Blog Entries

Juneteenth - a term combining June and nineteenth - is our newest  national holiday and the first new federal holiday since the establishment of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day almost forty years ago.

Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month was established by the Federal Government thirty years ago to celebrate the many contributions of Asians and Pacific Islanders to the history and culture of the United States.

We all know how to celebrate Mother’s Day - with gifts of cards, candy and flowers. But, did you ever wonder why we celebrate Mother’s Day?  Our yearly shout out to Mom is the result of the tireless efforts of a devoted daughter, Anna M.

Billy Collins, U. S. Poet Laureate and the “most popular poet in America,” according to New York Times columnist Bruce Weber, wrote: “I’m a great believer in poetry out of the classroom, in public places, on subways, trains, on cocktail napkins. I’d rather have my poems on the subway than around the seminar table at an MFA program.” His argument that poetry is everywhere and that it is accessible to everyone is one of the reasons this literary form will always be an integral part of our lives and culture.

Ah, March. Hope for the best, expect the worst.  In this unpredictable month, anticipation often results in disappointment as winter refuses to say goodbye. On the other hand, March is an eventful month, containing the first day of spring, Daylight Savings Time and St. Patrick’s Day.  But did you know that Read an EBook Week occurs in the first full week of March? This year we celebrate the convenience and ease of ebooks from March 6-March 12.

In 1987, Congress designated March as National Women’s History Month. Each year, the President issues a special Proclamation in recognition of the enormous contributions of women to every aspect of American life and culture, often while enduring great hardship and sacrifice. For Women’s History Month 2022, The National Women’s History Alliance is honoring caregivers and frontline workers.

Presidents’ Day, a Federal holiday which is celebrated this year on February 21, was originally established in 1885 to honor the February 22 birthday of first president, George Washington.  Over time it also became associated with the February 12 birthday of 16th President, Abraham Lincoln.  Thanks to the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which created additional three day weekends for the country’s workers, the holiday will always fall on the third Monday of February but, ironically, never on the ac

February is Black History Month, an annual tribute to generations of African Americans whose invaluable contributions to this country were achieved in the face of tremendous adversity.  Originally a week-long observance created in 1926 by Carter G. Woodson, the event was celebrated in February to acknowledge the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.  In 1976, the celebration was expanded to a month by President Gerald R.

Nobel Peace Prize winner and visionary civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., died on April 4, 1968, but it took 32 years for a holiday honoring him to be recognized by all fifty states.  Dr. King’s birthday was signed into law as a federal holiday in 1983 and took effect three years later on January 20, 1986. However, it was not until 2000 that  all fifty states officially observed the holiday.

Our community is composed of avid readers. In 2021, however, reading became more of a passion than a pursuit, an escape from an unexpectedly tumultuous year.  Reading is a subjective experience but inspiration can be derived from the choices of others. Have you ever been curious about the books your neighbors have selected this past year? Listed below are some of the titles of the books that have flown off our shelves most frequently.  Click on the book jacket to be taken to the link.

“Think before you speak. Read before you think.” Fran Lebowitz

Inherent in every ending is  a beginning; in December, we reflect back on the past year while in January we anticipate the future with cautious optimism. In the spirit of a new year, who  has not committed to resolutions for a better life, a better self, a better world?

December can be daunting - holidays, family gatherings, cooking and decorating are meaningful but they can also result in exhaustion and sensory overload.  Add on the psychological impact of early sunsets and you have a perfect storm for stress.  How to decompress? Escape into a good book,  the ideal way to reboot your psyche and re-center your soul.  What to read?

December may be the coldest, darkest month of the year but it does have its perks: holidays and festivals, family gatherings, comfort foods - and books!

November is known  for many things - National American  Indian Heritage Month, Election Day,  Veteran’s Day, the onset of Daylight Savings Time and, of course, Thanksgiving.  Having survived what was, for many, a challenging year, the prevailing sentiment at having reached this final fall month is simple gratitude.