Download - Main Library Undergoes Renovationsgastonlibrary.org/default/assets/File/friends_newsletter.pdf · 2018. 10. 31. · Ella Fitzgerald’s hit song, “Cry Me a River.” The library

Thoughts from the Friends

President

2

Wiley Cash and Loray Mill

Strike

2

Genealogy Fair 2

Author Kristina McMorris

to visit GCPL

3

Branch Library Events 5

Upcoming Events at the

Main Library

7

Look inside for:

November, 2018 Volume 20 Issue 3

If you have been to the Main Library, then you have probably seen the construction going on in the lobby area, as well as the parking lot. Gaston County officials approved renovations that will make access to the library much easier for our patrons with disabilities. Construction began on Monday, Sep. 10 and should be completed by the end of November. We closed the traffic circle and moved the outside book drops to the back side of the library so crews could build new handicap-accessible parking, which included moving the time capsule. The crew also built a new sidewalk connector from

Main Library Undergoes Renovations Garrison Boulevard to the library sidewalk. The new handicap parking opened on Friday, Oct. 5. Inside, crews are renovating the restrooms in the lobby to ensure they are compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To date, they have completely gutted the restrooms and installed new drywall. New lighting, fixtures and flooring will be installed in the restrooms and lobby in the coming weeks. Additionally, the lobby will have a digital screen and billboards to promote library and community events. Once completed, the lobby and restrooms will have a more modern look.

GCPL Gets Jazzed Up

Pictured: Hannah Walsh

Risser from Black Star

Theater Company performs

Ella Fitzgerald’s hit song,

“Cry Me a River.”

The library kicked off its new music series, A History of Jazz, on Thursday, Oct. 4. The crowd of more than 50 people listened as members of Black Star Theater Company presented an overview of the lives of Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong, accompanied by performances of their most popular songs. At the end of the evening, the audience joined in singing Louis Armstrong’s classic, “What a Wonderful World.” The series will run from October 2018 to May 2019, with the exception of January. The performances are on the first Thursday of each month. On Thursday, Nov. 1 at 7:00 p.m., A History of Jazz continues with North Carolina native Nina Simone and her contributions to Jazz.

F O C U S

Thoughts from your President It is almost time for fall weather after this hot summer and a good time to check out all the programs, author events, and children’s activities that are scheduled at the library. So, check out the library website to see which programs you will be interested in attending. The Friends of Library are making plans to honor Everette Warren and Joan Bailey with a special installation at the Main Library. Many Friends have generously contributed to the Friends’ memorial funds for Everette and Joan. If you would like to contribute, it is not too late—you can drop off a donation at any branch or mail to The Friends of the Library, 1555 East Garrison Blvd., Gastonia, NC, 28054. See you at the library! Pam Poteat, President - Friends of the Gaston County Public Library

family “feared for their lives” during the years following the strike. One of the attendees explained that “Gaston County was owned and run by an oligarchy of textile owners for decades. They controlled the entire county and everything about it.” The Last Ballad has brought a great deal of attention and interest to the Loray Mill Strike and is helping our community to recover from the traumatic and divisive events of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Through this event, the Library helped community members begin the healing process from a violent part of our past by providing the mechanism for learning, reflection, and growth. This program was made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS grant number LS-00-18-0034-18) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

Wiley Cash & the Loray Mill Strike Attract Huge Crowd

More than 170 people came to the Main Library to listen to New York Times bestselling author and

Gastonia native, Wiley Cash on Tuesday, Oct. 16. Cash spoke about his latest novel, The Last Ballad, which is a fictional recount of the 1929 Loray Mill Strike in Gastonia and the untimely death of Gaston County resident and union activist Ella May Wiggins. The event included a talk-back

session with a panel of scholars and historians from the community, which included: (1) Wiley Cash, (2) Amanda Edwards, the former director of the Alfred C. Kessell History Center at Loray Mill, (3) Kristina Horton, author and great-granddaughter of Ella May Wiggins, (4) Jason Luker, director of the Gaston County Museum of Art and History, and (5) Lucy Penegar, local historian from the North Carolina Preservation Society. During the session, members of local textile employee families shared memories, family stories, and experiences from that time. Horton explained that her family never talked about the strike or her family’s role in it. Horton also stated that her

