Library brings downloadable audiobooks, e-magazines to a device near you

Two new services are offering Randolph County Public Library cardholders a much wider selection of downloadable audiobooks, and access by computer and mobile device to new issues of many popular magazines.

The audiobooks from OneClick Digital and magazines from Zinio are available via the library’s website, www.randolphlibrary.org.

Unlike library ebooks, most of the audiobooks and all the magazine issues are available for simultaneous use, meaning any number of library patrons can check out the same item at the same time.

The initial collection of some 30 Zinio magazine titles includes National Geographic Interactive, Us Weekly, Martha Stewart Living, O The Oprah Magazine, Rolling Stone, Family Handyman, Newsweek and Food Network Magazine, among others.

Magazines issues can be read on a computer or via the Zinio mobile app on tablets and smartphones. There’s no time limit or “due date” on an issue once it’s checked out.

The initial collection of downloadable audiobooks from OneClick Digital includes 3,000 popular titles for adults and 1,000 popular titles for children and teens. The library will purchase new titles to add to the collection on an ongoing basis.

Audiobooks in the initial collection are available for simultaneous use, but those added by the library will be available to one borrower at a time.

The audiobooks can be downloaded to personal computers and are compatible with any listening device, including iPods and MP3 players. Apps for iPhones/iPads and Andriod devices also are available. 

For more information or for assistance using the new services, call 318-6803.

Batter Up! Library hosts baseball-themed family fun event

Take a swing at some baseball-themed reading, singing and playing during “Batter Up,” a free family fun event from 10-11 a.m. Tuesday, July 30, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The event is part of Every Child Ready to Read®, the library’s early childhood literacy effort. It’s aimed at children age 0-5 and their parents/caregivers, but older siblings are welcome, too.

Call 318-6804 or visit the Asheboro library to sign up.

During the event, librarians will provide parents/caregivers with tips about how incorporate five key activities — talking, singing, reading, writing, playing — as they read and interact with their children. Employing these techniques has been shown to build pre-literacy skills that help ensure children will be ready learn to read when they begin school.

Every Child Ready to Read®, developed by the Association for Library Services to Children and the Public Library Association, is based on research about language, early literacy skills and how children learn. The techniques give parents and caregivers simple but powerful ways to help kids develop the language and other skills they need to learn to read.

The library’s ‘Every Child’ initiative was supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

It’s time for Lego Mania 2013 at the Asheboro library

The Asheboro Public Library’s raucous and immensely popular Lego Mania competition returns for its fifth year at 2 p.m. Thursday, August 1.

Teens and younger kids ages 8-18 are invited to create ingenious Lego structures for fun and prizes. The event is free but registration is required; call 318-6803 to sign up.

Participants will be divided into teams and age-appropriate groups to compete for prizes to be awarded by community judges.

Lego Mania is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and is part of Beneath the Surface, the library’s Teen Summer Reading Program. For more information about the library’s Summer Reading programs and a complete schedule of events, visit www.randolphlibrary.org/summer.    

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Friends of the Library to host murder mystery dinner theatre

Help figure out who offed tyrannical billionaire Simon Starkweather as the Friends of the Randolph Public Library host Murder’s in the Heir, a fun, comedic, audience participation murder mystery dinner theatre at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, August 17, at Pinewood Country Club.

Tickets are $50 per person and can be purchased at the Asheboro Public Library or at Brightside Gallery, and cover the cost of dinner and the show. A cash bar will be available for beer and wine.

The event is a fundraiser for the Friends of the Library.

Where there’s a will there’s a relative, as the saying goes, and when Starkweather’s eccentric heirs learn they may be disinherited, the old man is not long for this world.

It falls to Starkweather’s grandson, Simon III, and a detective to solve the mystery. But the play’s unique ending actually uses secret ballots collected from the audience at intermission to determine the killer.

Characters such as Starkweather, Simon III, detective Mike Davis, befuddled niece Fiona, playboy Jordan, Southern belle Paula, attorney Lois van Zandt and various servants will be played by Asheboro City, Randolph County and home school students under the direction of English teacher Devan Ward.

Sponsors of the event include Asheboro Elastics, Chick-fil-A, Carolina Custom Finishing, Randolph Oil, Dr. James Rich, Electra Finish Inc., Cynthia Pierce, Brightside Gallery, Pugh Funeral Home, Commonwealth Hosiery, Burge Flower Shop and Timken.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro. Brightside Gallery is located at 170 Worth Street.

