issue 2 • march 2014
florence-lauderdale public library magazine
Plus: spring gardening • families reading together • a love letter from the past

issue 2 • march 2014
on the cover: Trinity Missionary Baptist Church Praise Team performing at Poetry & Praise, part of our Black History Month programming, February 2014
6
How the search for his family’s history led a world traveler back to his Alabama roots
4
John Steinbeck
What makes The Grapes of Wrath stand the test of time?
8
Staff Spotlight: Hali Black
One of our Reference Department staffers shares her love of gardening.
9
Gardening Book Recs
Got the gardening bug? Dig into these titles handpicked by the library staff.
10
Family Reading
Bringing families together over books with the Prime Time Family Reading Program.
12
Friends of the Library
A tribute to a longtime Friend and beloved volunteer, Mitch Burford.
16
Local History Snapshot
A letter written in 1871 by a man missing his wife and son.
renew is a publication of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library and is made possible by the Friends of the Library
350 North Wood Avenue, Florence, AL 35630 • 256-764-6564 • flpl.org
Editor: Jennifer Butler Keeton • Designer: Falon Yates
Cover photographer: Christi Britten
Library Board of Directors: Peter Paine (chairperson), Dihanne Westfield, Simpson Russell, Beverly Cheney, Andy Frith
Executive Director: Nancy Sanford

Friends of the Library Bookstore
Get Dirty at the Library
Beer and a Book
Words from the River: A Shoals Author Fair
Friends Bookstore Half-Price Sale
February 28–March 9
50% off books, movies, and music. (see the Friends section on page 12)
John Steinbeck program series related to Steinbeck’s work and its place in history. (see article on page 4)
April
Celebrating 75 years of The Grapes of Wrath with an exhibit, lectures, and film screenings
Our popular gardening series is back this spring! Chris Becker of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service will share tips on a variety of gardening topics in these monthly programs:
Raised Bed Gardening
Blueberries
Herbs
Tomatoes
Rain Barrels
Friday, February 28, 11:30 am
Friday, March 28, 11:30 am
Friday, April 25, 11:30 am
Friday, May 30, 11:30 am
Friday, June 27, 11:30 am
Did you know that the library sponsors two book clubs that meet once a month? They’re open to anyone, so feel free to join us!
The Evening Book Club First Tuesday of every month, 5:30 pm
The Evening Book Club, led by FLPL staff member Melissa Dial, is a long-standing general interest book club that reads a wide variety of novels and nonfiction books. The book for March is The Target by Catherine Coulter, and the book for April is Picture Me
Gone by Meg Rosoff. For more information, call 256-764-6564, ext. 12.
Beer and a Book Third Tuesday of every month, 7 pm
The library is excited to offer a book club focusing on food-themed memoir and literature. This club meets at Rivertown Coffee Company, and the book for March is Comfort
Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl. Enjoy beer, wine, or coffee while discussing some great books! Beer and a Book is led by Amy Collins, who writes
“The Vine” wine column for No’Ala Magazine, and about food and wine on her blog
Pig&Vine. Sign-up is not required for this book club, but RSVPs are appreciated. Call
256-764-6564, ext. 27 or email classes@flpl.org.
Words from the River: A Shoals Author Fair May 17, 10am–4pm
Browse for books and chat with your favorite authors from the Shoals area.
Summer Reading Program
June and July
Read books and earn chances to win great prizes! Registration begins May 27.
Connect with the library on Facebook for more event updates facebook.com/flplibrary renew • 1

