The Warren County Public Library will host an evening with Lis Wiehl and Steve Berry on Thursday, June 13 at 6:00 p.m. next door to the Main Library in the CEC Parish Hall. This special event will feature these two great legal minds and New York Times best-selling thriller authors as they sit down and discuss their latest novels, books, writing and more.

Lis will discuss her new book A Matter of Trust.  Steve will discuss his newest release The Kings Deception.  Free tickets are available at all library locations or by emailing Jayne Pelaski  jaynep@warrenpl.org. Due to space limitations, the event will be held next door to the Main Library at the CEC Parish Hall. For more information, call 781-4882.

Dig Into Reading is the theme of this year’s Summer Reading Program. The fun begins with a kick-off event on Thursday, June 6 at Lost River Cave from 10:00 a.m. until noon.

“We love that we’re able to partner with Lost River Cave for this event. It is such a local treasure that connects perfectly with the summer’s theme,” said assistant director Ashley Fowlkes. “Kids of all ages will love exploring their new outdoor classroom, the butterfly garden, the nature center, and other areas. And the ones who register for the library’s Summer Reading Program that day will get an extra bonus - a free pass to visit the cave on their next visit with a paying adult.”

The Summer Reading Program will feature almost two full months of special presentations in June and July, weekly activities at all locations, and incentive prizes for those who love to read. Those who complete the program will win great prizes including free books and t-shirts, vouchers for Hot Rods games, coupons for sweet treats and passes to Kentucky attractions.

Summer Reading is not just for kids; adults can join the fun, too. In keeping with the “dig into” theme, various presentations and workshops will be offered. Events include a workshop on landscaping, canning, and digging out of debt. Other adult events include author Wes Berry discussing his new book The Kentucky Barbecue Book and Dr. Steven Bowman discussing the Dead Sea Scrolls.

All events are free and supplies provided, but registration is required for some of the classes. For additional details, call 781-4882, or see our insert in the June 2 issue of the Daily News.

Todd and Victor Fife have enjoyed exploring the great outdoors since they were young boys.  Victor recruited neighborhood boys for an “Explorers Club”, and Todd spent his teenage years hiking and roaming Kentucky.  Now, their love of the outdoors has led them to seek natural arches.  They have visited well over 700 arches in Kentucky alone. 

Todd and Victor will speak at the Kirby Branch at 175 Iron Skillet Court on Tuesday, June 11 at 6:00 p.m.  They will discuss and feature favorite arches from expeditions that have taken them throughout our state documenting these geological features. 

“Down through the years our off-trail explorations have led us to numerous waterfalls, caves, arches, and other geological formations, as well as the occasional moonshine still,” says Victor Fife. “I would encourage local folks to get out and see what is in their own backyard. There are more than fifty significant arches within fifty miles of Bowling Green,” concludes Fife. 

For more information, call (270) 782-0252.

Kentucky may be famous for fried chicken and bourbon, but in  various regions of the state – barbeque rules.

Wes Berry has written a book detailing all the best in Kentucky barbeque including the best smoke, the best flavor, and the best pitmasters. Berry went from the banks of the Mississippi to the hollows of the Appalachian Mountains in search of all things barbeque.  The Kentucky Barbeque Book presents the most succulent menus and colorful personalities in Kentucky.  This useful guide helps readers find where to sample the finest fare in the state.

The Kentucky style is distinct because of its use of mutton and traditional cooking methods. Many of the establishments featured in this book are dedicated to the time-honored craft of cooking over hot hardwood coals inside cinderblock pits. Time intensive and dangerous, these traditions are disappearing as methods requiring less manpower, less wood, and less skill gain ground.

Wes Berry will be at the Warren County Public Library on Tuesday, July 9 at 6:00 p.m.  For more information about this event, call 270-782-4882.

In 1947, a shepherd stumbled upon a hidden cave along the shore of the Dead Sea. Concealed inside were ancient scrolls that had not been seen for 2,000 years. After extensive excavation, a total of 972 remarkably preserved scrolls were found. The Dead Sea Scrolls are considered among the greatest archeological discoveries and contain the oldest known copies of the Hebrew Bible. 

Dead Sea Scrolls scholar, Dr. Steven Bowman, will speak at the Warren County Public Library on Tuesday, July 30 at 6:00 p.m. Dr. Bowman, a professor of Judaic Studies at the University of Cincinnati, will discuss the significance of the Scrolls, and what they reveal.

This event is free and open to the public. For free tickets, visit any library location or email: jaynep@warrenpl.org. For more information, call 270-781-4882.

