March 2012

“Mardi Gras Murder,” a mystery dinner theater benefiting the Friends of the Hall County Library, will be performed the weekend of March 24-25. In the interactive play, the corpse of Lady Saralee Plentie, a wealthy socialite and widow, is found during a Mardi Gras gala in New Orleans’ French Quarter. It is up to attendees to identify the culprit and solve the mystery. Suspects will be played by Friends of the Library members, library staff, and local celebrities including Phil Niekro (Saturday night), Hall County Sheriff Steve Cronic (Friday night), and Flowery Branch Mayor Mike Miller.

The first performance will be held Friday, March 23 from 6-9:30pm at the Spout Springs Library. A second performance will be held Saturday, March 24 from 6-9:30pm at the Spout Springs Library; at this time the Saturday performance is sold out.

A four course Cajun-inspired dinner will be served. Attendees may BYOB. Tickets are $35 each and must be purchased in advance. This year, the event will also feature a silent auction of many exciting items including theater tickets, art, antique cash registers, and much more.

To purchase your tickets or receive more information, call 770-532-3311 x134 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Seating is very limited, so save your spot by contacting us today.

Countdown to the Release of the 1940 Census

Mark your calendars... April 2^nd is the date the 1940 census will be available for public viewing. Closed by law for 72 years, the 1940 census population schedules will be available free of charge at your local library or on your home computer April 2, 2012, beginning at 9:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time) at http://www.archives.com. There is no name index so users will have to use old-fashioned research. Users can locate people by identifying the enumeration district in which they lived in 1940 and then browsing the census population schedules for that enumeration district. To get a head start visit http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/ for strategy and research tips.

From the regional newsletter of The Friends of the National Archives-Southeast Region

Computer Classes

The library system offers free computer classes on a variety of topics. Classes will be held in the computer training labs at the Gainesville, Spout Springs, and Blackshear Place Branches. For class schedules, please click here.

This Month in Youth Services

Storytimes

The next pajama storytimes will be held at 6:30pm on March 5 and April 2 at the Gainesville Branch, and March 14 at Spout Springs Branch. Everyone is welcome. Children may wear their jammies and bring their favorite bedtime buddy.

Spring Storytime Session begins March 5 and Ends April 13

No storytimes on March 19

Baby Steps (0-18 Months)

Gainesville Mondays 10:30AM
Spout Springs Fridays 10:30AM

Toddler Storytime (18-36 Months)

Gainesville Tuesdays 10:30
Spout Springs Wednesdays 10:30

Preschool Storytime (3 and Up)
Gainesville Tuesdays 11AM
Spout Springs Mondays 10:30AM

Family Storytime (All Ages) NEW!!!!!!!!!

Blackshear Place Wednesdays 3PM NEW TIME!!!!!!
Murrayville Wednesdays 10:30AM

Groups must make reservations. If you need a sign language interpreter please call (770) 532-3311 ext. 129.For more information about any of the library’s family programming, visit the library website or call 770-532-3311 ext. 129.

Youth Events by Branch

Blackshear Place Branch

Dr. Seuss Storytime

Join us on Thursday, March 1 at 3 pm for a special storytime as we celebrate Dr. Seuss’s March 2^nd birthday. The program will feature stories, games, crafts, and snacks.

Read to the Dogs

Tuesday, March 6 from 3-4pm. Features 15 minutes of one-on-one time reading to a registered Therapy Dog. This program is intended for kids who are learning to read. Dogs are registered with Therapy Dogs International. By appointment only; call 770-532-3311 ext. 151 or

email Kathy White.

Drop in Craft Day

Come by and see us on Thursday, March 8between 12pm and 8pm to make a St. Patrick’s Day craft you can take home.

Kids and Kritters

Join us for pet stories read by Kelley Uber of the Hall County Humane Society on Monday, March 12 3:00pm. What type of pet will Kelley bring?

Family Game Day

Thursday, March 15 from 6:00pm - 7:00pm Up for a game of tennis, golf or bowling? Join us for an afternoon of electronic gaming and favorite board games. All ages are invited. No registration necessary.

