Smyrna Public Library Returns to Curbside Service Only

The Smyrna Public Library has returned to Curbside Service only starting December 22.

The Friends of Smyrna Library Reading Group to Continue with Webinars in 2021

The Friends of Smyrna Library Reading Group will stay virtual in 2021.  Book discussions will be will take place via a ZOOM call on the at 7 pm.  Please email mwmoore at smyrnaga.gov for an invitation.  The book selections for 2021 and dates are listed below.  

January 5, 2021
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

February 2, 2021
Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan

March 2, 2021
The Engineer's Wife by Tracey Enerson Wood

April 6, 2021
Commonwealth by Ann Patchett

May 4, 2021
Radium Girls by Kate Moore

June 1, 2021
Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck

July 6, 2021
A Study in Scarlet by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

August 3, 2021
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins

September 7, 2021
The Night Watchman by Louise Erdrich

October 5, 2021
The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

November 2, 2021
Midnight Library by Matt Haig

December 7, 2021
The Giver by Lois Lowry

Friends of Smyrna Library Board Member Featured in City Lifestyle Atlanta

Board Member GeeGee Walters was featured in City Lifestyle Atlanta.  Click the link below to enjoy the article and learn about the many contributions that GeeGee makes to the Smyrna Public Library and our volunteer group, Friends of Smyrna Library..  

Read Article

Happy Veterans Day!

Happy Veterans Day! Thank you to the Veterans Memorial Association of Smyrna for a generous donation to Smyrna Public Library. The library has ordered lots of great kids' books to inspire patriotism, honor for military service, and exploration of military history. Thank to you to all our amazing Smyrna veterans. Thank you for your service!

First Sunday Virtual Lecture: Renewing Smyrna’s Tree Canopy: From Vision to Inheritance

 

Thanks to the Smyrna Tree Board for presenting virtually yesterday at the Smyrna Public Library as part of our rescheduled First Sunday Lecture Series.

Presentation Overview:

The Smyrna City Council recently passed a resolution to join other Atlanta Metro communities in planting 1 million trees over the next ten years. Learn how Trees Atlanta, Keep Smyrna Beautiful, the Smyrna Tree Board, and Smyrna citizens are working to achieve this goal - from vision to inheritance. Our discussion covers forest ecology, the benefits of trees to our community, and practical advice on how to select, plant, and care for trees in your yard. Questions from the audience are welcomed and be ready for riddles and games that test your tree IQ.

 

Speakers:

• Chris Zweifel is the founder of Plant A Tree Smyrna and a former science and social studies teacher.
• Judy Yi is the Director of Outreach & Marketing for Trees Atlanta. Previously, she was the Director of Education and established the TreeHouse, its first education center. Before joining Trees Atlanta in 2015, she was a marketing and sales operations executive in the telecommunications and digital marketing industries.
• Eric Dennis is a member of the Keep Smyrna Beautiful Board and helped create the Adopt a Tree Program for KSB.
• Sean Murphy is an ISA Certified Arborist and a Professional Landscape Architect with over 30 years of experience working with trees and he has designed significant projects around Smyrna, including Concord Road Linear Park, Jonquil Plaza and the Shops at Belmont.
• Jean Manki has served on the Smyrna Tree Board for the past 3 years and helped write the revised Smyrna Tree Ordinance and organize the Smyrna Tree Scarves Project.

Sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Favorite Characters Visit the Smyrna Public Library

The Smyrna Public Library has three special guests this week: Pete the Cat, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Taco Dragon.  The socially distanced visits were held over 3 days in the Train Playground outside the library.  All of the kids also received crafts kits about their favorite book characters.   

Early Voting Starts Today! Pete the Cat or Pigeon?

Early voting starts today!  You can choose to vote online at https://tinyurl.com/y26m4nrk or by completing a paper ballot at the Youth Services Desk.

Who will win?  Pete the Cat or Pigeon?  