Mockingjays: The Hunger Games Board Games
Pinspiration: Origami Hearts
Teen Tech Class
(continued)
For more information on teen programs, contact Mrs. Jaimee at 256-764-6564, ext. 24
4 Caffeine Cinema
The Addams Family (PG-13)
6 Pinspiration
Duct tape party!
11 Dumbledore’s Army
Harry Potter Scene-It (Teens vs Library Staff)
13 Teens on Board
Play all your favorite board games
15 Minecraft
Hang out and play Minecraft. Bring your own device!
Video Game Club
Games chosen by you!
18 Mockingjays
Trivia covering all three books
25 Book vs. Movie
About a Boy (PG-13)
27 Camp Half-Blood
Mythology discussion
Programming details TBA—check facebook.com/flplteens for updates
1 Caffeine Cinema
3 Pinspiration
8 Dumbledore’s Army
10 Teens on Board
15 Mockingjays
19 Minecraft
Video Game Club
22 Book vs. Movie
24 Camp Half-Blood
5:30–7:30 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
3:30–5:30 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
3–5 pm
5–8 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
Summer Reading June & July (registration begins May 27)
This year’s theme is “Spark a Reaction,” so get ready to do science!
Harry Potter’s Birthday
A day of activities for all ages celebrating the Boy Who Lived.
July 31
5:30–7:30 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
3:30–5:30 pm
3–5 pm
5–8 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
4:30–6:30 pm
5:30–6:30 pm
Connect with the Teen Program on Facebook!
facebook.com/flplteens Harry Potter’s Birthday
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Lego Club
Babies Love the Library
Family Picnic
Summer Reading Program registration
(continued)
For more information on kids’ programs, contact Youth Services at 256-764-6564, ext. 14
Dates subject to change—call Youth Services to confirm program dates
Book Bunch 2nd–4th grade book discussion
Family Movie Night
Major League Reading Sports book club
Lego Club
Mother/Daughter Book Club
1st Thursday, 5:30 pm
1st Friday, 5:30 pm
2nd Thursday, 5:30 pm
2nd Saturday, 2–3:30 pm
Pre-Sci Preschool science program (registration required) 3rd Monday, 1:30 pm
Family Night 3rd Thursday, 5:30 pm
4th Thursday, 5:30 pm
ABCs Under the Trees with Mrs. Jessica and Mrs. Robin!
Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 10:30 am
Three and four-year-olds are invited to sing, dance, and have fun learning the alphabet
Terrific 2s poems, stories, and crafts will be part of the fun!
Thursdays, 10:30 am
Two-year-olds and their caregivers will have a blast at our program just for them. Music,
Babies Love the Library Fridays, 10:30 am
A program for infants through 24-month-olds and their caregivers. This program includes music and motion, finger plays, nursery rhymes, and book exploration.
Saturday Story Time
Saturdays, 10:30 am
Our volunteers will present a different story and craft for all ages every week. we will take a break from regular weekly/monthly programs march 24–28 and during the month of may. summer reading programming starts in june!
Meet the Author: Tedd Arnold
Tuesday, April 15
Meet Fly Guy author Tedd Arnold at this special library event! More details coming soon.
Family Picnic Thursday, April 24, 5:30 pm
Pack your picnic baskets and join us on the front lawn of the library!
Get ready to read books and earn prizes during the 2014 Summer Reading Program! This year’s theme is “Fizz, Boom, Read!” and we’ve got some fun science programs for all age groups!
Registration begins
Daily programs
Last day to visit the Prize Store
May 27
June 2–July 19
July 31
Connect with Youth Services on Facebook!
facebook.com/flplyouthservices renew • 3

Dr. Susan Shillinglaw will present on the continuing relevance of Steinbeck’s novel.
Photo by Peter Caravalho, SJSU
This project is supported by grants from the University of North Alabama and the
Alabama Humanities Foundation, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the
Humanities.
John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath—which celebrates its 75th anniversary this April—still commands the attention of readers and scholars across the country. Its story of migrant workers struggling to find a better life has continued to resonate through the decades.
FLPL, with the help of the University of North Alabama and the Alabama Humanities Foundation, will honor the novel’s anniversary with a programming series and exhibit. The featured speaker will be Dr. Susan
Shillinglaw, one of the world’s most prominent Steinbeck scholars.
Dr. Shillinglaw, who is a Professor of English at San
José State University, says that The Grapes of Wrath touches on ideas and conflicts that are always with us here in America.
“This novel is about so many issues that we grapple with today as we did 75 years ago: the environment; people dispossessed from their homes; migration and

