Monday, December 23

GET YOUR SNUGGLE ON AT THE PEARL LIBRARY


Brrrr!....Baby, it's cold outside (I feel a song....) which makes snuggling up with a good book a stellar idea! In fact, it's a fantabulous idea for a reading program! Heeeeeyyyy! Whaddaya know! That's exactly what's happening at the Pearl Public Library starting Thurs. Jan. 2 and running through February 28.

Snuggle Up and Read is the name and reading to win prizes is the game. It's simple. You read five (5) books, turn in a reading log and get a small prize for your first reading log only. And, guess what?! You can turn in as many reading logs as you would like!  Jumpin' fireplace flames! That means you can read to your heart's content!

The person who reads the most books wins the GRAND PRIZE!!!!!

Just stop by the reference or circulation desk and pick up your reading logs.

So, SNUGGLE UP and get ready to READ!


Tuesday, December 17

A CRAFT DOUBLE TAKE AT THE PEARL LIBRARY!



OH, BOY! Coming soon to the Pearl Public Library.  It's a double dose of Simply Crafts, the all adult - that means you too MEN - craft event! Hey, what better way to relax and unwind! It's therapeutic I tell ya!

As you know, Simply Crafts is held on the second Tuesday of the month. That will not change. You'll just get more on the same day! 

Shirley Dennis, the library's branch manager, will introduce this additional, new craft time slot with RAGS TO RUGS! on Tues. Jan. 14. from 10:30 a.m to 12 -Noon. Unlike the night Simply Crafts, you must register for this craft session by contacting the reference department. The first five (5) people to register gets a free gift! Bring your own supplies (old t-shirts, needle, thread and scissors). 
Shirley will also offer this creative RAGS TO RUGS craft on Tues. Feb. 11 and Tues. Mar. 11. Who knew such creative rugs could be made from rags?!?!?

If you don't wish to or can't come to January's Simply Crafts, but you have some cloth to donate, we'll take it! If you would like to donate old t-shirts or denim, there will be a big, plastic bin in place right near the circulation department at the main entrance of the library starting Thurs. Jan. 2.

Oh, what's the denim for?

That brings us to take two of Simply Crafts. This is the regularly scheduled evening craft which starts a 6 p.m. Eleanor Jones, reference supervisor will feature the DENIM GIVING TREE. No registration is needed and materials are supplied.

You don't want to miss these creative crafty events! We'll see you there!



THE PEARL LIBRARY LOOKING TO SCORE MAJOR POINTS!

Have you ever noticed that little code inside your Coca-Cola bottle cap? Or maybe you have seen a similar code on the pull tab of a 12-pack of Coke? Did you know that these codes can be logged into a MyCokeRewards account to net different fun items such as magazines. Oh, yes. It's so true!

The Pearl Public Library just loooooooves magazines, and maintains an impressive inventory that includes reading favorites from American Spirit and Audubon to Oprah Magazine, Sports Illustrated and Psychology Today and many more for patrons to enjoy!  Now, that's just the adult magazine section. The Pearl Library also houses a host of entertaining children and teen magazines that are widely read.

Here's the great news! To pump up the existing magazine collection even more, Eleanor, the library's reference supervisor and Ally, the children's supervisor are both collecting these little Coke gems for additional fantastic, magazine subscriptions to benefit all age groups! 

So, if you aren't doing anything special with that bottle cap that is worth three (3) points or that pull tab that's worth ten (10) points, bring them on in to the library where Eleanor and Ally's points are adding up!

THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!


Monday, December 16

PEARL LIBRARY BOOK/RUMMAGE SALE; A WONDERFUL SUCCESS!


A great big Pearl Public Library THANK YOU to everyone who helped with the Dec. 7 rummage and book sale by donating and/or buying items. Even with all the Christmas events in town, Eleanor (bicycle whisperer) said a lot of folks still came by and rummaged and rummaged and rummaged some more! All proceeds went to the Friends of the Pearl Library! Anything that didn't sell was donated to Goodwill and Gateway Rescue Mission.
So, with hot chocolate aplenty and bargains galore,  all the library shoppers were were in want no more! 

THE END.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS 
   TO ALL! 













Monday, December 2

Simply reverent! Simply beautiful! Simply made! Simply Crafts at the Pearl Library!




