Eastern Library Closing for Construction

Due to construction, the Eastern Branch of the library will be CLOSED from Friday, August 22nd through Labor Day, Monday, September 1st, 2008. Plans are to re-open on Tuesday, September 2nd.

Food for Fines Week @ the Library

You can help the Pike County Outreach Council Food Pantry by "paying" your library fines with nonperishable food items at any branch of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library, during the week of the Pike County Fair.  July 28th through August 2nd is "Food for Fines" week at the library.  Simply bring in one nonperishable food item for up to $5 in library card fees, and your fees will be waived.

For example, if you owe $12.95 in fines, a donation of 3 nonperishable items will cover your fines. In addition, any fees accrued on items returned late during that week will be removed when you bring in items for the pantry. The library reserves the right to reject donated items that are damaged, dented, expired, etc...

The Pike County Outreach Council Food Pantry helps to feed hundreds of families in the area throughout the year.  The summer months are a particularly necessary time of year for donations.  According to an Outreach Council volunteer, right now the pantry has a distinct need for canned fruit, noodles, dried beans (navy or pinto), and soups (other than tomato).

Your donation at any branch of the library during fair week will help many people.  Click here for our locations.  Please call (740) 947-4921 or email us at gawref@oplin.org if you have any questions about this or any other library service. 

Columbus Zoo Visits

 The Columbus Zoo made its annual visit to Pike County, Wednesday, July 9th, courtesy of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library and the Pike County YMCA.  For the first time, the event took place in the YMCA gymnasium, which provided much needed extra space.  The visit is also made possible by a generous donation from the First National Bank.


 The bleachers were packed to capacity, as zoo keeper Keith Hornsby educated everyone about a variety of our friends from the animal kingdom, including a dingo, a flamingo, cockroaches, a cane toad, a legless lizard, a bearcat, an armadillo, and even a young leopard.

Wiggly Fun

On Wednesday, June 18th, Sarah Anderson visited the Waverly branch of the library to educate kids about Worm Farms and their importance in composting. The kids had a chance to hold the worms and learn all about the important job they do.




The earthworm species most often used are Red Wigglers or Red Earthworms. These species are commonly found in organic rich soils throughout Europe and North America and especially prefer the special conditions in rotting vegetation, compost, and manure piles. Composting worms are available from nursery mail-order suppliers or fishing shops where they are sold as bait.

Library 5K Fundraiser Race

Download Registration Form

The Garnet A. Wilson Public Library's Read for the Gold! fundraiser race will be held on Saturday, August 16th, 2008. The 5K Run and 3K Walk will be held, rain or shine, in Bristol Village, beginning at the Activity Center, located at 625 5th Street, Waverly.

Registration and check-in begin at 7:30 am, with the race beginning promptly at 8:30 am. The registration fee is $10 if registered on or before August 8th, $15 if registered after August 8th. Participants are ensured a t-shirt commemorating the event. Race registration sheets may be picked up at the Waverly, Piketon, Beaver, and Western library branches or click here to download a registration form. You may also register the day of the race.

The course is flat and shady through beautiful Bristol Village. Participants compete on a combination of asphalt and concrete course.Everyone is encouraged to participate, whether you compete or cheer on the participants!

The mission of the library is to encourage community members to read throughout the year. This race is a fun way to raise funds to continue our endeavor of promoting literacy within our community. And you can help support our library by registering for our race! For more information, contact Jennifer Wright at the library at 947-4921.

Download Registration Form

Ventriloquist Visits Public Library

Mark Wade paid a visit to the Waverly branch of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library on Monday. For dates and times of upcoming programs, click on our calendar of events.

Ronald McDonald Comes to the Library

Summer Reading kicked off last week with a visit from Ronald McDonald...







Check out our Calendar of Events for upcoming programs.

Game Night

We held our first game night on Thursday, and everyone had a great time! We're doing it again this upcoming Thursday, June 19th, 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm. This time we'll be having free donuts, courtesy of Tim Horton's in Waverly!

