So What Does Love Really Have To With It? A Lot this Library Lovers' Month at the Pearl Public Library!

    Yes, February is Library Lovers' Month, and it's a time that the Pearl Public Library staff and their patrons have a real love fest! This is the 10-year anniversary of the library's Come In From the Cold With a Good Book program that offers the patrons free cookies, donuts and coffee.
   The program will run for three days on Tuesday, Feb. 13 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 14 (VALENTINE'S DAY!) from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Thursday, Feb. 15 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.!
    It's a must participate in event when the library transforms the front entrance into a lovely cafe complete with a huge Community Coffee bar and wonderful donuts and cookies. It's a free program with all goodies donated by Community Coffee, Dunkin Donuts, The Donut Factory, Sam's of Pearl, Walmart of Pearl, Simply Southern and That Special Touch. Thanks so much to our business partners!
   The program, also sponsored by the Friends of the Pearl Library,  serves as a Friends membership drive. There will be Friends members on hand to answer questions and take membership applications. Donations to the Friends will, of course, be happily accepted.
    But, that's not all the library has going on this month!
    On Thursday, Feb. 15, while you are getting your sweet tooth and caffeine on, Amy, the reference supervisor in charge of all adult programming says save room for some Chinese food treats starting at 6 p.m.

     That's right. It's a Chinese New Year celebration with speaker the Reverend Linda Smith, a former missionary in China. There will also be some tasty Chinese food sampling. So, come and get it while supplies last! It's free!
      Speaking of free, special programs...

      ...starting tonight Simply Crafts, led by Becky, will merge with the Crochet Group. That's every first Tuesday of the month, from 5:30 to 7:30. Two fun times in one. Can't beat that with stick!
       There's something for everyone. How about a good book?! One can always be found with the Chapter 1 Book Club, led by Amy!
         

      This month's book is Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. The book club is free and meets every second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m.
      Again all these programs are free with no reservation required! 
      You don't want to miss any of them!
       We'll see you there!

BIG NEWS AT THE PEARL LIBRARY! THREE-DAY BIG BOOK SALE!

     Have you heard that the Friends of the Pearl Library  has expanded their annual (sometimes bi-annual) Big Book Sale to three days?! Yep. Three days!  Thurs. May 11 from 4 p.m .to 7 p.m., Fri. May 12 from 9 a.m.to 4 p.m. and Sat. May 13 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Oh, yes! This is big news for the Pearl Public Library.  Big! BIG!!!
     Many impressive items to choose from.  A big item that people like to have in their home libraries is National Geographic Magazine. A nice supply is available in beautiful, maroon dated binders and on CD ROM.  Get to the book sale as fast you can, these may be plentiful, but won’t last long!

      Interested shoppers will also have a fine selection of fiction and nonfiction books to choose from as well as DVDs and CDs (audiobooks and music – some classical).

      Book sale prices range from .25cents to $5.00.  Please note that ONLY at the end of the last day of the book sale (Saturday) and not before, leftover items will be on a special, bag-for-a-buck, bargain.  It’s everything you can fit into a grocery bag for $1.

      For anyone interested in becoming a member of the Friends of the Pearl Library, there will be registration forms available at the book sale. Individual membership is $5 a year. As always, donations to the Friends are also welcome.

You do not want to miss out on this fun, great BIG BOOK SALE!

We'll see you there!

BIG BOOK SALE AND AN AMAZING INSPIRATIONAL STORY!

       The Pearl Public Library's September programming highlights include a huge, winning combination!

         It’s a bargain hunter’s dream and happens every year at the Pearl Public Library! The Friends of the Pearl Library’s big, annual book sale is Friday, Sept. 23 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 24 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.  All proceeds benefit the Friends’ group, which support the library through volunteering, purchasing books and equipment and sponsoring programs for all ages.

        Among the many gems of this year’s book sale are Big Band Era and wartime music CDs, wartime DVDs and tons of cookbooks.

       Book sale prices range from .25 cents to $5.00. Near the end of the book sale on Saturday, all the leftover items will be on a special, bag-for-a-buck, bargain.  It’s everything you can fit into a grocery bag for $1.

       This year, to help advertise the book sale, a beautifully designed banner, by AlphaGraphics of Pearl, will be displayed in front of the library.

     Bryce Yelverton, of Clinton, was diagnosed in December 2013 with Hodgkin Lymphoma Stage 2B, a blood cancer.  During a free, National Blood Cancer Awareness Month program at the Pearl Public Library, Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 6 p.m.,,Yelverton will share his story and talk about the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

     “I love being able to talk about my story,” said Yelverton, a government relations consultant with Yelverton Consulting in Jackson.  “Most people think that cancer just means death, but the more you tell your story of your trials, the less formidable it is. It’s a way to humanize things.”

