Waverly High School Madrigal Singers Dec. 7th

Come hear holiday favorites performed by the Waverly High School Choral Department's Madrigal Singers on Monday, December 7th at 6:00 pm. The performance will take place on the main floor of the Waverly library.

Library Friends to Host Book Signing

Friends of the Pike County Libraries will host a book signing by local author Mary Gecowets from 3:00 - 4:30 pm, Friday, December 11th at the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library in downtown Waverly.

Mrs. Gecowets, well-known retired Waverly City Schools teacher and physical fitness trainer, will greet the public in the Meting Room on the lower level of the library, where copies of her book -- "Are You Ready to Teach?" -- will be offered for sale for $15.99. Refreshments will be offered.

According to Jean Roberts of Friends of the Pike County Libraries, "this is the perfect opportunity for folks to pick up a wonderful Christmas gift for a child, grandchild, or friend who is thinking about going into the field of education. It's also a great read for those already in the profession."

Mrs. Gecowets taught in the Waverly City Schools system from 1974 to 2001, specializing in health and physical education, coached the Waverly High School Lady Tigers basketball team, and was instrumental in starting PAWS...People Assisting Waverly Students. She also worked eight years at a crisis center answering calls for a five county area. Originally from Defiance, OH, Gecowets went to Miami University and had a dual major in Health and Physical Education. She received her masters in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Dayton.

Of her book, which she started writing just before she retired, she says: "Being a teacher is much more than just preparing lesson plans every day. One must have the desire to teach to reach out to students--to make a difference in their lives. You are thinking about teaching, but are you ready for it?" Says a former colleague: "I found the book an absolutely delightful read. Every young person considering teaching as a career, as well as those ready to being this wonderful profession should read it and keep it in their classroom desk drawer."

Immediately prior to the book signing on Friday, Friends of the Pike County Library will hold a bake sale from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm, also in the lower level meeting room.

Holiday Game Night

The Waverly Library will be hosting a holiday game night on Monday, December 21st, 5:30 to 7:30 pm.

Holiday Hours at the Library

Wednesday, November 25th - close at 3:00 pm

Thursday, November 26th (Thanksgiving) - CLOSED

Thursday, December 3rd (Staff Training) - Open at 2:00 pm

Wednesday, December 16th (Staff Training) - Open at 2:00 pm

Thursday, December 24th (Christmas Eve) - CLOSED

Friday, December 25th (Christmas Day) - CLOSED

Saturday, December 26th - CLOSED

Thursday, December 31st - Close at 3:00 pm

Friday, January 1st - CLOSED

Saturday, January 2nd - CLOSED

For more info, visit our website's Calendar of Events.

Closed for Veteran's Day, Wednesday, Nov. 11th

All branches of the library will be closed on Wednesday, November 11th, in honor of our Veterans.

Absentee Voter Application for Pike County

Click Here to View and Print

Garnet A. Wilson Public Library Participates in Kroger Rewards Program

The Garnet A. Wilson Public Library has enrolled in the Kroger Rewards program. That means Kroger shoppers can help the library earn money each time they visit Kroger. It’s easy. Just register online at krogercommunityrewards.com . Be sure to have your Kroger Plus card handy and register your card with the library after you sign up. If you do not yet have a Kroger Plus card, you can receive one at the customer service desk at any Kroger. The following is how you can register for the Kroger Rewards program to help the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library.

• You will need to have an email account
• Go to krogercommunityrewards.com
• Click on Sign In/Register
• Since most participants are new online customers, so they must click on SIGN UP TODAY in the ‘New Customer?’ box.
• Sign up for a Kroger Rewards Account by entering zip code, clicking on favorite store, entering your email address and creating a password, agreeing to the terms and conditions
• You will then get a message to check your email inbox and click on the link within the body of the email.
• Click on My Account and use your email address and password to proceed to the next step.
• Click on Edit Kroger Community Rewards information and input your Kroger Plus card number.
• Update or confirm your information.
• Enter NPO number 84512 or select the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library from list and click on confirm.
• To verify you are enrolled correctly, you will see the library’s name on the right side of your information page.
• REMEMBER, purchases will not count for the library until after you register you card.
• Do you use your phone number at the register? Call 877-576-7587 to get your Kroger Plus card number.
• Members must swipe their registered Kroger Plus card or use the phone number that is related to their registered Kroger Plus card when shopping for each purchase to count.
• If you are interested in the alternate SCANBAR method of member registration, please call 800-837-4483 and a SCANBAR letter will be mailed to you.

