The Book Group - Refreshments are served at this group where the focus is on exploring the works of African-American authors. Meets the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 5 p.m.

Literature with Lunch - Participants are invited to bring a brown bag lunch to this group where the focus is on literature. Drinks and sweets are provided. Meets the last Thursday of the month at 12 p.m.

Chestertown Book Group - Refreshments are served at this general interest group. Meets the last Wednesday of the month at 4:30 p.m.

Kent Nonfiction Book Group - Participants are invited to bring a brown bag lunch to this group where the focus is on nonfiction. Drinks and sweets are provided. Meets the last Tuesday of the month at 12 p.m.

KCPL's book groups are open to all, so please consider this a standing invitation to join us.

KCPL also supports more than ten community-based book groups with its collection of Book Discussion Kits. Please give us a call to find out more about these local groups. If you're interested in starting a brand new book group, we'd be happy to help by offering the use of Book Discussion Kits. Each kit contains a minimum of ten paperback copies of a single title. Take a look at the titles we have available as Book Discussion Kits or give us a call at 410.778.3636 to discuss the details of taking advantage of this service.

NONFICTION
Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian
by Avi Steinberg
In this captivating memoir, Steinberg, a Harvard grad and struggling obituary writer, spends two years as a librarian and writing instructor at a Boston prison, attracting con men, minor prophets, ghosts, and an assortment of quirky regulars searching for the perfect book and a connection to the outside world.

Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese-American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference
by Joanne Oppenheim
Provides the story of life in a Japanese internment camp during World War II through the correspondence of the children in the camp to their librarian, Miss Clara Breed, who worked on their behalf to show the injustice of their imprisonment.

This Book is Overdue: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All
by Marilyn Johnson
Those who predicted the death of libraries forgot to consider that in the automated maze of contemporary life, none of us--neither the experts nor the hopelessly baffled--can get along without human help. And not just any help--we need librarians, who won't charge us by the question or roll their eyes, no matter what we ask. Who are they? What do they know? And how quickly can they save us from being buried by the digital age? This book is a romp through the ranks of information professionals and a revelation for readers burned out on the cliches and stereotyping of librarians. Here are bloggers, radicals and visionaries who fuse the tools of the digital age with their love for the written word and the enduring values of free speech, open access, and scout-badge-quality assistance to anyone in need.

FICTION
The Borrower
by Rebecca Makkai
Lucy Hull, a young children's librarian in Hannibal, Missouri, finds herself both a kidnapper and kidnapped when her favorite patron, ten- year-old Ian Drake, runs away from home. The precocious Ian is addicted to reading, but needs Lucy's help to smuggle books past his overbearing mother, who has enrolled Ian in weekly antigay classes with celebrity Pastor Bob. Lucy stumbles into a moral dilemma when she finds Ian camped out in the library after hours with a knapsack of provisions and an escape plan. Desperate to save him from Pastor Bob and the Drakes, Lucy allows herself to be hijacked by Ian. The odd pair embarks on a crazy road trip from Missouri to Vermont, with ferrets, an inconvenient boyfriend, and upsetting family history thrown in their path. But is it just Ian who is running away? Who is the man who seems to be on their tail? And should Lucy be trying to save a boy from his own parents?

The Ice Queen
by Alice Hoffman
After a small town librarian survives a lightning strike, she seeks out a fellow survivor in a quest for meaning, only to begin an obsessive love affair between two opposites joined by a single common thread.

Lord of the Libraries
by Mel Odom
Working as a master librarian at Great Library, Edgewick Lamplighter takes on inexperienced apprentice Juhg to help acquire volumes for the Vault of All Known Knowledge, a task that is compromised by dark forces.

BONUS: A movie about a librarian!
The Librarian
directed by Peter Winther
A geeky librarian is hired by the prestigious Metropolitan Library, keeper of such top-secret treasures as Excalibur and Pandora's Box. When the Serpent Brotherhood, seeking world domination, steals one of three parts of the magical Spear of Destiny from the library, only this librarian, aided by a gorgeous bodyguard, has the know-how to thwart their plan. But does he know how to be a hero?

Want more recommendations? Looking for something different? Stop by and ask - librarians love to help you find what you’re looking for!

KCPL exists to support the community and we are grateful to those who can help support the library. No donation is insignificant and all are appreciated, no matter how small. All funds donated help KCPL to keep the doors open and to continue to provide materials and services to support this community.

Beginning February 14th, all donors to the Love Your Library campaign will receive a small "thank you" gift; those who give $50 or more will receive a special 50th Anniversary sticker for their library cards; and the first ten donors who give $100 or more will also receive a delicious box of Valentine's chocolates!

Those who wish to take part in the campaign, but are unable to join us for the Love Your Library kick-off event, may make a donation online at KCPL’s website, deliver donations in person to one of KCPL’s three branches, or mail donations to:

Kent County Public Library
Love Your Library Campaign
408 High Street
Chestertown, MD 21620

Please join our campaign and show the world that you Love Your Library!

Know what we love? Knowing that the library is an important part of your life. Thank you for your enthusiastic patronage and continued support!

Want to give it a try?

Here's what you need to do:

1. Visit KCPL's website.
2. Choose the eLibrary tab from the left-hand menu.
3. Click the link for Maryland's Digital eLibrary (or choose a tutorial for more information on how to use your eReader or audio player with the eLibrary).
4. Click Login and select Kent County Public Library from the drop-down menu.
5. Enter your library barcode number with no spaces or punctuation.
6. Click the Help tab and read the Quick Start Guide for information on the initial set-up you will need to do prior to downloading items from Maryland's Digital eLibrary. (The initial set-up is very important, so don't skip this step!)
7. Search or browse the virtual collection and begin downloading!