Family History and Genealogy Fair Lures Enthusiasts Dozens of genealogy enthusiasts attended the 5th Annual Family History and Genealogy Fair at the Main Library on Saturday, Oct. 13. Attendees were able to visit with local representatives from genealogy, family history, as well as local historical organizations. During the event, participating organizations like DNA Match Help, the Broad River Genealogical Society, Gaston-Lincoln Genealogical Society, the Major William Chronicle and William Gaston Chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and many more, explained how to start a family history research. At the same time, library volunteer Anne Gometz and Reference staff members, Xina Lowe and Brian Brown, helped attendees learn about the genealogy databases available through the library.

F O C U S

“A Sentimental Journey: A Salute to the 1940s” Fundraiser

The Friends are pleased to support the upcoming Kessell History Center’s fundraiser on Saturday, November 10, 2018. A cocktail party + dance will celebrate the veterans of World War II and the Gastonia Firestone plant for winning the Army-Navy “E” Award for their excellence in military production. Don your 1940s finery or military uniform and join us for this special event! The Stardusters Big Band will keep the toes tapping all night, and two instructors from GottaSwing Charlotte will be present to keep the dancing going all night. Registration is required. To order tickets visit: https://www.kessellhistorycenter.org/sentimental-journey

Alfred C. Kessell History Center at Loray Mill

300 S. Firestone St., Ste. 200

Gastonia, NC 28052

Telephone: 980-266-2164

A Sentimental Journey: A Salute to the 1940s

Fundraiser and Film Series

Celebration of the 1940s Film Series

As part of the Salute to the 1940’s, the Library will continue its fall movie series with classics filmed in the ‘40’s and recent movies set in the 40’s: November 5, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. A League of Their Own (1992) During the 1940s, two sisters join the first female professional baseball league and struggle to help it succeed amidst their own growing rivalry. Rated PG ©Columbia Pictures.

November 19, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. His Girl Friday (1940) A newspaper editor uses every trick in the book to keep his ace reporter ex-wife from remarrying. Rated NR ©Columbia Pictures

December 3, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. Marshall (2017) In 1940 Connecticut, Thurgood Marshall defends a black chauffeur accused of rape. Rated PG-13 ©Open Road Films

December 10, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) A banker learns what life would be like without him in this holiday classic. Rated PG ©Paramount Pictures

Kristina McMorris to Visit GCPL

The Gaston County Public Library is proud to welcome New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristina McMorris. She will be speaking at the Main Library on Tuesday, November 6 at 12:00 p.m., as part of the library’s Meet the Author series. McMorris will speak on her latest novel, Sold on a Monday. The novel is inspired by an actual newspaper photo of a Chicago mother offering her four young children for sale in 1948. There will be an optional lunch during the event, which begins at 11:30 a.m. Tickets are not required for the event, but a telephone RSVP is requested by Tuesday, October 30, for those who plan to purchase a lunch. The lunch price will be $8.00 per person. To RSVP for the lunch, call (704) 868-2164, option 4. Copies of Sold on a Monday will be available for purchase.

https://www.kessellhistorycenter.org/sentimental-journeyhttps://www.kessellhistorycenter.org/sentimental-journey

Volume 20, Issue 2 Page 4

IN DEMAND A list of book titles currently in demand at the Gastonia-Main Library

Thanks to Circulation Services Manager Andrew Pierce for providing the list.

