We Did It!

Check out what the Brandon patrons and staff did in the month of December! A special thank you to everyone who participated in our football themed Community Jigsaw Puzzle. Speaking of football, who do you hope to see at the 2012 Super Bowl? Comment below and let us know. Don't forget to stop by in January to see what we've got planned!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

The Brandon Public Library staff had a wonderful Christmas and we hope you did too! We would like to wish you all a Happy New Year and we can't wait to see all of the wonderful things to come in 2012.

Mark Twain Success

Thanks to Friends of the Library, Comfort Inn, Garrett's Furniture and Peoples Bank we had a wonderful turnout for the Mark Twain storytelling. We had 62 in attendance! We would like to say a special thank you to our patrons and Kathy Bradshaw, from HQ, for coming out to support us.
We gave door prizes to three unsuspecting guests. Lauren Grantham and Loree Clark won tickets to see the Mississippi Braves and Tristan Shivers won the rocking chair donated by Garrett's Furniture.

Book Club - Florence Library

Come join the Florence Library Adult Book Club which meets Dec. 14, 2011 (11:00 AM - 12:00 PM).

Read a book by your favorite author and tell the group about it, while enjoying coffee and great conversation.

Free Movie Friday

Come join us for the library premier of "The Help", Friday, January 6th @ 3:30 in the meeting room of the Magee Public Library.

Open House @ the Pearl Public Library

Do You Hear What I Hear? Yes! Christmas is Coming! The Pearl Public Library presents a special night of Christmas fun for the entire family. The library’s Holiday Open House is Thurs. Dec. 15 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. Join us for a night of delights! We’ll Deck the Halls, Jingle Bells and share Joy to the World as we eat, drink and be oh-so-merry! You’ll hear holiday favorites by the Pearl Upper Elementary Choir, and enjoy yummy cookies and punch provided by the Friends of the Pearl Public Library. Hmmm, now, is that all for the festive evening? Let’s check this list twice. HO! HO! HO! Of course not!

How could the evening be complete without something special and nice for all tiny tots! There will be crafts for the kiddies and hey, Santa himself – great lover of all cookies and children - will be making a jolly appearance! Bring your camera to capture wonderful photo opportunities all evening, especially as St. Nick brings smiles and joy to all! We’ll see you there!

It has begun

The work on Brandon Public Library's new lights has begun! Stay tuned for more updates!

Swing in to the Holidays @ Flowood!

Yes, it's that time again! The Flowood Library is having its annual Open House . . . otherwise known as "Swing in to the Holidays." The festivities will begin at 4:00 pm on Tuesday, December 6th! The fabulous lineup includes:

4:00 to 5:30- Meet Santa Claus. Santa will be stopping by the library and children may meet Santa and have their picture taken with him. Parents, please bring your cameras. There will also be cookies and juice.

6:00 to 7:00- Have a bite to eat and enjoy some live music. We will have a generous assortment of finger foods and beverages. Fix yourself a plate and have a seat because the Mississippi Swing Band will be performing your favorites.

During the event, patrons will have the opportunity to place bids on The Friends of the Flowood Public Library silent auction gift baskets. These baskets are filled to the brim with lots great items for anyone of your Christmas gift list. Also, patrons will be able to browse a selection of hand painted crafts from The Mustard Seed gift shop.

This event is FREE to all.

Simply Crafts @ Pearl Library

Decorate for the holidays this year with your very own handmade ornament! Join us Tuesday, December 13 for our Simply Crafts program, where you will be able to make your own ornament (shown above). The fun begins @ 6:00 p.m. All materials provided. We hope to see you there!

Mendenhall Book Club Selection

Mendenhall Book Club Dec. Selection

Join the Mendenhall Library Book Club on Thursday, December 15 at 2:00 pm. We will be discussing The Locket by Richard Paul Evans.  You will enjoy our opinions and insights.

