"Books Shed Light on Bird Flu"

Recently, I attended an after dinner lecture about “Avian Flu” or “Bird Flu”. It’s amazing how much scientists know about the possible number of “N” and “H” combinations that can occur in that virus. From what I understand, the N5H1 virus is the combination that is the current threat to the bird population and it could mutate and become a scourge to human civilization. If, at any time, that virus meets up with a differently numbered virus that’s already hosted in a human and the two of them combine or mutate so that the new one is communicable, watch out, it’s a pandemic for sure.

New books owned by the Library on the bird flu pandemic include “The monster at our door” by Mike Davis and “The bird flu pandemic: can it happen? will it happen?: how to protect yourself and your family if it does” by Dr. Jeffrey Geene. Both books review the history of earlier bird flu pandemics, particularly the “Spanish Flu” of 1917 and 1918 and give information on the research currently being conducted and the measures being taken to eradicate the virus. Both books will turn you into chronic hand washers. We will probably be able to tell who read either one of the books by their chaffed hands.

Well, that evening of lectures by doctors and health officials was about as much science as I could absorb in one sitting. My mind started drifting after that. I began thinking about surviving, that is, assuming that I am not in the first wave of people who become infected and die.

What if I’m cooped up (forgive the pun) in my house for 6 weeks or so? How would my wife (assuming that she’s not infected) and I occupy ourselves? Television is not within the realm as neither of us can abide the commercials. The telephone would provide a means of visiting with similarly-situated friends and relatives. But how many calls would I answer if the caller only wants to know if I’m still alive?

Internet would help relieve some of the boredom---just pray the monitor doesn’t give out, or worse, the motherboard fry while you’re restricted to the house.

Books might be the salvation of a long incarceration. But, I’ve rid the house of nearly every book I’ve ever owned. As a librarian, I’ve lived by the philosophy of why own a book if I can borrow it from the library?

Well, if suddenly trapped in my house for an extended amount of time, I could possibly read the 13-volume “History of Civilization” by Will and Ariel Durant. I have spent years collecting the set with the intention of reading it cover to cover. I’ve been lugging that set from one move to the next for the past thirty years. It’s a pandemic prisoner’s dream.
From the dinner lecture I attended, I learned that the pandemic might last as long as one and one-half years and occur in a series of three or four waves. As I survive each onslaught, I could continue reading until the last page is turned.

The Columbus Library Foundation has received memorials in honor of Gregory Demarco from Marilyn Zehring, Joan Baumert, and Mr. and Mrs. Galen Kluck. In addition, a memorial donation was received from Dorothy Demarco in honor of Gerald Schulfelberger and Mr. and Mrs. Galen Kluck remembered J.R. Warner with a donation. These donations will be used to purchase new materials for the Library