December has arrived and the Christmas decorations and large tree are making their annual appearance here at Rhoads Memorial Library. We are 'decking the halls,' so to speak, getting ready for the yuletide.
Among local holiday events scheduled is a meeting of Dimmitt Book Club on Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 2 p.m. here in our meeting room. Members Mary Ruth Baird and Zetha Collins are tasked with presenting a festive Christmas program to the group, and the public is invited.
Later that day, Dimmitt's Sixth Annual Light Parade will begin at 7:15 p.m. It is hosted by the Dimmitt Chamber of Commerce after Richardson Elementary's Winterfest. For information, contact the Chamber.
A new read about Christmas is 'A Wish for Winter, ' another new release written by Viola Shipman, an author who is gaining popularity with our local patrons. This book follows Susan Norcross, a successful bookstore owner in a tight-knight Michigan lakeside community.
Despite losing her parents in a tragic accident just before her 14 Christmas, Susan has been raised by loving grandparents and supported by quirky friends. But approaching her 40th birthday forces her to examine what she has not achieved, such as finding her true love. Her small town is sure she is destined to meet and marry a man dressed as Santa, just as her mother and grandmother did.
Sure enough, she connects with a man who is participating in the annual Santa Run, but he gets lost in the crowd before she can get his name. This leads to a hilarious and heartwarming search for him by Susan and her friends. 'USA Today' says the book is 'sure to tug on heartstrings and delight readers who love books about books, missed connections, and the magic of Christmas.'
Alternatively, we can provide you a brief respite from holiday stress as we offer new releases of books ready for checkout, including: -'The Whittiers' (a novel) by Danielle Steel; -'The Choice' (the Dragon Heart Legacy) by Nora Roberts; -'Hands Down' (a Dick Francis novel) by Felix Francis; -'The Perfect Assassin' (a Doc Savage thriller) by James Patterson and Brian Sitts.
'Food for Fines' will be offered Dec. 1, through Jan. 31, 2023, whereby patrons may donate a can of food in lieu of cash for every $2 owed in fines. Cans must bear a nonexpired date and will be given to the local food pantry. This special deal applies only to fines, however, and not to lost books. (Some people even donate food without owing a fine.)
This opportunity enables patrons to return to good standing not only with our library but with other area libraries as well. This is because we, along with most of the other public libraries throughout the Texas Panhandle, are members of Harrington Library Consortium. Since we all share the same computer database, we are alerted when a fine is owed and a checkout of items will be denied to the patron until their fine is paid.
Until next week, Happy Reading!