10th Annual Poetry Contest!

The 10th Annual Lebanon Community Library Poetry Contest runs from Feb. 1 through Apr. 17. Submit up to two entries and be among 20 winners (10 up to 8th grade and 10 9th grade and up)! Contestants must live in Lebanon County and be members of the Lebanon County Library System. Winners will be invited to a special 10th anniversary celebration and have their poem bound into a book.

Deadline for entries: April 17, 2009.

Entry form and complete rules can be found here.

Questions? Contact Michelle Hawk at 717-273-7624 ext. 3 or refdesk@lclibs.org

The Graveyard Book

The 2009 winner of the Newbery Medal was announced this week. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman is about a boy named Nobody Owens, Bod for short, who is raised by ghosts in a graveyard after his family is killed.

One of the best things about a Neil Gaiman book is hearing the author himself read it aloud. For the release of The Graveyard Book last fall he toured nine cities and read a chapter aloud in each. The videos of all those readings are available online so you can watch him read the whole book. http://www.mousecircus.com/videotour.aspx?VideoID=7

And if sitting in front of your computer for several hours isn't convenient the library has both the book and audiobook, also narrated by Gaiman.

National Article on the State of Libraries

An article from today's Wall Street Journal about libraries.

Folks Are Flocking to the Library, a Cozy Place to Look for a Job
Books, Computers and Wi-Fi Are Free, But Staffs Are Stressed by Crowds, Cutbacks
By JIM CARLTON
http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB123197709459483585-lMyQjAxMDI5MzExNTkxNzU3Wj.html

Patriot News Article from Penn Live on Library Closings

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2009/01/lebanon_library_closes_2_days.html

Lebanon Daily News Article on Lebanon Library Closings

http://www.ldnews.com/ci_11385308

Library Closing Sundays & Wednesdays in 2009

The Lebanon Community Library will be closing Sundays and Wednesdays throughout the year starting Sunday, January 4, 2009 and Wednesday January 7, 2009. This decision was made as a result of ending 2008 with a deficit and starting 2009 with reduced revenue and increased costs. The Library’s Board voted on December 17th to close the library on Sunday and Wednesdays as a means of balancing the budget. Additionally two part-time positions had to be eliminated, programs will be reduced and only necessary expenses are approved.

The library will continue to serve the community five days a week with the following hours: Monday & Tuesday 8:30 to 8PM, Thursday, Friday & Saturday 8:30 to 5PM. For additional information please contact Jayne Tremaine, Library Director at 717-273-7624 ext. 208, or tremaine@lclibs.org