FICTION

THE RECKONING, by John Grisham. The Reckoning is the master storyteller's most powerful, surprising, and accomplished novel yet. EVERY BREATH, by Nicholas Sparks. Nicholas Sparks returns with a story about a chance encounter that becomes a touchstone for two vastly different individuals - transcending decades, continents, and the bittersweet workings of fate. VENDETTA, by Iris Johansen. In this gripping, fast-paced novel full of dark secrets and tangled lies, one thing is clear: Everyone has a vendetta, and no one will rest until getting revenge... HOLY GHOST, by John Sandford. When the dead body shows up, they find out, and that's only the beginning of their troubles--and Virgil Flowers'--as they are all about to discover all too soon. WINTER IN PARADISE, by Elin Hilderbrand. Warm up for winter on a Caribbean beach with New York Times Bestselling author Elin Hilderbrand. THE CLOCK MAKER’S DAUGHTER, by Kate Morton. A rich, spellbinding new novel from the author of The Lake House--the story of a love affair and a mysterious murder that cast their shadows across generations, set in England from the 1860s until the present day. DESPERATE MEASURES, by Stuart Woods. Stone Barrington faces down danger on New York's mean streets in the latest thriller from perennial fan favorite Stuart Woods. DARK SACRED NIGHT, by Michael Connelly. Harry Bosch teams up with LAPD detective Renee Ballard to solve the murder of a young girl in the new thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author Michael Connelly. UNSHELTERED, by Barbara Kingsolver. The story of two families, in two centuries, who live at the corner of Sixth and Plum, as they navigate the challenges of surviving a world in the throes of major cultural shifts.

NON-FICTION

COOK LIKE A PRO, by Ina Garten. Ina's practical cooking advice talks you through every detail, as

though she were right there by your side. THE FIFTH RISK by Michael Lewis. Presents a narrative account of the post-2016 election chaos that took over Washington to reveal how a small number of uninformed Trump appointees are triggering devastating world consequences. THEM: WHY WE HATE EACH OTHER - AND HOW TO HEAL, by Sen. Ben Sasse. Bestselling author and U.S. Senator Ben Sasse argues that, contrary to conventional wisdom, our crisis isn't really about politics. It's that we're so lonely we can't see straight--and it bubbles out as anger. THIS WILL ONLY HURT A LITTLE, by Busy Philipps. Busy opens up about enduring devastating personal and professional betrayals from those she loved best, and struggling with postpartum anxiety and the challenges of motherhood.

DVDs

MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN, Lily James, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski, Cher and Meryl Streep. In the sequel to the first show, Sophie learns about her mother's past while pregnant herself. THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS, The astonishing true story of three men who make the chance discovery, at the age of nineteen, that they are identical triplets, separated at birth and adopted to different parents. The trio's joyous reunion in 1980 catapults them to fame but it also sets in motion a chain of events that unearths an extraordinary and disturbing secret. SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY, Alden Ehrenreich, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, and Emilia Clarke. Han Solo started where all heroes start: at the bottom. Join your most favorite scoundrel in the galaxy on an adventure you'll never forget! WON’T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOR?, This documentary takes a closer look at the Real Mr. Rogers behind the show, persona, and personality that helped define what it meant to be a good person and be a part of a healthy community. OCEAN’S 8, Sandra Bullock, Anne Hathaway, Cate Blanchett, and Mindy Kaling. Debbie Ocean, the estranged sister of infamous criminal mastermind Danny Ocean, seeks to carry on the family business by plotting an enormous heist on New York's annual Met Gala.

F O C U S

Branch Library Events

Making Sense of Food

Labels-Participants will

learn how to use food labels

in preventing or managing

chronic health conditions,

such as diabetes, high blood

pressure, high blood lipids

(cholesterol and/or triglycerides), and weight-

management. This event is presented by

Gaston County Extension Healthy Living.

This event is FREE to the public.

Date: November 5, 2018

Time: 10:30 a.m.

Location: Cherryville Branch Library

Straws to Trinkets-Join us as we turn

boring plastic straws into new creations.

