One lucky art hopper stopped by the right table last Friday night!

Library patron Amy Moberley, pictured here with teen librarian Beth Dowson, won a raffle for a $10 iTunes gift card.

Congratulations to Amy!

And better luck next time to everyone who stopped by our table at Art Hop to learn more about our upcoming Summer Reading Program.

Just in time for Summer Reading we've made some changes in the children's section to make it easier for our youngest readers to find books that are both interesting and at their reading level.

The "I Can Read" books (also listed as ICR in our catalog) are now housed in the brightly colored bins you see in the picture. This makes it much easier for kids to pick out books, as most young readers really need to see the cover to make a decision.

All ICR books are also labelled with a sticker that indicates the AR level of the book.

The books are still arranged alphabetically within the bins. If you need help locating a particular book, just ask Ms. Kristy or any available staff member.

Our top reader this year was Sandra Pyne, who will be awarded $40 worth of books, music or movies of her choice.

Our two "Support Your Local Businesses" basket winners were Mary Bleeker and Don Rand (pictured with our director, John Sheridan).

Sandra Pyne (pictured below) was also the winner of our grand prize drawing, which includes a one-night stay at the Kalamazoo House Bed & Breakfast and a gift certificate for dinner at the Great Lakes Shipping Co.

Thank you very much to the local businesses who supported our contest with donations:

Tanya's Totes and Girl Garage, Main Street Pub, Rise & Dine, Vicksburg Do-It-Best Hardware, Mandy's Candies, Pet Emporium & Textiles, Ruthie's Paint and Yarn, Now Showing Video Store and Appleknockers

Do you have an old “kid-friendly” tape player languishing in your basement? We’ve had a generous donation of read-along books on tape, and we would like to set up a listening station in the children’s section and have a tape player or two available for circulation.

Please consider us if you come across one while you are spring cleaning!

What in the world were Beth and Kristy doing at Vicksburg Middle School, asking kids if they hate to read? Handing out books for World Book Night!

On April 23rd, World Book Night celebrated its second year in the United States. The World Book Night website describes the program:

"Each year, 30 books are chosen by an independent panel of librarians and booksellers. The authors of the books waive their royalties and the publishers agree to pay the costs of producing the specially-printed World Book Night U.S. editions.

Members of the public apply to personally hand out 20 copies of a particular title in their community. Givers pick up their books in the week before World Book Night.  On April 23rd, they give their books to those who don’t regularly read and/or people who don’t normally have access to printed books, for reasons of means or access."

Beth and Kristy collaborated with Margo Staunton (pictured with Beth), librarian for the Vicksburg Middle and High Schools, to get books to the first twenty kids we saw in the halls who read our signs and made a face. Margo said the kids talked and wondered about it all afternoon -- success!

Prepare for June by reading any book by Herman Wouk.

Our next book discussion group will meet
Thursday, June 6th at 9 a.m.