The Standards Committee of the Kentucky Public Library Association has announced five public libraries have achieved the Exemplary Level of the Kentucky Public Library Standards. They are Boone County Public Library, Boyd County Public Library, Kenton County Public Library, McCracken County Public Library and Warren County Public Library.

“The Warren County Public Library is one of only five Kentucky public libraries to ever obtain the Exemplary Level of the KY Public Library Standards,” says Kristi Tucker, Chair of the Standards Committee. “ It's not an easy goal to reach. The hard work of the Library Administration and staff has paid off.”

Kentucky's public library systems were rated in seven categories: management, human resources, facilities, services, technology, public relations, and collections. The Exemplary Level is the highest ranking a Kentucky public library system can receive. This achievement is awarded every two years.

Myra Dwyer will exhibit her paintings in the Porter Café at the Main Library.

Dwyer paints and exhibits with a group of artists in Nashville and pushes herself to grow and learn more with each painting.  She is also the co-manager of The Pushin Building Artists’ Studio in downtown Bowling Green.

 “This series of paintings was developed in a new direction for me.  I’m working to move past the analytical structure of my style and blend the edges to create some transparency.  I enjoy building a structured foundation and blending multiple layers over it.  This gives depth to the painting and creates interest,” states Dwyer.

Kim Soule will exhibit her art at the Bob Kirby Branch. Kim is an artist and art teacher.  She received her Masters in Art Education from Western Kentucky University.  She serves on the Board of the Kentucky Art Education Association as President Elect. She was recently awarded the Kentucky Special Needs Art Educator of the Year Award.

“For the show at Bob Kirby Branch Library, I have chosen a wide assortment of my work ranging from oil paintings to prints,” says Soule.  “As an art educator I have the unique opportunity to experience all kinds of art making processes. I love color, and it shows in my work!”

Cathy Wester will exhibit her photography at the Smiths Grove Branch.

All exhibits open on Wednesday, May 1.  For information about these exhibits or exhibiting at the library, contact Jayne Pelaski:  jaynep@warrenpl.org

Student art will be the focus of two new exhibits at the Warren County Public Library.

“New Understanding” is an exhibition of artwork created by K-12 students with disabilities in collaboration with Western Kentucky University Art Education students.  New Understanding: Exploring Diverse Learning Styles Through the Arts is a project funded by a Community Partnership Incentive Award from the ALIVE Center, the WKU Center for Community Partnerships and VSA, a program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.  The New Understanding project is a partnership between VSA Kentucky, The State Organization on Arts and Disability; Dr. Miwon Choe of the Department of Art at Western Kentucky University; the Kentucky Museum; and the Warren County Public Library. 

“The New Understanding art classes took place in April at the Kentucky Museum and the final exhibit of the artwork will be on display at the Warren County Public Library Main Branch during the months of June and July 2013,” says VSA Director Delaire Rowe. 

Drakes Creek art students will exhibit their Barn Quilt art at the Bob Kirby Branch.

“The Barn Quilts were created by Drakes Creek students and are based on Barn Quilts throughout Kentucky,” says Drakes Creek art teacher Kim Soule. “The students used math skills as well as art skills to create them.”

The Cathy Wester photography exhibit continues at the Smiths Grove Branch.

Exhibits open on Monday, June 3.  For information about these exhibits or exhibiting at the library, contact Jayne Pelaski:  jaynep@warrenpl.org

The Warren County Public Library is excited to announce a new music download service - Freegal. Anyone can download music as long as they have a library card. Patrons can download any song from Sony Music's catalog. This is not a borrowing service. Once a song is downloaded it belongs to the patron. All songs can be easily downloaded to a computer (both PC and MAC) and most mobile devices.  There is a weekly per-patron limit of three downloads.

“Freegal compliments our collection of downloadable e-books and audiobooks by making a wide selection of music available for our patrons to download,” says reference librarian Holly Hedden.  “It is easy to use and offers the convenience of remote access.”

“Patrons can pick out their favorites or sample new music genres, from Alt-Country to Top-40 to Zydeco,” says Hedden.  

Click here or on the Music>> icon on any page to visit the new resource.  For more information, call 781-4882.

The Warren County Public Library now offers an exciting new service for all library patrons. Over 80 full, digital copies of an assortment of magazines will be available for download. Patrons will have unlimited access to the library’s entire collection.

 “Patrons will have access to leisure, news, how-to, and business titles in the library’s new digital magazine service,” says Reference Librarian Holly Hedden. “The image quality is terrific and links and multimedia content enhance the magazine experience. These magazines will be available for use on most portable devices as well on desktop and laptop computers. Each issue is available for checkout to any registered library patron at any time – there is no waiting!”

