Friday, January 31, 2014

Find your perfect Valentine at the library!

erinlawless.wordpress.com
The Musselman-South Berkeley Community Library is ready to play matchmaker with our Blind Date with a Book program! Come in before February 7th to fill out a short dating profile. We'll use this profile to match you with a romantic novel. We'll wrap your book to keep its identity a surprise and have it ready for check out from February 14th to February 21st.

Your profile will help us guide you towards a romance that is traditional/historical, paranormal, fantastical, suspenseful, or modern. For those who prefer it, we will offer the option of requesting "clean" romance. Although we cannot read every book before matching it, we will search carefully and do our best to match every reader with just the right book!

Thursday, January 30, 2014

Staff Picks: The All-Girls Filling Station's Last Reunion

The All-Girls Filling Station's Last Reunion
Fannie Flagg
2013

Fannie Flagg's long-anticipated new book is a delight. Like many of her books, it continues the story of characters we first met in Welcome to the World, Baby Girl! This time, we read more about Sookie and Earl Poole, now empty-nesters.

As the book opens, Sookie is finally ready to relax, having married off the last of her daughters. Before she can settle in to a calm routine though, she receives old documents in the mail that reveal a long-hidden family secret. In characteristic Fannie Flagg style, the book has frequent flashbacks and tells us the story from many characters' points of view.

This is a wonderful story about family and identity that I wanted to savor but also had trouble putting down—like all Flagg novels, it is a treat.

Hannah Wilkes
Musselman-South Berkeley Community Library

Monday, January 27, 2014

FREE Tax-Aide

www.catholicvote.org
AARP Tax-Aide volunteers will be available to assist people with filing their federal and state income taxes beginning Saturday, February 3, 2014 at the Martinsburg Public Library and Wednesday, February 5 at the Musselman-South Berkeley Community Library. These volunteers will assist anyone requesting help regardless of age or financial status.

People are assisted on a first-come, first-serve basis. There are NO appointments taken at Martinsburg Public Library or Musselman-South Berkeley Community Library. No questions will be answered over the phone.

AARP Tax-Aide volunteers will also be assisting the public with state and federal taxes at North Berkeley Public Library this year. Tax-Aide will be available by appointment only on Fridays and Saturdays during tax season.

NOTE: If libraries are closed, Tax-Aide volunteers will not be at that facility. Times and dates may be subject to change.

TAX-AIDE SCHEDULE

Martinsburg Public Library
February 3, 2014 - April 14, 2014
Mondays | 9:30 am - 8:00 pm
Tuesdays | 9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Saturdays | 9:30 am - 1:00 pm

Musselman-South Berkeley Community Library
February 5, 2014 - April 10, 2014
Wednesdays | 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thursdays | 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

North Berkeley Public Library
February 5, 2014 - April 4, 2014
Fridays | 11:00 am - 3:00 pm
Saturdays | 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

Friday, January 24, 2014

What to read after Fifty Shades...

If you were seduced by the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy, check out the enticing titles of these authors…

Indigo Bloome
Avalon Novels
FIC Bloo.I

Book Jacket for: Destined to play Book Jacket for: Destined to feel Book Jacket for: Destined to fly : an Avalon novel 

Marina Anderson
FIC Ande.M
 


Book Jacket for: Haven of obedience


Megan Hart
FIC Hart.M

Book Jacket for: Switch

Sylvia Day
FIC Day.S

Book Jacket for: Bared to you Book Jacket for: Reflected in you Book Jacket for: Entwined with you

Maya Banks
FIC Bank.M

Book Jacket for: Rush Book Jacket for: Fever Book Jacket for: Burn

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Money Book Discussion

Beginning on Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 2:00 PM, the Martinsburg Public Library will offer a new book discussion which will concentrate on money. The discussion will focus on each author's view of money and money management. 
The first book in the series is The Soul of Money by Lynne Twist. The publisher writes, "This unique and fundamentally liberating book shows us that examining our attitudes toward money--earning it, spending it, and giving it away--can offer surprising insight into our lives, our values, and the essence of prosperity.

"Lynne Twist, a global activist and fundraiser, has raised more than $150 million for charitable causes. Through personal stories and practical advice, she demonstrates how we can replace feelings of scarcity, guilt, and burden with experiences of sufficiency, freedom, and purpose. In this Nautilus Award-winning book, Twist shares from her own life, a journey illuminated by remarkable encounters with the richest and poorest, from the famous (Mother Teresa and the Dalai Lama) to the anonymous but unforgettable heroes of everyday life."

After the initial meeting, participants will select other titles to be discussed and possible speakers to present programs at future meetings.

Registration is free but required. For more information, call Pam at 304-267-8933, extension 203.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

January Events at Musselman-SB

www.freebee360.com
Join us on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at the Mussleman-South Berkeley Community Library for a special Family Afternoon featuring a fairy tale story and craft.

Also, stop by for weekly story times with crafts every Wednesday and Thursday morning at 10:30 AM.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Help Sessions: E-Readers & Audio Books

betanews.com
Did you receive an e-reader or downloadable device for Christmas but are unsure how to use it? Did you know that the library has both e-books and audio books that patrons can checkout and download free of charge?

The IT staff from Martinsburg Public Library will host help sessions in January (one at each of our four libraries) to guide you through the setup and downloading process. Sessions are scheduled for the following dates:

Martinsburg Public Library
Tuesday, January 21 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Musselman-South Berkeley Community Library
Wednesday, January 22 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Naylor Memorial Library
Thursday, January 23 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

North Berkeley Public Library
Friday, January 24 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Drop by on these dates or visit the Martinsburg Public Library computer lab for help. No appointments necessary in the lab!

