June at the Falls Church Library
June 1, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
June 1, 2011
June book discussions in June include The Helpby Kathryn Stockett (June 2) and Provenance: How a Con Man and a Forger Rewrote the History of Modern Artby Laney Salisbury and Aly Sujo (June 7).
A reception to celebrate the life of TJ teacher Carey Rainey Gray will be held June 18, at 10:00 am.
Summer reading registration begins on Monday, June 20.
Details of these and other events are available in the Library’s monthly newsletter.
THURSDAY 5/12 – SATURDAY 5/14: To Kill a Mockingbird at GMHS
May 11, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
Don’t miss George Mason High School’s Department of Performing Arts presentation of To Kill a Mockingbird by Cristopher Sergel, adapted from the novel by Harper Lee, directed by Pamela Ricker.
Opening Thursday, May 12, running through Saturday May 14th. Curtain is at 7:30. Tickets are $5 for students and $7 for adults.
George Mason High School Auditorium, 7124 Leesburg Pike.
May at the Falls Church City Library
May 4, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
May 4, 2011
This month the Library is conducting a brief survey which can be completed either there or online via the Survey Monkey link on its website. Please take the time to complete it as customer opinions and suggestions are very important.
Book discussions in May include The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt (May 5) and Which New Era Would That Be by Nadine Gordimer (May 10).
The Libray will open at 1:00 pm on Monday, May 6, and will be closed Monday, May 30.
Details on all May events are available in the Library’s Newsletter.
Thursday, 4/7: Question & Answer Session with Writer Warren Goldie at ArtSpace
April 7, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
April 7, 2011
Falls Church Arts is sponsoring a meet-the-writer session with novelist, playwright and essayist Warren Goldie at 7:30 pm at ArtSpace Falls Church. Entitled, “Publish! Secrets of a Professional Writer” Goldie will give a brief introductory presentation and then participate in a Q&A session, sharing what he has learned as a professional writer about story structure, agents and publishers, rejection and self-publishing. The event is free and open to everyone.
Writer Warren Goldie will speak and answer questions from the audience on Thursday, April 7 at 7:30 pm at ArtSpace Falls Church, 410 S. Maple Avenue.
ArtSpace Falls Church is located at 410 S. Maple Avenue. Free parking is available in the garages at 410 and 400 S. Maple Avenue. For more information about this event, see www.fallschurcharts.org
April at the Falls Church City Library
April 1, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
April 1, 2011
On Wednesday, April 13, the library will celebrate National Poetry Month with an open mic night and poetry slam. Winners of the library’s fourth annual Young People’s Poetry Contest also will be announced.
Magician Mike Klee will perform on Saturday, April 16.
Spring Break activities will be available April 18 – 22.
April book discussions include The Leopard by Giuseppe di Lampedusa, Distributive Justice by John Rawls, and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson.
Full details on these and other events are available in the library’s monthly newsletter.
OPINION: City Library Facing the Unkindest of Cuts
March 23, 2011 by George Bromley · 17 Comments
By GEORGE BROMLEY
Falls Church Times Staff
March 23, 2011
“It’s the latest, it’s the greatest, it’s the library!”
That song, which is well over 40 years old, came to my mind today when I thought about the impact of the proposed budget cuts on the Mary Riley Styles Public Library. Not so long ago the tune still held true here, but now it would seem an appropriate local lyric would be “It’s cut, it’s shut, that’s our library!”
Actually, though cut last year and facing further cuts this year, it’s not entirely shut, but long-time library board member John Lawrence warned at last Saturday’s town hall meeting that the potential loss of state aid, which provides 10% of the facility’s budget, could signal “the beginning of the end.”
That might take a few years, but the trend line is well established. Last year the weekly hours were reduced from 68 to 64, due to Sunday closings. Sunday hours will return under the proposed FY 12 budget, but the total number of hours will drop to 55 due to later openings and earlier closings during the week.
Shorter library hours will mean further staff cuts. Six other city departments are scheduled to have one position either eliminated or reduced to part-time. However, the library will lose two part-time librarians, one part-time library assistant, one part-time page, and see three other positions have their hours reduced.
“It’s a huge, huge hit,” said Mr. Lawrence. “You may say they were part-time, but that’s what most library work is. I can’t think of any year in the last three when we haven’t had staffing cuts. People who’ve been here 20-25 years have left and their positions haven’t been filled.”
