Items filtered by date: November 2021
Celebrate National Library Week April 7-13 at Wilkes County Public Library
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Ready, set, library! National Library Week is April 7–13, 2024, and Wilkes County Public Library encourages everyone in the community to visit the library to take part in the festivities and explore all the library has to offer.
Irish Tales and Folklore are Shared in Honor of Henry Glassie
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Henry Glassie, a renowned folklorist, and College Professor Emeritus at Indiana University Bloomington, celebrates his birthday on March 24th. His book, Passing the Time in Ballymenone, is a fascinating and detailed exploration of life in a small, tight-knit community in Northern Ireland. In this book, Glassie captures the rich cultural traditions, values, and beliefs of the people of Ballymenone, offering readers a unique and insightful glimpse into the daily lives of this community.
Black History Reads
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Wilkes County Public Library is recognizing Black History Month with a couple of important readings and conversations. First, save the date for a conversation about Beyond Innocence: The Life Sentence of Darryl Hunt by, Phoebe Zerwick. This book is a deeply reported, gripping narrative of injustice, exoneration, and the lifelong impact of incarceration, Beyond Innocence is the poignant saga of one remarkable life that sheds vitally important light on the failures of the American justice system at every level.
Real-life Stories about Pianos!
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
The Traphill Branch Library's group, The Reading Trap, recently celebrated Thad Carhart's 74th birthday on February 16 by reading his memoir, The Piano Shop on the Left Bank. In the book, Carhart talks about his discovery of the joy of pianos at a piano atelier in Paris, France.
New Library Pickup Lockers and Library Lovers Month Highlights!
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Library Lovers Month Takes the National Spotlight Every February! Libraries are amazing community centers that offer a wide range of books and other resources for public consumption. The best part is that all you need to gain access to these resources is a library card, which is completely free of charge! So, if you haven't got a library card yet, it's high time you get one and start exploring the vast world of knowledge and information that awaits you at the library.
Listen and Read . . . The Sound of Waves, a Reading Trap Recommendation
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
While visiting my grandmother in Florida, during Christmas vacation and sitting on Holmes Beach with a mesmerizing view of the ocean, I read a book titled "The Sound of Waves" by Yukio Mishima, which was published in 1954. Mishima's birthday is on January 14, 1925. If you can’t physically go to the ocean, I promise this book will take you there!
Lessons from Literary Introverts
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
The latest *Reading Trap authors to celebrate birthdays are Fyodor Dostoyevsky (b. Nov 11, 1821) and Alain de Botton (b Dec 20, 1969). Both authors are renowned for their philosophical works, and their books were recently selected for discussion. The reflections about their works are uniquely connected, and they offer an insightful perspective on various philosophical themes that are worth exploring.
Liberty Sessions Unplugged, a Patriotic ‘Picking’ Party
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Wilkes County Public Library is hosting “Liberty Sessions Unplugged” in support of local veterans on December 9, 2023. The event will take place at VFW Post 1142, located at 802 Veterans Drive in North Wilkesboro. The jam session kicks off at 2:00 p.m. with performances by Will Easter, Doug Davis & Friends, and Highway 268. All players and pickers are welcome to join an open jam session from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The event ends with performances by Helen Morris and Friends, The Wilkes Record Players, Autumn Ridge, and Randy McNeil.
Wilkes County Public Library Offers Programming for Spiritual Wellness
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
The holidays can be a stressful time of year, with all the demands of shopping, cooking, entertaining, and traveling. All these factors can upset our spiritual wellness. Spiritual wellness offers a meaningful connection between our inner selves, the world, and the transcendent. It provides purpose, resilience, and a sense of belonging. By exploring life’s questions, spiritual wellness guides us towards purposeful lives. Emotionally, it equips us with tools like compassion and resilience. This wellness fosters unity, empathy, and belonging. This understanding provides a way to achieve greater peace, freedom, and increased manageability over our healing process. Come out for these special events and find inspiration and support to lift your spirits and find joy.
Holiday Happenings at Wilkes County Public Library
by Suzanne Moore, County Librarian
December 4, 2023
OPEN HOUSE 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Are you tired of the same old boring store-bought ornaments? Are you interested in adding a unique and personal touch to your Christmas tree? Try making your own DIY Christmas ornaments with crafty supplies provided by the library. Explore your ‘ornamentality’ by creating a beautiful keepsake for your seasonal décor.
Literary Birthday Spotlight for October
by Suzanne Moore, County Librarian
Aravind Adiga, one of India’s acclaimed authors, was born on October 23, 1974 in Madras (now called Chennai), and grew up in Mangalore in the south of India. His book, The White Tiger, is a 2008 winner of the prestigious Booker Prize for Fiction. Each year the best novel published in the United Kingdom and Ireland, written in the English language, wins this award, named for a British wholesale distribution company.
H.G. Wells, “Father of Science Fiction”
By, Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Herbert George Wells (b. Sept 21, 1866), an English author from the early 1900s, became a ‘Reading Trap’ celebrity at the book club’s September meeting. Wells’ novella masterpieces; War of the World, Invisible Man, Tono-Bungay, The Island of Doctor Moreau, and The Time Machine are recognized as ‘must-reads’ and have also gained popularity over the years in film and radio broadcasts. It was during a performance reading of War of the Worlds, that the radio drama induced mass hysteria by listeners who feared a real Martian invasion.
