Happy New Year!

The staff and board of the Meyersdale Public Library wish you a very Happy New Year!
The New Year Holiday hours are as follows:

Closing at 3 p.m. Friday Dec. 31st
Closed Saturday Jan. 1st

Will reopen Monday Jan. 3rd, 2011!!

What the Heck is Boolean Searching?

Here is a useful, creative video that will help you understand how using the Boolean method of searching databases will aid in delivering the best possible results.

Who Said Librarians Don't Know How to Have Fun!!

Snow Closing

Due to the inclement weather, the library will be closing today (Dec. 6th) at 4 p.m.

The general snow policy of the library is that when area schools are closed, the library will close. We will try to the best of our ability to make this information known through this blog, twitter, Facebook and the WJAC television station. If you have any question about whether the library will be open or not on a snowy day, please call ahead at 634-0512,

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

While the cold weather may be keeping us indoors we can make warm holiday memories by spending time with our families and friends. The following link offers great holiday craft and activity ideas from Family Fun Magazine:

http://familyfun.go.com/

If you feel like snuggling up with a good book but don't want to leave the comfort of your home, download ebooks and audiobooks from NetLibrary and/or Overdrive services located through our webpage at www.meyersdalelibrary.com. If holding an old-fashioned book is what you desire, the following titles in our collection might be of interest to you!

Fiction

• I Still Dream About You by Fannie Flag
• Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay (Director's Favorite)
• Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
• Safe Haven by Nicolas Sparks
• An Amish Christmas by Cynthia Keller
• In the Company of Others by Jan Karon
• Critical by Robin Cook
• Holiday Yarn by Sally Goldenbaum
• Don't Blink by James Patterson
• A Plain and Simple Christmas by Amy Clipston
• Promise Me by Richard Paul Evans
  

Non-Fiction

• Obama's Wars by Bob Woodward
• The Great Explorers edited by Robin Hanbury-Tenison
• Give Me Tomorrow: The Epic Story of A Legendary Marine Unit in Korea by Patrick K. O"Donnell
• Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco
• My Nest Isn't Empty: It Just Has More Closet Space by Lisa Scottoline
• The Kennedy Detail: JFK's Secret Service Agents Break Their Silence by Gerald Blaine, Lisa McCubbin, Foreward by Clint Hill
• Decision Points by George W. Bush
• Spoken From the Heart by Laura Bush
• Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Children's Books

• My Mommy Hung the Moon by Jamie Lee Curtis
• It's Hard to Be Five: Learning How to Work My Control Panel by Jamie Lee Curtis
• Wherever You Are: My Love Will Find You by Nancy Tillman
• Art and Max by David Wiesner
• Hide! by Jeff Foxworthy
• Big Nate Strikes Again by Lincoln Peirce
• Ten on a Sled by Kim Norman
• Ivy and Bean: Doomed to Dance by Annie Barrows
• Llama, Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney

The library has numerous cookbooks to help you make the perfect meal or create the sweetest treats. Please let us know how we can help make this holiday season one of the best yet!

"Wine at the Mansion" a Success!!

The Meyersdale Public Library's first annual wine-tasting and silent auction fundraiser was a huge success! Many thanks go out to Jan and Mike for making the Deal Mansion Bed& Breakfast available for the afternoon. The beautiful building added just the right ambiance to the event. Jan and Mike also provided a delicious array of gourmet cheeses as well as the door prize of a one-night stay at the mansion.

Professional sommelier, Kristine Keller, added her expertise by explaining the unique qualities of a variety of wines; two of which were local products donated by Wayne Miller and Ron Irwin. A bottle of each wine presented for tasting was sold through silent bidding.

Of course, the Friends of the Library Group must take the majority of the credit for putting together a fundraiser that was enjoyable to so many. It is the hard work of this dedicated group that helps keep the Meyersdale Library functioning. I am, as always, grateful to have such creative and dedicated people to work with.

The decorated Christmas Trees donated by local businesses were a hit! Seven lucky bidders took home trees provided by: Thomas Drug Store, Clapper's Building Materials, Citizen's National Bank, 219 Java Cafe, Forever Flowers, Country Bouquet, and the Friends of the Library Group.

Thank you to all who participated and contributed financially to "Wine at the Mansion." The money raised will be used to keep operations going in 2011. This is vitally important in that state-funding for libraries has been decreasing consistently over the past few years. Ironically, library usage has increased as individuals and families utilize library services to offset increasing costs in their homes.

Community support, in all its forms, keeps the Meyersdale Public Library viable and an organization of high repute. That being said, the future is financially shaky and it should never be forgotten that one of the characteristics of a successful community is the presence of a public library.

funny library commercial - See what adventures you can discover in your library!

