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An Evening with Author Paul Stutzman

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“Life almost never turns out the way we planned. Instead, everything depends on how we react to the twists and turns and surprises of the trail and the country road. I am now on a path I never imagined, and I hope the books I write along the way help you find peace on your own journey home.”

Join Author Paul Stutzman as he discusses his new book, Stuck in the Weeds

Tuesday, December 15 at 6:30 PM

“Imprisoned in my kayak, I leaned back and wondered if this choice I had made was perhaps the most foolish, ill-advised choice of my entire life.”

Paul Stutzman was stuck in the weeds. Literally stuck, in the thick weeds of a Mississippi River swamp. All of us at one time or another are “stuck.” We may find ourselves at a place In our jobs, our marriages, our parenting, or our faith when there seem to be no answers and no clear path ahead. What does a follower of Jesus do then? Stutzman gives an honest account of events and questions in his own life that left him feeling just as stuck as the thick, impenetrable swamp weeds that confounded his Mississippi River journey. In a pilgrimage to find answers and clarity on personal and faith issues, he hikes a famous trail in Spain and ponders how choosing to be a disciple of Christ affects the choices we all make in our pilgrimages. His reflections will challenge the discipleship of every follower of Jesus. Call the Library at 330.343.6123 to register for this free program. Copies of Stuck in the Weeds will be available for purchase for $15.00.

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The Zoar Story: A Morning with Author David Meyers

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Have you ever wanted to learn more about the history of Zoar? Join us on Saturday, December 12 at 10:00 AM in the library’s Community Room as David Meyers presents on his book, A Glance of Heaven: The Design and Operation of the Separatist Society of Zoar. Call the library at 330-343-6123 to register for this free program.  All welcome!

Na-No What Now?

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There’s only 10 left in November! That means there’s only 10 days left in NaNoWriMo!

NaNoWriMo? What’s that? How do you say it?

It’s National Novel Writing Month, the month when writers everywhere try to write a whole 50,000 word novel in 30 days. I’ll save you the math: that’s about 1,667 words a day, for 30 days. For a normal typist (40 words per minute), that’s about 42 minutes of straight typing per day. I’m a fast typist (60 words a minute), but writing 1,667 words takes me about an hour.  Either way, that’s a lot of typing.

And it’s pronounced “Nan – Oh – Wry – Mo”

As the organization says on their website, “Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel.”

And it’s certainly one way to do it, though it’s no easy task.

Every year, I try to do NaNoWriMo. First, I’m excited. What will I write this year? Sci-fi? Fantasy? A cheesy vampire novel? I do some planning and get a basic outline going for the story. Then November starts, and I start typing. And typing. And typing. Then I miss a day, get the flu, get busy making paper wreaths for a craft show… Life happens. And suddenly there are ten days left in November, and I’m short about 25,000 words.

Oh, well. There’s always next year.

Two years ago, I did get to 50,000 words. Here are a few tips I picked up for overcoming writer’s block and keeping the momentum going:

  1. Write something every day
  2. Stop writing in the middle of a scene – this forces you to get back into writing to finish it the next time you sit down
  3. Keep a general list of upcoming scenes so you know where you want to go next
  4. Don’t worry – this is a first draft.
  5. Seriously, it’s a first draft. Just write. Worry later.

NaNoWriMo may be ending, but that doesn’t mean you have to wait a whole year to write your novel. Make December your WriMo. Or make 2016 your WriYear. Make your own goal, set your own deadline, and write the book you’ve always wanted to.

Happy Writing!

Liz

Teen Librarian

PS: Link to my very favorite random writing tool: Write or Die by Dr. Wicked. Check it out.

Food for Fines

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Food for Fines week will take place November 23 – 28, 2015. Donate non-perishable food items to benefit “Share-A-Christmas” and take care of your overdue fines! One item is worth $1.00 off of your fines. You can receive up to $5.00 per day off of your fines each day of Food for Fines week. All food items must be unopened, have their original labels, and be in good condition within their expiration date. The library cannot accept home-canned or home-made items. Replacement fees for lost or damaged library materials can NOT be waived through Food for Fines. Call the library at 330-343-6123 or see the Circulation Desk for more information.

Introduction to Yoga

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Join us Saturday, November 21 at 10:00 AM for an introduction to Yoga. Sarah DiFazio, from Be Yoga Studios in Dover, will teach gentle movements and breathing exercises. This class is for all levels and modifications are available. Call the library at 330-343-6123 for more information and to register.Picture2

It Came from the Cellar… 1

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Since October is Archives month in Ohio, I thought it would be a perfect time to introduce a new feature of my local history blog: “From the Cellar.” About once a month I will choose an item or collection from The Roots Cellar in the basement of Dover Public Library to highlight in the post. Today I am excited to talk about a special donation we received from Phyllis Van Horn, and it takes us back to the very beginning of the place we call Dover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Many Doverites might be able to tell you that Christian Deardorff was one of the co-founders of Dover, but know little beyond that basic fact. Did  you know his house was the site of the first store in Dover, and the site of the first township election? Did you know he was the first postmaster?

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Thanks to the dedicated research of Walter and Phyllis Van Horn, all Doverites can now visit Dover Public Library to easily learn more about the man who carved Dover out of the wilderness. In one carefully constructed notebook one can find photos of Christian Deardorff and his family, copies of plat maps and handwritten land deeds, excerpts from different published histories including “The Portrait and Biographical Record of Tuscarawas County, Ohio – 1895” and W.W. Scott’s “Reminiscences of Dover,” prints and sketches of early Dover, transcribed and photocopied newspaper articles, Census and vital records, obituaries, copies of all of Deardorff’s land patents, tax lists, issues of the Dover Historical Society newsletter featuring articles about Christian Deardorff, and a copy of Margaret Deardorff’s will.

 

Walter and Phyllis spent years compiling this information from repositories around the state, and they generously donated the result to our local history archives here at Dover Public Library. As we bring Archives month to a close, I want to give Phyllis and her late husband a big H/T for being a champion of archives. Thanks to their tireless efforts, Doverites don’t have to work nearly as hard to learn more about their town fathers.

The featured collection is on display in The Roots Cellar at Dover Public Library and can be viewed Wednesdays and Thursdays 1-4 and 5-8.

To learn more about Archives month in Ohio, visit http://www.ohioarchivists.org/archives_month/
And don’t forget our digital record! Look here for digitized photos and collections from around the state:  http://www.ohiomemory.org/

 

-Claire Kandle, Local History & Genealogy Librarian

Ghosts of Tuscarawas County

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Get spooked with us at the library on Halloween, as local historian Steve Long shares the whereabouts and legends of local ghosts in this fun and informative program. Afterwards feel free to visit the locations for yourselves…if you dare!

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