Hey, Teens! Are You Out There?

We’re hoping to have some teens sign up for our Teen Book Club beginning this week. So far, the response has been rather weak, but maybe you know a teen or two who might like to attend? We’ll be talking about great teen books, selecting some choices to read over the next few months, and probably eating some snacks. Okay, we definitely will be eating some snacks!

Teen posterWe’re looking at meeting once a month, on the last Wednesday from 4-5:30pm. It’s open to ages 12 and up, so the books will be of interest to everyone involved. If you can’t make it this month, drop by the library or give us a call to see what book we’re reading.

Did I mention we’ll have SNACKS???

Book Clubs, Craft Nights and March Break!

We’ve been busy planning all kinds of new, fun things for 2015. And now that we’re back into the swing of things, we hope you’ll join us for some new programming!

1(Hint: these beautiful cave paintings found in Lascaux, France, have something to do with our March Break plans. No…we’re not planning a trip. Stay tuned!

January introduced us to an Adult Crafting Club! We provide the space, you bring your crafts!  It’s a fun way to meet knew people and discover all the crafty things you have in common. We’ve had knitters so far, but anyone is welcome….sewers, scrapbookers, wood carvers (okay, I’m being silly here, but if wood carving is your thing, you’re still invited!). Drop in on the third Monday of each month from 6-7:30pm. And refreshments will be provided, so even if you come directly from work, you won’t have to sit with a rumbling stomach.

Next up is our Ancestry Database training. This was such an amazing success in the fall, we’re continuing on! If you’ve always wanted to get started researching your family tree, but didn’t know how to begin, this is one-on-one training with a staff member who has a huge interest in genealogy. Book of one our sessions, and she’ll show you how to use Ancestry Library edition, and maybe she’ll even get you started on that family tree. You must have some computer skills to do this session, or bring someone along with you who does. Make an appointment for one of our Tuesday morning sessions, or for a Wednesday evening session. You won’t regret it!

For the first time, we’re starting a Teen Book Club!  We’ll meet the last Wednesday of each month, starting February 26th, from 4-5:30pm. At our first meeting, we’ll talk about great YA books, and make some selections for the upcoming book club meetings. Registration begins today, so give us a call if you have a teen (ages 12+) who would like to attend. Refreshments provided!

And last but not least, we’re doing another writing workshop to lead into Camp NaNoWriMo in April. You don’t have to be writing a book right now to get the benefits from “Voice Choice!”, but it might give you a few new things to look at as you move forward with your writing. We have a lot of continuing writers in our group, but we always enjoy having new members. Join us on Tuesday, February 24 from 6-8pm for this interesting workshop. No registration required….and yes, there will be treats!

These are just a few things happening in February. And if you’re starting to think about the March Break, our March Break calendar will be out early this week. There is something in it for EVERYONE! Watch here or Facebook for more information, or give us as call a little later this week and we can help you find the calendar online. It’s going to be an exciting March Break!

Book Resolutions!

resolveIt’s the New Year, and that means resolutions. This year, instead of making plans to lose weight or get more sleep, how about making some reading resolutions? A year from now, you’ll be happy you did.

WHY SHOULD I TRY TO READ DIFFERENT BOOKS?

It’s great to have favourite authors or really get into a series, but there are so many other great books out there, are you limiting your reading? Think of it like only eating broccoli with every meal. What about carrots? Kale? Corn? There are so many other options, you might not realize what you’re missing until you try. Reading is all about getting lost, about expanding your horizons, about learning something new about yourself and those around you. Give peas a chance…….

WHAT SHOULD I READ?

Start with non-fiction. Yes, I said it….non-fiction. Not enough people read non-fiction, and it’s fabulous! Find a topic, or a person (celebrity or the latest criminal) and read about their lives. Or read a new type of cookbook. Anything non-fiction will give you a fresh outlook, and it might just refresh your reading schedule.

Once you explore the non-fiction world, you might feel like you need to go back to fiction again, and that’s okay. This time, try a new author. Stand in the aisle where you normally pick books (a favourite author or genre), and reach to a different shelf. Bend your legs, stand on your toes, lean to the side…whatever might make you choose a new book. Exciting, isn’t it?

