West Virginia Library Commission

Capitol Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 23 May 2013 13:39:00 +0000

May's Capitol Read is The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.

Though more than sixty years have passed since this remarkable novel won the Pulitzer Prize, it has retained its popularity and become one of the great modern classics. "I can only write what I know, and I know nothing but China, have always lived there," wrote Pearl S. Buck. In The Good Earth she presents a graphic view of China when the last emperor reigned and the vast political and social upheavals of the twentieth century were but distant rumblings of ordinary people. This moving, classic story of the honest farmer Wang Lung and his selfless wife O-lan is must reading for those who would fully appreciate the sweeping changes that have occured in the lives of the Chinese people during this century.

Nobel Prize winner Pearl S. Buck traces the whole cycle of life: its terrors, its passions, its ambitions and rewards. Her brilliant novel--beloved by millions of readers--is a universal tale of the destiny of man.

The Literary Image and Impact of Breece D’J Pancake: Native Son

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 20 May 2013 15:02:00 +0000

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Milton Branch Library

1140 Smith Street, Milton, WV 25541

(304) 743-6711

Symposium guests:

Dr. Grace Toney Edwards, 10:00 AM. An Overview of Pancake’s Life and Career
Dr. Rob McDonald, 11:00 AM. Native Ground, the Role of Place in Shaping Literary Imagination
Marie Manilla, 1:30 PM. An analysis of Pancake’s Writing
Panel of Peers, 2:30 PM. Breece as We knew Him
Phyllis Wilson Moore, 3:30 PM. The Impact of Pancake’s Work
Walking Tour, 4:30 PM.

This project is being presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

New Library Update Available to View

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:20:00 +0000

The newest episode of Library Update is up on YouTube. This is part one of Episode 19, Financial Literacy. Make sure to catch parts 2 and 3 of the episode as well.

The West Virginia Library Commission is committed to promoting, assisting, and supporting high quality library services and information resources to all West Virginia residents. This includes getting relevant information out to library directors, their staff, and patrons through various formats. Currently the Library Commission uses its website, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, e-bulletins and now YouTube to disseminate information.

WVLC plans on bringing you current programs, topics, and trends. This broad spectrum includes partnerships, training, programming, and service. We want this program to be a useful, entertaining resource for you. If you ever have any questions or comments regarding topics on this show, please do not hesitate to call us at 1-800-642-9021.

This program is not intended to act as a calendar of events, but as a vehicle of ideology and practical tips. Specific event information can always be found on our website www.librarycommission.wv.gov and at your local libraries.

The video in this post is the first segment of the episode. Check it out, then view parts 2 and 3. Make sure you subscribe to the West Virginia Library Commission YouTube channel so you don't miss the newest episodes!

When Disaster Strikes

noreply@blogger.com (Heather) — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:58:00 +0000

Bill Kershner from the West Virginia Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (WVDHSEM) will present ways to be prepared for natural and other disasters as well as how WVDHSEM can assist in the aftermath. This event is free and open to the public.

May 16, 2013, at 12:00 pm in the Library Commission Childer's Room.

Literary Lunch with Jamie Summerlin

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 08 May 2013 17:47:00 +0000

On Thursday, May 23, the West Library Commission State Library Services will host ultra-marathoner and Marine Corps veteran Jamie Summerlin for a Literary Lunch presentation of his book Freedom Run: A 100-Day, 3,452-Mile Journey Across America to Benefit Wounded Veterans. Mr. Summerlin, a Morgantown resident from Burnsville, West Virginia, will have copies of his book available to purchases and will sign copies. Literary Lunch is a noon event and is free and open to the public.

Freedom Run tells of Summerlin’s 2012 transcontinental run across America and the heartfelt stories of courage and determination from the U.S. veterans he met along the way. With light humor and great emotion, Summerlin provides the many elements involved in preparing for and accomplishing his journey, as well as some of the milestones and people who shared the experience with him. While many have attempted to run across the country, few have completed it. Mr. Summerlin became the 48th person known to have finished a true coast-to-coast-run in America.

