Winter Connect Newsletter

Connect Volume 18 • Issue 4 • Winter 2011-2012

News from Omaha Public Library • OPL Foundation • Friends of OPL Page

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Director’s Note Fall Author Visits

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Holiday Celebrations Michael Phipps Gallery

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Holiday Gift Guide KidSpot & TeenSpace

Winter Reading Club January — February As temperatures begin to drop, activities move indoors where it’s cozy and warm. There’s no better time to settle in with a good book! Join us this winter for hot books and cool prizes when OPL once again offers the Winter Reading Club (WRC).

All ages are encouraged to participate! Read and log five books of your choice January 1-February 29, and be entered into a drawing for fun prizes. As always, library staff can offer title suggestions to help chase away the winter blues. Drawing winners will be announced the first week of March.

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Register at any OPL location or online at omahalibrary.org.

Read or listen to five print or audiobooks. Get double credit for books over 500 pages.

Track your reading online.

After completing five books, you will be entered for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate.

Reading is its own reward, but OPL wants to reward you as well. Read five books and get a prize or a Friends of OPL book sale coupon.

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Friends of OPL OPL Foundation

Author Fair During Winter Reading Club, OPL will offer a local author event where you can learn about new books by local writers and collect autographs from your favorites.

Join us on Saturday, Feb. 18, 1-4 p.m., at W. Dale Clark Main Library. Visit with authors and learn about how they published their work.

Visit omahalibrary.org for details.

WRC is sponsored by the Omaha Public Library Foundation and Friends of Omaha Public Library.

Relax with Recommended Reads

by Teresa Shane, Readers Advisory Specialist

“Day of Honey: A Memoir of Food, Love, and War”

by Annia Ciezadlo Adventures in travel and taste in the Middle East.

“Micro” by Michael Crichton & Richard Preston Scientists in danger. No dinosaurs this time — only tiny bladed robots.

“The Beauty and the Sorrow”

by Peter Englund

“Love and Shame and Love” by Peter Orner

World War I through the letters, “A finely-crafted family photos and memories of 20 album, told in comic people who experienced the time. and heartbreaking snapshots.”

- Antonya Nelson “Comfort & Joy” by India Knight Imagine if Bridget Jones had two ex-husbands, three children, and invited her entire extended family for Christmas.

Get your own customized book list.

Request your list at omahalibrary.org and select Custom Reading List under the Catalog tab.

Director’s Note

Fall Author Visits

‘Tis the season...

OPL brought authors out from behind their words and into the spotlight this fall. With generous support from the Omaha Public Library Friends and Foundation and a wonderful partnership with The Bookworm, Anna Dewdney, Ellen Hopkins, Judy Schachner, Jon Scieszka and Nancy Werlin visited Omaha, and celebrated two national book releases.

I’m not sure how it happened, but 2011 is nearly over! We are knee-deep in the holiday season and it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle-bustle of it all. There is no better cure for holiday stress than to step back, take a breath and enjoy what the season has to offer.

This is a great time to visit your local library. Every OPL branch has an enormous variety of programs for all ages to help put you in a holiday mood. You’ll find holiday music, crafts and movies.

You can make your own cards, ornaments and gingerbread houses. It’s hard to be a Grinch when there’s so much fun! This year, Hanukkah and Christmas overlap — so there will be even more to celebrate. The year will end with our annual Kwanzaa programs and the downtown New Year’s Eve fireworks.

Both Jon Scieszka and Ellen Hopkins celebrated the release of their new titles with OPL audiences. Ellen Hopkins shared “Perfect” and Jon Scieszka unleashed “SPHDZ Book #3.” Teen fans greeted Nancy Werlin, author of “The Rules of Survival.”

Judy Schachner, author of “Skippyjon Jones Class Action,” hosted a reading and piñata party. Anna Dewdney, author of the “Llama Llama” series, spoke about the importance of reading and early literacy. Look forward to more author visits in 2012!

Judy Schachner

Jon Scieszka

On the off-chance that flurries make a wintry appearance, be sure to stock up on your favorite books so you’ll always have something fun to read when it’s just too cold to go outside. If you receive a new eReader as a holiday gift and just aren’t sure how to use it to download digital books from our website, let us know and staff will gladly help.