Friends of Library, Cooperative Extension to offer ‘Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less’

Figuring out the basics of living a healthier life can be tricky. With all of the information out there, it’s tough to determine the good from the bad.

Now, in partnership with Randolph County Cooperative Extension, the Friends of the Randolph Public Library will present Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less, a 15-week program designed as a weight management program that uses strategies proven to work. Randolph County Cooperative Extensions’ Family and Consumer Sciences agent Katie Rangel will be the instructor for this class.

The classes will be offered at the Asheboro Public Library starting at 1 p.m. Thursday, August 15. There is a $20 fee for the course and registration is limited.

For more information or to sign up, call Katie Rangel at Cooperative Extension, 318-6000, or Kyle Thomas at the Asheboro library, 318-6808.

Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less is a weight management program developed by the N.C. Cooperative Extension and the NC Division of Public Health.

It employs lessons that inform, empower and motivate participants to live mindfully as they make choices about eating and physical activity. The program provides opportunities for participants to track their progress and keep a journal of healthy eating and physical activity behaviors.

Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less is part of the Eat Smart, Move More…NC movement to increase opportunities for healthy eating and physical activity wherever North Carolinians live, learn, earn, play and pray.

Find out more at www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Big Bang Boom to bring rock ‘n’ roll for kids to Randolph libraries

Kid-approved, parent-friendly rock ‘n’ rollers Big Bang Boom will anchor the second half of “Dig Into Reading,” the Randolph County Public Library’s Summer Reading Program, with performances at six libraries during July and early August.

The Greensboro-based trio’s live show is high-energy, and both children and parents will find it hard to stay in their seats. From calling kids onstage for the “Spongebob Chorus” to the “Parents vs. Kids Hokey Pokey Challenge,” Big Bang Boom  makes certain that there is no sitting down for their fun and energetic shows.

The band kicks off its performances with shows in Randleman and Asheboro on July 18. The shows are free, and all kids and their families/caregivers are invited.

The full schedule is as follows:

·        Archdale, 10:30 a.m. Friday, August 2 (at Archdale Parks and Rec);

·        Asheboro, 4 p.m. Thursday, July 18;

·        Franklinville, 3 p.m. Thursday, July 25;

·        Liberty, 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 23;

·        Randleman, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 18;

·        Seagrove, 3 p.m. Wednesday, July 24.

Established in 2007, Big Bang Boom consists of veteran area musicians – and dads – Chuck Folds, Steve Willard and Eddie Walker. They write songs with a pop sensibility by cleverly mixing alternative, hip-hop, pop, country, and other genres to create music that parents and children can relate to and enjoy.

For more information about the band, visit bigbangboom.weebly.com.

The library’s Summer Reading program is ongoing with weekly events and storytimes at each library. It’s primarily sponsored by the Friends of the Library with support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, through the Randolph Arts Guild. Many local businesses and organizations help out also.

For complete details and a full schedule, visit www.randolphlibrary.org/summer.

Library locations can be found at http://www.randolphlibrary.org/locationhrcontact.htm

Zoo to show off animals ‘Under Foot’ in library program

Staff members from the NC Zoo will present “Under Foot: An Exploration of the World of Animals Under Our Feet” at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 9, and again at 2 p.m. Wednesday, July 10, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The free event will include fascinating facts and finds about animals that live underground, and feature some of the animals themselves. Children and their families/caregivers are invited.

During the program, participants will uncover interesting information about underground animals, the advantages of living there, and how fossil evidence helps us understand more about dinosaurs.  There will be many biofacts for participants to touch and experience, and a live animal or two will help tell the story of what is happening under foot.

It’s part of Dig into Reading, the library’s Summer Reading Program for children. For more information and a complete schedule of all the activities, visit www.randolphlibrary.org/summer, or call 318-6804.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

DOJ speaker to discuss fraud, scam prevention

Learn how to protect yourself from scams, fraud, identity theft and online threats in “Too Good to be True?”, a program presented by N.C. Department of Justice Outreach Specialist Brandon Madden at 2 p.m. Thursday, July 11, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The free presentation is aimed at seniors but all are invited. It’s sponsored by the Friends of the Library and is part of Groundbreaking Reads, the library’s adult Summer Reading Program.

Celebrate International Mud Day at Asheboro library

Children are invited to “Dig into Reading” – really dig – for International Mud Day, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, June 29, at the Asheboro Public Library. The event celebrates nature, the outdoors and just making a mess.