border tensions; workers on the margins; and Americans working together to achieve goals. The book is
(also) about gender—how women cope and adapt.”
In addition to these issues, Steinbeck’s writing style is another reason why the book continues to be powerful. “The language of the book is sonorous and stately—a steady and insistent beat of change,” says Dr.
Shillinglaw.
This “insistent beat of change” stems from Steinbeck’s desire for the novel to honestly portray the the lives of
Depression-era farmers. He wanted the book to serve as a call to action or, at the very least, to empathy.
“Steinbeck asks readers to participate in the reality of lives not, perhaps, like our own. He asks readers to participate in the grim actualities of poverty and dispossession and despair. He asks readers to empathize with the powerless,” says Shillinglaw. “That’s a lesson that is vital in any era.” the
of
at
Check flpl.org/steinbeck for program dates
75
The exhibit The Dust Bowl will be on display throughout the month of April. The Dust Bowl is an exhibition organized by the Nebraska Council for the Humanities in collaboration with Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National
Endowment for the Humanities
Dr. Susan Shillinglaw of San José State University will discuss the continuing relevance of
The Grapes of Wrath .
Dr. Kenneth Vickers of Martin Methodist College will provide the historical context for the novel by discussing the Dust Bowl and its effects.
Dr. Lynne Rieff of the University of North Alabama will tie the novel to local history by exploring what life was like in rural Alabama in the
1930s.
Students from the University of North
Alabama will present their research from their course “Special Topics in Literature: John Steinbeck.” The presentations will cover a wide range of Steinbeck works.
Pillar of Fire will screen film adaptations of
Steinbeck works.
by Jennifer Butler Keeton
Programming/Publicity Coordinator renew • 5

.
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By Jennifer Butler Keeton
Additional reporting by Clint Alley • Photo by Christi Britten
Thomas McKnight wasn’t always passionate about his family history. Born and raised in New York, he says his older relatives weren’t eager to share information about his ancestors. They saw him as just a kid and would “cut their eyes” when he asked questions. McKnight accepted that those answers were out of his reach, and he moved on and lived his life.
And an exciting life he has lived. He started working with the United Nations in 1979, and as Management Consultant in the Humanitarian Sector, he has traveled the world to countries including Afghanistan, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, to name a few.
But the passing of his mother in 2004 brought him back to his family’s roots—
Northwest Alabama—and became the catalyst for a spiritual journey to unlock his past.
McKnight quickly realized there would be plenty of roadblocks in his search.
“With African Americans and Native
Americans, if you can go back more than a couple of generations, you’re lucky.” He explains that it’s difficult to research ancestors who had been systematically oppressed and separated from one another.
“You live your whole life not knowing who you are,” he says.
McKnight started asking his uncle,
“Who was Grandmother?” Soon, he had driven nearly 15,000 miles over 86 days to search for answers about his family.
One of his most meaningful moments was finding the grave of his Grandmother
Hattie. The discovery allowed him to hold a prayer service at her grave some 68 years after she had died. The service couldn’t provide full closure, but he says it made him feel he had “completed the circle.”
He attributes his move to Alabama and his success in his research to “divine intervention.”
“Your spirit finds the right place where it’s comfortable, and you’ll find yourself there,” he says. He added that once you get your hands on the right documents, other information starts falling into place.
Although his search was personal, he is quick to give credit to those who have helped him along the way. “Nobody does it or can do it alone,” he says. He credits the library’s Local History and Genealogy Department with aiding him with his research.
“The Local History Room has one of the finest collections of resources for African-
American history I’ve ever seen,” he says, and he credits the passionate staff and volunteers who have dedicated themselves to compiling research and resources for others.
“Now, you have a place where people can come and say ‘Who am I?’ And more importantly, they can walk back out the door and say, ‘Wow.’”
McKnight’s journey has led him to realize that history is “a race against time.”
“The most important information on a tombstone is the dash between those dates—who these people are, how they lived their lives.” When a person dies, he says, the bulk of that information is lost.
That’s one reason why he believes it is the responsibility of older generations to teach young people to love history.
“With all the technology we have, there are so many ways to make history interesting,” he says.
McKnight plays his part in encouraging the love of history through his role as Vice President of the Tennessee Valley
Historical Society, which is partnering with UNA’s Public History Program to engage students in local history.
Together, he believes we can explore the dashes between the dates and “resurrect the personalities of yesteryear.” renew • 7

