Who says you can’t get a free lunch? @ Your Rowan County Public Library

At the Rowan County Public Library lunch IS FREE!
We invite YOU to the Great American Read Monday Lunch Bunch book discussion program beginning on Monday, September 17 from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Every Monday through October 22 the ‘Lunch Bunch’ will meet in the Community Room of the Library to discuss a genre of books from THE GREAT AMERICAN READ series on PBS. You may come on your lunch break and enjoy a FREE catered lunch, join in on the discussion, or simply listen. Also, we would like to know which are your favorites from the list- tell us at the Monday discussions!

Make lunch FUN and FREE!
Each week discussion will be over a genre of books –see list below.

September 17 – Coming of Age and YA Literature
September 24- Adventure and Contemporary
October 1- Mystery and Horror
October 8- Romance
October 15- Science Fiction and Fantasy
October 22- Literary and Classic

 

Visit the TGAR (The Great American Read) page on the Library website for more details about everything we are doing for this great series from PBS – THE GREAT AMERICAN READ

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THE GREAT AMERICAN READ, September 11 – October 23

THE GREAT AMERICAN READ
is an eight-part series that explores and celebrates the power of reading, told through the prism of America’s 100 best-loved novels (as chosen in a national survey)*. It investigates how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how we as readers are affected by these stories, and what these 100 different books have to say about our diverse nation and our shared human experience.

YOUR Rowan County Public Library will be participating in this exciting campaign from PBS. There will be programs and book displays available for the public. One of the displays will be all 100 of The GREAT American READ titles. Program information will be posted on the Library’s website at rowancountylibrary.org/the-great-american-read

SOURCE:
THE GREAT AMERICAN READ
http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read

Two Important Words @ YOUR Rowan County Public Library

As I sit here writing my final Library article, the two most important words I have to say are, “Thank you!”  My heart is filled with gratitude for the thousands of people who have touched my life with love and support, beginning, of course, with my parents and my husband.   During my 18 years as your Library Director, there has never been a day without positive input and assistance from the people of Rowan County.  You folks are awesome!  What a blessing it has been to work with dedicated Library Board members, staff members, and volunteers—individuals and groups focusing on literacy and access to lifelong learning opportunities.   I deeply appreciate the school personnel (public, private, and home school), business owners, civic groups, newspaper and radio professionals,  volunteers, and parents, grandparents, foster parents, and others caring for the young people in our community—so many who contribute to the Library’s mission.   Our city and county government officials, city police, state police, and emergency services personnel have always responded to our requests for their assistance.   Our State Representatives and Senators and the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives personnel have been major players in the growth and success of the Library.  When I pause and focus on all the people who are and have been involved in the Library’s work, I am so very thankful for each one.  The somewhat worn expression is really true—it does “take a village.”

               I close with these quotes that express my appreciation for your gifts of guidance, encouragement, time, and thoughtfulness:

               “Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”—Marcel Proust

               “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”—Leo Buscaglia

               “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.  And, let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”—Maya Angelou

               “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”—G.K. Chesterton

Helen Williams

Rowan County Public Library

Executive Director

Hello, my name is….

Hello My Name Is…

“Call me Ishmael”, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”, and my personal favorite “There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it.” All great books have a memorable beginning, and these are just a few of the more famous first lines from the books: Moby Dick, A Tale of Two Cities, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

As I start my time here at the Rowan County Library I hope for a memorable beginning, because a good start sets the tone for the whole story. Beginnings are a magical time. Everything seems fresh and exciting, and the possibilities are endless. I look at the Library and I see great things and unlimited potential. I see an excellent staff that works hard and offers great service. I see a supportive community that is engaged in what the library has to offer. I see strong leadership in the local government officials who understand and support the library’s goals and mission. Finally, I see a great library board that is dedicated to making Rowan County the best library it can be.

When contemplating my future at the library I am ever mindful of the library’s mission and vision statement:

“The Rowan County Public Library exists because of the citizens of Rowan County. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life for those citizens by providing materials and information for their leisure and lifelong learning needs.

