Fosston Library book tree

How inventive - a Christmas tree constructed of books, and how appropriate for a library.

December at the Art Center

        Snow and ice, cold temperatures, long dark winter nights - it must be December. Once again  you  may get into the holiday spirit by attending a special program of Christmas music at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 7:00 p.m. Orland Aspen’s vocal students will be performing, refreshments will be served, and it’s free. What more could you ask for?
The library book club will be having a Christmas party on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. This month’s book is  He Sees You When You’re Sleeping by  mother and daughter team Mary Higgins Clark and Carol Higgins Clark. Attendees are asked to bring  appetizers or treats to share as well as some suggestions as to what  to read in the coming year. New members are always welcome.
Plans are for a new exhibit to go up in the Sorenson Gallery by mid-December. It will feature mixed media/assemblage art by Fosston resident Karen Dearing.
If you are looking ahead to the new year and  are thinking you might like an opportunity to volunteer your time and talents, I have a suggestion for you.  The FCLAA board will be needing four new members in January. This board supervises the various activities sponsored by the FCLAA - gallery, theater, music, and lectures, as well as helping to promote the Fosston Library. Meetings are held at 5:30 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month. If you think you might be interested, contact Keri Mireault (435-6675) for more information.
Writers’ group will meet Thursday, Dec. 4, at 7:30 p.m. This group is for anyone interested in writing, whether for publication or just for their own family. Usually folks bring a sample of their writing to share with the group, but if you think you may be interested, you’re welcome to just sit in and find out what goes on.
The library is looking pretty festive these days as more winter/Christmas decorations are going up right along. The Christmas tree constructed of books is particularly impressive so be sure to take note of that when you’re there.
Just a reminder about holiday closings:
The library will close at noon on Dec. 24 and of course be closed Christmas Day. It will be open for the usual hours on Dec. 26. On New Year’s Eve, the library will close at 5 p.m. and be closed New Year’s Day, reopening for normal hours on Jan. 2.
Stay warm and have a Merry Christmas.

November Happenings

For better or worse, November is here. There isn’t snow on the ground yet, Thanksgiving Day will be here before we know it, and there are some good things on the schedule at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center. We should all give thanks.
On Wednesday, November 12, at 6:30 p.m., there will be a free concert by Paul Imholte, who is known as the Musical Stringman. While Imholte’s primary instrument is the hammered dulcimer, he also plays about a dozen other instruments, including fiddle, guitar, banjo, mandolin, viola, cello and autoharp. He will be performing Celtic melodies, humorous songs and ballads. This is a Legacy event you don’t want to miss.
While story time at the library is always special, it is even more so now, thanks a special collaboration with Project Get Outdoors, Inc. Once a month Alysa Zimmerle from Crookston, who works with the Project GO, will partner with Tammi to present a story time promoting nature exploration and outdoor learning. The theme in October was “Fall.” Coming up on November 14 will be “Hibernation and How Animals Prepare for Winter.” Tammi says they may even transform the library picnic table into a bear cave.
The big book sale during October took in at least $800. The money goes to help library program. Thanks to everyone who purchased books or donated.
The current display in the gallery is text-based drawing projects bys Brett Lysne. Most of these works were developed while Lysne was artist-in -residence at the New York Mills Regional Cultural Center. Small in scale and rich in detail, the drawing require close scrutiny to be appreciated. You may want to bring your magnifying glass.
Book club meets Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. This month’s selection is Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout. New members are always welcome.
The library will be closed on Tuesday, Nov. 11, for Veteran’s Day and Thursday, Nov. 27, for Thanksgiving Day. It will close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26.
Coming up in December:
Mom to Mom group - Tuesday, Dec. 2, 7 p.m. Michelle Johnson will have some holiday decorating tips.
Writers’ Group - Thursday, Dec. 4, 7:30 p.m. (postponed from November)

October at the Library

What can one say about October? It’s here again, the leaves are beautiful this year, and the Fosston Library Arts Center has lots of interesting things going on this month. The used book sale will be in the basement the whole month with lots and lots of books, CDs, video tapes and DVDs. Nothing costs more than a dollar and proceeds go toward library programming. You can find the best bargains in town, except maybe for your library card.
The library has a new employee, Jennifer Moan, who replaces Michelle Johnson. Jennifer lives on a farm north of McIntosh with her husband Steve and their 11-year-old daughter, whom she home schools. There she raises chickens, gardens and loves to read. A self-described “Air Force brat,” Jennifer moved to this area from Madison, Wisconsin. She also has an adult daughter and two grandchildren. Welcome her when you see her in the library.
Author Annalee Woodstrom will be speaking at the library on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 p.m. Woodstrom was born and grew up in a small town in Bavaria, where she saw the rise of Hitler and experienced World War II. She came to the US in 1947 as the bride of an American serviceman. Her two books are War Child and Empty Chairs.  This program is funded by money from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.
Another Legacy Fund event will take place on Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. Robert and Lynn Halbrook’s Steampunk Magic Show is described as presenting “a unique blend of comedy and mechanical magical wizardry.” It explores the type of science fiction that is known as Steampunk. This family-friendly presentation can be enjoyed by young people and adults as well.
October 13-18 is Teen Read Week. Teens are invited to enter the design-your-own-bookmark contest.  In addition, any teen caught reading in the library will win a prize.
The library book club meets Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m. The book for this month is And the Mountains Echoes by Khaled Hosseini. There will be coffee and maybe some treats. New members are always welcome.
Mom-to-Mom time is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 21, at 7 p.m. This month’s topic is spooky Halloween treats.
The writers’ group has resumed meeting after a summer hiatus.  They will meet again on Thursday, Oct. 23. All aspiring writers are welcome.
Looking ahead, I’ve heard the exciting news that there may be a winter musical theater production of It’s a Wonderful Life. Watch for more information.
One final note: The library will be closed Monday, Oct. 13 (Columbus Day) as the staff will be attending LARL staff day in Moorhead.