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Geek the Library: What do you GEEK?

Geek (verb) 1: To love, to enjoy, to celebrate, to have an intense passion for. 2: To express interest in. 3: To possess a large amount of knowledge in. 4: To promote.




The Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries launches its Geek the Library campaign in January of 2014. This campaign is a community-based awareness program designed to highlight the vital role of public libraries in today's challenging environment and raise awareness about the critical funding issues public libraries are facing. Throughout the year you will find special geek-related activities including a "Geek of the Week" board so that you can see what others in your community geek! Look for Geek the Library signs throughout the libraries for more information.

Geek the Library is sponsored by the nonprofit library cooperative OCLC and funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For more information about supporting your library, you can visit geekthelibrary.org.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

News from Naylor!

www.arcsofia.org
The staff at the Naylor Memorial Library in Hedgesville is getting ready for the big move to our new building in a few months, but that doesn't mean that books are packed away and that there's nothing new to read! We've just added graphic novels like War Machine, All Hail Megatron, Batman: The Court of Owls (volume 1 of the New 52!), and more! We also added the newest Patterson, Jackson, Evanovich, and Jance to our Mystery section and the most recent Danielle Steel and Debbie Macomber to our Fiction section. The Romance section has been completely updated and relocated so that it's much easier to browse!

But wait, there's more! We've updated out non-fiction with biographies of famous figures, not to mention new cookbooks, diet books, books on history, and even a book on learning how to speed-read. Yes folks, we have it all right here at Naylor Memorial!

Looking for something for the kids? We've seen a surge in new picture books and easy readers including several award-winning titles. A large number of new non-fiction titles have been added to the collection as well. These books should definitely help with those school reports in the spring!

Interested? Check out the shelves of the Naylor Memorial Library in Hedgesville. Do we still not have the book you need? Request the book from another tri-county library through the courier system or try an interlibrary loan for an expanded search.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Friends of the Martinsburg Public Library

www.tuscaloosa-library.org

Interested in supporting and advocating for your library? 

Learn more about being a Friend of the Library and what Friends of the Library groups do at an informational meeting to be held Sunday, January 12, 2014 in the Genealogy Room of the Martinsburg Public Library at 2:00 PM. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Saturday, January 4, 2014

2014: New Year, New You

Want to learn something new in the upcoming year?


The Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries can start you off on the right foot. The Martinsburg Public Library will host an expo featuring local businesses, organizations, and library resources to do just that!

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU 2014 EXPO
Saturday, January 25, 2014
10:00am - 3:00pm

Explore new topics and/or opportunities for 2014. Talk to community members about ways to improve and empower yourself for the new year. Areas of interest range from fitness, personal well-being, health/nutrition, and finances to educational pursuits and learning new skills.

For more information about attending the expo or being a vendor at the expo, please call the library at 304-267-8933 and ask for Sarah Shewbridge or Kelly Tanksley. You may also email Sarah and Kelly at sarah.shewbridge@martin.lib.wv.us and kelly.tanksley@martin.lib.wv.us.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

January Events at NBL

craftsmumship.com
January 13 | Knit a Frilly Scarf 
Learn to make the "frilly scarves" that are all the rage these days. If you can knit a simple stitch, you can do this! Any size knitting needles can be used. Please call ahead at 304-274-3443 so that we can determine the amount of yarn to supply.

WE GEEK KNITTING!!!

January 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 | Story & Craft Time

And don't forget about Tuesday Nights at the Library!


January 7 | Lego Freeplay


January 14 | Craft & Game Night


January 21 | Friends of the NBL Meeting


January 28 | Lego Club

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

January 2014: From the Director's Chair

As 2014 begins, the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries introduces a new theme: New Year, New You! I decided I would start the year off with an acrostic poem about the LIBRARY. This month, I will begin with the letter L, February will follow with the letter I, March with the letter B, and so forth.

www.library.illinois.edu


An acrostic poem can be written in different ways. The simplest form is to put the letters that spell your word down the side of a page. For each letter, think of a word, phrase, or sentence that starts with the letter and also describes the word/subject. For instance...

L Literature
I  Interests
B Busy
R Reading
A Audio books
R Recreation
Y Young learners

The L in LIBRARY represents a wide array of subjects, including learning, literature, and liberty. Libraries embrace all of these. If you want to learn, either formally or informally, come to the library. We have CDs, DVDs, and electronic resources on a variety of topics. We also have computers on which you can access online classes. Some staff members are also able to proctor tests for students.

By partnering with the Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, the public library is able to provide students with additional online databases, laptop computers, and staff members with Master's degrees in library and information science to assist with research. Because of this partnership, the rest of our patrons and the community benefit as well.

L is also for literature--good and bad. Literature is the mainstay of our collection. From literary works and classics to mysteries or science fiction and children's books, the library provides reading materials for everyone. Developing a library collection means that items are added that suit all tastes and interests. These include religious fiction, urban literature, and more. You can  find a variety of topics in the library in many different formats, including regular print, large print, audio book format, and downloadable formats online.

L also stands for liberty. What other institution provides programs, materials from across the state and country, magazines, and online resources including e-books and academic databases free to its patrons? Liberty is found in the diverse opinions, viewpoints, and information found in the library. A good library will provide both sides of an issue, allowing the patron to make informed decisions.

Consider what the L in library means to you. Lounging, laughter, logic, or love of reading perhaps?