Animal navigation

Above: Interpolated geolocation tracks of 11 Arctic terns tracked from breeding colonies in Greenland (10 birds) and Iceland (1 bird). Green = autumn (postbreeding) migration (August–November), red = winter range (December–March), and yellow = spring (return) migration (April–May). Dotted lines link locations during the equinoxes. Map from the Arctic Tern Migration Project of the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources.

The February installment of the 2012 Ester Library Lecture Series features UAF geophysicist David Stone, who will discuss the secrets of animal navigation. Stone, an emeritus professor at UAF and longtime resident of Ester, has devoted years of work towards understanding how animals navigate over long distances. He will be sharing that knowledge with us Wednesday evening, February 15, at 7 p.m. in Hartung Hall in Ester. Dr. Stone’s presentation, “Long Distance Navigators: How Do Insects, Birds and Fish Do It?” will delve into the mysteries of how birds, fish, and even insects are able to find their way to breeding and overwintering areas across thousands of miles. If you’ve ever wondered how salmon find their way back to spawn, or how arctic terns are able to travel from Alaska to Antarctica and back without getting lost, you won’t want to miss this.

The Ester Library Lecture Series focuses on writers, artists, adventurers, scholars, entrepreneurs, musicians, craftspeople, and other colorful characters from, visiting, or of interest to Ester. Admission is free, although donations are encouraged—and very much appreciated. Lectures are held in Hartung Hall, Main Street & Ester Loop, Ester, at 7 p.m. on the third Wednesday of each month. Parking and beverages are available at the nearby Golden Eagle Saloon. Upcoming speakers include marine ecologist Peter McRoy, Alaska historian Ross Coen, Tom Zimmer and Susan Willsrud from Calypso Farm, ecologist and invasive plant expert Trish Wurtz, and glaciologist Matt Nolan.

The John Trigg Ester Library is a home-grown community library that provides a welcoming and intellectually stimulating environment where community members can meet and share ideas and information. The Library strives to instill a love of reading and learning, to showcase Ester-area history and culture, and to provide resources that will enrich the whole community. The Library is raising funds to construct a new library building in downtown Ester. When completed, it will be the first public building in Alaska constructed to meet strict Passiv Haus, nearly net-zero, energy efficiency standards.

GEB meetings & Sandy Jamieson!

This next week is going to be busy for the library!

First, this weekend is the launch of Growing Ester's Diversity, a new program at the library! The program will start off with a food security issues book & movie discussion group on Saturday, January 14, 4:30 pm at the JTEL office, studio #8 at the Annex, 2922 Parks Highway. Come prepared to discuss books you have read or are reading on agriculture, food, nutrition, biodiversity, food systems, and the like! We also have books and movies available for checkout. See our discussion group page for more information.

If you are interested in helping with the long-term planning and fundraising to maintain this program at the library, please come to our planning session the next day, Sunday, same place, same time.

Next, the 2012 lecture series begins on Wednesday, January 18, 7 pm at Hartung Hall with Sandy Jamieson as the first speaker.

A local artist, guide, pilot, and log builder, Jamieson is well known for his wry and often pointed satirical paintings depicting Alaska life and political issues. Jamieson's presentation, "'Predator Control' And Other Alaska Political Commentary" will cover a range of topics from Alaska politics to big game guiding, flying, commercial art, and Arctic Man. His work is often thought provoking, frequently humorous, and always Alaskan.

Hartung Hall is at the corner of Main Street, Ester Loop, and Wellhouse Road in downtown Ester. Parking (and beverages) are available at the nearby Golden Eagle Saloon.

January 2012 events at the Ester library

The next year at the Ester library will be full of activity! Between our new committees and programs and planning for the building construction, there will be many opportunities to volunteer, experience the library's programs and community events, or savor the collection's offerings!

Growing Ester's Biodiversity: program launch

The new GEB program is being launched in January, starting with a book & movie discussion group. The initial meeting of this group is Saturday, Jan. 14, 4:30 pm at the library business office (studio #8, 2922 Parks Highway, upstairs at the Annex).  The next day, same time and same place, the GEB grantwriting group will get together to create the long-term plan for the program and get down to some serious grant applications. Please sign up for the GEB program newsletter if you'd like to stay informed about program events and volunteer opportunities.

Library Lecture Series: Sandy Jamieson

Sandy Jamieson, local painter, pilot, and guide, is the featured speaker who will be kicking off the 2012 lecture series. Come and hear Sandy talk about his experiences on the third Wednesday of the month, Jan. 18, 7 pm at Hartung Hall.

Capital Campaign: fundraising to construct the new library

The library's capital campaign, begun in 2009, is gearing up for the home stretch on fundraising for construction. The library has received strong support from the state and the borough, and the Grants & Fundraising Committee is now looking to private foundations and individual donation drives & fundraisers for the rest. The library design should be completed in January, and we are finishing up the business plan and developing a construction plan, but can use help! The committee meets on the first Tuesday of the month; our first meeting in 2012 will be at the JTEL office, Tuesday, Jan. 3, 6 pm. If you have grantwriting skills or knowledge of grant management, please come! We can use your help.

On Sunday, Jan. 22, 6 pm at the JTEL office, Monique Musick, JTEL president, will present an outline of grant-related needs to the Construction Committee at their first meeting of the year. If you are interested in serving on the construction committee, please attend!

