September at the Library
September 2, 2010 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
September 2, 2010
The fall season brings an abundance of new and returning children’s programs to the Mary Riley Styles Public Library. Monday story times are back! Beginning Monday, September 13th, the library will offer preschool story times Monday, Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m. Twilight Tales, the library’s Wednesday evening story time, is going bi-lingual. Spanish speakers ages 4 to 7, as well as English speakers wanting to start learning Spanish, can enjoy stories and activities at Cuentos para Domir beginning September 15th at 7:00 p.m. Every third Saturday of the month will feature Bingo for children ages 4 to 14 (ages 4-6 should be accompanied by a parent or guardian). September’s Bingo game will be held on Saturday the 18th at 11:00 a.m. For more information call the youth services department at (703) 248-5034
The senior book session in September is Big Russ and Meby Tim Russert, Tuesday, September 14, 10:30 am. All are welcome.
Look for the library’s table at the Fall Festival on Saturday, September 11th , and at the PTA Information Fair at Thomas Jefferson Elementary on Tuesday evening, September 14th. Information on all library programs is available in the monthly newsletter.
The library is located at 120 N. Virginia Avenue in Falls Church.
August / September at the Library
August 5, 2010 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
Scott Price, from the Office of US Senator Mark Warner (D-VA), will visit the Mary Riley Styles Public Library from 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM on Tuesday, August 10, to hear from and discuss issues with local constituents. The meeting is open to all and will be held in the Conference Room
On Thursday, September 2, at 7:30 PM there will be a discussion of Tom Standage’s A History of the World in 6 Glasses, which examines how six beverages — beer, wine, spirits, coffee, tea, and Coca-Cola – have shaped world history
The Library continues its video tape sale for a second month. Buy any tape for $0.25…and if you buy four, you get one free! All sale tapes are located on a cart by the regular book sale shelves (across from the elevator on the main floor).
Information on all events for August and early September are available in the Library’s newsletter.
July at the Library
July 9, 2010 by (see byline) · Leave a Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
In the spirit of summer the Mary Riley Styles Public Library is offering free Wii Game days for ages 7-14, every Tuesday through August 17. Summer story hours resume from July 6 to August 19. Magician Joe Romano will appear on Wednesday, July 28.
Due to budget cuts, the LIbrary began its shorter hours on July 1.
Full details on all programs and events are available in the Library’s newsletter (click “Read More” to access link).
Art-filled Holiday Weekend Starts Thursday
June 30, 2010 by Gina Caceci · 1 Comment
By GINA CACECI
Falls Church Times Staff
Andrew Acosta and the New Old Time String Band will play a concert on Thursday, July 1 at Cherry Hill Park to kick off the holiday weekend
Start enjoying the holiday weekend early on Thursday, July 1 at Cherry Hill Park with a concert at 7 pm by Andrew Acosta and the New Old Time String Band and an art exhibit before and after under the Falls Church Arts canopy. View the paintings and photographs by local artists, Mary O’Donnell and Henry Galluci as you listen to roots music. See www.fallschurchva.gov for more details.
Continue your adventures in art and music on FIRSTfriday, July 2. Most special events begin at 6 pm including: Deborah Conn’s untraditional portraits in a traditional medium, watercolor, at Stifel and Capra (260 W. Broad Street), more watercolor paintings by Bill Abel inside Art and Frame of Falls Church (111 Park Avenue) and lots more artists outside in the parking lot at Art-A-Lot featuring Michael Snell’s handmade books and journals and jewelry by Hazel Brutsche. Also check out some cool classic cars at Art-A-A lot. Or make your own art at Clay Café Studios (101 N. Maple Avenue).
Music and art -- inside and outside -- throughout Falls Church on Friday, July 2
If books are your thing, then meet local author Amy Brecount White who will be on hand to sign copies of her new novel “FORGET-HER-NOTS,” about the language of flowers that come magically to life.
More into music? Then you’ll find what you like inside or outside on Friday! Check out “The Sparksplug Band” at Art-A-Lot in the parking lot at 111 Park Avenue. More music indoors at Ireland’s Four Provinces Restaurant (105 W. Broad Street) and the Dogwood Tavern (132 W. Broad Street).
For more detailed information about FIRSTfriday and special offers at restaurants and stores that day, see www.firstfridayoffallschurch.com
If your favorite art is more culinary, take in the Falls Church Farmers Market (in the parking lot at City Hall) Saturday morning from 8 until noon.
While the Fourth of July is our nation’s birthday, Saturday, July 3 marks the fourth birthday bash for Stifel and Capra. From 10 to 5 pm, celebrate with cake and balloons and specials on treasures and art.
The City of Falls Church Fireworks Display starts around 9:30 pm at George Mason High School on Sunday, July 4. But if you get there early, you can continue your art-filled holiday weekend listening to the concert by the Ken Smith Band that starts at 7 pm.
So start celebrating early and make it a four-day festival of music and art – food and fireworks – throughout The Little City.
IT’S SUMMERTIME! And the Reading is Easy
June 17, 2010 by (see byline) · 5 Comments
By KATHY WASHA
Falls Church Times Staff
June 17, 2010
Most of us look forward to summer, not just for the barbecues, afternoons at the pool, or vacation adventures, but for the prospect of long stretches spent catching up on long-awaited summer reading.
Even for kids, normally busy with camps and sports, summer can mean new adventures found within the pages of a book.
At the Mary Riley Styles Public Library, the calendar is filled with summer programs that will engage and even inspire kids of all ages.
