Friends
OF THE
St. Petersburg Main Library
M A R C H 2 0 1 7 • 3745 9th Ave. North, St. Petersburg, FL 33713 • Visit www.splibraries.org
Romp Through Old-Time Music with Moonshine Holler the likes of Jimmie Rogers, Woody Guthrie, and “Sometimes rowdy, sometimes The Carter Family. He reverent, always a ruckus.” Perhaps says the music fascinated Moonshine Holler’s slogan makes you him. “It was alien, very envision a large band, but this acoustic otherworldly music, but husband and wife duet generate a there was something ton of energy, encompassing many captivating about it that sounds. Paula Bradley and Bill Dillof of you didn’t find in the rockMoonshine Holler both sing and play and-roll of those days.” a lot of different instruments. Between A Philly folk radio them the band incorporates guitar, banjo, show on Sunday nights fiddle, steel guitar, ukulele, kazoo, and stands out in Paula’s Contributed harmonica. Paula provides percussion childhood memories, Moonshine Holler performs in the Main Library with hands and feet as needed. where she discovered old- Auditorium on Sat. March 18 at 2 p.m. Paula and Bill each became time and early blues music. This drove time music. They continued playing interested in traditional American folk her to learn how to play guitar. “I also in separate bands for a few years after music in their early teens. Growing told my piano teacher that I wanted to they became a couple. After moving to up in Philadelphia and Long Island play blues. He wrongly concluded that I the Berkshires in 1998, they eventually respectively, both were influenced by meant Gershwin, so I had to do a bit of started performing as Moonshine Holler radio programs they listened to featuring digging in order to learn more.” as a way to get involved in the community old-time, country and bluegrass music. In the early 80s, Bill and Paula met and meet people. Their CD “Old Time Bill was also influenced by friends, at a music festival through mutual Melodies” showcases their rich repertoire classmates and neighbors. He enjoyed friends and their shared interest in old- and multi-instrumental talents. Paula and Bill seek to educate and entertain and include discussion about S H ORT STORY CO N TEST the music and its origins. Join us in the READ YOUR OWN SHORT STORY AT OUR APRIL 22 Main Library auditorium on Saturday SHORT-STORY READ AT THE MAIN LIBRARY. March 18 at 2 PM for a wealth of music and a rollicking good time! Original stories must begin with “She (or he) walked away without so much as a backwards glance.” Make your story no “Diligence is the mother more than 2,500 words and less than a 5-minute read. Prizes will of good luck.” be awarded. Contact Lorraine Franckle, ljrmd@tampabay.rr.com, for entry. Story submission by midnight, April 17, 2017. — Benjamin Franklin
— By Sheryl Long —
The Friends of the St. Petersburg Main Library, established in 1961, recognizes the value of our great library and celebrates all it has to offer. Friends’ membership dollars and donations support the library’s outstanding collections, resources and programs — free and accessible to all. —1—
• FRIENDS OF • THE ST. PETERSBURG MAIN LIBRARY Board of Directors Lorraine Franckle — President Mozelle Bell — Secretary
Janis Froelich Jim Hance Debbie Haslam Sheryl Long
Library Staff Mika S. Nelson — City Director Lila Denning — Director of Main Library Angela Falsey — Adult Services Coordinator Paula Alexis —Youth Services Coordinator
We have openings on our Board of Directors. To inquire, contact Friends of the Library president Lorraine Franckle at LJRMD@tampabay.rr.com
Photo by Jim Hance
Our “Meet The Authors” panel discussion on Saturday, Feb. 18th included Nancy Hartwell Enonchong, Diane Sawyer, moderator Burton Hersh, Brian Simpson and Mary Hill. Attendees were lined up to speak to each author for half an hour after the panel discussion concluded. The next Saturday program of the Friends of the Main Library will be a musical performance by Moonshine Holler on Saturday, Mar. 18 at 2 p.m.
Saturday Programs at Main Library: Appalachian Folk Music, a Short Story Contest, and a Movie Critic — President’s Message By Lorraine Franckle —
MARK YOUR CALENDAR Moonshine Holler Saturday, Mar. 18, 2017 2 p.m. Short-Story Read Saturday, Apr. 22, 2017 2 p.m. Movie Critic Saturday, May 20, 2017 2 p.m.
