A Pattern Story: August Book Club

 "...every story is a pattern story."  ~~ A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George Saunders

According to George Saunders, no writer begins his or her great work of fiction with the idea, "I think I'll write a pattern story" or "What this story needs is pattern." And yet, no matter how funny, beautiful, complicated, or bizarre, every story is a pattern story.

Life, in itself, is a pattern story, though we rarely recognize repetition as part of the process. The same is true with stories. For example, all rags to riches stories follow the same pattern. The protagonist starts out with hard times, then an opportunity presents itself which leads to a change of fortune or the ability to overcome the original adversity. The characters and/or circumstances might be different, but the pattern is the same. The same is true for rebirth. The lead in the story is experiencing darkness - physical, spiritual, or maybe even other-worldly. He succumbs to the torture that is his life until an unexpected intervention breaks through the bondage. Once free, the main character begins to live life with peace and happiness. 

A pattern story can also be compared to the acts of a play. In comedy, the protagonist is characterized as pretty normal - the pizza guy, the beat cop, the lawyer, the dogwalker, or the loafer. Their life is upended by an unusual and unexpected conflict, which is perpetuated by their self-deluded desire to find a solution. The involvement of the main character usually results in even greater chaos, until he or she returns to normal life. In drama, the story follows an opposite pattern. Maybe everything is okay or great or even perfect in the beginning. Then a problem arises that usually descends from bad to worse. Finally, the story hits rock bottom. All hope is lost - or maybe not! Could there be a way out? A way to rise above the waves and make it to the shore? At the very end, once the main character finds salvation, he learns a lesson he never forgets - a gift that came out of the darkness.

As with the other exercises, once a reader begins to recognize pattern, it becomes difficult to overlook. Tragedy, mystery, adventure, romance - every story is a pattern story. If the main character is overcoming a monster (real or imagined), he restores peace and calm by facing down the foe that seeks to wreak havoc upon his society, his family, or himself. If the protagonist is beginning a quest, he answers a call to act, sets out on a journey, encounters troubles that threaten and overwhelm, and finally, by whatever means necessary, finds the inner strength or outside help to restore peace - usually accompanied by a new perspective of life or greater responsibility. 

When you strip a story down to its barest bones, similarities of pattern exist. Even the most original ideas for fiction follow a pattern, which is sometimes described as formulaic or predictable; however, readers are often creatures of habit when it comes to genre fiction. If readers prefer romance, they have general expectations of pattern. The protagonists meet, experience an attraction, reject the relationship on one or both sides, face a midpoint crisis, confess their deepest secrets and fears, break up completely, recognize their misery and loss, and complete the pattern with a declaration of love and a happy ending.

Pattern is expected in all genres; it is why readers read what they do. In fantasy, the pattern involves a hero's journey. In horror, the reader waits for the unexpected horrifying twist that is totally expected. If the reader is bored, he or she might choose adventure which provides an adrenaline high. Or maybe they want to read fiction that shocks the senses with its graphic realism. These novels still follow a definite arc with internal struggles laid bare for all to see. Armed with preexisting prejudices and judgments, realistic fiction combines the main characters' layers of motivations, fears, and desires with adverse external circumstances and internal conflict - creating what is known as the framed narrative, or the story within the story.

Saunders is correct in his statement: "every story is a pattern story." The best writers master the art of a pattern story, and readers return to their favorite genres and authors time and again to find that formula they crave. From Agatha Christie's crime fiction to Julia Quinn's regency romance to Michael Farris Smith's gothic Southern realism, pattern is what readers expect. The difficult task for the writer is to create an addiction to pattern from which the reader never recovers.

Please make plans to attend the Forest Public Library adult book club on Tuesday, August 24, at 6:00 p.m. as members discuss pattern in the books they are currently reading and in their favorite genres. Pre-packaged snacks, bottled water, and canned drinks will be provided.