Library to Welcome Lois Lambert

Former local resident Lois Lambert, author of HEROES OF THE WESTERN THEATER: Thirty-third Ohio Veteran Volunteer infantry, 2008, will be at the Main library on Monday, June 30^th at 6:00p.m. to discuss and sign her book

The majority of the men of the Thirty-third Ohio were not professional soldiers and were recruited from the south-central Ohio counties of Ross, Pike, Adams and Scioto. They embraced into their brotherhood, men from all quarters of the state to fill the required quotas and answer their president’s call. They were the men of the Thirty-third Ohio Veteran Volunteer Infantry, and they were heroes.

Much of the story of this regiment is told through several collections of letters and diaries which provide the soldiers’ views of their day to day activities, as well as stirring descriptions of their many trials by fire.

Lois Lambert is a retired high school teacher of history, anthropology, and Advanced Placement Government. She is also the former coordinator of education at the Cincinnati Museum of Natural History. Ms. Lambert has done extensive genealogy research and is a member of First Families of Ohio and The Society of Civil War Families in Ohio. She also wrote “91^st Ohio Volunteer Infantry”.

After the program, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase copies of the books. The main library is located at 207 N. Market Street, Waverly. Please call the library at 947-4921 with any questions about this program or any other library activity or service. Registration is not required.

Wii Got Game @ The Library

The Main Branch of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library in Waverly will be hosting Game Nights this summer. The first one will be this Thursday, June 12th, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, downstairs in the community meeting room. Don't miss your chance to play our brand new Nintendo Wii!!

2008 Summer Reading Programs

All branches of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library will again hold Summer Reading Programs (SRP) for children, teens, and adults. This year’s theme for the children’s SRP is Catch the Reading Bug @ Your Library (for kids grades pre-school through 8^th grade). The teen theme is Metamorphosis @ Your Library (for young adults ages 13-17) and the adults’ theme is Pollinate your Mind @ Your Library (for ages 18+). So whatever age you are, join the library’s reading program for great fun and prizes!

Registration for the programs begins on Monday, June 9^th. The programs will run six weeks, beginning Monday, June 9^th and ending Saturday, July 19^th. Prizes will be awarded to those who complete the program! And during the summer reading program, the libraries will have visits from the Columbus Zoo (to be held at the YMCA), magicians, the OSU Extension office, and many others! Remember, the library where you register is where you must record the books you’ve read. For more information about the summer reading program or any other library service, contact the Waverly Library at 947-4921, the Piketon Library at 289-3064, the Eastern Library at 226-4408, or the Western Library at 493-1745.

Check our Calendar of Events for more information for dates and times of programs...

Eastern Branch Library Expansion Begins

The Expansion of the Eastern Branch Library has officially begun with the removal of plants from the construction area. Milford Construction the general contractor is also scheduled to start work this week, which possibly will be affected by the rain. The Library will remain open during the expansion, with only intermittent interruptions to our regular services and hours.

OSU Extension Program Rescheduled

The OSU Extension program scheduled for this evening, Monday, May 12th has been rescheduled for next Monday, May 19th. On May 19th, Sherry Williams will present a variety of salad ideas and some tasty samples. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Mozilla Firefox

Our public computers are now equipped with the Mozilla Firefox Web Browser! Enjoy a better browsing experience - tabbed browsing, faster page loads, and less annoying ads than Internet Explorer! You will still be able to use Internet Explorer, but we are happy to offer more choices to our patrons. Try the award-winning Firefox Web Browser today!

You can download Firefox at home by clicking here.

Local Author to Hold Book Signing at Public Library

Local author William (Bro. Bill) Moore, author of "Living Well, Dying Well, How to Leave a Lasting Legacy," will hold a book signing at the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library Main Branch, located at 207 North Market Street, Waverly, on Saturday, May 10th at 2:00 pm. "Living Well, Dying Well" is about human mortality and living a Spirit-filled productive life.

Mr. Moore was educated at Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio, where he earned a Bachelors of Science degree in elementary education. Subsequently, he graduated from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary with a Master’s degree in Christian education.

Mr. Moore's first book, "Interrupted Lives, When Cancer or Other Major Tragedy Permanently Interrupts Your Life," was born out of a tragic bout with cancer and the struggle to regain a useful, productive life.