Something Tasty is Cooking at the Pearl Public Library

The Friends of the Pearl Library, seeking a creative way to raise money, decided a book of good eats would hit home, but not solely as a fundraiser according to Edith West, Friends president. “It’s a way to do something for the public at the same time,” she said.
Who doesn’t like to pour over great recipes that are easy to make? It can stimulate the appetite. Creamy Ham ‘n’ Macaroni, Cheesy Corn Bites, Randy’s Good Ol’ Fashioned Swiss Chicken, and Squash Casserole - the pages go on with mouthwatering recipes.
"Putting the cookbook together was a lot of fun" said Totsy Hayes, Friends vice-president, credited for doing much of the leg work. “Reading all the recipes made me hungry. It’s all so good,” she said.
Pecan Cream Cheese Pie, Mother’s Sweet Potato Pie and Blueberry Pound Cake - doesn’t that sound like the holidays? Although the Taste of Pearl Cookbook ($15) is right in time for them, it didn’t start out that way. “When we started talking about doing a cookbook, we didn’t know it would be Christmastime when we got it published,” chuckled West. “It makes a great birthday gift too!”
The Friends actually started work on the cookbook about five months ago. Hayes and Friends member, Bobbie Johns, got busy soliciting recipes and creating pages. “Totsy and Bobbie did a good job putting it (cookbook) together,” said West proudly. “The two of them did it all.”
Hayes won’t have any of that kind of talk. She maintains it took all the Friends, many of whom have recipes in the cookbook, to make the cookbook bloom. "It was a group effort," said Hayes, “It took time and patience to get it done.” That’s not only because of writing and editing. No, the Friends took it a step further.
They made calls to some state officials and were pleased to get recipe submissions. Would you like to know what Secretary of State, Delbert Hosemann likes to prepare? What about Congressman, Gregg Harper or even, yes, Governor Haley Barbour? They’re in there.
Luscious Lemon Ring, now that’s what West has her eyes on. “It is a thing of beauty. I’ve seen it. I’ve eaten it, and it is delicious,” she said with conviction. “I definitely want to make it.”

Article written by Susan Gray

For more information on The Taste of Pearl Cookbook, call the Pearl Public Library at 601-932-2562.

Scrabble Outcome

Brandon Library's "Staff v. Patron" Month Long Scrabble Tournament is over! Eight games were completed and the victor is....

(drumroll please)

It was a TIE! Four to Four! Rematch next year! Same time! Same place!

Until then, drop by the library and help complete our Community Jigsaw Puzzle! Can you help us put the pieces together?

Need a Last Minute Recipe?

The libraries close by 6 pm this evening and won't be open Thursday or Friday. What happens when you need a recipe for the left-over turkey, mashed potatoes, or the three extra boxes of green Jello that were accidentally added to the grocery list (it happens to the best of us)?

Here are links for two great collections of recipes and food information: CMRLS Quick Reference Recipes and Food Preparation and Internet Public Library (IPL2)-Food . This is a link for a Google SEARCH for recipes and before you even type in an ingredient there are more than 252 million pages found!

We hope these links are helpful!

The staff of the CMRLS libraries wish you a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday!

Chapter One Book Club @ Pearl

Excited about the holidays? Ready to read some good holiday books? Join us at the Pearl Public Library for December's Chapter One Book Club, where we will discuss any book about the holidays. The club meets Thursday, December 8th @ 6:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be provided. We hope to see you there!

Mark Twain 100 Years Later

"The only sure things are death and taxes...but at least death doesn't get worse every year!"

Come join us Wednesday, December, 14th @ 4 pm, as Dave Ehlert, AKA "Mark Twain", a Branson, MO favorite, comes to the Magee Public Library.

MARTHA HALL FOOSE @ FLOWOOD- CANCELLED

We apologize, however, Ms. Foose will NOT be appearing at the Flowood Library today. Ms. Foose is ill and cannot make it to the speaking engagement. We will let you know when Ms. Foose has been rescheduled. Thank you.

Friends of the Taylorsville Public Library Annual Bake Sale

The Friends of the Taylorsville Public Library will have their annual Thanksgiving Bake Sale on Friday, November 18, 2011 in front of the Trustmark National Bank in Taylorsville from 9:00 a.m. until.... Chances on a Christmas Basket will also be available for $1.00 each the drawing will be on December 21st @ the library, come out and support your local library!!

Author Visit!

Join us @ the Brandon Public Library for

Bruce Wayne Sullivan's Autobiography:

Up in Ruins

Thursday, November 17 @ Noon!

Bring your lunch! We'll provide drinks and dessert!
For information, contact the Brandon Public Library @ 601-825-2672

Can you beat OUR STAFF????

Challenge your mind and our Brandon Library staff in our

Staff v Patrons Scrabble Game!

