LibraryAware

Simply Simpson
March 2014

From the Director

I read 111 books written by 56 authors in 2013. Terrific, right? But I read 133 in 2012, 139 in 2011, 166 in 2010, 221 in 2009 and 236 in 2008. See a pattern here? While I don’t have as much leisure reading time anymore, I am still an avid reader but much more selective than before. Life is too short to read bad books!

I enjoy contemporary romances (modern day instead of historical) and western romance novels, and as you will see, I like to read books in a series which I must read in order. I’d like to share some of my favorites with you. Some will be authors you probably recognize, but I hope I’ve included a few new ones for romance readers to consider. Here goes:

Barefoot Bay series by Roxanne St. Claire
Cricket Creek series by LuAnn McLane
Cupid, Texas series by Lori Wilde (not to be confused with the Cupid, Texas Cowboy series also by Lori Wilde which I read this year)
Eternity Springs series by Emily March (we have these in print and audio formats)
Fool’s Gold series by Susan Mallery
Harmony series by Jodi Thomas
Hope’s Crossing series by RaeAnne Thayne
Lonesome Way series by Jill Gregory
Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis
Thunder Point series by Robyn Carr
Whiskey Creek series by Brenda Novak

Did you notice they are listed in alphabetical order by series name? And yes, I keep a list of every book I have read since 1999 including the author, title, where the book falls in a series, and year read. I don’t remember what I read last month, let alone last year but I can look at my list and say “yep, I read that.”

May reading bring hours of peace and happiness to you this year.

Sue Erdman

Upcoming Programs and Events

DIY: Personalized Mugs
Wednesday, March 5, 6:30 pm

Having trouble finding the perfect mug that represents your personality? Why not make your own? We will be using special paint markers to decorate white mugs and baking them at the library to set our unique designs! Registration required.

Book Discussion
Monday, March 17, 7:00 pm

This month we're reading The Round House by Louise Erdrich. When his mother, a tribal enrollment specialist living on a reservation in North Dakota, slips into an abyss of depression after being brutally attacked, 14-year-old Joe Coutz sets out with his three friends to find the person that destroyed his family.

Classic Movie Night
Wednesday, March 19, 6:00 pm

Join us for a classic film from 1964! This satire revolves around the U.S. President and his military advisors as they struggle to avert a holocaust after a psychotic air force general launches a nuclear attack on the Soviet Union. Fresh popcorn will be made and provided along with beverages.

LEGO Club
Tuesday, March 25, 7:00 pm

Teens - join us on the fourth Tuesday of every month for LEGO Club! Bring your own LEGO pieces to the club and we will have a new challenge every month. Projects may be on display in the windows of the Reference Office.

Wellness Wednesdays
Wednesday, March 26, 1:00 pm

PinnacleHealth presents Humor, It Does a Body Good. In this session, we will explore the physical and emotional effects of humor and laughter and its impact on stress levels and health. You will also learn easy, fun-filled, practical tips for getting more “smileage” out of your life and work. Registration is required.

Physical Therapy and
Its Benefits
Thursday, March 27, 7:00 pm

Presenter Dr. Gilbert will discuss how physical therapy can treat lower back pain, sciatica, lumbar stenosis, and many other conditions with exercises, stretches and manual manipulation. Attendees will receive informational materials that include the top three home exercise cards for treating low back pain (other areas of pain are available upon request). There will be a question and answer session at the end of the presentation and drawings for door prizes.

For a complete list of Simpson Library's programs and events, please visit our Events Calendar.

Friends of the Library Events

Bob Evans Dine Out
Thursday, March 20, 6:00 am-9:00 pm

Enjoy breakfast, lunch or dinner at Bob Evans with your family and friends while supporting the Friends of the Library. 15% of the cost of your meal will go directly to the Friends. Dine out to make a difference!

Friends of Simpson
Annual Dinner
Wednesday, April 23, 6:00 pm

Join the Friends of Joseph T. Simpson Public Library for their Annual Dinner on Wednesday, April 23, 2014 at 6:00 pm. The keynote speaker for the evening will be R.J. Harris from WHP 580. Enjoy a delicious family style dinner with family and friends at the Church of the Brethren in Mechanicsburg, PA. A dessert bar will be provided by SweeTreats. Tickets are on sale at Simpson Library for $20.

News and Notes

Simply the Best - Vote Now!

Show your support and vote for Simpson Library in Harrisburg Magazine's Simply the Best 2014! Voting ends on April 1, 2014.

Stuffed Animal Sleepover

32 children and 43 adults attended our 2nd Annual Stuffed Animal Sleepover in February. Take a look at the animals exploring the library after hours.

Simply Simpson Dinner

Our 3rd Annual Simply Simpson dinner was held on February 8 with 67 people enjoying music by Jazz Me and delicious food at the Carlisle Country Club. Thank you to those who supported this fundraising event.

Geek the Library

It’s March and we are thrilled that Spring is just around the corner! As the weather warms and we begin to go back outside, consider taking a walk down Main Street in Mechanicsburg. Chances are you’ll see some shops with a poster in the window declaring what the owner geeks! Our campaign is approximately halfway over, and we’ve received tremendous positive response from our community. The second half of our campaign will focus on getting more participation from the community as well as distributing information on how public libraries are structured.

Display Case

The LEGO club, a new group to the Simpson Library, will show off their latest LEGO creations in our entrance display case during March. As the name suggests, this teen club (ages 11-18) is geared for young adults who enjoy building and creating objects with LEGOS. Anyone who is interested in becoming part of the club should contact Linda Wilson, Teen Services Librarian at lwilson@ccpa.net.

Featured Database

ReferenceUSA

Interested in learning more about starting a business? Then
ReferenceUSA is a good place to start! ReferenceUSA is one of the leading databases that provides information for consumer and business research. This includes telephone directories, annual reports, government data, chambers of commerce information, trade publications, newsletters and newspapers, and industry and specialty directories. Entrepreneurs can conduct market research, job seekers can locate and research prospective companies and find contacts in human resources, students can find articles for research on businesses, movers can research neighborhoods and check median income and home values, and continuing education students can research information about prospective careers.

Staff Picks