The Library Staff are gearing up for Summer Reading. Be sure to keep watching our Facebook page and our newsletter for more information.

The Library Board would like to thank John Howard for his work in preserving the leaded glass windows of the library. John has added an extra window to each of the leaded glass windows to help protect them against the wind. We had one of the windows blow in last year due to the heat softening the lead and the north wind. John has custom made exterior glass windows to go over the leaded windows.

The Book Club meets on the first Wednesday of every month. The April discussion will be over the book “Trickster’s Queen” by Tamora Pierce. The May book that the Book Club will be discussing is “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson. In this National Book Award Finalist for Young People’s Literature Melinda’s first year of high school starts out with her being told to “Speak up for yourself – we want to know what you have to say.,” but she soon realizes that this is a big fat lie. Melinda does not have any friends and she is an outcast in the school due to her notifying the police of an end-of-summer party. No one will talk to her, and no one wants to listen to her. Melinda withdraws into her art and while working on a project she realizes that she was assaulted by an upperclassman during the party. Laurie Halse Anderson’s novel gives readers a very believable heroine with a bitterly ironic voice that will deliver a blow to the hypocritical world of high school.

Stop by the library and check out James Patterson’s newest Michael Bennett book. In this 16^th book of the series the New York detective faces his most terrifying killer ever. An unknown sniper has a hit list, and its number of victims is growing. Can Detective Bennett stop the killer? Is the killer Bennett’s partner who is a former Army Ranger. Or if you prefer, the much-anticipated Kristin Hannah book “The Women.” Based in 1965, Frankie McGrath who grew up in sunny California dares to imagine a different future for herself. Her brother has shipped out to serve in Vietnam and she decides to join the Army Nurse Corps and follow his path. Frankie is overwhelmed by the chaos and destruction of the war. Each day is a gamble of life and death. The real battle as we know lies in coming home. “The Women” is a story of women gone to war, but it shines a light on all women who put themselves in harm’s way and whose sacrifice and commitment to their country has too often been forgotten.

The library is still looking for anyone who would like to learn to play chess or players just looking for a game. We have a patron that would like to start a chess club and was wondering if anyone would be interested. For more information they can contact Bob at 620-755-1172.

Do not forget to pick up your 2024 Reading Challenge and join in the fun. We will be offering something special at the end of the challenges.

We look forward to seeing you at the library. We always welcome your comments on how we can make your visits more enjoyable and what types of things you would like to see on your visits. Feel free to send us a message through Messenger or drop us an email with your suggestions.

Tuesday. Wednesday, & Friday 1:00 – 5:00 – 877-739-2180 – library.florence@gmail.com – florence.lib.nckls.org