HARLEM LIBRARY

The Friends of the Harlem Public Library Annual Membership Meeting will be held Wed., Oct. 12, 6 P.M. at the library. Salads and beverages will be served followed by the business meeting. Annual dues of $10 may be paid at this meeting. One free membership will be given away. All members of the Friends or those interested in joining are encouraged to attend.

In this week’s column I would like to focus on the wonderful work the Friends of the Harlem Library do to support your public library. According to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Friends of the Harlem Public Library the group has three purposes: To aid in the development of the public library service by maintaining an association of citizens interested in increasing the public library facilities; to focus the attention of the citizens of Blaine County upon the needs of the Harlem Public Library; and to enrich the cultural advantages available to the citizens of Blaine County.

In the four years since the group has been formed they have sponsored various fundraising events. Thanks to the hard work of the members and the generosity of the community the library has been able to purchase items as well as to gain programming support. These items include a copier/scanner/FAX machine; book truck, paper cutter and paper shredder, two ladders, a laminator, a Keurig Coffee system for the reading room, an electric open/closed sign, a colorful rug for the children’s section, ten card tables, a carpet shampooer, and artwork by local artist Roberta Shupe. The Friends of the Library also support the Summer Reading Program by helping to pay for prizes and treats. The group has set aside funds to pay for new steel shelving that the library is planning to purchase is the near future with matching funds from the county. If you have ever attended a fundraiser sponsored by the Friends of the Library you know how much fun they are! The library staff and Board of Trustees are extremely grateful for the continued support of the Friends of the Harlem Public Library.

Two new books have been donated by the Ladies Auxiliary V.F.W. to Snake Butte #4744. “I Will Send the Rain” by Rae Meadows is given in memory of Rose Gilbert and “When We Were Sisters” by Emilie Richards is given in memory of Ethel Birdwell.

Book Club members are reminded to pick up the new book “Turnip Blues” by Helen Campbell from Oct. 11- Oct. 14. The first discussion will be Monday, Oct. 17, 4 P.M. in the library meeting room.

The Book Challenge for October is to read a book that is more than ten years old.

“You Will Know Me” is a new novel by Megan Abbott. Katie and Eric Knox are seeking to achieve the dream of seeing their daughter, Devon, a gymnastics prodigy, make it to the Olympics. But when a violent death rocks their gymnastics community, they must consider whether there is any price they aren’t willing to pay to make the dream come true.

Joe Neptune, a Penacook private investigator, lives in upstate New York, four hundred miles from his tribal community on Abenaki Island. When his cousin Dennis calls to report trouble Joe heads home to help. But before he boards the plane, he is attacked by bikers. When he does arrive he begins to realize how much trouble surrounds his ancestral home. Contending with police, hired guns, and the far greater threat of a killer, Joe must muster all his skills to save the forces that threaten his people. “Chenoo” is by Joseph Bruchac.

The new book selected for Oprah’s Book Club is “The Underground Railroad” by Colson Whitehead. Slaves Cora and Ceasar take a great risk to escape on the Underground Railroad. Things go very wrong when Cora kills a young white boy who tries to capture her. Now they are being hunted. Author Colson Whitehead takes readers on the harrowing journey with Cora, on an odyssey through time as well as space.

Other new thrillers include “Sting” by Sandra Brown, “Insidious” by Catherine Coulter, and “Nothing Short of Dying” by Erik Storey.

The library will be closed October 10 in observance of Columbus Day.