OPL’s annual Winter Reading Club will kick off with the New Year — the perfect time to make some new reading goals. Make a resolution to read a certain number of books or join a book club and get entered for the opportunity to win great prizes at the same time!

We are excited to unveil some great new enhancements to our online catalog. Many of you shared your ideas and suggestions for making it easier to find the items you want and to share favorites with your friends. MyOPL will let you search in new ways never before possible and enable you to create and share lists of your own favorites. You’ll also be able to create your own username and password — so no need to remember that long barcode number (unless you want to)! If you need help getting started, just let us know.

On behalf of all of us at OPL, may your holidays be safe, warm and filled with good things!

Gary Wasdin, Executive Director

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Culinary Conference Cookbook exchange

More than 75 people attended the first “Read It & Eat” Culinary Conference at W. Dale Clark Main Library. Participants enjoyed panel discussions with MCC Institute for the Culinary Arts students, Junior League of Omaha, Isa Chandra Moskowitz of Post Punk Kitchen, and local Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Lois Friedman restaurant historians. Celestial Cuisine catered the event and offered Nebraska favorites such as runzas, reuben sandwiches and Dorothy Lynch dressing.

Attendees were also invited to take part in a cookbook MCC Institute for the Culinary Arts exchange, bringing in old cookbooks to trade with others. “Read It & Eat” helped pay tribute to Lois Friedman, a local cookbook reviewer who has donated more than 1,000 cookbooks to OPL. Check one of them out today!

Holiday Celebrations Dec 10

Keyboard Music by Robert Glaser

Noon

Shaking the Family Tree

Dec 14

Open House

4 pm

Find out at the 15th annual

A.V. Sorensen Branch South Omaha Library

Dec 16

Open House

3:30 pm

Dec 17

Open House

1 pm

Dec 20

Jazz Music by John Worsham

6:15 pm

Dec 21

French Horn & Saxophone Duet by John Carlotto & Mark Sorensen

1:30 pm

Dec 28

Kwanzaa Movie Night & Discussion

6 pm

Dec 29

Kwanzaa Celebration & Feast

Florence Branch Saddlebrook Branch Millard Branch

W. Clarke Swanson Branch

Charles B. Washington Branch

presented by Greater Omaha Genealogical Society (GOGS)

9 AM to Noon third Saturdays January-June Mormon Trail Center | 3215 State St. 402.706.1453 | genehelper@aol.com

eBooks for all

visit ebooks.omahalibrary.org

Charles B. Washington Branch

Sankofa Ensemble: 7 Principals of Kwanzaa

6 pm

Kwanzaa Supper

7:30 pm

Hear stories, sing songs and meet Santa Claus!

Santa will visit with kids of all ages. Bring your wish list & camera!

Visit omahalibrary.org for complete schedule.

Michael Phipps Art Gallery

1st Floor | W. Dale Clark Main Library

Available free of charge to local artists and art groups for exhibitions throughout the year. Exhibits are displayed for approximately one month and are scheduled 12 months in advance.

January— OPL staff members showcase their talents with an arts and crafts exhibit.

Enjoy a unique glimpse of the hidden talents of OPL’s staff.

February—An exhibit “We the People: The Nebraska Viewpoint,” organized by the Nebraska State Historical Society, explores the role that Nebraska and Nebraskans have played in implementing full civic participation by all people of the United States of America as promised in the United States Constitution. The multipaneled exhibit discusses our civil rights, civil liberties and helps us understand the past so we can look to the future.

The gallery is open the same hours as W. Dale Clark Main Library. Call 402.444.4838 for more information.

BEGINNING FAMILY HISTORY SERIES

OPL’s eBook collection is now compatible with the Amazon® Kindle.

Patrons can now download popular and classic eBooks to a Kindle device or any mobile device running the free Kindle app, such as iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ and more.

Browse OPL’s collection of bestselling and classic eBooks from a PC or Mac computer, check out titles using a library card, and select “Get for Kindle” to deliver eBooks to a Kindle device or any device running the free Kindle app.

OPL also offers eBooks and audiobooks for use on a PC or Mac computer and popular mobile devices such as a smart phone, MP3 player and eBook readers like the Barnes & Noble® Nook™, Sony® Reader and Pandigital®.

