Friends of the Marion Public Library update

The Friends of the Marion Public Library has been busy this year! Wondering what they've been up to? Here's a bulletin of what's going on:

Increase in circulation – circulation has increased from 38, 411 items in 2008 to 50, 980 in 2009 and set to go over 50,000 again in 2011.

Increase in Patrons – In three years we have gone from 1800 patrons to 1953 patrons

Increase our Book and DVD purchases thanks to monies from Friends

Increase in programs (Tom Jolin, Magic, Science, Music, crafts monthly)

Increase in Year Round Reading Program – We have changed our summer reading program to a year round reading program. Reading never ends at the Library.

And this is just a few things that have been done! To hear more, please plan on attending the Friends Annual Meeting on Monday, November 14th at 5:30 pm. Items to be discussed are:

Election of officers

Hear about and ask questions about the library

Discuss MPL turning 90 years old

Your current executive board is as follows:

Jill Breitrick, President

Kathy Kraeger, Vice-president

Amy Bazile, Secretary

Esther Burns, Treasurer

Jan Mielke, Board Member

Diane Wojtech, Board Member

Arlene Mantsch, Board Member

We would be pleased to have you become more active with the friends, contact anyone on the executive board with ideas for fund raising, speakers, or any idea that would help draw interest to the library. We would be pleased to have you become more active with the friends. Contact anyone on the executive board with ideas for fund raising, speakers, or any idea that would help draw interest to the library. Contact information can be found on the sidebar of this website. Just click on Friends of the Library.

Not a part of The Friends of the Library, but want to become one? Our Annual Membership Drive is going on right now! Why do we do an Annual Membership Drive? Many times super programs or series of books/DVD come to our attention or projects that we would love to work on but there is no money in our budget for them. Thankfully because of Friends we are able to add in the extra programs, items or projects that are beyond our budget. Friends help us go that extra mile to make our library great. For more information or a membership sign up sheet, stop into the library.

See you at the Annual meeting!  

What is the library staff reading?

You see them in and around the library.

They work with books every day.

What are they reading?

In case you're curious, here's what a few of our library staff members have read lately. (Click on the title to place a hold via InfoSoup.)

  SHARON STUHR 

Sharon says:  

I have just gotten through reading two of Barbara Delinsky books.  The first one is titled The Carpenter's Lady. It's about a successful television writer, Debra Barry,  who went through a painful divorce. She leaves New York for the beautiful countryside of New Hampshire where she hopes to mend her broken heart. After buying a house, which needed much repair, she hires a master carpenter, Graham Reed, to fix up the house. Graham, who is hiding from his own bitter pass, reluctantly agrees to take the job. As the house begins to come together, Graham and Debra unexpectedly find themselves laying their own emotional groundwork.

The second book is titled An Accidental Woman.  Poppy Blake was injured in a long-ago snowmobile accident which took the use of her legs. She was having a hard time believing that handsome reporter, Griffin Hughes, could be interested in her. Griffin is afraid how Poppy will feel about him when she finds out that he inadvertently gave a tip that sent Poppy's good friend, Heather, to jail for a 15- year-old murder of her former lover. Now Griffin must uncover the truth about what really happened in Heather's past and try to clear her of any wrongdoing.

  GAIL KLEMANN 

Gail says:

I just recently finished The Godfather Returns, by Mark Winegardner.  It's a new novel, based on the Godfather series by Mario Puzo.  It's a great read, and I highly recommend it!

  BOB TOMCZYK

Tom says:

Right now, I'm reading The Whole Truth by David Baldacci.  The book is about Nicolas Creel.   He heads up the world's largest defense contractor, The Ares Corporation. Dick Pender is the man Creel retains to "perception manage" his company to even more riches by manipulating international conflicts. But Creel may have an even grander plan in mind.

  ESTHER BURNS

Esther says:

I just finished reading The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins.  All three books are so exciting, and you absolutely won't be able to put them down until you're finished!  I also just started See You in a Hundred Years, by Logan Ward.  It's about a family that decides to live for a year exactly as people did in the year 1900.  It's very interesting!

How about you? What are you reading right now?

October: Special Dates

Welcome to October!  Here's some of the important dates for this month, and some books to accompany them. Click on the titles to place a hold via Info Soup.

• October 7- Yom Kippur: Read about it in the book Celebrate Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.
• October 9- Fire Prevention Day: Read about it in the book What if There is a Fire?
• October 10- Columbus Day:  Read about it in the book Columbus Day.
• October 18- Alaska Day: Read about it in the book Alaska.
• October 24- United Nations Day: Read about it in the book The United Nations.
• October 31- Halloween: Read about it in the book Halloween.

Have a great month, everyone!  Be sure to stop into the library--the fall reading program is up and running!