If you knit and like to read, don’t hesitate to join the book talk group at Southwest Branch Library.

Knitting Up Fiction will discuss the 2009 BIG Read novel, March at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 8.

March, a Civil War novel, expands on the life of Bronson Alcott, father of author Louisa May Alcott, who served as a Union Army chaplain. The novel won the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Geraldine Brooks, an Australian-born writer.

Librarian Kim Wetmore will lead the session for readers who enjoy needlework. Participants are welcome to bring their knitting, crocheting or other needlecraft projects to work on while they chat. Non-crafters are welcome as well.

For more information, contact Wetmore at 294-2343. Southwest Branch, part of the Catawba County Library System, is located on Hwy 127 South in Mountain View.

March by Geraldine Brooks will be a topic of discussion when Friends of Catawba County Library meets at 11 a.m. Monday, March 9, at Main Library in Newton.

A facilitator will lead the group as they examine themes in the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel which is the 2009 pick for the countywide BIG Read project. A complimentary lunch will be served.

Friends is a 501c(3) nonprofit organization that serves as a community liaison and support group for the entire county library system. The group welcomes interested members of the community. For more information call 465-8292.

Do you have an ancestor who fought in the Civil War?

If so, was he a Johnny Reb or a Billy Yank? What did he do in the war? What did he look like? How much was he paid? When did he join up and leave the service? Did he receive a pension?

Believe it or not, you can gather such information, and an upcoming library workshop will show you how.  “Finding Your Civil War Ancestor” will be offered at 3 p.m. Sunday, March 22, at Southwest Branch Library in Mountain View. The session is free and open to the public.

Librarian Kim Wetmore will share her research expertise for both beginners and experienced family historians.  She will offer tips about how to research on-line as well as through printed materials. Specific research problems will be discussed as time permits.

The program was inspired by the 2009 BIG Read novel, March, by Geraldine Brooks. The book, part of a countywide reading project, deals with the Civil War as it might have been experienced by Bronson Alcott, a Union chaplain and father of author Louisa May Alcott.

For more information about the BIG Read or the genealogy session, contact Wetmore at 294-2343. The Southwest Branch is located in a strip mall on Hwy 127 South, next door to the Old German Schnitzel Haus restaurant.

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Catawba County Library System will host free computer classes next month as a public service to orient adults to computer basics.

New to the roster is a bilingual “Intro to Computers” session on March 30 at Conover. It is geared toward Spanish speakers.

The schedule includes:

Intro to Excel-Learn this basic spreadsheet program to create interactive charts for bookkeeping and other purposes. Scheduled 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 in Newton and 10 a.m. Friday, March 13 at Southwest.

Intro to Computers–Take the first steps toward computing with the Windows operating system. Offered10:30 a.m. Tuesday, March 3 in Maiden, 10 a.m. Thursday, March 12, at Newton, 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 18 at St. Stephens and 6 p.m. Monday, March 30 at Conover (in Spanish/ English.)

Intro to Word -Get acquainted with this essential program to create, edit and store documents.  Class begins at 6 p.m. Monday, March 23 in Conover.

Pre-registration is required for all classes. Please all the appropriate location: Newton, 464-8553; Southwest, 294-2343; Conover,466-5108; Maiden, 428-2712; St. Stephens, 256-3030 and Southwest, 294-2343.

In addition to the regular classes, St. Stephens Branch will sponsor a free series of computer forums on Wednesday mornings during March. Participants may receive training on such tasks as sending email attachments, saving files, typing a resume’ or other tasks as requested. The sessions are scheduled from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and are open to the public. Pre-registration is not required for these sessions.

To keep informed of library programs and services, subscribe to the new e-newsletter at

http://enewsletter.catawbacountync.gov/library/

It rolls around every March 2. Dr. Seuss Read Across America, that is.

Various community leaders visit schools and libraries to read to children, as if this is something to celebrate.  It is, of course. The nationwide project, sponsored by the National Education Association, focuses on how important is to motivate children to read and master basic skills.

Catawba County Library will hold a story time for families on March 2, the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss. Readings will take place at 6:30 p.m. that Monday at both St. Stephens and Southwest branch libraries. The Southwest story time will be targeted to age 5 and older and will involve readings of Jame Herriott’s work.

What many may not realize is that every day is reading day at the library. Story times for preschoolers and toddlers are held each week at five library locations. And story times for older children and author readings for teens and adults are held periodically.