The Heart of a Story

The July adult book club at the Forest Public Library focuses on the second exercise of A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders, entitled The Heart of a Story. According to Saunders, great writers use elements of structure and form to carry the reader to a pivotal point where they can't go any further without being fully engaged, wholly committed, and forever changed. He describes this place as the heart of the story, and he uses the example of a literal cart to reach that destination.

In the exercise, Saunders loads the cart with TICHN (Things I Couldn't Help Noticing). He explains that if readers pay special attention, they "enter into a transactional relationship with the writer." The reader begins to fill his TICHN cart with observations. These observations take the reader beyond the summary inside the front cover of the book.

In the beginning, the heart of the story is very much like a human heart. The reader knows that it is beating with a pulse, "What next...what next...what next," but it remains hidden from view. Sometimes it is buried within a file or dossier of information that the writer deems important to respect the reader; however, carrying the weight of too much information can cause the reading energy to drop.

At this point, the writer must shed the excess to protect the heart. How much of the back story is necessary? When is digression allowed? How much repetition is acceptable? What about causation - investigating the role, impact, or association of specific occurrences within the story? Is it important to present pages and pages of detailed descriptions about certain characters to fully introduce them to the reader? Does the reader need to know the tiniest details of each interaction or decision in order to be informed? How does this process apply to the more modern reader who prefers minimal descriptions - showing versus telling - the Ruthless Efficiency Principle or the Hollywood Version?  According to Saunders, "The writer revises, the painter touches up, the director edits, the musician overdubs."

And the heart of the story continues to beat...pounding, fluttering, racing. Over and over, the reader reviews his cart of TICHN. The writer and reader are moving closer towards the life force of the story. A bond is strengthened; all parties are engaged. No matter what happens at this point, the writer-reader agreement is solid - the heart of the story is opening. Even as the cavity is revealed, every layer is removed, and every consideration is critical, the reader trusts the writer to bring closure.

Finally, the reader reaches the final page. The contents of his TICHN cart have brought him to this place - the stopping place. If the writer has been successful, the book has become a thing of movement, of fear, of change, of love, of life. And that life is claimed by the heart of the story.

Be sure to register for either one of the July adult book clubs scheduled for Tuesday, July 13, at 2:00 p.m. and Tuesday, July 27, at 6:00 p.m. Both meetings are held in the Forest Public Library conference room and prepackaged snacks are provided. 

A Page at a Time

American author and epic fantasy writer Terry Goodkind said, "A book is read one page at a time. A shelf is read one book at a time. A library is read one shelf at a time." 

The most amazing journey of a reader begins a page at a time. Even as a small child, the act of turning the page is one of deliberate movement. Teachers witness the phenomenon all the time. As a child learns to read, he/she develops decision-making skills with each positive or negative reaction to a single page. A child cannot always identify where a story is headed, but they know almost immediately if they want to find out. If they are not interested by page one, they might not even make it to page two.

Adults are the same, even though our power of deductive reasoning has been strengthened over time with practice and repetition. In the book, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George Saunders gives an example of how this process is so critical to the response of the reader: "In the first pulse of the story, the writer is like a juggler, throwing pins into the air. The rest of the story is the catching of those pins. At any point in the story, certain pins are up there and we can feel them. We'd better feel them. If not, the story has nothing out of which to make its meaning."

Each page presents the possibility of a pivotal moment for the writer and reader. The writer decides what will happen next, and the reader decides if he wants to know. Children understand this concept with their first bedtime stories. One page can introduce a warning, and they anticipate a pin drop. One page can create specific curiosity about a setting like a beautiful castle, or a dark wood, or a candy-coated cottage. One page can initiate a conflict that even the youngest listener recognizes as trouble. Saunders calls this "a linear temporal phenomenon."

In classic logic, formulas are fixed. Monday comes before Tuesday. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. Everything is absolute - true or false. The simplest definition of linear temporal logic is that a condition is true until another fact becomes true or an expected condition will eventually be true if the path continues. However...if a subsequent path appears in time, one questions if the expected condition will remain true forever or never be true at all. Isn't that the very definition of reading?

