Library Limelight: Andrea DelValle, Public Services

Andrea DelValle

Library Limelight is intended to be a quick read to help FCPL patrons get to know our librarians and staff.  We hope you enjoy learning about the people who make our libraries great!

Andrea DelValle
Information Specialist- Youth Services
Sharon Forks Library

Where is your hometown?  
Orange Park, Florida

How long have you been at FCPL?
This is my 10^thyear.

What other jobs have you had at FCPL?
I started out working on the circulation desk at the Cumming Library, then as a children’s programming assistant. When FCPL added a fourth library branch, it became apparent that programming should shift from a centralized location to a branch based model.  Since moving to the Sharon Forks Library, I have been able to assist our patrons on multiple levels by providing storytime programs, as well as readers’ advisory and reference services.

Why did you choose to work in a library?
My mom was a librarian, and when I was in high school, she encouraged me to apply for a job shelving books at our local branch. I used to chat with the children’s librarian and I remember thinking how fun it would be to have a job like that someday.  

Describe your job in five words or less.
Loud, messy, fun, creative, rewarding

What is unique about your job?
I get paid to paint, color,play music, dress up, and act silly.

What is your favorite part of your job?
I enjoy making connections with our patrons. I love it when a parent tells me that their child loves to read because of storytime, or that their reluctant reader enjoyed the book I recommended. Sometimes I get hugs from kids, and that is pretty great, too. I am glad that I have a job that gives back to the community and (hopefully) makes a difference in someone’s life.

What’s the most interesting place you’ve lived or traveled?
When I was 19, I hiked two active volcanoes: Mount St. Helens and Mount Rainier. Mount St. Helens was still smoking!

What are your hobbies?
I enjoy reading, hiking,painting, playing music, and spending as much time with my kids as possible!

What are you reading right now?
I am almost finished with Revenge of the Witch, the first book in the Last Apprentice series by Joseph Delaney. That reminds me, I need to put book two on hold right now!

Paper books or eBooks?
I enjoy both.

High Museum to Present Black History Program at Hampton Park Library

Forsyth County Public Library and the High Museum of Art are partnering to give a special presentation for Black History Month next Tuesday, February 3 at 4:00 p.m. at the Hampton Park Library, 5345 Settingdown Road, Cumming. The presentation is free, but advance registration is requested.

Gordon Parks (American, 1912 - 2006)
Department Store, Mobile, Alabama, 1956
Image courtesy of High Museum of Art

Nina Pelaez, a Kress Museum Interpretation Fellow at the High Museum of Art, will discuss the work of Gordon Parks and Leonard Freed, two civil rights-era photographers whose work is currently on display at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

Parks and Freed were pioneers in the art of documentary photography and used their work to advance social change, particularly in the face of racial inequality. The two photographers’ bodies of work are empathetic, intimate accounts of the daily life, struggles, and triumphs of African-Americans living during a period of intense social struggle.

Parks’ portion of the exhibit at the High Museum focuses mainly on his photo essay for Life magazine, “The Restraints: Open and Hidden”. The article was first published in 1956 and offered a close look at a multigenerational family living in segregated Mobile, Alabama.

At great risk to themselves and their family, Mr. and Mrs. Albert Thornton, then aged 82 and 70, allowed Parks to observe and photograph life with their nine children and 19 grandchildren in an effort to challenge racial inequality.

But rather than focusing on the demonstrations, boycotts, and brutality that characterized the battle for racial justice, Parks captured images that illuminated the shared experiences of daily life, such as preparing taxes, doing laundry, cooking dinners, and attending Sunday church services.

Though Parks died in 2006, he left a legacy of journalistic and cinematic achievements. Parks was the only black photographer working for Vogue magazine in 1944, he was the first black staff photographer at Life magazine in 1948, he co-founded Essence magazine in 1970, and he directed the 1971 hit movie Shaft. He was also awarded the National Medal of Arts and more than 50 honorary doctorates over the course of his career.

Freed’s part of the exhibit focuses on photographs from his book Black in White America. The book is a collection of photographs and notes Freed took while traveling around New York City attending religious gathering, protests, and other urban engagements. He also traveled throughout the South capturing images of jails and jazz funerals and chronicling the experience of segregation.

Rather than offering an account of newsworthy events, such as demonstrations and boycotts, Freed’s book largely focuses on sharing the nuance of African-American life during this time of great social change. His storytelling style was innovative and became influential in the development of self-directed documentary projects for photojournalists.

For more information, or to register, please visit www.forsythpl.org.

