The Libraray Corner

By Avonelle D. Box

September, formerly the seventh month and named from the Latin “seven,” ends our summer vacations and Summer Reading Program at the Ramona Library, which registered 572 youth in the six-week “Dragons, Dreams and Daring Deeds.”

The 166 youth and 19 teens who completed the program were awarded prizes for their special accomplishments at a pizza party on Aug. 3 in the library courtyard. Those not present were called and arrangements made for pick-up of their prizes, which totaled nearly 200 prizes, including four bicycles!

Congratulations reading enthusiasts and library staff members on a successful summer program, with special thanks to sponsors, the Friends of the Ramona Library and County Library Youth Services Division. Thanks also goes out for community support in providing food, beverages, and gifts: Pizza Hut; Dominos; Albertsons, Kraft Foods, Kmart, Sears, Mi Ranchito, Target, Karla Wyckoff and Washington Mutual.

During September, the library is commemorating Hispanic Month, celebrating Mexican Independence Day.

Our smiling library staff members have been serving the community for more than five months without being fully staffed. They happily welcomed Katherine Powell, Ramona Branch Librarian, on Friday, Aug. 5. Be sure to meet her and extend your welcome to this new member of the staff the next time you are in the library.

The Preschoolers programs continue on Wednesdays (Sept. 7, 14, 21 and 28) at 11 a.m. in the Community Room with interesting storytimes and handicraft programs led by Julie Fuller and Polly Lelang.

Donna Sheldon is the volunteer reading your favorite stories on Thursdays (Sept. 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29) at 11 a.m.

The Bilingual Storytime and Craft Program is a family funtime for all ages. It meets the second and fourth Tuesdays (Sept. 13 and 27) at 6 p.m. in the Community Room. Come join the funtime!

The Adult Book Club meets the third Tuesday of the month (Sept. 20) in the Community Room. Beverly Hawkins will review “Night” by Elie Wiesel, a fictional work about a scholarly, pious teen protagonist’s guilt over having survived the genocidal campaign that consumed his family.

President Elyse Kuhn will convene a meeting of the Friends of the Ramona Library at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the Community Room. All directors are asked to be present or notify the president at (760) 789-3525.

The Friends’ Mini-Book Sale will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the third Saturday of the month (Sept. 24) in the Community Room. It’s the best value in town, and many books are in like-new condition and ideal for gifts. Paperbacks will be 25 cents, hardbacks $1. The sale will include fiction, nonfiction, “how-to” books, reference works, cookbooks, children’s books and more, including some adult and children’s videos and CDs. In addition, a collectors’ table will feature books of special interest for $5.

The list goes on and on, so come early and browse for best selection — meet your friends at the book sale! All proceeds will benefit the library’s programs for children and adult programs.

The library will be closed Monday, Sept. 5, commemorating the last holiday of summer, Labor Day.