The Rolling Hills Library Foundation is pleased to announce the kick-off of their bookmobile fundraising campaign with two celebrations for the public on March 15th. Join us for a noon program at the Belt Branch featuring music from family violin group Fiddlers Three. A 6pm celebration at the Savannah Branch will feature the a capella group Voices of America. Both celebrations will include food and information about the bookmobile and the Foundation's fundraising efforts. 

The campaign's goal is to raise $200,000 by 2013 for the purchase of a bookmobile and a variety of books to stock it. The bookmobile would be put into service for the patrons of rural Andrew and Buchanan counties later that year. A bookmobile would provide better and more efficient library services for residents who live in outlying parts of the two-county area. A bookmobile would also allow the library to bring materials and programming to schools, senior centers, and community events outside of St. Joseph and Savannah where services are currently focused.

Our Adult Winter Reading Program has officially begun! This year's program, "Game On!", is based on a bingo theme. Official bingo game boards are available now at either branch of the library.

The cards are made up of 16 squares and each square is marked with a different category. Read a book in that category and write the title down in the square. If you read four books in a row-- either across, down, or diagonally-- you will get a prize bag with an inviation to a wrap-up party, a free paperback book, and your name entered into a grand prize drawing for a Kindle e-reader.

Get another bingo, and your name will be entered into the Kindle drawing a second time. If you complete the entire bingo card (blackout!), your name will get entered into the Kindle drawing four times!

Like us on Facebook, and you could win a grab bag of library goodies! We're giving away three paperback books, pens, pencil, notepads, and more! Just go to http://www.facebook.com/RollingHillsConsolidatedLibrary and be our friend, comment on the "grab bag" post and you will be entered in our drawing. A winner will be chosen on January 3rd. There will be more Facebook giveaways in the future, so friend us now!

In the spirit of the holiday season, this month at the Belt Branch we have a display featuring santas from around the world. About 65 figurines from the collection of the late Gary Tietz are on display in the cases at the front of the library. Gary had an extensive Christmas collection, and the figures on display are only a small portion of it. Next year, the library plans to display his Christmas village in the upstairs annex space during the month of December. Many thanks to the Tietz family for lending us the collection!

 Library patrons who travel south for the winter will now be able to check out their books through the mail. The library is extending its books-by-mail program for homebound patrons to include those who move to warmer climates for the winter. Books are mailed in sturdy canvas envelopes along with return mailing labels, return postage and plastic ties to secure the bag for return. Also included are request slips that patrons can use to order more books. 

For more information or to sign-up for the program, contact Tina Marriott, Belt Branch reference assistant, at 816-232-5479 x2202 or e-mail tmarriott@rhcl.org. 

A national touring exhibit that examines how Lincoln used the Consitution to confront the crisis of the civil war will be on display at the Belt Branch in the fall of 2013.

"Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War" is organized by the American Library Association Public Programs Office and the National Constitution Center and made possible by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The exhibit, which will be here October 2nd through November 15th, 2013, features colorful panels that show photographic reproductions of such documents as Lincoln's inaugural speech and the Emancipation Proclamation.

Photo ©2009 Alusiv, Inc.