Registration is required.


Time: 3:30 p.m.

Location: Mount Holly Branch Library

Video Game Club-

Connect with other

gamers and share

tips, tricks, and

gamer tags while

p laying c lassi c

games.

Date: November 6 and December 4

Time: 5:30 p.m.

Location: TECH@Lowell Library

Indoor Sun Catcher Craft-

Come make sun catchers using

glass pebbles. Supplies will be

provided by the library.


Time: 11:00 a.m.

Location: Union Road Branch

Library

Tail Waggin’ Tutors-

Read to a pup! Practice

reading skills with a

certified therapy dog in a

one-on-one setting.

R e g i s t r a t i o n i s

required. To register call TECH@Lowell at

(704) 824-1266.


Time: 3:30 p.m.


Art Show Opening-

Come to the opening for

the 3rd Annual North

Gaston Art Show. See

artwork from North

Gaston High School

students. The artwork

will be on display until mid-January 2019.


Time: 6:30 p.m.

Location: Dallas Branch Library

Making Sense of Food Labels -

Participants will learn how to use food labels

in preventing or managing chronic health

conditions, such as diabetes, high blood

pressure, high blood lipids (cholesterol and/or

t r i g l y c e r i d e s ) , a n d w e i g h t -

management. Presented by the Gaston

County Extension Healthy Living.

This event is FREE to the public.


Time: 1:00 p.m.

Location: Stanley Branch Library

CRAFTernoons-Use stamps, paper, and a

bit of flair to express your creativity during

this guided craft session.


Time: 3:30 p.m.


F O C U S

More Branch Library Events

Hogwarts Book Club-A

book club for fans of the

Harry Potter world! Come

and get sorted into your

house and select a book

from your house list for the

month. No two participants

will be reading the same

book, so as we gather for discussion each month

we'll each have something different to talk

about. Select Thursdays this fall and winter.

Registration is required.


Time: 4:30 p.m.

Location: Builders & Creators @ Bessemer City

Library

Cookie Family Story Time-

Listen to cookie-themed stories

and decorate your own cookie

with us.

Date: December 8, 2018

Time: 12:00 p.m.

Location: Mount Holly

Branch Library

Make a Snowman

Buddy-Come and make

a snowman using a

POM bottle. Supplies

will be provided by the

library. Registration is

required and opens on

Monday, November 19.


Time: 2:00 p.m.

Location: Union Road Branch Library

Ugly Sweater Trivia-Come

decorate an “ugly sweater”

shirt and finger-knit a scarf,

while trying to win at wacky

trivia.


Time: 3:30 p.m.

Location: Mount Holly

Branch Library

Meet the Author Luncheon with Kristina McMorris-New York Times and USA Today bestselling author will discuss her latest book, Sold on a Monday. The event is FREE to the public and appropriate for adults. There will be an

OPTIONAL lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. and costs $8.00 per person. To RSVP for lunch, call 704-868-2164, dial 4. Date: November 6, 2018 Time: 12:00 p.m. Location: Main Library Meet the Author with Gen. Anthony J. Tata-Retired U.S. Army General and bestselling author will discuss his latest book, Dark Winter. Gen. Tata will speak on cyberwarfare and the Internet of Things, as it relates to the novel. This event is FREE to the public and appropriate for adults. Date: December 6, 2018 Time: 6:00 p.m. Location: Main Library Bright Star Touring Theater Presents “Songs

of the Season”-Take a trip around the world through this musical adventure and listen to popular songs of the winter and holiday season from

all over the globe. This event is FREE to the public and appropriate for families. Date: December 15, 2018 Time: 11:00 a.m. Location: Main Library

Live @ Your Library

Exercise, Metabolism, and

Weight Loss- Start the New Year

off right and keep those

resolutions! Join us for this

FREE workshop that discusses

obesity in the United States and

offers strategies effective weight

management. The workshop also

touches base on why diets are

detrimental to your health. This

program is presented by Bob

Forman of Caromont Health &

Fitness Center and is appropriate

for ages 16 and up.

