'TIS THE SEASON

     It's beginning to look like Christmas around our library.
     Yesterday we finished putting out the Christmas book displays and are still working on the lighted cases.
      Several staff members have contributed to the display in the cases...a little metal Christmas tree with dangly ornaments, a soft fuzzy white bear with his matching moose friend, a Santa in his red suit, blue flowers, items of silver, lots of glittery things...and with more to come.  Our signs say "Give More Love, Give More Hope, Give More Joy."  Great words to remember all year round.
      Our front lobby foyer table has a Christmas tree decked out with small red balls and ribbon streamers.  The tree and decorations were contributed by Johnnie and the bow-making was compliments of Ann, who has a talent we now know about!  The tree skirt (also from Johnnie) is red plaid and everything sits on a green plaid tablecloth.  All around the tree are Christmas books, colorful as a string of bright lights.
      Our bookcase next to the circulation counter has a sign that says, "Weather Frightful? Books Delightful!" and the shelves hold a 12-pack collection of Christmas books, good for any-time-weather reading.
      As you can see, we have out our seasonal books.  The "'Tis the Season" table in front of the nonfiction stacks holds holiday books to enjoy.  Aileen has offered a brochure titled "'Tis the Season" with a list of great holiday readings and their reviews.  Some of the books listed encourage me to take a couple home..."Naughty or Nice" by Eric Jerome..."The Diva Cooks a Goose" by Krista Davis..."Cat Deck the Halls: A Joe Grey Mystery" by Shirley Rousseau Murphy.  So many to read; so little time!
      Be sure to look at the books we've placed on top of the front lobby cases...such books as "Christmas Around the World,"  "Christmas Cheer," and "The Family Christmas."  In a week or two we will include the Christmas cookbooks, unless they are all checked out! 
      We don't want to forget the picture in the Ellen Payne Odom Genealogical Library either.  This time we've place a lovely picture of "Washington Crossing the Delawre, 1851" by artist Emanuel Leutz (1816-1868).  The snow and ice will make you glad you're in the warm South.  We've also included a list of questions that will tempt you in your search for the answers about the picture.
      We're going to be open for business as usual until December 19.  So, come on in and get in the spirit of Christmas.  And watch for our Christmas additions....  There's bound to be more to come.

WE'RE CLOSING FOR THANKSGIVING

     I'm ashamed to say that I'm sitting here listening to Christmas music...but I am.  Ashamed because it's not even Thanksgiving Day yet.
     Once again I need to tell you that we will be closed for Thanksgiving.  Sometimes I think we are closed for too many days - the 21st through the 24th, reopening on the 26th - but I understand it also helps with the budget constraints of a public library.  And I do understand that it gives those staff members who are traveling out of town more time to be safe in their traveling. 
     It does make me wonder, however, about all those people who use the library every day, for whatever reason.  Makes me wonder what they do when we are closed, where they go, and, really, if they are all right.  Many come to use our computers because they have none themselves.  How do they continue to job search, do online class homework, check with family and friends by email?  Many come to get in out of the weather, sit on our couches and read and sometimes take a little nap.  Nevertheless, I wonder what everyone does when they aren't able to come to the library.
     Today as I sit here, listening to the Christmas music, I'm thoughtful about Thanksgiving and thinking what I'm thankful for.
     One thing that comes to mind is being thankful for Johnnie, who makes morning coffee almost every day for those of us who work here.  So, thank you, Johnnie, for that necessary morning brew.
     Another thing I'm thankful for is Holly, our director, who I know is working hard to make sure our library continues to move forward and provide the best service we can to all those who walk through our doors.  We've been told that this old building will be getting a new chiller and new roof during the next few months, thanks to the help of our County and State officials.  We are definitely thankful for that assistance.
     And I have to say I'm thankful for my office partner, Aileen, who works so hard to keep our large group of computers doing the right things.  That has to be a strain-and-a-half.   Plus she is contantly finding interesting events for the library to hold...like the upcoming January 2013 community health fair.  Plus, she's become a very best friend.  Can't ask for more in a two-person office.
     I'm also thankful for all the people I work with here at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library.  I've been here about nine years now, working in various capacities, and everyone here is absolutely the best of the best to work with.  Occasionally we lose one...to retirement or another position somewhere...but not often.  We have a few here who we could call "old timers," but who aren't old.  It's just that once you start working here, you realize what a great place it is and you stay.
     There are many more things I am thankful for at our library, but I won't take the space to list them all.
     I do have to say that I'm thankful for all of you who read this homely, little blog.  It's not fancy with pictures, colorful with design, or elegant with words.  It's just a little thing I do because I was asked to do it, and I've truly enjoyed it.  However, I'm sure if I could find the right person here at the library, it would take on a different kind of life.  But for the meantime, I'm thankful I'm allowed to write it and share our library's information with you.
     So, take a few minutes somewhere around Thanksgiving Day and think about what you're thankful for.  It might surprise you what you come up with.