The winner will be announced on November 4th.

First Sunday Virtual Lecture: "Day of the Dead: Souls and Sweets" Hispanic Heritage Month Event

Thank you, Professor Audry Garcia, for yesterday's informative webinar on  Day of the Dead: Souls and Sweets.  

Presentation Outline:

This presentation addresses the culturally diverse origin of the Mexican tradition and the relevant role that food, particularly sweets and bread, plays in it.

Speaker Bio:

Dr. Audry García is a native of Mexico City. She has been a faculty member at Kennesaw State University for the last 25 years. She enjoys researching and teaching socio-cultural aspects of Spanish speaking communities, and intercultural communication.

Sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Virtual Flute and Harp Recital with Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Principals Christina Smith and Elisabeth Remy Johnson

Thank you for the wonderful recital today!

Recital Description: Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Principals Christina Smith, flute, and Elisabeth Remy Johnson, harp, presented an afternoon recital. The online concert consisted of a wonderful flute and harp repertoire, both new and old. The composers include Joseph Jongen, Katherine Hoover, and Gabriel Faure. The audience was then able to ask questions, and hear introductions of the works by the performers.

Biographies:

Christina Smith is one of the most sought-after flutists in the country as an orchestral player, soloist, chamber musician, and teacher. The 2020-21 season is Ms. Smith’s thirtieth season as principal flutist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and her solos can be heard on over 40 ASO recordings. She has also appeared with the orchestra numerous times as concerto soloist. After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy, Ms. Smith studied at the Curtis Institute of Music as a pupil of the legendary Julius Baker. She has appeared as guest principal flutist with the Chicago Symphony, LA Philharmonic, the Vancouver Symphony, the Baltimore Symphony, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, and the Pittsburgh Symphony. Ms. Smith’s longtime collaboration with ASO principal harpist Elisabeth Remy Johnson resulted in the 2008 release of a duet album entitled “Encantamiento.” Equally passionate about teaching, Ms. Smith serves on the faculty at Kennesaw State University and Emory University. She performs on a flute handmade in 1950 by Verne Q. Powell.  She is proud to be a Powell artist.

Elisabeth Remy Johnson has been Principal Harpist of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra since 1995. She gives solo and chamber music recitals throughout the U.S.A. and teaches at Emory University, Georgia State University, and Kennesaw State University. Ms. Remy Johnson is a graduate of Harvard University, Phi Beta Kappa, where she majored in Music and French. In addition to the ASO, she has performed as Principal Harp with the symphony orchestras of Boston, Houston, and Milwaukee, and the Grand Teton Music Festival. She has made numerous recordings with the ASO, as well as several solo and chamber CDs. In 2018, she and several ASO colleagues founded The Merian Ensemble, a chamber group dedicated to their “Listen: Works by Women” initiative, an annual series of concerts celebrating and commissioning chamber music composed by women. Ms. Remy Johnson was co-founder and artistic director (2000-2010) of the Urban Youth Harp Ensemble, serving students from the Atlanta Public Schools. She has received Atlanta's Channel Eleven Community Service Award, the TBS Pathfinder’s Award, and the Atlanta Business Chronicle's "Up & Comers Award.”

FOSL Provides Grant for "Binge Box" DVD Sets

Just in time for Fall Break Week, the library is now offering "Binge Box" DVD sets. They were purchased with a grant from the Friends of Smyrna Library. 

Binge Boxes are 4 to 6 movies in one case with a similar theme. Sets include 80s classics, Marvel adventures, and Disney Princesses, just to name a few. Enjoy this fun new collection!

September is National Hispanic Heritage Month

Smyrna Library is celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, and we hope you will too! The library has books, audiobooks and DVDs for you to explore and celebrate Latinx culture and history. Enjoy!

Tribute for Friends of Smyrna Library First President, Lillie Wood

Lillie Wood was President of the Friends of Smyrna Library until Spring 2001. She was instrumental in establishing the foundation that enabled our group to succeed for over 30 years. Mrs. Wood passed away on June 20 at the age of 89.

