FLORENCE-For those of you who aren’t hitting the road in the coming weeks, we’ll be hosting plenty of free events at the library throughout the rest of the summer, including music events for Handy Week!
FLPL now has Mobile Hotspots available for check out!
These new hotspots are perfect for vacations. You don’t have to worry about whether your hotel offers free wi-fi if you have one of these hotspots with you. They’re also great for keeping your passengers entertained on a long road trip (without using up all your data). Checking out a hot spot will require a $50 cash deposit, but that deposit will be fully refunded once the hot spot is returned undamaged. Borrowers must be 18 or older with a valid library card, driver’s license, and phone number, and they must have had their library card for at least six moths. Visit the Reference Desk on the library’s 2nd floor for more information.
Find Your Fit: Running for Weight Loss and Fitness
Saturday, July 11, 10:00 am
You don’t have to be a trained athlete to be a runner: all you need is a good pair of shoes and a desire to get fit. B.J. Keeton, blogger at geekfitness.net, used running to help him lose 150 pounds. He will talk about how to get started as a runner, how to train for your goals, and how to beat that little voice that says you can’t. For those who are interested, B.J. will also provide one-on-one instruction on running form. *Wear comfortable clothes and athletic shoes if you want running form instruction.
Making Music with Trash
Monday, July 20, 10:00 am
Children are invited to make musical instruments out of recycled materials. Plus, there will be live music by Microwave Dave! Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, the Florence Recycling Center, and In Harmony with Nature.
Check Out the Blues
Monday, July 20, 11:00 am-1:00 pm
Enjoy live music in the stacks by Howard Lamb and Friends! Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Listen and Learn: American Roots Instruments with Cigar Box Guitars
Tuesday, July 21, 2:00 pm
Join Justin Johnson as he plays and discusses homemade instruments. Justin Johnson is one of the world’s leading ambassadors for the homegrown music movement and is a master of stringed instruments. Guitar World hailed him as a “must-see act,” he has been recognized as the Slidestock International Slide Guitar Champion, and he has published educational books and DVDs on music theory and technique. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Norbert Putnam Up Close and Personal
Wednesday, July 22, 2:00 pm
Shoals music pioneer Norbert Putnam will talk about the early days of Muscle Shoals music. He is a Florence native who played bass on records for Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Linda Ronstadt, and more. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Hands-On Music: Cigar Box Guitars
Thursday, July 23, 2:00 pm
Join guitar master Justin Johnson for a hands-on class on Cigar Box Guitars. Bring your own instrument or take a turn playing one of Johnson’s guitars. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.
Book Talk and Performance: The Muscle Shoals Legacy of FAME by Blake 
Ells
Friday, July 24, 2:00 pm
Go deeper into the history of FAME Recording Studio as music journalist Blake Ells discusses his new book. This event will also feature performances by Barry Billings, Jimmy Nutt, and Alecia Elliott. Books will be for sale at the event.
Generations: Basic Genealogy Seminar
Saturday, July 25, 9:00 am-4:00 pm
Registration required
Join us for our basic genealogy seminar and learn the skills you’ll need to dive in and start researching your family’s genealogy. American or European, black, white or Native American, we all want to know more about our family and where we came from. Our seminar assumes you’ve done little or no genealogy research and want to learn how to get started.
Instructors will be FLPL’s genealogist/local historian Lee Freeman, as well as Natchez Trace Genealogical Society president Brian Newton and vice president Kitty Cox, all of whom bring several decades’ worth of experience in genealogy research to the table.
For more information or to sign up, call 256-764-6564, ext. 30.
