12 February 2014 Today is the traditional Lincoln's Birthday. It is also the birthday of Charles Darwin one of the early pioneers of evolution. These are just some of the fun facts you can learn by going through the almanacs and other non-fiction works at the Library. The Guiness Book of World Records, The Statistical Abstract of the United States and other books all subjects from A-Z are available for your reseach or just for personal enjoyment. The non-fiction area of the library can help you grow a garden or provide a recipe for you to cook and enjoy what you grow. Learn how to knit or build a backyard shed or enjoy a true crime book or learn the history of the American Civil War. The hidden gem of the Library is its non-fiction collection. Come in and enjoy the real world. The Adult Winter Reading Program is near the half way mark. There is still plenty of time for you to register and be added into the drawing for the grand prize. The Grand Prize is two tickets to see the comedy, Boeing, Boeing and two tickets to see the musical Annie Get Your Gun at the Kalamazoo Community Theater. The program ends March 30 and the drawing is March 31. After you register you need to read, listen or view fifteen titles from the library to get a chance to enter the drawing and for every five titles you read, listen or view after the first fifteen earns you an additional entry for the drawing. After the first ten titles, you win an insulated lunch bag. Register today! We are having the Library interior repainted next week. So that the painters can get the bulk of the work done as quickly as possible, the Library will be closed for normal business on Wednesday and Thursday, the 19 and 20 of February. We regret the inconvenience to our patrons. The Michigan and Federal tax forms are starting to come into the library. Yes we do have the home heating credit booklets and the Federal 1040 forms and booklets. Remember, you can get the forms you need online by going to irs.gov for the Federal and Michigan.gov/taxes for the state forms. The Brown Bag Classics Book Club meets on Monday at noon in the meeting room. This month we are reading Jane Austen. Come in and join the conversation. Next month we will be reading Ernest Hemmingway. This next week, Miss Kristy will be out of town so there will be no story-times. They will resume on February 24. On Friday mornings at 11:00 a.m., Andrea will be available for tech tutoring. If you are trying to set up an ipad, iphone, tablet or other device, she will help you get started. We are accepting books and audio/visual materials for the annual booksale held in June. The only items we do not accept are encyclopedias and magazines. The proceeds from the booksale go to support children's services. If you are looking to do some volunteer work, the Library is looking for someone to process the obituaries of persons who have died in the Library service area or who grew up in Vicksburg. It usually takes about two hours a day, two days a week. If you are interested, contact the library at 649-1648 or come in the Library for more information. It is supposed to warm up to the high twenties this coming week so keep warm and keep reading. John Sheridan, Director

5 February 2014 Happy Mid-Winter! The first week of February is the middle week to the winter, hopefully the second half will not be as bad as the first half. It is light out until after 6:00 p.m. and the sun is up before 8:00 a.m. Come on Spring! February has a lot of holidays also. Lincoln's Birthday on the 12th, Washington's Birthday on the 22nd, Presidents Day on the 17th and Valentine's Day on the 14th. To help celebrate Valentine's Day, our reference librarian, Andrea, has put together a Blind Date With a Book display. All of the books are wrapped so you cannot see the title. On the front there is a heart with a brief description of the book. For instance: Mystery, set in England, popular author. It could be a romance or a mystery or even a classic title. It is great way to try a new author or reconnect with an old friend. Remember to register for the Adult Winter Reading Program. Any fifteen titles that you read, view or listen to earns you an entry for the Grand Prize and for every five titles after the initial fifteen earns and extra entry. The Grand Prize is two tickets to see Boeing, Boeing and two tickets to see Annie Get Your Gun at the Kalazamoo Civic Theatre. If you read, view or listen to ten items, you earn a lunch cooler. The contest ends on March 30, and the drawing is being held on March 31. With weather like we have been having, earning entries will be easy as cake. Later this month the library will be having the interior re-painted. We are scheduled for the 19th. This is a Wednesday and we do not have programs on that day. We may have to close early on the 18th and delay opening on the 20th. We will let everyone know as we get nearer to the day. This will be the first time the library has been re-painted since the addition was put on in 1983. We are seeking grants to replace the carpet on the main floor of the library as that is getting worn and stained. Did you know that the Vicksburg District Library has an endowment fund through the Kalamazoo Foundation? A donation to the endowment fund is tax dedctable, as are all donations to the library, and it helps the library. The fund grants a part of the earned interest to the library for library needs. It does not need to be spent every year but it is there. The painting that will be done in the library this year will be almost entirely financed from the grantable part of the endowment. A donation to the library is an investment in the community. Unwanted books and dvd's and cd's can be donated to the library for the Annual Book Sale run by the Ladies Library Auxilary. Please no encyclopedias, or magazines. Stay warm, read a good book and visit us here at the library. John