February Is American Heart Month!

The American Heart Association is celebrating American Heart Month through the end of February, which means it's not too late to get involved and start making some heart-healthy lifestyle changes! And the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is here to help you reach your goals. We all know we need to eat better and exercise more, and here is a great reason to stay motivated. Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. That is definitely a scary statistic! So here are a few things the library can offer to help you stay on the healthy track.

Try out a Happiness Class! The Northeast/Spruill Oaks Branch wants to invite you out to learn about the benefits of meditation and healing touch Friday, February 22 at 1:00 p.m. Click here for more information.

The East Point Branch wants to help you relieve stress and heal your heart through Reiki! Reiki is a holistic health practice that promotes health and happiness. Join them Saturday, February 23 at 4:00 p.m. Click here for more information.

Why not check out a few books on the subject to stay informed about heart health? There are so many to choose from in our catalog, but here's a few suggestions to get you started.

• Boost Your Heart Health by Ruth Chambers
• Heart Health: Your Questions Answered by Robert Ascheim
• Eating for Lower Cholesterol: A Balanced Approach to Heart Health with Recipes Everyone Will Love by Catherine Cheremeteff Jones
• Heart-Healthy Cooking for All Seasons by Marvin Moser
• The Healthy Heart Miracle: Your Road to Lifelong Health by Gabe Mirkin

Of course you can always use the library itself as a quiet escape from the bustle of a busy week too! And there is much information to be found through the websites of both the American Heart Association and the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention. Let's get heart healthy together!

Eating for lower cholesterol : a balanced approach to heart health with recipes everyone will love

 

Tax Help At Your Library!

 

No need to wait until the last minute to file your 2012 taxes. The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System offers FREE tax help in many of our branches all through tax season! In most cases, help will be received on a first come, first serve basis, so you might want to call ahead for more detailed information about availability and any documentation you may need to bring. Click here for a schedule of locations, dates and times.

You can also find many of the state and federal tax forms at our branches, and many forms can be printed from both the State and Federal websites.

 

Federal Forms:  www.irs.gov  

 

Georgia Forms:  https://etax.dor.ga.gov/inctax/individual_income_tax_forms.aspx

 

 

Valentine's Day At The Library!

That's right, Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Luckily the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System has plenty of activities, programs, and of course, books, to help you get in the spirit of things! For starters, check out all of our free Valentine's Day themed programs taking place throughout the system. Children and families can enjoy stories, songs and crafts together, and while you're in the library check out something to take home. Maybe a romantic DVD for a special movie night, or a book of Valentine's crafts to make the perfect Valentine for your special someone! Here's a few suggestions to get you in the mood:

• Paper Crafts for Valentine's Day by Randel McGee
• Valentine's: Cards and Crafts from the Heart by Thiranut Boonyadhistarn
• Cooking for Two: 120 Recipes for Every Day and Those Special Nights by Bruce Weinstein
• Stefan Gjerstad's Easy Elegance: Classic Cooking for Two by Stefan Gjerstad
• Casablanca [DVD] with Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart
• Romeo + Juliet [DVD] with Claire Danes and Leonardo DiCaprio
• Classical Love Songs [CD] by Various Artists
• Greatest Love Songs [CD] by Isaac Hayes
 

We hope all of our patrons treat themselves and enjoy this special day!

 

Nonprofit Training At Your Library

Whether trying to start your own nonprofit, find support for continuing education, or write a grant or business proposal, there are a number of things to remember throughout the process that can either hinder or help you achieve your goal.

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is very lucky to have a relationship with The Foundation Center Atlanta, the leading source of philanthropy worldwide. According to its website, The Center maintains the most comprehensive database on U.S. and, increasingly, global grantmakers and their grants — a robust, accessible knowledge bank for the sector. It also operates research, education, and training programs designed to advance knowledge of philanthropy at every level. And in the next few months many of our libraries will be hosting classes taught by a reference librarian from The Center that focus on connecting people with the resources they need to succeed.

We encourage our patrons to take full advantage of these sessions! The full list of classes, dates, times, and locations can be found on our website.

You can also visit the Ivan Allen, Jr. Reference Department on the 2nd floor of the Central Library for free public access to the Foundation Center's electronic databases, as well as their materials on fundraising and nonprofit management. Visit our website for more information.

Library Closed For Holiday

Just a friendly reminder that the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System will be closed next Monday, January 21, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. All branches will reopen as regularly scheduled on Tuesday, January 22, 2013.

There are many events scheduled around Atlanta celebrating this day. Many of the King Day events are centered in the King Historic District in the Auburn Avenue area, including Monday morning’s annual commemorative service at Ebenezer Baptist Church and the march and rally on Auburn Avenue Monday afternoon. You can visit the King Center's website for more information. You can also visit the Best of the Big A blog from the Atlanta-Journal Constitution for a listing of other events that will be happening in and around Atlanta this weekend.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Big Read Essay Contest For Teens

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System and the National Endowment for the Arts invite all high school students to participate in The Big Read Essay Contest!

Closes Friday, January 18, 2013. 

 

Attention high school students! The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System is the proud recipient of the 2013 Big Read grant, a program of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), in partnership with Arts Midwest, designed to revitalize the role of literature in American culture and to encourage citizens to read for pleasure and enlightenment. Look for all the exciting programs and events surrounding A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines. But for now Atlanta and Fulton County youth are encouraged to craft a letter supporting an opinion (either pro or con) on the Death penalty in the state of Georgia. A typed letter supporting your opinion should be submitted to your local Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System Young Adult Librarian.  All essays are due by 5:00 p.m. Friday, January 18. Two winning submissions will be submitted to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution (AJC) for possible publication. See full contest rules at your local branch or visit www.afpls.org and see Latest News “The Big Read Essay Contest.”

We certainly hope we have a last minute surge of submissions. Good luck to all of our entrants!

 

Holiday Hours And Events!

The Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System will be closed next Monday and Tuesday, December 24-25 for the Christmas Holiday. All branches will reopen as regularly scheduled on December 26. In the meantime, why not come celebrate the season at your local library branch! We have lots of ways for our patrons to have fun and de-stress during what can sometimes be a chaotic time of year. Why not check out a few holiday-themed books, CDs, or DVDs to enjoy fireside? Or find a fun craft program or seasonal storytime to attend? Already looking towards your New Year's resolutions? Why not let the library help you get healthy in 2013? Or maybe you want to make one of your resolutions to better familiarize yourself with all of the electronic resources your Library System has to offer. Need to test out that new eReader you got from Santa? Don't spend a lot of money purchasing downloads when you can visit our collection of downloadable eBooks and eAudiobooks and get started for free!

With so many ways to make the library a part of your holiday traditions, we're sure we have something here for everyone. We look forward to seeing all of our patrons throughout the rest of the year, and we wish everyone a very happy, safe, and joyous holiday season!