It’s free and all kids and families are invited.

There will be mud games outside the library – jumping a mud puddle, throwing mud balls and sensory mud pools of child-safe material for babies and toddlers to dip their hands in. Storytimes will be offered inside the library at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., with a different “muddy” treat for each one.

Dress to get dirty and bring an extra pair of clothes to wear home.

For further information, contact the Children’s Room at 318-6804.

The event is part of “Dig Into Reading,” the library’s Summer Reading Program for children. The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Andy Griffith Show expert to speak at Asheboro library

Find out “How Opie Met Andy’s Mom” with Andy Griffith Show expert Dr. Gary Freeze at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 25, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The presentation, an imaginative read-between-the-lines interpretation of some of the key episodes of the television series, is free and the public is invited.

Freeze is a history professor at Catawba College. He is currently at work on a series of essays entitled, Why Andy Didn’t Carry a Gun: The Hidden History of Mayberry.

His appearance is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and is part of Groundbreaking Reads, the library’s adult Summer Reading Program.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Teens: draw pirates with cartoonist Rich Powell at Asheboro library

Teens are invited to join local cartoonist Rich Powell and learn to draw pirates, at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The event, part of “Beneath the Surface,” the library’s Teen Summer Reading Program, is free and the public is invited. It’s sponsored by Friends of the Library.

Participants can follow along as Powell creates crazy pirates, and draw their own with Powell’s coaching. Finished sketches will be combined into a booklet that will be on display in the library’s TeenZone.

Call 318-6803 to sign up.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Kids, families invited to go ‘Color Crazy’ at Asheboro library

Go “Color Crazy” in a free family fun night, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Wear your favorite color for an evening of reading, singing, playing, creating and more.

The event is part of Every Child Ready to Read, the library’s early childhood literacy effort. It’s aimed at children age 0-5 and their parents/caregivers, but older siblings are welcome, too.

Call 318-6804 or visit the Asheboro library to sign up.

During the event, librarians will provide parents/caregivers with tips about how incorporate five key activities — talking, singing, reading, writing, playing — as they read and interact with their children. Employing these techniques has been shown to build pre-literacy skills that help ensure children will be ready learn to read when they begin school.

Every Child Ready to Read®, developed by the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Services to Children, is based on research about language, early literacy skills and how children learn. The techniques give parents and caregivers simple but powerful ways to help kids develop the language and other skills they need to learn to read.

The library’s ‘Every Child’ initiative is supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

‘Fish the Magish’ kicks off summer reading at Randolph libraries

Local educator/entertainer Fish the Magish will invite kids to “Dig Into Reading” as the Randolph County Public Library’s 2013 Summer Reading Program gets underway with over 100 storytimes, performances, hands-on activities, movies and more.

The program runs June 10-August 3 and all seven libraries are participating. Children can sign up to tracks books, hours or pages read in return for reading rewards, and teens and adults can register for prizes and other reading incentives.

Schedules and complete details can be found at www.randolphlibrary.org/summer and at your local library.

For children and families, Fish, a.k.a. Mike Fisher, will perform at the libraries as follows:

·        Archdale, 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 19 (at Archdale Parks & Recreation)

·        Asheboro, 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 19

·        Franklinville, 2 p.m. Thursday, June 20

·        Liberty, 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 18

·        Ramseur, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 20 (at the Ramseur Municipal Building)

·        Randleman, 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 27;

·        Seagrove, 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 18.

In July, kid-oriented, parent-friendly rockers Big Bang Boom will take the stage at six of the libraries. In between, all the libraries will offer a range of activities, from educators such as The Amazing Teacher Steve Somers to a celebration of International Mud Day, to regular storytimes suited to the “Dig in to Reading” theme.

Meanwhile, teens can go “Beneath the Surface” for a Summer Reading Program of their own. In addition to the very popular Lego Mania competition, which  returns for its fifth year, Asheboro will offer lessons on how to draw pirates, make bamboo robots and more, as well as hosting weekly movies.

Teens in Randleman can join in weekly science-themed events to learn about volcanoes, venomous snakes and spiders, fossils, robotics and more.

Adults can explore “Groundbreaking Reads,” and find out  from Andy Griffith Show expert Dr. Gary Freeze “How Andy met Opie’s Mom.” They can learn about Naomi Wise from writer Sandra Redding and get a helping of Randolph County humor from Warren Dixon, among other fun and informative events.

