Book Events for June 10, 2012

Biguenet to receive 2012 La. Writer Award

The State Library of Louisiana’s Center for the book is awarding John Biguenet as the recipient the 2012 Louisiana Writer Award. The novelist, short story writer, playwright, columnist, translator and essayist is being honored for his extraordinary contribution to the state’s literary heritage exemplified by his body of work.

The Louisiana Writer Award is given annually to recognize outstanding contributions to the literary and intellectual legacy of Louisiana. Biguenet will be recognized at the 2012 Louisiana Book Festival on Saturday, Oct. 27. Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne and State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton will present the award. Biguenet will also discuss his writing career at a special program during the festival.

Biguenet has published seven books, including Oyster, a novel, and The Torturer’s Apprentice: Stories. Biguenet has received an O. Henry Award for short fiction and a Harper’s Magazine Writing Award among other distinctions. Biguenet has served twice as president of the American Literary Translators Association and as writer-in-residence at various universities. He is the Robert Hunter Distinguished University Professor at Loyola University in New Orleans.

For more information on Biguenet’s work, visit http://www.state.lib.la.us. For more information about the 2012 Louisiana Book Festival, visit http://www.LouisianaBookFestival.org

EBR Parish Library

The Library is now offering Ed2Go, a free online database. Ed2Go is an online learning portal that offers full, six-week courses on a variety of topics — there are more than 300 courses available. The classes were developed and are led by real instructors. Coursework is text-driven, but there are discussion areas available to students. Work is graded and students who complete a course will get a certificate of completion.

The catalog of courses includes those in the following categories: accounting and personal finance, business, computer applications, design and composition, health care and medical, language and arts, law and legal, personal development, teaching and education, technology, writing and publishing and leisure arts. These classes are offered free to East Baton Rouge Parish Library patrons. To check out Ed2Go, visit http://www.ebrpl.com.

The entire parish is invited take part in One Book One Community and read the book, A Silence of Mockingbirds, by Karen Spears Zacharias. The chosen book focuses on child abuse, a topic of concern to the community. The Library will host book discussion groups at several branches, and a free program featuring Zacharias will be held at the LSU Cox Communications Center at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 26. For more information, call [phone] or visit http://www.ebrpl.com.

Join Harvey Rabbit, Cecil the Orangutan, Miss Laura and Mr. Tim as they bring fun and mayhem to the library with live action, puppetry, music and more. Dates and times are: 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 11, Bluebonnet Regional Branch, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd.; 10 a.m. Monday, June 18, Delmont Gardens Branch, 3351 Lorainne St.; 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 18, Baker Branch, 3501 Groom Road; 10 a.m. Monday, July 9, Scotlandville Branch, 7373 Scenic Highway; 2:30 p.m. Monday, July 9, Pride-Chaneyville Branch, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road; 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 10, Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.

Registration is required. For more information or to register, contact the individual library branch.

Charlie the Noise Guy is continuing his visits to library branches. Charlie Williams, “the man of 1000 sound effects” takes a new approach to storytelling with his vocal aerobics. Williams tells traditional and not-so-traditional stories told in an energetic, fun new way. Audiences can even learn to make a few sound effects themselves from a true sound impressionist.

Performance dates, times and locations are: 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 13, Bluebonnet Regional branch, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd.; 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, Zachary Branch, 1900 Church St.; 10 a.m. Thursday, June 14, Eden Park branch, 5131 Greenwell Springs Road; 2:30 p.m. Thursday, June 14, Delmont Gardens branch, 3351 Lorraine St.; 10 a.m. Friday, June 15, River Center Branch, 120 St. Louis St.; 2:30 p.m. Friday, June 15, Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.; 10 a.m. Saturday, June 16, Jones Creek Regional branch, 6222 Jones Creek Road; 10 a.m. Monday, June 18, Scotlandville branch, 7373 Scenic Highway; 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 18, Greenwell Springs Regional branch, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road; 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 19, Pride-Chaneyville branch, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road; and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, Baker branch, 3501 Groom Road.