       After a series of chemo and radiation treatments, Bryce was declared in remission in May 2014.  Armed with Christian strength and the support of family and friends, Yelverton had the help he needed to fight the disease. He learned that the best way to combat cancer is not to let it be the overwhelming giant that silence and private suffering can make it. Cancer doesn’t have to mean the end. 

   WOW! You don't want to miss either one of these events! As always, all programs are free to the public!

    We'll see you there!

NOVEMBER'S BOUNTY OVERFLOWS AT THE PEARL LIBRARY!

Image from www.flickr.com

Save the date! HECK, save the whole month on your calendar because November will be worth it at the Pearl Public Library!

First of all, there's Thankful for the Library, a free adult program that comes with, not A CHANCE to win, but two chances to win a $25 Wal-mart gift card! That's right. The Pearl Walmart Supercenter donated two $25 gift cards.  What do you have to do to? Glad ya asked!

Adult patrons fill out an entry telling why they are thankful for the library. Their names get put into a drawing to be held Mon. Nov. 30.  How easy is that?! There will be two winners!

That's not all! Also in November there will be a massive book sale! You win big there on all the great deals! The two-day book sale is Fri. Nov. 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sat., Nov. 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.  It's sponsored by the Friends of the Pearl Library! All proceeds benefit the Friends group.

Well, that's all the November highlights folks....NOOOOOT!  Uh-uh!!! How about during a season full of Thanksgiving, you learn a little history about some of the characters who were present from the very beginning of this season of grace and peace. Not pilgrams.... Yep, we are talking Native Americans.  The Pearl Library has a special program on tap.

On Tues. Nov. 10 at 6 p.m., the Mississippi Department of Archives and History will present this free, adult program, Natchez Indian Mythology and Folklore. So, come in and learn about the Natchez Indians.

There's so much going on in November at the library, how could you not come by?! Don't miss out!

We'll see you there!

A LOVE FELT, MONTH OF DELIGHTFUL PROGRAMS IN PEARL!

Can you feel it? LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! Mmmmmmmm mmm mmmm! There's just something special about the month of February! The cards, candy and flowers that go with Valentine's Day are the best, right? RIIIIIIGHT!!!

 But, February is also LIBRARY LOVERS' MONTH, and that's where the Pearl Public Library comes into the picture!   There are programs galore including that wonderful patron favorite; the seventh annual Come in From the Cold With a Good Book.   In partnership with the Friends of the Pearl Library and local businesses, the Pearl Library is offering free coffee, donuts and cookies - thanks to Community Coffee, the Donut Factory in Pearl and Pearl Sam's Club - Fri., Feb. 13 at 9 a.m to 3 p.m. Friends of the Pearl Library members will be on hand to accept donations, answer questions and sign up new members!

Starting Mon., Feb. 2, I Love My Library, an adult program, kicks off giving patrons an opportunity to tell just how much they love the library. Visit the reference or circulation desk and fill out an entry including sweet words for a chance to win a nice gift basket. The program will run through Sat. Feb. 28 and  the drawing will be held Mon., March 2.

Another drawing will be held on March 2. A beautiful gift basket will be presented to the winner of the Adult Winter Reading program, Snuggle Up and Read that got underway Jan 1 and runs through Sat. Feb. 28.  For every five library books read and listed on a reading log, your name gets entered into the drawing

The Chapter 1 Book Club is Thurs. Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. Read any book by popular, Mississippi author John Floyd. No registration is needed and you don't have to be a member. Just stop on by for fun book discussions, light refreshments and door prizes!

In honor of Black History Month, the library presents Ann B. Brown, author of Backroad to Freedom as the Brown Bag guest speaker, Fri. Feb. 27 at 12 - noon. It's a free program. No reservations needed. Bring your lunch. Dessert and drinks provided by the Friends of the Pearl Library. 

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

We'll see you there!

A FAVORITE MS AUTHOR AT THE PEARL LIBRARY!

Popular, Mississippi author, John Floyd, will be the guest speaker at the Pearl Public Library's Brown Bag program Friday, Jan. 23 at noon. He will also be signing copies of his short story collection, Fifty Mysteries: The Angela Files.  Bring your lunch. Drinks and dessert are furnished by the Friends of the Pearl Library.