A VISIT WITH HELEN SCOTT CORRELL

     It's hard to believe the last post was written on October 24th, but it was.  Vacations are always hard to come back from, but this time will be easier for me.
     We're going to have a visit from Helen Scott Correll, a nature illustrator and author of "Middlewood Journal: Drawing Inspiration from Nature."
     The event will be this Thursday, November 15th, here in the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library's auditorium, starting at 6:30 p.m.  The event is free to the public.
     Correll is a freelance writer, illustrator, and photographer from Spartanburg, South Carolina.  She's also a member of the Society of Children's Writers and Illustrators, as well as the Guild of Nature Science Illustrators.  Multi-talented, she has a blog, has published articles and illustrations in numerous magazines, and has now published a book about nature.
     I took the review book home during my vacation and was amazed at the beautiful illustrations of flowers, mushrooms, leaves, animal tracks, feathers, and all kinds of nature's treasures.
     With a foreward by naturalist Janisse Ray (who has been at our library several times and is well-known in our area), Correll's book gathers illustrations and writings from her hikes and blog (by the same name - Middlewood Journal) to create a treasury of discoveries, from giant red mushrooms peaking beneath a cover of leaves to a hawk on a branch so close you can hear its preening.  She covers season to season, discovering miniature beauties of the South, the life that you only find by slowing down and allowing the landscape to inspire you.  You, too, will witness the change of seasons through the blooms, birdsongs, and balance of sunlight in Correll's delicate prose and drawings in the Middlewood Journal.
     For the Middlewood Journal blog, go to http://middlewoodjournal.blogspot.com/.  You can also follow Helen on Twitter at @hscorrell.
     And don't forget, on our library website home page, you'll see Helen's picture and several areas you can click on.  Be sure to watch the book trailer.  You'll have the chance to see her cabin and the trails she walks on her property at Middlewood.
     Join us this Thursday for an amazing visit with Helen Scott Correll.  Her book will be available to purchase.

WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD LIBRARY BOOK CLUB

     This is the second year that our library has had an adult reading club, or adult book club as it is sometimes called.  And it's great that it's still "tooling" along.
     So far, we are a group of women, but fellows are invited to attend the meetings, too.  I imagine that if more of them realized we serve refreshments at the meetings, they would be more willing to show up.
     Occasionally, our members receive gifts.  When we first started a year ago, we had several great gifts, rather costly ones, we thought.  They were given in a drawing during the first meeting.  But that really didn't work.  The people who won the gifts came only once or twice more and then didn't make it again.
     This year our gifts have been given out at different meetings and that seems to work better.  For instance, during one of our first meetings this year we gave really nice midnight blue coffee cups with the printed logo "Between the Covers" (meaning book covers, of course) and an open book on one side.  We've also given our Amazing Black Book Bags (huge pocket, waterproof, side pocket, wide comfy straps), MCCLS pens, note pads, journals, bookmarks, and a few other things.  And we are already planning what we're going to give next year in June when we begin our third season called "Groundbreaking Reads."
     Our topics change for each month, which makes reading even more interesting.  In June we had "Books That Keep You Up All Night"; those were thrillers and survival stories.  July we read "Books About Books," August "Tall Tales" that were biographies and memoirs, and September we had "Night Time Adventures" about mysteries and detectives.  We just finished October's meeting where the topic was "Moon Madness" and our books had the word "moon" in the titles.
     At the October meeting we learned that our November topic is called "An Evening Concert."  We will read books which will use threater and drama as backdrops to the story; maybe some will have stories about concerts during the holidays.
     In fact, Aileen, who makes our brochures to hand out, has selected several books for the brochure to help readers decide what they'd like to read.  Look at these:

• Exit Music [sound recording] by Ian Rankin (2008 CD Fiction, Rankin). 
• Shadow Music: A Novel is by Julie Garwood (2007 F Garwood)
• A Distant Music by B. J. Hoff (2006 F Hoff)
• Trunk Music by Michael Connelly (1997 Mystery Connelly)
• Evening Class is by Maeve Binchy (1996 F Binchy)
• Beach Music by Pat Conroy (1995 F Conroy) (also LP and Audio)
• The Butcher's Theater is by Jonathan Kellerman (1988 F Kellerman)
• Murder at the Mimosa Inn by Joan Hess (1987 M Hess)
• First Hit of the Season by Jane Dentinger (1984 M Dentinger)
• And if you're not a big fiction reader, the back of the brochure gives you some nonfiction.

