Neftali Pinzon won the recent poetry contest sponsored by the Youth Services Department of Catawba County Library System.

Of the 21 poems submitted, Pinzon’s poems, “Most Teenage Girls…” and “I’m Sorry,” were judged the top entries for her”ability to see through the eyes of a teen-aged girl.” She was awarded a book store gift card and autographed book of poems by Kathryne Stripling Byer, North Carolina poet laureate. Pinzon, 15, attends Catawba Valley High School.

Second place went to Teren Donovan for “Born an Orphan.” Teren, age 11, attends North View Middle School in Hickory and received a book store gift card.

Third place winner was Kelly Parker, for her poem, “Loss.” The 13-year-old attends Maiden Middle School. She received a writing journal.

All participants earned certificates. Their poetry will be compiled into a book to be placed in the library.

Catawba County Library System serves more than 68,200 users, with nearly a third of them under age 18. Library locations include Newton, Conover, Maiden, Claremont, Sherrills Ford, St. Stephens and the Southwest branch which serves the Banoak and Mountain View communities.

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Claremont Friends of the Library recently purchased two laptop computers for the Claremont Branch Library.

The Compaq computers are helping to meet demands of library patrons at the branch, allowing wireless connection to the Internet, as well as offering the Microsoft Office programs of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher and Access. 

Computer demand from patrons at Claremont is up about 20 percent since last summer. The branch added wireless Internet access in October.

 “At Claremont, we’ve seen a surge in patron demand for computers since last summer.  Since our space is fairly limited, the new laptops enable us to serve more people without having to find room for more desktop computers and work tables,” said Rich Haunton, library branch manager.

Glenn Morrison, president of the Claremont Friends group, expressed support of the effort, noting, “I’m very thankful that our Friends can help us out with a growing need like this when demand is up and budgets are tight.”

Claremont is one of seven locations in the Catawba County Library System. Since last July, the branch has recorded a 16 percent rise in visitors since all of the previous fiscal year. The As of April, Claremont Branch had nearly 15,000 patron visits.

The county’s fiscal year runs July through June.

Catawba County Library System has several displays on tap for public viewing next month. The displays are intended for information and education as well as entertainment.

Offerings will include:

Newton-Summer Reading program

            Genealogy-Salt & pepper shakers owned by Sylvia Bajorek

Maiden-Cat collection of Ashley Smith           

All other locations: Summer Reading promotion

The library system operates seven locations throughout the county and has more than 70,000 registered users.                                                                                          ¼/p>

Think you have what it takes to write a book?

Find out more during a free writers workshop Saturday, June 20 in Newton. Catawba County Library System will host authors from the “Carolina Conspiracy” from 10 a.m. to noon.

Jim and Joyce Lavene, who appeared at Southwest Branch Library recently, will join some other North Carolina writers for a lively discussion about publishing mystery novels.

On the panel will be Elizabeth Spann Craig discussing what makes a great character, Doug Walker exploring setting in a book, Lynette Hall Hampton talking about staying motivated as a writer and Susan Whitfield explaining the revision process.

The Lavenes will share the ins and outs of publishers and agents. They are best known for their popular Charlotte-based Peggy Lee Garden mysteries as well as a how-to book, The Everything Guide to Writing a Novel. The pair has just released the fifth of the Peggy Lee Garden series, A Corpse for Yew.

Combined, the group has more than 100 years of writing and publishing experience.

The workshop, open to ages 12 and older, is free and open to the public and preregistration is not required. Participants should bring a laptop or paper and pen with them.

Library materials addressing the how-to’s of writing will be available for checkout. The authors will have their books available for sale and signing.

For further information, contact Richard Griffin, Youth Services librarian, at 465-8668.

“Be Creative at Your Library” is the theme for this year’s Summer Reading program, and Catawba County Library System plans a host of special events to encourage young people to check out books. Sign-ups are under way at all seven library locations, with several open house events scheduled this week.

Parents may sign up their children at any time the library is open, but special festivities are upcoming at these times:

JUNE 1-5-7 p.m. Southwest Branch

JUNE 2-6:30-7:30 p.m. St. Stephens & Sherrills Ford

JUNE 3-3-4 p.m. Conover, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Claremont

JUNE 4-3-5 p.m. Maiden

Main Library in Newton, which hosted an open house this past week, will launch the first activity for kids on Saturday, June 6, with chalk drawing at 2 p.m. Younger kids are invited to the free program, but parents should dress them prepared to get messy.

