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April '98 LIBRARY NEWS THAMHf TO COUHCa! In March, Council gave the Library approval to begin a very exciting and necessary project. The West Vancouver Memo- rial Library was one of the very first libraries in the lower mainland to automate. That was almost 16 years ago. When a library automates it means they put almost all of their business onto a large computer system. The computer system acts as the card catalog and it keeps track of all of the library cards. It links these 2 big databases together to keep track of what is checked out on each of the cards. It also keeps track of fines and lost books and it sends out overdue notices. It tells us at check-in when a book is on hold and who has requested it. In short, we couldn’t operate as anything but a reading room without it. We have not kept pace with the technology or with other libraries in our computer system. Our software and our hard- ware are both several years out of date. They are begining to break down and do not allow things like renewing books over the phone. Council has given us a green light to proceed with a study of Just what we should do to bring WVML into the '90s and to position ourselves for the year 2000. The next year will be a time of exciting changes for all of us associated with the Library. We already have a great collec- tion, a lovely building and some of the best staff available. When this project is completed in 1999, we will have up-to date and efficient technology as well. Ann Goodhart] It E P E H E N C E S E It V 1 C E S A new arrival. Ships of the World: An Historical Ency- clopedia, reflects the important role that ships have played in shaping human destiny. This title includes all types of the most famous ships in history, including some fictional ships, such as the “African Queen.” It is very readable, and each entry provides the essential statistical and archi- val information followed by a summary of the ship’s place in history. How did the phrase lingua franca come to mean “a lan- guage widely used as a means of conversation among speak- ers of many languages?” The phrase translates from the Italian, literally, as “Frankish tongue.” Frankish, or Old Franconian, was a medieval West Germanic language. However, linguafranca, originally referred to a hybrid, Ital- ian-based, pidgin language mixed with French, Spanish, Greek, Arabic and Turkish, used commercially as a means of communication in the Mediterranean area during the Renaissance, possibly developed and used by seafarers as early as the 9th century A.D. This language enabled Mus- lims to conduct business with Europeans and is still used to this day by some traders in the Levant region. The Ger- manic-speaking Franks, who occupied present-day west- ern Germany, northern France and Belgium, invaded the western Roman Empire in the 5th century A.D. For some time the Franks ruled over most of Europe, and all western Europeans were seen, especially by the peoples of the Le- vant, as Franks â€" hence franca’, conceivably, the phrase might be updated to "lingua europa.” Over time, the phrase lingua franca evolved to its contemporary, broader mean- ing. A linguafranca can be a fully developed language, such as English, Spanish and French or a pidgin language such as Nigerian Pidgin, Tok Pisin (Papua New Guinea), and the dying Chinook Wawa, better known as Chinook Jargon, with barely over 100 remaining speakers in Canada and the U.S.A. WEST VANCOUVER MEMORIAL LIBRARY 1950 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC,V7V 1J8 Tel; (604) 925-7400 Library Hours: (604) 925-7401 Fax: (604) 925-5933 Modem Acc.: 925-7409 Telnet; WVML.JESLACS.BC.CA ADULT SERVICE S IN THE GALLERY - “Recent Works”... by Robert Florian will be on display in the Library March 30 to April 26. Robert attended the Langara College Fine Arts program and later, while travelling through Europe, was able to study the works of the great impressionists and particularly Monet at Givemy. “Recent Works” is an example of Robert’s evolving style. He uses bolder colours, shapes and simplified forms to capture the rugged beauty of the local landscape. Robert has shown previously in the Library and at other galleries in Vancouver. Reception, artist in attendance, March 30,7:30 - 8:30 p.m. All paintings are for sale. APRIL ... keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps the singing bird will come... according to this old Chinese prov- erb a pure heart will help to attract birds to your garden. Discover the joy of feeding, housing, watching and listen- ing as these feathered wonders go about their nesting, bathing and housekeeping ... transform your garden into a haven for family, friends and wild life with a little help from your library. We offer a few suggestions ... (574.5264 BOD) BODANIS, DAVID The Secret Garden: Dawn To Dusk In The Astonishing Hidden World Of The Garden (598.292 PRO) PROCTOR, NOBLE S. Garden Birds: How To Attract Birds To Your Garden (631.3 BLA) BLANDFORD, PERCY W. Garden Tools And Gadgets You Can Make (631.3 ETT) ETTLINGER, STEVE The Complete Illus- trated Guide To Everything Sold In Garden Centers (Ex- cept The Plants!