FLORENCE-Go Back in Time with our Civil War Walking Tour and more. This November, the library is hosting Civil War events, a program on crowdfunding and self-publishing, films, healthcare help sessions, and more. Remember to stop by the Reference Desk on the 2nd floor to get your tickets for Footsteps of the Blue & Gray: A Civil War Walking Tour in Downtown Florence (see below for more information).
For a full list of upcoming events, visit www.flpl.org/calendar.
Remember, we will be closed on Tuesday, November 11, for Veterans Day.
Friends of the Library Half Price Sale
Friday, November 7-Sunday, November 16
The Friends Bookstore Half-Price Sale is going on now! From Friday, November 7-Sunday, November 16, books, music, and movies will be 50% off. Used books make great stocking stuffers, so this is the perfect chance to get an early start on the holidays. The sale includes everything except for magazines and bookmarks.
The Friends Bookstore is located on the first floor of Florence-Lauderdale Public Library. Proceeds from the Bookstore help the library offer more books, materials, programs, and services for the community. The Bookstore is open Monday-Saturday 10am-4pm, and Sunday 1pm-4pm. You can reach the Bookstore at 256-764-6564, ext. 19.
Closed for Veterans Day
Tuesday, November 11
The library, the book drop, Bookmarks Coffee Shop, and the Friends Bookstore will be closed for Veterans Day. No items will be due on this day.
Concert at Courtview
Friday, November 14, 7:00 pm
Rogers Hall Front Lawn
Gather on the front lawn of historic Rogers Hall and enjoy some of the same music that was performed there 150 years ago. The Olde Towne Brass band, which plays Civil War-era tunes in authentic uniforms and using authentic period instruments, will help us recreate a concert that occurred on the lawn of Rogers Hall on the eve of the 1864 Nashville Campaign. Sallie Foster, Civil War diarist, will be the historic host for the event. This free concert is presented by FLPL and is co-sponsored by the Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area and the University of North Alabama. For more information, 256-764-6564, ext. 27.
Footsteps of the Blue & Gray: A Civil War Walking Tour in Downtown Florence
Saturday, November 15
Tour Times:
9:30-11:00 am, 10:30 am-12:00 pm, 1:30-3:00 pm, 2:30-4:00 pm
Preregistration required
$10 for adults, $5 for kids under 12
Journey in the footsteps of those who were here 150 years ago! Find out which downtown sites existed during the Civil War and what roles they played in housing troops, horses, and those who had fallen ill. Meet some period characters as they provide you with firsthand accounts of exactly what happened and why. Registration is $10 for adults and $5 for kids under 12. Fees may be paid at the Reference Desk on the second floor of the library. Pre-registration is required. For more information, call Abby Carpenter at 256-764-6564, ext. 27.
Postmodern Panhandling: Crowdfunding and Self-Publishing Your Novel
With Author B.J. Keeton
Saturday, November 15, 1:00 pm
The popularity of ebooks and self-publishing has transformed the book world over the past decade. Writers have more options than ever before to get their work into the hands of readers. To stand out in the sea of self-published books, authors must make their books as professional and as polished as traditionally published books. But how can you do that on your own without emptying your savings account?
Crowdfunding is a great solution to raise the funds you need to self-publish your book the right way. With crowdfunding, people who would like to read your book donate money to help you pay your upfront costs (like professional editing and cover art), and in return, they receive rewards such as copies of the book, their name and website address in the book’s acknowledgments, or special rewards like getting to name a character. Local author B.J. Keeton used popular crowdfunding website Kickstarter to launch his debut novel Birthright, and he is visiting FLPL to share what he has learned about crowdfunding and self-publishing.
B.J. Keeton is the author of two science fiction novels, Birthright and Lineage, and is the co-author of Nimbus, which reached the #1 spot for Steampunk ebooks on Amazon. He has an M.A. in English from the University of North Alabama and is an English Instructor at Martin Methodist College in Pulaski, Tennessee. He blogs about exercise, nutrition, and pop culture at geekfitness.net. You can follow him on Twitter @professorbeej. For more information about this event, call 256-764-6564, ext. 28.
The Screening Room: Saboteur
Sunday, November 16, 2:00 pm
The Screening Room will host a Norman Lloyd Centennial Celebration featuring some Alfred Hitchcock favorites. First will be a screening of the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode “The Little Man Who Was There” (1960), starring Norman Lloyd. The feature film will be Alfred Hitchcocks’ Saboteur (1942), starring Pricilla Lane, Robert Cummings, Otto Kruger, and Norman Lloyd as Fry. The Screening Room is hosted by Terry and Anita Pace and is sponsored by the library, Pillar of Fire, and Bookmarks Coffee Shop.
Beer and a Book: Heat by Bill Buford
Monday, November 17, 6:00 pm at Rivertown Coffee Co.
Beer and a Book, sponsored by Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, is a book club focusing on food-themed memoir and literature. This book club meets on the third Monday (note the change in day) of each month at 6:00 pm at Rivertown Coffee Company. Enjoy beer, wine, or coffee while discussing some great books!
For this meeting, the group will discuss Heat by Bill Buford.
Beer and a Book is hosted by Lee Boaz. Lee has a degree in English from the University of North Alabama, and she has attended cooking school at Culinard in Birmingham. If you have any questions about this event, call 256-764-6564, ext. 28.
Healthcare Marketplace Help
Tuesdays, 10:00 am-1:00 pm, beginning November 18
Computer Lab on the 2nd floor
Open Enrollment for the healthcare marketplace begins November 15. Get your questions answered and get help signing up at the library. Cathy Rice will be hosting assistance sessions on Tuesdays from 10:00 am-1:00 pm. The sessions will begin on Tuesday, November 18th and run through Tuesday, February 10th. These sessions are free, and no registration is required. For more information, call Cathy Rice at 256-783-6492 or email crice@aidsactioncoalition.org.
Medicare Help Session
Thursday, November 20, 11:30 am
Many people have questions about Medicare: What is Medicare? How do I sign up? What do I do after I sign up?
The answers to these questions and much more will be discussed in this free help session. Get the best information to make an educated decision about your senior health care needs. This help session is led by insurance agent Tammy Larsen. For more information, call 256-764-6564, ext. 28.
What Do You Mean You Haven’t Seen Clerks?
Thursday, November 20, 7:00 pm
Well, we’re watching it! Join film buff and stand-up comic Duell Aldridge for a screening of this Kevin Smith favorite. This film is rated R. For more information, call 256-764-6564, ext. 28.
The Screening Room: The Golden Voyage of Sinbad
Sunday, November 23, 2:00 pm
Enjoy a free screening of Ray Harryhausen’s The Golden Voyage of Sinbad (1973), directed by Gordon Hessler, and starring John Phillip Law, Caroline Munro, Tom Baker, Douglas Wilmer. The Screening Room is hosted by Terry and Anita Pace and is sponsored by the library, Pillar of Fire, and Bookmarks Coffee Shop.