“We are very happy to join the Kroger rewards family of organizations,” said Tom Adkins, Library Director. “So many patrons inquire as to how they can help the library in these difficult financial times, and registering with Kroger Rewards is an easy way to keep our Pike County Libraries strong and vital.”

Book Sale!

The Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County has scheduled a Book Sale in the Community Meeting Room of the Main Branch for Friday, October 9 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday, October 10 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The library is located at 207 N. Market Street, Waverly. All proceeds will benefit the library. Items to be sold include adult, young adult, juvenile, and children’s fiction and nonfiction books, as well as videos, cd’s and magazines and other items. Be sure to check out the great buys and support your local library!

Library Levy in the News

Sunday, August 9th, 2009 - Pike County News Watchman

Friday, August 14th, 2009 - Portsmouth Daily Times

Sunday, August 16th, 2009 - Pike County News Watchman

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009 - Pike County News Watchman

Sunday, September 20th, 2009 - Pike County News Watchman

Sunday, September 27th, 2009 - Pike County News Watchman
Friday, September 25th, 2009 - Chillicothe Gazette
Pike Voters to Make Choice About Library, Nov. 3rd
Click Here

Monday, October 5th, 2009 - Chillicothe Gazette
Pike Library System a Goldmine of Knowledge
Click Here

Monday, October 5th, 2009 - Chillicothe Gazette
Kroger Customers Can Help Waverly Library
Click Here

Game Night Cancelled Until Further Notice

4-a-Lark - Benefit for Friends of the Library

On September 11th, 2009 Bristol Village will the sounds of 4-a-Lark, an acappella quartet that specializes in great music, 5:00 pm - 6:30 pm at the Terrace Cafe.

Dinner is $15.95 per person, with the performance following. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Friends of the Library.

Library Closed for Labor Day - September 7th

All branches of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County will be closed on Monday, September 7th in observance of Labor Day. Have a safe and happy holiday!

Food for Fines - September 1st - 5th

Help the Pike County Outreach Council food pantry this week by "paying" your library fines with nonperishable food items at any branch of the library, September 1st - 5th. Simply bring in one nonperishable food item for every $5 in library card fees, and your fees will be waived.

For example, if you owe $12.95 in fines, a donation of three nonperishable items will clear their record. The library reserves the right to reject donated items that are damaged, dented, expired, etc.

Items needed most at the pantry:

• canned fruit
• noodles/pasta
• dried beans (navy or pinto)
• soups
• cereal
• peanut butter
  

Library Proposes Operating Levy

What is the library levy and when will it be on the ballot?

The library is proposing a 1-mill operating levy for 5 years to be on the November 3rd ballot.

How much will the levy cost?

The levy will cost $2.91 per month for the owner of a home valued at $100,00.00.

How will the levy funds be used by the libraries?

The levy funds will be used to restore hours and services at the Pike County libraries. The Piketon, Eastern, and Western Libraries will be able to resume six-day-per-week service and lost morning and evening hours will be restored the at the Waverly Library. In addition, we'll increase the ability to purchase books and other library materials by 75%.

Doesn't the library already have an operating levy?

No. In its 70 year history, the library has never sought local support to operate its Waverly, Piketon, Eastern, or Western libraries.

Doesn't the library receive money from the J.B. and Garnet Wilson Trust?

No. The library has never received any money from the Trust. The Wilsons left their trust to support college scholarships.

If the library receives no money from the Trust, why is it called the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County?

The library accepted its Waverly building from the late J.B. Wilson, with the stipulation that it be named in honor of his wife, Garnet.

What will the library use the levy monies for?

The funds will help to give financial stability to the library, as well as enable us to add thousands of best-selling books, DVDs, audiobooks, and more to our collection. It will also restore lost hours of operation at all our libraries and allow each library to be open to the public 6 days per week. In addition, the funds will improve internet and computer access at all our libraries.

New Hours Start on August 17th

The Pike County Library currently receives 93% of its funding from the State of Ohio through the Public Library (PLF). The remaining 7% comes from donations, fines and fees, interest, and other miscellaneous revenue sources.

But with state revenue projected to be down 20% in 2009, and with a further 11% cut to the PLF over the next two years, Pike County's public libraries will lose 31% of their funding.

