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The Bedford Public Library System Will Offer Amnesty for Overdue Materials on Thursday, November 12th, Friday, November 13th, and Saturday, November 14th

The Bedford Public Library System (BPLS) will clear fines on overdue materials returned to the library on Thursday, November 12th, Friday, November 13th and Saturday, November 14th.  Library patrons may return books and materials, fine free, no matter how long they have been overdue.  This free fine period will give library patrons an opportunity to clear their fines at the library before BPLS enters into a partnership with Unique Management, a library materials recovery agency.  This amnesty period will be available throughout the Bedford Public Library System, which includes the Bedford Central Library, Big Island Library, Forest Library, Moneta/Smith Mountain Lake Library, Montvale Library, and Stewartsville Library.   

Please call your local BPLS library for further information.   540-586-8911, www.bplsonline.org

Local author, and Roanoke Times Book Reviewer, Charles Shea LeMone, will have a book signing for "Corner Pride" at the Ferrum College book store, Friday, November 13, noon to 1:30 p.m.

Sarah Palin is coming back to the Roanoke Valley. With the release of her book "Going Rogue: An American Life" on Nov. 17, Palin is embarking on a book tour with a stop here in Roanoke. The Roanoke Times' Katelyn Polantz breaks the story here. Palin's last visit to the Roanoke Valley, for a presidential campaign rally in October 2008, drew a crowd estimated at 16,000 to Salem Stadium. Polantz reports that to handle expected crowds at Barnes & Noble, Valley View, the store will hand out wristbands to fans starting at 6 a.m.

Domnica Radulescu, a professor of romance languages and literature, and Chairwoman of the women's studies program at Washington & Lee University, will read from her works. The Romanian-born Radulescu's debut novel, "Train to Trieste" was published in 2008.

When: 8 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 5
Where: Green Drawing Room, Main Building, Hollins University
Contact: 540-362-6451

The Lamplighter's Book Sale at Radford Public Library will be held Nov. 6 through 8. Begins at 10 a.m. For more info call 540-731-3608.

And....

The Books for Bytes Used Books Sale will be held at Westlake Library in Hardy, Nov. 6 and 7, beinning at 10 a.m. A large collection of books and materials will be for sale, with proceeds going towards the purchase of laptops for instructional use. Call 540-483-3098 ext. 3 for details.

Since 2006, Roanoke Public Libraries has collected more that 150 memories in the way of oral history from local citizens. To mark this milestone, an Open House is planned. "Celebrating 150 Interviews for the Oral History Initiative" is set for Thursday, Nov. 5, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the Virginia Room of the Main Library, 706 S. Jefferson St., Roanoke.

Guests will meet some of the Initiative participants and learn about their stories. On display will be pictures, news clippings, and maps that enrich Roanoke's history. Refreshments will be provided, and the event is free and open to the public.

Find out how to participate in the Oral History Initiative by sharing your own story or volunteering to help collect the tales of others. Call Alicia Sell at 853-5868 for information, or email alicia.sell@roanokeva.gov.

Proof that libraries are full of excitement! Guest blogger River Laker, Resource Development Coordinator, Roanoke Public Libraries, shares an overview of his participation and experience at the Virginia Library Association (VLA) Annual Conference, Williamsburg, VA October 29-30, 2009.

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Of around 75 presentations at the 2009 VLA Annual Conference seven of the presentations were from staff of Roanoke Public Libraries. Topics from the Roanoke librarians included: What’s Hot in Romance?; Bikes, Bytes, and Books – Creating a Downtown Library Scene; Man Fiction; Let’s Get Crafty; and Just In Time Tech Training.

In the constantly changing and increasing tech savvy library world, the presentations of the Roanoke librarians likely caused the speed of these changes to go up a gear or two. Incorporating such culturally hot tools as Twitter, Vimeo and Facebook and eschewing the traditionally standard conference Powerpoint presentations, Roanoke librarians created a stir and became a frequent topic of discussion among conference attendees.

Presentations from Roanoke staff included video excerpts from recent Roanoke Library events including footage of local band Doug Cheatwood, Hollins University dancers, The Wright Kids and the Car Less Roanoke Party bikewear fashion show. Also incorporated into Roanoke presentations were screenshots and photographs of Roanoke blogs, author events, cookery events and twitter postings. Issues discussed included how professional and personal life boundaries blur in the world of social media, currents trends in literature and becoming a catalyst for city wide cultural community development.

Video link: http://vimeo.com/7365087   "Shout Outs to Roanoke Public Libraries at VLA Annual Conference 2009"

Written reviews from attendees of the Roanoke Public Libraries presentations included:

“Awesome! Best panel ever”, “Love the ideas and hands-on experience”, “Enjoyed witnessing the passion of the staff”, “The best, most exciting and inspiring presentation I’ve been to in 3 years! I’m moving to Roanoke!”,“This program really started me generating ideas”, “Outstanding! Best program.”
Wendy Allen, Sheila Umberger, Randi Wines, Nathan Flincham, Alicia Gladwell, River Laker

Not included: Amber Yopp, Jason Lane, Jason Holt, Jason Moore 

Have an innovative idea for the library? Contact: river.laker@roanokeva.gov

540-853-1057

Wednesday, November 4, 7 PM, Volume II Bookstore, Blacksburg, (540) 231-9674

Melanie Rae Thon's most recent book is the novel Sweet Hearts. She is also the author of Meteors in August and Iona Moon, and the story collections First, Body and Girls in the Grass. Her work has been included in Best American Short Stories (1995, 1996), three Pushcart Prize Anthologies (2003, 2006, 2008), and O. Henry Prize Stories (2006). She is also a recipient of a Whiting Writer's Award (1997), two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts (1992 and 2008), a Writer's Residency from the Lannan Foundation (2005), and a fellowship from the Tanner Humanities Center (2009). In 1996, Granta included her in the Best of the Young American Novelists issue.

Originally from Montana, she now lives in Salt Lake City, where she teaches at the University of Utah.

In a town not too far away, strange things are happening; words are disappearing. Rather, words are being inked out. Someone has taken themselves a bit too seriously and is policing the literary world of Maury County Library. Read the whole story here. 

The gist of it is, someone has defaced 50 - 100 books, using blue ink to mark out certain words. Ironically, most of the books seem to be mystery novels. The unknown editor is being publicly addressed via signs posted in the library that ask patrons to not mark out words they feel are offensive. This story brings to mind a suspicion I have had over my years of visiting public libraries...that certain people remove books that they feel are offensive from the shelves and report them "missing" and "lost." Who do they think they are? It's a scary thought that someone is making my literary decisions for me. Scary like Hitler.

Roanoke City Main Library wants to find the most terrifying, haunting, spine freezing, hair straightening howls of horror ever heard within the city limits. Participants don't have to scream cold though. Some of the most blood curdling classic fiction paragraphs will be read to stimulate and ensure the success of the search. Read your piece in true Vincent Price style then let loose a scream to wake the dead, and un-dead.

There are two “Read, Then Scream” categories: Screams from the throats of humans aged 18 and over, and screams from those under aged 18. Men and women compete together, after all, utter terror sounds the same from a man or a woman’s lungs. Contest winners are the contestants judged by the audience to bring the most terror to the evening. Prizes include movie tickets, pizza and surprises.

Show up for the “Read, Then Scream”contest at Roanoke Main Library, Tuesday, October 27, for a 6:30 p.m. start.

View an example, "Read, Then Scream" at http://vimeo.com/7195509 ... if you dare!

For more information phone 540-853-1057