Traveling Art Show

Brook Panzer's horsehair pottery

The Traveling Mini Art Exhibit sponsored by the Northwest Regional Arts Council is currently on display in the Sorenson Gallery. Fifteen pieces of artwork were selected for this annual traveling art exhibition. They include original paintings, mosaic, drawings, pastel, prints and clay pottery.

Jan Osborn's pen & ink drawing of the Settler's Cabin at Old Mill State Park

September at the Art Center

Once again we are saying goodbye to summer and hello to fall as we move into September, an exciting time at the Fosston Community Library Art Center, where many activities are resuming after a summer break.
Music lessons will again be offered and this fall we have an additional guitar teacher - Scott Paavola, who lives in  the Waubun area. Originally from Wisconsin, Scott studied music at the University of Wisconsin - Superior and has played both acoustic and electric guitar for many years. His phone number is 218-556-8669.
Other instructors are:
Eric Olson (guitar, bass and drums) - pastorericolson@gmail.com or 218-694-2687;
Jeff Menten, member of American String Teachers Association, (violin, viola, cello, mandolin, upright bass)  218-255-0087 or jeffmentenmusic@hotmail.com; Orland Aspen (voice) - musicman56@gvtel.com or 435-6791; Kay Carlsen (piano) - aagekay@gvtel.com or 435-6710;  Lora Lee Saeter (piano) saeter@gvtel.com or 435-1422. If you or your child are interested in lessons, please contact one of the instructors directly.
Beginning Friday, September 5, the Sorenson Gallery will be hosting the Northwest Regional Arts Council’s mini art exhibit, which features paintings, photography, drawings, pastels, and clay pottery. The artists are all from the Northwest Region.
Coming up on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 7 p.m. is a special presentation on Amish quilting. Julie Truax Tebay is from the Rochester area, where she owns Quilting Plus, a hand quilting service which employs Amish women. She has been a quilter since 1978. If you are a quilter, you won’t want to miss this MN Legacy program, or even if you just admire the finished product and have no interest in doing it yourself, you might want to attend.
Another Legacy Event program coming up on Thursday, Oct. 2, at 6:30 p.m. will feature author Annelee Woodstrom. She is an interesting speaker and if you haven’t read her books, War Child: Growing up in Adolf Hitler’s Germany and Empty Chairs, you definitely should. Watch for more information in October.
Book Club resumes on  Tuesday, September 9, at 7 p.m. with Meet Me at Emotional Baggage Claim by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella. Everyone is welcome - we always have a good discussion, but if you want to just listen, that’s okay too.
Writers’ group will resume Thursday, Sept. 25, at 7:30, Mom to Mom time on Tuesday, Sept.  23 (topic: in-laws), and Family Fun Time will be each Wednesday at 3:30 p.m.  There seems to be something here for everyone.

August at the Library

It’s August and I guess one could say we’re in the dog days of summer, although by the end of the month we’ll be counting down to fall. Appropriately, at the Fosston Library, the summer reading program, Paws to Read, continues through the month. There is still time for kids to get their reading logs completed and be eligible for the big prizes at the end of the month.
There are also a couple of extra special programs still to come. On Wednesday, August 13, at 2 p.m. we will PAWS for magic, with Professor Marvel’s Amazing Aussie Adventure. Professor Marvel has been here in previous years and presents a different show every time. They all combine magic and books, however, and your children won’t want to miss his performance.
On Wednesday, August 20, also at 2 p.m., children are invited to PAWS for a swim with a pool party at the Fosston Civic Center. A signed permission slip is required - you may call the library for more information. (435-1320)
There is still time to enter the PAWS to Read photo contest which is for all ages. Take a picture of your pet reading or being read to and submit it either electronically or as a printed picture. There haven’t been many entries yet, so you have a good chance of winning.
If you feel in need of some more instruction in using the computer, remember you can  receive free individualized training at the library by appointment (435-1320). Topics available are Get to Know Your Computer, Internet Basics and Searching with Google, Basic E-mail, Microsoft Word, Social Networking with Facebook, and Using your eReader with Overdrive.
I’m hearing that there will be a remodeling project coming up at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center involving the bathrooms in the basement. Hopefully this will happen; it’s badly needed. Stay tuned for more developments.
One last reminder - Labor Day comes early this year, September 1, and, as always, the library will be closed  for the day.