     You can find four of these books on the eye-level shelf next to the circulation desk...look for "Books Recommended by Between the Covers."  The rest are in the stacks at the end of the adult reading area.  You'll also find copies of our November brochure.
     And if you're interested in our little book club, we meet the second Tuesday of every month, except December (too many other holiday events) and May (lots of school events).  The time is at 6:30 p.m. in the library auditorium.  All you need to do is bring a small plate of snacks to share and show up.  Coffee (mainly decaf) is provided by the library.
     Come join us.  We already know that for the January meeting we're going to be talking about books by Georgia writers.  You have plenty of time to read a bunch of books before then.  And if you don't know any Georgia writers to choose from, here's a short list:  Terry Kay, Jimmy Carter, Pat Conroy, Janet Daugharty, Melissa Fay Greene, Lewis Grizzard, Frances Mayes, Carson McCullers, Eugenia Price, Janisse Ray, Ferrol Sams, Anne Rivers Siddons, Alice Walker, and Bailey White.
     Oh, and while I'm talking to you, I need to let you know this blog will be down for two weeks while we do a little R&R with family.  I'll see you again about the middle of November.
     Good reading, y'all.

GRANT WRITING IS A BIG HIT

     I think I better tell you right now that the interest in grant writing is a big thing in our area.
     The first workshop we had here in our auditorium was in August of 2010 when Dr. Anne Holt presented the program "Introduction to Grant Writing."
     Then she came back in October of the same year to give "Improve Your Grant Proposal."  Both times the auditorium was filled with people interested in learning more about this difficult job of writing a really good grant proposal.  What with funding getting tighter and tighter over the past few years, people are looking for ways to help pay for their projects and programs.  And Dr. Holt says the funds are out there.
     Dr. Holt switched gears a little when she came back in February of 2011 to teach a class called "Are You Ready to Find a Publisher?"  The workshop helped people with writing, editing, querying and pitching.  And even though the workshop was more for a writer looking to be published, it also helped people with writing anything, including a grant.  
     Like I said, there's a big interest in grant writing now days.  Dr. Holt came back in September of 2011 to give another grant writing workshop and although not quite as many people showed up, the classroom was filled. 
     So, we've brought her back again.  Her timely workshop "Introduction to Grant Writing" will be held Saturday, November 3, from noon to 3 p.m. in the library auditorium.  Once again the topics will include grant writing guidelines, model narrative budget information, the Georgia funders list, writing do's and don'ts, and tips on finding matching funds.
     The cost is $40 per person and will be well worth it.  A pre-registration fee of $10 is required, nonrefundable, basically to hold your seat.  The remaining $30 is payable at the door.
     And if you're wondering who Dr. Anne Holt is, she is not only a grant writer, but a writer of novels and a speaker.  She has served as president and fundraiser-grant writer for the Tallahassee Writers Association, Inc., served on the "Art in the Court Committee" of the Florida Supreme Court, and is grant writer for the Tallahassee Film Society, Inc.
     Dr. Holt is an active member of Western Writers of America, Women Writing the West, The Florida Library Association, and ALAN.  She has completed several novels, a dissertation, and a book of poetry.
    We are already signing people up for the November 3rd workshop.  All you have to do is come by the library, 204 Fifth Street SE in Moultrie, or mail in your pre-registration fee and information.  And if you need more information, you can call us at 229-985-6540 or email mccls@mccls.org.
     It's time to sign up now!  Grant writing is big business!

WHAT DO YOUR KIDS DO FOR HALLOWEEN?

