Welcome!

Welcome to our e-newsletter. This month we're featuring concerts, exhibits, contests, and more.

Remember - whenever you have questions or need help with any kind of information, feel free to contact your nearest branch.

The picture at the right shows last month's Noteworthy Sundays concert, featuring The Compadres. For info on this month's concert, just scroll down.

In This Issue

New Building Update
Library Events
Featured Online Resource
Kids' Corner
Useful Links

New Building Update

Moving right along

Things are moving much more quickly now on the construction site. The steel has been set and the outline of the new library is visible. Much of the previous work concerned shoring up the existing parts of the building and readying the ground for the foundation of the new sections. Now electricians and plumbers are busy roughing in the lower level. The new stairs at the north side of the building have been completed and the existing stairs on the east side will be demolished. Here's a picture of the new South Potomac St. entrance, as it is now and as it will look when it's finished.

Library Events

Jazz comes to Clear Spring

Our popular free concert series, Noteworthy Sundays @ Your Library, continues Mar. 4 with a performance by the Mike Gellar Band. Local Jazz guitarist Mike Gellar and vocalist Christiana Drapkin entertain with a lively concert of Jazz, Standards, some cool Bebop lines, and lilting Bossa Novas. They are joined by Bob Shann on bass, Dominic Smith on drums, and special guest, clarinetist Anita Thomas. Concerts take place at the Clear Spring library, at 3:00 pm. Please call 301-739-3250 x123 to reserve seats.

War comes to Boonsboro

A special exhibit on the War of 1812 will be at the Boonsboro library March 5 - 29. As you recall from high school history, the United States declared war on Great Britain 200 years ago, on June 18, 1812. Much of the War occurred on Maryland soil and in the waters of the Chesapeake, and many local men fought to defend Baltimore, Washington, and Annapolis. The events of this war unified our nation, inspired the writing of the national anthem, and secured our independence from Great Britain. This exhibit, provided by the Baltimore National Heritage Area, brings these events to life and revisits this important turning point in our history.

Join us at the Boonsboro library on Friday, March 9 at 6:00 pm as local historian Roger Keller presents "Maryland and the War of 1812." Call 301-432-5723 to reserve a seat. For additional information about the War in our area, visit WHILBR, the Library's local history site.

Featured Online Resource

Life stories galore: Biography in Context database

Actors, Presidents, Business Leaders, Scientists and Social Reformers. These are just some of people you will learn about by using the library’s online subscription to Biography in Context. Whether you’re writing a paper for high school or simply interested in people who are making history, you can find 600,000+ biographies covering more than 525,000 individuals. This material comes from respected publishers including Macmillan Reference USA, Charles Scribner's Sons, and Gale. Formerly known as Biography Resource Center, this service is provided by the Western Maryland Regional Library to the public libraries of Allegany, Garrett, and Washington County. Find this and many other great online resources at washcolibrary.org.

Kids' Corner

Enter our writing contest!

The library invites all writers in 2nd grade or older to participate in our Poetry & Short Story Writing Contest.

In addition to receiving some fun prizes, winners will be recognized at an awards banquet in May, and their work will be published in the 2012 Washington County Authors Anthology.

See our news page for details.

Useful Links

In the old days, the library came to you in a horse-drawn wagon -- and the bookmobile still travels all over the county. But we also come to you through the internet, in lots of different ways ... check us out!