First, there’s the annual summer reading program, this year dubbed “Submerge Yourself, Dive Into a Good Book”. The program is open to kids from preschool through 18 and runs from June 21 through September 4. Kids need only register at the library, then read and log 5 books—-for pre-schoolers, the requirement is to have parents read them 16 books—and submit the list to the library after August 23. All participants will receive a free paperback book of their choice.
If your kids are not quite sure what to read, the library publishes twenty-two different book lists (at last count). There are book lists for every elementary grade, and book lists with recommendations around specific themes, such as Historical Fiction, Mystery Stories, Fantasy Stories, Green Books and Princess Stories. There are also recommendations for Middle and High School students. The lists can be found in the Youth section of the library.
If a long drive is part of your summer plans, the library features an extensive selection of audio books, which also range from youth to adult.
For a bit more active fun, every week brings a variety of events at the library:
Wii Game Days – Every Tuesday at 2 pm from July 6 – August 17, for kids from 7 – 14
Bingo - Wednesdays at 2 pm, for ages 4 to 6 with a parent or guardian, and ages 7 -14.
Crafts Day - Thursdays, when the whole family can drop in between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to get creative.
It’s Showtime – Every Wednesday at 7 pm is geared to family fun. Bob Brown kicks off the summer show times with his puppet performance of Clowning Around. Future performances include music, a magic show, Reptiles Alive, Mad Science, Polynesian dancing, birds of prey, and our first ever rock concert.
Summer Story Times begin July 6 and will be held every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:30 a.m. through Aug. 19, geared to children 2 – 5.
Registration is required for some of these programs so check with the library before going.
Alicia Pierce, George Mason High School student and this year’s winner of the library’s Poetry Contest (with her beautiful poem The Thrift Store) will be offering a Creative Writer’s Workshop, for students ages 10 – 14. Call the library for details.
For adult readers, the library’s reading group will continue meeting this summer. The Thursday Night Book Discussion meets on the first Thursday of the month at 7:30 in the Library’s Conference Room. This summer’s books include:
July 1 – In a Sunburned Country by Bill Bryson
August 5 – Out Stealing Horses by Per Pettersen
September 2 – A History of the World in Six Glasses by Tom Standage
And if it’s the classics you’re in the mood for, the next Great Books discussion will be held in the Conference Room on Tuesday, June 22 from 7 to 8 pm.
The Senior Book Club are taking a break for the summer, but if you’re interested in starting a book club, the library has a selection of Book Club To Go, which includes 10 paperback books as well as a binder with information on the book. And don’t forget to check out the extensive recommended book lists for adult readers in the display case to the right of the front door.
Visitors to the library should note the new hours, starting July 1:
Monday – Thursday: 9 am to 9 pm
Friday & Saturday: 9 am to 5 pm
Sunday: CLOSED
The library is located at 120 N. Virginia Ave. For more information on the youth programs, contact the youth services department at 703-248-5034. The library has a terrific Facebook page, found at http://www.facebook.com/mrspl with frequent updates and program details.
So what’s on your summer reading list this summer?
June / July Events at Mary Riley Styles Library
June 2, 2010 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
June 2, 2010
The latest newsletter from Mary Riley Styles Library explains how the FY2011 budget cuts affect the library, as well as highlights summer programs at the library.
Book Discussion Groups are reading Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger and Forward from Here — Leaving Middle Age…and Other Unexpected Adventures by Reeve Lindburgh.
For all the news from the library, click here or visit their website, http://www.fallschurchva.gov/library.
May and June Events at Mary Riley Styles Library
May 1, 2010 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
May 1, 2010
The Mary Riley Styles Public Library will conduct its annual customer survey in May. The survey can be completed either at the Library or on-line.
Spring story hours continue through May 27. The Library’s Summer Reading Program begins June 21.
Book discussions include No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Tell Me a Riddle by Tillie Olsen and Nine Stories by J.D. Salinger.
For full details on all events see the Library’s newsletter at its website.
The Library also invites patrons to follow events on its new Facebook page.
Poetry ‘Slam’ Honors Contest Winners at Library
April 20, 2010 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
SPECIAL TO THE FALLS CHURCH TIMES
April 20, 2010
Open mic night at the Mary Riley Styles Public Library packed the children’s room with teens and their family members last Wednesday evening for a “poetry slam” recognizing the winners of the Young People’s Poetry Contest sponsored by the library. Each of the winners shared their poems with the audience. Winners are:
Category-ages 10-13 years Category-ages 14-18 years
Charlotte Chuen-first place Alicia Pierce-first place
Natali Maher-second place Poorva Arora-second place
Dylan Chase Galt-third place Rachel Dix-third place
Raquel Sequeira-honorable mention Luke Bailey-honorable mention
Cash prizes for the winners were donated by the Mary Riley Styles Public Library Foundation.
Once the winners had received their prizes, the real slam began, with students reading or reciting their own poems, as well as reading from the collection of poems that had been submitted for the contest.
Youth Services Supervisor at Mary Riley Styles, Cary Frostick, noted that “this evening would not have been possible without the help of the librarians and English teachers at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School, George Mason High School, and St. James. They really got the word out about the contest and about tonight’s event and encouraged their students to participate.”
Thanks was also given to the judges who read through 140 poems. Judges were Emily Lu, a local poet and circulation clerk at the Mary Riley Styles Public Library; Adele Eskin, library media specialist at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School; and Ginny Hamilton, English teacher at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School. Poetry contest entries will be available for public reading at the library by the end of the month.