Patrons who need help with their eReader devices are encouraged to visit their local branch with their eReader device or visit our online guide at guides.omahalibrary.org/ereaders.

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Holiday Gift Guide

Book Clubs

Babies & Toddlers

With a variety of different book clubs and book club resources, OPL has something for all ages!

Books for Children & Teens

“Maisy Goes to the Library”

by Lucy Cousins Maisy and her friends find many fun things to do in the library that are both noisy and quiet.

For Preschoolers “Llama Llama Home with Mama” by Anna Dewdney Llama Llama’s mother takes good care of him when he has to stay home from school because he is sick, but when Mama Llama begins to feel sick too, Llama Llama knows how to take care of her.

For Children “Every Thing On It”

by Shel Silverstein This poetry collection includes more than 130 never-beforeseen poems and drawings completed by the cherished American artist and selected by his family from his archives.

For Teens “The Future of Us”

by Jay Asher & Carolyn Mackler For fans of Facebook, a treat of technology time-travel, allowing friends to see their life through status updates 15 years in the future.

Omaha Public Library

Youth Book Club Selection

“It’s In the Bag” is a recommended resource for teachers, organizations or homeschoolers interested in having a group or class read the same book together. Each bag holds 20 copies of the same book and can be checked out for up to six weeks.

OPL currently offers 250 K-12 titles, with more being added all the time.

Children, teens and adults are invited to join one of more than 30 OPL sponsored book clubs at locations throughout Omaha. Book clubs select the titles they would like to read and some clubs focus on a specific theme such as mysteries, urban fiction or finance.

OPL’s book club resources are growing in popularity. Library Specialist April Earl coordinates book clubs at OPL. “When ‘It’s In the Bag’ first started in 2010, we had one or two bags going out each week.” Now, she sends closer to 25 bags out a week. “Once people recognize what we have, they just love it,” Earl said.

Coming soon, OPL will be making it easier for groups to reserve the books they’d like to read. In early 2012, look for a new online system that will allow book clubs to schedule specific titles for a group.

For more information, visit guides. omahalibrary.org/bookclubs or contact April Earl at 402.444.4800.

Costume Characters Enjoy stories and activities and don’t forget your camera!

Curious George Dec 2 10:30 am . . . . . Willa Cather Dec 3 10:30 am . . . . South Omaha Dec 6 10:30 am . . . . . Saddlebrook Dec 7 10:30 am . . . . A.V. Sorensen Dec 8 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . Benson Dec 9 10:30 am . . . . W. Dale Clark Dec 10 10:30 am . . C.B. Washington Dec 14 10:30 am . . . . . . . . Florence Dec 15 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . . Millard Dec 17 10:30 am & 1:00 pm . . . . W.C. Swanson Dec 21 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . . Millard

S chedules subject to change, visit omahalibrary.org for updates.

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For those already in a book club, OPL has book bags that can be checked out. Each bag has 10 paperback copies of the same title that can be borrowed for up to six weeks — nearly 500 different titles from which to choose.

KidSpot

Mittens Feb 9 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . . . B.J. Elkhorn Feb 14 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Millard Feb 16 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Benson

Wild Thing Feb 25 10:00 am . . . . . . . . . Saddlebrook Feb 28 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . . . . . Florence Feb 29 10:30 am . . . . . . . . . A.V. Sorensen

Writing Contest

Grand Reopening

Flex your typing fingers…The Virginia Frank Memorial Writing Contest is underway! The Friends of Omaha Public Library (FOPL) announced that they 2011 Winners: Claire Lavendar, Mia LaHood, will be accepting Da’Dreion Murrell submissions through March 2. Winners will be honored at a spring celebration.

Milton R. Abrahams Branch has been closed for its first renovation since it was originally built in 1988. The renovation is scheduled for completion in January 2012.

Plans underway for a public celebration for the grand reopening include a ribboncutting ceremony and reception with special guests.

The contest named in memory of longtime University of Nebraska at Omaha English professor and Friends’ volunteer Virginia Frank invites youth in 5th-8th grades to write stories (up to 750 words) with the library playing a role — whether it’s the setting, twist in the plot or as a character. The more creative and surprising the story, the better.