Mr. Summerlin had another motivation for making his way across the county on foot. As a veteran, he wanted to recognize the men and women who defend our country. Mr. Summerlin captured the attention of individual and corporate sponsors to raise money for the Wounded Warrior Project and other veteran-based charitable organizations during his run.

For more information about this event, or other West Virginia Library Events, check out the Events Calendar or call 304-558-2045.

Choose Privacy

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 06 May 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Choose Privacy is an education and awareness campaign that invites everyone to discuss our privacy rights in a digital age. The goal is to give individuals the resources they need to critically think and make informed choices about their privacy.

Join State Library Services throughout the month for informational sessions and events. Visit our Events, Facebook, or blog page for more detailed and up to date information on events during the month.

Writer's Toolkit in Wheeling, May 11th

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 02 May 2013 19:08:00 +0000

FREE, intensive creative-writing-skills workshop sponsored by the West Virginia Division of Culture and History, West Virginia Library Commission, the West Virginia Center for the Book and the West Virginia Sesquicentennial Commission.

WHERE: West Virginia Independence Hall, Wheeling, WV

WHEN: Saturday, May 11, 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Changing Education Paradigms - Friday Film

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 18:13:00 +0000

A thought-provoking 12 minute video.This RSA Animate was adapted from a talk given at the RSA by Sir Ken Robinson, world-renowned education and creativity expert and recipient of the RSA's Benjamin Franklin award.

(The RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce): an enlightenment organisation committed to finding innovative practical solutions to today’s social challenges. Through its ideas, research and 27,000-strong Fellowship it seeks to understand and enhance human capability so we can close the gap between today’s reality and people’s hopes for a better world.)

Capitol Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:38:00 +0000

April's Capitol Read is Loving Frank by Nancy Horan.

I have been standing on the side of life, watching it float by. I want to swim in the river. I want to feel the current.

So writes Mamah Borthwick Cheney in her diary as she struggles to justify her clandestine love affair with Frank Lloyd Wright. Four years earlier, in 1903, Mamah and her husband, Edwin, had commissioned the renowned architect to design a new home for them. During the construction of the house, a powerful attraction developed between Mamah and Frank, and in time the lovers, each married with children, embarked on a course that would shock Chicago society and forever change their lives.

In this ambitious debut novel, fact and fiction blend together brilliantly. While scholars have largely relegated Mamah to a footnote in the life of America’s greatest architect, author Nancy Horan gives full weight to their dramatic love story and illuminates Cheney’s profound influence on Wright.

More information about Capitol Reads selections can be found on the WVLC website.

Pulitzer Prize Winners Announced for 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:10:00 +0000

On April 15, 2013, the Pulitzer Prizes for Journalism and the Arts were announced. The winners include:

Letters and Drama

Fiction

The Orphan Master's Son by Adam Johnson

Drama

Disgraced by Ayad Akhtar

History

Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America's Vietnam by Fredrik Logevall

Biography or Autobiography

The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss

Poetry

Stag's Leap by Sharon Olds

General Nonfiction

Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys by Gilbert King

Check the WVLC catalog for title availability. Or check your local library for these prize winners.

Libraries Celebrate Money Smart Week

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:46:00 +0000

Some events happening in libraries this week include:

Monday, April 22^nd

Huntington: Children’s Smart Money Workshop at the Cabell County Public Library

Morgantown: Money Smart Credit and Debt workshop, Resume Writing workshop and Teaching Children to Save reading event at the Morgantown Public Library

Tuesday, April 23^rd

Morgantown: Smart Couponing workshop at Morgantown Public Library

Wednesday, April 24^th

Bridgeport: Identity theft, credit reports and budgeting workshop at the Bridgeport Public Library

Thursday, April 25^th

Morgantown: Personal Money Matters workshop at the Public Library

Martinsburg: Basic Budgeting and Everyday Expenses workshop at the Martinsburg-Berkeley County Public Library

For more information about Money Smart Week or to see what other events are happening around the state, check out WV Money Smart Week on Facebook.

