Darfur Traveling Photojournalism Exhibit @ the Garland County Library 9/10/10-10/10/10

As part of our mission to expand the knowledge of culture and society the the residents of Garland County, The Garland County Library will host the traveling exhibit "Darfur: Photojournalists Respond" from September 10th to October 10th. The exhibit, based on the book "Darfur: Twenty Years of War and Genocide in Sudan" is a collection of photographs and panels revealing the tragedy of the crisis in Darfur.

The Darfur region, which is situated in western Sudan, has been in turmoil since 2003, but the country has been embroiled in civil war almost constantly since the 1950's. The current crisis has displaced millions and caused the deaths of between 200,000 and 400,000.

The exhibit is on loan from the Holocaust Museum Houston. It is sponsored by the Garland County Library, the Sisterhood of Congregation House of Israel, and the Rosenweig Fund for Inter-Faith Activities.

Audiobook Appreciation Month

image by Jeff Daly (dalydose), Creative Commons

August is an unusual month. It contains no significant American holidays, and there is only one major American event: VJ Day or Victory in the Pacific Day, which effectively ended World War II. This month is host to several not well known events such as National Goat Cheese Month, National Catfish Month, and Neurosurgery Outreach Month. At the library, though, the most relevant monthlong event in August is Audiobook Appreciation Month.

Audiobooks are a popular way to come across books both new and old. Here at the library, many books that are popular in their hardcover format are likewise often checked out as audiobooks. There are even audiobook versions of novels, nonfiction, lectures, and radio programs that are no longer carried or do not exist as a paper version.

The Garland County Library has recently added a downloadable audiobook collection. This can be accessed from the library’s website. You will need your up to date Garland County Library card available to check out downloadable material, and checkouts for these items work identically to audiobooks and traditional books. After three weeks downloaded items will be automatically returned for others to enjoy.

The library also carries audiobooks on the playaway format. Playaways are mp3 players with preloaded audiobooks. These are especially convenient for book lovers because they are smaller than a deck of playing cards, require only a set of headphones, can be stopped and restarted at any point in the reading, and the speed of the narrator’s voice can be altered to the listener’s preference. There are hundreds of titles on playaway, from children’s books to popular mysteries.

Patrons and library employees alike enjoy audiobooks for a variety of reasons. Among those on the other side of the circulation desk, reasons for checking out novels and nonfiction on audio include convenience, usefulness to pass time during long trips, and realistic narration; they were also mentioned as funnier when performed rather than read. A few preferred audiobooks read by the author, as they could better relate to the content and the author could inflect important parts exactly as he or she intended. Another enjoyed the variety of voices a reader would provide so that the listener could tell the characters apart.

Although the library is much better known as a place to check out the latest James Patterson or Janet Evanovich hardcover, it also holds great alternative ways to enjoy literature and be entertained. Despite being a more recent addition to libraries, audiobooks have become a staple of the modern library offering. They are a practical medium that will continue to increase in popularity.

Hood Stories by Black Male

Local Hot Springs author Black Male recently sat down and discussed his new book, Hood Stories. This book is available for checkout at the Library, and can be purchased from 25,000 websites, including amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

GCL Invites You to Shake a Leg

Contra Dancing photo public domain.

The Garland County Library is presenting a series of exercise and dance related programs, including Family Exercise Dance, Contra Dancing, and Yoga. While the library may be traditionally associated with sedentary activities like reading, Library Director John Wells feels that the library should be a center for physical as well as intellectual activity. “We recently hosted some belly dance lessons and they went over so well that we’ve decided to try some more,” he said. “The summer months have been so hot that it’s hard, and even dangerous, for people to get outside and exercise, so we’ll crank up the A.C. and let them get their hearts racing here at the library.”

