The Last Time I Saw Paris

The last time I saw Paris? Well, in my case that was never, but I hope to change that fairly soon. It seems Paris has been on lots of people's minds lately. We've recently discussed The Paris Wife by Paula McClain and watched Midnight in Paris at the Library. It seems just about everyone I know has visited Paris, is there right now, or is going soon.

So when I was planning my Adult Summer Programs, I thought it would be fun and enlightening to invite some Paris travel veterans to share their experiences.

So far, regular patron and intrepid traveler Bill Slatter has agreed. I am planning to enlist the services of others, so if you would like to participate or know someone who might like to, please have them contact me.

We are planning this program for Thursday, July 12 from 3-5 pm. It will be a Paris "show and tell," and participants will be able to share ideas, bargains, and valuable tips.

In the meantime, allow me to recommend some recent Paris reading, all of which are available at the Library.

• The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay (2012)
• Sacre Bleu: a Comedy d'art by Christopher Moore (2012)
• The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy (latest edition 2007)
• Mission to Paris by Alan Furst (2012)
• An Unexpected Guest by Anne Korkeakivi (2012)
• Crime Fraiche by Alexander Campion (2011)
• Paris in Love: a memoir by Eloisa James (2012)

I'd love to hear from you if you have stories to share or would just like to come and dream along with me. (Anne White 601.445.8862  awhite@naw.lib.ms.us)

Be-Friend your Library

It’s certainly true that one can never have too many friends. Did you know that Judge George Armstrong is on facebook and is ready and willing to confirm your friend requests?

Facebook has proved to be a useful networking tool ever since each of us on staff has gotten our own page. It does sometimes resemble a high school social circle with members competing to see who can accumulate the most friends, but it does have its benefits. I just returned from a week-long trip to New York and Boston, and I checked in on all my friends back home while I was wandering the northeast corridor.

One of my stops in New York was the grand New York Public Library on Fifth Avenue. Up on the third floor, where the beautifully painted cloud-filled ceiling soared above my head, the reading room was buzzing and vibrant. Row after row of public access computers were filled with folks doing just what I was doing – checking email and posting their status. Although it is strictly a research library, the pick up windows were bustling with patrons picking up requested books for in-house use.

Everywhere I went on my trip, from the riders on the Amtrak train to the New York City bus driver taking a break from her driving, I saw people reading. As a librarian, I found it very gratifying. I took the opportunity to finish reading The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. It was excellent and deserves all the book club and discussion group attention it has been receiving. I can only hope the movie is up to the book.

Judge George Armstrong is indeed on facebook. Look “him” up, and friend him. That way you will get important updates about the Library, such as the design process of our new web site. We would love input on that subject and on any programs our friends would like to see started.

We're also on Twitter as NatchezLibrary.

Be-friend your Library!