    Can you believe it? How many times have you walked over pine needles in your yard? How many of those prickly things have you raked up time after time? Whoever would have thought that something so beautiful could come from something so simply ordinary?  
     Respectfully, all religions have their icons and symbols. For Christians, the Cross has got to be among the top revered and loved. 
     What a great holiday gift to yourself or a loved one.  All you need is the desire to have it and the motivation to make one with a little help from the Pearl Public Library!  This earthly cross is the featured craft for December's Simply Crafts Tues. Dec 10 at 6 p.m. Please come and join Eleanor as she demonstrates how to make this magnificent, beautiful symbol of all things good and all things love!
     No registration or materials required! Just bring yourself!

OMG! WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR KITCHEN?!




        It's a rummage holding area! That's what the Pearl Library's kitchen is serving as.  That's just for starters! As more offerings come in for that awesome rummage and book sale happening in just five days, Sat. Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, at the Pearl Public Library, more library areas will surely become wonderfully stockpiled!
     You DO NOT WANT to miss this bargained-filled action just in time for the holidays! The event is sponsored by the Pearl Library and Friends of the Pearl Library. The library is accepting public donations! No commercial items such as refrigerators  and no adult clothes please. Baby clothes will be fine. So, if you have anything to do donate BRING IT ON IN! 
      Oh, how much fun this is going to be! We sure hope to see you at this great, big sale! All proceeds will go to benefit the Friends of the Pearl Library.
      By the way, the library's reference supervisor, Eleanor is still hard at it.  She's already grabbed a perfectly usable bike from a neighbor's curbside discards. I hear another neighbor found out about Eleanor's ambitious rummage collection campaign and has offered up... what is this!!! ANOTHER BIKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This Pearl staffer is rockin' and rollin', y'all!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, November 22

It's Ladies' Night and the reading is right at the Pearl Library!


Front Cover

That title! It's soooooo Kool & The Gang, right! Oh, yes, it's ladies' night and the feeling's right! Oh, yes it's ladies' night...Oh what a night....OOOH WHAT A NIGHT!....
Wait a minute! Stop the singing! This is a book remember!

See, it's all about Grace Stanton's life. She has everything going on for herself, but then it all goes south after she finds out her lowdown husband is cheating on her! Poor Grace. She really doesn't handle it well at all and ends up losing everything! She's even court ordered to divorce recovery therapy. Grace moves in with mom who lives above the Sandbox, a beach bar. Not Grace's ideal life.  But, things start looking up as these divorce recovery sessions turn into "Ladies' Night" sessions and major bonds are formed. 

Want to know the rest of the story? Read the book and then join Cecelia and her Chapter 1 Book Club meeting Thur., Dec. 12 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m. at the Pearl Public Library where they will be all up in Grace's life!  Cecelia says new members are always welcome to the book club which meets every second Thursday of the month. Copies of Mary Kay Andrews' Ladies' Night are available at the Pearl Library's circulation desk.




RUMMAGE THROUGH A GOOD BARGAIN THIS HOLIDAY SEASON AT THE PEARL PUBLIC LIBRARY



   We all know it. Saturdays and rummage sales go together like books and libraries. Throw in the holiday season and that’s one bargain-filled good time!
   The Pearl Public Library and the  Friends of the Pearl Library have combined it all for a grand rummage and book sale on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Public donations for the rummage sale are encouraged and will be accepted starting Saturday, Nov. 30. No commercial items such as refrigerators  and no adult clothes please. Baby clothes will be fine. So, if you have anything to do donate BRING IT ON IN! 
   Hey, you wanna know how diligent some Pearl staffers are being? This is OFF THE CHAIN!!! Reference supervisor, Eleanor Jones, spotted a rummage sale contender right in a neighbors garbage pile! A bicycle! She wanted her husband Jason to get it. OH, BUT NO, was pretty much what Jason said OK! "Well, I guess Jason is not into dumpster diving like I am," Eleanor quipped! Eleanor said she's going to fix up that little two-wheeled, fun ride and see just how fast she can sell it!  YOU GO GIRL!
    Oh, how much fun this is going to be! We sure hope to see you at this great big sale! All proceeds will go to benefit the Friends of the Pearl Library.

   

DON'T MISS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON OPENER AT THE PEARL LIBRARY!




Want to get into the holiday spirit? Then the Pearl Public Library is the place for the whole family to come and get the joyful mood in motion! The library's annual Holiday Open House will be held Tues, Dec. 3 starting at 5:30 and going until 7:00 p.m. The star of the show will be the first grade choir of the Pearl Lower Elementary School at 6:00 p.m.! It's a must-see performance!  There will also be refreshments for all and crafts for the kiddies! We'll see you then!