And how about the BIG Read? Back in 2006, a group of literacy-minded folks put their heads together by sponsoring the first Catawba County BIG Read focused on Tim O’Brien’s The Things They Carried. BIG Read is now in its fourth year, this time spotlighting March, a Civil War novel by Geraldine Brooks.        She’ll be in Catawba County, by the way, April 24 and 25 for public appearances and a book signing.

All of us should celebrate our ability to read and appreciate the availability of literature every day of the year. The freedom to choose what we want to read and the ability to borrow items from the free public library system are privileges we should never take for granted.

You can exercise your freedom as a reader by signing up for a library card. It’s as simple as visiting your local library and asking for one.

Read Across America? Let’s keep it going here in our community.

Catawba County Library System will keep patrons active next month with a variety of activities.

Irish dancers will visit Newton on March 12, a Civil War genealogy workshop is planned at Southwest Branch on March 22 and Sherrills Ford Friends will discuss plans for a new library on March 17.

Computer forums, business workshops and a variety of other programming are in store for all ages. The library partners with Catawba Valley Community College to offer “Tough Times” business workshops for business owners, managers and entrepreneurs from 9 a.m. to noon each Wednesday during March. More information is posted at http://sbc.cvcc.edu.

Thanks to AARP volunteers, tax preparation service for seniors is available each Tuesday at no charge. To schedule an appointment, call 465-8292.

The month’s activities are:

Main Library, 465-8664

   · Preschool story time, each Thursday at 10 a.m.

   · Friends of the Library, 11 a.m.  March 9 with BIG Read book talk

   · Free tax prep for seniors, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays.

   · Intro to Excel, 10 a.m. March 3

   · Teen Tech photo class, 4 p.m. March 9 & 11

   · Intro to Computers, 10 a.m. March 12

   · Tough Time business workshops, 9-12 each Wednesday

   · Irish Dancers, 6 p.m. March 12

   · Teen games, 3 p.m. March 13

   · Parenting workshop, 10 a.m. March 18

   · Teen Advisory Board 2 p.m. March 21

   · Spring program for kids, 4 p.m. March 26

Conover Branch, 466-5108

   · Intro to Word, 6 p.m. March 23

   · Intro to Computers (bilingual), 6 p.m. March 30

Claremont Branch, 459-9311

   · Friends of the Library, 7 p.m. March 24

Maiden Branch, 428-2712

   · Toddler stories 9:30 a.m. & preschool 10 Wednesdays.

   · Intro to Computers, 10:30 a.m. March 3

St. Stephens Branch, 256-3030

   · Preschool/toddler story time 10 a.m. Thursdays

   · Read Across America story time, 6:30 p.m. March 2

   · Shamrock celebration, 6:30 p.m. March 17

   · Computer forums, 10-11:30 a.m. each Wednesday

   · Intro to Computers, 10 a.m. March 18

Sherrills Ford Branch, 478-2729

   · Toddler/preschool stories Wednesdays, 10 a.m.

   · Toddler/preschool music time, 10 a.m. Thursdays

   · Friends of the Library, 7 p.m. March 17 with PowerPoint program

Southwest Branch, 294-2343

   · Toddler/preschool story time, 10 a.m. Thursdays.

   · Free GED classes, 6-8 p.m. Thursdays. Sign up through CVCC.

   · Read Across America story time, 6:30 p.m. March 2 for age 5 and older.

   · Knitting Up Fiction discussing March, 3 p.m. March 8

   · Intro to Excel, 10 a.m. March 13

   · Finding Your Civil War Ancestor, 3 p.m. March 22

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If you think all business is in a slump, you haven’t talked to a librarian.

Lean times spell brisk business for public libraries as customers seek ways to save money.

That’s particularly true at Catawba County Library System which has seen a surge in traffic.

“Main Library, which serves the most customers in our system, saw nearly an 11 percent increase in circulation in January from that month a year ago,” said Judy Foster, senior librarian for Information Services. “Families short on money really appreciate the free services we offer.”

Besides loaning audio books, DVDs and print materials, libraries offer free internet access, homework help, research assistance, computer classes and programs for all ages.

Door counts which reflect the number of visitors at each facility show a marked increase from a year ago. Spikes were seen at Main Library in Newton, up 19 percent, and St. Stephens, up 17 percent, followed closely by Conover, 16 and Claremont, 15.

Patrons who cannot afford a home computer and/or internet service are turning to the library for internet access. This is particularly true for job hunters. Many employers require applications to be submitted on line. This makes the reviewing process easier for the personnel manager and shows that the applicant knows how to use a computer. But if an individual cannot afford a PC or internet service, library computers are a handy alternative.

“We’re definitely seeing an increase in traffic in our computer labs,” Foster said.