Staff Favorites of 2014 - 11th in a Series

Delicious by Ruth Reichl

Sight Unseen by Iris Johansen

 Sycamore Row by John Grisham

In the Blood by Lisa Unger

Someone Else's Love Story by Joshilyn Jackson







Marta Peppin
Information Specialist

Coffee Talk Book Club - February 10 at Cumming Library

If you are in the mood for a remarkable icy adventure, check out In the Kingdom of Ice by Hampton Sides.

This book follows the Arctic exploration journey of the U.S.S. Jeannette and its crew. The author takes you through all of the preparations for the voyage, the hardship of being stranded in Arctic ice for over two years, and the desperate struggle to make it out alive.  It is also full of background history on earlier, and later, explorations of the Arctic region.  

This title is our featured book discussion title for February’s Coffee Talk Book Club on February 10th, at 1:30 p.m. at the Cumming branch.

Following are a few more icy non-fiction adventure stories to keep you entertained as we head into the winter season:

The Ice Master by Jennifer Niven

The Magnetic North by Sara Wheeler

Alive by Piers Paul Read

Frozen in Time by Mitchell Zuckoff

The Ledge by Jim Davidson







Joan Dudzinski
Collection Support Supervisor

Staff Favorites of 2014 - 10th in a Series

I love a good love story! Although I read a lot of great books this year, it’s no surprise that my top picks are all relationship and romance driven titles.

 I’ll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson

Told from two perspectives in two different time periods by twins, this is a beautifully written book about love, loss, and reconnecting with the ones you love.

The Strange and Beautiful Sorrows of Ava Lavender by Leslye Walton 

A stunning title from a debut author, sprinkled with romance and magical realism. Ava Lavender is a teenage girl born with wings. She has always lived an isolated life, but when a new neighbor begins to notice Ava, everything changes.

Attachments by Rainbow Rowell 

2014 was the year of Rainbow Rowell but this title was actually her first novel.  Published in 2012 and told through emails and first person narration, this book is funny, sweet, and the perfect read to snuggle up with on a cold afternoon.




Cleo Joyce
Youth Services Supervisor

Staff Favorites of 2014 - 9th in a Series

I really enjoyed the audiobook version of Robert Crais' Suspect.   This is a story of two police officers, one a man and one a dog, both of whom are suffering from PTSD and who find themselves partnered together. Both Scott and Maggie must learn to trust each other and the story is very emotionally moving.  The narrator did an excellent job giving life to all the different characters, including Maggie, the police-dog.   I really enjoyed the different character point of views and I felt that Crais portrayed Maggie in a very realistic way.   Any book that can make me cry or laugh out loud is a winner!

I also really liked the following audiobooks:

China Dolls by Lisa See 

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell

A Sudden Light by Garth Stein






Meredith Bowermeister
Information Services Supervisor

2014 Staff Favorites - 8th in a Series

Each of these books received a 4- or 5-star rating from me on my GoodReads account. I only give high ratings to books that were really outstanding and that evoked an actual physical response - such as laughing out loud, trembling with suspense, or crying (happy or sad crying).

Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler

I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

The Silkworm by Robert Galbraith

In the Blood by Lisa Unger






Meredith Bowermeister
Information Services Supervisor

2014 Staff Favorites - 7th in a Series

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin







Mary White
Information Specialist

52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge

Want to make a goal for the new year that you can really enjoy working toward?

In the spirit of New Year’s Resolutions FCPL staff and patrons are taking part in the Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.  It's definitely the most enjoyable resolution I’ve ever made.  A few overachievers have even vowed to read 104 books in 2015.

Mini-challenges and the official rules can be found on the Read 52 Books in 52 Weeks site.  Goodreads readers can join the 52 Books in 52 Weeks group for weekly themes, recommendations and reviews.   (Of course old school handwritten lists and Excel spreadsheets work just as well.)

Let us know if you’re participating.  As always, we love to hear which books our patrons are enjoying.

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist

Page Turners: A Book Club for Grades 3-5 - Cumming Library - January 22 at 4:00 p.m

Wonder by A.J. Palacio

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. WONDER begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance. This is a story about kindness and friendship that could easily be required reading for all humanity.  This book is the featured selection for the Page Turners book club for children in grades 3-5 at the Cumming Library on Thursday, January 22 at 4:00 p.m. Registration is recommended.

Holly Raus
Information Specialist - Youth Services
Cumming Library

2014 Staff Favorites - 6th in a series

 Z by Therese Ann Fowler

Fictional account of the love, marriage, exploits, and destruction of Jazz Age writers Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.

The Cuckoo's Calling by Robert Galbraith

J.K. Rowling creates an intriguing main character, private detective Cormoran Strike, as he investigates a murder mystery taking us inside the world of London's elite models.