Monday, November 18

IT IS CHRISTMAS TIME AT THE FLOWOOD LIBRARY!


Get some holiday cheer at the Flowood Public Library with these great events!
Christmas Story Time, Dec. 7th at 9:30 am & 11:30 am
Open House featuring The Bells of Faith, Dec. 12th at 6:00 pm
1st Annual Christmas Cookie Contest Swap, Dec. 21st at 1:00 pm


The Flowood Library, part of the Central Mississippi Regional Library System, is hosting several Christmas programs that are guaranteed to delight! The library is hosting three programs this year, including its first annual Cookie Contest and Swap! 

"Christmas is such a wonderful time of the year!" Ashley Biggs, Branch Manager, said. "I'm really excited that we're able to have these great events. We can't wait!"

The program to kick off the holiday season is "Story Time and Cookies with Santa," set for December 7th at 9:30 am & 11:00 am. Ms. June, Children's Librarian, will be reading Christmas stories while kids line up to see Santa! (Parent's, bring you camera!) Tickets are FREE but are limited to "first come, first served" and will be released three weeks prior to the program.

The Friends of the Flowood Library will be hosting an Open House on December 12th at 6:00 pm. Come and join the Friends for a performance by the Bells of Faith, the hand bell choir from The Mustard Seed! All are welcome to come and socialize and learn about all the wonderful volunteer opportunities available to them through the Friends of the Flowood Library. Light refreshments will be served.

The final Christmas program is something new! The library is hosting a Cookie Contest and Swap on December 21st, from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Bake your best and bring it to the library where the celebrity judge, Mr. Jim Stewart of Fat-Cake Guy, will judge! You only need two dozen cookies to participate, and prizes will be awarded! Fun for the whole family! Special thanks to the Flowood Chamber, the Flowood Young Professionals, State Farm, and others for donating milk and prizes! Registration is not required but is recommended--or just bring your entry on the day of the contest! 


For further information, contact staff by email: flowood@cmrls.lib.ms.us or phone: 601-919-1911.

Thursday, October 24

Halloween FUN @ Harrisville Library

Halloween is always so much fun. You get to dress up as your favorite character from a book or a movie and you get free candy. Now that's what I call FUN!! I would love to see what you choose as your costume this year. Come to the Harrisville Public Library Costume Party. Thursday, October 31, 2013 starting @ 4:30 p.m. We will have cake and punch provided by the Friends Group. There will also be some fun games to play. Can't wait to see what you picked out for your costume.

Monday, September 30

Author Jeana Campbell Visits Florence Library

























Florence Public Library:

Author Jeana Campbell will be joining us Oct. 9 To talk about and sign copies of her latest novel "The Elder". Come and enjoy coffee and light refreshments.


Wednesday. October. 9, 2013
11:00pm - 12:00pm


Discription:
It is written from the time of the dragon, one will come to light that will embrace the past and the present, bringing forth a time of peace and love within the generations of its descendants. Since the first Witch saved the dragon, who loved her greatly, and created the first generation of Gargoyle, there has never been another with greater significance until now, until the Elder. Plans are placed to have the prominent Elder murdered in order to force the Lord from leadership of the Clan of Gargoyles and Coven of humans he overrules, by the man who wishes to become Master of Clan and Coven.

Florence: Movie & Popcorn

Florence Public Library:

Come and join the Florence Library for a spooky-laugh-fest! Monster, Inc on the big screen. This is a G-rated film, by Walt Disney Picture.

Monday October 7, 2013
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

For more information contact the Florence Public Library.

Florence Public Library
115 West Main Street
Florence, MS 39073
Phone: 601-845-6032

M & Th 9:30-7:00
Tu & W 9:30-5:00
F 1:00-5:00
Sa 9:00-12:30

Monday, September 9

Upcoming Events

Harrisville Library would like to invite you to our upcoming events. We have Family Story Time on September 14, 2013 @ 10:00 a.m. We will be reading If you Give a Dog a Do-Nut? Following story time we will have crafts and refreshments. For the young adults we will have Wii Play on September 19, 2013 @ 3:30 p.m. We will be playing on the big screen. Bring a friend and have some fun. Hope to see you here at Harrisville Library.