We have added to a collection of books setup in her memory. Thank you to Clare Isanhour and the Bennett Woods neighborhood for your support for this memorial project.

Congratulations to the Adult Summer Reading Program Winners!

Congratulations to Nancy L., Jennifer V., and Erin C., for winning the three grand prizes in the C drawing. The Friends of Smyrna Library funded the Beanstack app that made an all-virtual Summer Reading program possible this year. 

Additional thanks to our friends at Cabot Creamery and Dairy Queen (Spring Road) for donating prizes.

Successful Virtual Summer Reading Program Concludes

And the final numbers are in! Way to go Smyrna Library Kids, that's a lot of reading. We hope you enjoyed using Beanstack, earning badges, and participating in all of the virtual programming this year. We know it was a very different Summer Reading Program than we've had in the past but we had fun and hope you did, too. 

Virtual First Sunday Lecture: A Short History of Bird Feeding in America

Thank you, Professor Van Detta, for today's informative lecture on the history of birdfeeding in America.  

"A Short History of Bird Feeding in America"Professor Jeff Van Detta

Program Summary

Professor Van Detta's presentation is based on the book Feeding Wild Birds in America: Culture, Commerce, and Conservation. The presentation also incorporates fascinating material from the works of Francis Merriam, including her 1889 classic, Birds Through An Opera Glass; the works of Roger Tory Peterson and David Allen Sibley; and Professor Van Detta's own personal experiences in feeding birds in Smyrna. 

He uses a richly illustrated PowerPoint to engage the audience and to explain how the extraordinary history of backyard bird feeding (1) informs us about feeding our own local backyard birds today; and (2) helps us to support their annual nesting season and the sojourn of migratory birds in our area during spring and fall.

Speaker Biography

Professor Jeffrey Van Detta has been a lawyer for 33 years, a resident of Georgia for 32 years, and a law professor and legal scholar for 21 years. He has been a knowledgeable amateur bird feeder since summers during the 1960s and 1970s that he spent in Northern Alabama with his maternal grandmother. He has also been a principal in a local bird feeding store. 

Library Patron's Quarantine Inspiration

One of Smyrna Public Library's avid non-fiction readers checked out "Knitted Animal Friends" by Louise Crowther and made this incredible toy during quarantine! 

#inspiration

Storytime on Hiatus Until August 12

 

Summer Reading Program Finale: Magical Myths and Fairy Tales

Thank you, Mr. Keith the Magic Man, for today’s great virtual magic and ventriloquism show entitled “Magical Myths and Fairy Tales Magic Show”.  It was a wonderful finale to our virtual Summer Reading Program.  We especially enjoyed your zany sidekick, Vern the talking & singing Gooney bird!

Smyrna Public Library Implements COVID-19 Related Changes to Services

The second floor of Smyrna Library is now closed to the public, except for customers needing to use a public computer. If you need materials retrieved from the second floor (non-fiction, biography, young adult), please place the item on hold. Staff will retrieve the item for you. If you need to use a computer, please visit the front desk on the first floor and ask for a number. Computer users will be seated one at a time. Thank you for your cooperation and for using Smyrna Public Library.

Summer Reading Program: ScienceTellers

Join Smyrna Library Kids on Tuesday, July 14th at 11am for "Dragons: Return of the Ice Sorceress" presented by ScienceTellers 

A long time ago, in a faraway land, two brave villagers go on a daring journey to release the dragons and save the kingdom from an evil Ice Sorceress. 

When things don’t go as planned, however, the kids might need to look to themselves — and to science! — for the answer. Don’t miss this fun fantasy adventure featuring awesome dry ice experiments as special effects!

This program will be provided through ZOOM. 