The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida

Illuminating insights into the autistic mind of a boy who is nonverbal but able to type out answers to questions about how he feels and is affected by the world around him.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Unforgettable and inspiring story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini as he manages to survive World War II bombing raids, a plane crash, being lost at sea, and being taken as a Japanese prisoner of war.

Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

The classic novel about southern belle Scarlett O'Hara, and the portrayal of her life before, during, and after the Civil War.

The Heist by Daniel Silva

International thriller set in the art world with lots of fascinating information about art history and theft.




The following two titles by Paula Wall are compelling stories about two families of strong Southern women with unique and eccentric personalities, the men who love them, and the interesting characters in their small towns.

The Rock Orchard by Paula Wall

The Wilde Women by Paula Wall







Holly Raus
Information Specialist, Youth Services
Cumming Library

2014 Staff Favorites - 5th in a Series

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

My list of favorite books in 2014 is short, thanks to discovering a new favorite author and one of the most moving and memorable stories I've ever read. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr was my favorite book of 2014.       

Set during the Nazi occupation of France, this spellbinding novel illustrates the triumphs and tragedies of a continent at war and a city under siege. The walled city of Saint Malo, rich in history before the war, is the only remaining German stronghold at its end and becomes a target for the Allied forces.

It’s an evocative setting but the highlight of this story truly is the characters. They come from all backgrounds and on all sides of the war.  They all struggle with circumstances beyond their control:  a gifted locksmith, a battle-scarred World War II veteran, some very creative saboteurs as well as a “giant” of a boy who intimidates his way through the ranks of the Hitler Youth.  Each touches the heart but it’s the war’s impact on the lives of two young people – Marie Clare LeBlanc and Werner Pfennig -- that frames the novel.

Overcoming the loss of her mother, her sight, and her home, Marie-Clare plays an unlikely role during the Nazi occupation. With vacant eyes and her white cane she navigates the streets of Saint Malo, guarding dangerous secrets and valuable treasure.  

Werner’s journey begins in an orphanage in German coal country and takes an unexpected turn when he repairs a discarded radio. Despite warnings from his wise-beyond-her-years younger sister, it’s the radio’s circuitry--rather than the intercepted transmissions it receives--that captivates the boy's imagination. Technical skills earn Werner a coveted military school education and an awe-inspiring visit to modern Berlin. But there’s a sinister underside to Werner’s new life that he is unable to ignore.

All the Light We Cannot See is epic, poetic, and in many ways eye-opening. History, science, magic and suspense blend perfectly in this mesmerizing story that offers hope even amid the most dire of circumstances.

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist

Bookmarks: A Book Club for Grades 7 & up - Cumming Library - January 22nd at 1:00 p.m.

Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 by Richard Paul Evans is the first book in the Michael Vey Series. This action packed science fiction suspense story introduces us to fourteen year old Michael, who suffers from Tourette’s Syndrome.  Michael also has special electrical powers, and when he learns that there are others who have similar powers, he and his friends Ostin and Taylor get caught up with a mysterious organization.  

This fast paced book is the selection for Bookmarks book club for teens in grades 7 and up.  This book club meets at the Cumming Library on Thursday, January 22nd at 1:00 p.m. and is designed for the schedule of homeschoolers, but all teens available at this time are welcome to attend.  Registration is recommended.

Julie Boyd
Youth Services Supervisor

Reading Rules: A Book Club for Grades 3-6 - Cumming Library- January 22nd at 1:00 pm

Reading Rules: A Book Club for Grades 3-6 meets at the Cumming Library on January 22 at 1:00 p.m..  Rush Revere and his horse, Liberty return to Manchester Middle School for  more rush, rush, "rushing into history" antics. Rush Revere is an unorthodox substitute teacher who takes his students on time travel adventures to learn about how America began and the cool individuals who made America what it is today. Chat with Patrick Henry and visit the First Continental Congress with Benjamin Franklin. Who knew learning about our forefathers and how this country was founded could be so much fun!

Reading Rules is a book club designed for schedules of families who homeschool their children, but all children whose schedules allow are welcome to attend.  To attend the program January 22, please register here.

Lorraine Lane
Information Specialist - Youth Services

2014 Staff Favorites - 4th in a Series

In July I posted My Favorite Books of 2014…so far.  Now it’s time to post My Favorite Books since then, an assortment of ten novels set all over the world, including locations such as Nigeria, Australia, Japan, Chechnya, and Sweden.

Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Barracuda by Christos Tsiolkas

Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haruki Murakami

The Children Act by Ian McEwan

A Constellation of Vital Phenomena by Anthony Marra

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

The Secret Place by Tana French

Us by David Nicholls

We the Animals by Justin Torres


Stephen Kight
Assistant Director for Public Services