Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
Seventy Friends of the Library, volunteers and staff members attended the recent Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast held December 2. The breakfast included a nice assortment of homemade items prepared by the staff to honor and thank both our volunteers and Friends of the Library for all of their hard work and dedication. Many favorite recipes were prepared including Julie Gedeon's coffee cake, Bridget Hair's french toast strips, Christina Getrost's sausage/apple bake, Linda Sutherland's egg strada and many other tasty dishes.

Special recognition went to Library Board of Trustee member, Ray Hall, and Friends of the Library Executive Board Member, Carol Flask, for their successful production of the Christmas Tree Ornament Presentation.

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Evening Book Discussions
The evening book discussion group with Amy Garrett will be meeting the fourth Thursday of the month except in December and March. The December discussion will take place during the second Thursday of the month and the March discussion will take place on the third Thursday. All discussions will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Copies of the books will be available approximately four to five weeks before the date of discussion and will be held at the Information Desk. Books may be checked out for a six-week loan period instead of the standard two-week period.

• December 9: Big Russ & Me by Tim Russert
• January 27: Hornet's Nest by Jimmy Carter
• February 24: Bury the Lead by David Rosenfelt
• March 17: Rocket Boys/October Sky by Homer Hickam
• April 28: The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith

Alternates (in case we cannot get enough copies of some books) are: Rainbow's End by Bob Adamov, Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult, Hidden Power by Kati Marton, Leaving Home by Art Buckwald, and Two Souls Indivisible by James Hirsch. If you have any questions, please call Amy Garrett at 330-688-3295.

Morning Book Discussions
The morning book discussion group with Chris Caccamo meets the second Friday of the month at 10:00 a.m. from October to May. As always, sign up is not required. If you have any questions, please call Chris Caccamo at 330-688-3295.

• December 10: A Christmas Journey by Anne Perry
• January 14: Breakfast at Tiffany's: A Short Novel and Three Short Stories by Truman Capote
• February 11: Einstein's Wife: Work and Marriage in the Lives of Five Great 20th Century Women by Andrea Gabor
• March 11: Running With Scissors: A Memoir by Augusten Burrough
• April 8: Blessings by Anna Quindlen
• May 13: Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons by Lorna Landvik

Computer Use
Computers for use by adult and teen patrons are in very high demand! This is a reminder that you can reserve a computer ahead of time. Just call the Information Desk at 330-688-3295 to reserve a computer for a one-hour time limit. Computers may be reserved up to one week in advance.

Computer Training
The library offers classes for beginning computer users and more advanced users. They include Introduction to Computers, Introduction to the Internet, and training in Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. Classes are offered both day and evening at no charge. There are no classes in December. The computer class schedule for January will be released Monday, January 3 at 9:00 a.m. The class calendar can be viewed at www.smfpl.org/calendar.htm. Please call 330-688-3295 if you have any questions.

Computer Volunteer
Computer volunteer Tom Labbe is available to help patrons with computer questions during the following hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1:00 - 2:30.

Local History
Stop by the Local History room during the month of December to see a display of "Christmas in Stow" throughout the years. Christmas and church naturally go together, so December's Local History exhibit features both aspects of Stow's history. What Christmas gifts did Stowites give each other in 1880? Which churches are our oldest? Your appreciation of the role of the churches in our community will be enhanced.

The Local History Room is looking for "a few good people." Volunteers are needed to staff the Room on afternoons or evenings once a week. The Local History Room is a unique resource for the community, providing access to Stow's 200-year history via books, maps, news clippings, photo albums and more. Volunteers will welcome visitors and help them find information, as well as perform tasks to further organize the collection. If you are at least 18 and like to sleuth out the occasional mystery, please call Bridget Hair at 330-688-3295.

Online Book Discussion
Students ages 10 to 17 - Join our online book discusson group by going to the Online Book Discussion page at www.smfpl.org/bookdiscuss.htm. Each month a different teen or middle grade fiction book is featured. When you've read the book, stop by this page to post a comment about it, and see what other students have to say about it. You can even comment about another book you're reading. It's like having a book discussion group without having to leave your home. There is no registration necessary.

Yu-Gi-Oh Card Swap
Saturday, December 4 from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. Bring your cards and prepare to duel or swap for new cards. No sign up is necessary. The program is for ages 6 to 17.

Chess Club
Tuesday, December 28 at 6:30 p.m.

Monopoly Tournament
Sign up for the popular annual Monopoly Tournament, scheduled for Wednesday, December 29 from 9:30 to 3:15 p.m. Ages 10 to 16 may register beginning December 13 at the Teen Information Desk.

For further information on Teen programs please go to the Teen Services web page at www.smfpl.org./TS.htm.

Professor E Rides Again: Science is Fun
Science Programs for students in third through sixth grades will be held on the following Saturdays from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Sign up for each session individually. Space is limited. Call 330-688-3295 to register.

