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Hall County Library System Newsletter

 

March 2008

 

In This Month’s Edition

Library Closings

News and Programs

Computer News

Hanging in the Galleries

This Month in Youth Services

This Month in Adult Services

Donations to the Library

From the Director

Accessing Your Account

Web Picks: Cool Stuff on the Web

 

 

Library Closings

The library will be closed on Sunday, March 23 for Easter.

 

 

Help Plan the Library’s Future

The Hall County Library System is in the process of developing a long range plan for future growth and development.  It is important to for all citizens who are concerned about library services throughout Hall County to have a voice in planning for the future.

All library users are invited to attend informal community input sessions at the East Hall Branch and Special Needs Library on Monday, March 10 at 5:30 p.m. or at the Blackshear Place Branch on Monday, March 31 at 5:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served at each.

For more information, contact the library at 770-532-3311 ext. 134 or via email.

 

Lunch & Learn Returns

The Lunch & Learn Gardening Series will continue this year starting on March 19th and on March 26th in the Gainesville Branch meeting room.  Bring your lunch and learn how to improve your gardening skills. 

On the 19th, Frank Bailey, owner of Mountainview Gardens in Dahlonega, will present Landscaping with Wildflowers and Native Plants. On the 26th, join Elaine Kelley, Hall County Master Gardener, to learn about Plant Propagation. For more information, contact the library at 770-532-3311 ext. 114.

 

 

 

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!

On Monday, March 17 from 12:30 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., bring your lunch and celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with a travel film on Ireland in the Gainesville Branch meeting room.  Also bring any memorabilia or any photos you may have from previous trips to Ireland and share with the group.

 

Resumes for Everyone

Looking to improve your chances for getting a better job? A resume class will be taught in the Gainesville Branch Meeting Room on March 18 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. by Carol Zaremba from Resumes & More.  This program is free of charge and open to the public.  Please call 770-532-3311 ext. 114 to register.

 

Read to the Dogs

 Children are invited to “Read to the Dogs” on March 4 from 3-4pm.  To save a spot for your child to read to one of our four legged visitors, come by the library or call 770-532-3311 ext. 151 to make an appointment. The dogs are registered with Atlanta Therapaws, Therapy Dogs international. Your child will remember this for a lifetime!

 

 

Kids and Kritters

Kelley Uber of the Hall County Humane Society will visit Blackshear Place Library March 4. Come join her for stories and find out what surprise guests she will bring for her “Kids and Kritters” program.

 

Computer News

The library system offers free computer classes including Introduction to Email, Introduction to the Internet, Advanced Email, Introduction to MS PowerPoint, Word Processing Basics and Introduction to MS Publisher.  Classes are taught by trained library staff and are free to the public. Classes will be held in the computer training labs at the Blackshear Place Branch and the Gainesville Branch.  For more information please click here or call 770-532-3311.

 

 

Hanging in the Galleries

February-March, 2008

 

Hall County Library will proudly showcase the talent of local artists in the gallery during the months of February and March. These exhibits are free to the public and are designed to encourage the community to become involved in the activities sponsored by the library. Our featured artists include Ann Alexander, Linda Blount, Cheryl Hardin, Elaine Howard, Jarvis Sims, and Nona Stephens. We encourage you to take some time to come by, view this wonderful collection, learn about the artists and what the library has to offer.

On March 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., there will be a reception in the Adult Services Department of the Gainesville Branch to honor the artists who are currently hanging in the gallery.  This is open to the public to give the community an opportunity to learn about the art and the artists.

This Month in Youth Services

                                                                                           

The next pajama storytime will be held at 6:30 pm at the Gainesville Branch on March 3 (will be the guest reader) and at Blackshear Place Branch on March 11. Everyone is welcome. Children may wear their jammies and bring their favorite bedtime buddy.  For more information, check the link above, go to the library website, or call 770-532-3311, ext.151.

 

Preschool storytimes and Baby Steps infant lapsits will be in session from March 3 through April 11. For more information, check the links above, go to the library website, call 770-532-3311, ext. 129, or pick up a flyer in any library branch.

 

There is still time to participate in Jump Start Reading Club for children who cannot read on their own and Reading Patch Club for children who can read on their own. These clubs end for this school year on the day before the Memorial Day holiday (May 26). There are 8 new patches to earn and new guidelines this year for Reading Patch Club! For more information, check the links above, go to the library website, or call 770-532-3311, ext. 129.

