LSU Libraries sets up Dickens exhibit at Hill Library

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Dickens, one of English literature’s most beloved authors. To commemorate the occasion, the LSU Libraries Special Collections presents a small exhibition titled Charles Dickens at 200: A Celebration of His Life and Works, on display in Hill Memorial Library Monday, Jan. 23, to Saturday, April 28.

Visitors will learn about Dickens’ tragic life and lasting legacy by exploring materials drawn from the library’s collection of rare books and manuscripts. First editions of several of Dickens’ novels, including Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities and Little Dorrit, will be featured, along with examples of all the forms in which his stories first appeared (parts, magazines, books and abridged editions for public reading). Also on display are selections from an extensive collection of Dickensian ephemera, mostly theater programs, dating from 1880 to 1930. More information is available at http://hill.blogs.lib.lsu.edu/2012/01/12/charles-dickens-at-200-exhibit.

HeartLa meeting

HeartLa, the Baton Rouge chapter of Romance Writers of America, will hold its monthly meeting from 10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Jan, 28, at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Bluebonnet Regional branch, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd. Membership is open to writers of all genres. Guests may attend two meetings before becoming members.

EBR Parish Library

Visitors are invited to the Bluebonnet Regional Branch, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., for a special presentation on Capitol Area Beekeeping with Jack Lithgoe at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22. Lithgoe will explain about nature’s magic with a complete hive demonstration and beekeeping basics. Registration is required. Call [phone].

A new home has been found for the monthly Recycled Reads Library Gift Book Sale at 234 Little John St. The gift book sale will take place this month 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. The old facility will house the Library’s facilities management staff, which has outgrown its space.

Pelican Woodcarvers Guild is hosting a class on basic woodcarving at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Greenwell Springs Road Regional branch, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road. Experienced woodcarvers will demonstrate fundamental woodcarving techniques. The class will cover such topics as safety, sharpening, wood burning, basic cuts and basic relief carving. For more information on this program, call [phone].

At 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 25, teens and tweens ages 12-18 can meet at the Baker Teen Club at Baker branch, 3501 Groom Road, to find out about upcoming library programs and give their input about what future programs they’d like at the library. Games and crafts will follow. For more information or to register, call [phone].

Book clubs:

• Science Fiction Book Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at Greenwell Springs Road Regional branch, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road. Members will discuss I, Robot by Isaac Asimov.
• Books Into Movies Club will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, at Jones Creek Regional branch, 6222 Jones Creek Road. Members will discuss Deck the Halls by Mary Higgins Clark.
• Like It... Or Not Book Club will meet at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at Pride-Chaneyville branch, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road. Members will discuss The Quiet Game by Greg Iles.
• Bio Book Club will meet at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in the Children’s Room at Bluebonnet Regional branch, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd. Over a series of four weeks, children ages 7-11 who join the club will explore the fascinating, diverse selection of biographies available. For more information or to register, call [phone].

Greenwell Springs Children’s Book Club will meet for its first meeting of the year at noon Saturday, Jan. 28, at Greenwell Springs Road Regional branch, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road. Children ages 7-11 are invited to the meeting. They will discuss their interests and what types of books they like to read. Call [phone].

Livingston Parish Library

The Denham Springs-Walker Branch of the Livingston Parish Library’s Teen Book Club meets at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 23, to discuss Invisible City by M.G. Harris. The club is open to teens in 6th through 12th grade and hosted by the branch’s Teen Advisory Board. For more information, contact the Denham Springs-Walker Branch at [phone].

Book club:

• South Branch Bookies will meet 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at South branch, 23477 La. 444 in Livingston.

Ascension Parish Library

Communicating through sign language can be a challenge, although it can also be fun. Children can attend an American Sign Language program at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Dutchtown branch, 13278 La. 73 in Geismar, to learn the Pledge of Allegiance and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star in ASL. Also practice signing your name and other common phrases using sign language. This program is designed for children in the second through fifth grades. For more information on the program or to register, call the library at [phone].

Ascension Parish Library is calling all Cahills for The 39 Clues Library Scavenger Hunt. Your passport will contain clues, but it’s up to you to solve them. Test your own clue-hunting ability and library skills. Work alone or in teams on this scavenger hunt based on locations and events in the popular children’s adventure book series. The 39 Clues Library Scavenger Hunt is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at the Main branch, 708 S. Irma Blvd. in Gonzales. This program targets children ages 7-12. Call [phone].

W. Feliciana Parish Library

Learn new search techniques and materials while also accessing Ancestry.com Library Edition at the library, 11865 Ferdinand St. in St. Francisville. The genealogy program is at 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22. Call Glenna Fallin at [phone].

Signing

Ellen Weiss, author of Robert R. Taylor And Tuskegee: An African American Architect Designs For Booker T. Washington, will sign copies of her book at 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, at Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St. in New Orleans.

Items for Book Events were provided by LSU Libraries, the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Livingston Parish Library, Ascension Parish Library and West Feliciana Parish Library.