green flyer with yellow and white text advertising the March 2024 Second Saturday Bookshop sale

March Specials at the Second Saturday Bookshop

Visit the Friends of Rowan Public Library's Second Saturday Bookshop on Saturday, March 9 for phenomenal deals on fiction, nonfiction, children's, and young adult titles. The Bookshop also offers some specialty items, gift baskets, DVDs, books on CD, and more.

During the March sale, shoppers can take advantage of a special on cookbooks! All cookbooks will be on clearance – buy one, get two free.

As of October 2023, the Second Saturday Bookshop adopted new hours of operation. The Bookshop now opens at 10 am and closes at 3 pm. To learn more about the Second Saturday Bookshop or the Friends of RPL, call 704-216-8240.

Save the Date: Friends of RPL Annual Meeting

Friends of RPL members are invited to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting on Friday, April 12 at 5:30 pm at the West End Plaza Event Center, located in the former Salisbury Mall at 1935 Jake Alexander Boulevard West in Salisbury. Doors will open at 5 pm.

The Annual Meeting is open to Friends of RPL members. Memberships may be purchased or renewed ahead of time or onsite and begin at $10 a year for an individual membership. After the meeting, Friends members are invited to enjoy a special Friends of RPL Preview Night at Bookpalooza, the library’s book sale. To learn more, call 704-216-8240 or visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.

A Request from Friends of RPL Treasurer, Cyndii Owen

Dear Friends,

I would like to ask, as you do your spring cleaning, to consider the Friends of RPL's Basket Shop as a place to donate items. We need baskets, knickknacks, small books (about Moms, Easter, Love, Sisters, Friends, and so on), and children’s books. These items will go to the ladies who create the wonderful baskets sold at all four branches of Rowan Public Library. All profits made from these baskets go back to the library for library programming, especially the library’s upcoming Summer Reading 2024 Program. Items may be donated to the Friends of RPL at the Second Saturday Bookshop.

Thank you,
Cyndii Owen, Treasurer for the Friends of Rowan Public Library

image of books on a blue background with brown text reading "bookpalooza is coming"

Massive Bookpalooza Book Sale Returns in April

Mark your calendars for Bookpalooza 2024! This massive 4-day book sale event is coming to the West End Plaza Event Center (formerly the old J.C. Penney's storefront) beginning Friday, April 12. The sale will run through Monday, April 15 and features different specials, discounts, and perks each day.

The Second Saturday Bookshop, normally open on the second Saturday of each month for its sale, will be closed on Saturday, April 13 so all shoppers can take advantage of Bookpalooza deals.

Bookpalooza Pricing Guide:
Hardback Books – $2 each, includes fiction, nonfiction, old books, young adult books
Paperback Books (large format) – $1 each, includes fiction, nonfiction, and young adult
Small/Pocket Paperback Books – 50 cents each (buy 2, get 1 free)
Children's Hardback Books – $1 each
Children's Paperback Books – 50 cents each
Audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs – $1 each

Friday, April 12: Friends of RPL Members' Preview Sale, 6 – 8 pm
This special preview event is open only to Friends of RPL members. Not a member yet? No problem! You can purchase a new membership or renew an existing membership online at www.friendsofrpl.org or purchase/renew a membership at the door on April 12.

Saturday, April 13: Open to the Public, 9 am – 5 pm
The sale will be open to the public on this day. Shoppers can take advantage of the Wheel of Discounts. Educators, students, and childcare professionals can take 50% off their purchase totals. Individuals ages 0-18 can receive one free item (must be present to claim).

Sunday, April 14: Open to the Public, 2 – 5 pm
The sale will be open to the public on this day. Shoppers can take advantage of the Wheel of Discounts. Educators, students, and childcare professionals can take 50% off their purchase totals. Veterans, seniors (ages 55+), and Rowan County Employees can take 50% off their purchase totals on this day as well.