Tuesday, August 27

Florence: Waffle Wednesday



Bring your Preschoolers and join us for our Preschool Story Time where we will enjoy stories, crafts, music. Then stay for a special treat FREE Waffles. That's right the Florence Waffle House Staff will be stopping by the Florence Public library and cooking up some delicious waffles, so stop on by.

Wednesday , August 28
10:00 AM

Florence - Crochet /Knitting Club


Florence Library Crochet/ knitting Club Invites You to come Join the Fun! Crocheting and knitting are fun, fairly inexpensive way to create handmade treasures. Come join us at the Florence Public Library where you can share your love of yarn with like-minded individuals in a safe environment. Bring your crochet/ Knit projects to each meeting where we will gather together and crochet/Knit as we swap patterns and discuss various day to day topics. If working on a new project and you find yourself stuck, feel free to seek the guidance of other members.


                            Sept. 12 & 26 at 5:00 PM - 6:00PM


For more information contact the Florence Public Library.

Florence Public Library
115 West Main Street
Florence, MS 39073
Phone: 601-845-6032

M and Th 9:30-7:00
Tu and W 9:30-5:00
F 1:00-5:00
Sa 9:00-12:30

Monday, August 12

Author John Floyd to Visit Florence Library


Author John Floyd to Visit Florence Library.
Wednesday,  August 14, 2013
11:00 a.m. 

Author John Floyd will be discussing his latest book Deception. The short fiction of John M. Floyd has appeared in The Strand Magazine, Woman's World, Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, and many other publications. A Derringer Award winner and former Air Force captain, John spent thirty years with IBM and now teaches writing courses in the Continuing Education department at Millsaps College. He and his wife Carolyn live in Mississippi.Refreshment will be served. 






Deception 
Deception is not only the name of this book, or the title of one of the tales inside. It might be said that deception is also the central theme of the hundreds of short stories John M. Floyd has written and published over the past eighteen years. Many are mysteries and some represent other genres (fantasy, Western, romance, etc.), but all of them involve trickery and suspense and Hitchcockian plot reversals. In many ways, this collection picks up where his previous book, Clockwork, left off. Here are thirty more delicious stories of mystery, intrigue, and betrayal. And although Floyd has often said he loves twist endings, the surprises here are not limited to the final pages or paragraphs: they also happen throughout the stories. If his fiction has one common denominator, it is the uncertainty built into each tale, that tingling feeling of not knowing which direction the plot is about to take. In addition to all the standalone adventures, this collection features (as did the first three books) several lighthearted mysteries starring retired schoolteacher Angela Potts and small-town sheriff Charles Chunky Jones. But whether the setting is the Deep South or deep space, the characters are touch-me real and the plots are clever and fast-moving. If you are looking for pure entertainment, these stories are for you. Prepare to be deceived . . .

Thursday, June 27

FLOWOOD: Magician Dorian LeChance



Magician, Dorian LeChance, kept an audience of children spellbound at the G. Chastaine Flynt Memorial Library in Flowood, MS on June 26. This was the first appearance in Flowood for magician LeChance. He shared magic and comedy with a very enthusiastic group of kids, as you can see in the photos above. One of the charms of his entertainment presentation is audience participation. There was no lack of that. Thanks to the staff, volunteers, adults, Magician LeChance, and most of all to the children for making this such an enchanting Summer Reading Program.

Next week, On Wednesday, July 3 at 2:00pm Corey Wright will wriggle on in from the Mississippi Natural Science Museum in Jackson for our Summer Reading Program.  Corey will share with us about the skulky, slithery, scaly creatures that call Mississippi home. Slide on to the Flowood Library and join us.








Monday, June 24

FLORENCE: SRP Mulch Diggin' in the Dirt

 Which mulch is best for your needs? How much mulch should you use?  When should you use Mulch? Come join us Tuesday, July 9  at 11:00 a.m. at the Florence Library.   Angela Perret of the Rankin County Extension Service  will  answer those very questions for you.





For more information please contact the staff at the Florence Public Library.

Florence Public Library
115 West Main Street
Florence, MS 39073
Phone: 601-845-6032

M & Th 9:30-7:00
Tu & W 9:30-5:00
F 1:00-5:00
Sa 9:00-12:30

Thursday, May 30

Florence -Florence -SRP Container Gardening

Florence -SRP Container Gardening
June 11, 2013 @ 11:00 a.m.
Groundbreaking Adult Summer Reading with Angela Perret of the Rankin County Extension Service.
