For more information or to register, contact the individual branch.

Children’s book author Mike Artell continues his visits to library branches. Artell is an illustrator and television cartoonist as well. He presents programs about science, language arts, cultural diversity, thinking skills, cartooning and music. Artell begins his programs by engaging kids in some language arts wordplay, and then he shares information about Cajun culture and reads from his Cajun parodies of classic folk tales.

Artell will also give children step-by-step instructions for creating their own original cartoons while showing them how to think more creatively by using higher order thinking skills exercises.

Performance dates, times and locations are: 10 a.m. Monday, June 11, Eden Park branch, 5131 Greenwell Springs Road; 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 11, Zachary branch, 1900 Church St.; 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 12, Baker branch, 3501 Groom Road; 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.; 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 13, River Center branch, 120 St. Louis St.

Visit Artell’s website, http://www.mikeartell.net to learn more about him and his performances. For more information or to register, contact the individual branch.

Farmer Minor will tell stories about Daisy the Pig’s formative years (all true) with Farmer & Mrs. Minor, as well as share many of her favorite pig books as the duo continue their visits to library branches. Daisy probably has the world’s largest collection of pig books, and she is the “most famous pig in the whole world!” Join Daisy and Farmer Minor for stories and fun at: 10 a.m. Monday, June 11, Carver branch, 720 Terrace St.; 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 11, Jones Creek Regional branch, 6222 Jones Creek Road; 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 12, Pride-Chaneyville branch, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road; 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, Central branch, 11260 Joor Road; 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 13, Delmont Gardens branch, 3351 Lorraine St.; 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, Greenwell Springs Road Regional branch, 11300 Greenwell Springs Road; 10 a.m. Thursday, June 14, River Center branch, 120 St. Louis St.; 10 a.m. Monday, June 18, Eden Park branch, 5131 Greenwell Springs Road; 2:30 p.m. Monday, June 18, Bluebonnet Regional branch, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd.; 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 19, Scotlandville branch, 7373 Scenic Highway; and 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 19, Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.

For more information, call the individual library branch.

Baton Rouge artist Torie Holeman will tell children ages 6-11 how she plans drawings for a book and give them tips on their artwork at the Jones Creek Regional branch, 6222 Jones Creek Road, at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 13. Each child is encouraged to bring any of their artwork for Holeman to look at. She will also read excerpts from the book Louisiana Governor’s Mansion: Our Treasured Home, which she illustrated. For more information or to register, call [phone].

Come to the Jones Creek Regional branch, 6222 Jones Creek Road, and have fun learning how to talk with your baby before your baby can talk. At 10 a.m. Saturday, June 16, Brandi Schaeffer, independent certified instructor of the Baby Signs programs and “Beebo the Baby Signs Bear,” will teach signs and sing songs with you and your baby.

Parents and grandparents, along with their babies from birth to 3 years old, are invited to attend.

For more information or to register, call [phone].

The officers of the Baton Rouge Police Department’s K-9 Division will present a demonstration of their dogs’ special skills at the Pride-Chaneyville branch, 13600 Pride-Port Hudson Road, at 10 a.m. Monday, June 11. Children ages 4-11 can come to the Library to see the kinds of work these canines do for the police department. For more information or to register, call [phone].

Children ages 5-11 are invited to the Baker branch, 3501 Groom Road, at 3 p.m. Saturday, June 16, to hear Why Do Dogs Bark? by Joan Holub and visit with the LSU Tiger Hats and therapy dogs.

Book clubs:

•  The Morning Book Club will meet 10:30-11:30 a.m. Monday, June 11, at the Baker branch, 3501 Groom Road. Members will discuss The Year of Pleasures by Elizabeth Berg.
•  Mystery Lovers Book Club will meet at noon Tuesday, June 12, at the Main Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. Members will discuss mysteries featuring archaeologists and anthropologists.
•  Teen Book Club will meet 3-4 p.m. Thursday, June 14, at Central branch, 11260 Joor Road. This is the club’s initial meeting and members will discuss how the club will run as well as any book a member has read.
•  Scotlandville Children’s Reading Club will meet at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, June 14, at Scotlandville branch, 7373 Scenic Highway. The club’s summer focus is “Dreaming Big!”