These reductions and funding cuts have forced your public library to reduce hours of operation, lay off employees and make drastic cuts to book and library materials purchases.

Beginning on August 17th, the new hours will be:

Waverly

Monday 10:00 am--8:00 pm
Tuesday 10:00 am--8:00 pm
Wednesday 10:00 am--6:00 pm
Thursday 10:00 am--6:00 pm
Friday 9:00 am--5:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am--5:00 pm
Sunday--CLOSED

Piketon

Monday--CLOSED
Tuesday 12:00 pm--8:00 pm
Wednesday 12:00 pm--6:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm--6:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm--5:00 pm
Saturday--CLOSED
Sunday--CLOSED

Eastern

Monday--12:00 pm--8:00 pm
Tuesday--CLOSED
Wednesday 12:00 pm--6:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm--6:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm--5:00 pm
Saturday--CLOSED
Sunday--CLOSED

Western

Monday--12:00 pm--8:00 pm
Tuesday 12:00 pm--6:00 pm
Wednesday CLOSED
Thursday 12:00 pm--6:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm--5:00 pm
Saturday--CLOSED
Sunday--CLOSED

Bob Evans Community Fun Night

To Support the
Garnet A. Wilson Public Library
Tuesday, August 18th
5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
We will earn 15% of sales when you carry out or dine in at

50 Morningside Drive
Waverly, Ohio
Flier must accompany check for donation to be counted.
Fliers available at all Library locations.

Accomplishments in 2008 - The Numbers

• In 2008, library users checked out 214,795 items from our libraries. That's an average of 8 items per Pike County resident!

• There were 165,000+ visits to our libraries in 2008, up nearly 50,000 from 2007.

• Over 115,000 items are held at the four Pike County library locations.

• Nearly 4,000 audio books are held at the libraries.

• There were 25,551 active library card holders at the end of the year, which represents almost 90% of the county's population.

• Over 4,000 children attended 427 programs at the libraries.
  

• Over 7,400 people attended 749 library programs.

• Over 88,000 questions were answered at our reference desks.

• The libraries saw nearly 2,000 internet and computer sessions per week. That's over 100,000 sessions per year!
  

Game Night Cancelled for Monday, August 10th

Read for the Gold!

The Garnet A. Wilson Public Library's Read for the Gold! fundraiser race will be held on Saturday, August 15th, 2009. 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. 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.

State Budget Impact on Libraries

First and foremost, thank you for your support. The Governor's Office and General Assembly received thousands of calls, letters, and emails in support of Ohio libraries. Your voices made a difference. The governor's proposed budget called for a $227.3 million cut, and it was reduced to $84 million.

Nevertheless, this still amounts to about an 11% cut, in addition to 20% cut already in place because of lower tax revenues, bringing the total up over 30%. The Garnet A. Wilson Public Library will still have to make significant cuts and changes in some areas, while we continue to strive for the best possible service to this community. We will keep you updated on new developments.

Thank you again for your continued support!

Signing Time

Jennifer Slone, a senior at Ohio University-Chillicothe who is
participating in the Deaf Studies and Interpreting program, will
present Signing Time Wednesday, July 15 at 10:30 a.m.

Come to learn about:

Deaf Culture
ABCs and Fingerspelling
Beginner Words and Signs

Fun and educational for all ages!

Game Night Cancelled July 13th

Friends of the Library - Organizational Meeting

An organizational meeting of the Friends of the Library will take place on Monday, July 13th at the Garnet A.Wilson Public Library in downtown Waverly.

The meeting is open to the public.

The agenda includes the adoption of by-laws, acceptance of the report of the nominating committee, and election of officers for the group, which is dedicated to supporting local library services through a variety of public awareness and fund-raising activities.

For more information, contact:

Dee Dawson

835-8218

Rally in Waverly to Save Our Libraries!

There will be a rally to support your library in front of the main library in Waverly on Friday, June 26th at 3 pm. The address is 207 North Market Street in Waverly. Wear red and bring your signs!

Governor Strickland's proposed budget cuts library funding by 50 percent. This would be devastating to ALL libraries in Ohio. This would result in severely reduced hours and services, and could result in many libraries closing completely. Act now to stop this from happening! Time is short!! Send your objections to the Governor and your state legislators. And come out for the rally!

