Now that we’re in May, our Delaware County District Library staff are taking a break from storytimes so they can spread the word about Summer Reading Club – which begins on May 28! However, just because storytimes are on break, that doesn’t mean all programs are going away. In fact, the library is quite busy this month.
The premiere program we’re looking forward to is the visit from New York Times bestselling author Sarah Vowell on Friday, May 20. Vowell will join us in Delaware at the Chappelear Drama Center located on Ohio Wesleyan University’s campus. Doors for the event open at 6:30 p.m., and Sarah will participate in a moderated conversation at 7 p.m. with DCDL Director George Needham. If you have questions you’d like Vowell to answer during her conversation, please submit them in advance to [email protected] with the subject “Sarah Vowell.”
The event does require the purchase of a $15 ticket from Eventbrite, which benefits the Friends of the Delaware County District Library. Students in high school and college can receive $5 off their ticket when they email [email protected] with the name of the school or university they attend and their favorite teacher or professor of American History. Additionally, Friends of the Library members receive $5 off.
Beanbag Books will be on-site for book sales prior to and after the event, and a book signing will take place with Vowell after the conversation.
In conjunction with the author’s visit, the Books & Brews book club will have a special meeting at the Olentangy River Brewing Company on Wednesday, May 18, at 12:30 p.m. For those who can’t have a craft beer in the middle of the workday, Olentangy River Brewing also proudly serves Roosevelt Coffee, so hot or cold brew can be enjoyed. The group will be discussing one of Vowell’s most popular titles “Assassination Vacation” – the story of Vowell’s road trip across America to visit the very sites where we lost presidents Lincoln, Garfield, McKinley and Kennedy.
Stop by a book sale, put on by our Friends of the Library, on Friday, May 13 from 5-8 p.m. or Saturday, May 14, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. to see if you can pick up a copy of any of Vowell’s books to keep! For some, the bargains you find searching through a Friends’ book sale is a large part of what makes it fun. There are always many popular fiction and non-fiction options to add to your home library.
Finally, for those who call the Delaware County District Library Orange Branch home, please note that the branch will be closed all this week, May 9-14. Much needed repairs to the entire parking lot will be made during the week, which will eliminate access to the branch as well as the drive-thru window. All items checked out from the branch are automatically extended to be renewed on May 16, and no late fees will be incurred. Additionally, the branches in Delaware, Ostrander and Powell will remain open at their regular hours.
If “Assassination Vacation” has spawned a desire for you to do some traveling, try going on an adventure with one of these stories on our new bookshelves.
• “In Pursuit of Jefferson: Traveling through Europe with the Most Perplexing Founding Father” by Derek Baxter. Following advice in Thomas Jefferson’s “Hints to Americans Travelling in Europe,” Virginian Derek Baxter and his family visited places in the Netherlands, France, Switzerland, England, Italy, and the United States. Read for fun stories about what they did, including going to gardens and museums and exploring cheese- and wine-making; eye-opening lessons Baxter learned about Jefferson, history, and himself.
• “The Impossible City: A Hong Kong Memoir” by Karen Cheung. A lyrical memoir of a young journalist coming of age against the backdrop of a Hong Kong newly under Chinese control; an intimate look at the author’s unhappy family, her schooling (including university), and her struggles with depression. You’ll get an evocative insider’s look at the city, including its stratified society, alternative music scene, and protests for democracy.
• “Becoming Forrest: One Man’s Epic Run Across America” by Rob Pope. Run, Rob, Run: British marathoner and veterinarian Rob Pope undertook a run of over 15,000 miles, following in the fictional footsteps of Forrest Gump, who crisscrossed the U.S. several times. Sometimes accompanied by his girlfriend in an RV (named Jenny), Pope recreated scenes from the award-winning movie, saw the U.S. in a variety of temperatures, raised money for charity, met all kinds of people, and pondered following one’s dreams.