DISCUSS A BOOK

No, you don’t have to join a book club, but talking to someone about a great book you just read can open you up to new ideas. Maybe that person will have a suggestion as to what you should read next. Or maybe you’ll both have a good laugh over the fact that neither of you figured out who the killer was in the latest murder mystery. Either way, talking about books to other people makes you look well-read (aka super intelligent!), and could lead to a new friendship. Talk to the person in the coffee shop who is sitting alone reading. Talk to someone with a book on the subway. Or just talk to the person in front of you in line at the library…you’ll never know what might happen. Everyone loves to talk about books!

 BUY A BOOK

Of course, we love it when people come to the library to get books. But once in a while, why not buy a book if it is within your means? Books as gifts, people! What could be better?

Make 2015 your year to try new things when it comes to books……new genres, new authors, new places to read, new book clubs…..whatever you can think of. You’ll be happy you did!

Book Club Picks

Our new fall Book Club has been a great success so far, with lots of interesting discussion and some unique books. Next up? SARAH’S KEY by Tatiana de Rosnay on Monday, January 12, 2015.  556602

If you haven’t read this story, it’s a heart-breaker. It begins in 1942 in Paris during a Nazi raid where much of the Jewish population was rounded up and sent to large facilities such as bicycle stadiums, and held under terrible conditions until they were shipped by train to Auschwitz for extermination. In this story, Sarah–a 10-year-old Jewish girl—is arrested with her family and whisked off to one of the shelters. Her story is tragic enough, but a choice she makes during the raid will forever change her life.

Years later, a journalist researching an article about this period, comes across something that connects her to Sarah’s family. Once she begins to put the pieces together, the tragedy makes her look at her own life and the choices she’s made.  It is a complex and emotional story, but one which should provide some fascinating discussion during our next book club.

If you haven’t read the book, drop by the library and we’ll try to get you a copy in time to make the meeting. You don’t have to register to attend, so if you’ve already read the book and would like to come, the meeting starts at 6:30pm on Jan. 12th. Yes, we’ll have refreshments!

Book clubs are a great way to get to know new people, to discuss wonderful books, and challenge your usual reading lists. Why not give it a try? See you in January!

Teen Book Club

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We have a new book club starting in the New Year….our first Teen Book Club! We’re hoping to get a great group of teen readers ready to discuss all sorts of great YA fiction out there. If you know someone who might be interested in attending, we’ll meet the last Wednesday of each month from 4-5:30pm here at the library. (And if it helps to get them here, tell them there will be FOOD!)

The first meeting isn’t until Wednesday, February 25th, but I wanted to get people thinking about it. We will begin registration for this program on February 1st, so watch for our posters in the library in January. And bring an idea for your favourite books to read this spring!

One Book, One Community!

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Next year, we’ll be participating in the “One Book, One Community” project with all of the libraries in Lanark County. It’s an exciting endeavor that hopes to get people from all five communities reading the same book. We’ll be hosting events around the book, prompting discussion, and encouraging our communities to interact in various ways.

This week, we’re beginning the book selection. You can drop into any one of the local libraries (Carleton Place Public Library, Perth & District Union Public Library, Smiths Falls Public Library, Mississippi Mills Library, and Lanark Highlands Public Library) and fill out a quick ballot for your selection. The theme for 2015 will be AGING, so keep that in mind when selecting a book you’d like to suggest. It doesn’t have to be a Canadian book, and it can be from any genre, as long as it deals with aging in some way. We’re looking forward to seeing what books you suggest, and hope we’ll be able to announce the winning book in the near future. Then, we’ll be getting many copies of the book to make available to the public to read. Keep watching here or at the library for more information as time moves on.

What would your suggestion be for the One Book, One Community project this year?

Our Book Club!

We had a great turnout for our first ever Book Club! There was plenty of discussion about all kinds of books, and almost everyone had a selection for the upcoming months. What did we choose? Here’s what we’ll be reading over the next few months:

 

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  Schedule:

Nov. 10 — THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie

Dec. 8 — STILL LIFE by Louise Penny

Jan. 12 — SARAH’S KEY by Tatiana De Rosnay

Feb. 9 — THE BIRTH HOUSE by Ami McKay

March 9 — DEAR LIFE by Alice Munro

April 13 — WE ARE WATER by Wally Lamb

May 11 — THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL by Philippa Gregory

June 8 — THE OUTLANDER by Gil Adamson

As you can see, there is a nice variety of books,  including lots of Canadian authors. If you want to get in on our book club, we’re going to be meeting the 2nd Monday of each month from 6:30 – 8pm. No need to register, just come and join us for some lively discussion about the book!
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