Press Releases December 2002

Investment Representative Larry McGreevy will be presenting a free seminar titled “Where is the Market & Economy Headed” on Monday, December 9 at 7 PM at the Allegany County Library, 31 Washington Street.

McGreevy is affiliated with Edward Jones Investments locally. The program will last about one hour.

December 12, 2002

Christmas Story and Craft Time at Main Library

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact: Maryland Appel

Allegany County Library

31 Washington Street

Cumberland, MD 21502

All children and their parents and caregivers are invited to come join in on the fun of having stories read to them and of making a Christmas craft to take home on Thursday, December 19 at 6:30 PM at the Allegany County Library, 31 Washington Street.

Local 4-H members will be providing craft supplies and lending helping hands. The program is part of the library system’s regular Evening Story Time series designed for the convenience of families who are busy in the daytime hours, but still want to foster good reading habits for their families.

December 12, 2002

Library Book Discussion Group Meets December 19

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact: Linda Burkey

South Cumberland Library

100 Seymour Street

Cumberland, MD 21502

The Book Discussion Group at the South Cumberland Branch Library will be discussing Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War by Tony Horwitz on December 19 starting at 7 PM.

Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Horwitz, Confederates in the Attic is fast paced humorous nonfiction that includes the most unusual insights on the Civil War. It makes an interesting jaunt into history for even those who are reluctant to read historical accounts.

The group normally meets the 4^th Thursday of each month, but due to Christmas will be meeting a week early.

December 18, 2002

Library Users Can Now Renew Own Books

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact: Linda Burkey

South Cumberland Library

100 Seymour Street

Cumberland, MD 21502

Patrons of the Allegany County Library System can now do self-renewal of books and other materials they have checked out from the comforts of their own personal computers at home, work, etc.

“Patron self-renewal is just another option for patrons to make life a little easier,” explained Lisa McKenney, Electronic Resources Coordinator. The library system has been allowing patrons to phone in to renew books, and just recently started renewing videos over the phone.

McKenney gives us “A couple of important points: First, the same rules apply for patron self-renewal as telephone or in-person renewal. If items have too many renewals, or another patron has a hold placed on that item, the system will not let the item be renewed. Fines will appear on the patron’s account for overdue items that are being renewed. These fees can be paid when they next come into the library.”

Renewing materials involves just a few simple steps on the library’s Home page that can be reached at http://lib.allconet.org. Simply click on “Renew Your Own Books”; identify yourself by typing in your name and the barcode number off your library card; then click on “Display record for Person named above”. You’re now able to see your record if you scroll down and select “Items Currently Checked Out”. Renewing is as simple as selecting the items you would like to renew and click on the appropriate button, either “Renew All” or “Renew Selected Items”.

Give us a call if you have a question, stop in any branch for a demonstration, or pick up our brochure on ways to renew at any branch.

December 26, 2002

Westernport Library Offering Program on Income Tax Tips

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Pam Neder

Westernport Public Library

66 Main Street

Westernport, MD 21562

Dr. Paul Hunt, Coordinator for the AARP’s Tax Aid Program in Allegany County will be at the Westernport Branch of the Allegany County Library System on Tuesday, January 7 at 6:30 PM to share with the public some tax tips that they may be able to take advantage of on their 2002 personal income tax forms.

Hunt will tell some of the things that are new for this year on the tax forms, and how you can get help from the Tax Aid program nearest you.

Tax Aid, which mainly aids senior citizens and those with lower incomes, offers their help to all ages and income levels; though their program is not for those who are required to file some of the more complicated forms.

December 26, 2002

Library Hosting Korean Veterans at History Lecture

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Pat Merrbach

Frostburg Public Library

65 E. Main Street

Frostburg, MD 21532

The Allegany County Library System’s History Lecture hosts Korean Veterans James R. Hotchkiss and Donald C. Rice to tell their memories of the Korean War on Tuesday, January 7, at 7 PM at the Frostburg Community Library.

James Hotchkiss, served in Korea from July 1952 till July 1953 when the war ended. A combat infantry radio operator for the 25^th Army Infantry Division, 14^th. Regiment, he was there for the trench warfare, protecting bunkers and doing night patrols. He was also present long enough to see the prisoners of war being released. “I was off fighting a war and back before I was 20,” says Hotchkiss, who is Chairman for a 50^th. Anniversary Commemoration of the Korean War that will take place in 2003.

“For a long time Korea was considered just a conflict; only recently have they starting saying it was a war,” says Donald Rice, who spent 16 months and 10 days in Korea with the Longlines Communications for the 8226 Army Unit. Rice arrived in Korea just as the war was ending and served from July 1953 till December 1954.

These two veterans have been longtime friends. Hotchkiss had just arrived back home in 1953 and was one of the people who saw Rice off from the Cumberland Airport as he was headed to Korea.

The veterans will also be bringing “Show & Tell Stuff.” The program is designed so that all generations, children as well as adults, should be able to learn more about the history they studied in school. All that some of us know about the Korean War is what we’ve seen watch the TV show “MASH”.

“There hasn’t been a lot of emphasis placed on the Korean War,” commented Pat Merrbach, Branch Manager at the Frostburg branch. “This should provide the perfect opportunity to learn about their struggles. The veterans always have a lot of interesting anecdotes to offer.”

The program is part of the Allegany County Library System’s History Lecture Series, which offers local residents programs on a variety of local history subjects. A program is offered the first Tuesday of each month at one of the library system’s branches. The talks usually last about a half hour or so with a question and answer period following.

December 26, 2002

Homeschoolers' Book Discussion Group Meeting Jan. 13th

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact: Linda Burkey

South Cumberland Library

100 Seymour Street

Cumberland, MD 21502

The Homeschoolers’ Book Discussion Group of the Allegany County Library System have chosen the Mildred D. Taylor’s Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry to discuss on Monday, January 13 from 2-3 PM.

Newbery Medal winner Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry is the story of Cassie Logan, a young Black girl whose surviving spirit saw her through public humiliations, night raids, and burnings during the turbulent Depression Era in Mississippi. It’s the story of a family, one that fights with all their might to stay together.

The Book Discussion Group meets the 2^nd Monday of each month at the South Cumberland Library. Discussions last about one hour and are open to all children ages 7 to 15. Copies of the books are available at your local library. Jean Craighead George’s adventure story Julie’s Wolf Pack will be the February read.

December 26, 2002

Library Book Group Reading The Red Tent

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact: Linda Burkey

South Cumberland Library

100 Seymour Street

Cumberland, MD 21502

The Book Discussion Group of the South Cumberland Branch Library has picked The Red Tent by Anita Diamant to discuss on Thursday, January 23 starting at 7 PM.

In The Red Tent, Diamant takes the Biblical character Dinah, daughter of Jacob, from the Old Testament Book of Genesis and allows her to tell the story of the women in her father’s life. Written in the first person, you hear Dinah tell the story in her own words of what it was like for women back then, from the time they were born to the time they died. It allows one to gain some new perspective on relationships between men and women.

The discussion group, which includes both men and women, meets the 4^th Thursday of each month to discuss a book selected by the group. “I think the members of our group really enjoy sharing their opinions with the group,” explains a group member. “They’re not bashful. Members have started bringing ‘Show and Tell’ items related to the stories we read; that makes it even more interesting. It’s an enjoyable, sociable time that expands your mind.”