Family Exercise Dance will draw on a number of dance styles, including Zumba, belly dance, and Latin dances. Instructor Amy Barranco has 35 years of dance experience, is an AFAA certified fitness instructor, and teaches aerobic dance, Zumba, yoga, and Pilates at Hot Springs Health and Fitness. The class is designed to be family oriented and is suitable for parents, kids, grandparents, or singles. The first class will be Wednesday, August 25^th from 6:00 to 6:45 p.m. and will continue on Wednesday evenings through October 13^th. The classes require a one time $5.00 registration fee, but are free for anyone aged eight (the minimum age) to sixteen.

“We’re hoping that this is something families will enjoy doing together,” Wells said. “ I know a lot of people who would like to attend classes like this at a gym, but either can’t afford to join or don’t want to make that kind of commitment, so this is a way to offer them a chance to spend some time doing something as a family, have fun, and get fit without breaking the bank.”

For more traditional dancing, the library is offering a series of Contra Dances. This form of folk dance, similar to square dancing, was very popular in the nineteenth century and is making a resurgence. The dances will include Circle Dances, Folk Dances like the Virginia Reel, English Country Dances, and Circle Waltzes. The sessions will be taught by Cynthia Henderson of Russellville, a member of the Arkansas Country Dance Society. Henderson is passionate about traditional dancing and is looking forward to bringing these steps to Garland County. “I’ll do anything I can to help you get people dancing,” she said. “Once people try it, many of them are hooked for life.”

Henderson hopes that people will make dancing a family affair. The minimum age for this program is eight years old and teenagers are especially encouraged to give it a try. “Teens are great and they love it,” Henderson said.

Singles are also welcome. “You don’t need a partner to come,” Henderson said. “You are supposed to get a new partner for each dance and you dance with everyone on the floor during the dance, so it doesn’t matter who your partner is. Women can dance with women. We start with dances where gender doesn’t really matter.”

The Contra Dances will be held on Saturdays at 2 p.m. on the following dates: August 28, September 11, September 25, and October 9. The dances are free, but registration is required.

To help celebrate National Yoga Month in September, the library is offering an introductory course on using yoga and meditation to manage stress. The course will be taught by Uma Rao, owner of the Amrita Yoga Center in Hot Springs. Rao has studied and practiced yoga for over 20 years, is a member of the Yoga Alliance, and has EYRT500 certification.

“I’ve talked to so many people lately who are suffering from stress related illnesses,” Rao said. “What I hope to do in this class is to introduce people to ways that they might manage their stress and live a healthier life. Since September is the month in which the Yoga Health Foundation tries to raise awareness of the health benefits of yoga, it seems like a perfect time for people who may be curious about yoga to come down to the library and give it a try. ”

The yoga class is free and open to people of all fitness levels. Those with physical problems may sit in chairs. Participants should wear loose clothing and bring beach towels or yoga mats. Registration is required.

To register or for more information about any of these programs, call 623-4161 or 922-4483 or visit the library at 1427 Malvern Avenue.

Adult and Young Adult Summer Reading Program Winners!

-image by geckoam: flickr creative commons

Ladies and gentlemen, children of all ages: here are your 2010 adult and YA summer reading program winners drawn randomly from the 368 review forms that were filled out and returned according to the contest rules.

YOUNG ADULT SUMMER READING
PROGRAM WINNERS!!

-Playaway - Layla Henson
-YA Fiction - Mahiya Momota
-Fiction - Aaron Vines
-Non-Fiction - Taylor Yoak
-Music CD - Emily Gentles
-Movie - Jennifer Brockett
-YA Non-Fiction - Katy Yoak
-Graphic Novel/Manga - Nicholas Youngblood
-and the Grand Prize winner of the iPod Nano for YA is...............Kayla Mechel Miles

ADULT SUMMER READING
PROGRAM WINNERS!!
-Fiction - Cheryl Essley
-Audiobook - Peggy Brockett
-Biography - LJ Hines
-Movie - Patricia Boling
-Music CD - Brandy Weidema
-Mystery - Gail Avi
-Dealer's Choice - Brianna Hett
-Non-Fiction - Lian MacKenzie

-and the Grand Prize winner of the iPod Nano for the adult section is.........................Mohammed Hossain!

Congratulations to all of our winners and thanks to everyone for making the summer reading program a success.