Celebrate National Library Week!

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 14:39:00 +0000

Capitol Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 14:30:00 +0000

March's Capitol Read was Clay's Quilt by Silas House.

Clay Sizemore was just four years old when his mother died. Clay's father was long gone by then. Surrounded by aunts and uncles, loyal friends and cousins, Clay loves his town of Free Creek. But what he doesn't have - a mother, a father, sisters or brothers - is what gnaws at him year after year. And what leads him to leave Free Creek and try to make a life of his own." "This is the story of how Clay, a coal miner in love with his hometown but unsure of his place within it, finds the family he's been seeking. And it's the story of the people who become part of the life he shapes: from his religious Aunt Easter to Uncle Paul, the skilled quilter who teaches Clay that you can make a beautiful thing out of bits and pieces. At the heart of it all is Alma, the fiddler whose song and quiet spirit wend their way into Clay's heart, saving him just as he approaches the brink of despair. Together, they help Clay to fashion a life from what treasured pieces are around him and to see the family that has been right beside him all along.

More information about Capitol Reads selections can be found on the WVLC website.

New Library Update Available to View

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:13:00 +0000

The newest episode of Library Update is up on YouTube. This is part one of Episode 18, Little Library With a Big Heart. Make sure to catch parts 2 and 3 of the episode as well.

Braille Tutoring Available

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:27:00 +0000

WHEN YOUR VISION NO LONGER WORKS FOR YOU

WE CAN HELP!!!

Can you no longer write and read your shopping list?

Can you no longer write down an appointment date?

Can you no longer write down important phone numbers and addresses?

Do you find yourself waiting for someone with vision to come help you take care of tasks requiring the ability to read and write?

Can you no longer write a delicious recipe your friend told you about?

Are there other reading and writing tasks you have had to give up because you can no longer see?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, we can help.

The National Federation of the Blind of West Virginia is pleased to offer free braille training to anyone interested in finding an alternative way to read and write. The program is offered on a one-on-one basis. There is no cost to the student. Training may be offered in the student’s home or at a designated location agreeable to both the student and tutor.

The student will receive the following:

Travel money if they travel to the teacher’s location

Braille instruction book

Slate & stylus (tools used for writing Braille)

Braille writing paper

This program is designed to offer the individual who can no longer read and write the freedom to resume these activities.

To enroll in the program or obtain additional information please contact:

Ed McDonald

(304) 788-0129

Funding for this project is made possible by a grant through the West Virginia Division of Rehabilitation Services.

Writer's Toolkit, March 2nd

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 19:56:00 +0000

For more information please visit:

http://www.wvculture.org/events/writers/2013flyerprogram.pdf

Capitol Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 18:20:00 +0000

February's Capitol Read is The Beekeepers Lament: How One Man and Half a Billion Honey Bees Help Feed America by Hannah Nordhaus

The honey bee is a willing conscript, a working wonder, an unseen and crucial link in America's agricultural industry. But never before has its survival been so unclear—and the future of our food supply so acutely challenged.

Enter beekeeper John Miller, who trucks his hives around the country, bringing millions of bees to farmers otherwise bereft of natural pollinators. Even as the mysterious and deadly epidemic known as Colony Collapse Disorder devastates bee populations across the globe, Miller forges ahead with the determination and wry humor of a true homespun hero. The Beekeeper's Lament tells his story and that of his bees, making for a complex, moving, and unforgettable portrait of man in the new natural world.

More information about Capitol Reads selections can be found on the WVLC website.

New Library Update Available to View

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:28:00 +0000

The newest episode of Library Update is up on YouTube. This is part one of Episode 17, WV Reads 150. Make sure to catch parts 2 and 3 of the episode as well.

