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At Person County, NC Public Library
By Kristin Fleetwood, Reference Librarian
Tucked amidst the northern Piedmont’s rolling hills just a 30-minute drive north of Durham lies the colorful, flourishing city of Roxboro, the seat of Person County. The city is a draw for its small-town Southern charm, unhurried pace, thriving arts and cultural scene, and its accessibility to Research Triangle Park.
On a quiet, tree-lined street in Uptown Roxboro, the city’s historical arts and cultural district, sits one of the city’s more hidden attractions: The Person County Public Library. The Library is known for its fun and eclectic calendar of events, its friendly, helpful staff, its varied collection, and its thoughtful programs which address particular needs in the communities it serves. This article will offer you a taste of some of the Library’s upcoming attractions between Veteran’s Day and Valentine’s Day. This thoughtful calendar of programs has something for everyone to beat the winter blues.
The Person County Public Library will offer a special series in mindfulness techniques and yoga practices as part of its focus this season on health literacy. Three instructors will teach stress-relieving skills, including yoga, mindfulness, and a variant of tai-chi known as qigong over a 6-week period starting in January. The Library will provide yoga mats and a comfortable space for this free program.
Mindfulness is a form of meditation which encourages a greater awareness of one’s thoughts and emotions without self-judgment or criticism, as well as a deeper appreciation of the present moment, free of past and present worries and concerns. A mindfulness instructor will teach mindfulness techniques throughout the 6-week series.
Qigong, an ancient self-healing art with origins in traditional Chinese medicine, is practiced today as a relaxing, contemplative form of exercise through a coordinated cycle of whole-body movement. The first three weeks of the Library’s series will be devoted to its instruction.
Yoga, a popular form of holistic mind-body exercise, can be traced back to Hindu philosophical traditions in ancient India. It emphasizes breathing, special poses, and meditation in an effort to achieve physical and mental serenity. A yoga instructor will teach yoga techniques during the last three weeks of the Library’s series.
This mindfulness program is supported by grant funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA), as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number Ls-00-19-0034-19).
In addition to this special series, Person County Public Library will continue its regular adult, teen, and children’s programming and events this winter. Looking to expand your technology skills? A 3-part computer basics class at the Senior Center on December 3rd, 10th, and 17th from 10:00-11:30 AM will cover how to use a computer keyboard and mouse, how to stay safe and protect your privacy online, and how to unravel the mysteries of Windows 10!
Local history and family genealogy enthusiasts may join us for Intro. to Family History Research on Thursday, November 7th from 10:00-11:30 AM. This beginner course will teach the basics of genealogy research using free resources available at the Library, including access to Ancestry Library Edition.
The Library will host an author event for its Veterans’ Day program on November 9th at 2:00 PM. Paul Giannone, who served as a highly-decorated Public Health Advisor with the 29th Civil Affairs Company during two tours (1969-1971) in Vietnam, will speak about his memoir, A Life in Dark Places. This book describes his experiences over a 40+-year career in public health emergency response and disaster relief in hot zones around the world, including the Afghan-Pakistani border, sub-Saharn Africa, Vietnam, Iran, and the former Yugoslavia.
The Friends of the Person County Public Library will hold its annual meeting on November 19th at 5:15 PM, to which all are invited to attend to learn about what the Friends do for the Library.
Want to hear the latest buzz about beekeeping? Mr. Bauer will teach “Introduction to Beekeeping,” a beginner’s class on how to get started with the art of beekeeping and harvesting your own honey, on November 20th from 4:00-5:00 PM.
Book Bunch, a monthly book discussion group that has been meeting for stimulating and engaging literary conversations since 2003, will continue its lively lunch discussions at 12:00 PM on selected titles in the Library Gallery. On Thursday, November 21st, they will discuss Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kay. On Thursday, December 12th, the group will discuss Wilson Rawls’ Where the Red Fern Grows. At this meeting they will decide on selections for 2020. Bring your lunch and join the fun!
As e-books continue to grow in popularity, the Library continues to add to its collections. A presentation program “Download the Library,” which will provide information about the Library’s free apps for e-books, language learning, etc., will illuminate the Library’s electronic resources and how to access them on Tuesday, January 7th at 2:00 PM.
In February, the Library will host a Black History Month celebration focusing on African-American social justice themes in children’s literature and will host children’s authors Calvin Alexander Ramsey, a Roxboro native, and Carol Boston Weatherford from Baltimore. Be sure to inquire about this month-long series of events by contacting the Library for more details.
The cozy children’s area will be home to some wonderful family-friendly programs, including a visit from everyone’s favorite loveable Big Red Dog, Clifford, who will join us before the Thanksgiving holiday for “Let’s Be Thankful” story time on November 19th and 20th at 10:30 AM. Clifford will also make an after-school visit on November 21st at 4:00 PM for anyone who may have missed his earlier appearances.
Run, run, run as fast as you can with your family to our annual Holiday show with Rags to Riches Theater for Young Audiences, which will perform “The Gingerbread Boy” on December 5th at 4:00 PM as the kick-off to Jingle on Main. Back by popular demand, music-loving Pete the Cat will visit the Library on January 28th and 29th at 10:30 AM for preschool story time. Pete would also like to invite school-aged kids to a cool pajama party on January 30th at 4:00 PM.
Teens are invited to come out and join the Teen Advisory Board (TAB), an opportunity for teenagers between the ages of 12 and 18 to get involved in their Library and enhance its services. This fun group enjoys socializing with like-minded peers, as well as anime, gaming, or craft activities with light refreshments after each TAB meeting. TAB meets the first Monday of every month at 4:00 PM. Come share your talents and get your game on December 2nd, January 6th, and February 3rd!
We cordially invite you to stop by the Person County Public Library for these great programs and more!
319 S. Main Street, Roxboro, NC 27573(336) 597-7881
www.personcountync.gov/departments-services/departments-i-z/library