Monday, April 15: Open to the Public, 9 am – 5 pm (Final Day)
The sale will be open to the public on this day for a SUPER sale. There is a $5 flat rate for individuals to enter the sale, or $10 for families of three (3) people or more; no other discounts or specials will apply. Shoppers must supply their own boxes or bags on the final day of the sale for carrying/loading purchases.

floral design flyer with RPL's closure information

a child's hand works with paints and a wooden ornament to complete a sensory painting project

A young storytime-goer completes an essential oil-scented painting project at RPL Headquarters' most recent sensory storytime program.

RPL Headquarters Hosts Exciting Sensory Storytime

At a recent storytime event, RPL Children's Associate Duane DeBerry engaged participants with a sensory storytime experience that included a homemade essential oil-scented painting project. At the end of the activity, all children were able to take their projects home to enjoy.

While RPL's children's staff offer a variety of different storytime opportunities for all, sensory storytimes are especially important because they allow participants of multiple ages and abilities to gather and enjoy art, literacy, and more in a nontraditional storytime environment. Instead of needing to sit still during storytime, participants were able to engage with the story through a hands-on experience.

To learn more about RPL's storytime offerings at all branches, call 980-432-8670 or visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.

a flyer for the March 16 container gardens program featuring logos and an image of a plant growing in a bucket

Jump into Spring with Container Gardening at RPL South

The first signs of spring are beginning to pop up around Rowan County, and people are already considering what types of gardens they want to plant for the upcoming season. If you're considering trying something new, or if you live in a small space that can make plant-rearing difficult, consider learning more about creating small container gardens!

This how-to program will be hosted at RPL South (China Grove) on Saturday, March 16 at 2 pm. Amy-Lynn Albertson, the Rowan County Extension Director and Extension Agent of Agriculture and Horticulture, will speak on how to start a successful container garden. The program is free, and all gardening supplies will be provided. To learn more or register to participate in this program, visit bit.ly/RPLContainerGardens or contact Paul Birkhead at 704-216-7727.

Want to learn more about container gardening before the program? Consider checking out these titles available in RPL's nonfiction collection:

The Container Victory Garden by Maggie Stuckey
Have you heard of the term Victory Garden? Victory gardens were vegetable, fruit, and herb gardens planted during WWI and WWII. These typically large gardens were cultivated in the yards of private residences and public parks to assist with the war effort. Not only did these gardens supplement the national food supply, but they also boosted the morale of civilians at home who felt this was a way to contribute to victory from the home front. This book contains historical information and firsthand accounts from people who lived during these times. Readers with gardening experience will appreciate the delightful illustrations throughout the book. For those new to container gardening, this title offers inspiration for beginners as well as advice on which types of plants thrive in a small garden environment.

Vertical Veg Guide to Container Gardening by Mark Ridsdill Smith
If you want to grow your own food but don’t have the space to do it, vertical container gardening might be your answer. Ridsdill Smith’s book has great advice for growing edible fruits and vegetables in a small area. Photographs and diagrams included should prove helpful to experienced as well as new gardeners.

star party save the date poster featuring people gazing up into a night sky

green and white image with black text reading "genealogy workshop: vital records" and images of colorful file folders

Beginners' Genealogy Workshop Coming to RPL Headquarters in March

Does the idea of researching your family history send you into a spiral? Do you want to learn more about your family's heritage, but you don't have a clue about where to begin? If this sounds like you, consider attending this free genealogy workshop on vital records at RPL Headquarters on Saturday, March 16 at 10 am. This program, hosted by Edith M. Clark History Room Supervisor Gretchen Witt, is an excellent foray into basic record searching and family research for beginners. This program is free and open to the public; registration at bit.ly/RPL_Vital is requested. To learn more or register via phone, call Gretchen at 704-216-8232.

RPL Reads: Staff Book Recommendations

Ever wonder what books library staff are reading? Check out some hot reads recommended by RPL staff. This month, recommendations are provided by the staff of RPL's Technical Services Department!