Good luck! If you run into difficulties or need help with the process, please let us know.

IRS-certified AARP volunteers will be available between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Thursdays beginning February 2nd and ending April 12th.

Administered by AARP, in cooperation with the IRS, this free tax help is available to low- and moderate-income taxpayers of all ages. Returns will be prepared on the computer and filed electronically at no charge to the taxpayer. Each taxpayer will receive a paper copy of his or her return.

Walk-in clients are accepted, however, making an appointment is strongly recommended in order to avoid a lengthy wait. Appointments for tax preparation must be made via Upper Shore Aging. To make an appointment, please call 410-778-2564 on Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday. Tax help for those who are home-bound is available and can also be arranged by calling Upper Shore Aging. Tax assistance services for those who are home-bound can also be arranged by contacting Upper Shore Aging.

Monday, January 23rd
10:30 a.m. - Dick Lance's Digital Walk-In Clinic

Wednesday, January 25th
4:30 p.m. - Chestertown Book Group

Thursday, January 26th
12:00 p.m. - Literature with Lunch Bookgroup

Friday, January 27th
2:00 p.m. - Winter Film Festival: Stand & Deliver

Saturday, January 28th
10:00 a.m. - Financial Wellness @your library: Examining Your Financial Future

For more information on these and other upcoming events, visit our online calendar. Have a suggestion for a program you'd love to see at KCPL? Please let us know!

Theresa's pieces focus on bold images, intense color and an interest in design. She claims a quote from Pierre Auguste Renoir as her artist statement: "To my mind, a picture should be something pleasant, cheerful and pretty, yes, pretty! There are too many unpleasant things in life as it is without creating still more of them."

Terry describes his wildlife photographs as portraits. Whether in his kayak or hiking, something about a scene will speak to him, saying, "Photograph me!" Rather than attempting to stage the scene, he captures what nature has presented.

In addition to the work of these professional artists, the Children's Department is currently featuring art created by students from Kent County Middle School.

Please stop by and enjoy this showcase of local art.

Smarter Personal Banking
Saturday, January 14, 2012 | 10am - 12pm
Main Meeting Room, Chestertown

Join Larry Lyons and Cecil Unruh from Peoples Bank as they suggest ways to:

* improve your on-line banking experience
* prevent Identity Theft
* prepare for financial emergencies

Start the new year with some free financial education!
Refreshments served.

Examining Your Financial Future
Saturday, January 28, 2012 | 10am - 12pm
Main Meeting Room, Chestertown

Join Martin Knight & Michael Kelly from Chesapeake Investment Advisors as they present information about developing a lifetime strategy for saving and investment.

Refreshments served.

If you would like more information about these programs, please visit our online calendar or call 410.778.3636.

Interested in additional financial wellness information? We have resources covering personal finance, consumer credit, investments, eliminating debt, home-ownership, and more!

Saturday, December 24th - CLOSED
Monday, December 26th - CLOSED

Saturday, December 31st - 1/2 day (closing at 12:30)
Monday, January 2nd - CLOSED

In keeping with the library's mission to provide relevant community programs and services, a showing by the artist, ANGELA RANZONI will be exhibited throughout the month of December.

Angela works primarily in acrylics on small scale canvases. Her palette is bright, moody, and celebratory. Images range from the more abstract to the surreal, often housing fanciful beings in various situations, emotional states, and mysterious landscapes. These expressive characters and landscapes emerge from the shapes and colors she explores when approaching the canvas, most often without a particular image in mind.

Angela has drawn and made things all her life. She studied painting at Massachusetts College of Art and finished her BA at New College of CA. It was there that she further explored her interest in Expressive Arts Therapy and the healing nature of art. Personal experience of the therapeutic and spiritual aspects of art has clarified the importance of continuing to make and exhibit her art, as well as teaching others about the inherent joy and value of the creative process. Her work is often shown at Chester River Artworks and The Chestertown Arts League. She teaches as a visiting artist in the Kent County public schools and with groups of home schooled children through the "Artworks for Children" program.

While Angela's art will remain on display throughout the month, the public is invited to park behind the building and begin their First Friday festivities with a reception to include family-friendly fare at the public library.

This month, the spotlight is on GALE Biography in Context.

Looking for information about current or historical public figures? GALE Biography in Context is the place to go! With articles pulled from hundreds of authoritative sources and updated regularly, you can trust that the information is accurate and up-to-date. This is a great resource for settling friendly debates, creating trivia questions, fact-checking, and doing research for school projects.

Want to give it a try? Here's what you need to do:

1. Visit KCPL's website.
2. Choose the Articles & Info tab from the left-hand menu.
3. Click A to Z List.
4. Click Biography in Context. (If you are accessing this resource outside of the library, you may be asked to enter your library card number at this point.)
5. Happy researching!

Good luck! If you run into difficulties or need help finding specific information, please let us know.

We invite all aspiring artists to take advantage of a unique opportunity to showcase their talents by applying to be a featured First Friday artist at Kent County Public Library.

For more info about this new opportunity, please stop by or call (410) 778-3636 to schedule an interview.

For details on getting started visit the eLibrary page on our Web site, where we have links to a quick start guide and some video tutorials, or speak with a staff member. We may be able to provide some quick tips and hints on the spot, or if your questions require extra time or expertise, we can schedule an appointment to spend some time answering your questions and demonstrating how to get started.

Happy reading!