Virtual First Sunday Lecture: Hernando de Soto in Georgia

Virtual First Sunday Lecture
"Hernando de Soto in Georgia"

Sunday, July 12, 2020
3:00-4:00 p.m.

Speaker: Professor Dennis B. Blanton, author of Conquistador's Wake

The focus of Conquistador's Wake is a decade-long archaeological project undertaken at a place now known as the Glass Site, located in Telfair County, Georgia. 

This spot, near the town of McRae, Georgia, offers clues that place Hernando de Soto in Georgia via a different route than previously thought by historians and archaeologists.

Professor Blanton's archaeological focus is eastern North America. His teaching at James Madison University concerns historical archaeology,  especially the topic of cultural encounters. 

His interests also extend to questions of prehistory in the Southeast and Middle Atlantic, Native American smoking ritual, and climate change. More information about Professor Blanton's work is available at his website: https://dennisblanton.weebly.com/.

Summer Reading Program: Thank you, Will Moore Troubadour!

Thank you, Will Moore Troubadour, for today’s great virtual concert!  The kids really enjoyed  the fun and interactive musical experience, your original songs, the sing along.  

About Will Moore Troubadour

Will Moore Troubadour is an independent solo musician currently focusing on music for children. He performs original songs as well as traditionals with guitar, mandolin, cajon drum and other instruments. 

Will strives to make his performances entertaining and fun for both kids and their entourage.

Summer Reading Program: Thank You, June!

Young library patron, June, presented Frog and Toad Are Friends today during Virtual Storytime.  

June has been so sad that the Library has been closed. Frog has also been missing our Smyrna Library Kids, so June and Frog teamed up to bring a story to our Smyrna kids.  

June, you did a fantastic job!

June and Frog will be back for more Storytime visits during the 2020 Virtual Summer Reading Program.

Enjoy today’s Storytime by clicking this link.  

Smyrna Public Library to Reopen on June 15 – Limited Services/New Hours

The Smyrna Public Library will reopen on June 15 with limited services and new hours.  Masks will be required and patrons must adhere to social distancing practices. 

New Hours:

Monday-Friday: 12:00 noon – 6:00 p.m.
Saturday: 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: Closed

Volunteer activities remain on hold until further notice.  Book donations are also not being accepted at this time. 

Summer Reading Program: Famed Author Carmen Agra Deedy To Host Friday Virtual Storytimes

Big news! Famed author Carmen Agra Deedy will be hosting a virtual storytime every Friday at noon throughout the 2020 Summer Reading Program. 

You can track the stories she reads on your Beanstack account!  #imagineyourstory

https://youtu.be/f2vSVoIk92Y

Carmen Agra Deedy, is an award-winning author of fifteen books for young readers, including The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet!, Martina the Beautiful Cockroach, Rita and Ralph’s Rotten Day, and 14 Cows for America, a New York Times Bestseller.

First Sunday Lecture Series Returns in Virtual Format

The monthly Friends of Smyrna Library First Sunday Lecture Series returns in virtual format!

"Smokelore: A History of Barbecue"
Sunday, June 7, 2020
3:00-4:00 p.m.

Presenter: Jim Auchmutey, author of Smokelore: A History of Barbecue.

In Smokelore, Auchmutey tells the story of the most truly American food -- barbecue -- which dates back to the earliest encounters between European explorers and native populations and was literally there at the foundation of the U.S. government. Barbecue figures in almost every epoch of our history. It is America in a mouthful.

Jim Auchmutey has written extensively about food. He has co-authored two cookbooks, including the first devoted solely to barbecue sauces and rubs, The Ultimate Barbecue Sauce Cookbook. He is a founding member of the Southern Foodways Alliance at the University of Mississippi and has won awards for his food writing from the James Beard Foundation and the Association of Food Journalists. He was a guest curator for the Atlanta History Center’s Barbecue Nation exhibition, which inspired his latest book, Smokelore.

Sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Thank You, Kind Patrons!

