Library Holidays

Our libraries will be closed Friday, December 23, through Monday, December 26, 2011 for Christmas, then will close at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, December 30, to re-open at their normal times on Tuesday, January 2. Thank you for allowing our staff to spend time over the holidays with their families.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Downloadable Books

This week, OverDrive e-book downloads join One-Click Digital audiobook downloads on our website.

Yes! A new format of the book debuts at Franklin County Library System and Fulton County Library.

Check out the variety of titles immediately available. More will be added on a monthly basis. You will notice they are available in as many as 3 different forms, Epub, Pdf, and Kindle. There are directions through the OverDrive link to help you register and download the format of your choice. These books are on loan from Franklin County Library System for FREE. The advent of the free library e-book download has come to our area.

We welcome your requests of titles at your local library or through my email address bdcrouse@fclspa.org. If you make the request at a local library desk make sure you indicate your format preference: e-book, e-audiobook; Epub, Pdf, or Kindle. Not all titles are readily available through library vendors in any or all formats, so please be patient with us as we build our collection.

We have not and are not abandoning the paper book. Many of our readers love to hold a traditional book in their hands. However, we are forced to remember that at one time literature was on stone or papyrus, so why not electronic devices, too? As always, we will continue to respond to your needs.

Strategic Planning Progress

Our consultant from Tweed-Weber has led discussions of the wonderful survey input you provided with groups of staff and board leaders. The priorities for the next three years are developing out of the suggestions that you have made.

Thank you so much for your compliments to our staff and your overwhelming response that our libraries are important to you and your communities! We value your input and you as customers.

The winner of the Color Nook is being contacted, and we will make a public announcement very soon.

I will also update you when the plan is complete.

Gearing Up

Everyone is busy gearing up for the huge book sale this coming weekend. Don't miss the best selection, brownies and coffee on Friday, starting at 4:00 p.m.

Coming October 28-30...FCLS Book Sale

Wondering where to get reading materials with all the local bookstores closing? Check out our great fall book sale just two weekends from now! More than 20,000 books of all genres to choose from...great prices from $0.25 to $3.00 per book, collectible books available by silent auction. No junk! Just great reading materials, VHS, and more! Chidlren's books, inspirational books, and many of your favorite authors an subjects!

Plus brownies and gourmet coffee on Friday, family activities, lunch and bake sale on Saturday, then bargains on Sunday.

The sale is sponosered by Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Budget Self Storage, and Estate Pro.

Sale benefits library improvements at Coyle, Grove, Besore, St. Thomas, Ft. Loudon, and on the bookmobiles.

LEARN Children's Art Show

Our Besore children, the Book Buggy, and Executive Director Bernice Crouse participated in the LEARN Art Show at First Lutheran Church today. We had some beautiful artwork on exhibit from the preschoolers at Besore Memorial Library. Crouse demonstrated painting a seascape with acrylics for families present and helped children experiment with painting on large sheets of paper. Other LEARN partners led other arts and crafts activities and storytimes were held with Leo Lionni's A Color of His Own.

Thank you Land o' Lakes Foundation for sponsoring FCLS's "Arts in Literature" program and materials over the last year.

Planning Moves Ahead

Monday, library leaders meet to review your input and start the planning process. We will soon know who the Nook winner is. It is no surprise to learn that library users want their hours back, and we are working to make that happen by January 1.

We are working with Tweed-Weber on the planning process. More to come...