Leon County Public Library Newsletter- May-June 2019

May-June 2019

From the Director

Whether you’re looking to meet new people or hoping to avoid talking with others altogether, the libraries are just the place for you! Adults can socialize at the Cards & Coffee program at Woodville Branch Library; meet and share ideas with fellow crafters at the Annie Get Your Glue Gun program at the County Main Library; commiserate with other parents after Baby Time, Story Time, Stay & Play and LEGO ® programs at all libraries; and “talk books” with avid readers of the same genres at book club meetings. Members of groups can also schedule their own programs in library meeting rooms. On the other hand, if you’re interested in getting out but not necessarily seeking a lot of interaction, you may enjoy Booked for Lunch and other author events like, the Library Lecture Series, The Music of Science program, or exploring self-guided reading recommendations via the “Staff Picks” and “Recently Returned” displays.

Children and teens will find a wide range of activities and entertainment this summer. They, too, have options for socializing or not. Read all about “A Universe of Stories” and our kick-off of “The Best Week Ever” in this newsletter. Detailed information will be found in the online calendars and printed schedules at your favorite library.

Now is a good time to share the public library with people you know. On your way to pick up a hold, look for a good movie or attend a program. Bring family members and friends with you. Encourage them to get a library card, enjoy the facilities, and make the most of our programs, services and collections. Libraries are for everyone!

Debra Sears

Upcoming Events

National Bestselling author Tim Dorsey returns to LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library

National bestselling author Tim Dorsey returns to the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library on Thursday, May 2, at 6:30 p.m., as part of his 2019 No Sunscreen for the Dead tour. Dorsey will speak on his Serge A. Storms series of novels, as well as sign copies of his works. He will also have materials on hand for purchase.

Tim Dorsey was born in Indiana but moved to Florida at the age of one. After graduating from Auburn University he worked as a police and courts, general assignment, and political reporter for both the Alabama Journal and the Tampa Tribune before leaving the newspaper business in 1999 to focus on writing full time. He has written over 20 books with the state of Florida as the locale, starring the anti-hero Serge A. Storms. Many of these works have made the bestseller list.

This program is free and open to the public.

Local Writer Saundra Kelley Speaks at Booked for Lunch

Saundra Kelly will be speaking at our Booked for Lunch Program on Thursday May 16 at 12:15 pm.

A descendant of multiple generations of North Floridians, Saundra Kelley is a performer in the oral tradition of Spoken Word. She is the author of three books, and in all of them her love of the natural world is a prominent focus. She earned an undergraduate degree in social sciences from Florida State University and had a career in the nonprofit sector. In 2006 she left Tallahassee to pursue a master's degree in performance art with a storytelling concentration at East Tennessee State University. After graduation, she became a member of the Jonesborough Storytellers Guild Performance Troupe for 10 years, serving three years as president. Since returning to Tallahassee in 2016, she has authored two books and has become very active in the Tallahassee Writer's Association.

Booked for Lunch is a bi-monthly program where we bring local writers in during the lunch hour to speak on their craft and career. Attendees can bring their bag lunches and may enjoy dessert and drinks provided by the Library.

Library Lecture Series at Black Archives

As part of the Library's annual participation in the Festival of Freedom, we're pleased to announce the first Library Lecture Series Event of 2019. Dr. Nashid Madyun will be speaking on African American Ascension:1865-1935: The Rise of the Black Middle Class at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, May 13 at the Meek-Eaton Black Archives at FAMU, 445 Gamble St, Tallahassee, FL 32310. The lecture will be followed by a tour of the archives.

The Festival of Freedom is a month-long series of events commemorating the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation on the steps of the Knott House in 1895. For more information on all community events please click here.

Coffee and Cards at the Woodville Branch Library

Attention adults! We provide the cards, games, and coffee and you provide the laughs and conversation! We regularly play canasta, Phase 10 and Uno. Come check out our large selection of games and make new friends while you're at it! Every Wednesday morning from 10 a.m.- Noon at the County's Woodville Branch Library.

Create art at the library! Help our bookshelves go from beige to beautiful by painting bookends! Bring your creativity to the Woodville Branch Library on Thursday, June 13 at one of our two painting sessions (11 a.m. and 3 p.m.).

Upcoming Releases

Here's a sneak peek of what's coming soon!

Blue Moon by Lee Child

Cari Mora by Thomas Harris

The Never Game by Jeffrey Deaver

The Night Window by Dean Koontz

Queen Bee by Dorothea Benton Frank

The Road Home by Richard Paul Evans

The Summoning by Heather Graham

Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews

Target Alex Cross by James Patterson

Vendetta in Death by J.D. Robb

Browse our entire collection at www.LeonCountyLibrary.org for more great picks. In most cases, you can place a hold before the book comes out!