 

New titles for children and teens:

Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin, Jr. and Eric Carle

A young bear searching for its mother meets many North American animals along the way. (EFC)

This Little Pirate by Philemon Sturges

Two bands of pirates fight over a box, but when they raise the white flag and open the box together, they find a treasure to share. (EFC)

The Nixie’s Song (Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles series, book 1) by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black

When an "expedition" to a nearby lake turns up a little nixie with a giant problem--the huge, lumbering, fire-breathing variety -- it's up to Nick, his stepsister Laurie, and his big brother Julian to figure out the best way to stop a host of rampaging giants before all of Florida goes up in smoke. (JFC)

Judy Moody Saves the World by Megan McDonald

When Judy Moody gets serious about protecting the environment, her little brother, Stink, thinks she is overdoing it, but she manages to inspire her third-grade class to undertake an award-winning, environment-saving project. (JFC)

The Garden by Elsie V. Aidinoff

Retells the tale of the Garden of Eden from Eve’s point of view, as Serpent teaches her everything from her own name to why she should eat the forbidden fruit, and then leaves her with Adam and the knowledge that her choice has made mankind free. (YAF)

Sunset (Warriors, The New Prophecy series) by Erin Hunter

Amidst ongoing strife within and between the Clans of warrior cats, Brambleclaw is tempted by the dark plans of his father and brother, and the meaning of Leafpool’s ominous visions becomes clear. (YAF)

                                   

 

This Month in Adult Services

 

New titles in the adult area:

A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam

Rehana Haque is a widow and university student in Dhaka with two children, 17-year-old daughter Maya and 19-year-old son Soheil. As she follows the daily patterns of domesticity—cooking, visiting the cemetery, marking religious holidays—she is only dimly aware of the growing political unrest until Pakistani tanks arrive and the fighting begins. Suddenly, Rehana's family is in peril and her children become involved in the rebellion.”

The Venetian Betrayal by Steve Berry

Georgia author Berry brings back hero Cotton Malone for another exciting adventure.

People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks

Rare book expert Hanna Heath is offered the opportunity to unlock the secrets of a mysterious Hebrew manuscript that has survived centuries of war and strife.

Secret Societies and How They Affect Our Lives Today by Sylvia Browne

Browne writes about the clandestine realm of secret societies. Her research reveals the fact that many covert organizations affect the lives of each of us every day.

Listening is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the Storycorps Project Edited by Dave Isay

Drawing from more than ten thousand interviews, StoryCorps-the largest oral history project in the nation’s history-presents a tapestry of American stories, told by the people who lived them to the people they love.

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of Seal Team 10 by Marcus Luttrell with Patrick Robinson

On a clear night in late June 2005, four U.S. Navy SEALs left their base in northern Afghanistan for the mountainous Pakistani border. Their mission was to capture or kill a notorious al Qaeda leader known to be ensconced in a Taliban stronghold surrounded by a small but heavily armed force. Less than 24 hours later, only one of those Navy SEALs remained alive. This is their story.

 

Foundation Center

The Hall County Library System, a cooperating collection with the Foundation Center of New York will once again offer Grant Writing 101-How to Get Started.   This class is taught by Angel Randolph and is held in the Bill & Melinda Gates Computer Lab at the Gainesville Branch from 10:30 am until noon.   There are multiple opportunities to participate in 2008: June 12 and September 11. Please check our website for updates and to download a registration form.  One may also register by asking for a form at the Gainesville Branch Information Desk.  For more information please call 770-532-3311 or e-mail Kathy Smith at ksmith@hallcountylibrary.org.

 

Scrapbooking Workshop

There will be ongoing Scrapbooking Workshops once a month at the Blackshear Place Branch.  The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, March 10rd from 5:30-7:30pm.  Experienced scrapbooker Arneshia Echols will demonstrate useful techniques and creative ideas to showcase family memories or create clever pages for your memorabilia. Experienced scrappers and “newbies” are welcome, but advanced registration is required. Beginners may purchase an optional starter kit for $12, payable upon registration. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own photos or clippings. Please call 770-532-3311 ext. 151 for more information.

 

Crazy Craft Class

The Crazy Craft Classes will meet again this month on Tuesday, March 25, from 5:30 to

7:30 in the Gainesville Library’s meeting room.  Allison Hallman will be wrap up her series

 on knitting. People of all ages and skill levels are invited to attend.  Bring knitting

needles, yarn, paper and pen, or any current knitting or crocheting project you have started.