Hobo Bill and Kristin, local folk singers and storytellers, will entertain all ages the following Saturday, June 13, at Main Library. The fun begins at 10 a.m.

Ages 0-18 will receive prizes for reading/story time or books read this summer, and book bags will be provided at no charge.

The creativity theme will be used by libraries nationwide to focus young readers on books. The underlying idea, of course, is to minimize the learning loss experienced when school is not in session. Some students can lose up to an entire grade level over the summer months. Sponsoring Summer Reading helps prevent that lag by keeping youngsters interested in learning and reading, which is an important part of the library’s mission.

For more information about the county’s library branches and programming, call 465-8292. Specifics about Summer Reading should be directed to Youth Services at 465-8668.

Support groups of Catawba County Library System have scheduled upcoming meetings.

Friends of Catawba County Library will hold their monthly meeting at 11 a.m. Monday, June 8, at the Main Library in Newton.  Members will discuss results of their Mayfest book sale and elect officers.

Claremont Friends will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, at the Claremont Branch Library.

Sherrills Ford Friends of the Library plan a Family Night on the library grounds beginning at 6 p.m. Friday, May 29 at Sherrills Ford Branch. Tickets are $10 each and include music, storytelling and chicken dinner. Tickets may be purchased from Sherrills Ford Friends members or the Sherrills Ford branch library (478-2729).

Sherrills Ford Friends will hold their June meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 16 at the branch library.

Friends groups serve as a support resource and community liaison for the library system and sponsor author readings and other events that highlight reading and learning. Each group welcomes interested members of the community.

The Catawba County Library System will be closed on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, May 26, at 9 a.m.

Materials checked out from the library system may be returned to book drops at any time over the weekend.

The Main Library is located at 115 West C Street in Newton. The Catawba County Library System also includes the Claremont, Conover, Maiden, Sherrills Ford, Southwest and St. Stephens Branch Libraries. For more information about branches and programming, call 465-8292.

Want to learn how to use a computer?

Catawba County Library System can help with free introductory classes.

The 90-minute sessions are led by trained library staff and pre-registration is required. 

The June classes include:

Intro to Computers-Take the first steps toward computing with the Windows operating system. Offered 9 a.m. Friday, June 5, in Maiden and at 6 p.m. Monday, June 15 at St. Stephens.

Intro to Word-Learn the basics of this program to create and save documents. Class held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 16 in Claremont.

Setting Up Email-See how easy it is to establish an electronic mail account on a computer. Offered at 6 p.m. Monday, June 22 in Conover.

NCLive & PBS Specials-Navigate this on-line database to view special programming from Public Broadcasting Service. Offered at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 10, in Newton.

NCLive & How to Start a Business in North Carolina-NCLive, which offered a host of free on-line services has a variety of business-related data bases, journals and more that could cost you hundreds of dollars a year. These serves are free through the county library website. Class begins at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 11 at Newton.

To register for any of the sessions, call the Main library at 465-8663; Conover, 466-5108, Claremont at 459-9311or St. Stephens, 256-3030. The Main Library is located at 115 West C Street in Newton.

Catawba County Library System continues to offer weekly story times at various branches.

Richard Griffin, Youth Services librarian at Newton, said that the programs for young children will continue through the summer months with some extra ones scheduled as part of the Summer Reading program.

 

Family stories are under way at 6:30 p.m. each Monday at Main Library in Newton. These story times, conducted by staff members, are open to young children and their families.

 

Other weekly story and music times continue across the system. The schedule:

WEDNESDAYS, 9:30 a.m. Maiden toddlers

10 a.m.-Sherrills Ford and Southwest and Maiden preschoolers

THURSDAYS-10 a.m., St. Stephens, Newton

                        10 a.m. Music Time at Sherrills Ford

The library events are designed to make young children familiar and comfortable with a library environment, foster reading readiness and help prepare them for kindergarten.

