The library is also collecting unique cake pans to loan. A bundt cake pan can cost more than buying a pre-made bundt cake, forcing bakers to choose whether it is worth the money to buy an item they might only use a few times a year. Now you can browse, borrow, and bake a special festive cake to help you celebrate. Thanks to the advent of the “sharing economy,” people are more receptive to borrowing items rather than purchasing them.
You can also join the party in the library with ‘FUN Fridays.’ During the summer, drop by the library between 10-2 on Fridays and try out these new items. . . popcorn will be served. Bring your friends along!
Oceans of Possibilities -
This year’s summer reading theme revolves around oceanography with slogan “Oceans of Possibilities.” Registration starts Tuesday, May 31 and continues through the end of June. Stop by the library to register or go to wilkes.readsquared.com to register online. All ages, adults and children, can participate in our programs and are allowed to read anything they want. All we ask is that they keep up with how long they read. For those who register online, they can keep track of their minutes online, write books reviews, and play mini games. For those who prefer to use a paper tracker, they pick that up when they register at the library. As you read and count your time, you will earn prizes which will be picked up at the library.
We will be offering a wide mix of programming this summer: our own virtual programming via Facebook, PageTurner Adventures virtual programming, and in-person programming at a variety of locations. We will offer outreach story times at Ronda Town Hall, Traphill Branch Library, and Fish Dam Creek Park at the Kerr Scott Reservoir. BrightStar Theatre and Schiele Museum will be returning with in-person programming. Check out our print or online calendar for dates, times, and if you need to pre-register. Everyone is allowed at our in-person programs, but keep in mind that seating is limited in some cases.
NC READS 22 – Driving with the Devil
Wilkes County is proud to have been chosen as an NC READS Library, sponsored by the North Carolina Humanities Council. At the heart of North Carolina Reads is North Carolina Humanities’ desire to connect communities through shared reading experiences. Reading is important because it helps us develop our critical-thinking skills; strengthens our minds, vocabulary, and mental health; and creates opportunities for us to empathize with others’ stories and experiences.
The book chosen for reading and conversation is Driving with the Devil: Southern Moonshine, Detroit Wheels, and the Birth of NASCAR by, Neal Thompson. “Read about the true story behind NASCAR’s moonshine-fueled origins. Long before the sport of stock-car racing existed, young men in the rural, Depression-wracked South learned that cars and speed were tickets to a better life. With few options beyond farm or factory, the best chance of escape was running moonshine.” This selection is perfect for Wilkes County, with its connection to NASCAR’s legendary Junior Johnson.
Free copies of the book are available for readers, while supplies last. The library will host an in-person discussion about the book at 4:00 p.m. on June 21 in its Community Room. Readers can also join an online panel discussion, live from NASCAR’s Hall of Fame in Charlotte, at 7:00 p.m. on June 23 in the library. The virtual event features author Neal Thompson (author) and NASCAR Cup Series Driver Erik Jones. You’ll hear Neal and Erik discuss themes from the book and the fascinating history of stock car racing, from its roots in Prohibition-era bootlegging to the sport’s status as a multibillion-dollar industry.
Also listen for an upcoming podcast on this NC READS book with Carl White’s show Life in the Carolinas.
North Carolina Reads is made possible in part by a special initiative grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, “A More Perfect Union”. North Carolina Humanities is a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
African American Music Heritage Month -
In celebration of African American Music Heritage Month, come out for a free concert by Ryan “RnB” Barber and Boogie Therapi, at 1:00 p.m. on June 25, 2022, in the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame Auditorium at the Wilkes Heritage Museum.
Ryan "RnB" Barber is a native of Wilkes County. He graduated from Wilkes Central High School in 1994. He is a proud staple of Asheville NC's legendary music scene, at the forefront of its funk and R&B community. Drawing from a lifetime of singing, rapping, producing and touring across the nation, Ryan has released 6 full-length studio albums. He has also been featured on many high profile projects, including producing on two of R&B stalwart W. Ellington Felton's recent albums, and also singing and rapping on the 2017 GRAMMY winning album "Infinity Plus One" by Secret Agent 23 Skidoo.
This program is presented by the Wilkes County Public Library, Wilkes Heritage Museum, Wilkes Art Gallery and the North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. It is free to the public of all ages This program will follow the CDC guidance concerning mask and social distancing. Contact 336-838-2818 ext. 232 or 336-667-3171, if you have any questions.