JUNE 30, 2010
Art of the Pumpkin
In preparation for the Frackville Pumpkin Festival on October 2, the library is again launching it's contest for artists, The Art of the Pumpkin. Artists can purchase a wooden pumpkin blank from the library for $10.00($5.00 for high school students and adults age 65 and up). The pumpkin blank can be decorated in any medium-paint, fabric, paper, anything you like. Pumpkins will be on display around town the week before the festival. One the day of the festival, they will be judged and prizes awarded. Call the library at 874-3382 for more details or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com. The festival is being organized by the Frackville Business and Professional Association.
Categories: Community events,
Library Activies
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JUNE 30, 2010
I Love a Parade!
On Saturday, August 21, 2010, Frackville's Goodwill and Friendship Fire Companies will be hosting the Schuylkill County Firefighter's Convention. I'm sure many of you will remember this event from years past, and it is always an exciting time for the town. Here at the library we are planning to be involved in helping to make it fun for our patrons and other residents. If you are a library fan and would like to join our Frackville Free Public Library Supporters Group to march in the parade, please contact Elaine at the library. The route is approximately 2 miles long, and there is some uphill. It begins at 1PM, and will probably move relatively slowly. For more information call 874-3382 or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com.
Categories: Library Activies,
Community events
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JUNE 26, 2010
Frackville 1939
We now have copies of
Frackville 1939, a DVD of a film made in 1939 by the Frackville Rotary . These DVD's are available for sale at a price of $15.00. All proceeds go to the library's general fund. You'll love going back in time, and you might even recognize someone in your family. The film documents businesses, churches, schools, and locations of interest. This is a great collectible narrated by local historian Lorraine Stanton, and would make a wonderful gift for your favorite local history enthusiast. Stop at the library and have a look-we'll be showing the film on TV. Call 874-3382 for information or use our contact page.
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Fundraising activities
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JUNE 26, 2010
Just a Reminder-
There is still plenty to do at the library this summer! Wii gaming for adults continues to be offered Mondays and Wednesdays. The Summer Reading Program features two events monthly, one for children 3-5 years old and one for children 6-9 years old. If you are interested in chess and knitting, give us a call. These programs are off for the summer, but we'll be ready to regroup and continue in the fall. Also in September we have plans for a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan seminar and a Composting Workshop sponsored by Penn State Master Gardeners. Check our calendar page on the website for specific dates and times or call the library at 874-3382.
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Library Activies,
Current Events
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JUNE 26, 2010
Thank you!
The library recently received two grants for materials, and the Board of Trustees and staff would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge them. The Schuylkill Area Community Foundation awarded the library a grant of $250 to purchase non-fiction books for adults in the categories of biography and contemporary history. These books include titles such as Googled by Ken Auletta, Roger Lowenstein's The End of Wall Street, and War, a chronicle of Afghanistan by Sebastian Junger. Biographies of Laura Bush, Carol Burnett, and Sean Connery have also been added to the collection. We also received an award of $600 from the Snayberger Memorial Foundation to be used for materials specifically for school-age children. These future purchases will include picture books, easy readers, and more complex fiction for young teens. Visit the library and see some of these new acquisitions!
Categories: New Materials,
Non-fiction
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JUNE 14, 2010
Just finished reading...
The Black Cat by Martha Grimes. Back in the 80's a friend of mine recommended a new series of mysteries featuring an English police inspector, Richard Jury, and a sort of Dr. Watson-like friend, an English lord who had decided to put aside his title in favor of being just plain Mr. Melrose Plant. These characters had been created by an American author, Martha Grimes, and she named each novel for a pub, that typical English bar where everyone knows everyone else. Since the first of the series,
The Man With a Load of Mischief, Grimes has created 22 pub-related mysteries featuring Inspector Jury, and although she has tried a few other formats, this remains her most popular. In
The Black Cat, Richard is called to the London suburbs to assist in solving the murder of a fashionably dressed young woman who turns out to be the local librarian! Grimes has a great affection for both animals and children, and they are almost always present in the books in some degree. If you are already a Richard Jury fan, you certainly will want to check out his latest case. If you're not familiar with the series, try the earlier books first-they actually have much more believable plots as far as the mysteries themselves are concerned.
Categories: Current fiction,
New Materials
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MAY 29, 2010
Just finished reading...
the Karla trilogy by John leCarre. Well, honestly, I'm not quite finished yet on my second time around. This well known series of books about the Cold War era are some of the best spy thrillers ever written. In
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, leCarre's famous intelligence officer, George Smiley, is asked to conduct a secret investigation of friends and colleagues in order to discover the double agent lurking at the top of the British Secret Service. Promoted to the head job himself, Smiley assigns Jerry Westerby,
The Honorable Schoolboy, to sniff out the details of a suspicious bank account in Hong Kong. Jerry soon has his own agenda, and in this second volume, Smiley is less successful. Once again, however, in
Smiley's People, the enigmatic old man is called back into service when an old emigre agent is found shot to death. Smiley is faced with another opportunity to finally bring down his longtime adversary in Moscow, the powerful agent known as Karla. These three novels make for a great summer read, and might even lead you to more of leCarre's great writing. All three are available for loan at your library.
