Don Musto is Beach Library Artist of Month
Activities This Week
Wednesday7, March 6, 10:30 a.m. Preschool Story Hour in Kid’s Place multi-purpose area
Wednesday, March 6, 10:30 a.m. Being Green: living lighter in Community Room
Wednesday, Match 6, 1:30 p.m. Car Info for the Clueless
Thursday, March 7, 10:30 a.m. The Brotherhood of the Nile
Thursday, March 7, 1:30 p.m. Declutter, Community Room A
Thursday, March 7, 1:30 p.m. Drawing, Community Room B
Friday, March 8, 10:30 a.m. Restorative Yoga
Friday, March 8, 1:30 p.m. Mindfulness Meditation
Saturday, March 9, Shrimp Fest. We are closed.
Monday March 11, 10:30 a.m. Conversational Spanish, Community Room A
Monday, March 11, 10:30 a.m. Writer’s Group, Community Room B
Tuesday, March 12, 1:30 p.m. Basic Camera Technique
Event Details
Many events are scheduled in the Community Room throughout the month. A listing of the entire month is available at the staff workstation on the First and Second Floors or on our website. Large screens on the second and third floors also note upcoming events and provide added details. There are also posters for each event on the bulletin board on the third floor.
Moving/Volunteer
Each week we are moving titles from climate-controlled storage to the library. You may well notice that the shelves are gradually getting more full. About 120 boxes are transported each week, which are then processed by staff and volunteers during the week. To transport everything at one time would be major expense and ring up costs and also mean additional labor and unnecessary tension. If you are able to help for a few weeks (generally a 4 hour time on a particular day), please fill out a volunteer application and note on the application “available to assist in processing returning titles.”
Meanwhile, every week passing means there are at least 2,000 plus more titles available. In addition to this there are, of course, the new titles that are added as they arrive from distributors.
Ukrainian Eggs
On display on the second floor is an array of pysanky-Ukrainian eggs. There is one shelf devoted to ones created during the past year focusing on adding gold to the eggs. The process is explained too in the exhibit.
Another feature are a series of ostrich and goose eggs written with a peacock theme-the preeminent bird and with it an array of colors and symbols that tells a fascinating story.
There will be demo of writing pysanky on March 28. Pre-register.
The eggs are written with wax covering parts of the design and then each step of the way dyed. Or some eggs can also use similar designs but be written with colored wax. The process is fun and soothing.
Artist of the Month
Don Musto is our featured artist in March. Paintings often fall into two types: representational or abstract. Representational works often portray objects that one can somewhat readily recognize while abstract works do not look like any particular object. Don’s array of paintings fall into the abstract category where his art is made up of designs, shapes and colors. His art relies on his own emotions and the elements of design rather than exact representation. I enjoy listening to his descriptions of individual works, as almost always there’s a discovery as to the elements or texture or materials used. I’m sure this gives him almost unlimited freedom of expression. I’ve said this before when describing his work but it bears repeating: It’s easy to see he is a lover of vibrant colors and bold lines. Clearly, for Don, the joy is in the process.
Continuing
We’re delighted that the Cup and Saucer collection of Marjorie Blakeman Southard Trostel, via Missy Layfield, continues through the month of March. There are so many interesting combinations that one can linger for quite awhile. It was interesting to hear about the memories that several of the sets brought for patrons this past week so that opportunity will continue onward for others too.
Postcards
As assortment of Fort Myers Beach postcards from throughout the decades graces the wall above the fountains on the second floor. There is also another arrangement just outside the quiet room on this same floor.
The Future
As you have seen in our completed construction project, the Beach Library is ready for the 21st century and looks forward with anticipation to expanded service and opportunities. Publishers have been somewhat fearful in recent years but it appears the tide may be changing. The annual Tools of Change for Publishing conference had a lot of optimism in terms of tomorrow. It appears from the charts that print sales have stabilized and this makes the new digital economy less troubling. People still love reading. It was surmised too at the conference that the digital environment will give us additional ability to share, and matter of fact may well require it. The rise of digital publishing creates a challenge with display, eliminating it to some degree as a way to drive book sales or awareness. Digitalization, in a way, has made books purely just for reading. Now, publishers must really compete for the attention of the reader.
Hours
A recorder at 765-8162 gives the hours we are open if you call in when we are closed. Open hours are Monday and Wednesday 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday 9 to 5; and Saturday 9 to 4. We look forward to seeing you.