Morrisville Library News November 2, 2001
by Mary Brown

Come in out of the chilly November weather and enjoy the warm haven of your local library this week. Buy one of the patriotic flag pins that are for sale to benefit the library or one of the "Morrisville of Yesteryear" calendars on sale to benefit the Morrisville Historic Preservation Commission. Both would make nice gifts.


While you're at the library, take a peek at the big calendar of upcoming events that is in the front hall. Notice that the Pre-School Story Hours with Grandma B. will continue on November 13, November 20 and November 27.


The second discussion evening in the Book Talk series is scheduled for Friday, November 16th when Professor Roxanna Pisiak of SUNY Morrisville will lead a discussion of Bee Season by Myla Goldberg. Sign up for a copy of the book at the circulation desk.


On Sunday, November 25th, the Friends of the Library will hold their annual Holiday Decoration Day from 2 to 4 p.m. Anyone who would like to join in making the library's holiday decorations is very welcome. This year's theme will be a patriotic holiday one.


The library is now accepting donations for the second annual Holiday Silent Auction to benefit the library. We are looking for nice new items or "mint" antique or collectible items that could be used as Christmas gifts by the successful bidders. To give you some ideas, last year's popular auction offerings included gift certificates, original art works, collectible dolls, quality handmade jewelry, nice hand-knit mittens and sweaters, a gourmet coffee maker and a professional briefcase. We hope that many great items will be donated to make this year's auction an even bigger success! The actual auction will begin on the Monday after Thanksgiving and end on Thursday, December 13th . Please bring in your donations soon so that Barb can start cataloging and organizing all the goodies to be put up for bid. Also, put on your calendar November 26th as the first day you can come in, look over the great treasures up for auction, and start placing your bids.


Thanks this week to Lynde LaFever for the lovely basketful of plants that add a bit of sunshine to the library. Many thanks also to Dusten Pecor who donated seven science fiction classics to our collection. Finally, thank you to our good "friend", the Hamilton Library, for the generous gifts of items not being used in their newly-renovated library.


We want to remind everyone of America's Fund for Afghan Children. President Bush has asked America's children to send in one dollar each to help the poor children in Afghanistan. If your children wants to participate, it would be a wonderful opportunity to have them write a letter to accompany their donations. It would give them a forum in which to express their feelings and the belief that they can make a difference for the Afghan children. Letters and donations should be sent to: America's Fund for Afghan Children, c/o The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC 20509-1600.


Another reminder comes from the National Drinking Water Clearinghouse. This organization has assembled a body of information on protecting small water systems from potential threats. You can access this information at www.ndwc.wvu.edu or by calling 1-800-624-8301.


Thanks to some generous donations, we have a few new books to report this week. Alice's Tulips by Sandra Dallas is the story of young, newly married Alice Bullock who is left to tend the family farm with her cranky mother-in-law when her husband leaves to fight in the Civil War. Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth relates the spirit of the mid-18th century slave trade and class system of England. It is a unique mixture of an epic sea-faring tale and a moral examination of a society dominated by greed at any human cost. Linda Hogan's The Woman Who Watches Over the World is a moving memoir of the tragic legacies of the U.S. government's war on Native Americans, the anguish of her personal experiences and the sorrows of the decimated tribal world. If you've ever wondered, "What do I say, do, or write?" when people are experiencing grief, Leonard Zunin's The Art of Condolence is a book with many fine answers for you. Many thanks to the generous donors of these books.


Come in to the warmth of the library this week. Sign out a good book, purchase a small gift item, attend a library event, bring in a donation for the silent auction - or just come in to see what we have to offer as you escape those brisk fall breezes outside.



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November 5, 2001