• December 18, 2004 Air and Flight
  
• January 15, 2005 Density and Air
• February 19, 2005 Attractions and Reactions
• March 26, 2005 Polymers and Chemistry

The Children's Department has many fun activities planned for December. To see a complete list of Children's programming, please go to the Children's Department web page at www.smfpl.org/CS.htm. For further information please call 330-688-3295.

We hope you will join us in celebrating 80 years of service and visit the library to try YOUR luck!

Drive-Up Window
Don't forget about the Drive-Up Window service at Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library. This is an especially helpful service during inclement weather! The drive-up window is open during regular library hours and closes 15 minutes before library closing.

Pick 5 Bestsellers Club
How would you like to automatically be placed on the reserve list for five of your favorite popular authors? Join our Bestsellers Club and that's exactly what will happen! Just pick up a form at the Circulation Desk and join over 300 satisfied members. Are you already a member, but would like to change an author or two? Ask for an "add/delete" form at the circulation desk. It's just that easy!

Honorees
Arabica gift certificates have been awarded to the following patrons visiting Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library recently: Mark Hughes (650,000th check-out of 2004), Tiffanie Johnson (22,000th window check-out), Karla Morris (23,000th window check-out), Emmett Snellenberger (6,000th new registration of 2004), and Monica Dunton (20th BestSellers Club member).

Cardholders have their privileges at Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library!

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Corner Gallery
The Corner Gallery features the works of artist John Rodak during the month of December. Mr. Rodak, of Texas, displays pen and ink illustrations of Ohio barns.

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The Friends, one of the largest organizations in Stow, is a citizen support group for Library services and activities. They sponsor booksales as well as the annual Needlework Show and other activities. Friends meet the third Tuesday of every month (except December and July) at 2:00 p.m. in the upstairs meeting room. Friends membership is currently at 495 members.

If you are interested in joining Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library Friends of the Library you may call the library at 330-688-3295 for further information, or you may go to the Friends page on the library website (www.smfpl.org/friends.htm) for an online application.

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Holiday Movies and Music
Holiday videos, DVDs, cassette tapes, and CDs are now located on the counter behind the Information Desk. All materials are available for check-out. Titles include traditional movie favorites, It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, A Christmas Carol, and Miracle on 34th Street. Sound recordings include The Sinatra Christmas Album, Billboard's Rock'n'Roll Christmas, and Christmas With the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. Pick up a "For the Holidays" pamphlet containing suggestions for holiday viewing, listening, and reading and a "Baking for the Holidays" flyer containing holiday cookbook titles and recipe websites.

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Teens have their own special area at Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library. Located near the videos, the Teen Department is for students in seventh grade through high school. This area has tables for group projects and comfortable bean bag chairs for lounging and reading. Reference materials for teens, Cliffs Notes, and classic paperbacks are available to help with homework assignments. Reference materials include titles such as How Government Works, Encyclopedia of the Renaissance, Culture Grams, and Daily Life in Medieval Times. Cliffs Notes and SparkNotes are study guides designed to help students with comprehension of classic literary titles. They are arranged by title of the book and are located next to the Teen Reference books. CliffsComplete books are considered an all-in-one resource because they also contain the complete original work, along with expert commentary and review exercises. The classic paperbacks rack contains titles assigned by many English teachers, such as The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen,

    Fiction books are shelved by author's last name, but keep in mind that new teen books and series books are shelved separately. The new books are shelved next to the reference materials and the series books are next to the new books. Series include Left Behind: the Kids, The Gilmor Girls, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Redwall. Shelved underneath the new books are new teen audio books and the Reading and Writing Festival books. The teen area also includes magazines for teens, comic books, and graphic novels.

     Teen librarian Christina Getrost is available to help with suggestions for teen reading and homework assignments. Christina also plans many activities such as the annual monopoly tournament and crafts for teens. Teens can even join her online book discussion club by going to www.smfpl.org/bookdiscuss.htm. To find out more about Teen Scene activities and programs, check out the Teen Services web page at www.smfpl.org./TS.htm.

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December's staff pick is Girl in Hyancinth Blue by Susan Vreeland, recommended by Adult Services Associate Chris Caccamo. The story begins in present day, when a professor invites a colleague home to see a painting that he has kept secret for years - possibly a rare Vermeer painting. The book traces the history of this painting back through the decades, back to the moment of the work's inspiration. The reader discovers all the lives this painting touched and influenced throughout the years.

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December's website is Operation Dear Abby at http://anyservicemember.navy.mil. In 1967, to support military members serving overseas during the holidays, syndicated columnist Abigail Van Buren asked readers to write letters for distribution to service people overseas. The Department of Defense called the effort "Operation Dear Abby." The tradition continues today via this website. Simply click "Send a Message" to fill out the online form - select your state and the branch of the service you wish to send your message to. You may also read messages that have been sent.

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