Matinee Monday

Monday, March 26 3:30pm The stork delivers a baby elephant to Mrs. Jumbo, a veteran of the circus, but the newborn is ridiculed because of his truly enormous ears and dubbed Dumbo. Dumbo is relegated to the circus' clown acts; his only friend, a mouse, must help Dumbo to achieve his full potential. Rated G; 64 minutes; 1941

For more information about any Blackshear Place event please call 770-532-3311 ext. 151

or email Kathy White or Ashley Martin.

Gainesville Branch

Irish Drop in Craft

Drop in anytime between 2:30 and 6:30pm on Thursday, March 15 to make a St. Patrick’s Day craft. All ages of youth welcome!

Homeschool 101

Calling all Homeschoolers! Homeschool parents and students are invited to a Homeschool 101 program on Tuesday, March 20 at 3PM. Learn how to fully master PINES, GALILEO, electronic databases, Books to Go Kits, and much more. Homeschool students and parents will be given a tour of the library and students will receive worksheets on library skills. This is a great way to learn about the library and incorporate an information literacy unit. Space is very limited; for reservations call (770) 532-3311 ext. 129.

Board Game Day

Up for Candy Land, Clue, Scrabble and more? All children are invited to Board Game Day at the Gainesville Branch's Youth Services Department on Monday, March 26 at 3:30pm.

For more information about any Gainesville event call 770-532-3311 x129 or email Adrianne Junius.

Spout Springs Branch

Seuss on the Loose

Friday, March 2 All Day It’s Dr. Seuss’ birthday! There will be coloring and activity sheets to do at the library or to take home. All ages.

American Girl Social

Saturday, March 3 from 2:00pm – 3:30pm Based on the popular series of books. We will celebrate the diversity of all American Girls with games, snacks and a craft. This program is free; however, reservations are required. For ages 7-11 only.

Teen Tech Week

March 5 – 9It’s Teen Tech Week! How well do you know the Hall County Library System website? Test your knowledge with our electronic scavenger hunt and if you answer everything correctly, your name may be drawn for a chance to receive $25 Target Gift Card. Grades 6-12 only.

Read to the Dog

Saturday, March 10 @ 3:00pm Read to Tripper! Children who are just beginning to read on their own or older children who are struggling to read, are invited to read to a registered therapy dog. Registration is required for this program.

Kids and Kritters Storytime

Join us for pet stories read by Kelley Uber of the Hall County Humane Society on Thursday, March 15 @ 4:00pm. What type of pet will Kelley bring?

Spring Drop in Craft

Tuesday, March 20 Spring is officially here! Drop by the library anytime on March 20 to make an easy, breezy springtime craft. No registration required.

For more information or to register for any of these programs email Katy or call 770-532-3311 x192.

This Month in Adult Services

Events by Branch

Blackshear Place Branch

Join us Monday, March 12 at 6pm as we discuss A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson. Everyone is welcome.

Blackshear Place Movie

Thursday, March 22 at 5:30pm A time traveler, Henry faces unique challenges and threats to be united with his true love, Claire. Rated PG-13; 2009.

For more information about any of these programs email Janine or call 770-532-3311 x151.

Gainesville Branch

Extreme Couponing

Tuesday, March 6 at 4:00pm– Join us as we discuss helpful money saving tips and best deals around town. Exchange coupons and look at websites geared toward saving you money. This program is free and open to everyone.

Gainesville Book Club

Monday, March 12 at 10:30am Interested in joining a new book club? Join us and discuss new book ideas and trends. Free and open to everyone. This month’s selection is The Confession by John Grisham.

Sitting Up with the Dead

On Friday, April 13, genealogists will have the opportunity to fulfill their dreams by “Sitting Up with the Dead” at the downtown Gainesville branch library. Participants begin arriving at noon, pick up their name tags and acquaint themselves with the Sybil Wood McRay Genealogy & Local History Collection. At 5:00 p.m. the library will be closed to the public. No registrants will be admitted after 6:00 p.m. The second floor will remain open until midnight for genealogists.

The cost is $12.00 per person for a boxed dinner, beverages, and a late night snack. Registration forms can be found online at www.hallcountylibrary.org or at any library branch. Checks and registration forms must be received by Monday, April 9. For more information, call 770-532-3311 ext. 116.

For more information about any of these programs email Janine or call 770-532-3311 x116.

Spout Springs Branch

Early Bird Book Club

This group will meet Thursday, March 1 at 10:30am and continue to meet the first Thursday of each month. This month’s selection is Nightwoods by Charles Frazier.

