Earlier this fall we invited children from kindergarten through fifth grade to submit drawings that they thought would be appropriate for the front of a library card. The winning design came from Alex Poole, a fifth grader at Mitchell Elementary. In his drawing, an imaginary animal leaps from the pages of an open book, which is surrounded by text that says, “Read at the Public Library/Where Books Come to Life.” You may see his design in the slideshow that plays in the upper right corner of the front page of the library’s website.

Alex’s design was among several hundred that were on display at the library during the past month. Criteria that the judges considered included the design’s originality, its connection to the library and reading, the appeal of the design to other children, and whether the lines and colors were bright and clear enough to undergo the major reduction in size required to print it on a library card. Alex’s design met all of the criteria and he will receive a $100 gift card for his artwork. The new library cards with Alex’s design should be available early this spring. Congratulations, Alex!

December 22, 23, 29, 30, 31 – the library will close at 6:00 p.m. instead of 8:00 p.m.

December 24 & 25 – the library will be closed. No materials will be due on these days but the drive-up bookdrop will be open.

January 1 – the library will be closed. No materials will be due this day but the drive-up bookdrop will be open.

To make room for more DVDs and books on CD, the Georgetown Public Library began in November to remove from circulation all of its VHS videos and books on cassette. Although some people still were checking out these formats, public preference by far is for the disk formats of video and audio and these are the formats the library has been purchasing for the past year. Also, heavy weeding of the book collections has taken place to make room for new materials.

The Friends of the Georgetown Library will hold a giant 13-hour clearance sale of these items, as well as some of the donated items that they have received, in the Community Rooms on the second floor of the library, from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 23 and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 24.

The Friends of the Georgetown Public Library is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the public use and community support of the library. Proceeds of the event will be used to fund unbudgeted projects at the library. They invite you to support the library and take advantage of a great opportunity to stock up on books, video tapes, and books on tape.

We know how frustrating it is to wait in line at the main circulation desk to check out one or two items when the person ahead of you needs to transact Major Library Business. That’s why we set up so many new self-checkout stations when we initiated the Apollo automation system and we hope you’ve tried using them.

Here are just two tips that might help assure self-check success:

(1) DON’T PICK UP THE SCANNER. Lay your book flat on the table, with the barcode under the scanner in the area where the colored light pattern appears.

(2) Make sure you have the GEORGETOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY BARCODE. It’s in the UPPER RIGHT corner of the back cover.

Twenty-five sweetly fragrant, amazingly creative, and bound to make you smile entries came in this year! Each one is a work of art and are the most innovative we’ve ever received. Don’t miss seeing–and smelling–this display. Voting for the entries began on Tuesday, December 9, and continues through Monday, December 15. You will be able to vote for your favorite in each category and the winners will be announced Wednesday, December 17. A $25 gift card will be awarded in each category. The creations will remain on display until December 20.

The role of the Arts and Culture Board is a work in progress. Since its founding a little more than three years ago the members have spent many hours discussing how they can promote the visual and performing arts in Georgetown and encourage preservation and expressions of our cultural heritage. It’s a big order for a seven-member group of citizens appointed by the City Council that meets for only two hours each month. And, last year they received their first budget appropriation from the City Council, so they also had to decide how to spend $70,000.

Among the Board’s accomplishments are two major art commissions: the murals that decorate the children’s room at the library, and a large sculpture for the Courthouse Square, which is not yet installed. Last spring they purchased two smaller works at Art in the Park: a monoprint that is hanging in the library and a sculpture that is awaiting completion of its custom pedestal. Both of the smaller works are expected to rotate among City buildings.

The Arts and Culture Board also has accepted responsibility for vetting the donation of works of art to the City. The Board considers works proposed for donation based on artistic merits, appropriateness for public display, and consideration of where they might be displayed. Donors must be willing to sign a waiver that turns over all rights to the artwork to the City, with no restrictions on where or whether it is displayed, but in return they may claim the value of the artwork as a charitable donation. Donated works of art may be in any medium and of any size.

So far, the Board has accepted four paintings, a quilt, and a small sculpture. While the library has been the beneficiary of all the donated works, primarily because we have the space and infrastructure for display, the Board’s aim is to have art in all City buildings that the public visits. With the economic limitations the City undoubtedly will face in the future, donations may become the backbone of the City’s permanent collection.

The role of the Arts and Culture Board is a work in progress. Since its founding a little more than three years ago the members have spent many hours discussing how they can promote the visual and performing arts in Georgetown and encourage preservation and expressions of our cultural heritage. It’s a big order for a seven-member group of citizens appointed by the City Council that meets for only two hours each month. And, last year they received their first budget appropriation from the City Council, so they also had to decide how to spend $70,000.

Among the Board’s accomplishments are two major art commissions: the murals that decorate the children’s room at the library, and a large sculpture for the Courthouse Square, which is not yet installed. Last spring they purchased two smaller works at Art in the Park: a monoprint that is hanging in the library and a sculpture that is awaiting completion of its custom pedestal. Both of the smaller works are expected to rotate among City buildings.

The Arts and Culture Board also has accepted responsibility for vetting the donation of works of art to the City. The Board considers works proposed for donation based on artistic merits, appropriateness for public display, and consideration of where they might be displayed. Donors must be willing to sign a waiver that turns over all rights to the artwork to the City, with no restrictions on where or whether it is displayed, but in return they may claim the value of the artwork as a charitable donation. Donated works of art may be in any medium and of any size.

So far, the Board has accepted four paintings, a quilt, and a small sculpture. While the library has been the beneficiary of all the donated works, primarily because we have the space and infrastructure for display, the Board’s aim is to have art in all City buildings that the public visits. With the economic limitations the City undoubtedly will face in the future, donations may become the backbone of the City’s permanent collection.