Jan Bobbett

Welcome to 2023. I hope you’ll stop by our library to meet our librarians and explore our variety of books. The Christmas books are now back in storage until we face Christmas 2023.

As always, our Library Board strives to reflect our customers’ interests. Here are some Library Board purchases in December (you can find them in our Best Sellers cabinet): Connelly’s Desert Star, Child’s No Plan B, Cornwell’s Livid, Patterson’s Triple Cross (large print version), and Robb’s Desperation in Death (large print version).

Our Best Sellers cabinet is available to users when a librarian is there to check out the book. But you do not need a librarian to check out our other books. And we have many. Borrow your choices and return any books (or donations) in our book slot in the library area.

Let me introduce our Library Board member who takes the lead in selecting books to purchase: Pat Weitzel. She has been a board member for nearly 10 years and also volunteers with other organizations, including Chandler Regional Medical Center and Clothes Cabin (for people in need). Her own favorite authors include Louise Penny, Jonathon Kellerman, and David Baldacci. Pat’s hardback purchases are kept in the Best Sellers cabinet while they are in demand. We appreciate Pat’s work, and I’m glad she includes large print books in her purchases.

Speaking of large print books, we have a pretty good selection, but we can always use more. You might be surprised how Sun Lakers with vision issues perk up when they see so many books they can read. Just as heartwarming are visits from those who love someone with vision issues. They know their friend loves having access to those books. Large print books are more expensive but are so appreciated. If you have any large print books you would like to share, our library would be a good place for them.

Last month I introduced Norma Futch and her little “free library house” that she keeps at home in her yard. The other day I stumbled upon a book about a similar tiny library. Our copy of The Tiny Library, by Poppy Alexander, proved to be a good read. It’s fiction, but I bet Norma has some interesting stories about her own little library house.

While recently perusing the hardback fiction area of our library, I happened upon a book that included a surprise. On the inside cover I found an attractive sticker saying that the book had been donated in memory of Alice Carmichael by the Golden Goalies. Since I was a longtime member of that group and a friend of Alice, I have to say I was very moved—by the gesture, the memories, and the book itself, which is called The Light of the World, a memoir by Elizabeth Alexander. Ah, the pleasant surprises you find in our library.