Many thanks to Joe and Tessa Hughes for their generous donation (which will be matched by Tessa’s company). Thanks also to Kenneth Shigley for his donation of Moon Lake School yearbooks from the years 1952 and 1953. If you’d like to see them, please feel free to come by the library and have a look.

Everyone was enthralled by Mike Ellis' magic show in June…many thanks to Mike for presenting his fun and inspiring program, “The Magic of Reading.” (Did you know…he learned how to do magic from a BOOK?!)

We have many programs slated for July, both fun and educational. Our summer social was so much fun last year that one of the grandmothers who brought her grandchildren asked for the date in early May, saying she wanted to plan their summer schedule around it. It's on Saturday, July 20, and I hope you’ll find it as fun as she did. If you fancy yourself a pie baker, please enter our pie contest! This year's pie judges will be Mentone Police Chief Gene McKee, Fire Chief Joseph Lee, and DeSoto Rescue Squad 2nd Lieutenant JD Trammell. Mentone Town Clerk Kristen Emory will coordinate the contest for us. Once the winning pies have been picked, everyone can gather around and eat them! As well, MERF has arranged for an ice cream truck to be at the social, so bring some money for your favorite cold summer treat! (Everything else is free.)

Some of our patrons have been asking for help with their Kindle e-readers, so if you, too, would like some assistance, we'll be happy to help. Bring your Kindle to the library during open hours and we can give you a brief tutorial on how to use it.

Don't forget…we have computers and a printer/copier for your use at no charge. People have used them for job applications, tax forms, signing up for utilities, and other purposes. You might be surprised by how many travelers on Hwy. 117 stop in and use the computers for directions. It's been very helpful to have them available to the public, and the library remains grateful to MAPA for funding the grant to purchase them.

We’ve received many donations of books recently, and we’ve bought many as well, so stop by and see what’s new.

If you’re a movie buff, we have well over 1,000 DVDs. Our children’s case contains movies rated G, our family case is where you’ll find the movies rated PG, and our general cases contain everything else, including documentaries and TV shows/series. It's an impressive collection.

Library cards are free to all, regardless of where you live. Since we’re a true community library, run by a board of directors as a non-profit organization, we are not tied to the county system, so our rules can be more flexible.

The Lookout Mountain Knitters continue to meet each Tuesday at 3 to enjoy knitting and crocheting together, often helping one another suss out a complicated pattern. They've also been helping newbies refine their technique. There's always a lot of laughter around the tables when they're there. Feel free to join them if you're interested.

We are open Tuesdays and Thursday from 3–6 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. See you at the library!

Join your friends and neighbors for lawn games and other fun on the MERF Walking Trail next to the library on Saturday, July 20, at 1 p.m. If you’d like to enter a pie in the contest, you must pre-register by emailing [email protected] before 7/18.

Join fellow book lovers on for a discussion of Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. Time magazine says, “Anthony Horowitz’s Magpie Murders is catnip for classic mystery lovers… With its elegant yet playful plotting, Magpie Murders is the thinking mystery fan’s ideal summer thriller.”
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The book club will meet on Saturday, July 20, at 10:30 a.m. at Moon Lake Community Library in Mentone (where the book is available for check-out). Everyone is welcome to join the discussion. Coffee and hot tea will be served.

The whole family is invited to this special program on black bears with Auburn University graduate student Hannah Leeper, who is currently studying the bears in our area for her master’s thesis. Get expert advice on what to do if you spot a bear, and learn about their habitats and behaviors. Hannah will show photos of her work with the bears, and also describe what it's like to “catch” one!

​Join us on Saturday, July 27, at 10 a.m. This program is free.

Learn more at ​https://www.mapamentone.com/uploads/1/0/9/8/109889080/july2019-groundhog.pdf

Author Lanier Isom is a part-time Mentone resident who co-wrote Grace and Grit: My Fight for Equal Pay and Fairness at Goodyear and Beyond with Lily Ledbetter.

Lilly was born in the small town of Possum Trot, Alabama, into a home without running water and electricity. She eventually secured a position in management at the Goodyear plant in Gadsden, one of the first women to be hired at this level. No matter how well she performed in her position, though, Lilly faced daily sexual harassment and pranks, and an unconcealed reluctance to work alongside (or below) a woman.

Lilly pressed onward, believing that eventually things would change, that her hard work and high performance would make a difference. Instead, the more she achieved, the worse she was treated.

Children and adults alike are invited to come out for a Saturday morning Games and Legos Day on July 13 at 10 a.m. Put the electronics away and sit down for a round of Apples to Apples, dominoes, chess, checkers, and other fun games. Get ready for some intergenerational competition as you try out new games and enjoy old favorites.