HARBAUGH-THOMAS LIBRARY

59 West York Street

Biglerville, PA 17307

717-677-6257


Thursday, January 8, 2015

New Book Club in Biglerville for the New Year



New Book Club in Biglerville for the New Year
The new year has begun, and in the spirit of new beginnings, we would like to introduce a book club for adults at the Harbaugh~Thomas Library in Biglerville.  Book club members will read one book a month and meet for discussion the third Thursday of the month at 6:30 p.m. or the third Friday at 10:30 a.m.  We’ll be reading books from a variety of genres and will let the interests of the group guide us in selecting our books as the year progresses.  Our first novel is Defending Jacob by William Landay, a legal thriller with a literary bent.  The main character, Andy Barber, an experienced district attorney, finds himself in an unimaginable predicament when his 14 year old son Jacob becomes the prime suspect after a classmate is murdered.  Surprising family history and dynamics are revealed, and the plot carries the reader along with unpredictable twists.  Please drop by the library to pick up a copy of Defending Jacob and join us on Thursday, February 19th at 6:30 p.m. or Friday, February 20th at 10:30 a.m. for discussion.
The winter is a great time to settle in, stay warm, and become absorbed in a good book or movie.  It is also a time of increased sickness or difficulty in traveling for some people, be they elderly, ill, or simply without transportation.  Recently, I was home for two weeks after knee surgery, and was thankful for one of the convenient products that the Adams County Library System makes available for library card holders—eBooks. I had read good reviews of the novel The Good Luck of Right Now, by Matthew Quick, the author of Silver Linings Playbook.  Intrigued and wondering if this could work for our new library book club, I checked our 3M Cloud Library database. Yes, ACLS owned the title, and it was available. I was able to download and immediately begin reading without leaving my house.  And, by the way, it was a great read.  The ACLS has an increasing amount of eBooks available to be downloaded onto your personal computer or mobile device, such as a Kindle Fire, a Nook, or a tablet.  Go to our website, www.adamslibrary.org for instructions and to view the catalog of eBooks. 
Also, many people do not realize that if you are unable to get to the library for a period of time, the library system offers a free service called “Books by Mail.”  Books, audiobooks, music or DVDs can be borrowed and sent to your home, and then returned to the library via the mail with a prepaid label, at no cost to you.  For more details, contact your local library or call the Outreach Department at 334-5716 extension 229.
The Harbaugh~Thomas Library is located at 59 West York Street in Biglerville.  Our hours are Mondays noon – 6:00 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays noon – 8:00 p.m., Fridays 10:00 – 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.  Our phone number is 677-6257.


Thursday, September 11, 2014

Story Times and Book Chats in Biglerville



Story Times and Book Chats in Biglerville
School is in full swing, and it’s time for families to settle into new routines.  If you are a parent, grandparent or home day care provider taking care of young children, consider joining us for story time at the Harbaugh~Thomas Library in Biglerville.  We have family story time at 6:30 p.m. every Tuesday with Miss Julie, and preschool story time at 10:30 a.m. every Wednesday with Miss Wendy, no registration required.
              During story time, children listen to great books, and enjoy creating a hands-on craft they can take home.  In the process they learn new vocabulary, and develop a cultural literacy of rhymes and stories, all while having fun.  It is great preparation for school, from learning how to behave in a group in a casual, friendly situation, to improving cutting and drawing skills, which serve to help the muscles used for writing.  There are benefits for adults also!  Connections and friendships are formed, and it is always a treat to check out new books and movies.  The theme for the week of 9/15 will be barnyard animals, and there will be a focus on robots the following week.
For adults, the Harbaugh~Thomas Library is offering the free computer class Introduction to the Internet at 1:00 on Thursday, Sep. 18th.  Please call or stop by the library to register. Classes are small and informal, offering many opportunities for questions and individualized instruction.
Also, adults can join ACLS librarian Jess Laganosky for a discussion of this year’s Adams County Reads One Book, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, by Rachel Joyce.  At 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 18th stop by the library to discuss the ins and outs of this engrossing book.  If you need a copy of the book, you can place it on hold or check it out at any ACLS library.  The main character, Harold Fry, a retired man in his sixties, receives a letter from a friend who he has not seen in decades.  She shares that she is in hospice.  As he despairs over how to write a remotely meaningful reply, he jots something down and walks to his mail box, but instead of mailing the card, he simply continues walking.  At some level he has decided that she will stay alive as long as he is walking to see her; hospice is 500 miles away in northern Great Britain.  Along his spontaneous journey, aspects of his past and current relationships are revealed and explored, and a very ordinary man’s life becomes extraordinary.   Check www.adamslibrary.org for more events hosted by the ACLS related to this novel.
Finally, the Harbaugh~Thomas Library would love to host a monthly book club for adults.  If you are interested, please let us know your preferences regarding the best day and time to meet, and the type of book you like to read!
              The Harbaugh~Thomas Library (677-6257) is open Mondays noon-6, Tuesdays and Thursdays noon-8, Wednesdays and Fridays 10-6, and Saturdays 9-5.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Summer Reading Club in Biglerville