The library will serve as a focal point of the community by rendering exceptional service and an inviting, comfortable environment for reading, research, meetings, programs and activities.”

My goal as the director is not just to continue offering the excellent service that the library has always provided but to expand it. We need to look for opportunities to increase our offerings to children, the elderly, and the disabled. I want to find the holes in our service and fill them with quality programs. In addition to what we already have in place I want to explore new and emerging technologies that will continue to move the library into the future. I want the Commonwealth to view Rowan County as a hub of forward thinkers, innovators, movers and shakers and I believe that the library plays a pivotal roll in creating that culture.

I look forward to this next part of my life and I am very excited to get started, all things have a starting point and this just happens to be one of mine.

As my chapter begins, the chapter for another is ending. Helen Williams has written a great story, the Rowan County Library has flourished under her guidance and she will be greatly missed. We all wish Helen the very best as she closes this chapter and starts another. I am reminded of the final lines of the Virginia Wolfe novel To the Lighthouse: “Yes, she thought, laying down her paint brush in extreme fatigue, I have had my vision.”

 

RCPL 50th Anniversary Celebration

50 YEARS! OH, MY!

Join us at YOUR Rowan County Public Library on May 3 from 2-4 pm as we celebrate our 50-year anniversary as a lifelong learning partner in Rowan County. We will unveil a plaque honoring all past and present RCPL Board of Trustee members, welcome our new Executive Director Tim Gampp, and, say “Goodbye” to our retiring Executive Director Helen Williams. Be sure to tour the Library’s new bookmobile while you are here for the celebration.

A Plethora of Things To Do @ YOUR Rowan County Public Library

From regular programs and activities to special events, YOUR Rowan County Public Library continues to be a very happening place.  Regular programming for April includes:

               AFTERSCHOOL STORYTIME on Monday and Thursday afternoons at 4

               MOTHER GOOSE STORYTIME on Tuesday mornings at 10:15

               TECHNOLOGY CLASSES on Saturdays at noon, Mondays at noon, and                               Thursdays at 4:30 p.m.

               CHESS CLUB at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17, and Tuesday, April 24

               CREATIVE COLORING on Tuesday, April 17, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.

               FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT on Thursday, April 19, at 6 p.m.  

               TEEN GAME NIGHT on April 25 at 5 p.m.

 In addition to the abundance of ongoing programs, two very special events in April are the:

ANNUAL TEDDY BEAR PICNIC on April 28 at 1 p.m.   Bring your favorite plush friend so both of you may enjoy a story, crafts, and snacks.

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY ANNUAL BOOK SALE, Thursday, April 19, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., Friday, April 20, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., and Saturday, April 21, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Thousands of books (regular print, large print, young adult, juvenile, and children’s) as well as CDs, DVDs, and more will be available at super sale prices.   Stop by and buy!

Finally, opportunities to check out and read award-winning books abound.  The 2017-2018 winners of the Kentucky Bluegrass Award were announced two days ago.  These books are special because they are selected by Kentucky Preschool through Grade 12 students.   This year’s winners are:

Preschool:          MOTHER BRUCE by Ryan T. Higgins (E HIGG)

Grades K-2:        MADELINE FINN AND THE LIBRARY DOG by Lisa Papp (E PAPP, Children’s New Collection)

Grades 3-5:         DOG MAN by Dav Pikey (J PILK, Children’s Best Collection)

Grades 6-8:         GHOST by Jason Reynolds (J REYN)

Grades 9-12:      THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR by Nicola Yoon (Y NOON, Best Seller Collection)

National Library Week @ YOUR Rowan County Public Library

April 8-14 is National Library Week, an annual celebration of the life-changing work of libraries, librarians, and library workers.  Libraries aren’t just places to borrow books or study—they’re creative and engaging community centers where people can collaborate using new technologies and developing their skills and passions.

