John Steslow - Local Author - cancelled

Unfortunately, due to extenuating circumstances, this author reading has been cancelled. Our apologies to those who were looking forward to this event.

Reading Public Library presents . . .

Berks County author

John Steslow

reading from his book

Touched By Grace

This novel, based on a true story, illustrates the life of a brilliant nun, consecrated to her God and her community of sisters, who never forgets the Polish-American family she left behind. The story begins in 1936 with Sister Edmunda’s appointment as the Secretary General of her order of primarily Polish American sisters, many from the anthracite coal region of eastern Pennsylvania. Six years later, elected to the office of Mother General, her special interests are the Order’s newest missions in southern Brazil, the opening of hospitals there and in the U. S., and most importantly, the spiritual growth of her fellow sisters and daughters in Christ. The mentoring and care of her much younger sister Mary and her family is a deeply emotional aspect of the novel. A special relationship develops between Sister Edmunda and one of her nephews, struggling to find his own faith and possible entrance into a religious order while serving in Japan during the Korean War. Major disagreements with her successor end the story in a totally unexpected way. ---Amazon

Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing at the event.


When: Thursday, June 15, 2006
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Where: City Espresso, 124 South Fifth St., Reading

RSVP: The program is free, but pre-registration is requested.
To sign up, call 610-655-6355, or visit the Reference Desk
at Reading Public Library, 100 South Fifth St., Reading.

Refreshments will be available for purchase from City Espresso.

Identity Theft and How to Prevent It: NOT JUST FOR SENIORS

Every year, thousands of America's seniors become victims of identity theft and consumer fraud.
Come and join us for a free seminar presented by the AARP and learn how to protect yourself!!!

Thursday, May 18, 2006

6:00 to 7:00

City Espresso

124 South Fifth Street, Reading

Please pre-register for this class by calling the Reading Public Library

at 610-655-6355.

The commercial on the television with the big burly guy, who is the victim of identity theft, singing with a woman's voice is pretty funny; however, identity theft and consumer fraud is not.

Last year, Pennsylvania was ranked 24th in the nation for the number of identity theft victims with 7,908 victims. There were a total of 686,683 consumer fraud complaints recorded in 2005, with identity theft reports, at 255,565, being the most common type of fraud.

Furthermore, it's not the seniors that are the most vulnerable to consumer fraud, it's the younger age set. Of identity theft complaints in 2005, 29% were from the age group 18-29, compared to 9% from the age group 60 and over.

(Identity Theft Victim Complaint Data. Federal Trade Commission)

Anyone of any age would greatly benefit from the information provided in this program. Please, don't be that guy in the TV commercial, sign up today and see how you can protect yourself and your loved ones.

City of Reading Mural at the Northeast Branch

Inspired by the works of the late Keith Haring and his Journey of the Radiant Baby exhibit at the Reading Public Museum, the mural at the Northeast branch of the Reading Public Library, entitled The City of Reading, (pronounced reeding) is something that you have to see to really appreciate. Very high WOW factor.
Bronwen Gillette, the director of the Northeast branch, brought together the children, adults, and seniors of the northeast Reading community; and along with Michael Miller, a local artist and art teacher, they created a vibrant reflection of the importance of the library within the community.
A very nice article about the mural appears in the Lifestyle section of the May 5 issue of the Reading Eagle. Read about the grant partnership between the Reading Public Museum and the Reading Public Library and the people who contributed to this masterpiece.

Woman's Day Looking for Library Stories

Has the library changed your life? Share your story with Woman’s Day magazine!

Libraries can change lives. They are places of lifelong learning and opportunity that can help people discover the world.
If you have a story about how the library has changed your life, send it to Woman’s Day, and it might be one of four chosen to be highlighted in an upcoming issue of the magazine!
Tell your story in 700 words or less and send it to womansday@ala.org by May 10. For more information and for the official rules, visit www.womansday.com/ala. The initiative is open to women over the age of 18.
Put it in Writing @ your library is sponsored by American Library Association and Woman’s Day magazine as part of The Campaign for America’s Libraries The Campaign is a multi-year public awareness and advocacy campaign designed to promote the value of public, school, academic and special libraries and librarians in the 21st century.