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!

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.

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. 


 

 

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!

What's the Scariest Book You've Ever Read?

In honor of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to ask this question, and I hope you'll respond. I'll get the ball rolling by answering it myself.

Sometime in the 1980's, I was in a hotel room alone in Columbus OH. I always read when I go to bed, and on this occasion, I was reading Rosemary's Baby. Do you remember this book? It was one of the first modern horror novels to become a national bestseller. It was extremely well written and was having its intended effect on me.

As I lay there reading, I noticed that the picture on the wall in front of me was swaying, but I thought I was tired and my eyesight was just blurry. Then I noticed that the armoire next to my bed was shaking. Now I was starting to get a little worried. Next, my bed started shaking. Pretty soon, everything in the room was shaking vigorously. Now I'm not only worried but scared to death.

I had been in a couple of minor earthquakes, and I decided that must be what was happening. So I got up and opened the door. If this was an earthquake, there would be people in the hallways, talking and escaping. However, my hallway was totally empty and quiet. Total fear now!

I thought about calling the desk, but I was afraid I was imagining all this and I would sound like a weirdo. In my mind, it was better to die in an earthquake or be possessed by the devil than appear like an idiot. (Vanity can definitely get you in trouble.)

By now, the shaking had stopped. I wanted to go to sleep but I was too petrified. I realized I would not be able to sleep until I had found a satisfactory answer for what had happened. I finally came up with the idea that the room next to mine was a utility room which contained a laundry - and the shaking was caused by a washing machine that was overloaded. After all, hotels have bedspreads and blankets to wash, and they are very heavy. I guess I was really sleepy, because I convinced myself this was true and finally fell asleep.

The next morning I dressed quickly, packed up my stuff, and went downstairs. I wanted to get out of that room as soon as possible! On the way, I noticed a room number on the supposed utility room, but I imagined they didn't want people to know it was a utility room. I went in the restaurant to have breakfast, and I noticed the newspapers people were reading had huge headlines. "Earthquake Hits Columbus!" Such a relief! I was not crazy after all nor had I been possessed by the devil.

Then I heard everyone talking about the earthquake. Apparently, the hotel had been evacuated. Why did I not know about it? Why didn't I see or hear people in the hallway? When checking out, I asked the people behind the desk. They were horrified! Apparently, I was the only person staying on my floor, and they forgot about me! I pretended that I slept through the whole thing - I wasn't about to confess what I had really been doing. (There's that vanity again!)

By the way, I left my copy of Rosemary's Baby in the hotel room and never finished reading the book. I also have never read another horror book - I'm not taking any chances. So it remains the scariest book I've ever read.

Shutters! And Librarians!

What do the two have in common? Not much, except that Librarians from around the State will be in town next week, and they are all gonna come by to see our new Shutters!

First things first... About the Shutters...

It's been a long time coming! At least it seems to me that way. Way back in 2008 we asked the City of Natchez to find the funds necessary to get the Library building painted and the shutters repaired (replaced) and painted. There were no funds available for the Library at that time. Another request was made. Still no funds.

Finally, last spring, we came up with the idea of the Friends of the Library raising the necessary funds and getting the City to get the work done.  Great idea! We asked the City and they agreed to this arrangement. This is not new news! You've heard this story before.

Well, we raised nearly $37,000 and were shocked to find that wasn't enough! The shutters and exterior were in much worse shape than we realized. But, the City agreed to pay the balance! Yea!!!!! Be sure to thank Mayor Butch Brown and the Board of Alderman.

So, the painting is completed (and looks great by itself) - and this week the shutters are being hung! They are Be-U-Ti-Full!!! If you haven't driven by the Library this week, make a special trip! I posted a picture on my Facebook page and got comments and "likes"  from all over the country - from some of the many people that made donations to the project. The shutters are really beautiful, and it is amazing the difference they make to the building. Our new paint scheme and the new shutters makes this nearly fifty-years-old building look practically brand new!

