By John Maruskin

Clark County Public Library

Ready for Thanksgiving?

Got your ceremonial serviette washed and decoratively folded for the feast?

Chairs and pillows all plumped for after dinner snoozing?

The library will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, but will reopen Friday morning for the annual Black Friday Book Sale Extravaganza. This year’s sale hours will be 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The price of books remains the same: $3 for a bag of books. The library will provide the bags. You can fill as many bags as you like. There are thousands of great books available, fiction and non-fiction in every category and genre imaginable for both adults and children.

If you have readers on your holiday shopping lists (and who doesn’t), come to the library Friday and Saturday and take care of their presents easily and inexpensively.

It’s for a good cause, too.All proceeds from the sale help fund next summer’s Children’s Reading Program.

This week, Read-For-a-Wreath 2016 begins. This event allows individuals, businesses or groups to show their holiday spirit, promote good cheer and compete for groovy prizes by decorating a wreath that will be displayed in the library and won by a library patron. It’s easy to participate.

Come to the library to pick up a Read-For-a-Wreath entry form.You can do this when you come to the Book Sale.

Then, decorate an 18- to 24-inch wreath form of your choice and bring your finished wreath (weighting five pounds or less) with your entry form back to the library by 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3.

From Monday, Dec. 5, to Friday, Dec. 16 (the day of the Library’s Holiday Open House), the wreaths will be on display in the library. During that time, library patrons will receive one raffle ticket to win the wreath of their choice for every five items they check out.

Those who create the wreaths will also be eligible to win prizes. The Library Teen Advisory Board will judge the wreaths and select category winners (except for the People’s Choice Award).The winners will also be announced Dec. 16.

This year’s wreath categories and prizes are: Best Traditional Style, $25 to Frank’s Doughnuts; Best Whimsical Style, $25 to The Cairn Coffeehouse; Best Toy Theme, $25 to The Daily Grind; Best Kentucky Theme, $25 to Gaunce’s; Best Edible Theme, $25 to Grace Bakery; and the People’s Choice award (based on the number of raffle tickets), $50 to Engine House Deli + Pub.

If you have any questions about the Read-For-a-Wreath program, contact Julie at clarkbooks@gmail.com.

Last year’s Read-For-a-Wreath contest was a great success, primarily because the wreaths created were so fabulous they made the library sparkle with holiday spirit. We can’t wait to see what this year’s wreath elves create.Come in this week to get your entry.

Also, don’t forget that Kentucky Poet Laureate, George Ella Lyon, will be presenting a writing workshop at the library at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8.Her workshop is entitled “Mapping Your Memory House.”George Ella will lead participants through writing exercises that will help them imaginatively write about places where they lived. She will also read from her book, “Many-Storied House,” which she created by doing the exercises she will feature in her workshop.

George Ella Lyon is one of Kentucky’s best and most respected writers.It’s an honor to have her here at the library. This program is free and open to the public, ages 14 and older.Please register to attend by calling the library at 744-5661; or use the Evanced Program Registration System found on the Library’s webpage: www.clarkbooks.org.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Enjoy and be grateful for your family, friends and the food you share, because, as Julia Child said, “Life is the proper binge.”