March Trustees Meeting

The Sodus Free Library Board of Trustees will hold their next monthly meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, March 9th, in the Library's community meeting room. All Board meetings are open to the public.

From Books to Inspiration to Art

Here is the fun group of ladies who are painting rock houses with Shirley Patchett. If you'd like to join them, stop by the Library and pick up a list of the supplies you'll need. They're meeting again next Monday, March 6, at 10:30 a.m.

Encouraging Boys to Read

Click here to read an interesting article in the Miami Herald entitled "These Tips Might Make Your Son a Reader." If you leave out the gender-specific tips, these ideas also work with girls. Gift your children with the love of reading - it will last a lifetime!

Fun at the Library

We not only had fun listening to stories about trees, we learned many new and interesting things, were given acorns to plant (we hope our great-grandchildren enjoy the oak trees), and sanded and decorated beechnut tree rounds. Our thanks to Martha and Jim Miller, a great library team!

Today's Program

Remember to bring your Primary School-age children into the Library at 1 p.m. today for Martha Miller's "Once there was a tree ..." program.

We're closed today, but take some time to visit the Library of Congress and learn more about our Presidents. Click here to visit Mr. Lincoln's Virtual Library, and here for the George Washington Papers collection.

Sending Kisses

"Kisses" to all who helped with the Library's Third Annual Valentine Chocolate Sale. Thirty-five people donated chocolate goodies of all kinds, several members of the Friends of the Sodus Free Library set up, sliced and priced, and countless people shopped. At the end of the two days, we had made $501.90, more than double last year's total!

Black History Month

Celebrate Black History Month by learning more about the history of the civil rights movement in America. Click here to connect to the Library of Congress' Learning Page.

Library Closing

The Library will be closed Monday, February 20th, in honor of Presidents Day, and will reopen at noon on Tuesday, February 21st.

School Break Program

Are your children looking for something fun to do during February break? We're starting a monthly series of free children's programs which will feature enthusiastic readers from our community. The first program will be held at 1 p.m. on Thursday, February 23rd, and will be aimed at children of Primary School age. Martha Miller, President of the Library's Board of Trustees, has planned an hour of fun, stories, and activities with the theme "Once there was a tree ..." Registration is encouraged, but not required. Call or stop by the Library to reserve a spot for your children, or to find out how to volunteer to read for a future program.

Friends of the Sodus Free Library Meeting

The February meeting of our Friends group will be held in the Library's meeting room at 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 16th. Come join us!

A Reminder to Chocolate Lovers

The tables are filling for our 3rd Annual Valentine Chocolate Sale, and the smell is heavenly! So many goodies have already been donated, the sale has been moved into the Library's meeting room. I spotted Chocolate Lava brownies, chocolate chip cookies, a heart-shaped chocolate cake, chocolate rum balls, Que Sera Sarah brownies, and a variety of cookies in handmade paper baskets - I'm so glad I've been saving my pennies! Remember to stop by between noon and 8 p.m. on Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday.

Time for Movies

Academy Award nominations were announced today - congratulations to local actor Philip Seymour Hoffman on his Best Actor nomination for Capote! If all the talk of Oscars has put you in the mood to watch a movie, stop by the Library. We've added several new DVDs to our collection; among them are Lord of War, Flightplan, Transporter 2, Red Eye, The Constant Gardener, and Beauty Shop. As Oscar-nominated movies become available on DVD, we will be purchasing them. For those who enjoy documentaries, my personal recommendations are March of the Penguins and Mad Hot Ballroom. Any of these titles can be placed on hold.

Best Books for Young Adults 2006

YALSA (the Young Adult Library Services Association) has announced its 2006 recommended list of Best Books for Young Adults. A fifteen-member committee narrowed a list of 217 nominations down to the final list of 991 recommended titles. Click here to access the BBYA list. The committee also selected a Top Ten list of titles, which you will find here. Place an OWWL Hold on any title you'd like to read.

Best in Children's and Teen Literature

This morning in San Antonio, Texas, the American Library Association announced the year's top books for children and young adults. The winner of the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature is Lynne Rae Perkins for Criss Cross. Chris Raschka won the Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children with The Hello, Goodbye Window.

Looking for Alaska by John Green is the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award winner for excellence in literature written for young adults. The Coretta Scott King Book Award, recognizing an African American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults, was given to Julius Lester, author of Day of Tears: A Novel in Dialogue, and to Bryan Collier, illustrator of Rosa. The first Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book went to Cynthia Rylant for Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas.

Click here to see the complete list of all the 2006 literary award winners, including Honor books. Stop by or call the Library to place OWWL Holds on any of these award-winning books.

Decadent, Devilish, Delightful, and Decidedly Delicious!

Yes ... it's almost time for our Friends group's fabulous Third Annual Valentine Chocolate Sale! Offerings for your honey will include homemade pies, candies, cakes, cookies, brownies, etc. - everything and anything chocolate. The sale will be held Thursday, February 9, from noon until 8 p.m., and on Friday, February 10, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Contributions of chocolate products will be gratefully accepted between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Thursday. See you there!

Annual Association Meeting

The annual Sodus Free Library Association meeting and election of Trustees will be held on February 2nd, at 7 p.m. The Library's 2006 financial budget will also be submitted for approval at this meeting. Three candidates (Robert Bayless, Jr., Carol Sergeant, and John Cook) are running for two Board openings; each position is for a five-year term. To vote in this election, you must be 16 years of age, a resident within the Sodus Central School District, and an OWWL card holder. If unable to attend the meeting, you may vote by absentee ballot, available now at the circulation desk.

Come Linger & Mingle!

Click here for an interesting article about libraries which appeared in the January 13, 2006, issue of The Christian Science Monitor.

New Oprah Book Club Selection

The newest title chosen for Oprah's Book Club is Night by Elie Wiesel. While we do have a copy available, the "official" Oprah selection is an entirely new translation by the author's wife, Marion Wiesel. This new edition is touted as being longer and more accurate than the previously published edition, and features a new introduction by the author, along with his 1986 Nobel Peace Prize presentation and acceptance speeches. We have these new copies on order, and will be accepting OWWL Holds for them starting next week.