Friday, November 30, 2012

Annual Friends of the Library Christmas Tour of Homes

Christmas is right around the corner - well, really right here already, it seems - and what's the best way to get into the Christmas decorating spirit? Seeing how other people are decorating their homes, of course! This Sunday is the Annual Friends of the Library Christmas Tour of Homes. Where else can you get to tour four beautifully decorated homes and a historic church - and munch on refreshments - for a mere $15 per ticket ($25 for two tickets)??? In Natchez, of course!

Each year library supporters open their homes for our Tour. The homeowners must plan - and decorate - early to be ready for this event. The Tour of Homes is the only major fundraiser the Friends of the Library hold each year, and it is through the generosity of these homeowners - and the supporters that buy tickets and tour the homes - that the Friends are able to provide the many little "extras" the Library can offer.

This year, the Armstrong Library began offering Ebooks for check-out. The Friends have donated the funds for this project. The Friends also sponsored the National Library Week Open House and participated in the BIG Adopt a Needy Shutter project to help raise funds for the exterior repairs and renovations! A GREAT BIG THANK YOU to everyone that made a donation! We know that if something comes up that we have not budgeted for, we simply ask the Friends, and - through your donations and memberships - they provide!

We've got several projects planned for the coming year and your membership in the Friends and participation in their programs help make these a success. After Christmas, we'll resume our monthly Afternoon Movie event. The Teen Room has events planned, as well. The Library has a new web site address, so make certain you have it bookmarked, so you don't miss out on any news: http://www.ArmstrongLibrary.org.

So, make your plans to spend Sunday afternoon with some good Friends! Come steal decorating ideas, enjoy munchies, get in the Christmas spirit, and know you are supporting a great cause - your local library! We thank you!


Friday, November 16, 2012

Holiday Happenings in the Teen Zone


This Fall the Teen Zone has been busy with students working on their Reading Fair projects, studying for tests, and checking out the latest crop of new books.  Halloween slipped by, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner, so now is the time to think about Christmas!

Local teens in grades 7 through 12 are invited to come to the Teen Zone every Thursday from November 29 through December 13 from 4:00 - 5:30. We have much planned: we will be making ornaments, christmas candy, and gifts for your friends.  We will also use this time to decorate the Teen Zone for the holidays.

Thursday, December 20 the Teen Zone will be open all day for gaming with the Wii, watching holiday movies, and to put any finishing touches to the room decorations.  Popcorn, cookies and drinks will be provided by the library. Bring a friend and get into the Spirit of Christmas! To be sure we have enough materials for everyone, registration is requested. Stop by the library or call 601-445-8862 for more information.

Friday, November 9, 2012

New Books for November

FICTION

The Racketeer by John Grisham.  Malcolm Bannister, an imprisoned ex-lawyer, knows who murdered a federal judge.  And he concocts a scheme to exchange this information for his freedom.

The Panther by Nelson DeMille.  The antiterrorist task force agent John Corey and his wife, an FBI agent, pursue a high ranking Qaeda operative.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling.  The sudden death of a parish councilman reveals bitter social divisions in a idyllic English town; a novel for adults by the creator of Harry Potter.

Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe.  A Cuban American cop is a hero turned pariah in Miami, where ethnic and class tensions threaten to explode.

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury.  The destruction of a beloved bookstore offers the shop's supporters second chances on love and leases.

The Bone Bed by Patricia Cornwell.  A paleontologist's disappearance in Canada turns out to be connected to crimes much closer to home for the chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta; the 20th Scarpetta book.

Angels at the Table by Debbie Macomber.  Angels cook up a plan to reunite a young couple.

Winter of the world by Ken Follett.  Members of five interrelated families from five countries grapple with the historical events of the years 1939-49.

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton.  A British actress searches for secrets in her 90 year old mother's past.

The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds by Alexander McCall Smith. Edinburgh's Isabel Dalhousie attempts to recover a stolen painting.

NONFICTION

American Again by Stephen Colbert, Richard Dahm, Paul Dinello, Barry Julien, Tom Purcell et al. The mock pundit of Comedy Central's Colbert Report tells how to bring America back from the brink.

Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. The host of  The O'Reilly Factor recounts the events surrounding the assassination of John F Kennedy.

Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. The host of The O'Reilly Factor recounts the events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

TEENS

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia. When Ethan wakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, his one goal is to return to Lena and his loved ones. Meanwhile back in Gatlin, Lena vows to do  whatever it takes to bring Ethan home--even trusting old enemies and risking the lives of those Ethan left to protect.

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick. Nora and Patch must hide their relationship in order to end the war between the fallen angels and the Nephilim.

Beastly by Alex Flinn. Presents a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form.

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land--Greece itself--to find the Doors of Death.

CHILDREN

Corduroy Goes to the Library by Don Freeman. Corduroy has so many fun things to do at the library.

Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers by Dav Pilkey. After being sent to jail for the rest of their lives, George and Harold are taken on a trip back in time by Tippy Tinkletrousers back to their Kindergarten days where they must deal with their bully without the help of Captain Underpants.

D W, Go to Your Room!, by Marc Brown. When D W is sent to her room as punishment for making baby Kate cry, it is Kate who finally makes her feel better.

Dork Diaries 5:  Tales from a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All by Rachel Renee Russell. When Miss Know-It-All's inbox overflows with pleas for guidance, Nikki Maxwell, the school newspaper advice columnist, turns to her best friends for help. 


 

 

Friday, November 2, 2012

The Phenomenon of Downton Abby

I have been a fan of Masterpiece Theatre on PBS for a very long time. I recall the popularity of the original Upstairs, Downstairs series (which was a very long time ago indeed).

However, I have not witnessed anything approaching the phenomenon of Downton Abby. It first aired in the US in January of 2011, and the surge in popularity quickly followed. By the time the last episode of Season Two aired in late spring of 2012, fans were already asking when Season Three would be available. The series, created and co-written by Julian Fellowes, has won multiple industry awards, including at least eight Emmys. It has been generally credited with bringing new life and popularity back to Masterpiece Theatre and British programming in general.

This most unlikely smash hit will return for Season Three on PBS on Sunday, January 6, 2013.

To make the wait a little easier, I propose:

A Downton Abby Tea!
Thursday, November 15 at tea-time: 4:30-6:30.

We will show the final episode of Season Two, and the TV Special featuring the real-life Downton Abby, Highclere Hall. All of this while sipping some Earl Grey and munching some lovely scones.

To prepare, one can check out Seasons One and Two from the Library. (The Downton Abby DVD's have been extraordinarily popular.)

Hope to see you on November 15th! Cheerio!