Christmas Tree Silent Auction to Benefit Library

Christmas trees decorated by local businesses are on display in the former Murphy building until November 4th. Community members may place silent bids for one, or all of the trees at the Meyersdale Public Library. This is a wonderful opportunity to support your library while at the same time taking home an already beautifully decorated tree to adorn your home this holiday season. The bidding will continue at the Wine at the Mansion fund-raising event to be held November 6th at 4 p.m. The highest bid winners will be announced that evening. It is not necessary to attend the wine-tasting event to bid on a tree. Time is going by quickly so take a few moments to swing downtown and choose your favorite tree!! The trees were donated by the following businesses: Thomas Drug Store, Citizen's National Bank, Forever Flowers, Meyersdale Country Bouquet, 219 Java Cafe, Clapper's Building Materials, and the Friends of the Library Group.

Friends of the Library Book Club

The Friends of the Library Book Club will meet November 17^th at 7 p.m. at the Meyersdale Public Library to discuss the book Little Bee by Chris Cleave.

Mari Malcolm of Amazon.com Review states, “The publishers of Chris Cleave's novel "don't want to spoil" the story by revealing too much about it, and there's good reason not to tell too much about the plot's pivot point. All you should know going in to Little Bee is that what happens on the beach is brutal, and that it braids the fates of a 16-year-old Nigerian orphan (who calls herself Little Bee) and a well-off British couple--journalists trying to repair their strained marriage with a free holiday--who should have stayed behind their resort's walls. The tide of that event carries Little Bee back to their world, which she claims she couldn't explain to the girls from her village because they'd have no context for its abundance and calm. But she shows us the infinite rifts in a globalized world, where any distance can be crossed in a day--with the right papers--and "no one likes each other, but everyone likes U2." Where you have to give up the safety you'd assumed as your birthright if you decide to save the girl gazing at you through razor wire, left to the wolves of a failing state.”

Copies of Little Bee are available at the library. Join what is sure to be an interesting discussion about the moral and ethical questions Cleave poses in this well-received novel.

Wine at the Mansion

November 6th
4 to 6 p.m.

The Friends of the Library invite you to attend

Wine at the Mansion!

Levi Deal Mansion

Wine-tasting

Wine & Christmas Tree Silent Auction

Purchase tickets at the Library

$25 per ticket

Proceeds benefit the

Meyersdale Public Library

Autumn at the Library!

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.
~George Eliot

The leaves have changed and there is a crispness in the air. Friday night high-school football games bring back memories and cement community spirit. Days become shorter and the prospect of winter lingers in the background. We hope you will take time to enjoy this beautiful time of year with your family.
FamilyEducation.com has compiled a web-page of fall activities for fun and learning. http://fun.familyeducation.com/autumn/activity/34552.html

We would like to thank all those who participated in the library sponsored Commonwealth Speaker Program "Celebrate Pennsylvania! A history in story and song." with Paula Purnell. It was a wonderful evening that actively involved the children in learning about the history of music in our area.

A reminder that the preschool Story Hour is being held on Friday mornings at 10 a.m. Ms. Cindy is teaching about colors. The library had a special visitor for the color red. Fireman Joe helped teach the children about fire safety. We would love for you to bring your children and/or grandchildren to this fun, educational weekly event.

The Friend's of the Library Book Club will be meeting Friday the 15th to discuss The Life of Pi. Please join us!

Celebrate Pennsylvania! A History in Story and Song

The Meyersdale Public Library is pleased to host Celebrate Pennsylvania! A History in Story and Song

Award-winning performer Paula Purnell presents songs written by and about the people

of Pennsylvania, in this family-friendly and interactive presentation featuring authentic instruments,

costumes and props. From the indigenous people of the Eastern Woodlands, to early English settlers, on to the workers of the Industrial Age, Purnell invites audiences to explore how and why Pennsylvanians have

been making music for thousands of years. Volunteers don costumes to become George Washington,

Queen Aliquippa and other important people from Pennsylvania's past.

Artifacts provide opportunities to explore and discuss the daily life, toils and triumphs of bygone eras.

October 5 @ 7 p.m.

Amity United Church of Christ

315 Center St, Meyersdale, PA

For more information call 634-0512

Story-hour Begins

Our preschool story hour will begin on September 17th at 10 am. Story-hour session will continue every Friday until May. You are invited to bring your little ones to participate in stories, activities, and crafts that focus on learning our colors and shapes. Miss Cindy is excited to start a new year!

Labor Day Holiday & Survey Results

The Meyersdale Public Library will be closed September 6th in observance of the Labor Day Holiday. Please visit the library this week and select a good book, magazine, or movie to relax with during the 3-day weekend.

