Celebrate Your Freedom to Read!

Every year, the American Library Association (ALA) co-sponsors Banned Books Week. This year it's Sept. 27th through Oct. 4th, so we're right in the midst of it now. According to ALA's website, "Banned Books Week emphasizes the freedom to choose or the freedom to express one's opinion even if that opinion might be considered unorthodox or unpopular and the importance of ensuring the availability of those unorthodox or unpopular viewpoints to all who wish to read them." In other words, libraries are celebrating a diversity of viewpoints and their freedom to have a variety of works in their collections.

What books have been the most challenged? ALA also has a list of those books here. The lists include The Catcher in the Rye, Grapes of Wrath, Huckleberry Finn, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, and yes, even Harry Potter. Do you see any of your favorite books on that list?

We've got our own Banned Books Display at the Cashiers Community Library. You can find some of those challenged books here because, as Doris Lessing said, “With a library you are free, not confined by temporary political climates. It is the most democratic of institutions because no one - but no one at all - can tell you what to read and when and how.” We also won't tell you what you can't read. Come by and celebrate your freedom to read!

Thursday Movie Night

This Thursday's movie is Cat Ballou, starring Lee Marvin and Jane Fonda. It continues our September theme of Comedies. It's rated G and runs 96 minutes. Showtime is 7:00 at the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library's Meeting Room.

Lee Marvin, riding his inebriated palomino, won an Academy Award® as Best Actor of the year for his performance as the drunkest gunfighter in the West, one of the few times in the long history of the coveted Oscar® that a comic role was so honored.

Free admission and popcorn! Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.

Event: Storytime Fall Kickoff!

During the school year, Cashiers Community Library hosts a preschool storytime every Wednesday at 11:00. Join Miss Elizabeth for stories, songs, art, and more! This season's storytimes begin next week with a big welcome (or welcome back) to the library. We'll sign up preschoolers for their very own library cards and introduce them to our wonderful children's library.

Storytime Kickoff Info:

• Wednesday, Sept. 10th


• 11:00 AM


• Located in our children's room


• Free!

See you there!

Book Review - The March by E.L. Doctorow

E.L. Doctorow's 2005 novel, The March, lets readers into the personal aspect of General Sherman's consuming trek across the South during the Civil War. Taking liberty with history, Doctorow invents a plethora of characters to give insight into the daily experiences, the comings and goings, and the overwhelming nature of the march. Protagonists include a freed slave girl who passes as white, an Army surgeon intent on his craft, and General Sherman himself.

Doctorow's style is lyrical yet detailed. He deftly balances giving readers in-depth accounts of battles with also depicting characters' personal struggles of race or the acts of war. His writing evokes the drama and desperation of the time without forfeiting hope in the long run. While some readers might not like the loose ends that arise as characters join and fall out of the plot, the technique illustrates the ever- evolving crowd that creates the March as its own defined and driven character. Recommended for fans of historical and literary fiction.

Celebrate National Children's Book Week!

This week is National Children's Book Week. To celebrate, Fontana Regional Library is hosting a series of storytelling events featuring David Novak and the Storytellers' Kitchen. His visit to Cashiers will focus on "The Little Gel-O Fellow"--all ages are encouraged to attend this one hour program. David Novak will be at Cashiers Community Library on Wed. November 14th at 11:00 AM. Free and open to everyone!

In honor of this special week, Cashiers Community Library staff has recommended their favorite pictures books. Stop by the children's room to see what stories come with our approval!

An AC-CCL Halloween

Yesterday was Halloween and what a great day it was at Cashiers Community Library. I think the whole library took pause when the parade of preschoolers came in for the Halloween Costume party with Miss Elizabeth. Dinosaurs, princesses, superheros, cowboys, cheerleaders, firefighters. It was definitely something to see!

Now November is here and we're starting to get ready for Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving. Stop by to see our displays to get an idea for the next great book to read...or the next great dish to cook.

Saturday Morning Cartoons

Watching the show!
Originally uploaded by Cashiers Community Library

Thanks to everyone who came to this past weekend's kick-off for the new monthly family event! Saturday Morning Cartoons and our showing of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!" were a big hit. We had about 38 people attend, making it an impressive crowd.

Our next show will be on November 17th at 10:30 AM (a Saturday, of course). Come in your pajamas and join us in watching classic Looney Tunes cartoons. We'll provide light snacks (cereal, juice, and coffee). Hope to see you soon!