Check It Out!

(Photo credit: NASA)

Forty years ago today, Apollo 11 launched from Cape Canaveral with a three-man crew.  Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin would become the first men to step foot on the lunar surface on July 20, 1969, while Michael Collins remained in orbit around the moon, piloting the command module.  As a child of the late 1970s and something of a space nut, I was always a little upset that I didn't get to experience the moon landing when it happened, but I always enjoyed hearing people's recollections about the event...and I hold out hope that we'll return to the moon (or, even better, go to Mars!) in my lifetime. 

Buzz Aldrin has recently written a new book, Magnificent Desolation, a memoir of his time in the Apollo program, the moon landing, and his life back on Earth.  Our copy is currently checked out, but you can place a hold on it through the library catalog or by calling us at 860-693-5800.

In the meantime, check out some of these sites about the Apollo missions:

NASA's page on the Apollo program.  There is also a special page specifically on the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing.

We Choose the Moon, an interactive website from the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, offering a real-time look back at the mission.

Do you use Twitter?  Follow AP11_CAPCOM for real-time tweets, as if the mission were happening today.

Throughout the summer, the Friends of the Canton Public Library will be  collecting books, CDs, and DVDs for their sale on September 12 and 13.  The last day for dropping off items is Friday, August 28.  Items may be dropped off any time during library hours:  Monday through Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and Friday 10:00 AM-5:00 PM. 

The Friends have been holding a book sale for over thirty years.  With each year the number of donated books has grown considerably.  And as technology has burgeoned and media have proliferated, the “book sale” has become more than just books.

What hasn’t changed is the reputation that Canton’s book sale has burnished.  The sale stands out as being exceptionally user-friendly because the Friends of the Canton Public Library sort and categorize the donations throughout the summer.  The sorting makes it easy for book buyers to hone in on their particular interests.

The book sale’s co-chairs, Laura Hage and Carol Stevens, welcome volunteers who have a few hours available to help and who enjoy being in the company of books.  Anyone wishing to volunteer is asked to contact Carol or Laura by leaving a message at the library, 693-5800.  Training will be provided.

The Friends ask that all donated items be in good condition.  Magazines, encyclopedias, textbooks, the Time-Life series, computer books, condensed books, and VHS tapes will not be accepted.

In September the Book Sale will follow the same format as previously, with a preview sale on Saturday morning, popular with collectors and bibliophiles.  On Sunday there will be an opportunity to fill a bag for $5, popular with bargain hunters.  Organizers emphasize that the sale itself is not only indoors, but air-conditioned and handicap-accessible.  Those who can’t resist stocking up on books will be happy to know that porters are available to help transport books to vehicles.
 

For the months of July and August, Canton Public Library’s Gallery brings the outdoors inside with the botanical photography of EJ Grubbs.

At the tender age of 15, Grubbs completed the Hartford Ad Start Program and went on to become the youngest staffer at an advertising agency called Flaming Thing.  He earned a degree in Commercial Art and Advertising from the University of New Haven.  He has won awards from the Hartford Ad Club and the Connecticut Art Director Club.

His photographic style features nature in bold and colorful display.  Says Grubb, “I like to think that strong colors and shapes are part of a good composition, whether it’s creating and designing marketing materials or capturing an image through photography.”