Youth Services

"A Universe of Stories” @ Your Library

2019 marks the 50th anniversary of the first Moon walk. As we celebrate this great event, you may find our programs a bit “spacey!”

The “Best Week Ever” will kick off our Summer Programs during the week of May 29-31. TallyMoLab will offer “StarLab” at the Woodville Branch Library and “Sound Science with a Space Twist” at all other branches. Stop by your nearest library to participate in hands-on science activities, pick up a summer schedule of free program, and receive a game card to keep up with your summer reading.

During June and July, fun filled free programs will celebrate “A Universe of Stories.” Magicians, drummers, dancers, storytelling, some amazing animals, and more will be offered at these locations and times:

Monday Nights @ Main 6:30 p.m.;

Dr. B.L. Perry Jr. Branch Wednesdays at 3 p.m.;

Eastside Branch Thursdays 3 p.m.;

Fort Braden Branch Thursdays at 6 p.m.;

Lake Jackson Branch Fridays at 3 p.m.;

Northeast Branch Thursdays at 11 a.m.;

Woodville Branch Wednesdays at 1 p.m.

Story Times for elementary-aged students, Baby Time, and LEGO Club will continue throughout the summer. Teens will have their own fun every Thursday at 4 pm at the Main Library with Bleached T-shirts, Teen Gaming Lab, Starry Night Sidewalk Chalk Party, Escape Room, and more. As you attend programs, read books, and visit your library you can add a piece to the Mosaic Puzzle to create a space picture. Brain muscles need to be exercised just like our arm and leg muscles, so plan now to prepare for the next school year by reading 20 minutes every day this summer! Check the online calendar for more free events at www.LeonCountyLibrary.org.

Adult Services/Tech Media

Crafting at Your Library

Calling all crafters! Starting May 9, the Main Library is hosting a crafting group called Annie Get Your Glue Gun. BYOC (Bring Your Own Craft) to this crafters’ meetup held on the second Thursday of every month at 3:00 p.m. Bring a project to work on, plus share your ideas and tips with others. Light refreshments will be provided.

If you're looking for crafting inspiration, the library is your go-to place. We have resources for crafters including books, magazines, downloadable media and DVDs. Whether you want to hone an existing skill or learn a new one, we have resources for all levels of expertise. Come to the library today to learn about polymer clay sculpture, hand lettering, upcycling, papercraft projects and more!

The Music of Science
Thursday, May 23
6:30 p.m.
Main Library, program room A

Join musicologist Bailey Hilgren as she discusses data sonification, the process of turning data into music. Hilgren will share how she uses this music style to turn scientific data about nature into sound. Attendees will learn how this music is created and how to create it themselves.

Branch Update

Jane G. Sauls Ft. Braden Branch Library / 16327 Blountstown Highway

The Leon County Jane G. Sauls Ft. Braden Branch Library is located on Blountstown Highway about 10 miles west of Capital Circle, just a little past the Ft. Braden Elementary School. Small and remote it buzzes with activities. Staff members, Deborah Thomas, Harmony Chezum, and Thomas Chang are eager to find answers to questions, help with computers and provide suggestions on good reads.

The quaint but resourceful Jane G. Sauls Branch Library establishes a hub for community interaction and access to information, services and entertainment like Early Voting, FamilyTime, LEGO Building, and Oculus Rift.

FamilyTime Programs are currently held Saturdays at 11:00 a.m. Be sure to drop by during the month of May, for a series of programs introducing children to handling, earning, saving and spending money. In June, Summer FamilyTime: A Universe of Stories will move to Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. and will host a variety of stories, songs and activities for all ages.

LEGO building welcomes children of all ages and their parents to build their own creations. LEGOs are provided by the library. The finished designs are displayed for one week and a photo is produced for our scrap book. LEGO building is scheduled every Saturday after FamilyTime. When FamilyTime moves to Wednesday, LEGO Building will continue every Saturday from 11:00 am - 1:00pm.

TallyMo Lab visits to kick off the summer programs on Thursday, May 30, at 1:30 p.m. with a program about the science of sound.

S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) is a new hands-on learning activity program scheduled for Tuesdays, June 11 and July 9 at 11:00 a.m.

OCULUS RIFT, virtual reality headset offers a highly immersive 3D experience that is both unusual and exciting. The device is available every Thursday from 3:30 - 5:00 p.m.. Adults and children age 9 and up can take their turn experiencing games, stories and breathtaking visuals.

SPECIAL GUESTS including a magician, a puppet show, music and dance performances will be featured in a series of programs on Thursday evenings at 6:00 p.m. beginning June 5-July 24.

Adult Book Club is held on the last Thursday each month at 5:00 p.m. This year we are reading titles suggested on the PBS Great American Read list.

For more information, check the calendars at www.LeonCountyLibrary.org or call the Jane G. Sauls Ft. Braden Branch Library at 850 606-2900. And don’t forget FREE library cards are available for all Leon County residents.