The Summer Reading Program is primarily sponsored by Friends of the Library with support from the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, through the Randolph Arts Guild. Many local businesses and organizations help out also: see a complete list at www.randolphlibrary.org/summer.

The reading program is part of a national effort to keep children reading during the break from school; research shows that kids who read during the summer do better in school the next year.

Author Rachel Wetsriru to appear at library program

Novelist Rachel Wetsriru will talk about self-publishing and her own writing at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Her appearance, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, is free and the public is invited.

Wetsriru, who lives in Randolph County, writes fiction aimed at teens. She has published Shadow and Smoke and Trials and Truth, the first two books in a fantasy saga called The Fire Horses Trilogy.

Famed children’s author and illustrator Ashley Bryan to visit Asheboro library

Author, artist and teacher Ashley Bryan, a leading figure in children’s literature for over 40 years, will share his wisdom at 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 4, at the Asheboro Public Library.

Bryan’s appearance is free and people of all ages are invited. It’s sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

              

The program will include a display of Bryan’s artwork, and a sing-a-long of spirituals that Bryan illustrated for his recent books Walk Together Children and I’m Going to Sing, to be led by Philip Shore and other local performers.

The 89-year-old Bryan was the first African American man both to write and illustrate a children’s book, and has earned numerous honors including the Arbuthnot Award for lifetime achievement, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award and several Coretta Scott King awards and honors.

His work draws on African American traditions and folklore, blending the rhythms of the oral tradition in his writing with a wide range of media in his art.

He studied at Cooper Union and Columbia University, and taught art at Dartmouth College. He lives on Little Cranberry Island off the coast of Maine.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Library to offer social media safety class

Asheboro library staff will present “Social Media and Internet Safety for Parents and Teens” at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 23, and again at 5 p.m. Thursday, May 30.

It’s free and the public is invited.

The one-hour class is designed to create common ground between parents and teens who use social media, and will include an overview of basic Internet safety, Facebook security and privacy settings, and an introduction to the microblog site Tumblr.

Issues covered will include cyber-bullying, trolls, social media etiquette, and potential dangers of Facebook, Tumblr and other social media sites.

February 1 documentary to screen at Central Boys/Girls Club

February One: The Story of the Greensboro Four will be shown at the Central Asheboro Boys and Girls Club, 621 Franks Street, at 5 p.m. Sunday, May 19. The public is invited.

A discussion will follow the free screening. The documentary profiles the four young men who organized one of the most pivotal events during the Civil Rights Movement

Writer Angie Kinghorn to speak at Asheboro library

Blogger/essayist Angie Kinghorn will talk about her writing at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 23, at the Asheboro library.

Her appearance, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, is free and the public is invited.

Asheboro native Kinghorn is an attorney-turned-writer of memoir and fiction. Her work has been published in The Literary Anthology of Write on the Edge and the BlogHer 2012 Voices of the Year compilation. She was recognized as a 2012 BlogHer Voice of the Year.

Find out more at angiekinghorn.com.

‘Bedtime Bonanza’ launches library’s Every Child Ready to Read initiative

Bring the kids in their PJs for a “Bedtime Bonanza” as the Randolph County Public Library kicks off Every Child Ready to Read®,  its new early childhood literacy initiative for the whole family.

Bedtime Bonanza is free and will be offered at five locations in the library system. It will include a storytime, an age-appropriate craft and refreshments.

Parents/caregivers, children age 0-5 and older siblings are invited to any of the sessions as follows:

· Asheboro, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 14;

· Archdale, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 30;

· Randleman, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 4;

· Seagrove, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 11

· Ramseur/Franklinville, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 18 at Ramseur.

During each event, librarians will provide parents/caregivers with tips about how incorporate five key activities — talking, singing, reading, writing, playing — as they read and interact with their children. Employing these techniques has been shown to build pre-literacy skills that help ensure children will be ready learn to read when they begin school.

Every Child activities for parents/caregivers and children will be ongoing, and the techniques will be part of library storytimes for babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

Every Child Ready to Read®, developed by the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Services to Children, is based on research about language, early literacy skills and how children learn. The techniques give parents and caregivers simple but powerful ways to help kids develop the language and other skills they need to learn to read.

The Randolph County Public Library  ‘Every Child’ initiative is supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the federal Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the Department of Cultural Resources.

