Check Out This Week Of Children's Events

We're in the middle of our Summer Reading Fun Program with plenty of fun things left for the kids to do. Coming to the library when the weather is near 100 degrees seems the perfect thing to do. There are always lots of fun things to do at the library.
This evening in Moultrie from 6:30 to 7:30 at the library, the program will be by The Center for Wildlife Education and The Lamar Q. Ball, Jr. Raptor Center at Georgia Southern University. There's no doubt the kids will be fascinated by what they will see
and learn.
Wednesday, the 17th, at the Doerun Library, Master Storyteller Windell Campbell will give the kids stories to tickle their fancy and make them laugh. The time will be 3 to 4 p.m.
Then on Thursday, the 18th, from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Moultrie Library, you'll need to come see our kids perform. The program is "Moultrie's Got Talent" and you're sure to be surprised at the great talent you'll see.
Also, that evening the Moultrie Library's Just4Teens will enjoy "Got Chocolate?" from 6 to 7 p.m.
Remember all the programs are free and open to the public. You just need to be on time and turn or or mute your cell phones.
Make this summer a memorable one for your kids...take them to the library. It's a good habit to begin.

Have You Started Your Summer Reading?

We've taken care of the kids for the month of June with all the programs that Miss Norma, our children's librarian, has come up with. Now we need to take care of the adults.
I checked over our new and bestseller racks to see what might be interesting for your summer reading. Are you ready?
In the romance section I found To Dream by Carolyn Brown. This is an Avalon romance and a Broken Roads romance. Romances are always a big summer hit...especially for the ladies.
One book I want to read is an Oprah book and New York Times Bestseller, The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski. I hear they're going to make it into a movie also.
Two well-known authors with books on our shelves are Mave Binchy with Heart and Soul and Pearl Cleage with Baby Brother's Blues, which is a New York Times Bestseller.
But I guess the most popular genre for any reading time is the cozy mystery, again mostly for ladies. The three I found just waiting to be read are Murder Takes The Cake by Evelyn David, Cream Puff Murder by Joanne Fluke, and Poisoned Tarts by G. A. McKevett. There were more, but for some reason I must have been hungry and these popped out at me.
Anything But Typical by Nora Raleigh Baskin is a book you might want to pick if you have a middle-grader or teen and you'd like them to read this summer. Baskin's books are fun and crazy reading to be enjoyed especially by teens.
I also found a humorous memoir on the shelf by Philip Gulley. Just the name was funny. I Love You, Miss Huddleston, and Other Inappropriate Longings of My Indiana Childhood. That might have to be my next book to read. Of course, another memoir with some humor is by Bill O'Reilly titled A Bold Fresh Piece of
Humanity.
We have a large section of patrons who love Christian Fiction, especially Tales from Grace Chapel Inn. Two books on the shelf are Slices of Life by Judy Baer and Midsummer Melody by Rebecca Kelly. And there are even more Christian Fictions to select in the same section of shelf.
Of course, now and then I find books that are a little different. Today The Everything Chihuahua Book by Joan Walker took first place. Then Better by the Dozen Plus Two (from a family of sixteen) by James and Kathleen Littleton was my second one. And a book about a sobering piece of history, The Last Campaign (of Robert Kennedy) by Thurston Clarke, will make interesting reading.
That should get you started with your summer reading. I've picked out the three books I want to read from this list. Let's see who gets to them first.

A New (Old) Face To Help You With Your Summer Reading

It's not often we have a new employee. Our turnover is very small, because we have such a great place in which to work. But if you've been in the library lately, you've probably noticed the new face sitting at the circulation counter. Well, actually she's not a new face, but an old face.
Let me explain.
When Holly worked here a couple of years ago, she was part-time and finishing college. After graduating she needed to find a full-time job and left our library for the big town of Albany, where she went to work for the Albany Herald. Then she moved on to the Northwest Dougherty County Library where she was a library assistant.
But when our Spanish-speaking, self-professed "computer geek" Josh moved to Montana, our director contacted Holly for the bookmobile-circulation position that Josh vacated.
Now, Holly is back, not only as library help, but as a new bride, since she married Joe in April of this year.
When she's not working with Sheila, the bookmobile manager, she'll be at the circulation counter to help you.
So, welcome back, Holly. We're glad to see your face around here again.

Here's Another Week of Goodies For The Kids!

It's been so nice to hear the laughter from the kids who are coming in for the Summer Reading Fun Program.
This week promises to be just as great as last week, not only here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library, but at the Doerun Municipal Library.
Let me tell you what's going on.
This evening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Moultrie Library, Sean Driscoll with Beathoven & the Big Note Band will be playing. Then on Thursday, the 11th, from 10 to 11 a.m. Miss Sally will be working with the kids in "Imagine, Create, Participate." And that evening from 6 to 7 p.m. Just4Teens will have a session of "Origami Dollars and Creating with Duct Tape."
In Doerun at the library from 3 to 4 p.m. on Wednesday, the 10th, the Curious Moon Puppet Theatre will present "The Princess & the Frog."
All these programs are free and open to the public. Our children's librarian, Miss Norma, has only two requests for those attending: Please be on time and turn or or mute your cell phones.
The kids can sign up for the Summer Reading Fun and receive free "Be Creative @ Your Library" materials and goodies.
So, there you are. Wonderful fun for youngsters, no matter what age! We'll look for you.