Visit and “Like” us at facebook.com/Friends of the St Petersburg Main Library
The Friends of the Main Library has sponsored a program once a month, from September to May over the past several years. We enjoy bringing educational programs — speakers, panels, entertainment — free to the public on Saturday afternoons. In February, we sponsored a published authors’ panel, moderated by Burton Hersh, author of a biography of Bobby Kennedy and Bobby and J Edgar. Panel participants included Nancy Hartwell, Diane Sawyer, Mary Hill and Brian Simpson. The attendees were interested in how the authors began their writing careers, how to get their own work published and technical details of the publishing world. It seems there is a large number of aspiring writers in the St. Petersburg area. Writers now have another opportunity
to get their work noticed. As an event during the SunLIt Festival, the Friends are sponsoring a Short Story Contest with winners announced on Saturday, April 22. We will select from entrants who compose an original story of 2500 words or less, beginning with the phrase: “He/ she walked away without so much as a backwards glance….” Deadline is April 17. E-mail double-spaced copy to LJRMD@ tampabay.rr.com. First place prize $100, second place $50. You must be present to win. Join us for our March program, Moonshine Holler, on Saturday, March 18th at 2 p.m. This entertainment for the whole family promises to be a fun-filled afternoon. On May 20th at 2 p.m., Steve Persall, movie critic for the Tampa Bay Times, will be our speaker.
“Reading makes a full man, meditation a profound man, discourse a clear man.” — Benjamin Franklin
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THE CARNEGIE LIBRARIES
T
he most important name in libraries is Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist. Born in 1835 in Scotland, he emigrated to the US with his parents in 1848. His investments in railroads, sleeping cars, bridges and oil derricks, culminated in his ownership of the Carnegie Steel Company and he became one of the richest men in America. In his later years, he gave away almost 90% of his fortune ($350 million, worth $78.6 billion in 2015 dollars) to charities, foundations and universities. He called on the rich to use their wealth to improve society, stimulating a wave of philanthropic giving. Between 1883 and 1929, 2509 libraries were built w it h donat ion s f rom Ca r neg ieEndow ments. His first public library was in
his c h i ld ho o d home of Dunfermline, Scotland. His first U. S. commissioned library was in Allegheny, PA. Although Carnegie supplied a construction grant, he did not give the funds outright. He required a financial commitment from the local gover n ment i nc lud i ng donation of the building site, the use of public funds to run the library, pay the staff and maintain the buildings, and a commitment of free service to all.
The early buildings which date from 1890s were often the architectural highlight of small town America. They were constructed in differing architectural styles: Italian Renaissance, Baroque, Spanish Colonial, Beaux-Arts and others. The Pittsburgh, PA library, opened in 1895, was the third Carnegie library built in the US and is still operational today. The Mirror Lake and Tampa Libraries are listed in the
Permission to use: cc-by-sa-3.0
Front entrance of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
US National Register of Historical Places. The first five libraries operated with a closed stack system: the requested book was brought by a library staffer to the front desk. Within a few years, to reduce operating costs, the revolutionary open shelf or “self-service” policy was initiated. To reduce the theft of books, the front desk was positioned just inside the front door flanked by turnstiles and spanned the width of the lobby, acting as a physical and psychological barrier. Carnegie’s legacy is alive today with over half of the original buildings still operating as libraries. The New York City Public Library System operates 31 of the 38 original buildings. Other libraries have become museums, communit y centers, office building and residences.
Rough Riders by Mark Lee Gardner — Reviewed by Jim Hance —
Along the wall facing the checkout counter in Main Library are the bookcases of recently published books, all with a 14-day limit for return to the Library. To the left towards the entrance are the recent fiction tomes, and at the right are non-fiction and self-help “agony” manuals: how to avoid identity theft, find a friend on Facebook, train your dog not to bite, why is the right so wrong. Somewhere in the middle you can find historical fiction, like the book Rough Riders by Mark Lee Gardner. Mark Lee Gardner spent years researching Theodore Roosevelt and everyone who had written about the 26th
president. He synthesizes pre v iou s ly u n k now n primary accounts — private letters, diaries and period newspaper reports from public and private archives in a half dozen different states to breathe fresh life into his story. The explosion of the USS Maine in Havana Harbor in February 1898 stunned the world and triggered a war between the United States and Spain. Congress authorized President McKinley to recruit a volunteer force to help drive —3—
the Spaniards out of Cuba. At the time Theodore Roosevelt was an assistant to the Secretary of the Navy, and seized upon this rare opportunity to take a demotion in rank in order to lead a military effort. Roosevelt at that time had graduated from Harvard, established himself as a learned historian and popular writer, had been a rancher in the Dakotas, and had served as mayor of New York City. With a keen sense Continued on page 4
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M AR CH 2 0 1 7 NEW S LETT E R Main Library Phone: 727-893-7724 Main Library Website: www.splibraries.org Main Library Hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Tuesday & Thursday: 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Saturday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Sunday: Noon – 6:00 p.m.