For other meetings and events, please see our Calendar page on this blog, or follow us on Facebook!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The JTEL Board of Directors put out a Thanksgiving update to the membership:

Happy Thanksgiving!

The board of directors of the John Trigg Ester Library would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your support over the years. We have so much to be thankful for. With your support we have purchased land for the new library, constructed a gazebo for outdoor gatherings and performances, designed an incredible community space to Passiv Haus standards (meaning it has nearly net-zero energy demand, makes its own heat and much of its own electricity, and is a VERY affordable building to operate), became a federally recognized nonprofit organization, established an endowment for long-term support of JTEL operations, and so much more. The turnout at our fundraising events this year, including the Library Lallapalooza, LiBerry Music Festival & Pie Throwdown, and Readers on the Run, broke all records and provided vital operating and building support funding. We are currently about one-quarter of the way toward being able to build the new library.

We have made a lot of progress, but there is still much to do. As members, bibliophiles and library supporters there are many ways that you too can help. Our board meetings always include opportunities for public comment, so join us the second Tuesday of each month in our office at the ANNEX, Suite 8 (upstairs). Our agendas, minutes and other information are available on our website: www.esterlibrary.org. And please, become a JTEL fan and follow us on Facebook.

CURRENT LIBRARY
When was the last time you stopped in to the current Ester library? It is filled from floor to ceiling with a great variety of books and media. Volunteers have done a great job clearing out the stacks of books and making the library as neat and functional as possible. The JTEL is operating on a self-service, honor system and is maintained by volunteers. If you are interested in helping out with the book return system, shelving, cleaning and other chores around the current library, let us know and we'd be glad to train new volunteers to assist with managing the library. We have plans for improving the current space that we hope to be announcing soon. Stay tuned for news of a newly improved library! If you'd like to help, please respond and say you'd like to be a LIBRARY VOLUNTEER.

EVENTS & PROGRAMS COMMITTEE
Have you attended one of our library lectures? We have had presentations from artists, authors, builders and more. We are planning a whole new line-up of presenters starting next spring. Do you have ideas on great presenters? Maybe you like helping to plan fundraising events? We are looking for brand-new fundraising event approaches. Do you have some great ideas? If so, you are the perfect fit for this committee! Please respond and say you'd like to be put in contact with the EVENTS & PROGRAMS COMMITTEE.

CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE
Since 2006 we have been working on designing a library with room for gathering space and improved services for the community of Ester and surrounding areas. After many variations, we have finally arrived at a truly revolutionary design utilizing Passiv Haus building standards. The JTEL library will be the first public building in Alaska to have Zero Energy consumption annually. The work for the construction committee is by no means finished even though our plans are 95% complete.

We need an updated construction timeline. We need to complete our local builders and vendors list for procurement. We need to begin drafting an RFP for contractors. We need to identify our project management strategy and all steps needed to bring the library from plan to finished project. We need to keep in touch with the designers and project leader to make sure we answer any building-related questions and planning concerns. The construction committee, as opposed to the general make-up of the board, includes contractors and other professionals familiar with the building industry in Alaska. If you are interested in joining the team please reply and say you'd like to be added to the CONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE e-mail list. Generally the committee meets once a month on a Sunday evening.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN & GRANT WRITING COMMITTEE
Community support for the library has been incredible, but we have to look beyond the checkbooks of our neighbors to make the $800,000 building a reality. Volunteers on the capital campaign committee have been busy brainstorming ways to generate the funding needed to build the new library, including identifying grant opportunities for which the library is eligible. There are many aspects to this work, and more roles than just grant writing. The look and branding of the library is a part. The committee is working on marketing materials and community outreach in addition to business planing, budget development, and creation of a boiler-plate grant application. We have not yet submitted any grant applications because so much work needs to happen first to finalize the building and operating budgets, identify partners and gather the demographic data needed for the statement of need and evaluation plans. It is a mix of MARKETING, BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, and GRANT WRITING, and it is absolutely vital to the future of the library. The committee meets once a month, generally on a Sunday evening, with special meetings held by subcommittees for specific projects on other dates as agreed. If you are interested please reply and say you'd like to be added to the CAPITAL COMMITTEE e-mail list.

FINANCE COMMITTEE
Up to this point the treasurer of the organization has had a lot of control over the finances of the library, with regular reporting to the board, but as the library grows, so to must its accounting practices and financial policies. This is a temporary committee dedicated to writing up accounting procedures for the JTEL. From clarifying Quickbooks procedures to establishing cash management policies, we need to make sure that JTEL is following GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) and is audit ready. If you have an accounting or business management background and would like to offer assistance in the development of financial policies please reply and say you'd like to be added to the FINANCE COMMITTEE e-mail list.

MEMBERSHIP
Life is busy, and many of you probably do not have time to commit to the library. We understand. One way you can always help the library is to maintain your membership. We distributed membership envelopes broadly before the October annual membership meeting. Did you return yours? An annual membership is a minimum of $5 per person, but if you are able to contribute more it is truly appreciated. The new membership year began in October—chances are your membership has expired! Stop by the current library and fill out the membership form there, send in an envelope if you have one around the house, our reply and ask for MEMBERSHIP information. I'm sorry, but we do not have online membership renewal at this time.

If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact me. Blessings to you and your loved ones during this season of thankfulness.

Best Regards,
Monique Musick
JTEL President