OSKALOOSA — National Library Week, April 2 through 8, is the time to celebrate reading! Reading is the beginning of all knowledge, the doorway through which we gain access to our world.
Excellent school libraries, a beautifully remodeled Carnegie library with a rich and eclectic selection of titles and a new bookstore make Oskaloosa an exceptionally good place to gain access to the printed word — or the recorded word.
Librarian Suzann Holland reminds Oskaloosa-area residents about some excellent programs the Oskaloosa Public Library offers. Currently underway, “Oskaloosa Reads” offers readers the opportunity to vote on one of three titles to be the “reader’s choice,” read the book over the summer, and, come fall, enjoy discussions, a guest speaker and a viewing of the film made from the book.
For Oskaloosa residents who are housebound or otherwise dealing with mobility issues, the Books on Wheels program will pick up and deliver library materials at no charge to the patron. For those who would like to enhance their lunch hour, the “Food for Thought” lecture series brings in speakers on a wide range of topics.
To supplement their regular collection, the library offers audio books, large-type books and recordings. For more information about services available, call (641) 673-0441 or access their Web site at www.opl.oskaloosa.org.
Librarians Nancy Simpson and Julie Hansen are doing their bit to promote reading in Oskaloosa as well. Starting in April, they will begin bringing authors into The Book Vault.
“Bringing authors is a marvelous opportunity for both writers and readers. Writers have told me they love talking to the audience. It inspires them and gives them good ideas,” Simpson said. “It allows readers to gain insight on how they (the writers) write and where they get ideas. I don’t think readers appreciate how much authors appreciate us. It’s sort of a mutual admiration society. From my years as a librarian, I know it’s a joy to combine authors with readers. There are sparks of imagination and magic when they meet.”
On April 28, Iowa graduate Thomas Wolf will be reading from “Midnight Assassin,” the story of an unsolved ax murder that took place in Warren County at the turn of the last century.
In May, “Yellow Cab,” by Knoxville resident Robert Leonard will be featured. Leonard, who was teaching anthropology at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, took a job moonlighting as a cab driver and recorded his experiences in a collection of vignettes and poems.
Shirley Damsgaard, postmistress at Stuart, Iowa, and writer of fiction will read in June. Her books “Witch Way to Murder” and “Charmed to Death” center on grandmother Abby and granddaughter Ophelia, whose lives are touched with a bit of magic.
Come fall, Donald Harstad, long-time Clayton County sheriff, will entertain readers with his gritty yet amusing stories of what really can go on in a small town when no one’s looking.
Herald Staff Writer Sue Salisbury can be reached via email at salisburys@oskyherald.com
Features
Related Photos
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Herald photo by Sue Salisbury/The Oskaloosa Public Library, shown above, contains a wide selection of titles and offers a range of services for its patrons. The library is also pleased to welcome some new books for the public to enjoy.
March 30, 2006
Oskaloosa promotes the opportunity to read
National Library Week is April 2 through April 8.
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