The Spring Book & Bake Sale was a success by any measure: excellent book donations, a devoted team of 40 volunteers, many satisfied buyers, and a profit of over $5000 – a record!
We look forward to reconvening in November for our Autumn Book Sale.
Thank you to all our supporters!
🔔Record Number of Friends Members; July 1st…Time to Renew🔔
Jenn Northington, Membership Chair
Big thanks to everyone for helping us tie and then pass our largest ever number of active members — we hit 195! We’re hoping to continue the streak this coming membership year, which begins on July 1 and ends June 30; thank you so much for your continued support. We’ve also updated the volunteer opportunities available, so if you’re renewing your membership, make sure to check your areas of interest! If you’ve already renewed, you can see the updates and express your interest on our new Volunteer Opportunities Form.
Book series review: Brandon Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive Books 1-4
Reviewed by Patrick Hillanbrand
Intimidating on its surface due to its sheer length, I approached Sanderson’s Stormlight Archive series not knowing what to expect as I pulled it from the library shelves. I was met with a very intelligent criticism of the human condition. Sanderson’s Cosmere (his written universe) displays the depths of its roots in these books. Via the lens of a sprawling fantasy world, the reader is treated to relevant and ground-breaking experiences of characters dealing with and overcoming mental illness and their personal short-comings. Its intricacies include large arthropod-like creatures, barren landscapes, bitter gods and spirits that express intense disdain or fascination with humanity, fantastic swordplay and mythological feats through the Knights Radiant. The big three leads in Kaladin, Shallan, and Dalinar each face their own identity crises of one kind or another with every step of their journey creating a heart-rending payoff at journey’s end. Each novel is endlessly quotable, but my favorite line has to be the oath of the Knights Raidant: “Life before death, strength before weakness, journey before destination.”
The long-awaited fifth Stormlight book, Wind and Truth, will release in December 2024. The Falls Library is currently acquiring copies of the series and I highly recommend it. Though long, its poignancy and impactful talking points are undeniably important not just to the average person and their views on self-improvement and inner strength, but to the fantasy/sci-fi genre as a whole. Words of Radiance, the second book, is my personal favorite in the series with nigh a dull moment throughout. The climax is so iconic that it is often referred to by readers simply as “the moment.” I’m sure you’ll know it and enjoy it when you get there.
Patrick Hillanbrand (FSL’s new Library Assistant 1) comes from a history at the Roxborough and Springfield Township libraries and has a deep interest in writing all things weird and wonderful. He is currently working on his own novel for publication and enjoys balancing his reading habits somewhere between graphic novels, Charles Bukowski, and Brandon Sanderson.
My Secret Reading Pleasure
by Roslyn Thomas
My secret reading pleasure is a hard-boiled mystery. I cut my teeth on the old masters: Jim Thompson and Mickey Spillane were my introduction. Patricia Highsmith’s Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr. Ripley earned her a front-row seat in the group.
I was recently introduced to S.A. Cosby, a writer belonging to the Southern Noire genre. This is a new category for me and I’m enthralled. S.A. Cosby is an African-American writer whose stories are set in the South. His characters are black and the settings are towns in the South.
Cosby looks at black life relative to itself and in relation to the greater whole. There are no apologies. There is the reality. And it’s interesting.
Razorblade Tears, published in 2021, was has garnered many awards; all well deserved. It is a story of violence and it is a story of violent men. These are bad men who have set out on a course that to them feels decent. Decency is relative, and depends on one’s place in the world and one’s view of the world. This is a story of an unlikely friendship, how we feel about family, fathers and sons, love, regret and, finally, redemption. It is a character study of men and their relationships with each other and their women. The writing is beautiful. I knew from the first paragraphs that this was going to be a great read, but I also sensed from the first pages that the darkness was coming. Cosby is that good.
I want to be transparent, this genre is not for everyone, but I am sharing my secret passion. Secret passions are not for everyone, but that’s why they’re called secret passions.
🌞Summer 2024 Calendar of Events🌞
The library has multiple free programs this summer with programs for all ages.
Weekly on Mondays, June 24-July 29, 1:00-2:30 PM (upstairs in the Library) MUST PRE-REGISTER.
Students will learn the process of creating a story from beginning to end using a blend of images and words, basic elements that make up a story (character, plot, and conflict), and different ways they can represent these elements using images to create a story of their own.
Designed for children and tweens. Will be led by Philadelphia Youth Playwrights teaching artist, Mr. Andre Jones and supported by the Friends of the Falls Library group. Click here to pre-register online!
Fiber Arts Group
Meets EVERY Tuesday 2-4 PM, Upstairs Main Room of Falls of Schuylkill Library
Looking to share your crafts project or project ideas with other creatives? Stop by the Library – bring a portable craft project that you are working on, or come, watch and learn from others who are passionate about their projects?
Community Game Nights
Tues. June 25th 5:30-7:00 PM
Mon. July 22nd 5:30-7:00 PM
August – NO MEET UP
Enjoy board games? Looking to socialize? Meet up with neighbors? The Library has many games on hand such as Scrabble, Chess, Pictionary, but feel free to bring your favorite board game – Taboo, Ticket to Ride – or card game – and get set to have some fun!