More than hours and staff will be cut. The book budget will be reduced. The periodical collection cut in half, with the 21 foreign language publications especially hard hit. The local history room, now open three days a week, will be closed except by appointment. Library expansion, long deferred, likely will be pushed back once again.
“I want to make it clear, the library board hates this,” said Mr. Lawrence. So do I.
The library is one of Falls Church’s most popular institutions, routinely breaking circulation records. More than 25,000 people now have Falls Church library cards, including 92% of the City’s residents. Over 1,000 children participated in the library’s Summer Reading Program. For the third consecutive year the library was designated one of America’s Star Libraries by the Library Journal.
“It’s one of the markers that sets us apart,” said Vice Mayor Dave Snyder, upon receiving the library’s annual report in January. Johannah Barry, Council liaison to the library, called it a “small organization, large in heart, that provides extraordinary service.” Indeed it does, even in the face of the reductions imposed in recent years, but it is becoming increasingly difficult for the library to maintain its stellar reputation.
If you believe that the library is facing more than its fair share of reductions, speak out at the upcoming public hearings, either next Monday or on April 11, or at the town hall meeting on April 16. Alternatively, forward written comments via budget@fallschurchva.gov. To support the library directly, please consider contributing to the Mary Riley Styles Library Foundation Trust.
“Letters” Art Exhibit at ArtSpace
March 21, 2011 by Falls Church Times Staff · Leave a Comment
Falls Church Arts (FCA) is sponsoring a juried art show that asked artists to create and interpret LETTERS. Exhibiting artists will discuss their work at the opening reception on Thursday, March 24 at 7:00 pm at ArtSpace, 410 S. Maple Avenue.
The “Letters” show features a wide variety of artwork in media ranging from paint to paper to fiber and photographs. FCA Gallery at ArtSpace hours are Thursdays, 6:00-8:00 pm; Fridays, 5:00-7:00 pm; and Saturdays, 4:00-7:00 pm. The show runs through Saturday, April 9.
In addition to the art exhibit, FCA is hosting two events in April at ArtSpace that expand on the “Letters” theme.
On Thursday, April 7 at 7 pm, novelist, playwright and essayist Warren Goldie will be featured at a meet-the-writer session entitled “Publish! Secrets of a Professional Writer.” After a brief introductory presentation, Warren will participate in a Q&A session, sharing what he has learned as a professional writer. He will answer questions about everything from story structure to agents and publishers, from rejection to self-publishing.
Warren Goldie will speak at the FCA Gallery at ArtSpace on April 7. His novel, "Waking Maya" was named Book of the Month at BookReview.com
On Tuesday, April 12 at 7 pm, FCA will host a discussion with two entrepreneurs-turned-authors discussing the topic “Finding Purpose and Creating Community Through Writing.”
Misti Burmeister is the best-selling author of Boomers to Bloggers and CEO of Inspirion, LLC. Mali Phonpadith is an international award-winning poet and CEO of Mali Creative, LLC. These two young women will share their passion for writing and speak to the importance of working together to create a true sense of community. The discussion will focus on the artists’ journeys throughout their book-writing process and why they chose the path of sharing their life stories with the world in their forthcoming books.
ArtSpace Falls Church is located at 410 S. Maple Avenue in the Pearson Square building. Free parking is available in the garages at 410 and 400 S. Maple Avenue. For more information go to www.fallschurcharts.org
March at the Library
March 2, 2011 by (see byline) · Leave a Comment
By FALLS CHURCH TIMES STAFF
March 2, 2011
April is National Poetry month, but March is the month for the City’s aspiring poets. The library is sponsoring its 4th Annual Young People’s Poetry Contest for students in grades 5 through 12. The deadline for entries is March 23. Winners will be announced at the Poetry Slam Open Mic Night on Wednesday, April 13, at 7:00 pm.
March book discussions include The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle Eastby by Sandy Tolan (March 3), Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women by Harriet Reisen (March 15), and Planning and Democracy by Friedrich Hayek (March 22).
Winter Story Hours end on March 3. Spring Story Hours will begin on March 21.
Starting March 1, the overdue fine for most items increases from 20¢ per day to 25¢ per day. Also starting March 1, all inter-library loan requests will include a $3 fee to help cover associated postage costs.
Full details on the poetry contest and other noteworthy items are available in the Library’s monthly newsletter.