Rough Riders Continued from page 3
of history, he positioned himself at the outbreak of conflict with Spain to earn a place in history as a heroic leader of a successful military campaign. He petitioned the president to declare war against Spain, and recruited the best cowboys from the western states and strategists from Harvard to form the “Rough Riders.” He even personally financed much of the cost of his force, buying their uniforms, food, and assisting their families after the war. This book is a fictional re-enactment of the military campaign in Cuba and puts you right in the trenches of the conflict. During the 1898, journal
-ism that sensationalized — and sometimes even manufactured — dramatic events was a powerful force that helped propel the United States into war with Spain. The many accounts of the war by noted journalists and authors informed Mark Gardner’s writing: “They came up on a soldier with a head wound who was also making his way to the rear. ‘He presented a sickening sight with blood streaming down his face,’ Wells wrote, ‘but we were used to such sights by this time.’ Wells took a look at the wound and bandaged the soldier’s head. “When they reached the area of their first skirmish line of the day before, near Las Guamas Creek, Carr suddenly
stiffened and collapsed, shouting, ‘My God! I am shot!’ Wells believed Carr was hallucinating. A bullet had thumped the ground very close, but that was all. Yet Carr was curled in a fetal position and seemed to be in real agony. Taking a closer look, they spotted a hole in Carr’s trousers, and, after pulling down his pants, saw the ugly wound in his groin. “The odd thing, though, was that the bullet had struck Carr in the front as they were walking to the rear, meaning the bullet must have come from their own men. Wells jumped up and shouted that they were Americans, but no one answered.” The book ends much as it begins, with Roosevelt as president bestowing a
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Medal of Honor in the first ceremony of its kind in the White House to one of the men who served under him, Captain James Robb Church. Church performed acts of valor while serving as surgeon, risking his life time and again treating wounded troopers on the firing line. Rough Riders is the story of how Theodore Roosevelt led his men to victory in the famed Battle of San Juan Hill, which made “TR” a national hero, and quickly came to symbolize American ruggedness, daring and individualism. Rich with action, violence, camaraderie and courage, Rough Riders sheds new light on the Theodore Roosevelt saga and on one of the most thrilling chapters in American history.
LO VE THE S T. PETERSB URG M AI N L I B RARY ? J OI N U S ! Friends of the Main Library Membership Form We are a 501(c) (3) nonprofit group whose purpose is to support the library through volunteerism, fundraising, activities, and sponsorship of programs and services. Your membership offers you the opportunity to get involved, share thoughts and lend your talents to the library, a priceless resource. Here is what we do: • • • • •
Support the library to help make it a vital part of our community Fund summer reading programs Purchase books, equipment, furnishings, and other materials Support library programs for new parents, children of all ages, teens, adults, and families Host author visits, guest speakers and cultural events
To join the Friends and support library programs and services, please complete this application and mail it with a check payable to Friends of the Library at 3745 Ninth Ave. N, St. Petersburg, Florida 33712-6001 Name ___________________________________________ Phone ____________________________________________ Date ____________________________________________ Email______________________________________________ Address _________________________________________ City, State, Zip__________________________________
Membership Choice Total Enclosed $___________
Individual $20
Family $30
Life $150
Business/Corporate $100
(Membership is annual January through December.)
Please remember the Friends of the St. Petersburg Main Library in your estate planning.
DON’T MISS THIS SPECIAL PRESENTATION OF FRIENDS OF THE MAIN LIBRARY MOONSHINE HOLLER
SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2017 2:00 P.M. IN THE MAIN LIBRARY AUDITORIUM T H A N K Y O U TO O UR 2017 ME MBE R S! Alton & Mary Babineau
Jim Hance
Cheryl MacNeill
Hack & Barbara Borden
Mack Hicks
Mary Anne Mulder
Harry & Margaret Eisenaugle
James Kennedy
William Rollins
Neil & Lorraine Franckle
Morris & Marilyn Levine
Jimmy & Joann Schmal
Janis Froelich
Sheryl Long
Sharron Scott