Some kind patrons donated fresh flowers to brighten up the Library Staff's packing table this week. Thank you!!

Smyrna Public Library Announces Robust Calendar of Virtual Events To Provide Programming in Response to COVID-19 Restrictions

Effective June 1, 2020, the Smyrna Public Library has scheduled a robust calendar of events to continue programs online that were previously held in in the library before the pandemic.  Learn about all of the events at

Library Calendar.

Smyrna Public Library Launches Curbside Pickup Service

Smyrna Public Library Patrons are now able to order books online and pick them up curbside.  The service launched yesterday.  Library staff pulled and bagged 200 orders with 680 books for customers on the first day.  

Thank you for using Smyrna Public Library's new Curbside Pickup Service.

FOSL to Sponsor Virtual Summer Reading Program

The Friends of Smyrna Library are very pleased to sponsor the Smyrna Public Library Summer Reading Program as a VIRTUAL PROGRAM this year due to COVID-19.  This year’s theme is “Imagine Your Story”.  The program starts on June 1.  

The Library Team has put together an amazing virtual program for kids, teens, and adults.  

Follow the Smyrna Public Library Calendar for virtual events and the Smyrna Library Kids Facebook Page for virtual events and other fun stuff specific to kids. 

Exterior Book Drops to Reopen on Monday, May 18 - Returns Staggered by Last Name

So as not to overwhelm the book drops and staff, please adhere to the following schedule for returning items. All overdue fees will be waived during this time period.

• Monday, May 18, 2020 – Customer Last Name Begins with W-Z

• Tuesday, May 19 – T-V

• Wednesday, May 20 – S

• Thursday, May 21 – R

• Friday, May 22 – O-Q

• Saturday, May 23 – M-N

• Sunday, May 24 – L

• Monday, May 25 – J-K

• Tuesday, May 26 – H-I

• Wednesday, May 27 – F-G

• Thursday, May 28 – D-E

• Friday, May 29 – C

• Saturday, May 30 – A-B

The Friends of Smyrna Library Reading Group Returns in June on Zoom

We continue to adapt to COVID-19.  We are pleased to announce that our Reading Group will return in June virtually.  Book discussions will be will take place via a ZOOM call on the dates below at 7 pm.  Please email mwmoore at smyrnaga.gov for an invitation.  The book selections for the remainder of 2020 are listed below.  

June 2, 2020
And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

July 7, 2020
Grandma Gatewood's Walk by Ben Montgomery

August 4, 2020
The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood

September 1, 2020
The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper by Hallie Rubenhold

October 6, 2020
The Rent Collector by Camron Wright

November 3, 2020 Virtual Discussion
The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

December 1, 2020 Virtual Discussion
Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Celebrate Earth Day! (Virtual Program)

Celebrate Earth Day!

A virtual Smyrna Library Program

Listen to One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia by Miranda Paul. Then learn how to make an up-cycled bracelet from a plastic bag. 

Click here to be redirected to the video. 

COVID-19 Closure Update: FOSL Volunteer Activities & Book Sales On Hold Until Further Notice

Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, all in-person Friends of Smyrna Library Volunteer Activities and Book Sales will be on hold until further notice.    

COVID-19 Closure Update: Library Remains Closed Until Further Notice

The Smyrna Public Library remains closed until further notice.  Virtual programming is being developed.  Please check back for updates. 

2020 Census Questionnaire Reminder

Be sure to fill out your 2020 Census questionnaire! You should have received a code in the mail within the last two weeks. If you cannot fill it out online, you may call toll-free 844-330-2020. #smyrnacounts

COVID-19 Closure Update: Library Book Drops are Closed

Library Book Drops are now Closed until further notice. Please retain the materials you have checked out until Smyrna Library re-opens. Library staff are sheltering in place and cannot empty the drop. Please do not worry about overdue fines. We are extending due dates and waiving any overdue fines during the closure. Please be safe. We look forward to serving you in person again in the future. - Mary Moore, Library Director

In response to national school closures, Scholastic is making 20 days of their "Learn from Home" content FREE! Just click on the link below and select the appropriate grade level. They have provided a username and password for access to these book titles

Visit Scholastic Page with Details.