Penny Scott co-hosts Game Nights.
Interested in Majiang?
Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, come join in the fun on Community Game Nights! Majiang, mahjong or mah-jongg is a tile-based game that was developed in the 19th century in China and has spread throughout the world since the early 20th century.
Don’t know how to play? No problem! Come learn the basics of the game (Chinese style) from middle school teacher and East Falls resident, La Sripanawongsa.
✍️Author Events✍️
Dr. Addie L. Robinson
Author of A Queen Like Me
Monday, June 17 (5:30 – 6:30 PM)
Dr. Addie L. Robinson is an Educator, Motivational Speaker and Founder of Ever-Evolving School Of Ministerial Studies, author of the Book A Queen Like Me.
Join Addie Robinson as she reads excerpts from her inspirational, eye-opening and powerful read. This book takes a look inside of one woman’s battle with some of life’s most dangerous and complicated issues. It allows the reader to understand, whatever they’re experiencing in their lives, can and will be fixed… if only they’ll listen to that small, still, guiding voice inside.
The reading will be followed by Q & A after which Addie will be on hand to sign and sell copies of her book for those who wish to purchase.
Caroline Wiseblood Meline, PhD
author of The Constant Dieter
Tuesday, July 9 (5:30 – 6:30 PM)
THE CONSTANT DIETER: A Philosopher’s Guide to Conquering Chronic and Compulsive Overeating
This unique book helps readers address four major obstacles to conquering chronic and compulsive overeating: not understanding the constraints on their will, not living in their creative true self, unconsciously working against their own aims, and not dieting realistically. The book offers an inspiring intellectual journey and a radically sane eating program, which can lead to long-term, desired change(s).
Philosophy professor Caroline Wiseblood Meline is a member of the Liberal Studies Faculty at Curtis Institute of Music. Caroline will be on hand to sign and sell copes of her book after the event.
💫MARK YOUR CALENDARS!💫
Coming this Fall
Special Talk: The Vidocq Society
Tuesday, September 17th (5:30 – 7:30 PM)
Howard Lebofsky, Deputy Commissioner of the Vidocq Society, and John “Jack” Maxwell, Chief Inspector, Detective Bureau, Phila. P.D. (retired) will offer a slide presentation and talk on how the Society was formed to solve “cold case” homicides, what they do, how they get cases, and reference older “cold cases” that this group of detectives, forensics experts, and law enforcement officials among others was instrumental in helping close.
The Vidocq Society sounds like something straight out of a Sherlock Holmes novel.
Once a month, the members of the (almost) 25-year-old club — mostly detectives and forensic experts — meet at an old Victorian dining room in the middle of Philadelphia to eat lunch and solve crimes that have perplexed investigators for decades.
“I think of it as CSI to the 10th power but real,” says journalist Michael Capuzzo author of the book The Murder Room which details how three founding members gathered crime experts from around the world to solve cold cases. There are profilers and pathologists, experts in white-collar crime, terrorism and sadism. They have Interpol represented, and a captain from the Egyptian army — and for good measure, they even have a psychic!
A Message from the President
by Martha Fuller
One of the great things about volunteering is that there’s a volunteer task for everyone. For the folks who have many interests, there are many choices.
Many groups, like the Friends, are 501(c)(3) groups who need and value the breadth and depth of their volunteers.
We know that people can be pressed for time and space in their lives to fit in volunteer work. With that in mind, we will have a Volunteer Opportunity survey that we hope you will fill out. Jenn, our Membership Chair, and Roger, our IT Coordinator extraordinaire, designed this as a vehicle for the Friends to have a thumbnail view of each Committee. You can note if you’re interested in any area or if you are already working with a Committee. You can find out more information about this and Membership in the post in this CATFISH CHRONICLE from Jenn.
Some of the areas involve specific activities like baking for the Hospitality Committee or working with the Garden Committee. Many folks like to volunteer with activities that feel close to their hearts. For example, the folks who help receive, sort and sell books at our Spring and Fall Book Sales are big readers. They love handling those books – count me in with that group as I help out with those sales too.
Neha, our Vice President and Advocacy Committee Chair, recently wrote an article in East Falls NOW about the Advocacy Committee. It’s a dynamic way to have your commitment and passion for a library system make a difference.
Jenna, our Community Outreach and Engagement Committee Chair, and her Committee members host game nights, coordinate a wonderful local author speaker series, and create flyers, social media posts and so on.
Let us know what interests you – we would love to have you join us.
As always, thank you for your support.
Martha
Friends of the Falls of Schuylkill Library
Officers
Martha Fuller, President
Neha Pancholi, Vice President
Terry Cunningham, Treasurer
Mary Jean Cunningham, Recording Secretary
Grace Foster, Acting Branch Librarian, ex-officio
Join the friends!
Ensure the library remains a vital center of lifelong learning for all the members of our East Falls community.
