Staff Picks

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I listened to the audio version of this book. I loved the multiple narrators and I thought they had authentic accents. This story was so moving - I didn't want to stop listening, even though I had seen the movie years ago and kind of knew what to expect. However, the book is ALWAYS better than the movie, and it didn't end exactly the way I expected. I was crying at the end. I'm so excited that The Help is our Forsyth Reads Together book this year. I look forward to seeing you all the big event with Ms. Stockett on September 15th. Please register to attend.

Meredith Bowermeister
Information Services Supervisor
Sharon Forks Library

Library Limelight: Bobby Williams, Facilities Manager

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!

Bobby Williams near Sand Rock, Alabama

Bobby Williams
Facilities Manager
Headquarters

Where is your hometown?

Macon, Georgia

How long have you been at FCPL?

10 years

What other jobs have you had at FCPL?

CSA, Courier/Maintenance Worker, Construction Assistant

Why did you choose to work in a library?

I’ve always loved the atmosphere of libraries and thought it would be a great place for a “part-time” job. I’ve been full-time for five years now and could not imagine working anyplace else. 

Describe your job in five words or less.

Something different everyday

What is unique about your job?

My schedule and location are subject to change at any moment.

What is your favorite part of your job?

I like the variety and not having to follow the same routine every day.

What’s the most interesting place you’ve lived or traveled?

I’ve always lived in Georgia and have been in Forsyth County for 25 years. The most interesting place I’ve traveled is Stresa, Italy, on the shore of Lake Maggiore. It’s a small hillside town with beautiful views of the lake islands with the Alps as a backdrop. We also took day trips by train into Milan and toured the Duomo, a cathedral that took over 500 years to build. (That might have been the same crew that built our study rooms!)

What are your hobbies?

Music, reading non-fiction, genealogy, and driving back roads just to see what’s there. Does yard work count as gardening? 

What are you reading right now?

I just finished reading Southbound: An Illustrated History of Southern Rock by Scott Bomar. A lot of that history took place in my hometown. The book was well researched and well written, but had the smallest font I’ve ever seen.

Paper books or eBooks?

Paper for books, but I read a lot of online news sites, too.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

FCPL is an outstanding organization and I’m glad to be a part of it.

Home Run Readers Will Earn Free Braves Ticket

This summer, Forsyth County Public Library is participating in the Atlanta Braves Summer Reading Program, “Home Run Readers” to help patrons in Kindergarten through 12th grade earn a free ticket to a Braves home game.

This educational outreach program is sponsored by the Atlanta Braves, the National Education Association, and the Georgia Public Library Service. Certain SUBWAY® Restaurants are also participating by awarding Home Run Readers a free Fresh Fit for Kids Meal.

To earn a free Braves game ticket, young patrons will need to read a sports-related book and complete an online reading activity. Follow these instructions to earn your ticket:

• Home Run Readers is open only to Georgia students in grades K-12.
• Read one (1) book on sports or sportsmanship. Check out these suggestions from the Braves or ask an FCPL librarian for a suggestion.
• Register for the Home Run Readers program and complete the grade appropriate online reading activity.
• Print your Home Run Readers certificate and take it to your local library to receive an offer code to be redeemed online at braves.com/readingtickets
• One (1) Braves game ticket is rewarded per student. Tickets can be printed or mailed.
• One (1) SUBWAY Restaurants Fresh Fit for Kids Meal voucher is rewarded per student that can be used at participating locations throughout Georgia. Vouchers will be mailed.

And, don’t forget that reading this sports-related book counts toward your Summer Reading Fun goal, too. Remember to enter the title and author in your summer reading log.

The Literazzi Book Club

A Walk in the Woods is a change of pace for me since I usually prefer fiction (the more bizarre the better) but the book has turned me into a fan of Bill Bryson’s witty nonfiction.  Many patrons are already familiar with this memoir of two unlikely outdoorsman on the Appalachian Trail.  The book has sold millions of copies since the 1998 publication and a film adaptation starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte will be released later this summer.

While the 2100 mile Appalachian Trail is definitely arduous the book is an engaging and entertaining tribute to friendship, creature comforts and the great outdoors.  Nature attacks and tempers flare.  Bill Bryson provides wry observations on the history of the trail, conservation hits and misses, endurance, survival, ambition and folly.  Georgia makes a strong impression on award-winning author and we’ll discuss his treatment of our fair state and much more at our Literazzi Book Club on Wednesday May 20th at the Sharon Forks Library.

Newcomers are always welcome!

Alicia Cavitt
Information Specialist

Summer Reading Pays Off

For the sixth consecutive year, Georgia’s Path2College 529 Plan is partnering with the Georgia Public Library Service to offer summer reading program participants across the state a chance to win $5,529 towards a Path2College 529 Plan.

One lucky child will receive the grand prize, and four others across the state will win $1,529 towards a Path2College 529 Plan.

Legal residents of the state of Georgia who are at least 21 and are the parent, legal guardian, or grandparent of a child born in 1999 or after and who is participating in the 2015 Summer Reading Program may enter for a chance to win.

To enter the sweepstakes, complete the entry form between May 1 and August 10, 2015.

