The
Library Letter
News from the St. Marys Community Public Library
From our director
Over 1 Million Served
am pleased to announce that
November 2006 marked the 85th
Anniversary of the St. Marys
Community Public Library. I am also
pleased to note another Library milestone:
we’ve served over one million customers since
our 2002 expansion & renovation. We are
attaining our goal of becoming a community
center, and we’re thrilled about it.
Part of the process of meeting our goals
was the Long Range Planning that
we’ve been undertaking. The
Long Range Planning
Committee finished its work,
establishing Library service
areas on which to focus for the
next three years. These service
areas include: Commons; Current
Topics and Titles; Local Cultural
Awareness & History; and Lifelong
Learning.
Library staff members Beth Keuneke,
Jay Miley, Paula Drummond and I will write the
actual plan. Kimberlee Pierce, Library Board
Member, will assist us.
To promote the Commons service
response we are encouraging program
participation and the public use of our meeting
room, making the Library a gathering place for
community residents of all ages. To that effect,
we’ve created a roster of programs and special
events for every age and background,
including multi-generational events.
The Current Topics and Titles service
response lends itself to discovering new and
high demand materials to meet the needs of all
our patrons. The Library staff will focus
especially on evaluating the audiovisual and
reference collections, taking care to purchase
top quality fiction and non-fiction in a variety of
formats.
Winter 2007
Local Cultural Awareness & History
service response promotes development of
collection and programming to promote
knowledge and understanding of cultural and
community heritage. We are offering two
programs after the first of the year to meet this
service response. On January 25 the Library
will show the movie Back Door to Heaven
produced by local native William K. Howard.
On February 22nd Buz Howard will discuss his
book Roughrider Retrospective.
The Lifelong Learning response focuses
on providing residents of all ages with
information resources in many formats,
enabling and encouraging lifelong
learning and personal growth. Our
programming also meets this goal.
In January you can make a fresh
start with Lois Clark, OSU
extension agent, as she presents
a program on clutter control, and
in February a Rotary sponsored
program on Health & Fitness will fill the
bill. Our Adaptive Toy Library for
preschoolers will be unveiled early next
year, too—the Library is truly for everyone!
Finally, I would like to thank those
who served on the Long Range Planning
Committee. It was good to discover
through their comments how the Library
already meets the needs of the community
as well as to receive input on how we can
do a good job even better.
Susan Heckler Pittman
Library Director
Holiday Closings at the Library
The Library will be closed on the
following days so that the staff can enjoy
holidays with their friends and families:
December 25 & 26, 2006;
January 1, 2007; January 15, 2007; and
February 19, 2007.
 Calendar of Events for Adults
Holiday Open House, Dec. 3 from 1-3 PM.
Tuesday Morning
Book Group Slated
Adults are welcome to attend our
Tuesday Morning Book Group on the following
dates at 10:30 A.M.:
• December 5. Message in a Bottle by
Nicholas Sparks;
• January 2. Beach Music by Pat Conroy;
• February 6. The Alphabet Sisters by
Monica McInerney.
Books are available for checking out at
the Library circulation desk. Come & join our
discussions.
“Control Your Clutter”
Program by Lois Clark
OSU Extension Agent, Lois Clark, will be
at the Library on January 16 at 7 P.M. to share
her tips on “Getting Control of Your Clutter.”
January is National Get Organized Month, and
Lois can help!
Gourmet Coffee & Hot
Tea Month Celebrated
January is Coffee Gourmet International
Month as well as National Hot Tea Month. To
celebrate, the Friends of the Library will be
serving coffee and tea at the Library on Tuesday
mornings. Warm up with a cup at the Library.
Program Features
Movie & Discussion
On January 25 at 7:00 P.M. the Library
will show the movie, Back Door to Heaven
produced by our native William K. Howard.
Please join us as we view and discuss
this classic film.
Biz Breakfast in Feb.
The Library is hosting its 8th Annual
Business Person’s Breakfast on Thursday,
February 1 from 7-9 A.M. All local business
people are welcome to attend.
Please join us for a catered breakfast,
networking with your colleagues, and an
informational program. You’ll also discover what
the Library can do for you & your business.
Call the Library to register for this free
annual event.
Bubble Gum Day
National Bubble Gum Day is February 1
and the Librarians want to see who can blow the
biggest bubble! Contests will occur randomly
throughout the day. Everyone will get a piece of
bubble gum when they check out.
‘Rider Writer To Talk
Fans of the St. Marys Roughriders will
enjoy meeting Buz Howard, author of
Roughrider Retrospective, at the Library on
Thursday, February 22 at 7 P.M.
Howard has kept statistics for the
Roughriders since the late 50s, and he
continues to do so. With an amazing collection
of photographs by Burton Andrews, Roughrider
Retrospective is sure to become a cherished
team keepsake. Copies of the book will be
available for purchase. Proceeds from the sale
of Howard’s book benefit the Tom Howard
Memorial Scholarship Fund, which has awarded
36 scholarships since its inception in 1991.
Health Program Slated
The Library will be the scene of a Health
& Fitness Program in February. Sponsors of the
program are Rotary District 6600, the St. Marys
Rotary Club and the St. Marys Community
Public Library. Date & time are to be announced.
 Winter Youth Activities
Book
nd
Clubs: Story Times:
K-2 Grade Book Bunch Club. 4:00 P.M. Children Family Story Time—Fun for the whole
will read books together at the program: family: 6:30 P.M.
• January 29 How to Catch an Elephant by Amy January 8 & February 5.
Schwartz.
Preschool Story Time—for children
• February 26 Pizza theme. Title to be announced.
ages 3-5 years old: 10:30 A.M.
3rd & 4th Grade “Jammin’ With Books,” 4:00 P.M. January 10, 17, 24 & 31;
Children will read books together at the program: February 7, 14 & 21.
• January 11 Barefoot: Escape on the
Toddler Story Time—for 2-year-olds:
Underground Railroad by P. Edwards.
10:30 A.M.
• February 8 My Ol’ Man by Patricia Polacco. January 11, 18, & 25;
5th & 6th Tweens Book Club. 4:00 P.M. Books do February 1, 8, & 15.
not need to be read prior to the program. There will Baby Story Time—for parents and their
be an activity or craft with each session.
babies newborn-13 months: 11:00 A.M.
• January 18 Mr. Chickee’s Funny Money by January 11, 18, & 25;
Christopher. February 1, 8, & 15.
• February 8 The Field Guide by DiTerlizzi.
Registration is requested for all youth book clubs.
Teen Programs: Teen Programs are at Tween Boys Meet
3:30 P.M. unless noted otherwise.
Dec. 5 – Decorate a Gingerbread House!
After Hours
Tween boys in grades 5 & 6 are invited to
Dec. 19 – Teen Book Club. Kringle by Tony Abbott.
come to the Library from 7 to 10 P.M. on
Jan. 9 – Teen Program, to be announced. 4:00 P.M.
Friday, February 2. The party theme is based
Jan. 30 – Teen Book Club. Rules of Survival by
on the book How to Eat Fried Worms. Tell all
Nancy Werlin.
your friends to sign up at the Library for a
Feb. 6 – Teen Program, to be announced.
disgustingly good time.
Feb. 20 & 21 – Chess Tournament. Brainiacs welcome!
Feb. 27 – Teen Book Club. Mimus by Lilli Thal.
Caldecott Mock-Election
Family Programs: Family Programs are Hosted at Library
at 6:30 P.M. The whole family is invited to attend.
Evaluate the best picture books of
Dec. 11 – Family Fun Night: Annual Gingerbread
2006 at our Caldecott Mock-Election
Decorating. All the supplies are provided.
workshop on January 12 from 12:30 to 4:00
Jan. 22 –Fun Night for Boys: “Superheroes.” For
P.M. or January 13 from 8:30 A.M. to noon.
boys in preschool through second grade and an adult.
Presenter: Floyd Dickman, member of the
Super fun!
Caldecott committee in 1986, 1994 & 2002. A
Feb. 12 – Family Fun Night: Valentines. Make a
nominal charge will include materials packet
valentine for someone you love!
and refreshments. A selection of books will be
available for purchase at the workshop at a
discount to participants. Continuing Education
Units will be available upon completion of the
program from the St. Marys City Schools.
Preschool Certification CEU’s will be available
at the end of the program from Mr. Dickman.
 St. Marys Community Public Library Non-Profit
140 S. Chestnut Street Standard Mail
St. Marys, OH 45885 U.S. Postage PD.
(419)394-7471 Permit No. 12
St. Marys, OH