8 • renew staff spotlight
From: Curry, Alabama
How long have you worked at the library?
I have been with FLPL for exactly a year, though I’ve been working in libraries for much longer.
Tell us about your educational background and plans.
Beginning this fall, I will be pursuing a Master’s degree in Library Science with the University of
Alabama. I have earned a Bachelor’s of Science in
English from the University of North Alabama.
What do you like best about working at the library?
I enjoy participating in library events and helping patrons achieve their educational goals.
Tell us about some of your personal interests.
I have a wide variety of interests ranging from painting to video games, from soap making to comic books.
I also love crafting and DIY projects. But my favorite and most time-consuming hobby has always been gardening.
When and how did you get interested in gardening?
I think my love for gardening began at an early age, when I helped on my family’s small farm. I planted tomatoes, picked okra, shelled peas, and canned pears. I also had a bad habit of picking my Nana’s spotted tiger lily blooms, a habit she did not enjoy half as much as I did.
Tell us about the gardening accomplishment you’re most proud of.
Growing and harvesting my own produce. There isn’t anything more satisfying than getting to eat the fruit of your labor! I’m also currently working towards my certification as a Master Gardener with our local extension office. I really enjoy blogging about my discoveries and the challenges I often face as an urban gardener. You can follow my gardening journey at www.diggingthyme.com.
What’s the best gardening tip you’ve ever received?
A fellow gardener once told me, “Don’t just water your plants, talk to them.” I was skeptical at first, but now I swear by these words of wisdom. By checking in with your plants throughout the day, you can catch potential problems before they become major issues.
Prevention and early detection are vital to garden success.
Hali works in the Reference Department.

Alabama & Mississippi Gardener’s Guide
Felder Rushing & Jennifer Greer
The Salad Lover’s Garden
Sam Bittman
Starter Vegetable Gardens
Barbara Pleasant
Garden Folklore that Works
Charlie Ryrie
Growing Roses Organically
Barbara Wilde
The Landscaping Revolution
Andy Wasowski
Rain Gardening in the South
Helen Kraus and Anne Spafford
635.9 RUS
635 BIT
635 PLE
635 RYR
635.9 WIL
635.9 WAS
635.9 KRA renew • 9

Sienna Koger and mom Stella read one of the new Prime Time books

This year, we hit the jackpot with the Prime Time Family
Reading Time program, a pilot program of the Alabama
Humanities Foundation.
First offered in the fall of 2013, this wonderful series for families includes books, storytelling, discussion, and sit-down meals.
Prime Time is much more than your usual story time. The core elements of Prime
Time include humanities-focused content, quality children’s literature, open-ended questioning techniques, and collective learning.
Each week during the fall, families were given books to read together at home in preparation for the next week’s session.
Then, during our 90-minute sessions, library patron Amanda Green served as our discussion leader, and I was our storyteller. Together, we modeled techniques of reading aloud and open-ended questioning.
Our discussions didn’t end when we left the Youth Services area. We also enjoyed a sit-down meal together thanks to donations from local churches and businesses.
We appreciate Christ Chapel, Greater St.
Paul AME Church, Chick-fil-A, Lee Heights
Baptist, Subway on Mall Road, Edgemont
United Methodist, Jerry Damson Nissan,
Jerry Damson Honda, and SunTrust Bank for their support of this program.
The Prime Time Family program was a great success for us, but the program did not start here at our library, or even in Alabama. In fact, we were one of the first libraries in Alabama, along with the Woodlawn Branch of the Birmingham Public
Library, to implement the program.
What really makes Prime Time come to life are the themes of love, greed, fairness, honor, courage, and community that take place in our stories and discussions. The kids loved hearing their parents discuss these ideas and the kids jumped right into the discussion, too!
If you or your business is interested in volunteering or donating to the program, please contact Chris Ferguson, Prime Time
Coordinator, at 256-764-6564, ext. 14.
Second grader Sienna Koger was thrilled when she learned that the library would be hosting a second series of Prime Time events in the spring.
“I wish I would have taken a picture so you could have seen her face! She was so excited!” said Stella Hester, Sienna’s mom.
Stella and Sienna were one of the eight families from Weeden Elementary School who participated in our Prime Time program last fall.
We discussed bravery, and if it was okay to be scared when you have to be brave. We discussed dealing with bad days and what our perfect days would include. We talked about our dreams, and how those dreams can change over the years.
But most importantly, parents and children talked and listened to each other while being guided through wonderful books! renew • 11