For more information contact the Florence Public Library.

Florence Public Library
115 West Main Street
Florence, MS 39073
Phone: 601-845-6032

M & Th 9:30-7:00
Tu & W 9:30-5:00
F 1:00-5:00
Sa 9:00-12:30

Thursday, April 25

Florence - Book Sale


The Friends of the Florence Public Library 's Annual Book Sale will be Saturday, May 4. 8:00 am- 10:00 am. Location : Florence Public Library. 

For more information contact the library at 601-845-6032

Wednesday, April 17

Pearl Library starts National Library Week off with glasses and parties!

Yesterday was a huge day for us at the Pearl Library! For starters, it was Dress Like a Librarian Day! Here are a few shots of our supervisors hamming it up in the stacks...



(You have no idea how happy all of us were to don our glasses and official-looking skirts. Fun fact: one of the librarians pictured to the side is actually wearing a skirt that was given to her by ANOTHER librarian at a state library agency. The force of the library was strong with us yesterday!)






While all of the fun dressing up was going on, we were also doing what we normally do as librarians, which means that we were checking books out to patrons, manning the computer lab, running our regular story times, and preparing for programs. Here's a photo of our Children's supervisor giving one of the children's clerks some information about  an upcoming story time.






As late afternoon approached, we had to kick it into serious work mode to prepare for programs. Our children's department hosted Sarah Frances Hardy, who read her picture book Puzzled by Pink to a room full of kids decked out in princess outfits, fairy wings, jeans, pajamas, or whatever they wanted to wear to the Puzzled by Pink Party!



Finally, the adults ended the night with delicious refreshments (inspired by Pinterest, of course!) and a reading by Mississippi's cartoonist-laureate, Marshall Ramsey, who read to us from his book and from his blog, which can be found at http://marshallramsey.com/

Wow! What a day! For those of you who joined us, we thank you, and we hope you had a great time! For those of you who couldn't make it by the Pearl Library yesterday, we hope we'll see you later on this week, when James Meredith with speak about his new book and when the MDAH will talk to us about Eudora Welty's house and collection.Check Facebook and our calendar for details!


*We'd like to add a big thanks to the Pearl Chamber of Commerce for donating all the food for yesterday's programs. It was wonderful!

Tuesday, April 16

Skype Chat with Pearl Chapter 1 Book Club

What an exciting evening we had Thursday, April 11 when we spoke live with bestselling author Melanie Benjamin via Skype. The club read and discussed Benjamin's The Aviator's Wife about the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh, wife of famed aviator Charles Lindbergh.
 

 
This is our first Skype. Everyone was very excited.  Melanie spoke to us from her home outside of Chicago.  Other titles by Benjamin are Alice I Have Been and The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb.  It was truly a team effort to get everything hooked up and working properly.  Thanks to all staff who made it happen without any technical problems at all.  This was so much fun.  We hope to do this again sometime and highly recommend it to other book clubs.

 



Monday, April 15

National Library Week & New Services Announced!

It is National Library Week and Central Mississippi Regional Library System (CMRLS) is excited to announce two new services from Rankin, Scott, Simpson, and Smith County Libraries! Freegal Music and Rocket Languages are both services by Library Ideas(TM) that was named "One of the Top 100 Companies in the Digital Content Industry for 2011-12" by EContent Magazine

Freegal Music is a database of over 3 million songs including Sony Music's catalog of legendary artists and over 10,000 music labels from 65 different countries. Registered CMRLS cardholders can download 3 music tracks in MP3 format each week at no cost. In addition, Freegal Music recently announced the availability of free mobile apps. The app is available at the Apple(r) App Store and Google Play(r). This makes the Libraries' music collection mobile and downloadable from anywhere. 

"We have been waiting a long time for a service like this that delivers great music, compatibility with lots of devices and simplicity of use. We think this will be incredibly popular with our patrons and will help the library in marketing all its services to the community," said CMRLS Director Kaileen Thieling.

Where did the name "Freegal" come from? It must be asked often, Library Ideas (TM) answers the question on their website. Freegal, which rhymes with legal, is free, downloadable, legal music. Library Ideas (TM) thinking to further advertise the point came up with "Free and Legal" - it's Freegal. It is memorable, which is what you want when marketing a product and there is no threat of copyright infringement when downloading this music. So, Freegal it is! 

