PPLC in the News Largo Library Hosts 1st Annual Awards Reception for Water Works of Art Countywide Photography Contest The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative member libraries had a great response to its first countywide amateur photography contest this summer. With over 250 entries, the judges had the difficult task of selecting the 1st through 3rd place winners and honorable mentions in the three age categories. The judges, Kay Campbell, Pinellas County Cultural Affairs; Denis Kelly, DK Art Prints; and E Dawn Nichols, Suncoast Camera Club met to review the selections at the Palm Harbor Library and chose the following winners: Up to Age 12 Teens Ages 13-19 Adults Ages 20 & Up 1st: Cobi Coats 1st: Alexa Gurney 1st: Michele Alonso 2nd: Graci Tubbs 2nd: Danielle Behr 2nd: Kathy Lerche 3rd: Jill Lapine 3rd: Victoria Schatz 3rd: Emily Kapes Honorable Mention:     Mitchell Nolan Erin Detzler Cynthia Brooks

Current Newsletter September Click HERE for past issues.

Largo Staff Member Tammy Winkler and Library Director Casey McPhee with some of the winning entries. The Largo Public Library hosted the Awards Reception and Library Director Casey McPhee and staff member Tammy Winkler welcomed the crowd and recognized the winners with certificates and cash prizes. Also in attendance was Paula Godfrey from the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative to support this first countywide photography initiative. All prizes were provided through the generous support of the Friends of the Largo Public Library. Reception refreshments were generously donated by Chipotle Mexican Grill. Winning photographs will be on display at select Pinellas Public Library Cooperative public libraries.

The schedule for 2010/2011 is as follows:
August — Largo
September — Clearwater Main
October — Pinellas Park
November — Palm Harbor
December — St. Petersburg Main
January — St. Pete Beach
February — Tarpon Springs.

The program is jointly sponsored by the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative, the Friends of the Largo Library, and the Greater Largo Library Foundation, Inc.

Celebrate Library Card Sign-Up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month! Sign-up for a Library Card during the month of September for your chance to win tickets to a 2010 Tampa Bay Buccaneers game! As part of the American Library Association's annual national promotion to "Get the Smartest Card @ your library ®", children and adults that sign up for a new library card during the month of September will be eligible to win. Your library card opens the door to great print resources, public programming, and technology - you can register in person or online at www.pplc.us and click on "Get a Library Card".

Make Reading Your Goal and visit your local Pinellas Public Library Cooperative member library today for more information and a chance to register to win. For more information, please visit the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative Web site at www.pplc.us.

Pinellas Public Library Cooperative Wraps Up Summer Reading: Thank You to the Tampa Bay Rays and Chipotle Mexican Grill

The Rays gave children a chance to earn great incentives as they circled the bases on their game cards and receive a free ticket to a Rays baseball game once the participant made it to Home Plate! This program also partnered the Rays and PPLC with the St. Petersburg Times' Newspapers in Education. Teens had an opportunity to "splash into your library" with Chipotle and win cool prizes! Once a teen completed seven Bingo squares, they received a Burrito Buck for a free burrito, bowl, salad or order of tacos. Grand prize drawings were also sponsored for teens for a Chipotle Prize Pack and burrito party for up to 25 people.

Through their dedication and generosity, they have demonstrated the importance of reading and their commitment to our communities. The Pinellas Public Library Cooperative and its member libraries appreciate these organizations willingness to support our local public libraries. Summer reading is over and it was a busy time for our kids and teens this year. The Tampa Bay Rays supported the Reading with the Rays: Read Your Way to the Ballpark for our third consecutive year and Chipotle Mexican Grill sponsored our second summer of Teen Burrito Bingo to encourage reading and learn more about their libraries.

Meet Young Adult Author, Sherri L. Smith

As part of the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative's celebration of Teen Read Week, Books with Beat @ your library (October 17- 23, 2010), Sherri L. Smith will be headlining this year's event at select library locations. The Young Adult Author program is an annual event that partners Pinellas County public libraries and public schools in hosting a young adult author during the American Library Association's (ALA) Teen Read Week celebration. This program is in its seventh year in Pinellas County and brings author Sherri L. Smith to varying locations to provide a presentation and/or writing workshop to teens throughout the county. Sherri L. Smith is the author of the Sunshine State Young Readers Award list title, Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet.

Based on her body of work, Ms. Smith is also one of the individuals invited by the U.S. State Department to provide input into a discussion about multiculturalism in the United States.

Ms. Smith's newest release, Flygirl (2009), is the recipient of several awards and honors including the 2010 American Library Association Best Books for Young People, 2009 Washington Post Best Kids' Books of the Year, and was the featured cover of the April 2009 Booklist magazine. The author will be discussing this novel, as well as her other body of work, during her author visit in October. Please check out the author's Web site for more information about her, her novels, and links to educational resources at www.sherrilsmith.com.

For more information, please contact the Pinellas Public Library Cooperative at (727) 441-8408.

PPLC Monthly Newsletter

Current Newsletter - September

Previous Newsletters

2010: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August

2009: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2008: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2007: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2006: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

2005: October, November, December

To view online newsletters requires Adobe Acrobat Reader