               Libraries of all types have long been evolving to meet the needs of the communities they serve.  Diverse groups including community organizations, small business owners, students, and families depend upon libraries and the resources they offer.  Resources such as e-books and technology classes, materials for English-language learners, and programs and resources for job seekers are just a few ways libraries and librarians are transforming to lead their communities.  Community members can also develop their own leadership skills at the library, with endless opportunity to build skills and confidence through resources and programming.  YOUR Rowan County Public Library offers resources and programming for all age groups.  The Library is available to everybody.  It is the community place that levels the playing field for people of any age who seek information for lifelong learning.

               As part of the weeklong celebration, Tuesday, April 10, is designated as National Library Workers Day.  This is a day to recognize all library workers for their many contributions.  Stop by the Library and say, “Thank you” to the outstanding staff members at YOUR Rowan County Public Library.  (And, my thanks to you folks who express your appreciation for our staff in so many ways—notes, social media posts, goodies . . . .)

               Wednesday, April 11, is National Bookmobile Day.  Kentucky has the largest bookmobile fleet in the nation and we at RCPL are proud of Miss Donna and her provision of quality library service “on the road” throughout Rowan County. 

               We invite you to be an active part of the National Library Week celebration.  Stop in the Library and participate in our National Library Week Scavenger Hunt Checkout.   To be entered in our NLW prize drawing, pick up your “Libraries Lead” bookmark and check out the items listed.

International Children’s Book Day @ YOUR Rowan County Public Library

“The world is a series of miracles . . . but we’re so used to them we call them ordinary.”

“Where words fail, music speaks.”

“Life itself is the most wonderful fairy tale.”

               International Children’s Book Day is April 2, celebrated on the birthday of Hans Christian Andersen (1805-1875), Danish storyteller and author who wrote the quotes above, “The Ugly Duckling,” “The Princess and the Pea,” and “The Little Mermaid” as well as “The Snow Queen” which was the basis for Disney’s Frozen.  The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) began the celebration in 1967 to encourage reading and to promote the love of books for young children.  Forming a network of people from all over the world, IBBY members are committed to bringing books and children together.  The IBBY is a nonprofit organization whose mission in part is to promote international understanding through children’s books, to give children everywhere the opportunity to have access to books with high literary and artistic standards, and to protect and uphold the Rights of the Child according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

               How can you celebrate International Children’s Book Day?  Wherever you are, read to a child; give a new book to each of your children; or, donate a book (perhaps your favorite childhood title) to your local library.  For yourself, take just a moment out of your busy day to close your eyes and think about your favorite book from your childhood.  Mine was a much worn paperback of fairy tales, including several written by Hans Christian Andersen.  The cover was turquoise, and I read each tale over and over—and over.  It was the only book I owned, and my only access to a library was one classroom trip a month to the tiny, one-room school library.

               Take a child to YOUR Rowan County Public Library to celebrate the Day.  Our weekly After School Story Time is at 4 p.m. on Monday.  Celebrate reading with a child every time you have an opportunity by taking advantage of happenings at the Library:  Mother Goose Time on Tuesday mornings; After School Story Times on Monday and Thursday afternoons; the eight-week Summer Reading Program; and, special programs throughout the year—mark your calendar now for the Teddy Bear Picnic on April 21.   Take a look at the colorful displays, the AWE computers, the children’s magazines available for checkout, the lists of “100 Books to Read Before Kindergarten,” and the “mini-zoo.”   We have a celebration each time a child becomes an independent reader—after reading a children’s book to Miss Sandy, they receive a certificate, ring the Literacy Bell (very LOUDLY for everybody in the Library to hear!), and have their picture made to be published in The Morehead News.

               I will close with my favorite Hans Christian Andersen quote:

               “The wiser a man becomes, the more he will read, and those who are wisest read most.”