Library locations can be found at www.randolphlibrary.org, or call 318-6800. For more information about Bedtime Bonanza and Every Child Ready to Read, call 318-6830

Be a super hero – and make your own costume at library

Ever wanted to be a Super Hero? Get a start as the Asheboro library Children’s Room provides you with the makings of the first thing you need — a costume!

Come to “Be a Super Hero!” at 3 p.m. Thursday, May 2 to make your own cape and mask. All materials will be provided, and librarians will be wearing their own super hero get-ups.

It’s free; all children are invited, but space is limited. Call the Children’s Room at 318-6804 to sign up. It’s Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Asheboro library to host mother-daughter tea party

Don your best tea party attire and come to “Tea for Two,” a mother-daughter tea party at 3 p.m., Friday, May 3, at the Asheboro library.

The tea party is free, but space is limited. Call the Children’s Room at 318-6804 to sign up. It’s sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Author Jeffery Deaver to keynote Friends of the Library event

Acclaimed author Jeffery Deaver will keynote the Friends of the Randolph Public Library annual meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at the Historic Randolph County Courthouse.

The event is free and the public is invited. It’s sponsored by the Friends with funds donated in memory of Mary Parker, a lifelong library patron and avid  reader.

               

Reserved seating will be available for Friends of the Library members, who are asked to arrive by 6:50 p.m.

               

Deaver already was a best-selling novelist when he was selected by the Ian Fleming family to pen the new James Bond novel Carte Blanche, which became a number one international best seller on its release in 2011.

               

He also writes the Lincoln Rhyme series of thrillers, which began with The Bone Collector in 1997 and continues in June with The Kill Room. The Bone Collector received numerous awards and was made into a major motion picture starring Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.

               

In the Lincoln Rhyme novel Cold Moon, Deaver introduced state investigator Kathryn Dance, who anchors a new series. The latest is XO, published in 2012.

               

He also has authored previous series and stand-alone novels, as well as short stories and non-fiction works. His books are sold in 150 countries and have been translated into 25 languages.

               

Deaver is a former journalist, folksinger and attorney. To accompany thriller XO, he wrote an album of country-western songs which is available on iTunes and as a CD.

               

He has received the Novel of the Year award from the International Thriller Writers Association, and the Steel Dagger and Short Story Dagger awards from the British Crime Writers Association. He’s also a recipient of the Nero Wolfe Award and a three-time winner of the Ellery Queen Readers Award for Best Short Story of the Year.

               

Born near Chicago, he has a bachelors degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and a law degree from Fordham University. He resides in Chapel Hill.

               

The Historic Randolph County Courthouse is located at 145 Worth Street in Asheboro. The event, which will take place in the second floor meeting room, is not sponsored by Randolph County Government.

Green living comes to Asheboro library

Bees, herbs, chickens and worms all will be part of “Green Living at the Library,” a series programs thru June at the Asheboro Public Library.

Sponsored by the library and Randolph County Cooperative Extension, the programs are free and the public is invited. Slated:

• Beekeeper Talk, 2 p.m. Saturday, April 20. George Byrum of the Randolph County Beekeeping Association will discuss the importance of beekeeping and present an introduction to the subject.
• Herbs 101, 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 14. Learn how to grow, dry, freeze, cook and creatively use herbs with Family and Consumer Extension Agent Katie Rangel and Master Gardener Vernece Willett.
• Vermicomposting, 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 21. Master Gardener Ruth Held will talk about using worms in composting.
• Backyard Chickens, 3 p.m. Tuesday, June 4. Learn about brooding care, purchasing the right breed for the backyard “farm,” and forage management with Area Agricultural Extension Agent Dan Campeau.

Space is limited so registration is required; call 318-6803 or 318-6000 to register. The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Earth Day at the library to feature The Lorax, other activities

A round-robin of events for children will usher in Earth Day at the Asheboro Public Library from 3-5 p.m. Monday, April 22.

The event, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, is free. Children and their families are invited.

Readings of Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax will take place every 30 minutes. Meanwhile, children are invited to bring recyclables and upcycle them into crafts in “Wait, Don’t Toss That!”

At a third station, kids can make the library greener by planting flowers in the library’s outside planters.

For further information call 318-6804. The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

“UFOs – What Do We Know?” to land at Archdale library

The Archdale Public Library will host Lakita Adams, state director for the NC Chapter of the Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), for a talk entitled “UFOs – What Do We Know” at 7 p.m. Friday April 12.