I appreciate the effort many of you made to respond to the Library-Use Survey we made available during the summer. I was very pleased to learn the overall consensus was that our library is doing a good job in meeting the expectations of the community. Many of you expressed your gratitude for the our collection, atmosphere, and helpful staff.

Your criticisms were acknowledged and valued. While there is little we can do about the frustrating parking situation, we did renovate the public bathroom and included suggested materials into our collection. The Meyersdale Public Library is here to serve you. Your suggestions and contributions are an important part of helping us be the best we can be. Other areas of improvement are be evaluated at this time. We will be announcing new technological upgrades soon!

Local and Family History Department

Have you ever wondered why your nose is a little crooked? Are you curious about why you love to quilt? Has anyone else in your family been challenged with a physical problem you are struggling with? Have you wondered how your family came to live in America? What is the history of Southern Somerset County? Having an understanding of your family and local history gives you insight into who you are. One of the best ways to know who you are is to know who you came from. Genealogical Research has become one of the fastest growing hobbies in America. As much as 60% of the population is interested in their family history.

The Meyersdale Public Library's Local and Family History department has become a highly reputable source among the genealogy community for its collection and service; much of which is due to the professional efforts of Cynthia Mason. We invite you to come in and let us help you discover your family. The Local and Family history department is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you desire assistance from Cynthia then please visit between the hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays. If you are traveling from out of town we suggest you call or email ahead to make sure Cynthia will be available to help you. Even she gets a day off now and then!!

New to our collection:

• The New Republic and Daily American obituaries for 2005 – 2009 are now online at http://www.usgwarchives.org/pa/somerset/. Transcribed obituaries from the Meyersdale Commercial for 1913 – 1918 and a few from 1929 will be posted soon.

It is hard to believe that school will be starting before too long! Families are making plans to get that last vacation runaway in before school schedules once again put life back into a more structured routine. Back-to-School sales promote the need for new pencils, notebooks, and shoes. While notebooks are important, we at the library feel that a positive school experience begins in the home. Helping our children prepare physically and emotionally for the demands and expectations of school will help start the new year off on the right foot.

With that in mind, the Meyersdale Public Library has partnered with KidsHealth in distributing a helpful pamphlet for parents that addresses issues such as first-day jitters, nutrition, digital concerns, infectious diseases, and how to volunteer at your child's school. Please stop by the library to get your free copy of "Fresh New School Year." As always, the library is her to support your family in its education endeavors. Please let us know how we can help you get the information you and your children need to ensure a happy, rewarding school experienc

Game Night @ the Library!

Game Night @ the Library!

Starting August 5^th the Meyersdale Public Library will be hosting Teen Game Night @ the Library! We invite young people ages 12 to 18 to visit the library and participate in a night of fun, competition, and eating! Teen Game night is an opportunity to challenge your friends, show off your gaming skills, and just hang out. We will have snacks, Wii video games, board games, and computer games. You are welcome to bring your own games too! Games brought from home will be voted on by the group to see if they work for group play. Once checked into the library, youth under the age of 16 may not leave the building until an adult picks them up. All participants must be picked up no later than 8:30 pm. For any questions, please call the library at 634-0512.

• Play video games on the big screen...
• Challenge your friends to a game of checkers...
• Bring your favorite games from home!

This trial program will run the entire month of August on Thursdays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. If there proves to be an interest we hope to establish Teen Game Night @ the Library as a permanent part of the library schedule. Hope to see you there!

I would also like to thank all those who have sent donations towards our annual fund drive. As you may have heard, the 2010 state budget once again decreased funding for public libraries. We understand that everyone is making sacrifices during this difficult economic time but we are saddened that the awareness of the positive impact libraries have on a community is not fully understood by political decision makers. That is why every penny donated from our community is a valued vote of confidence in the work we do at the Meyersdale Public Library. Please let us know how we can be of service to you and your family.

Holiday Closing and Fund Drive

The Library will be closed July 5th in observance of the 4th of July holiday! We will be open for business as usual on Tuesday July 6th. Have a happy holiday!

The 2010 Meyersdale Public Library Fund Drive has begun! The board and staff of the Meyersdale Public Library would like to thank all of our community members who have been so supportive of the Library in the past. Through your generosity, we have been able to successfully meet our stated mission to enhance the library through the resources of people, programming and financial assistance for library services. That being said, Pennsylvania libraries are at risk.

Demand for library services has risen dramatically during this recession. Libraries across Pennsylvania are busier than ever - serving people looking for work, families on tight budgets, and retirees grappling with shrinking savings. Recent state budget cuts have reduced library services for the very people who need libraries the most. To accommodate funding restraints, the Meyersdale Public Library chose to reduce staff hours instead of cutting hours of operation in an effort to keep the library and its services available to the community. The future is uncertain. Over 60% of the money necessary to keep the library functional and compliant with state standards comes from community support. Please help us continue to help you by donating generously to the 2010 Fund Drive. Your contributions are tax deductible and the option is available to contribute using the PayPal link on our website www.meyersdalelibrary.com.