“Abrahams Branch is one of the busiest libraries in our community,” said Executive Director Gary Wasdin. “We are excited to share new features that will make this location easier to use for all of our patrons.”

The top three writers for each grade will receive cash awards of $100 for first place, $50 for second place and $25 for third place. The school library of the winning students are recognized with matching cash prizes.

Watch for details on the celebration at omahalibrary.org.

TeenSpace

Homework Hot Spots

OPL is a great resource for getting homework done quickly and accurately.

All of our locations offer helpful staff, one-on-one tutoring with Tutor.com, informational databases and other reference materials. Now, with a grant from Best Buy Children’s Foundation and RBC Wealth Management, two of our locations will have dedicated staff and resources to assist youth with their homework needs.

Mondays — Thursdays, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Charles B. Washington Branch Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m., South Omaha Library Staff will be available to help with homework, including problem solving, finding the best resources to locate answers and polishing their work. Apple iPads will also be available to participants for easy access to online resources. Healthy snacks will be served to help boost brain power and revive stamina.

Got homework? Check out the Homework Hot Spots this week!

For more information or to read last year’s winning entries visit omahalibrary.org/teenspace.

Murals Students from the Kent Bellows Studio Urban Arts Program have taken over the stairwells of W. Dale Clark Main Library!

Six high school students developed an art concept and design for the stairwell walls by working with mentors Steve Walsh and Gerard Pefung. The two murals “combine inspiration from the written word and books, and from the visual vocabulary of street art,” said Weston Thomson, education manager of the Kent Bellows Studio and Center for Visual Arts.

Throughout October and November 2011, the young artists worked on bringing the concepts to reality.

The contemporary, urban art designs of the stairwells will feature a scroll of great thoughts, winding its way up the stairs into the library and a graffiti-inspired representation of reading and learning.

“This partnership provides a fantastic creative opportunity for Omaha’s youth and results in spectacular murals for the library,” said Gary Wasdin, OPL executive director.

Look for the completed murals in late December 2011. 5

Outstanding Annual Meeting Volunteer Membership Kick-off Since 2005 former school teacher January 14, 2012 | 1 pm

W. Dale Clark Main Library | 215 S. 15th St. | 4th Floor

All members and friends are invited Brief business meeting | Election of Officers & Board Members Special FRIEND of the Year Award Mary Maxwell—Omaha’s First Lady of Humor is the featured guest speaker. Her quick wit and dry humor have made her a popular speaker at events throughout Nebraska and across the country for more decades than she cares to count. Please join us as Mary reveals “The Secret Life of a Former Librarian.”

2012 memberships and renewals will be available at the meeting. All funds raised directly contribute to the quality of Omaha Public Library and our community.

Book Sales W. Clarke Swanson Branch 9101 W. Dodge Rd.

Weekly Sales | Thursdays 10 am - 3 pm Monthly Sales | 1st Saturday 10 am - 6 pm

Be a FRIEND! Libraries cannot be built or maintained by today’s tax dollars alone. To ensure the continued excellence and growth of Omaha Public Library, become a Friend today!

Please complete the form below and mail it back to: FRIENDS of Omaha Public Library PO Box 6032 Omaha, NE 68106

Patty Deden has been living her dream.

Patty said she wanted to be a librarian since she was 10 years old, and now volunteers at OPL’s A.V. Sorensen Branch. Patty checks in books from the book drop and deliveries from other branches before opening on Tuesday mornings, allowing staff to work on getting the library ready for patrons.

Her volunteering doesn’t end there. She and her husband represent the Library at Dundee Days and help raise funds at critical moments like the 2009 budget cuts. Just by passing around a bucket at Dundee Days that year, they helped raise $1,000 — one of her proudest accomplishments. Patty is a strong advocate of the Friends of Omaha Public Library (FOPL), and encourages people to join. She spreads the word that people can donate gently used books to any branch to be used in the FOPL book sales.

Patty’s favorite thing about volunteering is being able to support the “wonderful staff and observing what a great place it is.”

A.V. Sorensen Branch Manager Lori Brezina said “Patty is always upbeat and excited to be here. She is such a help when she comes in on Tuesday mornings. We are lucky to have her.”