COVID-19 Closure Update: Physical Items Checked Out

COVID-19 Closure Update: If you have physical items checked out from Smyrna Public Library, please retain them until further notice. Library staff will no longer empty the book drops on a regular basis. We have extended due dates on all eligible items, and we will not charge overdue fines for this time period. Please do not worry about your materials being late. We apologize for this inconvenience, and we are very grateful for the support and understanding we have received from customers through this period. - Mary Moore, Library Director

Smyrna Library Initiates Virtual Storytime in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic

The library is closed in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, but you can still have storytime today with none other than Pete the Cat creator, James Dean.  Click this link.

Follow the Smyrna Library Kids Facebook Page on upcoming virtual programming for children and families.  

Parents, Please Follow Smyrna Library Kids Facebook Page

 

Digital Book Library Checkout Option Available During COVID-19 Social Distancing Phase

Although Smyrna Library is closed to the public during the COVID-19 social distancing phase, we are still checking out books digitally. Don't forget about all our wonderful eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines and more. We're created some quick links from our online catalog to get you started: https://library.smyrnaga.gov/#section=home.

Teen Volunteer Program on Hold Until Further Notice

To support the safety of our community during the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak, the Smyrna Public Library is closed until further notice.  The Friends of Smyrna Library Teen Volunteer Program is now temporarily on hold.  Look for updates via social media and e-mail when we can restart the teen volunteer program.  

To all of our awesome teen volunteers - Thanks again for all of your volunteer service to date.  Stay safe and healthy.  We’ll see you soon!

COVID-19 Temporary Closure of Smyrna Public Library.

Smyrna Public Library will be closed indefinitely starting tomorrow, Saturday, March 14. If you have items checked out, please do not worry about overdue fines. We are setting the system to waive overdues during this closure. If you still want to return your materials, you may do so in the bookdrop. We will be checking those daily. Thank you.

First Sunday Lecture: Lorena Pace Pruitt, Smyrna's First Female Mayor

"Lorena Pace Pruitt, Smyrna's First Female Mayor"

Sunday, March 1, 2020
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Smyrna Public Library, Meeting Room

Speaker: Mary Wallace Moore, Smyrna Library Director

Sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Porcelain Art by Mary Belle Cordell Opens at Smyrna Public Library Art & Display Galleries

The March/April 202 Art & Display Gallery exhibit has opened – Porcelain Art by Mary Belle Cordell.  Ms. Cordell’s exhibit is on display through April 30. The Art & Display Galleries are located on the 2nd floor of the Smyrna Public Library.  Note: Ms. Cordell’s exhibit ended early due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Art & Display Gallery exhibits are organized by the Friends of Smyrna Library. 

Artist Statement

Porcelain artist Mary Belle Cordell's porcelain paintings showcase an array of subjects from still life, to nature and portraits. What is important to her is her love of china painting and how it relates to others.

Mary Belle is also fascinated with the shadows and lights which are produced by painting layers of oil-based china paints and then fired many times in a kiln at 1400 degrees.

She is inspired by the natural beauty around her and the collage of people who become subjects for her porcelain paintings.

A native of Pennsylvania and now a new resident of Marietta, Georgia she is once again reinventing herself and looking forward to new and challenging projects

Thank You, Volunteers

Thank you, Kate & Natalie, for setting up the $1 popular fiction pop-up book sale in the library lobby this evening. We have almost 150 books on sale and 300 more to restock.

Black History Month Book Discussion

Fantastic discussion of Zora Neale Hurston's "Barracoon" today. Two attendees gave an impromptu concert before the discussion. Thank you, everyone, for a wonderful afternoon!

