Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Closed for the holidays

     I always hate to say that...closed for the holidays.  It's hard for me to ever imagine a library being closed for anything.  Especially for the holidays.  But then, our staff needs time off just like others.  And being closed around Christmas time is probably the nicest time to be closed.
     But while we're closed I always wonder what those people will do who need to use our computers.  They're usually the ones who use the computer to job search, or do research for college classes, or just keep in touch with family and friends.
     I also wonder about those people who come to our library to get in out of the cold.  And it's been really cold lately for us Southern states.  The other day a staff member and I were talking about some of the homeless people who come to the library to get warm and get out of the cold wind.  They use our place as a refuge and even catch up on things they like to read.  I always wonder where they'll go while we're closed.
     Of course, there's been a great run on checking out books to read while we're closed.  Those items won't have to be returned until we reopen, so there's a nice long two weeks to read a stack of good mysteries, crime novels, or romances.
     And the children's books are going out in stacks also.  Especially the books about Christmas, Santa Claus, elves, and even the Grinch.
     So, let me tell you what the schedule will be.  The MCCLS libraries (includes the Doerun Library and the Odom Library) will be closed from Saturday, December 18th, at 5:30 p.m. until Monday, January 3, 2011 at the regular times (8:30 a.m. for headquarters and 2 p.m. for Doerun).
     Just writing 2011 looks strange, doesn't it?  However, after we're closed for the holidays that's the number we'll be using.
     I'd like to wish you a merry Christmas and a happy New Year.  I hope all of you will be "open" for the wonderful opportunities that come your way in 2011.  And we'll be open for you also.  Happy holidays!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

The new Rosner Estate books are coming in

     Not too long ago I told you about a gift from the Estate of Joanna Rosner.  Well, the books are coming in!  Ms. Rosner's gift was to definitely include books by Anne McCaffrey and I see several on the list of "here now."
     If you're a fan of McCaffrey, you'll be delighted to know that we have on our shelves the following books:  All the Weyrs of Pern, Dragondrums, Dragongirl, Dragonheart, Dragonquest, Dragonsblood, Dragonsdawn, Dragonseye, A Gift of Dragons and Dragon's Fire.  And there are more to come.
     If you like to quilt, be sure to pick several of Jennifer Chiaverini's books.  She has a series about the Elm Creek Quilters.  On the shelf we have The Aloha Quilt: An Elm Creek Quilts Novel, The Christmas Quilt, Circle of Quilters, The Cross-Country Quilters, and The New Year's Quilt.  All of these books seem to fit right in with our holiday season.
     For all you coffee lovers, you'll be delighted with the books by Cleo Coyle.  Look for Decaffinated Corpse, Espresso Shot, French Pressed, Latte Trouble, Murder Most Frothy, Roast Mortem, Through the Grinder, and Holiday Grind, with more to come.
     Susan Conant has the Dog Lover's Mysteries: The Barker Street Regulars, Evil Breeding, Gone to the Dogs, and Ruffly Speaking.  And Denise Swanson has the Scrumble River Mysteries: Murder of a Barbie and Ken, Murder of a Royal Pain, Murder of a Small-Town Honey, Murder of a Sweet Old Lady, and Murder of a Wedding Belle.
     Be sure you look for the Aunt Dimity series by Nancy Atherton (Aunt Dimity is a ghost), the Hope Street Church Mysteries by Jennifer Stanley, and the Chet and Bernie Mysteries by Spencer Quinn.
     And for all you food lovers, be sure to look for the Wine Country Mysteries by Ellen Crosby, the books by B. Haywood (Town in a Blueberry Jam and Town in a Lobster Stew), Jeffry Cohen's Some Like It Hot-Buttered, Avery Aames' The Long Quiche Goodbye, Riley Adams' Delicious and Suspicious, and Julie Hyzy's Eggsecutive Orders.
     Of course, there are many more books to list.  Instead of me listing them here, you can find them listed in our Pines System.  Look for books by Mary Clay, Emilie Richards, Mary Maffini, Jessica Conant-Park, Elizabeth Lynn Casey, Christy Evans, Jennie Bentley, Laura Childs, Richard Castle, Kate Carlisle....  The list goes on and on.
     You really need to come visit us and see all these new books on the shelves.  If the titles don't draw you in, the fascinating covers certainly will.
     And I can guarantee you this...we have so many books from the Rosner Estate gift that we can keep you reading for the entire year of 2011.  Well, maybe not all of it, but the biggest part anyhow.  Enjoy reading!  You'll never regret making the time to lounge in your favorite place and hold a good book in your hands while you get totally involved in a magical place called imagination.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Have I told you about Darrell Huckaby?

     I haven't?  Well, lordy mercy, let me tell you about this funny man!
     He's an author who has been called "Garrison Keeler with a Southern accent."  He's been called "the South's hidden literary treasure."  He's a syndicated columnist, a noted author, a teacher and a public speaker.
     And he's going to here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library on Monday, December 6th, at 7 p.m. to tell you all about grits and catfish, the flag of the South and the Civil War (not what he calls it), and road trips, Georgia football, and his family.
     Darrell draws from his own experiences about growing up in Newton County, Georgia's mill village of Porterdale.  He writes about everyday life in America the way it is, the way it used to be, and the way he thinks it should be.  He'll make you laugh, occasionally cry, and sometimes shake your head in disbelief.
     In fact, when you come see him on Monday, you'll even be able to purchase his books, which include What the Huck!, Dinner on the Grounds (a great cookbook), Grits is Groceries (my favorite), Southern is as Southern Does, Need Two and Need Four.  And if you want, he'll even autograph the books for you.  (Think of it this way, you will be purchasing some of the best Christmas gifts you can give; you can't give anything better than a book!)
     Oh, yes!  Since Darrell is a graduate of the University of Georgia and writes a syndicated column called The Dawgbone each week during football season, I bet you can even get him involved in a good discussion about those Georgia bulldogs!
     Come join us!  We expect to have a good time.
This project is sponsored by MCCLS and supported by the Georgia Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities and through appropriations from the Georgia General Assembly.