Among the celebrations the City of Natchez is preparing for (along with the three-hundred years anniversary celebration) is a not-yet-mentioned one. The Judge George W Armstrong Library will celebrate its 50th anniversary in June of 2015! We should have a party - and maybe we will!

And, now to the Librarians...

Bet you thought I forgot about them! They'll be back in town next week. There will be librarians from all around the State! school librarians; public librarians; university, community and junior college librarians; even special librarians. Now, you're probably thinking, "that's rude - aren't they all special"? Well, yes, but "special libraries" are those other than school, public, or college-level. The MS Department of Archives Library would be considered a "special library" - the library at a medical school would be a "special library" - a large attorney firm might have a law library that we would refer to as a "special library."

Anyway, the 500 member Mississippi Library Association will hold its Annual Conference in Natchez next week. Remember, they were here in 2004 and again in 2008 - and they're planning to come back  again in 2015. Hey, another party! Librarians love to come to Natchez, and we are all looking forward to their visit. They'll be here Tuesday - Friday. But, don't expect to be "shushed" - they'll be here having a good time.

And, they'll come by the Armstrong Library to see our new "look" - we'll be so proud! And so should you be. Thanks, one more time, to all that made a donation to the project! Come by and see the results of your generosity!

Happy (and Safe) Halloween

When it comes to their child's safety, parents lay the ground rules early: No wandering the neighborhood unsupervised; no trespassing on to other peoples property; and absolutely, positively NO taking candy from strangers. But on one special night, there's always something spooky in the air. Could it be that witches and warlocks are lurking in the bushes, and ghosts are rising from their graves? Or is it that kids across the country will be out after dark, knocking on strangers' doors, and cramming candy by the pillowcase full?

As scary as it may sound, keep in mind that Halloween heebie jeebies have always given parents a cause to pause. And because Halloween may present many opportunities for kids to use poor judgement, it also gives parents to chance to teach important lessons about responsibility and safety. What exactly can you do to keep kids safe without scaring them silly, you ask? The answer to that is simple -- just use the same rules that you talk about the rest of the year!

I know, I know...You're thinking, "You can't have both safety AND Halloween!" But contrary to popular belief, the two aren't at all mutually exclusive. Here are some tips to stay safe on Halloween while having fun doing it!

• Small children should ALWAYS have an adult with them while trick-or-treating. This is true whether it is daytime or dark. But, the LAST thing kids want to be haunted by is a boring (or down right bored) adult escort. The presence of said adult does not, however, need to get in the way of fun. Just look at it as an opportunity for the adult to recapture some of that old youthful Halloween glee.
• More mature children can go trick-or-treating without adult supervision (in a group of course) as long as they stick to a familiar, trusted route that is not completely abandoned. For older children, a curfew on Halloween shouldn't be a matter of debate. You should expect your kid(s) to be back by a specific agreed upon time, no if's, and's, or "but mooooommm"s!
• If your neighborhood has few or no trick-or-treaters, or is just generally unsafe, you can drive a carload of kids to other neighborhoods that are safer. Also, there are Halloween carnivals and haunted houses in just about every community. Local newspapers and radio stations tend to have information about them leading up to Halloween. These events provide safe activites in a safe enviornment where kids can hang out with friends and make new ones, too!
• Make sure your kids can see AND breath through their masks. If you too will be wearing a costume, whatever costume you wear, make sure you can keep up with the children! (It wouldn't hurt to bring a flashlight along either.)
• As a general rule, you shouldn't let your children eat their candy before you've had a chance to see that it hasn't been tampered with. There is nothing wrong with telling children who will be unescorted that they cannot eat their candy until they get home (try giving them candy before they leave home -- it may help temptation).
• Have your child carry glow sticks so that cars can see something (but it is best to caution them to stay out of the street!)

With all this being said, you just want to remind your children (and yourself) that the laws (state, federal, and the ones that you just now made up in your head) don't take a break during Halloween. So, have a safe and spooky Halloween!