New NEW Section

Stop by the main floor of the Martinsburg Public Library to check out our new NEW MATERIALS section! You will find all of our new fiction, mysteries, westerns, sci-fi novels, nonfiction, audiobooks, Christian fiction, and large print novels—all in one, convenient place! 

If you are unsure about where specific items are located, feel free to use our Public Access Computers near the circulation desk, or ask one of the Circulation Assistants on duty for help.

Because this project is still a work-in-progress, we certainly appreciate your patience. Thank you!

Resource Highlight: American History Online

www.panoramio.com

Today we celebrate the birthdays of the first President of the United States, George Washington, and the sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln. They would be 281 and 204 years old respectively, if still alive today!

But the holiday also honors all of the other American presidents, past and present.

The library has countless books about our presidents, the presidency, and American history in general. 

But did you know that we also have a lot of wonderful online resources too? One of them is a great, free, online database (accessible with a library card) called American History Online?  

It includes biographies of noteworthy American citizens (including our presidents), information about specific events throughout American history, and dictionary definitions of key terms. It also includes multimedia and images to make your visit to American History Online as enjoyable (and educational) as possible.

To visit American History Online, go to the library’s website, click on Resources, and then on History. Under this heading you will find the database. 

Please contact the Reference Librarian at the Martinsburg Public Library (304-267-8933) for log-in information. And enjoy browsing through years and years of American history!

WV Reads 150

Want to challenge yourself this year to read more books than you ever have before? Then join us for a book-reading, birthday celebration for the state of West Virginia.

WV Reads 150 is a year-long reading initiative that encourages West Virginians to read 150 books in any format (printed book, e-book, downloadable text, etc.) from any source, during the course of 2013, West Virginia’s sesquicentennial year. 

Books can be on any topic, fiction or non-fiction, but they must be read between January 1 and December 31, 2013.

Readers can read 150 books individually, or create teams to read 150 books collectively. Libraries across West Virginia are encouraged to form teams to compete. Teams, which can have up to 15 members, must choose a name and select a leader to keep track of the books read by team members.

All ages and groups can participate – friends, coworkers, book clubs, classmates, seniors, etc. If children are too young to read on their own, kids can have their parents read to them. Families can use their Summer Reading Program reading toward their West Virginia Reads 150 tally.

Fill out the online application to register (below), or pick up an application at your local library.

Registration Form
Reading Log

So grab some books, enlist a few friends, and continue to check at your local library to learn more about this exciting program. 

Voices of Civil Rights

February is Black History Month, also known as African-American History Month. During this time we celebrate the struggles and achievements of African-Americans throughout history and in the present.

Did you know that the Martinsburg Public Library owns the History Channel's excellent documentary Voices of Civil Rights? You can find it in our DVD collection with the call number included below.  

DVD 323.1196 V8896

This 2-volume set covers a variety of events through history, "from the fearless resolve of a single woman to the remarkable voice of thousands marching. This History Channel special offers an overview of one of America's great defining periods. It is a compilation of materials on the civil rights movement, from personal narratives of life in the period, to insights into the Mississippi Sovereignty Commission, to the 1965 march on Montgomery, along with biographies of two of the leaders of the movement" (worldcat.org).

February 2013: From the Director's Chair

www.edinboro.edu

This month we celebrate the birthdays of two presidents who had the most impact on this nation. One who helped form and establish it; the other who forged it back together. This was not accomplished by accident but because they were great leaders.

Thousands of books, articles, and consultants offer insights into how to become a leader rather than a manager of people. One of the programs offered by The Berkeley County Chamber of Commerce is Leadership Berkeley part of a state-wide initiative to foster leadership skills from a variety of organizations. Our own Kelly Tanksley, Director of Development, is in this year’s class.

If you are asking, what does this have to do with me, I’m just a…(fill in the blank); you are mistaken. Everyone is a leader. Parents are leaders to their children; co-workers can lead their fellow workers to excel; pastors lead their congregations; students can lead their classmates to be productive (or to be disruptive).

Most people in management positions strive to be good leaders. Many of them are at a disadvantage because they were never mentored or never had good role models or never had the innate skills required to lead. Everyone can improve their leadership by participating in conferences/workshops, by studying those who are good leaders, or by learning from the many books and tapes available at your library.

Whether you aspire to be president of the country, a company, or to be a teller in a bank, you need to understand what your leadership style is. Learning to be a better leader is essential and you can learn from many mentors. Whether it is Winnie the Pooh, Attila the Hun, or Abraham Lincoln, the more you understand about leadership, the more effective you will become.

Pam Coyle, Director

Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Libraries