Author Mack May to Visit Waverly Library

"The Consort" is a story that takes place in the Mississippi port town of Grand Gulf, Mississippi, which flourished between 1830 and 1856, until the river washed most of it away. Still standing is an old cemetery, with tombstones bearing witness to those who lived and died there so long ago. Though the story is fiction, several of those real tombstones inspired the author to write the book, reflecting the tragedies and hopes of those early settlers of our country.

Author Mack May is presently working locally at uranium recovery facility. He lives in Port Gibson, Mississippi, with his wife, Claire. After his discharge from the Air Force in 1979, he moved to Port Gibson as a Nuclear Instrument Technician at Grand Gulf Nuclear Station. He retired from that facility 2006 and now works contracts, traveling to interesting places and gathering more research for upcoming books. May is a senior instructor and training developer. He is also a deacon at First Presbyterian Church of Port Gibson. He has two children and two grandchildren.

May will present a program and hold a book signing at the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library in Waverly on Saturday, June 27 at 2:00p.m. in the Community Meeting Room. No registration required.

Free Lunches for Children

Free lunches to children 18 years of age or younger, or people (of all ages) with physical or mental disabilities who participate in special school programs for the disabled are being offered at all branches of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library through August 14th. For more detailed information, please contact one of the libraries.

Waverly - 740.947.4921

Piketon - 740.289.3064

Western - 740.493.1745

Eastern - 740.226.4408

Weekly menus will be available at all branches.

Game Nights Move to Mondays

Game nights will now be held on Mondays, 5:30-7:30. Play Rock Band, Super Smash Brothers, Wii Sports, or Wii Play. Due to the current budget crisis, we can't afford to buy any new games at this time, so feel free to bring your own. We have the Wii hooked up to a big projection screen and another TV for the PS2 and Rock Band. Popcorn and pop! Come out and play!

Ventriloquist Show @ The Library

Mark Wade, America's #1 Children's Ventriloquist, will perform at the Waverly Branch Library on Monday, June 15th at 2:00 pm.

Come out and see "Eggmont" the bird and "Horace" the back-woodsy horse! You're sure to be entertained!

Summer Reading 2009

All branches of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library will again hold Summer Reading Programs for children, teens, and adults. This year’s theme is Be Creative @ Your Library. There's a program for kids grades pre-school through 8^th grade, one for young adults ages 13-17, and one for ages 18+. Whatever your age, you can join the library’s reading program for great fun and prizes!

Registration for the programs begins on Monday, June 8^th. The programs will run six weeks, beginning Monday, June 8^th and ending Saturday, July 18^th. Prizes will be awarded to those who complete the program! And during the summer reading program, the libraries will have visits from a ventriloquist, 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...

Flowers Donated by Marvin's Garden

Thanks to Marvin's Garden of Beaver, the Library was able to add color to the landscaping of the Eastern Branch Library.

Fines and Fees Increase Today

Storytime - Planting Day

During the May 26th storytime, Eastern Branch Library hosted their annual flower planting. The kids planted over 50 flowers in the landscaping and under the sign. They were all so proud and thirsty they had ice pops for a snack.

April 22 is EARTH DAY!

You may already know that April 22 is EARTH DAY. There are many small changes that we can make on a daily basis that can result in major changes for the earth. Click on the link below for some good tips from Country Living magazine. 

Click Here

Game Night Cancelled

National Library Week at Eastern Branch Library

Storytime Tuesday was in the spirit of National Library Week. The kids made a bookmark
that they were proud of. We had 17 Children in attendance.

New Resources

We've added a couple of links to the website this week. We think these resources will be important assets to the community, especially during the recession.

The first website is LearningExpress.

This site provides many tools for learning a variety of skills at all levels of education. They also provide test preparation tools.

The other website is Ohio Means Jobs.

For job seekers, this means that the State of Ohio provides a website that allows you to search all electronic job opportunities, which include Ohio employers, national commercial job boards (such as Monster.com) and niche industries. You can let all Ohio employers find you today by posting your resume for FREE.

For employers, this site provides you with a window to look for Ohio-Based talent, post job opportunities, and integrate employment events into a single, cost-free point of contact.

These services are available from anywhere with an internet connection.

Author Mary Robinson to Hold Book Signing

Author Mary Robinson will present a program and hold a book signing at the Waverly Library on Saturday, April 11 at 11:00a.m. in the Community Meeting Room. She is the author of the children’s book, DAYS OF TERRIERS.

