Chippewa Valley Book Festival 2011

On Tuesday, October 18th starting at 6:30 pm, the Chippewa Falls Public Library will be hosting author Cathy Sultan, who will be discussing the research and writing she's done about war and peace in the Middle East.

According to the website of the Chippewa Valley Book Festival:

"Cathy Sultan was born, raised and educated in Washington, D.C. In 1969 she moved to Beirut, Lebanon with her Lebanese husband and two small children. She led a tranquil life, immersed in Lebanese culture, until civil war began in April 1975. She and her family spent the next 8 years under the bombs and only returned to the United States in 1983. Cathy’s memoir of her 14 years in Beirut, A Beirut Heart: One Woman’s War, was published in 2005.

"Sultan sits on the Executive Board of the National Peace Foundation. On behalf of NPF she co-leads annual trips to Israel/Palestine with Interfaith Peace Builders. Her most recent trip was June 2010. She is currently working on a book of f​iction about the 17,000 who disappeared during the Lebanese civil war."

Ms. Sultan's talk will be in the large meeting room of the library, off the entrance lobby. Refreshments will be available.

Summer Reading Program 2011

Travel is the theme of the Summer Reading Program in 2011, and we invite you to come get your passport at the Chippewa Falls Public Library!

Sign-ups for the children's program (the theme is Read Around the World) begin June 13th--one week from today--and the program runs through July 29th. The program is geared for children from the age of 2 up through the 5th grade. You can look at the full slate of summer reading program events here:

Summer Reading Program 2011 Events

For TEENS, there's READING CAN TAKE YOU PLACES, and teens who complete the Book Bingo are eligible to win great prizes, including bowling passes and restaurant gift certificates. Some readers can also pick new books to continue to feed the love of reading. Reading can truly take one places not just in space, but in time and in the ether of ideas.

NOVEL DESTINATIONS, the adult reading program, is for those adults who have managed tol hold onto their sense of excitement when it comes to the magic of summer...and reading. Adults who read three books over the summer are eligible for a weekly drawing for great prizes redeemable in our community.

So, when you and yours are spending time soaking up as much sun as you can...remember to take some time to soak up a book or two this summer as well.

Pure Water Days 2011

It's early, I know, but I'm excited. This morning, I was part of a very interesting meeting at the Visitor's Center during which several locals, including Dick Hebert of Parks and Recreation, Allyson Gommer of the Chippewa Chamber and Teri Ouimette of Main Street Chippewa all discussed the 34th Annual Pure Water Days celebration.

It's still in the planning stages, but several things were discussed, including the YMCA-sponsored foot race, the Leinenkugel's merchandise tent, and the team trivia contest we're having here at the library. It seems there is a lot of energy in the planning phase and the library is getting in on the ground floor this year, as opposed to last year, when we got involved a bit late. There was even discussion of the creation of a Facebook page for the event.

Well, just in case anyone out there is Googling the phrase "Pure Water Days 2011" or "Pure Water Days Chippewa Falls," it will be August 12th, 13th and 14th, 2011. There will be a parade and, if donations all happen as we hope, a fireworks extravaganza. The library's team trivia contest should be on August 14th--a Sunday--and teams will pre-register starting about a month in advance. If you have four friends who know things like, say, what the capital of Bimini Island is, let them know about the event. There will be prizes. It's really early, I know, but I want to make sure word is out this year.

Busy Month @ The Library!

The Chippewa Falls Public Library will be hosting several free programs, events and workshops in the first few months of 2011, and we want to make sure that the community knows it!

From February 1st until the end of tax season, trained representatives of the American Association of Retired Persons will be in the library to assist the elderly and those with lower incomes with their taxes. A schedule of when AARP workers are available can be found on the library's website.

On Wednesday, February 16th, counselors from the World Financial Group will be holding seminars at the library throughout the day designed to help those attending figure out what types of investments, if any, are appropriate for them.

Saturday, February 19th is “Science Day” at the Chippewa Falls Public Library from 10:30 am-12:30pm, as honor students from Chippewa Falls High School come to show children ages 7-11 how cool science can be.

On Tuesday, February 22nd, financial aid counselors from the Educational Opportunity Centers at the University of Wisconsin at Eau Claire will be in the library from 6pm-8pm to help students and prospective students figure out how they can pay for higher education, even if they’ve been out of school for years. Tell a student!

On Friday, March 4th, the library will be hosting a Wii Gaming day for kids ages 7 and up from 10am—3:30 pm. This coincides with midwinter break school closings in the Chippewa Falls School District, so be sure to let a parent know.

Call the library at 715-723-1146 ext. 106 for more information on any of these programs.

Interplanetary Travel, In Name Only

Today is my Saturday to work and a little while ago a young lady called and asked about something she'd recently heard. Apparently, NASA is launching a probe to Mars next year and is offering anyone on Earth the chance to immortalize themselves by sending their name to NASA, who will encode the information on a microchip which will be part of the lander's payload.

If there's something in you, as there is in me, that thinks the thought of sending your name to Mars is kind of cool, then just click the link above and submit your name. Spread the word, too. Chippewa Falls represent!

ADDENDA:

AND, if you'd like your picture or your name to fly on one of the last Shuttles to the International Space Station, check out https://faceinspace.nasa.gov. (Thanks: Carl Miller)