The lecture will include a brief history of Ufology, UFO photos and some North Carolina UFO cases.  Information for UFO education and MUFON also will be available.

It’s free and the public is invited.

Adams's interest in the UFO subject began when she was nine years old, and witnessed a large fireball with her parents.  In high school, she wrote her first research paper on the subject of UFOs, and for the last 12 years has studied the subject. In 2011, she became a MUFON Field Investigator in North Carolina, and has investigated about 100 cases here in the state.

She has a BA in English from UNC-G, and has taught in the Randolph County Schools, Randolph Community College and the NC Zoo, where she was an environmental educator for several years.

MUFON, established in 1969, is an international scientific research organization that investigates sightings of unidentified flying objects, collects data, and educates the public about UFOs. MUFON receives about 500 sighting reports every month.

North Carolina receives about 17 reports a month, and is one of the top reporting states.  Most reported UFOs can be identified as conventional aircraft, celestial objects, satellites, and natural phenomena.

However, about five percent of reports remain unknown, and sometimes include physical traces, radar confirmation and flight technology that defies known physics.

UFO sightings can be reported to the International MUFON website at: www.mufon.com. For North Carolina MUFON info, visit the state website at:  www.mufon-nc.com

Mason to reprise popular elder law seminars at Asheboro library

Asheboro attorney and elder law expert Bob Mason will reprise his popular series of seminars on the many legal issues facing the elderly and their families. Sessions will take place on three consecutive Mondays in April at the Asheboro Public Library.

The seminars, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, are free and the public is invited.

The first session, at 2 p.m. April 8, covers essentials such as wills and trusts, powers of attorney, health care advance directives, insurance, second marriages, planning for a child with disabilities, and laying the ground work for long term care planning.

The next session, 2 p.m. April 15, addresses the costs of nursing home care (nearing $7,000 monthly in many facilities).

The third session, 2 p.m. April 22, covers the VA Aid and Attendance program, a great benefit for certain veterans or widows of veterans that most people either are unaware of or do not understand.

Mason is a Board Certified Specialist in Elder Law by the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization, and both past and incoming chairman of the Elder Law Section of the North Carolina Bar. He also is an author and frequent lecturer on elder law/special needs law topics.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Asheboro library to offer free credit report information session

Learn how safely to obtain the free credit report to which you are legally entitled in “Get Your Free Annual Credit Report Without Getting Scammed” at Noon Tuesday, April 9, or 5 p.m. Thursday, April 18, at the Asheboro Public Library.

The information sessions are free but space is limited. Call 318-6803 to sign up.

Computers will be available after the program for you to make a request and view your report online. You can also pick up an Annual Credit Report Request Form to have copies mailed to your home.

To request your credit history information, you will need your name, current address, previous addresses from the past two years, Social Security number and monthly mortgage payment.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Asheboro library adds baby storytime, resumes bilingual storytimes

Children’s librarians at the Asheboro Public Library are offering an additional lapsit storytime for babies each week, and will resume bilingual storytimes in April.

A 9:30 a.m. lapsit storytime each Wednesday will join the existing one 10:30 a.m. Mondays. The 20-minute lapsit storytimes are for children age 0-18 months and their parents/caregivers, and incorporate age-appropriate books, music, rhymes and movement.

A bilingual English/Spanish storytime will be offered at 6 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month starting April 3.

Other storytimes during the week include  Family Storytime at 3:15 and 7 p.m. Tuesdays; Toddler Storytime at 10:10 a.m. Thursdays and Preschool Storytime at 10:30 a.m. Thursdays. All are free and open to the public.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Asheboro library offers Spring Break activities for kids, families

School’s out soon for Spring Break, so visit the Asheboro Public Library for a week of special events for kids and families beginning April 1.

The activities are free and include poetry writing, gardening and making 2-liter tornadoes. Two movies also will be screened during the week.

• Monday, April 1 will feature a Family Afternoon Movie, Brave, at 2 p.m.
• At 2 p.m. April 2, former English teacher Sue Farlow will lead a Kids’ Poetry Workshop.
• On Wednesday, April 3, children’s librarians will ask, “How Does Your Garden Grow?” at 3 p.m. Participants can learn about spring plants and flowers, and take home a seed kit to start their own gardens.
•  “Extreme Weather" is the topic for Thursday, April 4. Kids can learn about extreme weather events, create weather-related projects and take home a 2-liter tornado.
• Another Family Afternoon Movie, Wreck it Ralph, will be shown at 2 p.m. Friday, April 5.