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, contact Jody duRand at 402.444.4807 or jdurand@omahalibrary.org.

OPL Champions For the second year in a row, OPL staff members bravely competed in a battle of words at the Literacy Center’s Adult Spelling Bee fundraiser. The team found themselves in familiar territory going word for word against the Omaha World-Herald (OWH) team for the championship title. Last year the OWH clinched the win. This year OPL sought to avenge their loss.

Returning OPL spelling bee team members Russ Harper from Charles B. Washington Branch and Julie Humphrey from Millard Branch were joined by Norma Pountney from South Omaha Library. Together, they challenged six additional teams at the fourth annual event and emerged victorious. The winning word? V-A-G-I-L-E — free to move about.

“The World-Herald always has a strong team and won two out of four years. It felt like a real accomplishment to win,” said Harper.

None of OPL’s competitors are novices when it comes to spelling bees. Humphrey recently competed in the Nebraska Literary Heritage Association’s spelling bee in Lincoln and placed fourth of 20 people.

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Questions? Email us at omahalibraryfriends@gmail.com

The Literacy Center is a nonprofit organization that provides free services to adults to improve literacy skills. Special thanks to the OPL team sponsors Mike and Nancy McCarthy as well as board trustee Nancy Rips for cheering the team on to victory.

Thank you Runza® Restaurants has been a longtime supporter of reading and raised $5,000 for the Library in its 9th annual Great Books for Great Kids fundraiser. “Reading is vital to lifelong success and provides an excellent opportunity for families to spend time together,” said Becky Perrett, director of marketing for Runza® National. “Donating funds for books and promoting literacy is an important endeavor for children and the community.”

Kinsey Collection

Dr. Mary J. Goodwin-Clinkscale and Pat Tisdel from the Growing and Building Together (GBT) Academy of the Arts joined Nebraska football legend Johnny Rodgers to present OPL Executive Director Gary Wasdin with a donation of “The Kinsey Collection,” a book sharing the AfricanAmerican art collection of Bernard and Shirley Kinsey.

“We were so impressed by the Kinsey book and their accomplishment of collecting African-American art from 90 countries in six continents. We want people in our community to have the option to read this book and Omaha Public Library is a great starting point,” said Goodwin-Clinkscale.

OPL owned five copies of the book and the GBT Academy of the Arts arranged for Rogers to donate seven additional copies to ensure that the book is available at every location.

Check out your copy of this beautiful book today!

Financial Gifts

Gifts received between August 1-October 31, 2011.

Thank you to all our donors! Your support makes a difference.

Only honorarium and memorial gifts are listed. All other donors will be listed in OPLF’s annual report.

In honor of Amy Mather Omaha Community Foundation In honor of Millard Branch Sarah McKinstry-Brown Mason In Memory of Thomas W. Allen Anonymous In Memory of Barbara Gaskins Jon A. Elliott

In Memory of Connie M. Jacobs Millard Lioness Club In Memory of Ann Mackie Glenn Summers In Memory of Herbert Thiles Jeanette Capps In Memory of Thomas J. Walsh Robert M. Meehan

Changing Lives I have visited libraries all of my life. My earliest library memory is rushing to the bookmobile, which Nancy Wolf, Board President OPLF magically appeared down the street from my house during the long weeks of summer. As I grew older, I visited every week with my mother and watched as she systematically read through a stack of borrowed books until we returned the following week to look for more. Through the years, school reports and college studies took me to the library for needed research and quiet.

No matter which community I found myself in, I knew the way to the library. When my family moved to Omaha 22 years ago, we quickly located the closest schools, parks and libraries. We participated in Summer Reading Program, searched for book club selections, borrowed music and used the microfiche reader for research.

Now I search the catalog online from home, request titles to be held at my favorite locations, and download eBooks from any place with Internet service. All of these conveniences are available because I carry an Omaha Public Library card. OPL has so much more than the books and music we searched for 20 years ago. There are computers, books, movies, audiobooks, music, eBooks and more. The collections are amazing and the need for continuous change, upgrading and staff training is mind-boggling. The best part is that Omaha libraries are free to Douglas County residents, provided by our tax dollars.

