Greetings, Englewood! I am honored and delighted to be your new Elsie Quirk Library Manager. I enthusiastically invite you to stop in and say hello, ask questions, share ideas, and tell me what you love about your library. It is a privilege to work with the dedicated and talented staff at Elsie Quirk, and to serve the unique community of Englewood.
September 22-28 is Banned Books Week, established in 1982 to celebrate the freedom to read. According to the American Library Association, it was launched “in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries” and “highlights the value of free and open access to information.” Many people assume that banned books are a thing of the past, but every year books are still challenged across the country and around the world,. While many libraries hold fast to the mission of providing access to a diverse and varied range of materials, others concede to remove books from their collections. Celebrate your local library by grabbing a selection from Elsie Quirk’s display of challenged books—and ask for an “I Read Banned Books” sticker at the desk!
In addition to celebrating free choice in reading, here’s what’s happening at the library this week:
Friday
- Genealogy Research – Introductory Class at 10 a.m. Registration required.
- Spanish Study Group meets at 10:15 a.m.
- Genealogy Research – Advanced Class at 1 p.m. Registration required.
Saturday
- Suncoast Writers Guild – Workshop at 10:15 a.m.
- LEGO Club 1:30 p.m. Children ages 5 to 12 will have fun getting together with others and sharing ideas, working together, and making new friends. LEGO bricks will be provided – bring your imagination. LEGO creations will be on display in the library until the next meeting date.
Monday
- Forty Carrots Partners in Play 10:15 a.m. OR 11:45 a.m. For children, up to age 5 with a parent or caregiver. A free class for you and your child to enjoy together. Experience new educational activities, join in circle-time fun, meet other families and receive valuable parenting and child development information. Attendance is limited to 12 families per session.
- Monday Night Movies at 5 p.m. Tonight’s film is about an exploration of how the actions of individual lives impact one another in the past, present and future as one soul is shaped from a killer into a hero, and an act of kindness ripples across centuries to inspire a revolution. (Rated R, 2hrs) Contact the library for movie titles.
Tuesday
- Master Gardener Plant Clinic 10 a.m. – Noon. Get free answers to your Florida gardening and landscaping questions. This is made possible through a partnership with UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County.
Wednesday
- Flood Zone Map Changes Workshop at 10:15 a.m. This workshop is for anyone who has questions about flood risks, zones, insurance regulations and pending map changes: especially residents, professional lenders, insurance agents and realtors.
- Englewood Genealogical Society meets at 12:30 p.m.
- Friends of Elsie Quirk Library Board meets at 3:30 p.m.
- Englewood Democratic Club meets at 5 p.m.
Thursday
- Tech Time: One on One Help with a Librarian at 10 a.m. A Reference Librarian will be available for help with e-books, computer basics, or questions about your electronic devices. Reserve a 30-minute session today by calling 941-861-1207 or by signing up at the Information Services desk.
- Southwest Homeowners Alliance meets at 10:15 a.m.
- Family Storytime at 10:30 a.m. For ages 0-5. Interact and participate with your child in a variety of early literacy and school readiness activities that feature stories, music and movement, and crafts. “D is for Dinosaur”
- Quirky Knitters meet at 1 p.m.
For more information on library programs, services, and resources visit us at 100 West Dearborn Street, call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 941-861-5000, or visit our website at scgov.net.
