Children’s Summer Reading Program Concludes with Fantastic Results

The children’s summer reading program, Fizz, Boom, Read!, wrapped up this week with fantastic results.  Smyrna area children who participated in the program logged over 3,700 hours of reading in June and July.  

Congratulations to the readers and thank you to all of the sponsors who made this possible.  Surveys are available at the Children's Services desk to help with next summer’s planning.

FOSL Sponsors Summer Reading Finale with Puppet Master Lee Bryan

The Friends of Smyrna Library sponsored the grand finale of the children’s summer reading program today at the Smyrna Community Center.

Lee Bryan, "That Puppet Guy," presented the "Planet Earth, Inc." puppet show. We had a full house. The thoroughly entertaining show featured musical themes of recycling, clean air, water conservation, and rain forest preservation. 

Before and after the show the kids were able to claim their reading prizes.  The should was enjoyed by all and was a great way to end a very successful summer program. 

FOSL Sponsors Curious Moon Puppet Show To Celebrate Midpoint of Summer Reading Program

Curious Moon Puppets presented "Fizz, Boom, Bugs & Machines," an exciting new twist on the classic story of "The Grasshopper and the Ant" today.   

Today’s awesome show at the Smyrna Community Center was one of the “Fizz, Boom, Read!” Summer Reading Program activities sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

About Curious Moon:

Curious Moon Puppets is headquarters is in Brunswick, GA with additional puppeteers based in Atlanta. They tour throughout Georgia, Northern Florida, South Carolina, and Eastern Alabama. Curious Moon Puppets provides professional quality, original puppet shows and puppet making workshops for all ages and venues. 

Summer Reading Program: Congratulations to Andrea S.

Congratulations to Andrea S., winner of the garden goodies gift basket. Andrea has been working on her brand new garden, so the supplies and Pike Nurseries gift card were such a blessing. Bring us pictures of your garden, Andrea!

After Hours Reception for July/August Exhibitors Judy Garrard and Brenda Romero

Judy Garrard (left) and Brenda Romero (right) are the featured artists exhibiting at the Smyrna Public Library in July and August.  Ms. Garrard is exhibiting “Photography” in the art gallery and Ms. Romero is exhibiting “Painted Lighthouses” in the display gallery.

The Friends of Smyrna Library present the work of two area artists in the Smyrna Library Upper Level galleries every two months. Visitors tonight had the chance to speak with the artists and learn more about their craft, process and inspiration.

Thank you to our features artists and everyone on the community who supports our exhibits throughout the year. 

Bonus “Second Sunday” Event Held at Smyrna Public Library

The topic of last Sunday’s First Sunday lecture was "Smyrna Georgia: Civil War Battlefield" and it was presented by Dr. William Marchione, Ph.D..  Yesterday the Friends of Smyrna Library sponsored a follow-up event at the library.  The film "Kennesaw: One Last Mountain” was presented. It chronicled the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain and the Atlanta Campaign.

This is the official film of the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. This beautifully crafted film, narrated by Emmy Award winning actor Peter Coyote, uses authentic battle recreations and compelling accounts of soldiers, civilians, and freed slaves to bring to life one of the most dramatic episodes of the Civil War, an event that immediately preceded our own July 4 battles of Smyrna Camp Ground and Ruff's Mill (which the city will be commemorating during the first week in July). 

Kennesaw Battlefield Park representative Willy Johnson was on hand to introduce the film and to answer the audiences questions.  We thank Mr. Johnson for joining us and congratulate him on his 40th anniversary with the National Park Service. 

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Southeastern Reptile Rescue Present Amazing Reptile Show

We extend special thanks to Jason and Sara Clark of Southeastern Reptile Rescue who put on an amazing reptile show today at the Smyrna Community Center.  The show featured a wide variety of snakes and an alligator too.  

Southeastern Reptile Rescue is based in Orchard Hill in central Georgia.  They specialize in rescuing snakes and other reptiles and then finding suitable homes for those animals ready to be adopted.  Their facility is not open to the public.  They also offer educational programs in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia. 

Today’s exceptional event was one of the “Fizz, Boom, Read!” Summer Reading Program activities sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

First Sunday "Smyrna, Georgia: Civil War Battlefield" Lecture

Yesterday Dr. Marchione, Ph.D., the author of the recently published A Brief History of Smyrna, Georgia presented a slide / lecture on "Smyrna, Georgia: Civil War Battlefield" that demonstrated that the battles and troop movements in and around Smyrna (at Smyrna Camp Ground, Ruff's Mill, and at the River Line fortifications) were far more important and decisive than is generally recognized.

His talk dealt with such facets of the Atlanta campaign as General Francis Asbury Shoup's two defensive barriers constructed in South Cobb---the Smyrna Line and the River Line (the latter dubbed by historians "The Maginot Line of the Confederacy"; the near death experience of General William Tecumseh Sherman, not once, but twice here in Smyrna and the likely consequences had Sherman been killed on our home turf; the critical importance of the W&A railroad in the Atlanta Campaign as a line of supply for the federal army; and finally, how the conquest of Atlanta and the collapse of the Confederacy were virtual certainties once Sherman's federal juggernaut breached that last great physical barrier on the road to Atlanta, the Chattahoochee River.

The "First Sunday" lecture series is held in the Smyrna Public Library Meeting Room and is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Gumdrop Construction Event Held with ASCE Georgia Section

How many books do you think a dome of gumdrops will hold? With help from the ASCE (American Society of Civil Engineers) Georgia Section we learned today that the answer is “a lot”! It was also a lot of tasty and sticky fun to learn about civil engineering and construction too. The event was held at the Smyrna Community Center.

Today’s creative educational event was one of the “Fizz, Boom, Read!” Summer Reading Program activities sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Thank you to the ASCE Georgia Section for presenting a wonderful educational experience. 

Photography Exhibit by Judy Garrard Opens in Art Gallery

Judy Garrard is a life-long resident of Georgia and has called Smyrna her home for 22 years. Photography is her hobby and her passion. Judy also loves to travel and no matter where she goes, she is compelled to take photos so that she can share the beauty she finds with you.

She focuses primarily on nature and is self taught. Over the past couple of years, she has participated in several juried art exhibits around Atlanta, but says that the opportunity to exhibit at the Smyrna Public Library has been the most exciting.

To learn more about Judy, please visit her website at judygarrard.com.

On display until September 1, 2014.

Painted Lighthouses Exhibit by Brenda Romero Opens in Display Gallery

Painting lighthouses is my passion. I am inspired by the rich and fascinating history of lighthouses, some of which go back to the 1700's, and the Keeper's who kept watch over ships as they navigated through trecherous waters.

I have photographed and climbed many of the lighthouses on exhibit. There are about 45 lighthouses on the endangered list. My effort to photograph as many of these lighthouses as possible has taken me to many remote locations and isolated islands.

Rather than the traditional canvas, I love to paint my scenes on a natural canvas from the sea (large five to six inch sand dollars). I use acrylic paints with a medium gloss finish. Each sand dollar is meticulously hand-painted, and represents lighthouses from every coastal state around the U.S. and the Great Lakes.

Special requests are available by commission.  On display until September 1, 2014.