January is passing rapidly, thank goodness. Old Man Winter just couldn't pass up Iowa, could he? But that doesn't mean that Dubuque County Library is not a busy place. Last week, despite the snow, a band of valiant Friends of the Library gave Epworth Branch a new coat of paint. With paint and supplies paid for by the City of Epworth, Mary Groth and Mary Pfeiler organized a crew of painters, gophers, and food providers to get the job done. The library now has lovely off white walls and a light green accent wall. It looks amazing. Now we are in the process of re-arranging the collection after putting up some re-purposed shelves. You simply must stop by and take a look. Big thanks also go to Terrie Lenger for preparing the area to be painted and putting everything back together again.
We had a very nice open house for the new Drexler/Farley branch last week. Many community members came out along with members of the Farley City Council, our Library Board of Trustees, and the Western Dubuque Community School District Board. Jeff Simon, Mayor of Farley, Jeff Corkery, Superintendent of Western Dubuque Community Schools, and I cut the official ribbon. Wayne Demmer from the Board of Supervisors also stopped by to congratulate everyone. The Friends and the City of Farley provided tasty hors oeuvres, coffee, and punch. I believe the citizens of Farley will love the new facility and the expanded hours of operation. The Drexler Middle School staff has been just terrific to work with and so helpful and welcoming to the public.
Storytimes are back in full swing. Be sure to check our website for times and locations. Also on our calendar is a schedule of family movie times. This time of year is a perfect time for relaxing with a movie. Come join us for popcorn.
I'm excited because we are having a discussion of the 2012 All Iowa Reads book at our library. Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder was selected last fall by the All Iowa Reads committee. Our discussion will be on Thursday, February 23rd at 6:30 p.m. at the NICC/Peosta branch. You may pick up a copy of the book for discussion at your local branch. Along with the book will be a list of discussion questions to get you into the mood for talking about the book. Lisa Hendershott and I will be facilitating the discussion that evening.
Here is what Amazon has to say about the book, "Tracy Kidder, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the enduring classic Mountains Beyond Mountains, has been described as the 'master of the non-fiction narrative.' Strength in What Remains is the account of one man’s remarkable American journey. Deo arrives in America from Burundi in search of a new life. Having survived a civil war and genocide, plagued by horrific dreams, he lands at JFK airport with two hundred dollars, no English, and no contacts. He ekes out a precarious existence delivering groceries, living in Central Park, and learning English by reading dictionaries in bookstores. Then Deo begins to meet the strangers who will change his life, pointing him eventually in the direction of Columbia University, medical school, and a life devoted to healing. An extraordinary writer, Tracy Kidder once again shows us what it means to be fully human by telling a story about the heroism inherent in ordinary people, a story about a life based on hope."
I am also sending out another inquiry about starting a book club. I have one other person who is interested and we would like 8-10 more people to get together and talk about organizing a monthly meeting. If this sounds like a good idea to you, please contact me at 563-582-0008 or dawnh@dubcolib.lib.ia.us. I really want to get this started. Thanks!
Right now I'm reading "The Last Town on Earth" by Thomas Mullen. It's the fictional account of a town in Washington state that isolates itself during the World War I influenza epidemic. So far, I love the characters he has developed and the growing tension among the townspeople and nearby communities. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Happy reading and stay warm, Dawn.
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