Categories: Classic Fiction,
From the Librarian
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MAY 29, 2010
What's Up?
We have finally resolved our updating challenges, and you can once again count on our website for the latest information about what's happening at the library. Just use the Calendar button on the left hand side of our home page and it will take to a list of events and programs for the current month. You can even register on-line! Of course you can still call 874-3382 or use our contact page as well. For the latest news on materials, services, and community events, read our Talk to the Library Blog. And don't forget, it's interactive, so you can talk back. We are also maintaining a Memorials page in order to recognize and thank those who have given a donation in remembrance of a loved one or friend. Thanks for your patience and for visiting our website.
Category: Library news
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MAY 29, 2010
Make a Splash-READ!
It's time for our annual summer reading program, and this year, it's all about the H2O. Our theme is water, and we've got three exciting watery subjects for June, July, and August. In June we'll talk about the science of water and do some fun experiments. In July, it's all about the beach and ocean. In August, we'll switch to fresh water and take a walk around the pond. These programs feature stories, great craft projects, and lots of interactive games and activities. In addition, we'll be encouraging all of our attendees to log their personal reading for the summer months. A free bag of goodies will be awarded to each child at the end of the program. Check out our new library calendar to get more details. You can even register on-line! Come join us and Make a Splash yourself.
Categories: Programs,
Library Activies,
Young Children
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MAY 7, 2010
Strong Bones
On Thursday, May 6 at 6PM, the library will be featuring a program presented by the Pennsylvania Dietetic Association Foundation called Strong Bones. Dietician Amy Hehn, R.D., LDN will be giving us valuable tips about how to keep our bones healthy by eating right. This topic should be of interest to women of all ages. Call 874-3382 to register or for more information or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com
Categories: Just for Seniors,
Library Activies,
Current Events
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APRIL 29, 2010
Adult Reader's Group
On Thursday, May 20, 2010 our Adult Reader's Group will be discussing A.S. Byatt's intriguing and award-winning novel,
Possession. A combination of past and present, we join two Victorian scholars as they try to solve a literary mystery based on the accidental discovery of a letter written from one poet to another. This book received the coveted Booker Prize, a prestigious award given in the United Kingdom. The group meets in the library at 7PM, and always welcomes new members. Call for information or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com.
Categories: Adult reading groups,
Current fiction,
Just for Seniors
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MARCH 31, 2010
The Name of the Game
We're adding another session to our Wii Gaming for Adults. For those of you age 55 and up who are interested in joining our group, but are busy with work or other activities during the day, we will now be having a program on Wednesday evenings beginning on April 7, 2010. The program will be held between 6 and 8PM every Wednesday and will feature Wii Sports and a variety of other games such as pool, darts, and croquet. Believe me, our players really have a great time! Come and give it a try. Call the library for information at 874-3382 or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com.
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Programs,
Library Activies
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MARCH 31, 2010
Just finished reading...
The Bell Ringers by Henry Porter. All I can say is, 'Gosh, this was a good book!' It really is one of the best contemporary novels I've read lately. Porter, a columnist for The Observer, has taken the present day UK (he assures us in the Afterword that the laws and surveillance systems he describes actually do exist right now) and turned it into a frightening place, where ordinary citizens can be targeted as lawbreakers by computer errors. David Eyam, a former security chief in the government, is killed in a bomb blast in Columbia after leaving his lofty position under a cloud of suspicion. His university friend and sometimes love, Kate Lockhart, comes to his funeral to mourn, but soon finds herself in the middle of a complicated and dangerous plan to bring down the current Prime Minister and try to preserve the rights of individuals. This book is filled with the kind of fascinating and appealing characters you would expect in a good British spy novel, but unlike some of the genre, this book moves quickly. Sites around London and the English countryside are the gorgeous background for Porter's truly exciting tale. If you are a fan of John LeCarre, Len Deighton, or the BBC TV show
Spooks(
MI5 here in the US), you really have to read this!
Categories: New Materials,
Current fiction
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MARCH 19, 2010
Read and Talk
The Adult Reader's Group at the library will be discussing
Still Alice by Lisa Genova on Thursday, April 15, 2010 at 7 PM. Written by a psychologist, this novel tells the story of Alice Howland, a busy career woman who is suddenly beset with confusion, memory lapses, and other symptoms which eventually lead to her diagnosis with early onset Alzheimer's disease. This book examines not only the changes taking place within Alice, but also the effects on her family and friends. Our reading group always welcomes new members. Call 874-3382 for information or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com.