Floyd, a Rankin County resident and a graduate of Mississippi State University, has won the coveted Derringer Award for short mystery fiction.  In Fifty Mysteries, sheriff Charles "Chunky" Jones is up to his crime solving speed with retired school teacher, Angela "Angel" Potts helping him.

    

Floyd began writing professionally in 1994 and has published over 1,000 stories and features in widely-read publications like Woman’s World, Alfred Hitchcock's  Mystery Magazine, and The Saturday Evening Post. He teaches creative writing at Millsaps College’s Enrichment Program in Jackson.    Floyd is a former Air Force captain and worked for IBM Corporation for thirty years. He and his wife, Carolyn, have three grown children and six grandchildren and live in Brandon.

Come on by and join in the fun. The Brown Bag program is free and open to everyone.

We'll see you there!

A BAG OF BOOKS FOR A BUCK AT THE PEARL LIBRARY!

A bag of books for a buck! Say that five times really fast.  Juuuuuuust kidding!

But, this is no joke.  For one dollar, you can buy a whole bag of book sale goodies at the Pearl Public Library!  This sweet, bagalicious , all-you-can-fit-into-one-bag, $1 book buffet will last as long as there are books for sale said Sara, the circulation supervisor. "That should be for at least two weeks." WOW! 

Don't miss out on this opportunity to bag you some real great deals. Remember, they make wonderful gifts too!  And, since all proceeds go to benefit the Friends of the Pearl Library, it can be your way of donating to a wonderful cause!!! You simply cannot beat that!

So, come on by the Pearl Library. The book sale items are near the circulation desk! 

We'll see you there!

PEARL LIBRARY PRESENTS JOE LEE'S "DIRECTOR'S CUT"!

The Pearl Public Library presents popular Mississippi author Joe Lee as the Brown Bag program guest speaker on Fri., Oct. 24 at 12-noon.

He will be discussing his latest work, Director’s Cut, (2014) the fifth of the critically acclaimed Oakdale suspense series. It is his seventh novel. A book signing will follow.

        

Lee, owner and Editor-in-Chief of Dogwood Press in Brandon, has appeared at the library before, and is an audience favorite.  “We’re happy to have Joe Lee back at the Pearl Library,” said Eleanor Jones who's in charge of adult programming at the library.  “He’s such a great asset to the community and to Mississippi. We can’t wait to hear about Director’s Cut.”

In Director’s Cut, Tripp Kelly is a laid back film professor at the University in Oakdale. He has everything. He’s popular among the student and faculty body. He’s newly and happily married to a former student named Dana. He loves his work which includes spearheading an annual, well attended independent film festival. He’s just a happy guy, and couldn’t be happier. He’s also a serial killer!  

THAT got your attention didn't it!?  See, you do not want to miss this Brown Bag special. No reservations needed. The program is free; desserts and drinks are supplied by the Friends of the Pearl Library!

We'll see you there!

A FUNNY BOOK SALE AT THE PEARL LIBRARY!

DONATED COMIC BOOKS

HOLY BOOKPILE!  

The Pearl Public Library has received a donation of comic books! It's just in time for the huge book sale coming up on Sat. July 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m at the library!   It's all to benefit the Friends of the Pearl Library. 

The library always has a tremendous turnout for book sales! And, this one is gonna be even better. Comic books are great fun for all ages! For some, they are downright nostalgic!

But, that's not all! This special book sale will also include some copies of National Geographic as well as surplus, craft items that Eleanor and her Simply Crafts group have created in the past few months! 

Save the date! Don't miss out!

You know its ALWAYS good at the Pearl Public Libray!

See ya there!

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.

   

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!!

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.

Super Foods at Pearl Library's Brown Bag Luncheon, Friday, February 22

This Friday, the Pearl Library is having a different kind of Brown Bag Luncheon! We'll be having an in-house presentation on superfoods, and we'll be giving everyone a little something to try along with their lunches!

In this presentation, you'll learn the definition of "Super Food," you'll get to try some super foods like dark chocolate, kale, and green tea, and you'll get some information about what these foods can do for you!

Please join us in the Pearl Library Meeting Room at 12:00 on Friday, February 22nd. Bring a sack lunch. Light refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Pearl Library.

The Friends of the Pearl Library Book Sale Kicks off Library Lovers Month!

It's that time of year again...

Love is in the air as February approaches! In library-land, February is Library Lovers Month, and at the Pearl Library, we're starting our Feburary off with a bang! The Friends of the Pearl Library will be holding its annual book sale THIS weekend!

The sale runs from 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. on Friday, February 1st and from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 2nd.

