Ex Libris

The Library’s Pre-school Story Time has changed to 10:30 a.m. on
Tuesdays. This is a great introduction to the world of library arts
for the kids who will grow up and become Friends of the Library.
Bring your favorite toddler in and let her/him get a first glimpse
of what the human species has accomplished over the last few
hundred thousand years.
Then, from 1:30 to 3:30, also on Tuesdays, is Teen Lounge. All
you have to be is 12 to 18 years old to come in and join your
friends for snacks, board games, Nintendo Wii, and crafts. Well,
okay, you also have to be dressed and not carrying explosives.
Rachel, who seriously enjoys teens, will be there to join the fun.
You can call her at 433-3772 ext. 5 if you have questions or
suggestions.
The Friends of the Library Board donated $200 to buy a dozen
children’s books in Shannon Boaz’s name. They are all award winners
and go from no-text picture books to teen interests. Ask to see
them when you come in. Shannon’s husband, Jason, said, “Shannon
would have liked that very much.”
The Science Fair mentoring day is coming up. Science fairs are
wonderful fun if you’ve been able to think up a project and get
excited about it. But if you’re stuck, come into the library on
Wednesday, Feb.17, from 4 to 6 p.m. and get individual help with
choosing and getting started on a project. It’s a good thing to
learn and remember for the rest of your life: that when you’re
stuck, find a librarian. They have a capacious inventory of
databanks, spreadsheets, and search engines tucked in their
brains.
Just FYI: A lot of really good books have been donated already
for the book sale in March 18, 19, 20, so if you’re not yet a
member of Friends, bring $5 to the library and join up. Or, you can
do it at the door during the sale. Remember, though, that you don’t
get first dibs on the 18th unless you’re a member. And, seriously,
what else can you buy for $5 that will last a year? A couple of
cream puffs maybe. They last a year sometimes, especially in your
genetic storage spots, but really lose their flavor after about
five minutes. For a $5 membership, you can end up with dozens of
books that will never lose their flavor.
Word of the Day: We haven’t looked at collective nouns for a
long time, so here are a few: toads come in knots, lice in flocks,
and stars in syzygies. What could more properly come in
ostentations than peacocks? Swans come in wedges, turkeys in
rafters, and a pod of whales is smaller than a gam of whales.
Today’s favorite? A heep of sycophants. Ever so Dickensian.
— Necia Liles, editor