Burns Supper

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 20:32:00 +0000

A Burns supper is a celebration of the life and poetry of the poet Robert Burns, author of many Scots poems. The suppers are normally held on or near the poet's birthday, 25 January, sometimes also known as Robert Burns Day (or Rabbie Burns Day) or Burns Night, although they may in principle be held at any time of the year.

Shortly after Burns's death, groups of friends and acquaintances began to gather in his memory. In 1859, the centenary of his birth, memorial events were held all over Scotland and among the Scottish diaspora, and 25 January virtually became a national holiday. The memorial events have taken on a particular structure: there is a meal, one ingredient of which must be the haggis, addressed with Burns's poem before serving. After the meal there are two speeches with fixed titles, but variable contents: "To the Immortal Memory" and "To the Lasses." "The Immortal Memory" offers a serious recollection of Burns, usually with emphasis on him as man rather than as poet, and often incorporates legendary instances of his humanity: he is said, for example, to have warned a woman selling ale without a license that the tax collectors would be by late in the day, thereby giving her the opportunity to destroy the evidence. The toast "To the Lasses" is usually short and humorous, paying tribute to Burns's way with women and to the many descriptive songs he wrote about them. Interspersed among these speeches and other toasts are performances of Burns's songs and poems. Typically, the event concludes with the singing of "Auld Lang Syne" by the assembled company, arrayed in a circle and clasping hands.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

CHORUS:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet,
For auld lang syne!

Learn more about Robert Burns using WVLC's database collection. Or stop in to pick a collection of his poems.

Capitol Reads

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Thu, 17 Jan 2013 21:34:00 +0000

January's Capitol Read is Founding Mothers: The Women Who Raised Our Nation by Cokie Roberts

In the histories of the American Revolution, much has been written about America's founding fathers, those brave men who signed the Declaration of Independence, battled the British, and framed the Constitution. Yet the wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters who supported, encouraged, and even advised them have been virtually ignored.

In Founding Mothers, Cokie Roberts brings to light the stories of the women who fought the Revolution as valiantly as the men, sometimes even defending their very doorsteps from British occupation. While the men went off to war or to Congress, the women managed their husbands' businesses, ran the farms, and raised their children. These women who sacrificed for the fledgling nation spent months or even years apart from their husbands, at a time when letters were their only form of contact.

Drawing upon personal correspondence and private journals, Founding Mothers brings to life the everyday trials, extraordinary triumphs, and often surprising stories of Abigail Adams, Mercy Otis Warren, Deborah Reed Franklin, Eliza Pinckney, Martha Washington, and other patriotic and passionate women, each of whom played a role in raising our nation.

More information about Capitol Reads selections can be found on the WVLC website.

Celebrating West Virginia Women Writers

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 19:40:00 +0000

Pearl S. Buck, the first American woman to win the Nobel Prize for literature (1938), who also won a Pulitzer Prize in 1932, is among the premier West Virginia women writers to be honored at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 29 by the American Women Writers National Museum (AWWNM) in Washington, D.C.

“West Virginia's former Poet Laureate, the late Irene McKinney, West Virginia Music Hall of Fame honoree Hazel Dickens, and American Book Award winner novelist Denise Giardina will be showcased along with Pearl Buck,” said Janice Law, AWWNM founder.

The celebration, jointly-hosted by West Virginia Center for the Book, West Virginia Library Commission, and West Virginia Humanities Council in Charleston, will be in the McLendon room of the National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, 20045.

“These brilliant women are only a few of the mega-talented American women literati with West Virginia ties,” said Susan Hayden of the WV Center for the Book, an affiliate of the CFB in the Library of Congress.

A poster featuring women writers from West Virginia, including the four being honored, will be featured during January; it will remain permanently on the AWWNM website as part of AWWNM's 50-state Project to monthly honor in D.C., top-tier women writers from four states.