Summer Reading Club in Biglerville
It is hard to believe after the long, snowy winter Gettysburg endured, but summer vacation is near at hand.  Most kids in the county have their last day of school on Friday, June 6th.  This summer the Adams County Library System kicks off its annual summer reading club on June 1st.  Children through the age of 13 can earn prizes by reading.  A win-win situation!  Every week readers keep track of how long they have read.   If they reach 2 hours for the week, only about 15 minutes a day, they report to the library staff and receive a prize.  Prizes include bookmarks and books, and there is an incentive each week of the 8 week club.  The smallest members of the family can benefit as well.  They accumulate time by having someone read to them.  An older sibling can read to a child and the time will count for both of them.
Reading through the summer ensures kids’ reading skills stay sharp.  But, above all, reading is fun, and there is time in the summer to explore at one’s will, without a teacher’s mandates.  Children expand their world by seeing through another’s eyes, they learn new things and they improve their reading skills.   In my opinion, all reading is worthwhile reading, whether it be the classics, graphic novels or the latest best-sellers, and the ACLS has a great selection of all of these. 
In conjunction with our summer reading club, the Harbaugh-Thomas Library in Biglerville will host a number of free family events.  First, on June 10th at 7 pm, join master gardener Kalai Wherley as she demonstrates how to grow vegetables without a garden.  All supplies are provided, and each child will be able to take home their own container gardening project.  Please call or stop by to register.
Other events in June include a performance by magician David Rojahn, a “shocking” show on electricity by the Whitaker Center, and free play with LEGOS, always a popular program.  In July, we’ll host a duct tape extravaganza:  we supply the tape and instructions, and the kids take home whatever they create.  We’ll have an afternoon of hands-on simple science experiments, and a discussion and demo by naturalist Andy Yoder on lava rocks and volcanic eruptions.  Stop by the library for a complete calendar of summer programs, or check  www.adamslibrary.org to find a listing for each ACLS library.
I’ve recently transferred from the Littlestown Library to the Harbaugh-Thomas Library.    Both are beautiful libraries, and valuable resources for our Adams County residents, and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to enjoy and serve each community.  Jess Laganosky, the previous manager of the Harbaugh-Thomas Library, has not left the ACLS­­--she now heads the Public Services Department at the Gettysburg Library.   The Littlestown Library welcomes new manager Val Hoski.  Feel free to drop by and say hello!
The Harbaugh-Thomas Library (677-6257) is open Mondays noon-6, Tuesdays and Thursdays noon-8, Wednesdays and Fridays 10 -6, and Saturdays 9-5. The library is located at 59 West York Street, Biglerville.


Saturday, February 15, 2014

Saturday, February 15

**UPDATE**

Due to the weather, the Adams County Library System, including the Harbaugh~Thomas Library, are now CLOSED for today, February 15. 


Stay safe!

Friday, February 14, 2014

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Thursday, February 13

Due to the predicted wintery weather conditions that are heading our way, thanks to Winter Storm Pax, the Adams County Library System (including the Harbaugh~Thomas Library) will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, February 13th.

Stay warm and safe!

Tax Forms

Great news! 

The 1040 tax booklets have arrived! The library currently has the federal tax forms and booklets and the state form and booklet.