Categories: Adult reading groups,
Current fiction,
Just for Seniors
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MARCH 14, 2010
Just finished reading...
The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. Kostova broke on the scene in 2005 with her huge bestseller,
The Historian. Her new book,
The Swan Thieves, is another example of her complex, well-researched style. Written from the viewpoint of several characters, it holds your interest while providing a bit of mystery to keep you wondering. Andrew Marlow, a psychiatrist and part-time painter, is asked to take on the case of a famous artist, Robert Oliver, after he tries to damage a painting at the National Gallery of Art. We hear not only from Marlow, but also from Oliver's wife, his lover, and even the long dead Impressionist painters with whom he appears to be obsessed. The story takes us from Washington, D.C., to North Carolina, Maine, New York City, Acapulco, and finally to Paris. Anyone with an interest in painting, whether as an artist or as a viewer of art, will find this novel fascinating. Look for it at your library.
Categories: Current fiction,
New Materials
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MARCH 6, 2010
Need Some Space?
The Board of Trustees has agreed to offer the library's program room as a rental space. The room, which is dedicated to the Frackville Women's Club, one of the forces behind the library's creation in 1939, is furnished with tables and chairs, a flat-screen TV, DVD player, and music system. Charges for use of the room include a $25 rental fee, plus additional fees for use of AV equipment and hot beverages if desired. Call the library for more details at 874-3382 or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com.
Category: Library Services
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MARCH 2, 2010
Count Me In!
We've probably all heard by now that the Census for 2010 has begun. Some people have already received forms and surveys, while the rest of us can expect them later this month. If you have received a form and you have questions about how to fill it out, we've got help for you here at the library. Between now and April 19, a census worker will be available at the library most weekdays between 11-2 to help you with your questions. Call ahead to confirm or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com.
Categories: Library Activies,
Just for Seniors
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MARCH 2, 2010
Just finished reading...
The Three Weissmanns of Westport by Cathleen Schine. Once again, I'm forced to mention Jane Austen! In this new novel, the author has taken the plot line from Austen's
Sense and Sensibility and tweaked it a bit to come up with a nicely paced modern story of two sisters and their mother. Unlike Austen's version, the mother of Schine's story is faced not by widowhood, but by divorce. Her daughters, Annie and Miranda, are very much like Elinor and Marianne in that they look at the world from two entirely different perspectives. But their love and concern for their mother is mutual, and by seeing her through her ordeal, they discover a lot about themselves. This book will appeal both to those who have never heard of Jane Austen, and to seasoned Janeites who will enjoy seeing Schine's take on their favorite author.
Categories: Current fiction,
New Materials
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FEBRUARY 19, 2010
Adult Readers Group
On Thursday, March 18, 2010, the Adult Reader's Group will be discussing
Good Grief by Lolly Winston. This was Winston's first novel and tells the story of Sophie Stanton, suddenly widowed at the age of 36. In order to deal with her grief, she decides to leave her high-pressure job and seek some solace with an old friend in a small town in Oregon. The novel was well received at the time of its debut, and our group looks forward to a good evening of discussion. New members are always welcome. Call the library for information or use our contact page at
www.frackvillelibrary.com
Categories: Programs,
Current fiction
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FEBRUARY 18, 2010
Have a listen...
We've been trying to build up our collection of audio books here at the library. If you've never tried this method of getting into a novel, you're missing out on a great experience. Most of the presenter's of audio books are really actors and actresses, who do a great job of bringing the story to life. Some audio versions actually have more than one person doing the voices of the characters and add music and sound effects as well. It's not really like reading, but it is an alternative, if you're short on time, are visually impaired, or just want to pass the time when you're driving or walking. Some new additions to our own library's audio book collection include novels by Jodi Picoult, Nelson DeMille, David Baldacci, and Janet Evanovich. We have a large selection of both the cassette tape and CD variety, so have a listen!
Categories: New Materials,
Just for Seniors,
Current fiction
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FEBRUARY 8, 2010
Emma, anyone?
Being such an ardent Janeite (that's a devoted fan of Jane Austen, the creator of the modern novel in my opinion), I couldn't let the presentation on PBS of the newest dramatization of
Emma go by without a mention. Now
Emma is not my favorite among Jane's six completed novels, but it is a masterful piece of writing and can bring forth a wealth of discussion among fans. As much as we older readers may regret the need to modernize the language and add bits in order to make it more appealing to the modern viewer, this was a nicely put together version-mostly true to the book in terms of plot and characters, and full of charming country scenes and luscious Regency costumes. If you had a look at it, and you'd like some of the real thing, try reading the original. It's here for you at the library.
Categories: Classic Fiction,
Cinema,
From the Librarian
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