Space is limited, so call 770-532-3311, ext. 129 or ext. 114 to register. 

 

 

Donate a Book for a Loved One

Donating a book to the library in honor or memory of a loved one is a great way to show affection. Titles of suggested book donations are listed on the library’s Amazon.com Wish List.  For the price of a book, anyone can help the library keep the most current materials available.  To view the list, see the library website and follow the link to amazon.com.  Book donors may request that a commemorative plate be placed inside the front cover of the book in recognition of a loved one or to honor a special occasion.  The Hall County Library System is a non-profit government agency and a charitable 501(C) (3) organization; therefore, all donations are tax deductible.  The library is pleased to announce that it has now received 200 plus books through this program.

 

 

From the Director

Dear Patron,

Every week somewhere in this country a library is making the news. Good, bad or indifferent, I always wonder how many living outside the area where the library is located actually read the story. If it is not your library, do you care?

Last week the Buckhead Library in Atlanta made it to the editorial pages of the Atlanta Journal Constitution. Just a few years ago the Atlanta-Fulton library system seemed to be in the news every week and sometimes it was over the condition of their buildings. The Buckhead branch is an architect’s dream of a cutting edge facility which means it is controversial inside and out. Now a builder wants to purchase the 25 year old building from the city, tear it down and rebuild it on top of a multistory building that has condominiums and stores on the lower level. It seems that library will never escape controversy.

This week the Boston Public Library is in the national news. The head of the library system and the Boston mayor are feuding over money. It seems the library board controls how the $52,000,000 (I like those 000s) Foundation revenue is spent and the mayor wants his say. The city provides approximately half the money to operate the library system. It does not matter if it is marriage or politics, money does seem to bring the worst out in some people and in this instance it could be the head librarian.

This past primary election several library systems had projects in their county’s SPLOST referendums. I know the projects were in their local news organs running up to their referendums. I think all SPLOST referendums with library projects passed. I participate in a library director’s email listserv and did not see one director write a moan of a complaint about their local community treating them poorly. Clayton County is known for building interesting libraries but they have used the services of the same firm responsible for the Buckhead branch so you would expect nothing less. They are going to build two more branches as a result of this last election cycle. Some controversy must be good.

Gwinnett County seems to build a new branch library every year despite all its other controversies. Some people in Gwinnett seem to always be unhappy with something the library is doing but it is not the building program or the money that the county spends on operating the library system they are upset over. Next year they are planning to build an environmentally friendly building which usually means spending 20% more money to construct. I only know one other library building - in Ann Arbor - with grass for a roof. The Gwinnett library system is the envy of just about every director in the state. We all would at least like some of their money.

Many of you know this county is building a new library in Flowery Branch.  We hope there is little controversy over the building after it opens, just ‘halleluiahs’ and ‘oh mercies’ or that at least a few people will tell their commissioners we did a good job. If you are not happy, I expect you will join the chorus of those already not pleased. There are some that will complain about the Pearly Gates as they stand in line to get through. We are not building a door to heaven just a comfortable gate to good recreation and lifelong learning that should serve the Flowery Branch area of the county for the next 80 years.

I hope to catch you in our new Spout Springs Branch library stacks reading when it opens in May. I will promise you that this will be one library in Hall County where there is ample parking.

Sincerely,

Adrian Mixson

Library Director

 

 

 

Your Account

To get more information on your library account, please call the library’s Circulation Manager at 770-532-3311 ext. 110 or visit the library website and enter your account through the library's catalog. You will need your library card and pin number, which may be obtained by visiting any library branch.  You may also email the Circulation Manager for additional information.

 

  

Web Picks: Cool Stuff on the Web

America.gov: Telling America's Story. "This site delivers information about current U.S. foreign policy and about American life and culture."

Discounts for the 50+ Crowd Three cardinal rules to get money off on travel and adventure.

Picturing Women This presentation "explores how women are figured, fashioned, turned into portraits, and told about in words and pictorial narrative." Features a large collection of historical images, interactive features, lesson plans, reading list, video clips and images from the accompanying symposium, e-cards of comic valentines, and more. From Bryn Mawr College, Library Company of Philadelphia, and the Rosenbach Museum and Library.

 

 

 

Editors Leslie James and Lisa MacKinney

For more information please call (770) 532-3311 ext. 134 or visit our website at http://www.hallcountylibrary.org/

 

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