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F

friends of the library
Merriam-Webster defines a friend as
“a person you like being with, a person who helps and supports something or someone, or one who is attached to another by affection or esteem.”
Dr. A. M. (Mitch) Burford is a true friend of the Florence-Lauderdale Public Library. He has been a member of the Friends for more than 20 years, serving on their Board of Directors and as President.
In recent years, he has volunteered three times a week and is a valuable asset to our efforts.
Mitch is a mainstay in the Bookstore, keeping the National Geographic section shelved and in order, packing and handling the recycling, picking up litter in the parking lot, collecting and sorting recycling, and performing many
“honey-do” jobs for the lady volunteers. And he has done it all with a smile and a quick joke or two to make the day a bit brighter.
Dr. Burford is the personification of hard work, dedication, loyalty, and love of community.
Friends President Bryan Miller says, “He sets a high standard for all of us to emulate.” He will forever be a “friend” of the library.
It won’t be long until the trees start budding, the weather starts warming, and it will be time to get our hands dirty in our gardens (or maybe in just a few pots on our porches)!
If you need help getting started or want to further improve your knowledge and skills, stop by the
Bookstore to check out our display of gardening books at great prices.
Board of Directors of the Friends of the Library, 2013–14
President: Bryan Miller • Vice President: Mary White • Secretary: Sandy Murray • Treasurer: David Curott
Board Members
David Curott • Kate Hicks • Cornelia McIntosh • Cellie Morgan • NeVille Stewart • Jane Williams
Bruce Dillard • Nancy Gautney • Jane Gullett • Bryan Miller • Nita Thornell • Mary White
Mitch Burford • Pat Butler • Sandy Murray • Beth Roth • Helen Savage • Anne Smith renew • 13

friends of the library
Dear Friends,
April is approaching! Did you know that the Friends is a 501(c)3 organization?
Itemized contributions such as membership, memorials, honorariums, donations of books, etc. are tax deductible to an upper limit. Be sure to check with your tax accountant to see if you qualify.
We appreciate your continued support of the library through your Friends
Membership, Bookstore patronage, and donations.
Please let us know if you have any ideas of how we can better serve you or our library.
Remember that when you visit the Bookstore, you are “among friends”!
At Your Service,
Bryan Miller
Friends President Bryan Miller
Bookstore sales for the first quarter of the 2013–2014 fiscal year were
$14,841.64.
Dues and income, other than book sales, totaled $ 7,122.37.
Expenses for postage, newsletter, and operation totaled $1,517.85.
For this fiscal quarter, $16,207.17 was donated by the Friends to the
Florence-Lauderdale Public Library.
David Curott , Treasurer
Local Historian Lee Freeman, Friends Treasurer David Curott, and Friends board member Nancy Gautney in the Bookstore
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Does not include magazines, records, or bookmarks
In memory of…
Alfie Crosslin
AL Renaissance Faire Roundtable
Trey W. and Jay T. Robertson
Bobby and Rose Robertson
Ward Hull
Roberta Dort
Nellie June McGee
Mr. and Mrs. Billy Ray Warren
Jennifer Ellen Koonce
Virginia, Elaine, Myra & George Perkins
Glenn Johnson
Virginia, Elaine, Myra & George Perkins
Carolyn Guthrie
Virginia, Elaine, Myra & George Perkins
Buford J. and Mallie E. Daily
Pat Roberts and Jess & Rania Daily
Lola Ayers
Sandi Rosellini
Hugh Riley and Margaret Plummer
W. Carroll White
William Gough, Sr. and
William Gough, III
Jane Gough
Delores Rook
Mr. and Mrs. Logan Trousdale
Christine Simmons
Mr. and Mrs. Logan Trousdale
Marian Elizabeth Sharrett Bramlett
Mr. and Mrs. Logan Trousdale
Roy E. Albright, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Logan Trousdale
Carolyn G. Yeilding
Joanna Wallace
In honor of…
Dave deWolfe
Shoals Area Investment League
Florence Discussion Club
Thomas and Diane Van Sandt
Richard and Barbara Peck
Jan Pflueger
Library Staff
Mr. and Mrs. Wilder Cheney
Peter L. Paine
Mr. and Mrs. Michael T. Paine
Billy Warren
Les and Kendy Behrends
Patrice and Pamela Butler
Mr. and Mrs. MacArthur Butler
Carla Putman-Maples
Lisa Putman
Donations
George and Marguritte McGaha
Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Bobo
Shoals Environmental Alliance
Jewish Federated Charities of the Shoals
Debra Dombrowski
Mary Hazel Jones
Julia D. Buffler
Alamance Chapter of DAR
Dr. and Mrs. Foster Eich
The Mended Hearts
Donations to the Friends
In memory of…
Mary Nicely
Kathryn Rice
Oather W. Harmon, Jr
Mrs. L.C. Morgan
Lou Batson
Ann & Lawrence McGregor
William S. Fesmire
Mrs. L.C. Morgan
In honor of…
Simpson Russell
Pierian Study Club
Memorials or honorariums may be made by sending a check to Friends of the Library, P.O. Box 1178, Florence, AL 35631
or to Florence-Lauderdale Public Library, 350 N Wood Ave, Florence, AL 35630
Please include the name of the person(s) being remembered or honored, the name and address of the person you would like to be notified of the donation, and the name and address of the contributor.
renew • 15