But wait! Doesn't our library usually close at 5:00 p.m. on Fridays? It does, but for this special occasion, we're keeping the big event room open until 6:00 p.m. so that anyone who wants to drop by and shop for books, DVDs, and more can do so on the way home from work on Friday!

Please stop by! We've got children's books, art books, inspirational books, paperbacks, DVDs, and all kinds of stuff for you to peruse and purchase. Support the Friends of the Library and the Pearl Library, and come on by! We'll have coffee waiting for you!

Dudley Sykes to speak at Pearl Library's Brown Bag Luncheon, January 25th

Books may be purchased in the library, or online at Amazon.com
or barnesandnoble.com

The Pearl Library is so excited that Dudley Sykes will be reading from and talking about his new novel, The Lynching of Malcolm Brown at this month's Brown Bag Luncheon on January 25th!

Sykes is a lifetime member of the Friends of the Pearl Library and has always been a huge supporter of this library. In his latest novel, he tells a fictionalized account of a lynching of a man in Jones County, Mississippi in 1941. Sykes wrote this novel in honor of his father, who stood up to a group of men who wanted him to lead a lynching mob. Sykes has already inspired several of our staff member to read this tale, and we hope that you'll come out to hear about it on Friday!

The Brown Bag Luncheon is on Friday at 12:00 p.m. in the Pearl Library meeting room. Bring a sack lunch, and the Friends of the Pearl Library will provide drinks and dessert. You may purchase The Lynching of Malcolm Brown for $16.99, and $2.00 will be donated to the Friends of the Library for each book purchased on this date.

Autumn Book Harvest Winners

This fall, the Pearl Library ran an Autumn Book Harvest contest in which any adult patron who checked out at least three items from our adult fiction or adult nonfiction collections could enter to win one of two $50 gift cards to Kroger.

We're happy to announce that Amanda Greear and Melanie Theall are our two winners! We are so happy to have these ladies and their families as Pearl Library patrons, and we hope that they enjoy their gift cards just as much as they enjoyed checking items out from our collection. We also want to thank the Friends of the Pearl Library for making this contest possible.

Amanda Greear and her gift card!

Melanie Theall and her gift card (and adorable children)!

Pearl Library's Brown Bag Luncheon, November 16th!

Join the Pearl Library this Friday, November 16th, for the monthly Brown Bag Luncheon! Judy Sikes, the ADA Coordinator of the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities will be giving a demonstration on disaster preparedness. In the wake of such national tragedies as Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina, all of us need to learn how to be prepared in the event of an emergency.

This month's Brown Bag is a week early because of the Thanksgiving holidays, but it will be at 12:00 p.m., as always. And, as always, you should bring a sack lunch with you, and the Friends of the Pearl Library will provide drinks and a light dessert.

This program will last between an hour and an hour and a half. We hope to see you there!

Special Senior Friday Flick

We have a special Senior Friday Flick at the Pearl Library this Friday, November 9th!

Senior adults who arrive at the Pearl Library will be treated to a tour of the library and a free chili and cornbread lunch from Western Sizzlin. The Friends of the Pearl Library are hosting this in order to welcome all senior adults to the library, show them the library's services, and entertain them (as always!).

The tour of the library starts at 11:30 a.m. Lunch will begin at 12, and our viewing of Snow White & the Huntsman (PG-13, Universal Pictures, 2012, 127 minutes showtime) will begin at 1:00 p.m. This event will take place in the Pearl Library meeting room.

Interested senior adults do not need a reservation to attend this program. We hope to see you on Friday!

Autumn Book Harvest

     It's the time for giving, and this Thanksgiving season, the Pearl Library wants to give a little something away to the adult patrons who use our library. We're having an Autumn Book Harvest, in which any adult patron who checks out at least three items from our adult fiction and adult nonfiction collections can enter to win one of two $50 gift cards to Kroger.

     We’ll be doing the drawing on Monday, November 19^th, just in time for Thanksgiving! There is no limit to how many times you can enter, so please come browse our adult fiction and nonfiction collection, take home something interesting, and enter to win!

*We'd like to thank the Friends of the Pearl Library for providing funding for this program.

Pearl Library's October Brown Bag: Medicare Help!

 Please join the Pearl Library this Friday, October 26th, at 12:00 p.m. for our monthly Brown Bag Luncheon. Humana representative Josh Errington will be here to discuss Medicare with you. He can answer any questions you might have and let you know about upcoming changes to the system.

 We hope you'll join us! Bring a sack lunch with you. The Friends of the library will provide a dessert, some drinks, and coffee. We'll be waiting for you in the meeting room! And don't forget, we always give away a few door prizes. See you Friday!