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May 5, 2005    Frostburg Library Hosting "Living Wills and Other Advanced Directives"

 

May 12, 2005    Library's Grand Re-Opening Weekend Full of Activities for All Ages

 

May 16, 2005    Library Hours Changing for May 23 and May 24

 

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May 5, 2005

 

Frostburg Library Hosting "Living Wills and Other Advanced Directives"

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact:  Pat Merrbach

                   Frostburg Library

                   65 E. Main Street

                   Frostburg, MD 21532

 

A program titled “Living Wills and Other Advance Directives” will be held at the Frostburg Branch of the Allegany County Library System on Wednesday, May 11 starting at 7PM.

 

Kim Jackson, Medical Social Worker at WMd. Health System will be conducting the program, helping you learn what you need to know about these important documents and health care agents.  He will also have copies of the forms available.  Please pre-register: call 301-687-0790.

 

“Taking an hour out of your time to attend this program is a good way to get a feeling of peace, that you are taking the first step in this important matter,” commented Linda Burkey, Coordinator of Community Outreach for the library system. “We have so many patrons inquire about getting these forms. Here is a chance to also get information that might help you decide what you want the forms to say.”

 

 

May 12, 2005

Library's Grand Re-Opening Weekend Full of Activities for All Ages

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact:  Linda Burkey

                   South Cumberland Library

                   100 Seymour  Street

                   Cumberland, MD 21502

 

Lt. Governor Michael S. Steele will be a featured speaker for the Washington Street Library Grand Re-Opening ribbon cutting on Friday, May 20 at 3:30 PM. The ceremony will kick-off a weekend full of activities for all ages.

 

Library Director, John Taube says "The community has been so supportive of

this renovation project and the libraries that we wanted to go all out and

make this a special event to thank them and welcome them back."

 

Following the ribbon cutting, library staff member will be available to guide the public through the library, showing all the special features and answering question about the newly renovated facilities.

 

Festivities on Saturday, May 21 morning include: 10:00 AM -Database Demonstrations will be given by Lisa McKenney, the library’s Electronic Resources Coordinator.  11:00 AM –A reception will be held featuring the library’s new William Donald Smith, Jr. Children’s Story Hour Steeple Circle.

 

Starting at 12 Noon -Part I of the day’s two-part History Forum will take place in the new F. Brooke Whiting Meeting Room on the 2nd floor of the library. The theme for Part I is “Railroads in Our Past” with the Western Maryland Chapter of the National Railroad Historical Society.

 

12:00-12:30 PM –Children’s Librarian from around the County will hold a Story Time Extravaganza, showing some of the activities that make up the library’s regularly scheduled children’s programming.

 

12:30 AM -Everyone will have a chance to “Reminisce about the Library and Librarians with former and retired librarians of the library system.  “We would like to capture the memories you have of the library over the years, including any memories of Mary Walsh, Allegany County’s first librarian,” explained staff member Linda Burkey. 

 

1:00-2:00 PM -The dynamic Slim Harrison will present an interactive program of “Traditional Folk Music and Storytelling” with his Sunnyland Band (made up of kids from the audience).  Harrison, who is well known for his work as musician in residence at Wolf Trap and numerous school systems, has taught kids from around the world, at festivals and workshops, to play instruments such as the washtub base and his more elaborate “one man band”.

 

At 2:30 PM –Storyteller Jean Walton will spin her story webs for children ages 6-10 year olds in the new conference room on the 2nd floor of the library, while Children’s Librarian Barbara Riffey entertains younger children with a “Story Time” in the Story Hour Steeple Circle.

 

Also at 2:30 PM –Part II of the History Forum: “Transforming Events for the County” will take place in the F. Brooke Whiting Meeting Room. Join Howard Buchanan, Ed Hanna, and John Wiseman for a lively exchange on this county’s rich history.

 

3:30 PM –A reception will take place in the new Avirett-Maryland Room, This room houses the library’s largest collection of local history materials.  Following the reception library staff members will be available to guide you through the library, showing all the special features and answering question about the renovations.

 

Sunday, May 22 schedule of events will start at 1:00 PM with a Coffee Social.

 

At 1:30 PM –Author Krystyna Goddu Talks about her recently published Dollmakers and Their Stories: Women Who Changed the World of Play. The book introduces the pioneering women behind some of the most important dolls in history, including, Barbie!

 

2:30 PM –An “Author’s on Writing Forum” will be held in the F. Brooke Whiting Meeting Room on the 2nd floor.  Come learn about the process of writing, doing research, getting published, and more with authors James Rada, Dr. Richard Snider Bradford Barkley, and Krystyna Goddu.

 

Also at 2:30 PM –A program “Music with Ann Rebuck will be held in the Children’s Story Hour Steeple Circle.  This program weaving music and stories is geared  to younger children.

 

The library’s Grand Re-Opening Weekend will end with an “Ice Cream Social” from 3:30 – 5:00 PM.

 

The Washington Street Library, located in the historic district of Cumberland, Maryland, first opened its doors on June 19, 1934. The Greek Revival building was constructed between 1849 and 1850, and was then known as the Allegany County Academy, the first public school in Allegany County. A new addition was constructed in 1966, allowing for the expansion of the library collection.

 

The library closed to begin renovations on May 8, 2004. Renovations included an upgrade of the mechanical systems and rework of the layout to better deliver services and programs on the first floor, including the addition of a new children’s story hour center, Avirett-Maryland Room on the first floor, and installation of an elevator to serve the mezzanine. Renovation continued on the 2nd floor with the addition of a new computer training lab/conference room and a meeting room. The library once known as the Main Branch re-opened its doors on February 1, 2005 as the Washington Street Library.

 

Thanks to the community for making this project a success! We hope to see you at the library for the Grand Re-Opening!

 

May 16, 2005

Library Hours Changing for May 23 and May 24

PRESS RELEASE - Allegany County Library System

Contact:  Linda Burkey

                   South Cumberland Library

                   100 Seymour  Street

                   Cumberland, MD 21502

 

The Allegany County Library System will be improving their customer service with a new Library Catalog debuting in late May.  In order for library staff to be fully trained on the new catalog, the following changes will be made to the library’s operating hours for Monday, May 23 and Tuesday, May 24. 

 

On Monday May 23 the Frostburg, Washington Street and Westernport Branches will be open from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM only! The George’s Creek, LaVale, and South Cumberland branches will be open regular hours.

 

On Tuesday May 24, The George’s Creek, LaVale, and South Cumberland branches will be open from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM only! The Frostburg, Washington Street, and Westernport branches will be open regular hours.

 

“The new online catalog from TLC  (The Learning Corporation located in Inwood, West Virginia) will provide our library users with better ways to find all of the great resources we have to offer our community at our libraries,” explained Lisa McKenney, Electronic Resources Coordinator for the library system.

 

With just a single search on this new catalog, a patron will be able to locate materials that can be found in the library, articles and reference resources from the library’s online databases, and web sites from the Google search engine.

 

TLC will be enriched by the addition of images of book jackets, reviews and recommendations, summaries, and author information for titles found in the online catalog. Listings of bestsellers and “hot titles” will also update regularly.

 

“One of the features the public may find the most useful is TLC’s ability to allow patrons to place their own holds on materials as well as renew checked out items,” commended staff member, Linda Burkey. “An interactive community calendar will also be added to announce events at the library and allow patrons to be notified of new events by email.”