Library’s reading club promotes much-needed community literacy

http://unionrecorder.com/editorials/x854235122/Library-s-reading-club-pr...

The Union-Recorder

MILLEDGEVILLE — The Twin Lakes Library System recently wrapped up another successful Summer Reading Club with strong participation at all program levels.

The Mary Vinson Memorial Library closed early on July 20, due to the fact that our air conditioning unit stopped working. It is currently undergoing repairs and we will reopen as soon as it is working again.

The 30th Annual Library Fair will be held on September 18, 2010 and you're welcome to become a Sponsor right now! All Sponsors will be included in advertising leading up to the event and will be thanked on the day of the Fair! If you'd like to become a Sponsor please mail your donation to

The Friends of the Library
151 S. Jefferson Street
Milledgeville, Ga. 31061

Only a couple more days to voice your opinion about library services and hours! From the main page of the website, just click on "Library User Survey" to let us know what you think!

Pete Griffin and his Birds of Prey will be at the Mary Vinson Memorial Library on Thursday July 8 at 10:30 a.m. Pete always delivers a great show and he'll have plenty of feathered friends with him! Come early to get a good seat!

This Sunday will see our nation observing Independence Day. We hope that everyone has a wonderful July 4th experience. In recognition of the holiday, all of our branches will be closed on Monday July 5, 2010. We will reopen at our usual hours on Tuesday July 6, 2010.

By Paul LeClerc - President, The New York Public Library

Anyone who hasn't been living on the far side of the moon knows and acknowledges that success today depends on information: access to it and the skills to exploit it.

And it's been recognized, at least since the time of Jefferson--who said that information is the currency of a democracy--that a more just society is founded on the notion that its people will have free access to information.

Yes, it's a plural month where we have two very well-deserving employees to take the coveted title. Summer Reading Club has the tendency to bring out the very best and worse in all of us. And while I'm sure these two have had their moments, they have made it quite clear that they can handle the stresses of increased patrons, increased books, and increased headaches with poise and professionalism. They see the strain of the summer months and scoff, they soldier on in the excessive heat of the summer, and they bare the slings and arrows of public service with a smile.

A very common and sometimes frustrating misconception regarding summer reading lists distributed by local schools is that the public library has the books on the list. However, we are very sorry to say that the schools do not coordinate with us when creating the lists or in putting out information stating that we have the items on them. For years it has been our hope that we be included in the process so that we may anticipate the demand for specific titles. Unfortunately this has not been the case.

Professional cartoonist and illustrator Tim Oliphant, also known as Mr. Ollie, will be at the Mary Vinson Memorial Library sketching caricatures of library visitors today. He will be at the Mary Vinson Memorial Library from 4:30 pm until 6:00 pm. The public is invited to stop by the library and have their caricature done, and there is no charge for the portrait. Don't forget to visit us on Facebook and be the first to know when special events are coming our way!