Timothy Ward of York will read from his book of poetry, "Last Words: A Portrait of Gay Lust, Love and Loss," at 8 p.m. Dec. 1 at Sparky's Café at Martin Library, 159 E. Market St.
Books will be for sale and signing following the reading. Proceeds will go to Family First Health in York for Caring Together/AIDS service.
Singer and author Dwight McNair of Silver Spring, Md., will read from and discuss his recently released book, "A Singer's Prayer and Meditation with Blessing and Thanksgiving," at 11 a.m. Nov. 21 at Sparky's Cafe at Martin Library, 159 E. Market St., York. Refreshments will be served.
For details, visit www.dwightmcnair.com.
DEBORAH SULLIVAN
On the Shelves
It's no secret that I love books. They regularly make their way to my house from libraries, bookstores, friends and book sales. Maybe my bibliophile nature borders on addiction. But it's not an addiction where I am compelled to hide at home, unless I am reading of course.
Every time I venture out to one of my favorite book haunts, I quickly find that others with the same obsession. I think it stems from one inherent belief we share -- there is no such thing as having too many books.
We all know that our local York County libraries are great places to borrow books, but not everyone is aware that they are also venues to buy gently used books. Twelve of our 13 locations have some space dedicated to book sales. The prices are low, most items are $2 or less, and because of the turnover, there are usually new books each time one visits.
York County Libraries is holding a celebration for first-grade readers from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Nov. 14 at the West Manchester Mall. The event features nationally-known children's author and Illustrator Tedd Arnold, who will tell stories and sketch some of the characters in his books. Kids can also have their face painted by Skeeta the Clown, and listen to storytellinger Beth Rebert. The free event will be held in the Bon-Ton Court.
The celebration is the culminating event of this year's "Grade One At the Library" (GOAL) program which encourages first-grade students to get and use a library card. The program is made possible through major sponsorship by PeoplesBank.
Participants receive incentives during three library visits, with the final prize being Arnold's book "Hi! Fly Guy." Children are invited to bring their copy along for the author to autograph. Several of Arnold's orhter books will be available for purchase and autograph.
The Paul Smith Library of Southern York County will collect new and used paperback books during November for shipment to American troops overseas.
The library is one of several collection points for the Sertoma Club's book drive for Operation Paperback, a Pennsylvania non-profit that has shipped nearly one million books to troops over the last decade. Other local drop-off sites include the YMCA Southern Branch and the Mason-Dixon Public Library.
Donations should be marked for Operation Paperback and dropped off during normal library hours.
The Paul Smith Library is at 80 Constitution Ave. in Shrewsbury.
Among the many One Book, One Community programs:
Altered Books, 6 p.m. Sept. 24 at Red Land Community Library, 48 Robin Hood Drive, Etters. Joyce McCormick will teach how to use paints, stamps, decoupage and cutting to turn old books into keepsakes. Register by calling 938-5599 or at the library. For ages 13 to adult.
Pulitzer-Prize winning author Geraldine Brooks, whose novel "People of the Book" is this year's One Book, One Community selection, took a break from her current projects to answer questions for the York Daily Record/Sunday News via e-mail.
YDR: What role, if any, did libraries play in your youth?
Brooks: Libraries were HUGE in my youth. My family didn't have a lot of excess cash when I was growing up, so most of our books came from the library. We'd go as a family, on a Saturday. My parents would haul home an armful each of contemporary fiction and my sister and I were free to graze at will through the riches of the children's section.
I applaud the One Book, One Community selection committee for choosing "People of the Book" for this year's community read.
Geraldine Brook's historical novel tells the 500-year history of a Haggadah, or illustrated Jewish prayer book, and how Jews, Christians and Muslims repeatedly saved it from destruction, often at great personal risk.
Brooks is a masterful writer who won a Pulitzer Prize for "March," a novel about the absent father in "Little Women." Her other book, "Year of Wonders," is about a small English town visited by bubonic plague in the 17th century. I recommend them all.
So be sure to drop by the library or book store soon to pick up your copy. Then go to www.yorklibraries.org for a list of One Book, One Community activities.
By BETH VRABEL
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Nan Cavanaugh's been waiting a year to tell the world -- or at least seven local county library systems -- about this year's One Book, One Community selection.
This year's choice is "People of the Book," by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks. The novel focuses on the restoration of an ancient Haggadah, an illustrated Hebrew prayer book, and uses back stories to connect the book to times of persecution and bravery spanning 500 years.
By BETH VRABEL
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Karen Hostetter knows how to pick a great read, and not just because she is in charge of library relations for all of York County libraries. She listens to patrons as they return their orders. If they're still raving about the book when it's due, she knows to take it home.
