2009 Summer Reading Program is Here!

Register for the 2009 Summer Reading Program at the Leesburg Public Library online at Summer Reading Registration for Teens !!!

Enjoy your summer with great reading activities, interesting programs, and incredible special events.

Check out our Calendar Of Events for more information!!!

A Young Adult TV Show at the Leesburg Public Library?

Here’s the deal…

The Leesburg Public Library is currently working on the creation of a Young Adult television show on Lakefront TV. The program will use regular YA Room participants to discuss their latest reads in fiction, manga, etc. The hope is that any teen will be able to appear on a program (filmed in the YA room) and talk about his or her most recent favorite.

Sound fun?

Wednesday, June 3rd, we will have a meeting right before the Marble Magnets event. We are looking to begin production sometime in June!!!

Creative Writing Contest Winners!!!

Friends of the Leesburg Library announce the 2009 Creative Writing Competition winners!

The Friends of the Leesburg Library had the difficult task of selecting the best entries from all the contestants. While there were many fantastic stories, three exceptional works of literature stood out.

1st place won $100, 2nd place won $75, and  3rd place won $50.

Here are the Middle School Winners of the Friends of the Leesburg Library Creative Writing Essay Contest!!!

1st Place - “Apple Fields”
Katherine Kurz - Windy Hill Middle School

2nd Place - “The Old Whittaker House”
Crystal Long - Clermont Middle School

3rd Place - “Millie’s Mission”
Katie Holt - Clermont Middle School

Congratulations to all who participated!!!

New Video Contest, Anyone?

This new contest may be of interest to any aspiring filmmakers/Leesburgians. Need help? Need equipment/editing assistance? Come see Jacob at the LPL Amazing Space and we’ll see what we can do to help.

CHILI, (Careers in Health Information, Librarianship, and Informatics group) is hosting a youtube video contest for high school students grades 9-12 (homeschoolers included) with cash prizes.

What to do….  How to Enter…
Create a video of no less than 30 seconds up to a maximum of three (3)
minutes in length describing how the career of health information
professionals is exciting and rewarding.

Humor is encouraged. Please go to youtube=http://www.youtube.com/group/CHILIcareers
during the Entry Period and follow the registration process to upload
your video. Registration on www.YouTube.com must be completed before
upload. All entries must be original, from a single individual who has
not graduated high school prior to the 2008-2009 school year.

The Winner will receive a cash prize of $500. Two (2) runner-up cash
prizes of $250 will also be awarded.

more information available here: http://www.bioinfo-career.org/contest/

The Contest begins on March 15, 2009. Entries must be received by
midnight (EST) on May 31st, 2009 . Judging of entries begins on June
1, 2009 and end June 5, 2009.

Tell your little sisters, brothers, cousins, science teachers,
etc…this is open to anyone in the US. Please spread the word!

Happy Teen Tech Week!!

We had Gaming this week for you tech heads!

Now is your chance to vote for next years theme!

Follow the link and click on the Survey!

http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/yalsa/teentechweek/ttw09/home.cfm

Festival of Reading Coming Soon

The Lake County Library System Festival of Reading presents the highest quality literary and cultural events and activities to encourage the love of reading and to promote the programs and services of the libraries. The program connects readers and writers in a way that enriches both by providing informative and entertaining programs to the community. The 2009 theme is Fantastic Florida. Authors and scholars are invited to speak on Florida history, the environment and fiction. Our nationally recognized writers will participate in special events and in our annual fiction writing workshop.

To see what is happening at the Leesburg Public Library just keep reading but to see all the great events click on the picture above!

March 25th @ 3pm
Snow in Sarasota with Kevin Kremer Kevin Kremer is the author of A Kremer Christmas Miracle Santa’s our Substitute Teacher, When it Snows in Sarasota, The Knight, the Wizard & the Lady Pig.

March 26th @ 10:30am
Brunch with Author Karen Hawkins Karen Hawkins is the USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of a dozen historical romance novels including three series: MacLean Curse, Ask Reeves and Talisman Ring.

March 27th @ 2pm
Florida Masters of Mystery James O. Born, Tim Dorsey, Mary Anna Evans, Bob Morris and Elaine Viets will be the featured panel of mystery writing superstars. Authors will discuss their secrets of success.

