Winter nights are made for curling up with a good book. Whether you prefer physical pages or reading on your device, here are some page turners being released to start off 2017:
Never Never by James Patterson
Below the Belt by Stuart Woods
The Mistress by Danielle Steel
The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian
Fatal by John Lescroart
A Baxter Family Christmas by Karen Kingsbury
Right Behind You by Lisa Gardner
DVD movies releasing in January:
“The Secret Life of Pets”
“Jason Bourne”
“Bridget Jones’s Baby”
Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween”
It is once again time for One Book, One Community – Our Region Reads. Multiple copies of this year’s selection, Rose Under Fire, will be available beginning January 2017. Rose Under Fire is the unforgettable story of Rose Justice, a young pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War. Author Elizabeth Wein spent her teen years in Harrisburg, PA and, after the loss of her mother in a car accident, turned to books as a way to deal with this unexpected tragedy. In fact, Elizabeth wrote her first novel at age 14.
About Rose Under Fire: Rose Justice is a young pilot with the Air Transport Auxiliary during the Second World War. On her way back from a semi-secret flight in the last days of the war, Rose is captured by the Germans and ends up in Ravensbrück: the notorious Nazi women’s concentration camp. There, she meets an unforgettable group of women, including a once glamorous and celebrated French detective novelist whose Jewish husband and three young sons have been killed; a resilient young girl who was a “Ravensbruck Rabbit” – a human guinea pig for Nazi doctors; and a Nachthexen, or Night Witch, a female fighter pilot and military ace for the Soviet air force. These damaged women must bond together to help each other survive.
If you enjoy Rose Under Fire, you may also like its companion novel Code Name Verity, also about young female pilots in World War II. The books read as stand-alone novels and you do not have to read them in any particular order.
A book discussion of Rose Under Fire will be held on Wednesday, February 15, at 6 PM. The discussion will be led by Mary Ann Heltshe-Steinhauer of the Library System of Lancaster County.
Important announcement: On Wednesday, January 18, the library circulation system will be changing over to a new system called “Sierra”. This means there will be NO Circulated materials on that day. Items will be programmed to check in on January 20, so nothing will be overdue. The library and computer access will be open regular hours as usual. Questions? Just ask!
The Columbia Public Library continues its very worthwhile and popular outreach begun last year. “Food For Fines” involves bringing in nonperishable food items for the Columbia Food Bank. Personal hygiene items for the traveling winter shelter will also be collected. This year, the campaign will run for THREE MONTHS – beginning January 2 and ending March 31. Each item donated will allow the donor to have $1.00 removed from their outstanding library fines. Maximum amount waived will be $10.00. This program is good for fines on COLUMBIA items only – no other libraries’. Of course, people who have no fines are certainly welcome to donate as well!
According to Pastor David Powers of the Hands Across the Street program, items needed include any nonperishable foods – specifically, peanut butter, jelly (strawberry and grape), canned soups (any flavors) and canned stews – along with shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste and toothbrushes, soap, socks, and mouthwash for the winter shelter. Items will be collected between Monday, January 2 and Friday, March 31. Hands Across the Street staff will be collecting the items from the library periodically as they are needed.
Also needed are women and girls’ underwear: MUST be new, MUST be packaged.
Thanks to everyone who donated to our Mitten Tree! 125 items were collected to keep our neighbors warm this winter. These items are distributed through the Columbia Presbyterian Church / Hands Across the Street Program. Hands Across the Street is a blessing to Columbia – here are some of the outreach programs:
* Free Community meals (first Tuesday, third Saturday)
* Clothing Bank
* Winter Shelter (specified local churches)
* Day Center
* Coffehouse with music on first and last Sundays of each month.
For more information on Hands Across the Street, please contact Pastor David Powers (717-684-6271), visit www.ColumbiaHAS.org, or stop by the library to pick up a brochure.
An appropriate film for January is Disney’s “Frozen”. It will be shown at 6 PM on Wednesday, January 25. For all ages, drinks with a lid and non-messy snacks welcome.
Pre-School Pals for January is as follows:
January 9: “Happy New Year”
January 16: “Winter Animals”
January 23: “Snow”
Pre-School Pals happens Mondays at 10:30 AM. There will be no Pre-School Pals this month on January 2 or January 30.
Winter Warm-Ups on Tuesdays: “Crochet With Mitzi” is Tuesday, January 10 and Tuesday, January 24 at 6 PM – and “Knit and Chat With Cortni” is Tuesday, January 17, at 6 PM. No needlework experience is necessary to attend any of these groups and children (with caregiver) ages 9 and up who would like to learn needlecraft skills are welcome! Experienced crafters may bring their current project; newcomers need only bring themselves and a pair of scissors (you will receive guidance at your first session regarding needles and hooks you will need.) Come out, socialize, and learn valuable skills!
Family Fun Nights are currently on hiatus. We certainly thank Heather and Sharon for all of the fun activities! These programs will be returning in the future.
Community “Read to Spencer” session is Tuesday, January 31, at 6 PM. This program is for all ages 5 and up…older children are welcome as well. We hope to see you there!
Young Adult Book Club selections for January are “Beneath” by Roland Smith (middle school) and “Holding Up the Universe” by Jennifer Niven (high school). Date is Wednesday, January 18 at 1:50 to 2:37 (middle school) and 2:45 – 3:35 (high school). Club is held at the Columbia High School Library.
About “Beneath”: Cooper O’Toole is a social misfit who blows a huge crater in his neighborhood while creating a tunnel for reasons he won’t disclose. It’s not surprise to anyone when Cooper runs away and joins a (literally) underground society called the Community. Told through the eyes of Coop’s brother Patrick, “Beneath” will appeal to adventure lovers, mystery fans, and nonconformists.
About “Holding Up the Universe”: Libby Strout is known for the You Tube video of her being rescued from her house as “America’s Fattest Teen”. Jack Masselin has no facial memory of anyone he meets: even his own brothers and his girlfriend. After a physical fight occurs between the two of them, they are forced to join a group known as Conversation Circle. Will each of them learn to stop masking their faults and see – and accept – each other as they truly are? Author Jennifer Niven also wrote the bestseller “All the Bright Places”.
January sadly brings winter weather – there may be times when it is unsafe to open the library. Closings are announced in a variety of venues:
WGAL TV Channel 8
Facebook: the library’s own page and “You Know You’re From Columbia”, “What’s Happening In Columbia”, and “Ideas to Make Columbia Even Better”.
I try to post closings as soon as I possibly can…there are also times of bad sidewalk and road conditions which may cause us to close early or open late. Thank you for your understanding.
Information on Sam Edmond’s tax filing assistance services are coming in February!!
The Columbia Public Library is located on 24 S. 6th Street, next to Park Elementary School. (cattycorner to CVS Pharmacy and across the street from St. John’s Lutheran Church) Phone number is 684-2255 and web address is www.columbia.lib.pa.us. Find us on Facebook! Please stop by and visit often!