Livingston Parish Library

Dr. Ronald Coe will discuss the techniques, tools, and lessons learned as the Livingston Parish coroner at the Livingston Parish Library on Thursday, June 14. At 2 p.m., Coe will visit the Main Library, 20390 Iowa St. in Livingston, and at 6 p.m. he will be at the Denham Springs-Walker Branch, 8101 U.S. 190 in Denham Springs. Be advised that this program will discuss various deaths and accidents occurring in the parish and may be disturbing for some people. For ages 14-18. .

Jennifer Shearer, a naturalist with Tickfaw State Park, will show different types of snakes while explaining how to identify them at three library branches. At 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 12, Shearer will be at Albany-Springfield branch, 26941 La. 43, Hammond; at 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 13, Shearer will be at South Branch, 23477 La. 444 in Livingston; and at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, June 16, Shearer will bring the snakes to Denham Springs-Walker branch, 8101 U.S. 190 Denham Springs.

Book clubs:

n Livingston Book Club will meet at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 14, at the Main Library, 20390 Iowa St. in Livingston. Members will discuss Charming Billy by Alice McDermott.

•  Sunny Side Up — Inspirational Book Club will meet 10-11 a.m. Thursday, June 14, at the Watson branch, 36581 Outback Road in Denham Springs. Members will discuss They Almost Always Come Home by Cynthia Ruchti.

Ascension Parish Library

Join the Ascension Parish Library as it welcomes the Lagniappe Dulcimer Society in a Summer Breeze Musical Program, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, at the Galvez branch, 40300 La. 42 in Prairieville. The Society is dedicated to the preservation of the dulcimer and other traditional American folk instruments. The group plays at the Red Stick Farmer’s Market in Baton Rouge twice a month. The group will perform a variety of tunes on the dulcimer instruments and discuss the history and unique qualities of this historical instrument. To register, or for more information, call [phone].

Iberville Parish Library

Book club:

•  Oak Tree Readers Book Club will meet at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at the Plaquemine branch, 24605 J. Gerald Berret Blvd., Plaquemine. Members will discuss Blue Diary by Alice Hoffman.

Lafayette Public Library

•  SciFi/Fantasy Book Club will meet 6:30-7:45 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, at South Regional Library, 6101 Johnston St. in Lafayette. Members will discuss Watermind by M. M. Buckner.

Armstrong to speak

Annabelle Armstrong, author of Historic Neighborhoods of Baton Rouge, will speak to the monthly meeting of Chapter W, PEO at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 14, at Delta Zeta House on the LSU campus.

Signings

Jim Miller, author of Where The Water Kept Rising, will sign copies of his book at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 12, at Maple Street Book Shop, 7529 Maple St. in New Orleans.

Ron Thibodeaux, author of Hell Or High Water: How Cajun Fortitude Withstood Hurricanes Rita and Ike, will sign copies of his book at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 14, at Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St. in New Orleans.

Marie Bookman, author of Breach Of My Heart, will sign copies of her book 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 14, at Maple Street Book Shop Healing Center, 2372 St. Claude Ave. in New Orleans.

Advocate columnist Smiley Anders, author of Smiley! A Laughing Matter, will sign copies of his book 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 16, at Main Street Market.

Benjamin Busch, author of Dust To Dust, will sign copies of his book 1-3 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at Garden District Book Shop, 2727 Prytania St. in New Orleans.

Mary Kay Andrews, author of Spring Fever, will sign copies of her book 2-4 p.m. Saturday, June 16, at Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St. in New Orleans.

Items for Book Events were provided by the State Library of Louisiana, LSU Libraries, East Baton Rouge Parish Library, Livingston Parish Library, Ascension Parish Library, Iberville Parish Library, Lafayette Public Library and Annabelle Armstrong.