The Beckwith Collection includes the family papers of the Beckwith family, who were prominent wealthy planters in
Lauderdale County in the 1800s. These papers are currently being scanned and transcribed to be added to the library’s
Digital Archive.
On Aug 19th, 1871, Alexander Beckwith wrote this letter to his wife, Mary, professing his deepest love for her and his son. At the time of this letter, Alexander was in Trotter’s Landing, Mississippi while Mary (whom he calls “Mugg” in the letter) and their son, “Xander” were visiting relatives in Athens, Alabama. Alexander was raised on a plantation in Lauderdale County, Alabama. After the Civil
War, he moved to Mississippi and then in the mid-1870s he moved to Spring Hill,
Tennessee where he lived until his death in 1906.
Trotters Ladg
Aug 19th 1871
My darling wife
I wrote you day before yesterday, and if aunt
Nannie laughs at you for recieving[sic] so many letters I cant help it.
Tell her that I differ from the majority of husbands. The longer I [live], (if possible) the better I love my family.
When I look forward to two long months before I can see my darlings, it seems a life time! Mugg you think you know how well I love you but you cant imagine how dependent I am without your presence and good council
I am not at myself without you. Home is nothing without my darlings. The house is deso
-lation without my angel, and time is spent thinking of my lovely wife and little Boy.
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Interested in local history?
Find images, documents, and more in the FLPL Digital Archive at archive.flpl.org

that our library has become so much more than a place to pick out a book and get questions answered? At FLPL, we are discovering every day that we are about learning, connecting, sharing, and being a big part of our community. We still check out tons of books and materials—but we are becoming so much more. The film screenings, programming, classes, exhibits, and television premiere parties are showing us that our community is diverse, and we love celebrating that.
One of the assets of our library is Bookmarks, the library coffee shop. Walk in any day and you might see moms and children sharing a cookie, friends meeting for coffee or lunch, someone enjoying a sandwich and surfing the internet, and small groups meeting to discuss work or school projects. Come in and check us out! You never know what kind of surprise awaits... you just may get to try butterbeer for a
Harry Potter celebration, scones for a Downton Abbey party, or some other fun and tasty treat.
Join us this May for our local author fair! Browse for books and chat with your favorite authors from the Shoals area.
And if you’re a local author who’d like to participate, contact us at events@flpl.org or call 256-764-6564, ext. 27 to register.
Hope to see you there!