Expanded Hours at Grove Family Library, March 3

We have been listening to you! Beginning Monday, March 3, Grove Family Library will be opening its doors at 9:00 a.m. The new schedule is Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9:00-8:00, Wednesday and Friay 9:00-6:00, and Saturday 9:00-4:00. The increased hours were enabled by the 2008 increase in county library tax. Thank you, taxpayers! Thank you, County Commisioners!

Writers and Artists of All Ages Wanted

Like to write poetry? Like to create posters? Want to tell what the library has done for you? Franklin County Library System is holding its first Poetry, Essay, and Poster Contest now! Preschoolers can enter a coloring and naming contest for the future Preschool Bookmobile. The deadline for entries is March 15. Prizes will be awarded at your local library and county level. Winners will be announced April 12 at during the Books2Eat exhibit at Grove Family Library. Stop at your local public library for contest rules and your entry blank. You can make this a special time of celebrating libraries. The Books2Eat exhibit will usher in the other festivities of National Library Week.

Library Ideas

Female Detective Book Club?

I have been thinking about starting a book discussion group at St. Thomas Library featuring women sleuths like Stephanie Plum (Janet Evanovich), Kay Scarpetta (Patricia Cornwell), Joanna Brady andAli Reynolds (J.A. Jance), Alexandra Cooper (Linda Fairstein), Temperance Brennan (Kathy Reichs), Maura Isles (Tess Gerritsen), Tess Monaghan (Laura Lippman), Anna Pigeon (Nevada Barr), Sharon McCone (Marcia Muller), Kinsey Millhone (Sue Grafton), Irene Kelly (Jan Burke), and the Women's Murder Club (James Patterson, et al.). Would anyone be interested? I could probably hold it on a Monday or Thursday afternoon or evening or on a Saturday morning or afternoon per month. We would generally use paperback copies to keep the price down for participants. So most months would cost less than $4.00 per book. Some copies of each title would be available as free loans form the library system. The group would select the author/series/title for each session. We could start with suggestions made here. Please let me know if other libraries along the Route 30 corridor or other days and times would be preferred. I will try to be flexible to respond to the greatest interest.

Library News

Did you know that:

• Grove Family Library will be open more hours starting March 3?
• Besore Memorial Library's new director Laura Greenlee is taking up her post when Barb Schuit leaves on February 22?
• Coyle Free Library is offering Spanish for English-speakers on Fridays at 1:00 p.m? Class size is limited, so contact Raphael at 263-1054 to register.
• Alexander Hamilton Library recently hired a new children's librarian, Emily Sharp
• Plans for a new preschool bookmobile are under way with financial help from our friends at T.B. Woods, Altra Industrial Motion, Genstar, and the Rotary Clubs of Franklin County?
• Governor Rendell released his 2008-2009 budget recommendation with a modest increase for public libraries, still not enough to earn Franklin County public libraries the State Aid increase to match the recent increase by the County Commissioners?