of different programs available to celebrate
Earth Day. Now, I'll give you a hand how old I am here. I was in high school when the first
Earth, they happened in 1970, pulling out a calculator now, trying to figure out. I put some
really in the senior age. And, uh, uh, Gailor Nelson, who was from Wisconsin, uh,
say, uh, Senator from Wisconsin started Earth Day. And it was April 22nd, 1970. See, I know this.
And that day was the first Earth Day really not much about it. So it was a nice day,
the entire high school. And then we're talking. We have 4,000 people in our high school. It was a
big high school. And we all went out. They on the football field under trees all over the
property. And the entire day was spent outside learning. We did board our books with us. And
what a great day. And then we had speakers during the day talking about Earth Day. And that was
the very first one. That's an awesome first Earth Day. Yeah. People are really celebrated
like they used to, but it's nice to know there's somebody celebrating the Earth. Because without
the Earth, guess it wouldn't be here. Everybody on the planet. So you should, uh, you should thank
the Earth and be nice to it. That's why recycling started because of Earth Day. And people look
at, well, that's a pain in the neck. Well, okay, it's a pain in the neck, but do you want the
Earth to be cluttered with your junk? Exactly. What else do we have coming up here?
Citizen science. We talked about that. Oh, now this is something that people don't know about.
You actually have passes to the Mitchell Park domes. I went there once when I first moved to Milwaukee.
That is wonderful. And they have one dome, which is seasonal, which they they change around,
depending what the holidays are. Which talk about the passes for you guys? Absolutely. I have
also been to the Mitchell domes. And if you haven't gone, it is an experience that you should
absolutely enjoy. Just a beautiful arrangement of different plants and plant life. And
there's three domes. And I believe there's one seasonal and then two that are typical
fixtures. When I went, I didn't get to see the seasonal domes. So I have to go back and get
another trip. Maybe I'm going to use the Mitchell experience passes myself. But the passes are
really nice because they actually give you free access to the domes. And they also give you a
10% discount on their gift shop. So you can check those out like you would any other item from the
library. We place a hold on it for you. And then when your turn comes up, you get to take those
passes to Milwaukee and you get them for a week. Now you do that a lot with different passes to
different things. I mean, even the past. Yeah, we've I believe we've had occasionally other
venues that you can visit in the same way. Okay. And they're not they don't have millions of them.
So first come first. That's right. Get your hold today. Yeah. Just say you know Joanna.
We're out of passes. But I know Joanna Jackson. Oh, by the way, we just found two more passes for you.
Look at that. All right. For people just tuning in now, we were originally talking about the
Readin for Black History Month. Let's do a quick review of what that is. That's right. And that
Readin is going to be an event that we hold at the library. That's next Tuesday, February 17th,
where you'll get to hear from 15 different community members. And they'll be sharing 15 different
Black authors, both contemporary and historical. That's good. And the date for that is that is
February 17th. Next Tuesday, one week from today, market on your calendar. It's at the community
room, adult services, second floor. I remember I went to a my wife and I went to a few things there.
There was a small, I mean, a small group. There were six of us in the room. And they had to talk
about something you read recently. But I think it was a smaller room. I don't think that was a
way. If you go through the children's library section. Yes. There's a small room. The
Martin room. Yeah. That's where we had our session there. I felt odd walking through the
children's section. There's this big old man walking through. What's he do? I felt very creepy.
I mean, you know, but that's where we keep the books like Chrissy Jackson and a lot of other
things that you might want to check out. All these children go there. They were in little groups
on the little tiny chairs and everything. They are. And I was walking through there. I said,
just passing through passing through. I mean, there are there are a fun bunch down there. So.
Okay. Now this is free. It's open to the public. That's right. And just show up next week and the
hour. And it's only one day only 5 30 till 7 30 PM. You know, does anybody know what the authors
are in advance? They'll be reading. So they are going to choose them in advance, but it's a surprise
to the public. Yeah. And it's not Dr. Seuss. So don't worry. It's nothing like that. These are
real serious authors. Well, that's great. That's great. I'm glad you're involved in this.
And if you also look forward to the library, do you know, come down the pike?
Absolutely. And we always have a variety of programming going on. I can mention two programs
of special shout out because their programs I run. I run two programs. One's called craft and
chat. And that's a monthly program that happens where we do a craft of some sort. And we just
have conversation. That wasn't the same as stitching, bitch. Was it? No, but it's a cousin.
Okay. It's just wondering. And you can, that is a registration required class. So it's first
come first serve. And you can always find that in our calendar as well. It happens every second
Thursday. So actually this week is when craft and check is happening. However, our spots are
all filled up. So it's a pretty hot class. So you better check it out. Okay. And then the other
one is bars and banter. And that's just a music group, a music club where we chat about different
aspects of music. And that one is, is not registration required. You're able to just show up when
you would like. It's every third Wednesday at the library. And again, we just talk about a variety
of different topics with music from music and film to songs you like to seasonal music listening
and all kinds of really cool topics. You still have the gaming for teenagers then?
Absolutely. We have quite a few different gaming programs going on. They do Minecraft club,
they do. There's an Xbox in the in the teen scene. And I believe there's also a switch in
there too. There's they've got different systems in there that teens are welcome to come use when
the teen scene is open. So yeah, we have a variety of video game offerings. Is there an age limit
for that? No, well for the teen scene. Yes. You have to be a teen by my daughters and her husband
are in their 40s. And they have this gaming thing in their house. They've got the big space
chairs with the lighting in the room. They put baseball lighting sealant. They really get into
this. Absolutely. Gaming is a whole community and 46. I mean, yeah, but everyone loves games,
just like books. I know. She's held me a picture. I said, wow. The whole setup looks like the
on Star Trek. It looks like the man. Yeah, all right. That's where Captain Kirk sits. That's
right. I thank you very much for you. By the way, the original Captain Kirk on TV, Star Trek,
was from Shorewood, Wisconsin. Jeffrey Hunter. No way. It was in the pilot episode. Jeffrey
Hunter is from Shorewood. That's awesome. It's not around anymore though. Joanna, thank you very
much. And we hope, um, uh, Keonte writing. We hope her family, whatever problems she had,
it gets all solved real quickly. And she'll be in next time. Absolutely. Thanks so much for having me.
Who's this with you? This is my roommate, Omar. I am here. He was my chauffeur for the day,
very nice. You're going to leave him in the car. I didn't want to intrude or impede. I didn't
know the rules. Yeah. Well, the rules are, you can come in. Thank you, Joanna. And I'm shaking
for setting this up. I don't appreciate it. Thank you.