That scientific formula is supported by the bowling pins example. We know they are up there - in the air - and we feel that we understand their trajectory. But, once again, what might happen, what needs to happen, or what will happen remains in the air until we turn the page.

If you are not able to attend the Forest Public Library book club in person, please enjoy the exercise presented in the book: Read one page and answer the following questions: Without looking at the page, 1) What do you know so far? 2) What are you curious about? 3) Where do you think the story is headed?

Consider this final quote from the book as we complete the first exercise. "It's kind of exciting to pause here and admit that, as things stand, it's not yet a story. Not yet. And I'm going to claim, right now, that by the end, it's going to be a great story. So, there's something essential to learn here about the form itself: whatever converts not yet a story into great story is going to happen any minute now, over this next (last) page."

The Richland Library In June

 Starting Monday, June 7, 2021, Preschool Story Time is back.  Each week we will have books, songs, and a craft designed for children ages birth to preschool age.  At this time participants must register via the online calendar or inside the library. We are limiting each program to 30 minutes and 12 participants. The meeting room will be sanitized before and after each program.  

Monday, June 7th at 11:00 a.m. we will be reading books about watermelons and we will be making watermelons out of paper plates.  Click here to sign up for this program.

Monday, June 14th at 11:00 a.m. we will be reading books about balloons and we will be making animals out of balloons. Click here to sign up for this program. Registration begins on May 31, 2021.

Monday, June 21st at 11:00 a.m. we will be reading books about birds and we will be making a bird out of tissue paper and paper plates.  Click here to sign up for this program.  Registration begins on June 7, 2021. 

Monday, June 28th at 11:00 a.m. we will be reading books about frogs and we will be making a lily pad name craft.  Click here to sign up for this program. Registration begins on June 14, 2021. 

The Richland Library Book Club will meet on Tuesday, June 22nd at 11:00 a.m.  We will be discussing "Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens.  Click here to sign up for this program.  Registration begins on June 8, 2021.  At this time we will not be serving refreshments, but you may bring a snack for yourself.  Click here to request a copy of "Where the Crawdads Sing" or stop by the Richland Library and pick up a copy of the Book Club Display.  

What I Learned from Four Russians and a Syracuse Professor

Librarians love to learn. If they say they don't, then their career choice is questionable. Most times, the pendulum swing from learning too much to never learning enough can be overwhelming, but one thing is for sure - the quest never stops. Such is the case of A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life by George Saunders and the idea for an adult book club.

The responsibility of planning and hosting a monthly adult book club at a CMRLS branch can be challenging. Book clubs take many forms, such as each member reading the same book and sharing insights, or selecting books following a certain theme or genre, or choosing books by a specific author or about famous (and infamous) people. The one common denominator is that each participant should learn something, so librarians do their best to make book clubs interesting, engaging, thought-provoking, and memorable.

As the branch manager of the Forest Public Library, I know the process well. When I started reading A Swim in a Pond in the Rain at the same time the Covid restrictions eased for resuming adult book clubs, I knew I had been given a fresh perspective. What could I learn about MYSELF in a book club? Could a book club answer the small questions, such as, what makes a reader keep reading or what makes the reading experience satisfying and what doesn't? What do the answers to those questions say about me as the reader? Could a book club answer the big questions? Consider this quote from the author in the book's introduction:

"We are going to enter seven fastidiously constructed scale models of the world, made for a specific purpose that our time maybe doesn't specifically endorse but that these writers accepted implicitly as the aim of art - namely to ask the big questions: How are we supposed to be living down here? What were we put here to accomplish? What should we value? What is truth, anyway, and how might we recognize it? How can we feel any peace when some people have everything and others have nothing? How are we supposed to live with joy in a world that seems to want us to love other people but then roughly separates us from them in the end, no matter what?