All through the month of November, the staff and patrons at the Brandon Library will be lining up those letter tiles to see who will be triumphant.

So... think you've got what it takes? Know a word using Q or Z (10 points each)? Stop by the Brandon Library and try your best!

National Gaming Day @ Flowood Library

Saturday, November 12th is National Gaming Day and the Flowood Library is going all out! From 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, the Flowood Library will be pulling out all of the stops to bring you a great gaming experience. We have Bunco (adults only), Scrabble, Heroclix, and Magic the Gathering tournaments. There will also be Nintendo Wii gaming, Carnival games for children (ages 3 to 6), refreshments and much more. Did we mention that there will also be prizes? Prizes have been donated from Fat Cat Ceramics, Heroes and Dreams, Mississippi Legends Grill, Candy Confections, Table 100, the Strength Center, LaCru, Harry the Potter, Sal & Mookies, Bravo, and Broad Street Baking Company.

This is a GREAT family event . . . and it is FREE. If you would like to participate in one of the tournaments, you must register. Please call (601) 919-1911 ext 25 to register. Are you ready to get your game on?

Veteran's Day Tribute at the Flowood Library

Join us at the Flowood Library on Monday, November 7th at 6:00pm for a special Veteran's Day program! Colonel Riser will lead the NWR JROTC in presenting the colors. Local historian, Bill Patrick, will give a brief overview of a few notable Mississippi generals. Lastly, the NWR middle school 6th grade choir will perform. Please join us in paying respect to the military men and women who have served our country.

Simply Crafts @ Pearl Library

GOBBLE GOBBLE!

Join the fun this Tuesday, November 8 @ 6 p.m. for Simply Crafts where we will be making an adorable turkey pin. All materials provided. We hope to see you there!

Veterans Day Celebration

Please join us @ the Brandon Public Library, this Saturday from 10am - 2pm for a special Veterans Day Celebration!


View Purple Hearts, Service Medals & Displayer Weapons and listen to some interesting war stories!

For more information, contact Nora at the Brandon Public Library!


Brandon Public Library
1475 W. Government
Brandon, MS 39042
601-825-2672

Florence - Krafts for Kids

Please come join Ms. Tina at the Florence Library on Monday, November 7, 2011 at 5:00p.m. - 6:00 p.m. in the meeting room where we will learn to make Crafts for the Holidays. These colorful crafts will make wonderful holiday gifts for the children to give to family and friends. We hope to see you there.

Crafts Of The Day
Hanging scented sachet
Book mark
Dad Rocks
Candle Holder


Come join the fun and take home the items you make!

Chapter 1 Book Club @ Pearl

Join us this Thursday, November 3 @ the Pearl Public Library for this month's Chapter 1 Book club. This month, we're discussing any book by a Mississippi author. We will have door prizes! Light refreshments will be provided as well. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!

**Reminder: Beginning next month (December), we will meet every 2nd Thursday @ 6:00 p.m.

Florence Library - Crochet Club

The Florence Library Crochet Club will meet Monday Oct. 31, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. In the meeting room. Everyone is welcome, whither you are a beginner or a pro. We hope you will come and share the joy of Crocheting with others. Please bring your own materials.

For those who attend the program we will provide a free copy of the pattern for the Christmas Stocking in the picture below. We hope to see you there.

Wreath Making Class

Magee Public Library will be hosting a Wreath Making Class on Friday, November 18th @ 2 pm. The class is free, but you must sign up. Come join us for a fun time!

Free Movie Friday

Come fly UP, UP and away with us next Friday afternoon, Nov. 4th @ 3:30 as we watch the Disney/Pixar movie UP. We hope to see you here @ the Magee Public Library. BYOP&D (bring your own popcorn & drink).

Florence Library Turkey Basket Raffle

Tickets: $1.00

Contents: $25.00 Kroger Gift card and Fixing’s for a fine Turkey Dinner (or Ham if you choose)
Green Bean Casserole, Stuffing, Potato’s, Mac -n-Cheese, Pumpkin Pie mix and decoration.

We hope you will join us in celebrating the season of thankfulness by purchasing a ticket. All proceeds go to the Florence Children’s Library fund.

Drawing will be held November 12, 2011 after the Florence Day Festival. Winner will be notified by Monday, November 14, 2011.
Be sure to buy plenty of tickets for more chances to win!

