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Today, July 25, is your last day to start or renew a subscription to McSweeney's and start with Issue 28. Coincidentally, it's also the last day to start or renew a subscription to Wholphin and start with Issue 6. Both subscriptions are discounted (McSweeney's by $5, Wholphin by $10). If you've moved, please send us your address changes.

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D I S P A T C H E S   F R O M
A   P U B L I C   L I B R A R I A N

BY SCOTT DOUGLAS

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Dispatch 9 (7/22/04)

Lost & Found
Butterfinger candy bar (unopened)
Bottled water
Goodnight Moon board book
3 pencils
Plastic wallet with Mickey ears

Patron of the Week
Walter Scott's weekly "Personality Parade" in the "Parade" section of the Sunday paper always reminds me of the library, mainly because it almost always has someone who starts out their question with something along the lines of "Please settle a bet." It's amazing how many information-seeking phone calls libraries receive that start in such a way, and I always enjoy answering them, because it gives me pleasure knowing that someone somewhere has made a quick buck off something I said. Last week, I received such a call from an elderly woman wanting me to settle a bet between her and her son. She wanted to know what countries in Europe the Great Wall of China went through and what was the year Reagan tore it down. When I explained that the Great Wall of China was still mostly intact and that she probably meant the Berlin Wall, she replied coolly, "No, hon, you see, the Berlin Wall is just the part of the wall that goes through Berlin." I put on my best geography-teacher hat to try and explain the Great Wall of China was, in fact, exclusively in Asia. She replied, "I'm pretty sure you're wrong. What would be so great about tearing down a wall in Germany? It's not even that big of a country."

Book Drop
This week someone decided to put all their creative powers to work by dumping dirt into the library's overnight book drop.

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