October 1, 2009
For Immediate Release: Award-winning author Patrick Carman Kicks Off Community Reads 2009 at Wood County District Public Library Wednesday, October 7 at 7:00 pm

 Patrick Carman, the award-winning author of books for young adults and children, will be in Bowling Green Wednesday, October 7 to kick off Community Reads 2009 at 7:00 pm at Wood County District Public Library (251 North Main St., Bowling Green). While the writings of Edgar Allan Poe are the focus of this year’s Community Reads, Carman’s book, Skeleton Creek, has been selected as a companion book for younger readers because of its references to Poe and his works.

September 14, 2009
For Immediate Release:  Community Reads 2009 Celebrates Edgar Allan Poe

Bowling Green and the Wood County District Public Library are preparing for the area’s eighth Community Reads project, which takes place each year during the month of October. Readers are invited to “Expect the Unexpected” this year as Community Reads celebrates the 200th anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe's birth.

“A Community Reads in October is tailor-made for rediscovering Poe’s stories and poems. You could even say we’re very excited by the “Poe-tential” that plans for fun and educational programming have for bringing Bowling Green together to read and discuss this beloved and influential American author,” said Mary Callahan Boone of WCDPL.

Community Readers may read any of Poe's works, but will find the exciting new anthology of Poe short stories In the Shadow of the Master, edited by Michael Connelly, on hand at the Wood County District Public Library as the “official” Community Reads book. Plus, this year there are companion books for teens and younger readers: Skeleton Creek by Patrick Carman (readers ages 10 - 14 and families) and Bunnicula Meets Edgar Allan Crow by James Howe (readers ages 7 & 8 and families).

Community Reads 2009 events include:

• Wednesday, October 7, at 7 pm. “Explore Your Poe-tential” Kickoff and Author Visit at WCDPL.  Special guest for this event will be Skeleton Creek author, Patrick Carman.
• Saturday, October 10 at 2 pm. “Oh! Poe is Me!” serves up stories and poems performed by Cedar Point “Trio of Terror” actors David Gilmore and Anthony Gardner at WCDPL. The event includes a contest for best Poe-inspired costumes.
• Saturday, October 24 at 4 pm. “Unhappy Hour at the Library. Why Does Poe Continue to Haunt Us 200 Years After His Birth?” Was Poe as melancholy as his stories and poems suggest? What circumstances led to Poe’s mysterious death? Dr. Stephen Rachman, president of the Poe Studies Association, answers these questions and more.
• Friday, October 30, at 7:00 pm. “Madness and Mayhem” Tour of the Toledo Museum of Art. For those who prefer not to drive, free transportation to the Toledo Museum of Art leaves from WCDPL at 6:15 pm; the Mayhem and Madness tour of TMA starts at 7:00 pm. Registration is required for this event.
• October 7 – 31 Downtown BG Goes “Raven Mad” Locate 7 Community Reads Ravens to be entered to win a gift basket from Downtown BG merchants. Details at WCDPL.

All Community Reads events are free, and take place at the Wood County District Public Library in downtown Bowling Green, unless otherwise noted. For more information, call the library, 419-352-5104 or visit wcdpl.org.

August 21, 2009

For Immediate Release: Donor Remembrance Quilt On Display at the Wood County District Public Library August 24 – 28

The “Connected By Giving” remembrance quilt will be on display at the Wood County District Public Library (251 North Main Street, Bowling Green, Ohio) Monday, August 24 – Friday, August 28. Made up of squares designed by family members of area tissue donors, the quilt honors the memory of those donors and their willingness to help other.

Sharon Myers of Community Tissue Services will be in the library Wednesday, August 26 from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm to answer questions about the quilt and the process of tissue and organ donation in Ohio.

July 24, 2009

For Immediate Release: Due to State Budget Reductions the Wood County District Public Library will be closed August 9 through August 16.

Library supporters across Ohio watched anxiously in early July as State legislators faced the extremely difficult challenge of finding a way to eliminate the State's $3.2 billion deficit. The finalized State budget seems to minimize cuts to Ohio's public libraries; the Governor's proposal to reduce library funding by 30% is now an 11% reduction. Yet even with this smaller reduction to library funding, which is in addition to a 20% loss of funding already sustained during 2009, difficult and painful decisions lay ahead for Wood County District Public Library.

On July 22 the library’s Board of Trustees announced that Wood County District Public Library (Bowling Green, Walbridge and Bookmobile) will be closed Sunday August 9^th through Sunday August 16^th. This closing will help WCDPL realize a $17,000 savings as the library seeks ways to help close a projected $65,000 shortfall for the remainder of 2009.

“2009 has been a difficult year for everyone, and indications are that 2010 will be just as tough, perhaps more so,” said library director Elaine Paulette. “The library board will meet August 26 to discuss additional measures that the library may need to take in response to the new funding levels, while at the same time striving to continue to offer our community the best service and resources within our means.”

Please call the library at 419-352-5104 for updates on how WCDPL is responding to these financial conditions.