(You know, those cheerful, Russian kinds of big questions.)

He follows that paragraph with another question: If a story drew us in, kept us reading, made us feel respected, how did it do that? That is the question we want to answer during the next six months. The first chapter is entitled "A Page at a Time," and consists of a story, discussion, and afterthoughts. During the month of June, book club participants are asked to share one page from any book they have read or are currently reading, tell the group why they selected the page, and comment on what curiosity the page creates. Using the book as an impromptu guide, the book club format will follow the accompanying reading exercise of each chapter. Sharing only one pre-selected page, "we'll take stock of where we find ourselves. What has that page done to us? What do we know, having read the page, that we didn't know before? How has our understanding of the story changed? What are we expecting to happen next? If we want to keep reading, why do we?

According to Saunders, that's the million-dollar question: What makes a reader keep reading? We can answer because we want to, but why do we want to? Each month's book club discussion will be followed with afterthoughts on the CMRLS news blog, along with an introduction to the next month's reading exercise. Registration for the Forest Public Library book club is required. Space is limited to 12 participants for each Tuesday time slot. Prepackaged snacks, canned drinks, and bottled water will be provided. 

The more we learn, the more we connect with others. One final quote from the book as we embark on this six-month learning experience:

"These days, it's easy to feel that we've fallen out of connection with one another and with the earth and with reason and with love. I mean: we have. But to read, to write, is to say that we still believe in, at least, the possibility of connection."

October 2019 Taylorsville Timeline To Do's

Outrageous October programming is coming to your Library in Taylorsville. Listed below are some of the October events we have planned for you to mark off of your To Do List.

October is the month we celebrate all things Teens with TeenTober. Here are some of the events we have coming up at the library here in Taylorsville.

For the entire month of October we invite Teens to come into the library and put your artistic twist on a bookmark and then step over to our YA area and put your mark on our table sized coloring page. On Wednesday, October 16th at 3:30 we will be dipping tiles to make marble-dipped coasters.

For our Magnolia Monday - Make & Take, Kindergarten to 6th grade children, we will be painting pumpkins on Monday, October 7th @ 3:30.

Each Wednesday at 11:00 am will be our Preschool Story Time.
Our Outrageous October themes are:

October 2nd:         Fall Leaves Fall

October 9th:          Boo! Said the Ghost

October 16th:        Halloween Upside Down?

October 23rd:        Paint a Pumpkin
October 30th:         All About Halloween

These preschool programs are filled with fun books, music, and crafts!

Our Adult and Senior Book Club meets on Tuesday, October 8th at 3:30. We will be discussing the various books our club members are reading. Since we all have different taste in the genre of books we read, we have a well-rounded discussion.

Our Friends of the Library Chapter invites you to join them on Tuesday, October 8th at 3:30, for their monthly meeting to discuss upcoming events and ways to help the library make them a success.

The week of October 20th to October 26th is Friends of the Library Week. The library staff will be hosting a reception on Tuesday, October 22nd at 2:00 to thank our current members for all they do for our library and welcome any new comers who would like to join our chapter here in Taylorsville.

All CMRLS libraries will be closed Monday, October 14th in observance of Columbus Day.

We look forward to helping you complete your Library To Do's.

September 2019 Taylorsville Timeline To Do's

As the fall season approaches, come 'Fall Into' some great programming at your Library in Taylorsville. Listed below are some of the September events we have planned for you to mark off of your To Do List.

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. "A library card brings stories to life!" We would like to encourage each teacher in our community to come in and sign-up for a library card for your classroom as well as your personal use. As always, we encourage everyone to have a library card to access all the various services our library has to offer the community.

To encourage our young elementary age readers to sign-up for a library card, Elephant & Piggie will be visiting Taylorsville Elementary School on Tuesday, September 10th at 10:30 am. Elephant & Piggie are just two of the interesting characters from the children's author Mo Willems.

