PCPL celebrates National Library Week

GREENCASTLE -- National Library Week is a time to celebrate the contributions of libraries, librarians and library workers in schools, campuses and communities nationwide.

Begun in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries across the country each April.

The Putnam County Public Library will celebrate National Library Week with the program "Dinner and a Book," which is co-sponsored by Putnam County Head Start, New Pathways Preschool, Putnam County and Owen County Healthy Families, Greencastle Primary Schools and Monical's Pizza.

The event will take place Tuesday, April 13, 6 to 8 p.m., in the Kiwanis Room at the PCPL, 103 E. Poplar Street, Greencastle.

"Dinner and a Book" is a family story time complete with dinner and dessert. Enjoy books read by Mayor Sue Murray, employees of the Greencastle Police Department, the Greencastle Fire Department and other community "celebrities."

This week is also The Week of the Young Child and what better way to celebrate community than to band together to provide this free family program.

On April 13, thousands of communities will also celebrate National Library Workers' Day, a time when library staff, patrons, administrators and Friends groups will recognize the valuable contributions made by all library workers.

The day's theme "Libraries Work Because We Do" focuses on how library services depend on the important work done by every library employee. The public is invited to name a "Star" library employee for the NLWD Web site at www.ala-apa.org/about/nlwd.html, where everyone can see what makes this person an exceptional library employee.

Anyone working in or for a library can be nominated.

Also during the week and through April 30 more than 100 works of art will be displayed. The artwork is a combination of shadowboxes and Martin Luther King inspired art. Putnam County residents created all the work.

"Libraries are the heart of every community and our library helps our community thrive," said Alice Greenburg, PCPL director. "At our library people of all backgrounds come together for community meetings, lectures and programs, to do research with the assistance of a trained professional, to access the Internet, find movies, music and books."

Wednesday, April 14, is the first National Bookmobile Day. National Bookmobile Day is designed to become an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation's bookmobiles and the dedicated professionals who make quality bookmobile outreach possible in their communities. Check the PCPL Web site for the bookmobile's schedule and make a visit.

The One State, 92 Counties, Over 100 Libraries, in 30 Days contest is a promotion by Hoosier author Tony Perona, who was recently at the PCPL. Photos of each library visit, including PCPL, are on Perona's Web site www.tonyperona.com and have been posted on the PCPL Facebook site.

Every library will receive the same set of materials that include a clue to solve a riddle. At the end of the 30 days, April 15, which is during National Library Week, Perona will announce the riddle, the solution of which will be necessary to win the contest.

The answer can be detected using the materials he has left with the library. The riddle will be announced first at the Plainfield Public Library and will then be posted on his Web site later that evening.

Entries will be taken for three days and at the end Perona will draw from all entries with the correct answer. The prize could be $250 in books or have a character named after you in Perona's next book.

For more information call PCPL at 653-2755 or visit the Web site at www.putnam.lib.in.us.