The Bookmark: January Literary Happenings in Coweta County
By Nancy Carol Sanker, Special to the Paper
New Year reading resolutions? If you’re like me you received books, but right now resolving to read directions for assembling or using other Christmas gifts seems challenging enough.
My goals for 2021 have more to do with sheer survival. After 2020 I feel like my mind, heart and body have been pummeled. But on the perfect day I remember that there were lessons learned – life slowed down and precious family moments were captured that surely would have flown by, unnoticed in the pre-2020 hubbub.
Be the Miracle by Regina Brett offers 50 lessons to guide us through what promises to be another challenging year. Simple phrases like “giving only multiplies the gift” and “give back instead of giving up” place us on a positive trajectory. Join me as I do my best to remember and recreate the sweetness while shaking off the sour.
Let’s look at books, local authors and local literary events with hearts and minds wide open.
Coweta Public Library System (CPLS)
Our library system is currently operating at 60% with an average of 26,000 items checked out in October and November. Slow-paced January offers a great opportunity to check out even more items. It may be chilly, but your library branches are ready to help you, electronically and via curb-pick-up. E-book and audio book use is up a whopping 28%.
Using any one of the four Coweta County Libraries is easy. Your ecard provides access to all digital resources including GALILEO, eRead Kids, Mango Languages, Testing Prep Courses and more. You can now receive reserve notifications for your favorite books via text. Check the CPLS website and Facebook page for new virtual programming (cowetapubliclibrary.org). Call before you visit as temporary hours may change.
Library branch phone numbers:
Central Branch … 770-683-2052
Grantville Branch … 770-683-0535
Powell Branch … 770-253-6235
Senoia Branch … 770-599-3537
Curbside Pick-up: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Central and Powell locations only
Free Wi-Fi is available from all four library parking lots, seven days a week from 7a.m. – 11 p.m. The network name for all four branches is “BOOKWORM.” No password needed.
According to Jimmy Bass, Director of Libraries, the most popular library requests include:
Dark Tides – Phillipa Gregory (historical novel tracking rise of The Tidelands family in London, Venice, and New England)
Law of Innocence– Michael Connelly (a heart-stopping legal thriller)
Leave the World Behind– Rumaan Alam (2 families, strangers to each other, forced together on a long weekend gone horribly wrong)
The Searcher– Tana French (a masterful, atmospheric tale of suspense)
Daylight – David Baldacci (action packed global conspiracy tale)
The Newnan Carnegie Library
1 Lagrange Street, Newnan (www.newnancarnegie.com). 770-683-1347. The Carnegie is an honor system library for adult/children’s books. Masks and social distancing are a must.
* The Carnegie will be closed on January 16 and 18.
The Carnegie is an honor system library for adult/children’s books. A recent visit confirmed that they have some of the most sought-after titles so put your mask on and enjoy a little time in our downtown area.
Anthony Urda, Sr. Carnegie Assistant- Adult Programming, shares, “We’re fine-tuning the Honor System by barcoding all books to be checked out. There’s still no ‘due by’ date and no late fees, but we’re doing our part to track our books so that our patrons have access to them. Nothing will change about our policies, but books will need to be checked out and patrons will need to be registered with a library card, which involves filling out a small sheet.”
Mondays in January – 1:30 to 4 p.m. – Crochet Class will be meeting upstairs in our event space run by Judy Davenport. Only 15 people (ages 10 and up) allowed per session. Crochet tools NOT supplied by Newnan Carnegie Library.
January 13th and 27th Register at Eventbrite for a 15-minute session between 3:15 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. for your child to read to the best four-legged listener ever, Lola via Zoom. Sweet Lola enjoys hearing any tale told by a child.
January 21 – 6:30 p.m. – Have you been enjoying the Hometown Novel Night author events coordinated by Mike Brown and friends in conjunction with the Carnegie? Well, Happy New Year – they are starting a writer’s group! Want to meet with established authors to learn about their craft, discover what the publishing world is like, talk about moving past your creative writing blocks, or ask how to build your world? Then this is the online meeting for you! Join them for this quarterly Newnan Carnegie Library and Hometown Novel Night event. As a bonus, this meeting will star two established writers, Randy Gravitt and Valerie Valdes.
Registration is required so please visit:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/133122215129
The Newnan Carnegie Library will continue to be posting video content on our social media platforms (FB, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter).
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Book Clubs – Our book club, Wine & Words may still be on semi-sabbatical, but we can whine! The good news was the Christmas Day release, News of the World, based on one of our favorite selections. If you haven’t read this book by Paulette Jiles you need to move it to the top of your TBR (to be read) list. Some of us are finding it hard to dive into complicated books. Visit https://modernmrsdarcy.com/feel-good-fiction-books-read-afternoon/ for books that are intriguingly manageable.
Little Free Libraries – What is open 24/7 at absolutely no charge? Your Little Free Library! We are lucky to have several in Coweta Country, including the latest addition in Senoia organized by Jean Hubbs Cotton who was honored with a Community Service Award from AARP. The LFL now has a new home in front of the Housing Authority at 57 Middle St. The Senoia addition joins more than 100,000 registered Little Free Libraries in 108 countries worldwide, on all seven continents. What great places to “try on” new authors and continue your reading journey at a brick-and-mortar library.
One of my grandchild’s favorite gifts was a magnifying glass which he was thrilled to discover lights up, too. This simple item will be my potent reminder to be the light and magnify the good, Lesson 4 in Be the Miracle.
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Happy New Year and best wishes for a year of illumination followed by your personal miracle.
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Nancy Carol Sanker landed in Newnan via Ohio, Colorado and California. The constants in her life are her love of family, friends, fundraising and books. Nine years ago, she created Lights for Linda to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in memory of her sister. Now she looks forward to illuminating the literary opportunities and fundraisers our community offers readers of all ages. Nancy’s 11-year-old book club provides fresh, new titles while her two and eight-year-old grandchildren keep her aware of books for “littles.” Who knew a cow could type? Your contributions about book clubs, Little Free Libraries, events and fundraisers will lead The Bookmark to success! To reach Nancy, email: [email protected].