Each Wednesday at 11:00 am will be our Preschool Story Time. Our Fabulous Fall
themes are:

September   4th:   Time for School

September 11th:    Happy Grandparent's Day

September 18th:    Yo Ho Mates, It's a Pirate Kind of Day

September 25th:     "A" is for Apple

These programs are filled with fun books, music, and crafts!

Join us on Monday, September 9th at 3:30 we will celebrate International Dot Day with our after school program for grades Kindergarten to 6th grades.

       

Come by and see us on Wednesday, September 11th at 3:30, our Totally Teens Wednesday for Tweens and Teens will be able to make Stained Glass Jars using Sharpies and Mod Podge.

Our Adult and Senior Book Club meets on Tuesday, September 10th at 3:00. We will be reading and discussing a novel by: Sandra Brown, Tailspin.

Our Friends of the Library Chapter invites you to join them on Tuesday, September 10th at 3:30, for their monthly meeting to discuss upcoming events and ways to help the library make them a success.

We look forward to helping you complete your Library To Do's.

Valentine Fun at Raleigh

We will have a busy but fun Valentine's Day at the Raleigh Library. It will begin with a book club meeting for adults and then a Valentine party for elementary kids.

We have a great book for our adult book club this month. It is a classic you may have read when you were younger. It is always fun to renew our memories. This month's classic is Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It is the classic tale of four sisters as they relate to each other and the changes that life throws at them.

Our adult book club is a special time to get together with other book lovers for a time of discussion. We meet at 2:00 pm on the second Thursday of the month. It is a good time to read books outside of your normal genre. We would love for you to join us.

We will also be celebrating Valentine's Day with a party for our elementary kids at 3:30 pm.
We will have books, songs, cookie decorating, Valentine Tic Tac Toe craft, Valentine Card decorating, and games. This will be a really fun time. Come out and invite your friends.

Something fun is being planned for March 1st, be watching for the announcement!

January Events at Pelahatchie Public Library

The Pelahatchie Public Library has several events scheduled for the remainder of this month.  One is the adult book club that meets Wednesday, January 16, at 9:30 a.m.  Our book club is in its sixth year and we have read almost 100 titles during that time.  This month's book for discussion is Jodi Picoult's novel, The Storyteller, a story set in present day with flashbacks to World War II.  As always, Ms. Picoult's story of a Nazi soldier living under an assumed name in the United States tugs at issues of morality; and if you're familiar with her novels, it has that little twist at the end that you may or may not have seen coming. 

The other upcoming program is Ladies Movie Night.  Back by popular demand, on Thursday, January 24, at 6:30 p.m., we will show Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, rated PG-13.  The movie runs 114 minutes and was produced by Universal Studios.  There will be popcorn and drinks served for all who attend.

October Happenings at the Rez

Introduction

I just want to take a moment to introduce myself, I am Nicholas Edward Parker. I am the new branch manager at the Northwest Point Reservoir Library. I have been at the Reservoir for a month now getting to know the library and the various patrons who visit daily.  I have been with the Central Mississippi Regional Library System for 10 months.  I look forward to getting to know each of my patrons.

National Teen Read Week

Join us for National Teen Read Week as we celebrate the week dedicated to showing teens across the nation the joys that only reading can bring! The theme for this year’s National Teen Read Week is “It’s Written in the Stars” In honor of this observance the Reservoir Library is holding a design your own bookmark contest for all our local teens! Please come to the circulation desk to get your bookmark to design your own unique take on the theme for this year. The Contest will be held October 8th through 7th. The winner will be drawn on October 15th and notify on the same day! The Grand prize is a jar of Halloween Candy! Good Luck to all our talented artist! May the best bookmark win!

Trivia Tuesday!

Every third Tuesday night we will test our trivial knowledge skills as we battle with others to win a gift card for Mugshots great food. If you are a Trivia master, then join us for the ultimate battle for the title of trivia king! Free Rotel for all and as always lots of fun and friendship!