Stitch N’ Time

Join this group on Wednesday, March 14 at 10:30am. For anyone who does a craft or hobby with a needle. Stitch N’ Time will continue to meet the second Wednesday of each month.

For more information or to register for any Spout Springs program please contactMary Poland at

770- 532-3311 ext. 198.

Researching Your Irish Ancestors

The Friends of the Hall County Library System are pleased to announce a workshop specifically targeted to those researching Irish heritages. The Ulster Historical Foundation Workshop will be held Monday, March 19 in the meeting room of the Spout Springs Library. Participants may begin arriving at 8:30 a.m.; the workshop will begin at 9:00 a.m. The registration deadline is Wednesday, March 14. Space is limited.

The workshop will be led by Dr. Brian Trainor who has served as Director of the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and Chairman of the Irish Manuscripts Commission. Leading the workshop with Trainor will be Fintan Mullan, Executive Director of the Ulster Historical Foundation. Mullan has spoken internationally on Irish family history at conferences and festivals.

The cost is $35.00 per person. The price includes the all day workshop and box lunch. For more information please contact Ronda at 770-532-3311 ext. 116 or visit www.hallcountylibrary.org.From the Director

Dear Patron,

Sunday afternoon on February 8, 1970 must have been an exciting day. According to the Gainesville TIMES it played to a full house. What? The Grand Opening of the Gainesville library. Just four years ago we had over 2500 attend the opening of our Spout Springs branch so it should be of no surprise. For that event many even stuck around for the entire two hours to hear the politicians speak.

In 1970 the library was moving from the basement of the courthouse into its very own building. The downtown library had been in the basement ever since the new courthouse was built following the destructive Tornado of 1936. (It is the off white marble building still seen from Browns Bridge Road.) The library was moving next to Gainesville High School and the edge of the city where there would be ample parking, space for collection and programs.

Dorothy Dickinson was the county librarian at the time and she had assistance from Lucille Nix with the State Library of Georgia in securing supplemental funding to purchase the land and build. The library board had discussed several sites including the old Coca Cola building before settling on where Main Street met Academy. It almost did not open Grand Opening day since the architect Garland Reynolds gave a short speech and walked away with the keys.

They started talking about building a new library in 1955 but it took another 12 years before the community decided to do something. 12 years is really not that long of time for such a large public works project to be conceived, funded, property identified and constructed.

The downtown building has been in use for four generations and seen much change. Music offered on LP became cassette and now CD and Internet download. Books published on cassette are now on CD and Internet download. Film transitioned from 9mm to 16mm and 32mm, then on to DVD and Internet download. Magazines and newspapers have gone from only paper to Internet with back issues stored in a database. Books are still published on paper but also have web content and now electronic download. Information provided in person or over the phone is now also available via e-mail, chat, RSS feed, Facebook and web page. The library world has changed a lot since 1970 but library patrons have not.

We still have a full house. Membership continues to grow each year. And people still read books on paper and request hard copies of newspapers and magazines. Attendance at programs is frequently more than there is space to accommodate. There is more demand for internet access than there ever was for typewriters since computers do so much more than help prepare documents or fill out job applications. Who would have ever thought you could search and apply for a job electronically. And parking just gets worse every year. Some things never change.

Hope to catch you in the stacks with an armful of books.

Adrian Mixson, Library Director

Staff Picks:

Celebrate Women’s History Month with these great reads

Library Administration

Adrian Mixson, Director

Lisa MacKinney, Assistant Director

Kathy Evans, Special Needs Library Manager

Adult Services

Janine Cline

David Greenwood

Nancy Loggins

Ronda Sanders

Blackshear Place Branch

Barbara Perry, Manager

Emily Braselton

Gabriele Koecher

Circulation Services

Emily McConnell, Manager

George Souza

Spout Springs Branch

Mary Poland, Manager

Lee Ann Cate

Technical Services

Linh Uong, Technical Services Librarian

Deanne Murphy

Lara Wrightson

Youth Services

Adrianne Junius, Director

Phyllis Haynes

Jenny Wren

Your Account

To get more information on your library account, please contact Circulation Manager.

Editors Lisa MacKinney and Jeanne Hozak

For more information please call (770) 532-3311 ext. 134 or visit our website.

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March 2012

Mission