That's why she's a big fan of a new feature in the annual Summer Reading Club, going on now in county libraries. Patrons can go online to leave reviews of books they've checked out. The anonymous critiques are posted on a link for the Summer Reading Club, organized by age group.
"The adult (membership) is what just blew me away," said Hostetter, who said half her day is spent signing up club readers. More than 1,000 reviews have been submitted so far, Hostetter said. Members can add their reviews while logging their reading time online.
DEB SULLIVAN
On the Shelves
Where will you Mango?
Will you Mango at home or at the library?
Mina Edmondson, director of information services for York County Libraries, hopes that the public will try the Mango Languages software on the www.yorklibraries.org Web site.
Added about three months ago, this new educational resource offers a convenient way to learn Mandarin Chinese, Italian, Spanish, French, German and English-as-a-Second-Language at one's own pace via a library or home computer. Use of the service is free with a library card.
On The Shelves
By Deb Sullivan
If I had the proverbial soapbox, I would be standing on it right now in Harrisburg advocating that our state legislators preserve funding for libraries during this critical budget year. I understand that they are facing some very challenging fiscal decisions.
By Deborah Sullivan
York County Libraries
If history repeats itself, and it usually does, students have already started the countdown to the last day of school. It is also a pretty sure bet that teachers have started counting too.
Parents are keeping track because they are asking what York County libraries have in the works for the next few months. And our librarians are paying close attention too, because as the school year winds down, they are gearing up to greet the thousands of kids and their parents who flock to the library looking for fun and free things to do during our annual Summer Reading Club.
This year's theme, "Be Creative @ Your Library," is packed full of art, theater, magic shows, story times, movies and craft programs designed for a variety of ages.
By JOSEPH MALDONADO
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Despite having published three books and countless newspaper articles, 54-year-old Nathan McCall cannot say how long he has been a writer.
"I wish I could tell you," said McCall. "Even though I have been a professional writer since 1981, there were always days in my life when I felt like I should have been writing and times today when I still feel like I'm not a writer at all."
If the affirmation of his readers is any indication, McCall should have no doubt that he is a writer. And if the excitement that has been generated by his impending visit to York is any indication, he is a well-liked and highly respected author to boot.
On Friday and Saturday, McCall will be a guest speaker of The York City Human Relations Commission and Martin Library. The two groups are collaborating to celebrate April's National Fair Housing Month and National Library Week, April 13-18.
The Horn Farm Center for Agricultural Education and Kreutz Creek Library will sponsor a discussion of "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" by Barbara Kingsolver at 7 p.m. March 2 at the Kreutz Creek Presbyterian Church social hall, 85 Old Church Lane, west of Hallam.
Participants will taste and discuss food made from recipes in the book.
Author Tom Bailey signs a copy of "The Grace That Keeps This World" for a reader at Joseph T. Simpson Library in Mechanicsburg.
Southcentral Pennsylvania's One Book, One Community campaign enticed thousands of area residents to read "The Grace That Keeps This World" by Tom Bailey.
The book was borrowed more than 3,300 times according to tracking done by the Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York County library systems and HACC academic libraries.
An estimated 1,245 readers participated in 83 library programs, including book discussions. Bailey made 14 appearances.
And more than 2,800 individuals visited the One Book Web site, www.oboc.org.
Kelly Horner will present "Let It Snow" at 10:30 a.m. Jan. 17 in the John D. Bare Center of Guthrie Memorial Library-Hanover's Public Library, 2 Library Place.
Horner will share snow-themed books and activities for children in kindergarten through second grade. For details, visit www.guthrielibrary.org.
One of my former college roommates is obsessed with something called Book Crossing.
You might have heard of it. Maybe from the stamp inside a paperback in your dentist's waiting room, the stickers on stacks of free books in a local coffee shop.
Here's how it works:
Red Land Community Library, 48 Robin Hood Drive, Etters, closed today for renovations and anticipates a reopening celebration in February.
Dairy Delights, an ice cream shop at 320 Newberry Commons, will host the library for limited hours and story times throughout the construction.
York County Library System is embarking on a county-wide membership campaign to encourage first-grade students to get and use a library card.
The initiative, Grade One At the Library: Shoot for the GOAL, runs today through Oct. 3.
Martin Library will be open on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. from Sept. 21 through Dec. 21.
The library, 159 East Market St. in York, will provide all services on Sundays, including free Internet. Also, parking is free in York on Sundays.
Some Sunday events planned:
Sept. 21 -- Story time with Mouse from "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" at 1:30 and 3:30 p.m., live music from Mark DeRose, and a cake decorating demonstration from Brown's Orchards and Farm Market at 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 -- Hispanic heritage celebration.