Rocket Languages is an online conversational language lesson database of 13 languages, including American Sign Language and ESL for Spanish and Japanese speakers. The language lessons have been created to help the learner speak naturally; even recording your voice for comparison with every word and phrase used in the course. To reinforce the lessons, Rocket Languages uses Language-Master Games, self-testing, and a forum so that anyone using the language lessons can interact with other learners and your Rocket Languages teachers. 

Other languages in the Rocket Language database are Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Italian, Hindi, German, French, Chinese, Arabic, and Portuguese. Cardholders may work on one or all of the languages that are accessible anywhere through the CMRLS website. Rocket Languages also has iOS and Android apps so that you can use your course wherever you are.

"We are excited to also offer this free Library service. This can be very useful for our communities that continue to grow more diverse, and for travelers. The lessons travel with you, either online, by the use of an app, or by downloading the lessons as pdf or MP3 files," said Dorothy Vance, CMRLS Public Relations Coordinator. 

National Library Week, first sponsored in 1958, is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. "Communities matter @ your library, is this year's motto and service to the community has always been the focus of the library," said Vance.

Central Mississippi Regional Library System serves the public libraries of Rankin, Scott, Simpson, and Smith Counties. For more information, contact your local CMRLS Library or visit www.cmrls.lib.ms.us.
 

Saturday, April 13

Author Jeana Campbell Visits Florence Library for National Library Week

Florence Public Library

Author Jeana Campbell will join us during National Library Week to sign copies of her latest novel Spirit Woman . Tuesday, April 16 at 11:00 am. Come and enjoy coffee and light refreshments.

Spirit Woman
... by Jeana Campbell

Book Description
Publication Date: September 12, 2012
Faced with an uncertain future after the death of her soldier husband, and the end of the Civil War, a young American In...dian woman must come to grips with life when she returns home to her family, a man she once loved, and the legend that has been written for a lifetime.
Florence Public Library
115 West Main Street
Florence, MS 39073
Phone: 601-845-6032

M & Th 9:30-7:00
Tu & W 9:30-5:00
F 1:00-5:00
Sa 9:00-12:30
See More

Thursday, April 11

National Library Week at the Pearl Library

We have so much coming up at the Pearl Library that I hardly know where to start!

Next week, we go into overdrive with so many events at the library in honor of National Library Week. On Tuesday, April 16th, all of the staff members (well, all of the willing staff members) are going to be dressed like stereotypical librarians (Hair buns, glasses, pencil skirts, the whole deal)! The public is welcome to join in this fun occasion!

Also, our children's department will be having a Puzzled by Pink party on Tuesday the 16th at 5:00 p.m., at which author Sara Frances Hardy will be reading her book by that name. Children are welcome to come dressed up in pink or in all black, or in anything they would want to wear to a party! Refreshments generously provided by the Pearl Chamber of Commerce.

On the 16th, famed cartoonist and local celebrity Marshall Ramsey will ALSO be visiting us! He'll be in the meeting room at 6:00 p.m., reading from his new book, Fried Chicken and Wine. We're so excited for him to come read with us! Refreshments generously provided by the Pearl Chamber of Commerce.

Next, on Thursday, April 18th at 12:00 p.m., James Meredith will be here speaking about his newest book, A Mission from God: A Memoir and Challenge for America. I was so excited when my branch manager told me that she had met and spoken with Mr. Meredith. He has done so much to promote racial equality in this state and country, and we are thrilled to have him come to the Pearl Library. Refreshments will be served (again by generous donation from the Pearl Chamber of Commerce, so come on over during your lunch break!

Finally, we'll end National Library Week 2013 on Friday, April 19th with a very special Brown Bag Luncheon, in which the Mississippi Department of Archives and History will come talk to us about the Eudora Welty House and Collection. This is going to be a phenomenal presentation, and you won't want to miss it. Bring your sack lunch and meet us in the meeting room at 12:00 p.m. We'll have light refreshments and drinks provided by the Friends of the Pearl Library!

It's sure to be a crazy, exciting, and fun week around here next week. We hope you'll come hang out with us and enjoy some of these great programs. See you then!!

Thursday, March 21

The Pearl Library's March Madness Outreach Continues!


Wow! I’ve been many places since Monday. But since my last post was so long and rambling, I’m going to try something a little shorter and to the point with this one: in short, I will make a list of everywhere I went for March Madness on Wednesday and of the people I met AND of the things I thought about in each place. Be prepared, library goers of Mississippi! It’s about to get real up in this blog post.