The AWWNM 50-state event will be held following AWWNM's January 29 noon-1:15 panel of Latina Poets.

All AWWM programs are free and open to the public.

The AWWM website offers more information: www.americanwomenwritersnationalmuseum.org.

Visit www.librarycommission.wv.gov/programs/wvcftb/Pages/default.aspx for more information about the West Virginia Center for the Book, which is funded by the Library Services and Technology Act administered by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the West Virginia Library Commission.

New Library Update Available to View

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:32:00 +0000

The newest episode of Library Update is up on YouTube. This is part one of Episode 16, Library Development. Make sure to catch parts 2 and 3 of the episode as well.

Capitol Reads Selections for 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 19:07:00 +0000

Join the Capitol Reads book discussion group every 3rd Thursday of the month at noon for a discussion of Appalachian, current fiction, and other works. Capitol Reads meets at noon in the J.D. Waggoner Reading Room at the West Virginia Library Commission, in the Culture Center.

The schedule for 2013 is listed below.

Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts
1/17/13

Beekeeper's Lament by Hannah Norhaus
2/21/13

Clay's Quilt by Silas House
3/21/13

Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
4/18/13

Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
5/16/13

Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
6/20/13

Guernsey Literary Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer &
Annie Barrows

7/18/13

Wild Sweet Notes, WV poetry anthology
8/15/13

Ellen Foster by Kaye Gibbons
9/19/13

Ballad of Tom Dooley by Sharyn McCrumb
10/17/13

Midwife of Hope River by Patricia Harman
11/21/13

Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
12/19/13

For further information, check out the Capitol Reads page on the WVLC website or email the group facilitator megan.h.tarbett@wv.gov

WV Reads 150 starts NOW

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:22:00 +0000

Happy New Year and Happy Reading, West Virginia!!

West Virginia Librarians, Supporters, Book Sellers and Others:

We are very proud to announce the launch of West Virginia Reads 150, a reading challenge that celebrates West Virginia’s 150th birthday in 2013. This program is being sponsored jointly by the West Virginia Center for the Book at the West Virginia Library Commission and the Kanawha County Public Library. Additional support comes from the West Virginia Humanities Council and the U.S. Institute for Museum and Library Services.

The year-long reading initiative encourages West Virginians to read 150 books in any format (printed book, e-book, audiobook, downloadable text, etc.) from any source, during the course of 2013, West Virginia’s sesquicentennial year. Books can be on any topic, fiction or non-fiction; they must be read between January 1 and December 31, 2013.

People can read 150 books individually, or create teams to read 150 books collectively. Libraries across West Virginia are encouraged to form teams to compete. Teams, which can have up to 15 members, must choose a name and select a leader to keep track of the books read by team members.

All ages and groups can participate – friends, coworkers, book clubs, classmates, seniors, etc. If children are too young to read on their own, kids can have their parents read to them. Families can use their Summer Reading Program reading toward their West Virginia Reads 150 tally.

WVLC, with the support of KCPL will provide libraries with West Virginia Reads 150 artwork, templates, window clings, reader’s advisories, a Good Reads web site, social media support and program ideas. Libraries are free to customize West Virginia Reads 150 for their own needs and/or develop their own programs and initiatives. Prizes, certificates, etc. will be up to participating libraries and sponsoring organizations.

The program is not limited to public libraries – bookstores, school and academic libraries, literacy organizations, youth services providers and more are encouraged to participate in West Virginia Reads 150.

For complete details about the program, guides, and other information, please visit the program website. If your library, school, bookstore, or agency decides to join us in WV Reads 150, please let us know and provide us with contact information so that we can include your information in the program website and in program mailings. Please also let us know of your West Virginia Reads 150 programs and activities so that we can help publicize them as “sanctioned” events.

WV Reads 150

noreply@blogger.com (Megan) — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 19:25:00 +0000