POSTAL PATRON

“The library will provide creative and factual resources to meet the educational,
informational, cultural and recreational needs of the community.”
– SMCPL Mission statement

Donations Received HOW TO REACH US

August. In memory of Harriet ADDRESS:
Colvin by Fern Johns & Family; gifts 140 S. Chestnut St.
by the Annenberg Foundation Trust St. Marys, OH 45885
at Sunnylands; gift by Akira and TELEPHONE:
Chieko Haga; gift by William E.
(419) 394-7471
Huber.
September. In memory of FAX:
Hal Miller by Beverly Miller; in (419) 394-7291
memory of Dean E. Cook by Dot & E-MAIL:
Chuck Huwer; a gift by Ohio pittmasu@oplin.org
Department of Health Bureau of Early Intervention Services; a WEBSITE:
gift by the St. Marys Rotary Club; gift in memory of Skip
www.stmarys.lib.oh.us
Baughman by Dot and Chuck Huwer; a gift of Policy Matters
Ohio.
October. A gift by The Cure Foundation; in honor of INDEX
Sue Thompson by the Memorial High School Class of 1956; in Pg. 2, Adult Programs
memory of Harriet Colvin by Mother’s Study Club; gift by Pg. 3, Youth Calendar
Richard Miller; gift by the Annenberg Foundation at Pg. 1, From Our Director
Sunnylands; and a gift by Ruth Ramsey.