Space is limited for the poetry, gardening and weather programs; call 318-6804 to sign up or for further information.

The events are sponsored by the Friends of the Library. The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Asheboro library invites children, families to “Hop to It!”

The Asheboro library Children’s Room invites children and families to  “Hop to It!” at 4 p.m. Wednesday, March 27.

This special storytime will include springtime crafts, stories, a visit from the Easter bunny and an Easter egg hunt at the library. Participants will be divided into age-appropriate groups for the activities.

The program, for children ages 0-12, is free and families are encouraged to attend. It is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

For more information call 336-318-6804.

Asheboro library’s ‘Hands-On Science’ to feature water wheels

Kids can learn about water wheels during “Hands-On Science” at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28, at the Asheboro Public Library.

All the materials for making a water wheel to take home will be provided.

The event is free, and children in grades 2-6 are invited. Registration is required; call 318-6804 to sign up for one of the two sessions.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Asheboro to library offer online genealogy class

Learn how to a use powerful genealogy database to trace your family tree during two workshops in March at the Asheboro Public Library.

Choose a class at noon Wednesday, March 13, or 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 26, to explore Heritage Quest, an online genealogy resource available through the library from anywhere there’s a computer with Internet access.

The classes are free but space is limited so registration is required. Call 318-6803 to sign up.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Heritage Quest, is available through NC LIVE at the library’s research website, Randquest (www.randquest.org). It includes Census records, local and family history books, indexes to genealogical journals, Revolutionary War pension claims and more.

                

Mustangs to rev up Teen Tech Week at Asheboro library

Put the pedal to the metal as Gil Goldstein, owner of G&G Automotive Enterprises, brings some Mustang muscle to the Asheboro Public Library for Teen Tech Week.

Goldstein will have three eras of souped-up Ford Mustangs, from the ‘60s, the ‘80s and the present, at the library from 6:30-8 p.m. Thursday, March 14.

The event, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, is free. It’s aimed at teens but open to the public.

After a tour of the cars, Goldstein will talk about the advent and progression of automotive technology.

Goldstein began his career in the automotive field at age 17 at one of New York’s premier speed shops, and became owner at age 23. He sold the shop after ten years and worked in a variety of jobs in the field until he and his wife Rosie decided to open a shop of their own.

Teen Tech Week, March 10-16, is a national event promoted by the Young Adult Library Services Association, a division of the American Library Association.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro. For further information, call 318-6819.

Cat in the Hat returns to Asheboro library for Dr. Seuss birthday party

Celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday with a party at 4 p.m. Friday, March 1, at the Asheboro Public Library. It’s free, and children of all ages are invited.

There will be stories, games, other activities and prizes – and attendees can expect a visit again this year from the Cat in the Hat. Come dressed as your favorite Dr. Seuss character, if you like.

Refreshments will be served. The party is sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Call 318-6804 for further information. The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Asheboro library to host ‘Pottery Slam’ for teens

The Asheboro Public Library TeenZone’s first annual Pottery Slam will take place from noon-2 p.m. Saturday, February 16 in the library’s meeting room.

Join local potters Betsy Browne, Adam Wiley and Joseph Sand and learn to make pottery.

The potters are bringing their wheels and will give demonstrations and hands-on lessons so participants can create their own pots. Final pieces can be taken for firing and returned to the maker.

The program, sponsored by the Friends of the Library,  is free and all teens are invited.

Library to screen Greensboro sit-in documentary

In observance of Black History Month, the Asheboro Public Library will show the film February One: The Story of The Greensboro Four at 7 p.m. Tuesday, February 12.

Through the use of first-hand accounts, rare archival footage, photo stills and re-enactments, the documentary recounts the story of four young men whose sit-in demonstrations would have a profound impact on the Civil Rights movement. A discussion will follow.

The screening is free and the public is invited.  Call 318-6808 for details.  

Library invites kids to get creative with Valentine’s cards

Kids from preschool-age to teens are invited to make creative Valentine’s Day cards at 4 p.m. Tuesday, February 12, at the Asheboro library.

Children and teens can get creative with paper, markers, glitter and more! You supply the labor and creativity, and the library will provide all the supplies needed and instruction on how to make a variety of cards, and to decorate gift bags.