A few special story times for children through elementary age will be offered in June as part of Summer Reading. They include a James Herriott Day observance at 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 at Southwest and a funny tales & craft time at 3 p.m. Thursday, June 25, in Maiden.

 

Catawba County Library System serves more than 68,200 users, with nearly a third of them under age 18. Library locations include Newton, Conover, Maiden, Claremont, Sherrills Ford, St. Stephens and the Southwest branch which serves the Banoak and Mountain View communities.

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Hobo Bill and Kristin Morris will be among visitors at Catawba County Library next month, when the folk singers entertain at the Main Library.

The Hickory couple will offer old-fashioned family entertainment, weaving storytelling with folk songs harkening back to the golden era of railroading. Their performance begins at 10 a.m. Saturday, June 13, and is free and open to the public.

A variety of arts and crafts activities will engage youngsters through age 18, as Summer Reading focuses on a creativity theme. The annual library program is designed to keep young people reading while school is not in session.

Other activities include adult computer classes, ongoing book talks with needlecrafts and a free mystery writing workshop with the “Carolina Conspiracy” for ages 12 and up on June 20 in Newton. The complete library activity roster is below.

           

                                                UPCOMING EVENTS

Please pre-register for computer classes by calling appropriate branch.

Main Library, 465-8664

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

   · Family story time each Monday at 6:30 p.m.

   · Chalk drawing for kids, 2 p.m. June 6

   · Friends of the Library, 11 a.m. June 8

   · NC Live & PBS Specials computer class, 10 a.m. June 10

   · Food preservation workshop, 9:30 p.m. June 11

   · NC Live How to Start a Business, 6 p.m. June 11

   · Hobo Bill & Kristin, 2 p.m. June 13

   · Kite making June 11–4 p.m. kids, 5 p.m. teens

   · Airplane contest June 18– 4 p.m. kids, 5 p.m. teens

   · Teen games, 3:30 p.m. June 19

   · Mystery Writing Workshop age 12 & up, 10 a.m. June 20

   · Teen Advisory Board, 2 p.m. June 20

   · Scratch computer games June 25-4 p.m. kids, 5 p.m. teens

 

Conover Branch, 466-5108

   · Open House 3 p.m. June 3

   · Music time, 3 p.m. June 17

   · Setting Up Email, 6 p.m. June 22

   · Art time for elementary age, 3 p.m. June 24

 

Claremont Branch, 459-9311

   · Summer Reading Open House 4:30 p.m. June 3

   · Intro to Word, 10 a.m. June 16

   · Friends of the Library, 6 p.m. June 23

   · Decoupage for kids, 4:30 p.m. June 24

  

Maiden Branch, 428-2712

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

   · Knitwits needlecraft group, 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays

   · Summer Reading Open House, 3-5 p.m. June 4

   · Intro to Computers, 9 a.m. June 5

   · Music Makers, 3 p.m. June 11

   · Stories & Fun for preschool & elementary age, 3 p.m. June 18

   · Humorous tales of storybook characters, 3 p.m. June 25

  

St. Stephens Branch, 256-3030

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

   · Summer Reading Open House, 6:30-7:30 p.m. June 2

   · Food preservation workshop, 9:30 p.m. June 5

   · Modern Art session, 6:30 p.m. June 16

   · Music Makers 10 a.m. & 4:30 p.m. June 18

 

Sherrills Ford Branch, 478-2729

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

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

   · Collage art for kids, 10 a.m. June 3

   · Summer Reading Open House, 6:30-7:30 p.m. June 2

   · Sidewalk and window painting for kids, 6:30 p.m. June 9

   · Friends of the Library, 7 p.m. June 16

   · Musical Petting Zoo, 10 a.m. June 17

   · I Spy Art, 6:30 p.m. June 23 (age 12 & up)

   · Sonya’s Dance Academy, 6:30 p.m. June 16

  

Southwest Branch, 294-2343

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

   · Preschool Music Time 10 a.m. June 11

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

   · Summer Reading Open House, 5-7 p.m. June 1

   · Tell a Tale for kids, 3 p.m. June 16

   · Knitting Up Fiction Twenty Wishes 6:30 p.m. June 16

   · Teen Journaling, 3 p.m. Thursdays beginning June 18

   · James Herriott Day for kids, 3 p.m. June 23

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