Brown Bag Book Club

October 25^th at 1 pm we will hold the first in a series of book clubs called the Brown bag book club. Bring your favorite book and a brown bag lunch for a fun-filled lunch hour of reading and friendly discussion as we dive into the world of fine dining and literature. Deserts will be provided!

Book Bubbles with Uno

Our Library fish Uno has had a very busy summer! Not only has he been checking out books to read at night in his sunken pirate ship, but he has also been in touch with some of his favorite authors over the summer with ideas about how they can better their books for their readers both fish and people alike. Come by the library to tell Uno what you would like to see in your favorite authors' books.

Thank you for being a Friend!

During the week of October 21^st through the 27^th, we want to thank our Library Friends Group for all that they do for the librarians who work in the libraries! We would love for you to join the Friends! Please stop by the Reservoir Library and pick up a Friends signup sheet to join this great group to give back to your local library. As a bonus, we will throw in some cookies to thank all our new friends for joining!

 Acorn Cards

During the month of October, we are starting a brand-new Library card! October 1st is the debut of our Acorn Cards! With this card, you can check out up to two items and not have to pay any fines for overdue items. We encourage all parents with young children to come to the library to sign up for one of our Acorn Cards. We also encourage our special needs patrons to register for one as well! Already have a library card but want to get an Acorn Card? No problem! We will be glad to change your account from a regular library card to an Acorn Card.  All fines from your previous library card will be waived when you sign up for an Acorn Card! During the first month, all names will be put into a drawing for a secret grand prize! What will it be? Who knows! Keep your eyes out for our library squirrel Acorn. She may be visiting her friend Uno while she is checking out books to take back to her tree to read!

Happy Halloween!

During the month of October come to the library to see our many Halloween Displays! The theme for this month is Spooktacular! Come to the Reservoir to see our very own Spooktacular display and log onto Facebook to like and share our pictures so that the Reservoir Library will win the first-place prize! While you are visiting the library keep an eye out for the pieces of candy that have been hidden throughout! Who put it there? Was it the ghost or the librarians? Be on the lookout for the many different ghost and goblins that visit the library as well during Halloween!

We have many fun and exciting events planned at the Northwest Point Reservoir Library for the month of October.  We hope to see all our patrons attend these events free of charge and encourage them to bring their friends and families with them as well so that they too can see the many services that libraries can offer them and the community.  

We hope to see you there!

COMING SOON TO THE PEARL PUBLIC LIBRARY!

     It's an exciting time at the Pearl Public Library with some new programs on the horizon starting in August!  

    Hey, it's a great time to be a baby!  Pearl Pee-Wees, will be held Saturday mornings, at 10 a.m., starting August 4, for birth to 24 months.  During the program the children will have two easy picture books read to them. There will also be songs and rhymes where the children can practice such things as clapping their hands, tapping their toes and recognizing shapes and colors with the help of their parents. The parent and child will experience an enrichment playtime which may involve playing with balls, blocks, scarves or even parachutes.  

    Give me a B - I - N - G - O! What's that spell?! BINGO for Books!  A great adult program that's back by popular demand! It will be held on the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m. 

    If that's not your thing, how 'bout relaxing with a movie? Got that too for adults complete with popcorn and drinks! Third Thursday Flicks will be every third Thursday at 5:30 p.m.  

    Hey, wanna learn some Spanish? Or maybe you already speak Spanish but want to learn English. You are not going to believe this, but the Pearl Public Library has that too! Spanish for Beginners, lead by Dianne Lee, a retired Pearl High School and Hinds Community College Spanish teacher, will be offered on Fridays at 10 a.m. starting in August.  

    That's not all! In addition to the already exciting Chapter 1 Book Club, which meets every second Tuesday of the month at 6 pm., a new daytime book club for adults is coming. The  Morning Book Club will begin Wednesday, August 1 at 10 a.m. and will meet every other Wednesday. 

     See, great stuff is happening at the Pearl Public Library, and you do NOT want to miss out! Remember all programs are FREE!

