Writer-in-residence at Liverpool library

A well-respected writer, educator, writing consultant, Gunnery is also a board member of the Writers’ Union of Canada. She is the author of nine young adult and children’s books and eight non-fiction titles, including a number that deal with writing. Her great strengths as a writer and a writing teacher make her the perfect choice to be the first SSRL Writer-in-Residence.

A Writer-in-Residence program has many benefits for the community and for the writer: area writers can work one-on-one with a professional writer in their home communities, free of charge; SSRL will offer writing workshops in Lunenburg, Liverpool and Bridgewater for children and adults; the writer will maintain regular office hours, at all Library branches, at convenient times making the program very accessible; and the program will also provide support to Gunnery to pursue her own writing project.

The WIR project is sponsored by the Canada Council for the Arts, the Friends of South Shore Regional Library and a number of community partners.

Gunnery will be at the Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool on Thursday, September 18 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

A few spaces remain in the Basic Computer Classes for Seniors in the Lunenburg and Liverpool Libraries. This four-week class is for the true beginner. Learn the basics in a relaxed, no-stress atmosphere.

Lessons include turning on the computer, word processing, surfing the net and email.

Classes at Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool begin on Oct. 3 at 10 a.m. Call 354-5270 to register.

This is it folks. Book Sale weekend is upon us. The sale begins Sept. 19 at the Michelin Social Club in Bridgewater and continues throughout the weekend (Sept 20-21). This year the sale will open its doors at 5 p.m. on Friday, a first for the Library's Book Sale. The annual fall book sale is your chance to stock up on fall and winter reading at bargain prices. You may even find some early Christmas gifts. Browse to your heart’s content, then stop by the Friends Library Café for coffee and a sweet treat. Friday and Saturday the prices are $3 for hardcovers and $2 for paperbacks.

The books are $5 per box on Sunday. The hours on Friday are 5 - 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. The sale is organized by the Friends of the Library with the proceeds going to the Library.

Got the nothing-to-do-In-service-Day blues? Grab a friend and drop-in to the Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool for a movie. On Sept. 26 the feature presentation is Walt Disney Pictures' College Road Trip starring Raven-Symone and Martin Lawrence. Choosing which college to attend can be the most exciting and thrilling time of a young woman’s life unless your overprotective father isn’t quite ready to let you go. In this family comedy, Melanie (Raven-Symoné) is eagerly looking forward to her first big step towards independence when she plans a girl’s only road trip to check out prospective universities. But when her overbearing police chief father (Martin Lawrence) insists on escorting her instead, she soon finds her dream trip has turned into a nightmare adventure full of comical misfortune and turmoil. Rated G. Free popcorn. Showtime is 1:30 p.m. Ages 8 and up. Admission is free and drop-ins are welcome.

As we approach the Municipal Election season, it is important to consider ways we can become involved in the future of our communities beyond simply voting once every four years. A mini-series on citizen engagement entitled "Communities and Government: “Who's Speaking? “Who’s Listening?" will invite participants to explore these ideas in a deeper way. All sessions will take place in the Lunenburg Library beginning at 7:30 p.m. On Sept. 23 the topic is Bring Government Closer to Home featuring speaker Alan Parry.

In the last 50 years, the growth of governments is destroying the capability of Nova Scotia communities to respond to their needs as perceived by their citizens. Tax dollars generated from communities are no longer available for solving problems in those communities.

Instead, they flow to Ottawa and Halifax where experts and specialists make many of the decisions that affect us. Retired Corporate and Strategic Planning consultant, Alan Parry argues that it is increasingly difficult for citizens to become involved in decisions that affect them when these decisions are made so far away by people they don't know and are not easily accessible. He will invite you to decide whether you consider this to be a problem and if so, what should citizens do to begin to take back some of the authority for local decision-making?

Keep track of all programs, services and requests by visiting our website often. We’re at www.ssrlibrary.ca