Without Further Ado:
  1. (This one was a ribbon cutting, so it doesn’t technically count as part of “March Madness,” but I’m listing it anyway!) Holiday Inn Express: Here, I met many people, including Aleksandra, the Assistant General Manager, and I got to go on a tour of the rooms and facilities. This is a gorgeous hotel, and it’s just the beginning of a new development in Pearl.  I can’t wait to see more!
    2. Jose’s Tamales. I met Diane here, and I fought back the urge to order tamales, chips, and salsa. This is on Pearson Road, and I think that I know what I want to eat during my next lunch break!
    3. Glow Tan and Salon. I met Carrie Wheat here. Glow has only been open for a few weeks, so you should know that it’s not just a good place to get a tan; it also has a hair salon AND a little retail space that features some very cute purses!
    4. Papa’s Pizza and Subs. Here, Andy convinced me that my next pizza will be a Papa’s pizza. In our Brown Bag last month, I learned/talked about how tomatoes (and tomato sauce!) are a superfood…which means that delicious pizza is super-healthy, right? Right!
    5. Solar Nails. I only got a chance to run in here and drop off a flyer, since everyone here was busy working, giving manicures and pedicures. This reminded me that I need a spa day, ASAP!
    6. Kobe Japanese. Mr. To, the owner, greeted me here. He will be helping us in May when we do our Asian and Pacific Island Heritage potluck! I love that Kobe is so close—my favorite thing to eat here is the Teriyaki Chicken bento box with a California roll. Yum!
    7. That Special Touch. I spoke with Richard Bailey, the manager here. Before I started working in Pearl, I knew about That Special Touch. All of my friends use this bakery to cater special events like baby showers and bridal showers. In fact, the cake for my baby shower came from here, and I ate A LOT of it. Seriously, SUCH GOOD CAKES (and cupcakes) (and cookies) (and donuts! They actually donated a bunch of donuts to us for Come in from the Cold in February)!
    8. Save A Lot. I talked to Mark here. I had no idea what good-looking produce and other stuff Save A Lot carries. I will be stopping here for some fruit the next time I head out to buy things for the library!
    9. Dollar Tree. Here, I talked to Widley, the manager. The Pearl Library frequents the Dollar Tree to get decorations and prizes for different library events. Dollar Tree has used our big meeting room for some of their events, and we have a great partnership with them!
    10. Pearl Parent Teacher Community Resource Center. I talked to Janice here. She and Alfongelia always welcome us here to make signs and to cut out decorations for the library. But the resource center has so much more! The staff here serve many educational needs, including teaching English to Spanish-speakers and providing teaching resources to parents and educators. We’re so lucky to be located next to the PTCRC!

    What a day! And now, I'm getting ready for today's Computer Class--every day holds something exciting at the Pearl Library! See you soon!

Tuesday, March 19

March Madness Outreach at the Pearl Library


The Clock tower outside of Pearl City Hall
This month, I've been visiting the businesses of Pearl in a little initiative I have dubbed "March Madness," though it has nothing to do with basketball. In preparation for National Library Week's "Community Matters" theme, I'm trying to get out into the community to let owners, managers, and employees of Pearl businesses know the kind of services we offer at the Pearl Library. We've got everything from free story times and craft classes to free computer classes and meeting room facilities here. In the next month alone, we're going to have appearances from Marshall Ramsey, James Meredith, the MDAH (speaking about Eudora Welty), and MS Telco (who will do a program on smart savings plans)--and that's just for adults. We have a whole list of programs for children's events, which you can access on our website at http://www.cmrls.lib.ms.us.

Last week, I visited Anytime Fitness, Dollar General, O! How Cute, Los Parrilleros, McAlister's, and Wendy's, and on Monday, I visited more businesses!

First, I stopped by Dunkin' Donuts, which is one of my favorite places to get coffee in Pearl. Furthermore, DD has partnered with us for several initiatives, like our Come in from the Cold program where we gave out free donuts and coffee in February. The manager, Willie, was in a meeting, so I talked to one of the cashiers and got a dee-licious cup of hot coffee to help me stay alert during the rest of my visits!

Next, I went to see Alana Robertson at MS Telco Federal Credit Union. Alana and the other people at MS Telco have been great supporters of our library; they donated all of the delicious food for our Youth Art Month Reception, and they're going to help us with our Money Smart Week programming in April. As always, Alana was beautifully coiffed and enthusiastic about working with the library. Thanks, Alana!