      We'll see you there!

A "Daughter's" Life of Love, Pain, Forgiveness and Healing! Talk About It At the Pearl Public Library!

It's another good read at the Pearl Public Library! Amy's next Chapter 1 Book Club meeting, which is on Tues. July 10 at 6 p.m., is sure to spark emotional conversation!

Her Daughter’s Dream by Francine Rivers spans from the 1950s to present day. It’s about destructive familial sorrows, and the forgiveness that heals even the worst of pains.

    

In a situation that would make life tough for anyone, little Carolyn Arundel sure didn’t have life easy.  For a time her mother Hildemara (Hildie) was quarantined to her bedroom with tuberculosis during which time Carolyn’s grandmother Marta was there to help. Carolyn forms a special bond with her grandmother that she thinks caused tensions between Hildie and Marta.

   

Well, Hildie gets better and goes back to work which allowed Marta to return to her home. This was during the Cold War when fear was rampant throughout the world, and it was a time when Carolyn and her brother, as latchkey kids, fended for themselves.

   

Time goes on and Carolyn sees college as an opportunity to find herself. When a family tragedy threatens her independence, she doesn’t go home but rather cuts all ties and escapes into the nonconforming culture of San Francisco. Two years later she returns home to rebuild a life for her and her daughter May Flower Dawn.

   

As often is the case, history repeats itself, and May Flower Dawn forms a special relationship with her grandmother Hildie. Another kink between generations ensues. But, May Flower Dawn wants to do everything possible to avoid the same mistakes of the past. Her aim is to be a stepping stone in her family to build relationships and not a stumbling  block that separates.

   

Her Daughter’s Dream is the conclusion to the New York Times best seller Her Mother’s Hope. Author Francine Rivers, in this final chapter about mothers’ sacrifices for their daughters, illustrates the amazing essence of unconditional love.

    

WOW! You can’t miss this!  No reservation or membership is needed. Just stop on by and join in the discussion.

Remember, the Chapter 1 Book Club is a free adult program that meets every second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. 

     

We’ll see you there!

A Can't-Miss Electrifying Event!

That's right folks! Right here at the Pearl Public Library, Amy has the answer to your New Year's resolution to save money. Yep! You know that pesky, high electric bill that just WON'T QUIT?! Every time you look at the bill it just makes you want to faint.
Well then, you absolutely do not want to miss out on the library's energy saving tips program, featuring the Entergy Company, on Thurs. Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. It's a free, adult program.

www.entergy.com

That's definitely a highlight program of the month, but don't forget about the Pearl Library's popular monthly events too!  Patsy's Chapter 1 Book Club (which meets the second Tuesday of every month) selected Cop Town by Karin Slaughter for their Tues. Jan. 10 group discussion. The book club is free. No reservation or membership required. And, as always, there will be a door prize and light refreshments! 

Two women struggling to be good cops in Atlanta in the 1970s, find themselves up against extraordinary heat. Oh yeah! Now, that's a book you can grab a nice mug of Joe or cocoa and snuggle up with, right? Right!!! 

Speaking of mugs, don't miss January's Simply Crafts! Amy has just the right craft in store on Thurs. Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. "You decorate ceramic mugs with a a paint pen," Amy said. "Then you place them in a low oven to set them and prevent them from bleeding. Really cool idea!" Indeed, Amy. It sure is!!! Simply Crafts meets every third Thursday of the month. No reservation required. All materials are supplied!

You don't want to miss any of these January events! 

We'll see you there!

Brr....Baby It's Cold Outside.

But there's plenty of warm and cozy going on at the Pearl Public Library? 
For starters, Amy has hooked you up with Snuggle Up and Read for two whole months! Whoa! This wonderful, adult program should put some fire into your reading! Read any books you like. Write a short book review for each book. Each book review is an entry 
into a drawing for a cozy throw and hot chocolate basket to be held on Wednesday, Feb. 1. Now, that's pretty darn classy!!!