Young Patrons Donate Lemonade Stand Proceeds for New Books

Want a cheerful story to brighten your heart on this dreary day? Several months ago, two young Smyrna Library customers donated money they had made at a lemonade stand. We were able to purchase the following four books with their donation. (It took a while to get this picture because the books were always checked out.) Thank you, Henry R. and Katalina P.! We appreciate your support and are feelin' the love, thank you!

First Sunday Lecture: The African-American Experience in South Cobb

"The African-American Experience in South Cobb"

Sunday, February 9, 2020
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Smyrna Public Library, Meeting Room

Speaker: Dr. William Marchione, author of A Brief History of Smyrna, Georgia

Working with a diverse team of researchers, Dr. Marchione will share findings from an exhaustive examination of the black experience in the City of Smyrna and its immediate environs.  Dr. Marchione's presentation will furnish a richly detailed, chronological history of the black experience in Smyrna, based on a panoply of newspaper accounts, oral interviews, and census data analysis, accompanied by much new photographic material.

Sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

2020 Teen Volunteer Kick-Off Meeting Held

Thanks to our Friends of Smyrna Library Teen Volunteers who attended this week’s 2020 Kick-Off meetings. We have a full program this year with a calendar packed with volunteer events through December. 

Moms & Dads of returning 2019 volunteers who could not attend this week: Sorry that so many kids are sick! We’ll email you a date for the week after next for a web presentation conference call. The next volunteer sign-up and orientation will be held on Sunday, March 29 at 1:30 pm in the Smyrna Public Library downstairs meeting room

Black History Month Art Exhibit

Check out this fantastic art exhibit by the students of Covenant Christian School. The art is inspired by the work of African-American artists. The exhibit is in the first floor reading room and will be available for viewing through February 28.

Weekend Magazine Sale

Stop by the library this weekend and pick up some cool old magazines for 10 cents each. The sale is in the lobby near the Circulation Desk.

Pottery by Glenn Dair Opens in Smyrna Public Library Display Gallery

The January/February 2020 Display Gallery exhibit has opened – Pottery by Glenn Dair.  Mr. Dair’s exhibit is on display through February 28. The Display Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the Smyrna Public Library.

Display Gallery exhibits are organized by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Artist Statement

Glenn Dair served as the Director of the Callanwolde Fine Arts Center Pottery Program and he received his Masters of Fine Arts Degree (Ceramics) from the University of Georgia in 1975. His work is primarily focused on architecturally influenced vessel forms and is included in public, private and corporate collections. He produces work from his studio in Atlanta, Georgia.

First Sunday Lecture: How Georgia Cities Got Their Names

Thank you, Ms. Kaemmerlen!!!

Lecture Information:

"How Georgia Cities Got Their Names"

Sunday, January 5, 2020
3:00-4:00 p.m.
Smyrna Public Library, Meeting Room
Speaker: Cathy Kaemmerlen, author of Georgia Place Names From Jot-em-Down to Doctortown

Ever wonder how Rough and Ready got its name? Or what Stonesthrow is a stone's throw from? And surely the story behind Climax can't be...that thrilling, can it? The curious Georgian can't help pondering the seemingly endless supply of head-scratching place names that dot this state. Luckily, the intrepid Cathy Kaemmerlen stands ready to unravel the enigmas--Enigma is, in fact, a Georgia town--behind the state's most astonishing appellations. Cow Hell, Gum Pond, Boxankle and Lord a Mercy Cove? One town owes its name to a random sign that fell off a railcar, while another memorializes a broken bone suffered by a cockfight spectator. And just how many place names were inspired by insolent mules? Come on in to find out.

Speaker Biography: Cathy Kaemmerlen is a professional storyteller, actress, historical interpreter, and author known for her variety of one-woman shows, her creatively artistic and animated approach to storytelling, and her rapport with audiences of all ages. Her production company is Tattlingtales Productions, Inc.

Sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library.