DAYS OF TERRIERS is a tale of three rambunctious Jack Russell Terriers. One warm summer day, three pups decide to go on an adventure in the forest where nearby landscapers are moving dirt around the pretty landscape. One terrier tells his sisters of a big, scary animal he saw in the forest and the three find the hole that the big animal lives in —will they catch it? What other adventures do the three come across during their outing that summer?

Mary is a retired nurse and a writer, poet, songwriter and nature lover. She has just finished her second children’s book and is writing a book geared
toward young adults. She has four children and lives with her husband near Lucasville, Ohio. Days of Terriers is her first book.

The Senses

Here are some pictures from the Eastern Branch Library storytime on Tuesday night. The theme was "the senses." The children enjoyed the activities. Each child was able to taste, smell and touch different types of items. They had a blast.

Author to Present Program on Identity Theft

Author E.D. Frazier will present a program and hold a book signing at the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library in Waverly on Monday, March 30 at 6:00p.m. in the Community Meeting Room. He is the author of A Deed of Trust, an eye-opening insight to the small do’s and don’ts of protecting your identity.

E.D. Frazier is a graduate of Wheelersburg High School. He is a Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist and has extensive experience at all levels of real estate finance. He and his wife, a native of Waverly, Ohio, currently live in Charlotte, NC. This is his first novel.

Identity theft is on the minds and lips of almost every American today. Over 20 million people in the United States this year alone will be touched by the fastest growing white-collar crime in history.

A DEED OF TRUST is a story about greed, murder and revenge, and how the carelessness and complacency of the unsuspecting can lead to a financial empire for a single predator. People are losing their biggest and most-treasured investment -- their homes – to identity theft. You may already be the next victim.

In A DEED OF TRUST, old friends become allies and relationships become renewed. Someone, however, will make the ultimate sacrifice.

History Books Donated

The Beaver Historical Society presented the Eastern Library with 3o books to be added to the
reference collection. These books contain historical information ranging from Cemetery records to Civil War accounts.

Reserve Books Online!

You can now reserve books online for all branches of Garnet A. Wilson Public Library of Pike County. Just visit http://pikecountylibrary.org to use our online catalog.

If you see a book you want, click on the "Place Hold" button. Enter your library card number in the first box. You PIN is the last 4 digits of your library card number.

Please speak to a librarian if you have any questions.

Author Dick Burdette to Hold Book Signing

Seventy-five years ago, the Waterloo Wonders came frolicking out of the hills of Lawrence County to become one of the most colorful, most exciting, most unforgettable team in the history of Ohio high school basketball. Over two season, 1933-34 and 1934-35, they won back-to-back state championships and in the process, perhaps as many as 100 games. The Wonders astonished overflow crowds in the state’s largest arenas with their whirlwind passing, deadeye shooting, lockdown defense and whimsical showmanship.

Author Dick Burdette will present a program and hold a book signing at the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library in Waverly on Saturday, February 14 at 11:00a.m. in the Community Meeting Room. Burdette is the author of The Waterloo Wonders: A Southern Ohio Legend, originally published in 1961. Now, on the 75th anniversary of their first championship season, Burdette has revised the book and expanded the account of their story.

Guess the Number of Hearts

Eastern Branch Library is having a contest to guess the number of candy hearts in a jar on display there. Whoever guesses the correct number will win a prize. The contest will last through the end of February.

In addition, Eastern is currently hosting a coloring contest for children aged 2-12. Coloring pages must be returned by February 11th. Prizes will be awarded.

For more information, please call 740.226.4408.

Weather Closing

The Pike Co. Sheriff has declared a Level 3 Snow Emergency which means only emergency vehicles should be on the roads. Because of this all locations of the Garnet A. Wilson Public library will be closed on Wednesday January 28, 2009.

Weather Closing

Due to the winter weather all locations of the Garnet A. Wilson Public Library will be closed on Tuesday January 27, 2009. Check back for additional information as it becomes available.

The Soup Scoop!

The weather is perfect for some hot homemade soup! Sherry Williams of the OSU Extension Office will provide some great recipes for tasty soups, and provide samples too! The program will take place on Monday, January 26th at 6:30p.m. in the Community Meeting Room of the Main Library, located at 207 N. Market Street in Waverly. Registration is not required.

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