The Travelling Tomato Show

 

 

If it’s spring, it’s time for the Traveling Tomato Show at YOUR Rowan County Public Library.  Back by popular demand, Julie Maruskin will be presenting her program on heirloom seeds on Saturday, March 31, 2-4 p.m. in the Community Room.       Learn to start tomato seeds and take home a free organic heirloom tomato seedling.  Please stop by the Library or call 784-7137 and preregister for the program so we can have enough seedlings for everybody attending.

To learn more about heirloom seeds, borrow some of the following from the Library:

BECOME THE HEIRLOOM GARDENER:  FROM START TO GARDEN TO YOUR DINING ROOM TABLE by William Quam (635 QUAM)

THE BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO GROWING HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES by Marie Iannotti (635 IANN; also a downloadable electronic resource)

COMPLETE GUIDE TO GROWING TOMATOES:  EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW EXPLAINED SIMPLY,  INCLUDING HEIRLOOM TOMATOES by Cherie H. Everhart (635 EVER)

HEIRLOOM FLAVOR:  YESTERDAY’S BEST-TASTING VEGETABLES, FRUITS, AND HERBS FOR TODAY’S COOK by Doreen Howard (635 HOWA)

THE HEIRLOOM FLOWER GARDEN:  REDISCOVERING AND DESIGNING WITH CLASSIC ORNAMENTALS by Jo Ann Gardner (635.9 GARD)

HEIRLOOM FRUITS & VEGETABLES by Toby Musgrave (635 MUSG)

HEIRLOOM GARDENING IN THE SOUTH:  YESTERDAY’S PLANTS FOR TODAY’S GARDENS by William C. Welch (712.0975 WELC)

HEIRLOOM:  NOTES FROM AN ACCIDENTAL TOMATO FARMER by Tim Stark (B STAR)

HEIRLOOM PLANTS:  A COMPETE COMPENDIUM OF HERITAGE VEGETABLES, FRUITS, HERBS, & FLOWERS by Thomas Etty (635 ETTY)

HEIRLOOM RECIPE COOKBOOK:  THE FOOD WE LOVE FROM THE TIMES WE TREASURE (641.5975 HEIR)

HEIRLOOM VEGETABLE GARDENING:  A MASTER GARDENER’S GUIDE TO PLANTING, GROWING, SEED SAVING, AND CULTURAL HISTORY by William Woys Weaver (635 WEAV)

HEIRLOOM VEGETABLES:  A GUIDE TO THEIR HISTORY AND VARIETIES by Simon Rickard (635 RICK)

HERITAGE GARDENS, HEIRLOOM SEEDS:  MELDED CULTURES WITH A PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN ACCENT by Michael B. Emery (712.6097 EMER)

KENTUCKY HEIRLOOM SEEDS:  GROWING, EATING, SAVING by Billy F. Best (631.531 BEST)

MAKING VEGETABLES:  VOLUME 1 (GERMINATING HEIRLOOM SEEDS & GROWING THE ORGANIC WAY) by Shoshanna Easling (635.043 EASL)

MELONS:  FOR THE PASSIONATE GROWER by Amy Goldman (635.61 GOLD)

SAVING SEEDS, PRESERVING TASTE:  HEIRLOOM SEED SAVERS IN APPALACHIA by Billy F. Best (631.5209 BEST)

SURVIVAL SEEDS:  THE EMERGENCY HEIRLOOM SEED SAVING GUIDE by M. Anderson (635 ANDE)

SURVIVAL SEEDS:  THE HEIRLOOM SEED SAVING HANDBOOK by M. Bronson (635 BRON)

WHAT MAKES HEIRLOOM PLANTS SO GREAT?  OLD-FASHIONED TREASURES TO GROW, EAT, AND ADMIRE  by Judy Barrett (635 BARR)

Women’s History Month

Celebrate Women’s History Month at RCPL by checking out one of our featured books about the history of women in society and throughout the world! Book display located near the Genealogy Room.

The National Archives celebrates Women’s History Month, recognizing the great contributions that women have made to our nation. Learn about the history of women in the United States by exploring their stories through letters, photographs, film, and other primary sources. SOURCE: https://womenshistorymonth.gov/