Oct. 5 -- First grade membership welcome party with appearances by Lyle Lyle Crocodile.
Oct. 19 -- Cartoon Flashback Extravaganza and meet Corduroy.
Oct. 26 -- "Step into now" makeover contest reveal.
For details, call 846-5300 or visit www.yorklibraries.org
By BETH VRABEL
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Area libraries are challenging readers to trade the muggy, late-summer days of central Pennsylvania for the bitter cold of winter in the Adirondacks as part of the annual One Book, One Community program.
This year's book selection, announced Wednesday afternoon at Pequea Valley Public Library in Intercourse, Lancaster County, is "The Grace That Keeps This World" by Tom Bailey.
Local author John Coulson will sign copies of his new book, "Hanover Raiders: Minor League Baseball in Hanover, Pennsylvania," from 6 to 8 p.m. July 31 at Guthrie Memorial Library-Hanover's Public Library, 2 Library Place.
To read more about his book, click here: http://www.yorkblog.com/yorktownsquare/2008/07/hanover.php .
As part of my campaign to visit every York Library, I checked out the books on tape section at the attractive and easily accessible Red Land Community Library.
See see what I found there and to see a little library history to boot, visit York County libraries offer serendipity - and have done so for decades at York Town Square blog.
Calling all gardeners!
Have you ever wanted to keep track of what you grow and how well it does in your garden so you know what to do next year?
![bernesemountaindog_angelo[1].jpg](http://www.yorkblog.com/books/img/bernesemountaindog_angelo%5B1%5D.jpg)
If your child has just started to learn to read, or if he could use a little encouragment to read, Pippa, Buster and Jackson can't wait to hear a good story!
Allyson A.W. Lyga will show how comics foster literacy and model graphic-novel lessons connected to national and state standards at 7 p.m. May 15 at Dillsburg Area Public Library, 17 S. Baltimore St., in Dillsburg.
Winners of the Your Voice contest that was part of Street Lit, Hip-Hop, Reading and Writing @ Martin Library are:
Keyona Bennett, 15, Hannah Penn Middle School, for “Starting Pains.”
Joshua Pagan, 16, William Penn Senior High School, for “Like a Cloud.”
Jarayssa Johnson Punter, 18, William Penn Senior High School, “My Angel.”
Cateisha Fells, 16, West York Area High School, “You Don’t Know Me.”
Latisha Murray, 17, William Penn Senior High School, “To Those Who Love Not.”
This summer the East Berlin Community Library is looking for responsible teens to give 2 hours of their time each week to volunteer in the library.
A student's view of comics and a professor's view of graphic novels will be the last two programs in Dillsburg Library's "Comics From the Classics to the Graphix" series.
By MEGAN ERICKSON
For the Daily Record/Sunday News
Alex Martin is an Eagle Scout and is interested in astronomy and physics. The 15-year-old sophomore at Susquehannock High School is currently working on a 30-square-foot hand-drawn maze, and hopes to attend college for astrophysics.
And there’s another accomplishment he’s got in the bag — he’s a published author.
“Shadows: The Narlan Wars” is the first of four books in the “Shadows Cycle.” Alex said the book is science fiction, along the lines of “Star Wars” and “Lord of the Rings.” He first became interested in writing a book when the “Eragon” series by Christopher Paolini came out in 2003. Paolini himself was a young writer, and Alex was inspired by him.
Have you just finished reading a book you couldn't put down, or one that kept putting you to sleep?
We want to hear about it, good or bad.
Send your book review to gfogal@ydr.com and we will post it here.
Devotees of line-drawn literature will share their enthusiasm for the genre during Dillsburg Area Public Library’s “Comics From the Classics to the Graphics” program.
All sessions are scheduled for 7 p.m. at the library, 17 S. Baltimore St.
Robin Brande, author of "Evolution, Me and other Freaks of Nature," will be the featured speaker for the 4th Annual Teen Read Week Kick-Off from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 13 at Guthrie Memorial Library, 2 Library Place, Hanover.
The program is for ages 13 to 18 only.
Schedule of events:
5 to 5:30 p.m. -- Play human scavenger hunt
5:30 to 6 p.m. -- Presentation by Robin Brande
6 to 7 p.m. -- Teens will break into small groups for craft activities, including a project by Sheila Zent, the author of "Sew Teen Improv"; bead working and the T-shirt machine. There also will be food, including a chocolate fountain.
7 to 7:30 p.m. -- Improv with the A-OK players
7:30 to 7:45 p.m. -- Door prize drawings.
Local author Judy Wolfman will lead an intensive one-day seminar, Get the Creative Jucies Flowing, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 20 at Martin Library, 159 E. Market St., York.
