Quitman Public Library News - September 2011

The Quitman Public Library is gearing up for FY12 which begins October 1, 2011. Lots of exciting things have happened at the library since the Friends of the Library convened this past May.
The library’s summer began with a surprise visit from Sissy Spacek and her friend, author MaryAnn Vollers. The two are working on a book using research material from the genealogical department and Wood County Historical Society.
Speaking of genealogy, the library had another celebrity of sorts. George G. Morgan “The Genealogy Guy” from Ancestry.com presented a one-day workshop. Morgan is touring the southern United States, and we were honored that Quitman, Texas could be one of his stops. Over 75 people attended the session.
The Quitman Garden Club and volunteers from the Wood County Master Gardeners continue to manage the library grounds throughout the summer. Although many volunteers are helping, I recall seeing Becky Watts on several occasions during weekends and odd hours keeping the plants alive during extreme drought conditions. McCluney Pest Control has also been spotted as he volunteers his time and compounds keeping the library’s weeds under control.
The Summer Reading program “Dig Up a Good Book @ the Quitman Public Library” was a smash success with 75 children registered to participate. Nearly every business in the community took part in sponsorship, and over 300 people attended the 5 activity and entertainment presentations each Friday in July. Special thanks to those Friends of the Library members who volunteered their time, made treats, helped with crafts, and served our youngest patrons.
Also, the library is the recent recipient of three grants: $16, 500 from the Tocker Foundation to migrate from Follett Software to Apollo Biblionix circulation software -- $15,000 from Dollar General and $75,000 from TSLAC for English as a Second Language Classes. The ESL grant will be divided among 5 area libraries.
QPL Advisory Board bi-monthly meetings for FY2012 are scheduled for the following Thursdays at 6:00 p.m.:
September 8, 2011
November 10, 2011
January 12, 2012
March 8, 2012
May 10, 2012
July 12, 2012
Friends of the Library members are always invited to attend these meetings.
On behalf of the library staff, volunteers, patrons, and community we serve, I am greatly saddened by the recent loss of Quitman Public Library supporter Alice Harris and long-time Wood County TX Genealogical member, LaHoma Clanton. They are greatly missed by all of us.
As always, I thank the Friends of the Library for its generous support of the Quitman Public Library.

Delene H. Allen
Library Director


 Food for Fines will take run September 20 - 23, 2011 to benefit the C.O.M.E. house
 The FOL Annual Fall Book Sale is scheduled for October 11-14, 2010 in the library’s community room.

Library Notes for August 2011

The Quitman Public Library appreciates those businesses in our community who offer their time and services in support of their local library. Special thanks go to the following: The Quitman Garden Club for maintaining the library’s patio areas, McCluney Pest Control for keeping the library pest free and weed free, Potts Feed Store for keeping the weeds under control, SuddenLink for providing television cable service for the Thurman Shamburger Community Room, Ray Roberts Service of Quitman for providing routine inspections of the library’s heat and cooling system, and Peoples Wireless for providing library patrons with unbeatable high-speed Internet.
Library cards are available for those residents who can provide proof of residence in Wood County and photo identification. A guardian must sign for children ages 5-17.
Regular library hours are Tuesday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Friends of the Library
The Friends of the Quitman Public Library is an active group of volunteers dedicated to the growth and improvement of the library. The Friends invite the public to join them for the noon hour at the first meeting of the 2012 season on September 6, 2011 in the Thurman Shamburger Community Room.
The following officers will serve for 2012: Teresa Meeks - President, Tony Ragsdale - Vice President and Program Chair, Diane Moseley - Secretary, Helen Heavey - Treasurer, Jean Fox - Hospitality Chair.

Genealogy
The Wood County TX Genealogical Society will begin its 2012 season by meeting Monday, August 15, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. in the Shamburger Community room at the Quitman Public Library. The society has remained active throughout the summer conducting instructional beginning genealogy classes, assisting the newly formed Quitman/Wood County African-American Historical Society, working with Texas A&M Commerce to digitize genealogical documents and photographs, and hosting the Ancestry.com workshop with internationally-recognized genealogy expert and author, George G. Morgan.
If you would like more information about this active group, you may contact the library at 903-763-4191 or visit the society’s website at http://www.woodtxgene.com.

New Arrivals
In Seconds by Brenda Novak, The Silent Girl by Tess Gerritson, Split Second by Catherine Coulter, Eyes Wide Open by Andrew Gross, Burn by Nevada Barr, 1105 Yakima Street by Debbie Macomber, Claim of Innocence by Laura Caldwell, Only Yours by Susan Mallery,