Thank You and Good Luck!

(Raffle is sponsored by The Florence Children's Library Friends)

Florence Library Fall Family Fest

Come Join us for Fun, Food and more...Thursday, October 27, 2011 at the Florence Library. Where we will be hosting our annual Family Fall Fest. Program time will be 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.  You are welcome to dress in costume, but please no scary or revealing costumes. This is a FREE program and all are welcome. We hope to see you there.

For more information contact:  Gwen Davis/ Tina Clyburn

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

Mendenhall Library Crochet and Knit Group

Join us every Tuesday at 10:00 am.  Bring your hook or needles and your own thread or yarn.  We welcome all levels of expertise.  We are making scarves for the Special Olympics.  We are also working on other projects.
You will the enjoy the camaraderie.

Brown Bag Lunch @ Pearl

Don't let the holidays or work stress you out! Join us at the Pearl Public Library on Friday, October 28, for this month's Brown Bag Lunch featuring a seminar on ways to relax. Margaret Smith will discuss how to manage negative stress, as well as tips on how to pamper and rejuvinate yourself. The lunch will start @ noon. Come relax with us for a while!

Florence Library Preschool Story Time

The Florence Public Library would like to invite you and your child to attend our weekly Preschool Story Time. We meet each Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Ms. Tina Clyburn (Youth Services) has created an inviting space for your child to enjoy a fun, literacy-rich, hands-on experience in an interactive and caring environment. Preschool Story Times are filled with stories, crafts, music, and more. Our Story Times are aimed at children birth-5 years of age and are approximately 30-40 minutes in length; no sign-up is required. Siblings and friends are welcome to attend. We hope you will take the opportunity to visit our Preschool Story Time.

Author Joe Lee Visits Florence Library.

Please join us at the Florence Public Library on Wednesday, October 12 at 11:00 a.m. for our monthly Adult Book Club. This month we will be joined by our special guest author Joe Lee he will have a book talk and signing. We hope to see you there.

Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, Joe Lee has a background in radio, television, and journalism. He is the Owner and Editor-in-Chief of Dogwood Press, a small but traditional publishing company in Brandon, Mississippi, and has published fellow Mississippi authors John M. Floyd, Jim Ritchie, Mike Windham, and Barbie Bassett.
Lee is the author of the legal thriller ON THE RECORD, the murder mystery DEAD AIR, JUDGMENT DAY, and THE MAGNOLIA TRIANGLE. The latter two are the first two volumes of a suspense series set in fictional Oakdale, Mississippi; Lee's latest novel, THE LONG ROAD HOME, is Part III of the series and was released in September, 2011. Lee is a graduate of Mississippi State University and lives with his family in Brandon, Mississippi.

(Information taken from amazon.com, This biography was provided to amazon by the author or their representative. )

Simply Crafts!

Join us at the Pearl Library on Tuesday, October 11 at 6:00 P.M. for our monthly craft night. This month's craft is just in time for fall. It's a cute pumpkin made from yarn. All materials provided. Hope to see you there!

Chapter One Book Club @ Pearl

Join us Thursday, October 6 for this month's Chapter One Book Club at the Pearl Public Library. This month's discussion will be any book about pets! Come and discuss any book you've read about pets or any other interesting animals. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Couponing 101

Are you crazy about clipping coupons? Do you want to learn how to save money on your grocery bills? If so, you need to attend a meeting of The Clippers, a new monthly group meeting at the Flowood Library. Attendees will exchange coupons, saving tips, and more. Some meetings will feature guest speakers.

Join us on Saturday, October 15th at 1:00 pm for this FREE program.

Banned Books Week @ Flowood

Congratulations to Amne Richardson for winning Flowood's Banned Books contest! Participants read a banned book and their name was placed in to a drawing. Ms. Richardson won a prize package consisting of Gigi's cupcakes and gift certificates from Mississippi Legends Grill and Heroes & Dreams Comics.

Thank you to our wonderful sponsors!

Elizabeth Heiskell @ Flowood Library

Thanks to Elizabeth Heiskell for displaying her culinary talents at the Flowood Library!



