Just a reminder for the Havelock Literary and Crabpot Society:

We will be meeting this Wednesday, January 24th at 10:00 to discuss “The History of Love”.  We look forward to seeing everyone and having a lively discussion.  The group welcomes new members!

Also on Wednesday, January 24th at 11:00 am, Kat Clowers, the new librarian working at our library,  has offered to lead a class on using the blog she created which allows readers to give comments on the books we read.  Bring your own device so you can link into the library’s wifi.  If you would like to try out the blog ahead of time the address is https://havelocklibrary.blogspot.com.   Everyone is invited!!!

The Let’s Talk About It Series is starting in February, 2018.  The first book is “A Lesson Before Dying” and is available for checkout at the Havelock Library circulation desk.  The first discussion is on Thursday, February 8th at 6:00 pm.  We are looking forward to  seeing everyone there.  The theme of the series this year is “Law and Literature”.

The next Friends of the Library meeting is January 17th at 9:30 am at the Havelock Library.  All are welcome to come and participate.

The Friends have established a memorial fund in the name of our President, Shirley Selepes.  If you would like to contribute to this fund, checks can be dropped off at the library.  Shirley served our organization as President for over ten years. She was very involved in the Havelock community and is greatly missed.

Hope everyone has recovered nicely during our recent cold/snow period in our area.  I am sure everyone missed getting to the library. I personally enjoyed the day yesterday during the warmth and sunny periods.  I was able to read quite a bit being snowed in and hope you did too.

Our next book to discuss is The History of Love which will be on Wednesday, January 24th at 10:00 am in the Havelock Library.  The date was moved ahead due to the Let’s Talk About It Series beginning in February.  If you are having trouble keeping track of what is going on, search for a synopsis of the book and hopefully it will be helpful with this. Looking forward to a lively conversation.  Our group is always looking forward to new members and would welcome anyone that wanted to join us.

 The Let’s Talk About It Series is beginning in February.  The first book,  A Lesson Before Dying is now available for checkout at the Havelock Library.  Our first discussion is on Thursday, February 8th, at 6:00 pm at the Havelock Library.  We always have fantastic presenters and lively discussions so hope you sign up for this Series.  The theme of the series is “Law and Literature”.

As always have a great day and find time to read!

We will be meeting on December 20th to discuss A Man Called Ove.  There are still a few copies of the book available at the library and this is a quick read so you have plenty of time to finish this book.  Please note the change in time to 10:30 am.  Looking forward to seeing everyone there.

Thank you to those who purchased raffle tickets for our Christmas drawing.  The lovely gifts were won by Anna Taylor who actually lives in Virginia.  Hey, you never know where your friends are!  Congratulations to Anna!

Remember that the library has very reasonable dvd’s for rent.  You might be looking for one for the holiday season.  I searched and found many in the catalog.
Also, remember the Collection of Smart Start toys and games that are available to be borrowed. These are very educational items and fun for children and families.

The special luncheon for the library staff will be Tuesday, December 19th.  You are invited to contribute to this by dropping off a small plate of cookies, plate of cheese and crackers, sandwiches, candy, etc.  This holiday luncheon, sponsored by the Friends of the Library, has become a tradition and is a way we can thank our library staff. Thank you in advance for your contribution.

Merry Christmas to you and your family! May you have a safe and happy holiday!

submitted by Luann Rottmann

Let’s Talk About It is a library discussion series that brings scholars and community members together to explore how selected books illuminate a particular theme. The Havelock-Craven County Public Library and Lifetime Learning Center are partners in presenting this nine-week series. The Thursday night programs include an opportunity to read five books and interact with five visiting scholars to learn more about the authors and to discuss the themes of each book.

The five meeting dates for this year’s programs are all on Thursdays: February 8 & 22, March 8 & 22 and April 12. All sessions take place at the Havelock-Craven County Public Library from 6 to 8 p.m.

The program is FREE and books are provided on loan. Please call the library at (252) 447-7509 to register for the program. The schedule for our speakers and the order in which we will read the books will be confirmed in January.

This year’s topic…

Law and Literature: The Eva R. Rubin Series

Blaise Pascal once wrote that “Justice is what is established.” In this series, writers who demonstrate the powerful interaction of law and human affairs invite readers to ponder the difference between what is established and what is just. This series is named for Eva Rubin, a leading scholar on public policy and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Billy Budd, Sailor, Herman Melville

The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson, Mark Twain

A Lesson Before Dying, Ernest J. Gaines

Snow Falling on Cedars, David Guterson

The Emperor of Ocean Park, Stephen L. Carter

Books & Bunco

Friends of the Library Christmas Raffle….A Crabpot Christmas Tree, Wreath, homemade ornament and Night Before Christmas book….tickets are 1 for $1, 3 for $2 or 10 for $5. The drawing will take place Nov. 30th.

This was sent to me by Luann Rottmann:

You may be struggling through the current book, My Grandmother Told Me to Tell You ….., as I am. On the other hand, you may love it!  At any rate our group will gather on Wed. Nov.29th at 10 am to discuss the book.  We do have A Man Called Ove on reserve and I am hoping the collection can be sent down for sign out even though we are not meeting in December.  We have waited for this title and I hope you will enjoy it in December.

Our January book will be History of Love by Nicole Krauss if it is available.  Below is a little bit about the book from the Amazon website:

ONE OF THE MOST LOVED NOVELS OF THE DECADE.

A long-lost book reappears, mysteriously connecting an old man searching for his son and a girl seeking a cure for her widowed mother’s loneliness.

Leo Gursky taps his radiator each evening to let his upstairs neighbor know he’s still alive. But it wasn’t always like this: in the Polish village of his youth, he fell in love and wrote a book…Sixty years later and half a world away, fourteen-year-old Alma, who was named after a character in that book, undertakes an adventure to find her namesake and save her family. With virtuosic skill and soaring imaginative power, Nicole Krauss gradually draws these stories together toward a climax of “extraordinary depth and beauty” (Newsday).

This book sounds wonderful to me and I am looking forward to reading it.   We are always looking for new members so please stop by the library and pick up a book.