Date: Jan. 8, 2019

Time: 4:00 p.m.

Location: Main Library

Using DNA for Genealogy-

Come and learn new techniques

and strategies that will teach you

how to use DNA technology in

your family history research. This

program is presented by Robert E.

Wells, Jr., who will break these

techniques down making it easy to

understand. This event is FREE to

the public. For more information,

call 704-868-2164, option 2.

Date: Jan. 19, 2019

Time: 3:00 p.m.


Save The Date

Bright Star Touring Theatre

- Feb. 2, 2019

“Black Gold: A History of

Slavery at Reed Gold Mine”

- Feb. 12, 2019

Dom Flemons In Concert –

Feb. 23, 2019

Volume 20, Issue 2 Page 7

A History of

Jazz-Get ready

to swoon! In this

installment of the

music series,

Frank Sinatra

takes center

stage. Vocalists

and performers

from Black Star Theater Company

will present songs in his style and

explain his contributions to Jazz.


Time: 7:00 p.m.


Fun Fatale Trio-The Fun Fatale

Trio entertains audiences with its

own interpretations of new and old

songs with a unique blending of

vocal harmonies, guitar, fiddle and

upright bass.

Enjoy a mix

of the '40s,

bluegrass,

contemporary

folk song or a

rousing Celtic

instrumental. It's sure to be a fun

time for the whole family!

Date: Dec. 12

Time: 4:00 p.m.


_______________________________

GCPL Holiday Closings

Veterans Day - Nov. 12

Thanksgiving - Nov. 22-23

Christmas - Dec. 24-26

New Year’s Eve - Dec. 31

Closing at 6:00 p.m.

New Year’s Day - Jan. 1,

2019

Placing Your

Ancestor- Have

you searched

everywhere for

your ancestor's

name with no

luck? This

presentation by

Anne Gometz will show you

another approach…research by

place! This event is free and

open to the public. It is

recommended for ages 16 and

up. For more information, call

(704) 868-2164, dial option 2.


Time: 1:00 p.m.


Retrieving the Lamb– This

has been called

one of the best

Christmas plays

ever written.

Come out to the

Main Library

and enjoy this

comedic drama

presented by The Readers'

Theatre! This event is FREE to

the public and recommended for

adults.


Time: 6:30 p.m.


For event details, call 704-868-2164 / Dial 4.

November

EVENTS

December

EVENTS

January

EVENTS

1555 East Garrison Boulevard

Gastonia, North Carolina 28054

Phone: 704-868-2164

Fax: 704-853-6012

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://gastonlibrary.org

Nonprofit Org.

US Postal Service

PAID

Gastonia, NC

Permit No. 181

Poet’s Corner: Jaki Shelton Green Jaki Shelton Green,

newly-appointed North

Carolina Poet Laureate,

teaches Documentary

Poetry at Duke University

Center for Documentary

Studies. Her books include

Dead on Arrival, Masks,

Conjure Blues, singing a

tree into dance, Feeding

the Light, i want to undie

you, and breath of the

song: New and Selected

Poems, from which this

poem is taken. Other honors include earning a 2003 NC

Award in Literature, receiving the 2007 Sam Ragan Award

in Fine Arts, being named NC Piedmont Laureate in 2009,

and being inducted into the NC Literary Hall of Fame in

2014. Learn more about her at ncarts.org, nclhof.org, or

sistawrite.com. Her poetry collections Conjure Blues,

singing a tree into dance, and breath of the song are all

available in our library. --David E. Poston

Photo courtesy of Sylvia Freeman

wishing

razor blades did not

slash rainbows

hands did not

steal light from the dawn

prayers spoken in tongues did not

dissolve into silk pocket linings

air could be bartered

for fire

war could reinvent itself

as a prayer of silence

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