From Ms. Heiskell's publishers website:

Elizabeth Heiskell was born and raised in the Mississippi Delta, an agricultural area bordered by the Mississippi River where food and fun go hand in hand. With her passion for food, fun, and adventure, Elizabeth started her culinary journey with courses at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Chef Heiskell has prepared food for such notables as the Duchess of York, Vice President Al Gore, and a host of Mississippi governors.

As Lead Culinary Instructor at the Viking Cooking School in nearby Greenwood, world headquarters of the Viking Range Corporation, she has represented Viking on exclusive SilverSea cruises through Spain, Portugal, and Hawaii, as well as television and public appearances, and a multitude of culinary events adding fun and vitality to every class she teaches.

She now maintains an active catering company of her own based in Cleveland, Mississippi, where she lives with her husband, Luke, a cotton farmer, and their three daughters.

In addition to sharing some delicious recipes, Ms. Heiskell signed copies of her latest book.




Everyone had a great time. Don't forget to join us on October 25th at 6:30pm for Whitney Miller and on November 15th at 11:00 am for Martha Foose!

October Programs for Florence Public Library

 Florence Public Library would like to invite you to join in the activities this October. We have a little something for everyone and all programs are free to the public. If you can't find a program to fit your interest at the Florence Library, please feel free to check out the CMRLS webpage calendar to see what is Happening at the CMRLS libraries near you.

http://www.cmrls.lib.ms.us/calendar.html

October Schedule

Preschool Story Time is held each Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. Come join us for stories, music and more…For the little ones.

Crochet Club will meet on October 3 and 17 at 11:00 a.m. Share the joy of Crocheting with others. Bring your own materials.

Friends of the Florence Library will have their regular meeting on October  6, 2011 at 6:00 p.m.  Membership fee is $5.00 yearly. Be more than a patron… Be a FRIEND.

Adult Book Club will meet on October 12 , 2011 at 11:00 a.m. special guest will be author Joe Lee he  will have a book talk and signing.

Fall Family Fest is on October 27, 2011 at 4:30 p.m. Join the library for food, fun, games and more….FREE for all ages. (feel free to dress in costume - no scary ones please)

 Adult Computer Classes  are on  Wednesday at 11:30- 12:30, space is limited and registration is required.

October 5- Advanced Microsoft Word, Learn to create tables: add borders and shading to your documents with Word 2003.

October 12- Introduction to computers. Learn the basics.

October 19- Introduction to the Internet. Learn to  search basic Search Engines on the Internet.

October 26- Introduction to E-mail. Learn to search and receive email.

Movie Matinee

Come "catch a wave" with us as the library premieres Soul Surfer, the amazing story of professional surfer Bethany Hamilton. The movie is free and will be playing October 7th at 3:30 p.m. at the Magee Public Library. Come "hang ten" with us! You will "fer sure" have an "off the wall" time. BYOP&D (bring your own popcorn & drink).

GET COOKIN' with the Flowood Library!

The Flowood Library is extremely excited to be presenting "Get Cookin' with the Flowood Public Library." "Get Cookin'" is a series of presentations by Mississippi Cookbook Writers. We are very fortunate to have three amazing local chefs willing to discuss their recipes. In order of appearance:

Elizabeth Heiskell--> Tuesday, September 20th at 6:00 pm. Mississippi Delta native, Elizabeth Heiskell, will be discussing recipes from her latest book, Somebody Stole the Cornbread for My Dressing. Ms. Heiskell is the former Lead Instructor at the Viking Cooking School. She has prepared meals for the Duchess of York, Vice President Al Gore, and a host of Mississippi governors. Ms. Heiskell will concentrate on speaking about tailgating . . . just in time for football season.

Whitney Miller--> Tuesday, October 25th at 6:30 pm. Poplarville native, Whitney Miller, will be discussing recipes from her latest book, Modern Hospitality: Simple Recipes with Southern Charm. Ms. Miller is the first winner of Fox TV's MasterChef contest which featured contestants from all over the country. Whitney was dubbed the "Pastry Princess" because of her talent with deserts.

and Finally . . .

Martha Hall Foose!--> Tuesday, November 15th at 11:30 am. Another Mississippi Delta native, Martha Hall Foose, will be at the Flowood Library just in time for the holidays. Martha is the author of two books, Screen Doors and Sweet Tea and A Southerly Course: Recipes & Stories from Close to Home.

All events are FREE to the public. Books will be available for purchase. We hope to see you here.