GET READY -- THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM IS ALMOST HERE!

Join us for the 2009 Summer Reading Program, and Be Creative @ the Library!
JOIN THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM TO CHART YOUR READING TIME, WIN PRIZES, AND BE A PART OF THE ACTION AT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY!

SIGN UP BEGINS JUNE 16!

JOIN US, TOO, FOR FUN STORYTIMES FOR ALL CHILDREN:

IN ABBEVILLE ON WEDNESDAYS AT 11:30
June 17, June 24, July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29, Aug 5

IN CALHOUN FALLS ON WEDNESDAYS AT 4:00
June 17, June 24, July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29, Aug 5

IN DONALDS ON THURSDAYS AT 4:00
June 18, June 25, July 9, July 16, July 23, July 30, Aug 6



MOTHER GOOSE IS ON THE LOOSE!

IN ABBEVILLE FRIDAYS AT 10:30

June 12, June 19, July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31

LOOK OUT! Mother Goose is on the loose and ready to strengthen your baby's foundation for literacy with rhymes, rhythm, repetition, story, and movement.
Geared for babies 1 month to 24 months.

Parents and caregivers should stay with children during all storytimes

Library use is up throughout the nation -- and throughout Abbeville County

"Library use is up -- as belts tighten, people who might have bought a book in flusher times suddenly remember this fantastic free civic resource. . . .libraries are free, welcoming and comforting spaces: you don't feel judged or like you should be buying something. And these days, libraries offer more than books. Did you know that according to the American Library Association, 73 percent of libraries provide the only free Internet access in their communities? In rural areas it's 83 percent. For many out-of-work people looking for jobs, for low-income students who don't have the Internet at home, the library provides the only access to information technology they can afford."

From: Katha Pollitt's article "Stimulating Reading" in the Feb. 9 issue of The Nation

Be Like Nancy

People just don't read books anymore . . .

You can just imagine my reaction when someone told me last night that, "people just don't read books anymore". If you've been at any of our libraries lately and seen the people leaving with big stacks of reading material, you'll know that it's just not true. If you've heard us calling delighted patrons to tell them that their books are in, you'll know that it's just not true. And when you see the numbers for library use in the past year, well . . . you get the picture!

In the past year (May 5, 2008 to May 5, 2009):

At the Donalds Library, people have checked out 13,835 items

At the Calhoun Falls Library, people have checked out 10,602 items

At the Abbeville Library, people have checked out 55,909 items

That totals 80,346 items checked out of the libraries in the last year.

This reflects those big stacks of books, and also the movies, music, magazines and learning toys which are available at the libraries.

Come by and see if you don't leave with a sackful, too!

Photo contest winners portray 'Day in the Life of South Carolina'

"The county library staff must be fairly photogenic.


Two photos taken in the Abbeville County Library System earned awards in the third annual National Library Week “Day in the Life of South Carolina Libraries” photo contest sponsored by the South Carolina State Library.

“Throughout National Library Week, librarians from across the state photograph the work that is done to help patrons,” Abbeville director Mary Elizabeth Land said. “The Abbeville County Library System placed second statewide in the Librarians Helping Patrons category and earned an honorable mention in the Most Humorous category.”




The Librarians Helping Patrons photo featured Rita Brownett helping Ashley Weyer at the Donalds Library, and the humorous honorable mention photo showed Land reading to a guinea pig with the subhead “Story time isn’t just for people.”

Contest categories also included Best Overall and Librarians as Technology Gurus. From statewide submissions, two winners were selected in each category as well as six total honorable mentions, according to a news release from the State Library. Judging criteria was based on composition, quality, subject, lighting, creativity and the ability to capture the spirit of South Carolina libraries."

By JENNIFER COLTON for the Index Journal / jcolton@indexjournal.com
Tuesday, April 28, 2009