...it i s vital to build and maintain a strong partnership between the publi c sector and the private philanthropi c community In order to offer library members current, relevant and competitive materials, programs and services, it is vital to build and maintain a strong partnership between the public sector and the private philanthropic community. Our tax dollars go a long way, but in order to maintain and expand the inventory and resources of our library system, our private contributions are necessary. Please consider a donation to the Omaha Public Library Foundation today and enjoy everything that our library has to offer.

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HOURS & LOCATIONS W. DALE CLARK MAIN LIBRARY

215 S. 15th St. / 402.444.4800 ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 - 6 PM

215 S. 15th St. Omaha, NE 68102

Nonprofit Org U.S. Postage

PAID Omaha, NE Permit No. 1818

MILTON R. ABRAHAMS BRANCH

5111 N. 90th St. / 402.444.6284 ______________________________________ CLOSED FOR RENOVATION AUG. 1 - DEC. 2011

BENSON BRANCH

6015 Binney St. / 402.444.4846 ______________________________________ _______ TU & WE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM TH, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

BESS JOHNSON ELKHORN BRANCH

2100 Reading Plz. / 402.289.4367 ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM WE, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

FLORENCE BRANCH

2920 Bondesson St. / 402.444.5299 ______________________________________ _______ TU & WE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM TH, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

MILLARD BRANCH

13214 Westwood Ln. / 402.444.4848 ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU & WE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM TH, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 - 6 PM

SADDLEBROOK BRANCH

14850 Laurel Ave. / 402.884.7473 ______________________________________ _______ MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM FR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 5 PM SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 AM - 4 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Noon - 6 PM

A.V. SORENSEN BRANCH

4808 Cass St. / 402.444.5274 ______________________________________ TU & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM WE, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

SOUTH OMAHA LIBRARY

2808 Q St. / 402.444.4850 (call for hours during MCC quarter breaks) ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU, WE & TH . . . . . . . . 7:30 AM - 9 PM FR, SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

W. CLARKE SWANSON BRANCH

9101 W. Dodge Rd. / 402.444.4852 ______________________________________ _________ MO, TH, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM TU & WE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Noon - 6 PM

CHARLES B. WASHINGTON BRANCH

2868 Ames Ave. / 402.444.4849 ______________________________________ _______ MO, TU & WE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM TH, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED

WILLA CATHER BRANCH

1905 S. 44th St. / 402.444.4851 ______________________________________ _______ TU & TH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 8 PM WE, FR & SA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 AM - 6 PM SU & MO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . CLOSED 24-hour renewal of materials: 402.444.4100 or omahalibrary.org TTY machine: 402.444.3825

Hours subject to change.

Hardbound

to Heartbound

speed dating at your library!

Sat | Feb 11 | 7 pm Benson Branch | 6015 Binney St. “Dating for Dummies,” “The Rules” and “He’s Just Not That Into You” can all be found in the 306.7 section of the Dewey Decimal System but if you’re looking for love, there’s another option — Hardbound to Heartbound. This is no ordinary speed dating experience — a literary event for people who like to read.

Bring a copy of your favorite book.

New Year’s Eve Fireworks with First National Bank

Sat | Dec 31 | 7 pm open 6-8 pm

W. Dale Clark Main Library | 215 S. 15th St. Bring your family and watch the show from the Library’s east windows. (4th floor reserved

for elderly and disabled)

Refreshments and a cash bar will be available, and door prizes will be given thoughout the evening.

For single people ages 25-45, registration required. Register online at omahalibrary.org or by calling 402.444.4800. For more information call Amy Mather at 402.444.3399.

Featured Resource

BusinessDecision is a web-based service that combines extensive consumer household, business and demographic data with a powerful mapping technology known as geographic information systems (GIS). OPL users now have free access to the same consumer and demographic data used by the nation’s top companies which can reduce costs, improve services to existing customers and attract new customers.

A variety of reports and maps that visually shows relationships and scenarios of data can instantly be created and emailed to users or stored online. Get started fast with helpful easy-to-use wizards, and the service is fully supported with frequently asked questions, tips and a help desk.

Go to omahalibrary.org and select Resource Center. Click on the category Business & Finance, then BusinessDecision.