March 28th @ 10:30am
Bookmark Design Contest Awards with Author Janeen Mason Janeen Mason is an illustrator or author/illustrator of eight children’s picture books with two more titles due for release in 2009.

March 28th @ 2pm
Author Dr. Gary Mormino Dr. Mormino, author of “Land of Sunshine, State of Dreams: A Social History of Modern Florida” explains the explosive growth in Florida and its impact.

Holy Black History Month!: 23 Graphic Novels Featuring African Americans

With Barack Obama as our president, we should be seeing more graphic novels featuring blacks as major characters for children and tweens. Luckily, there are many existing works that offer distinctive and often powerful portrayals of African Americans famous and unknown, real and fictional. Limited to teen through adult readers, the titles below are recommended for public and school libraries, and many would be welcome in academic collections.

Electrifying move: Vehicle charging station in the works for downtown Eustis

The Eustis City Commission approved a resolution last week supporting an endeavor by RubeLab, a not-for-profit corporation involved in the development of technologies to solve environmental issues, to construct a solar charging station for electric vehicles in downtown Eustis, at the corner of Eustis and Clifford streets.

“This is an exciting first step,” said City Commissioner Bill Ferree. “We’re going to have a new economical and fun way for getting around our Golden Triangle.

“RubeLab also plans to enlist help from the Lake County Department of Growth & Redevelopment and neighbors Mount Dora and Tavares to make neighborhood electric vehicles an option for anybody in the three communities,” he said.

U.S. Navy Summer Program for Juniors

U. S. Naval Academy Summer Seminar 2009 online application process.

Do you know a High School Junior who has the potential to be a good Naval Officer?

Please let them know about the Naval Academy Summer Seminar Program.

Naval Academy Summer Seminar Applications opened on February 1st, 2009. For More Information and To Apply Online Go to www.usna.edu and click Admissions and go to Summer Seminar.

2009 Seminar Dates:
Session One: May 30 – June 4
Session Two: June 6 – 11
Session Three: June 13 – 18

The United States Naval Academy Summer Seminar is a fast-paced, six-day experience for high achievers who have completed their junior year in high school. The Summer Seminar teaches you about life at the Naval Academy, where academics, athletics, and professional training play equally important roles in developing our nation’s leaders.

If you think that you may be interested in pursuing an appointment to one of the nation’s service academies and serving your country as an officer, you should seriously consider attending the Naval Academy’s Summer Seminar.

Midshipmen run Summer Seminar with oversight by active duty Navy and Marine Corps officers. Over 2,250 students from around the world attended this fast paced program last year.

If you want a summer challenge, the opportunity to sample university level academics at a first-rate institution, discover whether the Naval Academy will help you achieve your goals, and get a jump start on the admissions process, then this program is for you.

Want to learn more about working in Government??

Academy offers an up-close view of County government

TAVARES — Lake County citizens are invited to sign up for the spring edition of the Lake County Citizens’ Academy.

The spring program of the academy is scheduled for March 5 to April 23 and is offered at no cost to residents. Classes are held each Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at various County facilities. The classes provide citizens with information and materials explaining how the various departments within Lake County Government work to serve the community. In addition, the academy allows citizens to ask questions about specific aspects of government operations in an informal setting.

Each week, different branches of County government are featured. For example, a popular class is during the third week of the academy when the four divisions of the Department of Public Safety (Fire Rescue, Emergency Management, Animal Services and Communications Systems) explain the services they provide to the community. The entire schedule for the academy is:

• March 5 — Lake County Government Overview
• March 12 — Internal offices of Lake County Government
• March 19 — Department of Public Safety
• March 26 — Department of Community Services
• April 2 — Departments of Growth Management and Conservation & Compliance
• April 9 — Department of Public Works
• April 16 — Department of Environmental Utilities
• April 23 — Department of Tourism & Business Relations

In addition to learning more about Lake County Government, other benefits of the program are a certified academy diploma and the opportunity to meet one-on-one with elected officials and the County’s leadership staff.

For more information or to register, call Nadine Ohlinger, Employee Services Specialist, at (352) 343-9769.

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Media contact:
Christopher Patton
Public Information Coordinator
Office: (352) 343-9609; Cell: (352) 455-0445
cpatton@lakecountyfl.gov