Don’t forget to get involved in the following summer reading programs:

• “Make a SPLASH! READ” – for children of all ages. The program starts July 9th and will run until August 13, 2010. Youth may join anytime during this time frame.
• Meyersdale Area Chess Club - Mondays at 4 p.m.
• 2010 Relax and Read Adult Summer Reading Program - July 2^nd and end August 13^th. For each book you read you may submit an entry form. Every Friday staring July 9^th a entry will be drawn and that person will receive a beautiful reward. The more you read…..the more chance you have to win. Prizes are on display at the library. Please ask the staff for more information.

The Meyersdale Public Library offers numerous services that could be beneficial to you and your family. These services include: innovative children’s activities, outstanding local & family history services, an excellent general fiction & non-fiction collection, a variety of magazines and newspapers, assistance in research & problem solving, a diverse reference collection, right of entry to the state-wide Pennsylvania Power Library Access database program, high-speed internet & computer access, Accelerated Reading support, the Friends of the Library programming and book club, special needs computer software and equipment, and access to GED, CareerLink, Family Literacy, and County support representatives. The library is so much more than a place that has books!

Spring is on its way!

June is finally here! After a difficult winter it is good to see flowers growing and fields being plowed. School will soon be out and families may need ideas on how to keep children busy and learning during their holiday. The Meyersdale Library can help you! Here are some suggestions for activities that will keep the brain cells stimulated:

• Join this year's Summer Reading Program "Make a Splash at your Library!" Activities will be held Fridays from 10 a.m until 11:30 a.m - July 9th through August 13th. Registration forms are available at the library
• Help your children create basic scrapbooks about their summer activities. This will be a fun way to capture memories as they see them. It will also help you at the end of summer when they complain that they haven't done anything. They will have all of their fun activities right in front of them. Don't worry or fuss about creating perfect albums. (From Ezine Articles)
• Utilize the Family Fun Summer Reading List located at http://familyfun.go.com/playtime/a-summer-reading-list-702205/ . You can select books appropriate for your child's specific reading level. The library will be happy to make these books available to your family either from our own collection or through the Inter-Library Loan program.
  
• The Kids Turn Central website, http://www.kidsturncentral.com/summer/summer.html, has a lot of fun craft, snack, and activity ideas.
• Family Things To Do in Pennsylvania - http://attractions.uptake.com/pennsylvania/family.html. You don't have to go far to discover history, entertainment, and quality time together as a family. Our state is full or fun learning opportunities that can be enjoyed for free or a minimal cost.
  

Please let us know how we can help your family make this summer and enjoyable and safe one!

Death By Chocolate Deemed a Success!

Many thanks to all the wonderful cooks who contributed to this year's DEATH BY CHOCOLATE fundraiser. We had some amazingly delicious entries that were beautiful as well. Even though the event was postponed from its usual Valentines holiday date, the support from the community was wonderful. I have included a link to the Daily American newspaper article. Please take time to read all about the success of the event and those that made it happen. A special thanks to our "Friends of the Library" group. Every year these dedicated people raise money to help purchase needed equipment, support collection development, or contribute to the general operating fund of the library. In a time where we see funding diminishing at an astonishing rate, the support of our friends and community means everything! Please look forward to participating in next year's DEATH BY CHOCOLATE!.

Chocolate is in the Air!

The aroma of chocolate fills the library as a result of the many culinary creations donated by library supporters for the DEATH BY CHOCOLATE bake sale.

Bake Sale
Meyersdale Library
210 Center Street
April 9th: 10am-7pm
April 10th: 10am-5pm

This is a great chance for you to treat your family without having to turn on your oven! If chocolate is what you live for, join us at the Amity Church on April 9th at 7 p.m. for the annual DEATH BY CHOCOLATE competition and auction. Each year gifted bakers submit cookies, cakes, candy, and other delectable treats for judging. The Best of Show winner receives a lovely cookbook filled with delicious chocolate recipes.
Please come join the fun!
Henry's Cake and Candy Supplies will be providing their yummy chocolate fountain for your pleasure.
Refreshments are provided.
All auction and bake sale proceeds go towards supporting the public library.

Judging and Auction
Amity Church
315 Center Street, Meyersdale
April 9th at 7 p.m.

Many thanks go out to our Friends of the Library group for all they do to make DEATH BY CHOCOLATE such a successful fund raising event. If you are interested in joining the Friends of the Library & Book Club, please call 634-0512 for more information