After MS Telco, I went to Tinseltown and met Mr. Keen, the manager. I've seen so many movies at Tinseltown, and it was  nice to be able to let him know about the services we have for him and his employees. While I was there, I also noticed that a recent movie featuring Jennifer Lawrence is still playing. I thought I had missed it, so I'll probably be in there in the next couple of weeks to see it!

The Mississippi Braves!
From Tinseltown, I headed into Braves territory. First, I stopped by the MS Braves office and talked to Miranda, Gene, and the new receptionist about the Pearl Library. Our reference librarian Cecelia and her husband are both avid Braves supporters, so I mentioned that for good measure. I can't wait for baseball season to begin! After going to the Braves office, I went to the Holiday Inn at Trustmark Park and talked to Brenda and Jessica. First, I have to say that that facility is just gorgeous. Also, Brenda and Jessica were a lot of fun to talk to, and I hope I can lure them in to some of our awesome programs here!

Speaking of lures, I went to the Bass Pro Shop next. While I'm not much of a sportsman (sportslady?), I did take my daughter to get her first Santa picture there, so there is quite a soft spot in my heart for that store! Also, we get lots of Bass Pro Shop employees in here, checking their schedules and using our computer lab. So I was happy to get to talk to Lisa, the manager, about our programs, and I hope we can see more partnerships with Bass Pro in the future!

Finally, I went to Sam's. Sam's has been such a great ally of our library--the team there has given us many donations over the years, and we love having their support. All of the managers were in a meeting, so I left some calendars and candy with the customer service cashier, and I've got big plans for making a phone call later on today to talk to the manager and advertise our services.

I know this post was long, but it is so important to us that the community members know how much we appreciate all that they do for us and all that they contribute to the City of Pearl. See you soon for my next installment of March Madness!!


Saturday, March 16

Paper Flowers at Pearl Library's March Craft Night

We had a ball at Pearl Library's craft night last Tuesday! Once again pulling some inspiration from Pinterest, we made mountable paper flowers from paper bags. The Pinterest craft looked like this:
 
 
We got a little creative and painted some of our paper bags. We also used some colored paper, buttons, and glass beads in the middle of our flowers. Look how pretty they turned out:
 
 


 What fun! Notice that we got to have our craft night in the presence of a lot of great art made by students from the Pearl Public School District. It was inspiring to get to make some crafts in such an artistic environment!

We can't wait for next month, when our craft will be to make necklaces out of old t-shirts. If you're interested in attending, we'll meet on Tuesday, April 9th, at 5:30 p.m. Bring an old t-shirt (preferably without seams on the side) and get ready to turn it into something new!

Thursday, March 14

Florence - Family Movie Night

Come and bring the family to enjoy a movie and popcorn! it's FREE, FUN for the entire family. We will be watching Brave. Brave is a production of Walt Disney Pics/ Pixar and is rated PG 




For more information contact Tina Clyburn: Youth Services

Florence Public Library
115 West Main Street
Florence, MS 39073
Phone: 601-845-6032

M & Th 9:30-7:00
Tu & W 9:30-5:00
F 1:00-5:00
Sa 9:00-12:30

Monday, March 4

Pearl Library Snuggle Up and Read! Winners

This January and February, the Pearl Library held a reading contest for Young Adult and Adult patrons. The goal was simple: read the most books and win a big prize! And we were so impressed with our patrons-those who turned in reading logs read almost 500 books! 

Here are some pictures of our most avid readers:
 
With a grand tally of 43 books read, Tabatha won the adult category. Here she is with me (Joy, the Reference Supervisor) and her gift, which included a back rest, a blanket, some coffee cups, a box of tea, a book light, some cozy socks, a cool candle, and a few other small prizes.Tabatha is one of our loyal patrons, and we're so excited that she read so many books and won this prize! Good job!





And here's a picture of Elizabeth, who read 128 books!!! That's amazing! Included in her prize were a back rest and a cozy blanket, along with socks, hot chocolate, a book light, a travel mug, a candle, and a cute notepad.Way to go, Elizabeth!








We hope everyone will stay tuned to hear about future programs we're doing here in Pearl! A special thanks goes to the Friends of the Pearl Library for helping us to fund these prizes and the other small prizes for entrants in this program.