By Jim T. Whalen

Rowan Public Library

With the latest long political season, you are probably tired of all the politics. There is audio, video and the endless mail from all the candidates. Someone is always looking for a sound bite. Play that negative or positive short message and you have an instant winner or loser.

Let’s look at some library sound bites. Some are new, some old and some bumper stickers. Take a break and enjoy them.

“Libraries always remind me there are good things in this world.”

“Your library is your paradise.”

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

“Old librarians never die, they just get renewed.”

“Where are you headed with your life? Each direction is good if there is a library along the way.”

“Without libraries what have we? We have no past and no future.”

“The most important asset of a library goes home at night, the librarian.”

“I have found the most important thing in my wallet, my library card.”

“I ransack libraries and find them full of treasures.”

“If I was a book I want to be a library book so I could be taken home by all sorts of kids.”

“Librarians working for you since 2600 BC.”

“If truth is beauty, how come nobody has their hair done in the library?”

“A truly great library has something in it to offend everybody.”

“Libraries raised me.”

“My two favorite things are libraries and bicycles; they both move forward without wasting anything.”

“Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services and great libraries build communities.”

“An original idea, that can’t be too hard. The library is filled with them.”

“When the going gets tough, the tough get a librarian.”

“You can borrow a book, but you get to keep the ideas.”

“A book is a magic portal to another dimension.”

“When in doubt, visit your library.”

“I’m a librarian, you could not shock me if you tried.”

“Libraries are forever.”

“Who needs a librarian when you have Google? Who needs a doctor when you have Webmed?”

To keep this short I did not give credit to the writers, but you can always ask a librarian.

Mystery Machine: East, through Nov. 30. A monster scared away Scooby’s best friends. Find them all and be entered into a raffle contest for a literary-themed prize. For more information, contact Tammie at 704-216-7842.

Cards for a Cause: All branches. Now-Dec. 18. Create holiday cards that will be delivered to active service members in the U.S. Armed Forces and to veterans at the Hefner VAMC in Salisbury. Patrons can specify their card(s) be delivered to a certain branch of the armed forces or to the VA. Cards submitted for a branch do have specific deadlines: Dec. 10 for cards distributed stateside. Cards submitted Dec. 11-18 will only be delivered to the VA. Questions? Call Tammie at 704-216-7842.

Selections from “The Nutcracker”: Nov. 29, 6:30 p.m., headquarters. Rowan Public Library and members of the Salisbury Symphony present dance selections from Piedmont Dance Theatre’s “The Nutcracker Ballet.” This is a classic holiday program suitable for all ages. Light refreshments. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 704-216-8234.

The Twelve Books of Christmas: Dec. 1-22, East. On the first day of Christmas, I saw at my library 12 books wrapped for a reader like me. Check them out and have a surprise for each day before the holidays. This exciting spin on your regular check-out routine is available through Dec. 22. For more information, contact Tammie at 704-216-7842.

Runaway Reindeer Scavenger Hunt: East, Dec, 1-22. Where have the reindeer gone? Can you find all nine before Santa flies back to the North Pole? Find the reindeer, hidden around East Branch, and be entered into a contest for a literary-themed prize. Runs through Dec. 22. For more information, contact Tammie at 704-216-7842.

RoBoJo Holiday Show: Headquarters, Dec. 1, 2 p.m. The RoBoJo Theatre Troupe returns to RPL for the 19th annual presentation of their Holiday Show. A fun crew of talented local actors joins RPL’s children’s staff for an hour-long variety show that features skits, songs, readers’ theater and audience participation. For more information, call 704-216-8234.

Holiday Storytime with Mr. Robert: Headquarters, Nov. 29, 10:30 a.m. Join Mr. Robert for a very special storytime to ring in the holiday season. This program is designed for ages 3-5, though all are welcome. For more information, call 704-216-8234.

Curiosity Machine: AI Family Challenge, South, Nov. 28, 3:30 p.m. Kids ages 8 to 15 and their families can explore the core concepts of artificial intelligence and apply AI tools to solve problems. Learn the basics of how AI works by building simple projects together. This program is in collaboration with Horizons Unlimited of Salisbury and will last approximately 90 minutes. For more details, call 704-216-7728.

Anime/Manga Mini-Convention: East, Nov. 29, 4-5 p.m.; headquarters, Nov. 27, 4-5:30 p.m. Cosplay as your favorite character, and we’ll enjoy Japanese food, crafts, games and a screening of an anime film or episodes of a show. For more information, contact Hope at 704-216-8258 or Hope.Loman@rowancountync.gov.

N.C. History: Catawba County and the 1944 Polio Epidemic, South, Nov. 26, 7 p.m. Richard Eller examines the effect of the polio epidemic on post-WWII Catawba County. Eller and Robert Canipe co-edited the essay collection “Polio, Pitchforks and Perseverance,” published by RedHawk Publications in 2016. Eller, a history professor at Catawba Valley Community College, also contributed to the collection. The project also generated “Miracle: How a N.C. County Named Catawba Battled Polio and Won,” a 55-minute documentary by CVCC faculty and the college’s service community. Copies of the book and DVD will be available for purchase.

Book Bites Club: Tuesday, 6 p.m. “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom. Refreshments will be served, and new members are welcome. Questions? Contact Paulette at Paulette.Stiles@rowancountync.gov. Next meeting will be Jan. 29, 2019.

Displays: Headquarters, Anime by Robert Clyde Allen and stained glass artwork by Sandy Collins; East, World War I memorabilia by Gleen Hinson; South, Patterson Farm Photowalk exhibit, by Paul Birkhead.

Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.