Bet ya feelin' a little toasty already!!!!  Well, there's more... It's the season for all things magical and bright, and Patsy, the Chapter 1 Book Club leader, has just the right thing. A Season of Angels by Debbie Macomber is the December selection.  That's Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 6 p.m. There will be light refreshments and door prizes. You don't have to be a member and no registration required for this free adult program.

What's the holidays without decorations?! No way! Bring on the decorations! And, that's what Amy has selected as her December Simply Crafts offering for Thursday December 15 at 6 p.m. ! No registration required and all materials are supplied! Beautiful Mason Jar Lid Tree Ornaments! Simply made ornaments can't be beat!

Don't miss out! We'll see you there!

These Boots Are Made For...TOURING!!!

    The Pearl Public Library’s Chapter 1 Book Club presents author and Pearl native, Kathy Zebert, Thursday, October 6 at 6 p.m.; the first stop of her Red Boot Tour. Zebert will talk about her writing and do a book signing           

     Zebert, now a resident of Chattanooga, TN, just published the third installment of her popular Callie and Dom series, Hand In Hand which came out on September 15. She’ll talk about all three books which include Incredulity (September 2015) and Madame Court Reporter (April 2016).  

    

       Zebert, also a jewelry maker and baker, will be giving away, in a drawing, a piece of original boot jewelry. Complimentary specialty chocolates will be given to all attendees. 

         After the Pearl Library stop, Zebert will stop in Natchitoches, LA, Washington, DC, and Atlanta, GA for other business in conjunction with the Red Boot Tour.

        The program is free. No reservations required. All are welcome to attend. Light refreshments will be provided.

   Don't miss out on this wonderful evening!!!

   We'll see you there!

The Month Of May Brings More Than Flowers At The Pearl Library!

   

      The month of May brings great adult programming to the Pearl Public Library!   

      For starters, the Chapter 1 Book Club will feature Neil Hayes’ When the Game Stands Tall: The Story of the De La Salle Spartans and Football’s Longest Winning Streak on Tuesday, May 10 from 6-7 p.m.

     “The Streak” it’s called. That’s the California high school’s phenomenal 151-game football winning streak from 1992 -2004.   Interestingly enough, the school’s legendary coach, Bob Ladouceur was teaching these young men more about life than about how to set a national football game winning record.   When the Game Stands Tall features Coach Lad, who was also a religious studies teacher as well as the football coach, and the inspiration he imparts to his players.

    What a great story! You don’t want to miss this Chapter 1 Book Club! It's a free adult program, and remember, you don't have to be a member to come join in the discussion. Light refreshments and door prizes provided.

      (Note: The Chapter 1 Book Club has changed nights from the second Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. to the second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m.)

     If making crafts is your type of fun, May’s Simply Crafts is decorative Mason jars with a peep hole! But, that’s not all! Part two of the this craft night on Thursday, May 19,  from 6-7 p.m. is a homemade salt scrub using Epsom salt, olive oil and fragrant vanilla! Mmmmm, leaves your skin oh-so-soft, and it’s very relaxing! Couldn’t be easier to make. What better vessel to carry the salt scrub than the decorative Mason jar! See! Two crafts in one!

    Simply Crafts is free and all materials supplied! No reservations needed!

    (Note: Simply Crafts has moved from Tuesday to Thursday nights from 6 -7 p.m. for the months of May, June and July.)

  ALERT! THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELLED AS OF TODAY Monday, MAY 9, 2016.

Ending the month on a high note, Mississippi attorney and author, Diane Baugh Roy (D. Baugh Roy) comes to the Pearl Library on Tuesday, May 31 at 4 p.m. to talk about her latest book.  Unjust Rewards, the first in the Haley Browder Series, involves murder, the FBI  and stolen millions in Hurricane Katrina recovery funds. 

    Refreshments will be served.

You don't want to miss any of these programs!

We'll see you there!