Fare-thee-well Elizabeth Lee, Youth Services Manager
by: Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Elizabeth Lee, Wilkes County Children’s Librarian, is a champion for the library’s youngest users and an inspiration to their parents. She has been at the helm of the youth services department for 13 years and has quite a following.
Get in Your Element this Fall with a Library Card
Suzanne Moore, County Librarian
September is Library Card Sign-up Month, a time when Wilkes County Public Library joins the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries nationwide to remind everyone about the valuable resources available with a library card.
Since 1987, Library Card Sign-up Month takes place each September to mark the beginning of the school year. During the month, the ALA and libraries work together in a national effort to ensure every child signs up for their own library card.
Human Books on Loan at The Masthead
by Sebastian Dionicio
Wilkes County Public Library held its first Human Library on August 22, 2023, at The Masthead, located in North Wilkesboro, in honor of American novelist and short-story writer Ray Bradbury, where a diverse selection of human "books" were available for "check out" and "readers," like me, were encouraged to look beyond preconceived notions of others and instead to the person who lies within the "pages."
Reflections on Oppenheimer: the Biography and Film
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Traphill Branch Library (and Wilkes Co. Library) coincidently recognizes two books with a unique connection. The Reading Trap Book Club’s Literary Birthday celebrations honored July’s birthday author Martin Sherwin (b. 2 July 1937) and during August pays respect to Barbara Stoller-Miller (b. 8 August 1909).
Kindness Wins with Summer Reading!
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
The Wilkes County Public Library launched a successful summer reading campaign with 639 people signed up to participate as of last Friday. If you are reading this now, it is not too late to register . . . you have until Saturday, July 1. This year the summer reading theme is ‘All Together Now’ with an emphasis on kindness, friendship and unity. All ages are encouraged to relish in good reading and programs. In addition, there are many incentives for tracking your time spent reading. Sign up, READ ON and win prizes!
Explore the Desert at Home with this Recommended Armchair Travel Read
by Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Last month The Reading Trap Book Club (a Traphill Branch Library program) celebrated Wilfred Patrick Thesiger’s birthday (b. June 3, 1910), by reading his amazing travel memoir Arabian Sands. National Geographic notes this book as one of the greatest adventure stories of all time.
Timely Reads Recognize New/Old Authors and Celebrate Spring
by Suzanne Moore, County Librarian
Arto Paasilinna (b. April 20, 1942) and Pär Lagerkvist (b. May 23, 1891) are two notable authors with books highlighted as part of Traphill Library’s Literary Birthdays Series. Paasilinna, a Finnish author, has works translated into twenty-seven different languages and Lagerkvist, a Swedish author, won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1951.
Celebrate National Library Week April 23-29, 2023
by, Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Library
Wilkes County Public Library encourages all community members to visit the library during National Library Week, April 23-29, to explore all they have to offer.
Most people know about the wealth of stories available at the library, from picture books and large print to audiobooks and ebooks. But there's so much more to the story of libraries.
Octavio Paz, Latin America’s Literary Giant
by, Suzanne Moore
Octavio Paz, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1990, is an international figure who became a noted Mexican poet, essayist, and diplomat. He was born in Mexico City, on March 31, 1914, into a family with political and military ties. This time was of course during the height of the Mexican Revolution, and the outbreak of World War I. He saw the rise of fascism when Franco was the Spanish dictator, during World War II. Paz’s essays reflect turmoil and destruction of these times, the clash of cultures, and the identity of Latin America.
Gardens, Bees, and Protecting our Resources
by, Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
Wilkes County Public Library is hosting a series of environmental wellness programs during the month of April to motivate, inspire, and help us sustain the health of our ‘Mother Earth.’ So, goodbye winter and hello spring! Warmer and longer days bring a renewed awareness to the beauty of nature around us. Whether you are a gardener or just enjoy the bounty, the growing season is now in its planting stage.
Wilkes Library Hosts Money Talks in Support of Financial Wellness
by, Suzanne Moore
What is financial wellness? Financial wellness is your ability to live a healthy financial life. It is the power to take control of your financial health now and into the future.
Financial wellness allows you to feel secure over day-to-day and month-to-month finances. You have the means to absorb a financial shock and freedom to make choices that let you enjoy life. You are able meet your long-term financial goals.
You can enhance your financial wellness by improving various aspects of your personal finances.
North Wilkesboro Woman’s Club Recognizes the Year of the Trail
By, Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
The North Wilkesboro Woman’s Club recently donated a guidebook; Great Day Hikes on North Carolina’s Mountain to Sea Trail, to Wilkes County Public Library and the Branch at Traphill. The local chapter of the North Carolina General Federation of Woman’s Clubs has adopted the state president’s special project of highlighting the Mountains-to-Sea-Trail. One particular way that the North Wilkesboro Chapter is doing this is by sharing a beautiful book that is the “Official Guide from Friends of the Mountains-to-Sea-Trail.”
Remembering History with William L. Shirer’s Berlin Diary
By, Suzanne Moore, Wilkes County Librarian
I have spent the month of February absorbed in learning about Nazi Germany. It sounds like a grim topic, but again it is especially important after reflecting on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which takes place each year on January 27. This date is the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau and reminds us horrible atrocities and killings of over six million Jews.