Mystical Magical Pets

The Antioch Puppet Players hit it off with the kids yesterday at Antioch Library. The teenage puppet volunteers put forth a great performance with their animal puppets. Additional music was provided by Leawood Pioneer Library Branch Manager Andrew Mangels from the musical group 30 Turtles. You can catch Andrew and the 30 Turtles live at the Lackman Library on Friday, June 30 at 10:30 a.m.

Meanwhile, check out some pictures from yesterday's event.

Downloadable Audiobooks and the MP3 Player Give-away

The Library is pleased to offer downloadable audiobooks that you can listen to on your computer or compatible MP3 player. Titles available include:

• fiction
• non-fiction
• juvenile and children's
  
• business
• language programs
  
• even music!

The library is giving away five free MP3 players! Find out more about downloading audiobooks and register for the MP3 Player contest at www.jocolibrary.org/audiobooks.

Readers' Corner: Fabulous Fourth Fridays with author Laurie Gwen Shapiro

Who: 20-Something Chick
What: Hates her job, her boss and blind dates
When: Every single day
Where: The Big City
Why: Who knows?

Let’s find out together on the fourth Friday of every month at 7 p.m. online through OPAL as we dicuss popular “Chick Lit” titles.

For details on how to log in to this program, visit the Library's Online Programs Web page.

Our online first meeting will be held on Friday, June 23 at 7 p.m. and we will be discussing The Matzo Ball Heiress with the author, Laurie Gwen Shapiro.

UCS State of Caring Award

This past Tuesday County Librarian Mona Carmack attended the State of Caring in Johnson County Summit and Luncheon to receive the 2006 United Community Services Excellence in Community Service Award. The Library received the award for reaching out to different populations that need specialized services. Some of these services include children in child care, teens and adults in the justice system, persons with disabilities, homebound adults and seniors in retirement centers. In addition to these outreach services the Library also sponsors community forums for the discussion of related to health care costs, urban planning, race relations, transportation, economic development and education.

For more pictures of the awards celebration look here.

Periodicals on the Move!

There have been some changes at the Central Resource Library. The Library’s collection of magazines, journals, and newspapers has been moved out into the Library. Previously, these periodicals were housed in what we call closed stacks, but now they have been moved out into the open for public use. The older issues of the periodicals are now housed inside the shelving units for the current issues, just lift up the shelf and you will find stacks of the older issues.

Happy Browsing!

Here are some pictures from the move:

2006 Bookmark Design Contest

On Wednesday the winners for the 2006 Friends of the Library’s Annual Bookmark Design Contest were announced. Many of the winners were present at the Metcalf South Shopping Center celebration to receive their awards and recognition for their work. Here are some pictures from the celebration.







To see the contest winners' bookmarks look here and for more the the Friends of the Library look here.

Sizzlin' Summer Book Sale

The 18th Annual Sizzlin’ Summer Used Book Sale sponsored by Johnson County Library and the Friends of the Library will be held June 8-10 at the Metcalf South Shopping Center, 9635 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS. It is one of the regions largest and best book sales.

The book sale will run from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, June 8 and 9, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, June 10. A “Friends Only” Preview Sale will be held on June 7, from 6 to 9 p.m. which requires a current Friends of the Library membership card. Memberships may be purchased at the sale for $15 for individuals and $20 for families.

In addition to materials retired from the library’s collection, donated items from the public will also be offered for sale. Most items will sell for $1.00 and 50 cents. Some items will be priced slightly higher. The selection of materials includes gently used hardback and paperback fiction and non fiction books for adults and youth, music CDs and cassettes, books on tape, videos, business and computer manuals, cookbooks, craft books, repair manuals, and instruction books. Materials will be available throughout the lower level in easy to find categories.

For more than 15 years the sale was has taken place in June at the Mission Center Mall on northeast Johnson County which is being demolished for a redevelopment project. The popular sale traditionally raises more than $40,000 to benefit the Johnson County Library with the help of over 150 volunteers. For more information about the Sizzlin’ Summer Book Sale, call (913) 261-2319.

In addition to the annual book sale, the Library and the Friends cosponsor smaller book sales and operate two used book store year round, one at the Antioch Library and one at the Blue Valley Library. Both stores are open 5 days a week, closed on Sundays and Wednesdays. The Friends used book stores in 2005 had sales of over $121,000.00.
Founded in 1956, the Friends of the Johnson County Library is celebrating 50 years of support to the Johnson County Library and has a membership base of more than 800. To join the Friends, visit http://friends.jocolibrary.org, call (913) 261-2319 or pick up membership information at any Johnson County Library location.

Great New Online Services!

Since we know that your time is valuable, we are excited to announce some new online services. Take a moment and look at what is now available to you. It will save you time.



Downloadable Audiobooks

You can now register to download audiobooks to your computer or to a supported MP3 player. To register, see what MP3 players are supported, and start downloading audiobooks look here.


Additional Services for My Account

If you haven’t setup an e-mail address with your Library account, well now is the time to do so. Here’s why.


Forgot your PIN? Well all you do now is go to My Account and have your PIN e-mailed to you.

Want to check out your current address and your default pick-up location for requested library materials? You can now go to My Account to have your contact information e-mailed to you.

Would you want a reminder of when your library materials are due to help you avoid those nasty fines? Well with an e-mail setup in your My Account, you will now receive a pre-notice a few days before your library materials are due.

Did you know that your Library account expired annually and that an active account is needed to access online services? With an e-mail address setup in your My Account you will be alerted by e-mail a month before your Library account expires.

To setup an e-mail address in My Account call (913) 495-7521 or e-mail Johnson County Library’s Circulation Department at jcl-crlcirc@jocolibrary.org. Your local branch library can also help you with setting up your e-mail in My Account.