Entries are limited to one entry per eligible person, per child. Official rules and prize details are available at path2college529.com.

Registration for FCPL’s Summer Reading Program begins May 22. Patrons may register online or inside any branch. More information about the Summer Reading Program is available here, or you can view a full calendar of events at www.forsythpl.org.

Summer of Superheroes Kicks off May 22

Registration for a summer of super reading fun is set to begin on Friday, May 22 at the Forsyth County Public Library. The following week, each branch will host its own Super Summer Reading Kick-Off Carnival featuring Cameron’s One Man Circus, face painting, balloon art, and carnival games. The FCPL Friends & Advocates have also donated AMC movie gift cards to be raffled off at each carnival event.

Cameron’s One Man Circus performed
at the 2014 Kick-Off Carnival
at the Sharon Forks Library

The first Carnival will be held at the Cumming Library on Tuesday, May 26 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The Hampton Park Library will host its Carnival on Thursday, May 28 and the Post Road Library will host its Carnival on Friday, May 29. Due to very large crowds, the Sharon Forks Library will be hosting its Carnival on Wednesday, May 27 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Forsyth Conference Center, 3410 Ronald Reagan Boulevard.

“This year’s Summer Reading Fun program is focused on heroes – both the superheroes we see in comics and fiction and the everyday heroes we meet in our community,” says Laura Bradley, Program Manager.

Library patrons may register for the summer reading program between May 22 and July 31 online at www.forsythpl.org, at the Kick-off Carnivals, or at any library branch. A record-breaking 5,600 patrons participated in last year’s summer reading program and more participants are expected to register this year.

Patrons who participate in Summer Reading Fun will be rewarded with an automatic entry in raffles at each branch. The youngest participants, up to preschool-age, will be entered to win a superhero kit with a cape. Readers in grades K through 5 will be entered in a drawing for a $25 Lego gift card. Teens in grades 6 through 12 have a chance to win an iPad Mini and adults have a shot at taking home a Kindle Fire HDX at the end of the summer. Winners will be drawn and notified at the conclusion of Summer Reading Fun in early August.  In addition, participating adults are eligible for weekly raffles at each of the branches all summer long.  All children and teens who set and meet a summer reading goal will receive a free paperback book donated by the FCPL Friends & Advocates.

But more important than prizes is the vital support the program offers to help students maintain and even improve their reading, writing, and vocabulary skills over the summer break, says Bradley. The library’s Youth Services staff have been visiting local schools and community groups to share the excitement about becoming a super reader this summer.

“This year’s set of comic book-style themes is expected to draw in even the most reluctant readers. Children will learn that ‘Every Hero Has a Story.’ Teens will ‘Unmask!’ and adults will ‘Escape the Ordinary.’ We’ve planned nearly 500 events and storytimes to capture our patrons’ imaginations and encourage them to check out books to read at home,” says Bradley.

The number of programs represent a 64% increase over the already record-breaking summer of 2014. Events this summer will feature comic book artists, authors, magicians, puppeteers, storytellers, live animals, comedians, musicians, artists, movies, workshops, trivia contests, and more.

Library staff will also present a series of superhero-themed storytimes. Super Sidekicks (2-5 years), Caped Crusaders (4-7 years), and Superhero STEAM Camp (3rd-5th grade) programs will be offered at each branch, along with the library’s popular Books & Babies storytime for children under 24 months old.

For a complete listing of events for children, teens, and adults, please pick up a Summer Reading Fun Program Guide at your local branch or visit the library’s online calendar at www.forsythpl.org.

Staff Picks

The City by Dean Koontz

A young musician is threatened by sinister forces by in this mesmerizing novel by  master storyteller Dean Koontz.   Music lovers, horror loves and fans of great fiction will enjoy this highly nuanced tale.  

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist 

Staff Pick - Adult

Dead Wake by Erik Larson

Bestselling nonfiction writer Erik Larson examines the 100th anniversary of the tragedy of the sinking of the Cunard passenger liner Lusitania from several angles. The reader receives a concise timeline of events leading up to World War I and details of several important aspects of the land fight in Europe but it is the battles on and under the seas that will mesmerize the reader. Larson takes us down into the ocean to experience the power and limitations of the German submarine U-boats and the ruthlessness of their commanders.  Personal details of the lives of the Lusitania passengers bring them alive to us and the harrowing tales of the survivors haunt us. We watch as US President Woodrow Wilson struggles to keep America out of the war as he deals with personal loss and love. Readers who love history with illuminating personal details will become immersed in this account of one of the greatest disasters to ever take place on the sea.

Holly Raus
Information Specialist-Youth Services

Staff Pick - Teen

The Crossover by Kwame Alexander

When I first picked up this book and saw that it was written in free verse, I didn’t think I could handle an entire story told in poems.  But, I started reading, and before I knew it, I had read one third of it, and I was hooked!  Definitely worthy of the Newbery Award, the story flows smoothly and quickly using poetic style to enhance the plot.  Despite the brevity of words, I still felt there was adequate character development in this very moving story.  I loved Josh, JB, Miss Sweet Tea, and Da Man!  Be sure to have tissues nearby when you get to the end!


Julie Boyd
Youth Services Supervisor
Cumming Library