The program is sponsored by the Friends of the Library and is free.  Children under the age of 10 must be accompanied by an adult. For more information call 318-6804.

Celebrated novelist Wiley Cash to speak at Asheboro library

Meet Wiley Cash, author of the acclaimed novel A Land More Kind Than Home, at 1 p.m. Monday, February 11, at the Asheboro Public Library

Cash’s appearance is sponsored by the Friends of the Library, the Sorosis Book Club and the Thursday Study Club. It’s free and the public is invited.

             

A literary thriller set in the mountains of Madison County, N.C., A Land More Kind Than Home has received all sorts of accolades since its publication in May 2012. It’s a New York Times Best Seller and Notable Book of 2012, and a Library Journal Best Book of 2012.

It was named among Best Fiction of 2012 by Kirkus Reviews  and Books-a-Million;  as the Debut of 2012 by the UK Crime Writers Association; as a Discover Great New Writers selection by Barnes and Noble; and as a Southern Bookseller’s Alliance Pick.

Cash, a North Carolina native, currently lives with his wife in West Virginia. He holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where he studied fiction writing under Ernest J. Gaines and spent five years missing the mountains of North Carolina — a place Gaines encouraged him to write about.

Cash realized that in writing about home, he could recreate that place no matter where he lived.

In A Land More Kind Than Home, Jess Hall is a curious, adventurous boy growing up in a place where people tend to protect their own and keep old secrets buried. But when Jess’s autistic, mute brother sees something he shouldn’t, the brothers are separated and the world as Jess knows it is shattered.

The title is taken from the closing lines of Thomas Wolfe’s You Can’t Go Home Again.

Asheboro library’s ‘Hands-On Science’ to feature wind indicators

Kids can learn about weather vanes and other wind gauges in “Hands-On Science: Wind Speed and Direction Indicators” at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Thursday, January 31, at the Asheboro Public Library.

All the materials for making a wind indicator to take home will be provided.

The event is free, and children in grades 2-6 are invited. Registration is required; call 318-6804 to sign up for one of the two sessions.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Author Annette Dunlap to debut memoir at Asheboro library

Author Annette B. Dunlap will debut her memoir The Gambler’s Daughter: A Personal and Social History at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 7, at the Asheboro library.  

Her appearance, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, is free and the public is invited.

Her book chronicles her experiences growing up in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill Jewish community with a father who was a compulsive gambler and a mother who was determined to hold her family, and her marriage, together.

Dunlap was born in Pittsburgh and moved to North Carolina in 1977. She has been a freelance journalist for over 30 years whose articles have appeared in various regional newspapers including The Courier-Tribune.

Her first book, Frank: The Story of Frances Folsom Cleveland, America’s Youngest First Lady, was published by SUNY Press/Excelsior Editions in 2009 and in 2011 received the Ella Dickey Literacy Award. 

Library “Tails to Read” program has sessions available in February

February sessions are available for children to practice their reading with certified therapy dogs in the Randolph County Public Library’s popular “Tails to Read” program.

Children ages 6-12 are invited to improve their skill and confidence by reading to one of five certified therapy dogs at the Asheboro library.

Each child participating spends 15 minutes getting to know and reading to one of the dogs during an initial session, and can return to read each week. Dog owner-handlers are present during all visits between children and the dogs.

Sessions are available on the following days:

·        Saturday, February 2, 10-11 a.m.

·        Thursday, February 7, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

·        Saturday, February 9, 10-11 a.m.

·        Saturday, February 23, 10-11 a.m.

·        Thursday, February 28, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

The program is free, but registration is required. To sign up a child, visit the library’s Children’s Room or call 318-6804.

              

Studies show that reading aloud to dogs has positive effects on children’s desire and ability to read. The loving, non-judgmental canine audience-of-one increases a child’s engagement with reading and helps build confidence.

              

Each child participating will receive a “PAW-some Reader” dog tag or wristband after the first session. Those who continue for five sessions will receive a free book.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.

Asheboro library’s ‘Hands-On Science’ to feature boats

Kids can learn how things float, and how they sink, in “Hands-On Science: Plastic Bottle Boats” at 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Thursday, December 27, at the Asheboro Public Library

All the materials for making plastic bottle boats to take home will be provided.

The event is free, and children in grades 2-6 are invited. Registration is required; call 318-6804 to sign up for one of the two sessions.

The library is located at 201 Worth Street in Asheboro.