Summer Reading Fun Is Here!

You should see the line-up of events during June that our children's librarian, Miss Norma, has for all the kids.
Things start today when they will enjoy dancing, singing and cooking! Yep! That's right...cooking! Won't that tickle their imagination? I saw the peanut butter sushi! Yummy! And she's going to tell everyone how to bake a cake with only two ingredients.
The Summer Reading Fun Program is free and open to the public. All the programs are free. Now, where can you find a deal like that? Those attending (parents, included) need to be on time and turn off or mute their cell phones. The place fills up fast.
When the kids sign up for Summer Reading Fun from June 1st to 30th, they receive their free Be Creative @ Your Library materials and goodies. Miss Norma was signing up three little boys in the same family when I went to visit her a few minutes ago.
So, this evening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. all the kids that show up are going to have a super-duper time dancing, singing and cooking! I bet they even get to eat something...probably that sushi!
These events aren't only at the Moultrie library. There will be events every Wednesday at the Doerun Municipal Library also. The time will be 3 to 4 p.m. The library is located at 185 North Freeman Street in Doerun.
In fact, tomorrow in Doerun, kids will be able to "Imagine, Create, Participate!" with Miss Sally. She's a well-known Moultrie artist, who loves to teach little children all the fun of art. She's the one with the big splash of blue in the front of her hair. Sure, you know
her!
Then on Thursday, June 4th, kids at the Moultrie library will enjoy the creativity of One Heart. I'm not going to tell you what that's about, but I think it has a banjo involved.
And there's something special the evening of the 4th called Just4Teens. It will be from 6 to 7 p.m. That's when everyone will see the wacky, high energy, juggling guy Todd Key. If you haven't seen him before, you better not miss this one. He's tooooo good
to miss!
That's all I'm going to tell you about right now. If you have children, the whole month of June is just for them at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library. Each week will be something different and new.
It's time to sign them up now and let them Be Creative @ Your Library.

My Goodness, But We Had Fun!

We did! We had great fun!
Despite the rainy weather, our "Books & Bar-B-Q" authors' event was a success.
The authors came with their families or friends. Only a couple came alone, but they were quickly swallowed up in the fellowship of the evening.
The public came with tickets for the bar-b-que meal and money to buy books.
It was a good feeling. We were in one room to talk about writing and books and the creativeness to produce such works of art.
And that creativeness was mentioned when Reverend Hugh Ward, the pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, gave the blessing before the meal. His prayer included thanks for people who write and for the creativeness in all of us that comes from God. His prayer touched not only the hearts of the writers, but the readers, also.
It was fun to see the authors from last year's event get together again and talk up a storm, like long lost friends. They looked like they were at a family reunion.
And it was fun to watch the authors talk with people about how their "book of choice" had been inspired. There were smiles on the booklovers' faces as they listened.
An even bigger smile appeared when they brought the book they'd purchased back to the author for their signature and a special message.
Three authors had been asked to give 10-minute talks, but no one really minded if the talks were longer. Before the event began, they'd been given seven questions to answer. Jackie K. Cooper is always a favorite with the Moultrie crowd and the answers to his questions had everyone laughing. Ed McMinn, a newcomer to Moultrie, is a retired pastor and now full-time writer. His answers included how he found his "gimmick" to writing his "die-hard" college fans books. And then Dr. Charles Williams, who grew up in Moultrie, answered his questions by expressing his love for Moultrie, his grandmother, and Southern things to include stinkbugs.
Our fundraiser was so successful, the authors said they'd be back next year. Several will have new books by then. And we here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library have promised an even better event for 2010.
We're going to have such fun planning the next authors' event. That's a given.

The Big Event Day Is Here

I'm so excited! I hope to see you here for "Books & Bar-B-Q" this evening, 5:30 to 7:30 in the Willcoxon Auditorium.
We've had four authors say emergencies have called them away from the event this year, but we will still have 14 authors present to share with library patrons and community guests some insight as to why they write. Guests attending will be able to purchase a copy of each author's "book of choice" also.
Three speakers have been selected to talk for 10-minutes each. They are Ed McMinn from Moultrie, Dr. Charles Williams from Tallahassee, and Jackie K. Cooper from Perry. All three are great "talkers" and will probably talk our arms off, but that's exactly what we want them to do.
Also, Beverley Starr from Albany will be here. She's one of our two lovely elders who will talk about their books. Vera Stinson is the other. We certainly hope the rainy weather we're having won't keep them away.
I've seen the baked beans (yummy!) and the many pound cakes (double yummy!) and the big, big bowl of cole slaw. Just the thought of the special bar-b-que makes my mouth drool! The tables for the meals are decked out with red and white checked tablecloths, and there's plenty of room for those planning to eat.
But the best thing about the evening is that we're going to have 14 authors in one room together. Last year it was wonderful to see them all talking together and sharing stories with each book lover who stood before them with excitement in their eyes. This year I expect more of the same kind of fun. Good food and good authors make for a good time!
I know there are a few books I'll want to buy for my own personal library, too.
It's not too late for you to join us. Tickets are on sale at the circulation counter for only a $10 donation. The proceeds from "Books & Bar-B-Q" go toward our library book fund.
I'm going to be looking for you!