Outdoor enthusiasts will enjoy Backpacker, Bicycling, Women’s Adventure, Canoe and Kayak, and Field and Stream. Decorating buffs will like Martha Stewart Living, Country Living, Elle Décor, and House Beautiful. Several women’s favorites will be available for download including O, The Oprah Magazine, Marie Claire, and Good Housekeeping. News, entertainment, business, and Spanish language magazines are also available in the library's collection. A full listing of all the titles offered will be found in the digital magazine site.

 For more information about this free service, call 781-4882 or visit www.warrenpl.org

Popular mystery writer, Tess Gerritsen, was a keynote speaker at the Kentucky Library Association Annual Conference in Louisville in September.  While there, she and Lisa Rice, Director of the Warren County Public Library, discussed the library’s need for popular fiction available in other languages. Gerritsen’s books are published internationally, so she offered to donate her books in foreign languages to the library.

Gerritsen sent copies of her books written in Spanish, Croatian, Serbian, and Chinese. The books are now available at the Warren County Public Library. Gerritsen writes mysteries featuring Detective Jane Rizzoli and Maura Isles. Her books have recently been adapted for a television show on TNT called “Rizzoli and Isles.”

For more information, call 270-781-4882.

It’s time to land that job! Your Public Library Workforce Center can help. The Warren County Public Library has expanded its computer class workshop schedule. Workshops are now offered at three locations; the Main Library, the Bob Kirby branch, and the Smiths Grove branch. As part of the Public Library Workforce Center program, workshops include basic computer skills, online job hunting, setting up an email account, writing an effective resume, and filling out online job applications.

“The new centers will help Kentuckians who do not have access to computers and broadband service to use 21st century technology to access training, jobs and economic opportunities,” said Gov. Steve Beshear. “Our local public libraries have become an important community access point for people to search for jobs, write resumes and learn computer skills. These centers will provide a direct link to help for people in areas with high unemployment levels.”

The centers are made possible by a $1.3 million American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grant provided through the U.S. Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The project is supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and administered by the Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA).

Staff are on hand at all WCPL locations to assist patrons and provide training in a formal workshop setting to Warren County residents seeking employment opportunities. For more information or a schedule of workshops, call 270-781-4882. A schedule of workshops can also be downloaded here.

The Warren County Public Library offers two Great Books discussion groups for adults at the Main Library at 1225 State Street.

The Great Books Foundation promotes reading, thinking, and the sharing of ideas for people of all ages. Since 1947, the Foundation has helped millions of people make the reading and discussion of literature a lifelong source of enjoyment, personal growth, and social engagement.

“We have a discussion leader for each group and everyone has a chance to express opinions of the month’s selection—there are no right or wrong answers and members are respectful of the opinions of others,” says Great Books Coordinator Marilyn Mattingly.  “We usually read short selections from the Great Books Foundation so each discussion is completed in an hour.”

The groups meet once a month: one at 6:00 on the 1st Tuesday of the Month, the other meets the 2nd Tuesday of the month at noon.

“We also have a discussion group at the Bob Kirby Branch with a slightly different format. We read a full length book each month and the topics vary since we select titles based on the suggestions of the group,” says Mattingly. “We always welcome new people to the groups.”

The discussion group at the Kirby Branch meets on the 3^rd  Tuesday evening each month.

For more information, contact Marilyn Mattingly at marilynm@warrenpl.org or call 781-4882.

At the annual Kentucky Library Association Conference held in Louisville in September, Jim and Darlene Johnson were awarded the William H. Natcher Award.  The award was given to the Johnsons for their contribution to the Warren County Public Library and the Western Kentucky University Libraries.

Each year, the Kentucky Library Association awards an individual, organization, or corporation who has made a significant philanthropic contribution to a Kentucky library. The contribution may be monetary, materials, or equipment.

“Jim and Darlene give of themselves in support of our libraries,” says Warren County Public Library Director Lisa Rice. “Collectively they have spent countless hours volunteering at many library events from hosting authors, setting up used book sales, to serving on both WKU’s Library Advisory Board and BGPL’s Board of Trustees. It was under Jim’s leadership that the Bowling Green Public Library was able to establish a special taxing district creating the Warren County Public Library.”

Also during the annual conference Lisa Rice was named President of the Kentucky Library Association. She will be to serve as the association's representative and spokesperson in all official capacities. The mission of the Kentucky Library Association is to provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services.

“I am honored to represent such a dynamic group of professionals,” says Rice. “Libraries have met many challenges in recent years from reduced funding to the integration of new technologies and formats. And yet, it is my opinion that libraries have never been more important to their students and communities. It is my goal to spend the next year advocating for these invaluable services.”