A Month of Multicultural Celebrations

There are so very many holidays and celebrations in December. In our neck of the woods some of them are very well know, Christmas and Hanukkah immediately come to mind. While some are becoming more widely recognized, like Kwanzaa and Yule. Let's do a little armchair adventuring and look at some holiday traditions from across …

William Bartram: Hike and Learn

What’s YOUR favorite reference question? One of mine is “Can you tell me about some good places to hike around here?” I love it when people ask me for help getting out and playing in the woods. If I can add some historic knowledge and conservation advocacy to my answer- I’m even happier! We have …

Veterans Day

In the modern United States there are three days when citizens get a chance to honor men and women who are currently serving their country in the military or have done so in the past.  Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May,  Memorial Day, May 31, and Veterans Day, November 11. After the Great …

Healthy Engagement 101: Theatre at the Library – A New Community Theatre Group in Franklin, NC

  Theatre is work.  No one knows that better than Roberta Pipitone, a retired drama teacher of 30 years, who has graciously volunteered her time to help the Macon County Public Library continue to build a theatre program.  Pipitone not only wrote this season’s suspenseful comedy: “Murder by the Book” – to take place at …

Guest Blog: Domestic Violence Awareness Month by R.E.A.C.H. of Macon County

Maya Angelou stated “You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them.” - Letter to My Daughter As we enter Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are confronted with the stark reality that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men experience some form …

FRL – looking back, looking forward

As I get ready to retire next month, I find myself looking back at nearly 25 years of working for the Fontana Regional Library System.  There have been a lot of changes.  Walking into the Macon County Public Library on Wayah Street, for my first day on the job, the first thing I found myself …

Libraries On Tap

Did you know that the brewing industry is the fastest growing industry in western North Carolina?  Well, of course it is!  That’s why Fontana Regional Library system is stepping out of the stacks to bring: “Libraries on Tap: Brewing Scavenger Hunt” to Jackson, Macon and Swain counties. “Libraries on Tap” is a collaboration between Fontana …

Discovering Kids Films on Kanopy

Kanopy, the free-with-your-library-card film streaming service provided for FRL card holders, recently added a large section of films for kids. If you haven't browsed through it yet, you are really missing out! It's easy to access; from the Kanopy homepage, just click on "Kids" at the top. Here you will find a wealth of films and …

The United States in the Great War

It was the 11th hour, of the 11th day, of the 11th month one hundred years ago when guns fell silence.   The combat phase of the Great War was over.  The Allies, including Great Britain, France, and the United States were victorious over the Central Powers: Germany and its allies. The United States joined the …

Guest Blog: Local author, Tyler Cook, reflects on Macon County Public Library’s Read Local Book Fair

As I reflect on the fifth annual Read Local Book Fair in Franklin, I can’t help but feel excitement, as if I’m attending it for the first time.  Each year brings a new experience, and a new group of customers gets to experience a new book, whether they buy mine or someone else’s.  For us …