She cited the recent announcement by Gov. Bev Perdue partnering the state’s libraries with the N.C. Employment Security Commission and Dept. of Commerce. JobSearch Help Desk, which will train librarians to help patrons connect with employers and conduct job searches at public libraries. Training will begin next month to better equip librarians to help job seekers. Librarians will then assist as “employment guides” with the ability to assess where the job seekers are in their job search process and direct individuals to the appropriate resources within the library and the community.

Aside from job hunting, customers use library computers to do homework, check email and to search for any number of topics which may be work related or of special interest. Catawba County Library System has 65 public service computers. Free wireless internet service is also available at each of seven locations: Newton, Conover, Maiden, St. Stephens, Sherrills Ford and Southwest (Mountain View).

Foster said interest continues to grow regarding free computer classes each month. Subjects range from setting up email accounts and navigating the web to how to write resumes. Pre-registration is required.

Tuesdays are especially busy in Newton as older residents take advantage of the free tax service offered by AARP volunteers. Appointments are being scheduled from 9 am. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through April 14.  To set up an appointment, call 465-8292.

If you’re a computer novice, St. Stephens Branch Library is planning some how-to sessions just for you.

Each Wednesday morning from 10 to 11:30 a.m. during March, the library staff will offer freestyle computer sessions for patrons learn basic Windows tasks such as managing a file system, using flash drivers, saving files and customizing a computer desk top.

“We’re here to help people learn the basics,” said Debbie Hosford, branch manager. “Anything as simple as how to use a mouse, how to attach an email file…nothing is too simple to ask.”

Job seekers are welcome to attend for instruction on typing resumes, filling out on-line job applications.

The instructor will be available only until 11:30, an individualized help will be available as time permits. The sessions are not designed to troubleshoot or fix computers, however.

For more information about the forums planned for March 4, 11, 18 and 25, contact t he St. Stephens Branch at 256-3030. The facility is located at 3225 Springs Road NE, Hickory.¼/p>

Free homework help will be available at Catawba County Library in Newton starting Feb. 24.

Elementary and middle school students may take advantage of tutoring by teens from Newton Health & Science High School. The program begins after school next Tuesday, at 3:15 p.m. and will run until about 4:30 on Tuesdays and Thursdays through the spring.

The tutors will earn service credit for their volunteer hours while and younger students will receive needed help with their homework.

“We see this as a win-win for the students obviously and for the library as well,” said Richard Griffin, Youth Services librarian. “We want young people to use the library more, to know that we are here to support their education.”

Library staff will provide basic supplies such as paper, calculators, books and other resources.

Griffin noted that the Main Library now has a number of homework help computer programs such as Success Deluxe 2009 for elementary through high school levels to allow students to review lessons in several subjects at their own pace. The support materials were obtained through grants from the North Carolina Youth Council. Snacks will be provided, compliments of Friends of Catawba County Library.

Participants will need to bring their own textbooks and related materials. It will also be necessary for youngsters to obtain a library card so the library will have contact information. Library card applications require a parent’s signature.

Parents interested in enrolling their children in the tutoring program should contact the Main Library at 465-8668 to register.

How can small businesses weather today’s economy?

That’s the topic of four workshops to be offered next month. Catawba County Library system is partnering with Catawba Valley Community College to offer three-hour sessions each Thursday morning beginning March 5. Business owners, managers and prospective entrepreneurs are invited to the sessions led by representatives of the CVCC Small Business Center.

The “Tough Times” Workshops will address specific topics each session and will be held from 9 a.m. to noon. The schedule will include:

            March 5: Fortify the Product/Service Mix. This session will address core customer needs, searching for new opportunities and revisiting a company’s competitive edge.

            March 12: Expand Your Market Reach. Participants will talk about ways to invest time and talents to build strategic relationships to create sales without spending more money.

            March 19: Shore Up Assets and Cash. Discussion will focus on maintaining and preserving assets and ways to find needed cash.

            March 26: Optimize Operations. This session will explore ways to maximize efficiencies, staffing, communications and how to better position purchasing and inventory.

“It is a pleasure for the library to partner with our local business community and CVCC,” said Judy Foster, senior librarian in Information Systems. “We hope that we can be an integral part of helping our businesspeople learn better business practices and better serve their employees, their customers and our community at large.”

Foster pointed out that the county library has numerous resources to help small businesses including up-to-date reference materials, business journals, computer classes, certification materials and more.

Each session will allow one-on-one assistance during the final hour of each workshop to address specifics. Each of the four sessions will be repeated Thursdays in April at the Alexander Center in Taylorsville. More information is available at http://sbc.cvcc.edu .