The Bookmark: September Literary Happenings in Coweta

By Nancy Carol Sanker, Special to The Paper

Getting up off the floor after playing with a three- year-old for two hours? Yep, that requires flexibility. Bandaging the palms of the same child after a bike vs. garden hose competition? Those Band-Aids had better be super-supple! Flexibility is defined as “the quality of bending easily without breaking.” One of the biggest awards for adaptability goes to teachers, students, parents and even grandparents who are navigating back to school online and face-to-face while following new guidelines. Many thanks to everyone for your ability to bend without breaking.

While we’re like Gumby being stretched to new limits, isn’t it gratifying that along the way we are discovering new skill sets, as well as the kindness and generosity of friends and neighbors who are offering to make a bumpy road a little smoother? Your community also provides programs and services to help.  Please call the venues listed below before you visit. They continue to be flexible, too!

Coweta Public Library System (CPLS)

Library branch phone numbers:

Central Branch – 770-683-2052

Grantville Branch – 770-683-0535

Powell Branch – 770-253-6235

Senoia Branch – 770-599-3537

Temporary Hours:  M-W-F- 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; T & Th – 1-6 p.m.; Sat – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m..– Central and Powell only

Curbside Pick-up: M-F-10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sat – 10 a.m.-2 p.m. – Central and Powell only

*All items must be returned through the book drop which is open 24/7. Important note: returned items are quarantined for 72 hours so they will appear on your account for this time period, however, overdue fees will not accrue in this time span.

*Need a library card? No problem! Visit http://cowt.ent.sirsi.net/en_US/ecard

Items to note:

• No reusable bags allowed.
• Computers are not available for public use.
• No donations accepted at this time.

 Can’t make it to the library? Virtual Fall Programming begins on September 7th.

• CPLS will premiere a Baby Time Programming (0-18 months) duo, Baby Time, a traditional story time featuring songs, finger plays and books, combined with a separate program for parents, Sit and Play.  This instructional program provides information and resources on how/why it’s important to promote literacy and healthy development. Participants will also learn a new song, finger play or activity each week to share with their children.

• CPLS will also feature Story Time Fun, a story, craft, and musical program for preschool students, and Bilingual Preschool Spanish Story Time, an interactive bilingual story time for both non-Spanish speakers and Spanish speakers that will feature fun stories, songs and crafts while practicing English and Spanish together.

• Kids DIY w/CPLS (ages 5-11), Teen Time (ages 12+) and Adult Afternoons will feature programs geared for their audience including crafts, STEAM, and cooking. Please visit cowetapubliclibrary.org for additional information on virtual programming at CPLS.

The Newnan Carnegie Library

1 Lagrange Street (www.newnancarnegie.com) – 770-683-1347

Current Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. – M-T,Th-F;  9 a.m.-4 p.m. – W;  9 a.m.-12 p.m. – Sat

Carnegie’s website provides many virtual offerings. Take a few minutes to enjoy the book reviews by Susan Crutchfield, director of the Carnegie. She offers delightful insight into a wide variety of books which are gathered in a special section of the Carnegie -no library card is needed.

 Some of the recent selections which Susan seemed to truly enjoy include:

• AYA (young adult) book, What to Say Next by Julie Buxbaum. One of my pleasant discoveries is that Young Adult books are also enjoyed by those of us who are, well … more seasoned adults.

• A Reese’s Book club selection called The Scent Keeper by Erica Bauermeister which Susan described as “good from beginning to end.”

• A historical fiction selection, Light of Paris by Eleanor Brown is a dual time novel which follows Madeleine and her grandmother, Margie, bouncing between the 1920s and the 1990s.

Other Notes … 

• Barnes and Noble is not hosting Storytime in the Newnan Store right now, but having a virtual Storytime at your fingertips is wonderful, especially when you’re exhausted at the end of the day. Entertain your “littles” by going to YOUTUBE.COM/BARNESANDNOBLE to listen to an enthusiastically read book.

• Are your literary longings spawning a road trip? Follow one of our favorite local authors, T.M. (Mike) Brown, author of the Shiloh Mystery trilogy:

• September 5, 1 p.m. at Pretty Good Books, 1591 Vernon Road, LaGrange, GA with special guests Scott Ludwig and Lynn Horton

• September 12, Lines Between the Vines,  noon at Warm Springs Cellars, 11 Roosevelt Walk, #1, Warm Springs, GA with Scott Ludwig and a special guest.

• The Cottages Book Club aka Wine & Words discussed Call Your Daughter Home by Deborah Spera, which was set in Branchville, South Carolina in 1924. It follows three women as they wade through life’s tough crossroads – that’s putting it mildly. We jumped in with some ferocious comments!

Our next selection is What You Wish For by Katherine Center which promises to offer unforgettable characters, with a healthy dose of heart, hope and humanity. Just what we need right now.

Tony Robbins said, “Stay committed to your decisions, but stay flexible in your approach.” I’m quite sure this is how we will survive and surprise ourselves by thriving.  Books and a love of reading will help us along the way.

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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 The Bookmark to success! To email Nancy …[email protected].