     It's been a long time ago, but I remember what we used to do for Halloween.
     I lived in a small community in Texas and had a group of friends that I ran around with in the neighborhood.
     It was at a time in life when kids always dressed up for Halloween in various frightening (well, we thought so) costumes.  There was no fear of receiving candy laced with razor blades or needles or dis-tasteful tastes.  There was no fear about someone hauling us off, away from our homes and families.  It was just a time for good, clean fun.  We didn't TP houses and bushes and trees.  We didn't "egg" windows or cars.  We just had fun.
     My brother, three years younger than me, and I would always go to the houses in our neighborhood for maybe three or four blocks in each direction.  We knew everyone for blocks around and they knew us.  One year we both dressed up as pirates, one year Indians, and one year hobos, faces with black shoe-polish beards, some of Daddy's old work clothes and boots, and sticks carrying our knap-sacks on the end.  We often carried a medium-sized bag or plastic pumpkin that had a handle.  But most of the time it was just a paper sack. 
     There were no teenagers with pillow cases pushing us aside for the hand-out treats.  Halloween was for kids younger than teenagers. There were no mothers or fathers going along with us.  The whole neighborhood was safe.  In fact, most of the time, us older kids took the hands of the little kids in the neighborhood and watched over them like they were our own brothers and sisters.
     We would go from house to house over that three or four block range and then go home.  Our trip around the neighborhood would be from the beginning of dark, usually about 7 p.m., until we'd walked the entire area.  It usually brought us home about 9 p.m.  Remember, we had the tiny ones with us also.  But once we went home, we didn't go back out again to collect more treats.  There was moderation even in collecting the goodies to eat; no stuffing pillow cases and then going out again for more.  And our parents were definitely watching for us to return also.
     Here in Moultrie now days there are various activities that go on for Halloween.  The Downtown Merchants usually have a "trick or treat" thing going on around the Square.  Many churches hold events inside their churches.  Some organizations have special events for the little ones.  Lots of these events are held during the daylight hours.
     And that brings us to the library.
     This year on Tuesday, October 30th, from 4:30 to 6 p.m., the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library will hold a "Kid's Halloween Draw and Fold" event.
     We're inviting students in the first through third grades to the library for a fun program of folding Halloween origami and drawing some Halloween objects.  There will be time to enjoy a Halloween story and just have a good time.
     But there's something you have to do in order to have all this fun.  Since space is limited to 25 students, you need to call 229-985-6540 to register your child.  Ask for Michele Croft, the Children's Librarian.  Or email her at jmc@mccls.org.  It's as easy as that.  Sorry it couldn't be for more, but 25 kids, all in one place, will be a lot of kids.  And of course, parents are invited to stay for the event, too.
     Plan now to bring your kids to the library for a safe and happy Halloween...it's a place they should always come to for special children's programs. 

WE HAVE A LITTLE RIVER OF WORDS AT OUR LIBRARY

     It's here again!  The River of Words!  And we are so glad to be hosting a portion of the traveling River of Words exhibit.
     I just took a tour of the exhibit, which is in our reading area.  There is a back and front to the exhibit, so be sure that you look at both sides.
     The Environmental Poetry and  Art Project is coordinated in Georgia by the Georgia Center for the Book and Project WET (Water Education for Teachers), a program of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.  River of Words is a national poetry and art competition.  Students in grades 1 through 12 are invited to create visual art or poetry that shows an understanding and appreciation of their natural environment, and specifically their own watershed.
     During my tour of the exhibit I noticed pictures and poetry from mostly "up-state" in the areas of Cumming, Duluth, Marietta, Lilburn, Gainesville, Woodstock, Roswell, Atlanta and Conyers.  However, I did see one entry from Monticello! 
    The entries cover grades 1 through 12 with a variety in their pictures:  a red fox, white wolf, green crab, blue egret,white polar bear, blue-black octopus, multi-colored gecko, greenish alligator, and purple jellyfish, along with beaver, deer, and trees.  The water side of pictures covered waterfalls, ponds, seasides, lakes and savannahs.  I saw pictures of children playing at the beach, floating on rivers and ponds with their inner tubes, and just having fun in the water.
     The pictures were made up of collages, acrylics, photography, markers and pencils, pastels and plain chalk, and tempera.  The poetry covered four lines to thirty lines.  Children as young as six years old were writing little poems about the water.
     All these children were State Winners!  All had expressed themselves to the fullest, whether they'd painted a picture, taken a photo, or written a poem about something water-related.
      More than 150,000 entries have been submitted since the program begin in 1997.  Thousands of students have participated in Georgia; more than 2,000 entries in three grade categories were received in 2009 alone!  Entries were judged on a state and national level.  Georgia has had several National Grand Prize Winners in recent years.
     You can visit the winners Galleries on GAProjectWET.org.  And you can learn more about River of Words at their website:  http://www.riverofwords.org or view the Georgia State Winners of poetry and art at our library, 204 Fifth Street, Southeast, in Moultrie.
    The exhibit will be here through October 20, during the library's open hours.