Cleveland Public Library and LAND studio are looking for artists to create projects for the library's Eastman Reading Garden, which is located between the downtown Main Building and Louis Stokes Wing. Some information from land-studio.org:

About the Competition

...
2013 Theme
Throughout Cleveland’s history, people have dreamed big, offering unique depictions of what a cityscape could contain. This ambitious visioning has produced a range of concepts, big and small, fantastic and far-fetched, that could redefine Cleveland’s landscape. From attaching ferris wheels to bridges to erecting a giant Superman across the Cuyahoga, Clevelanders have long conveyed fearlessness and creativity in their dreams.

For the 2013 See Also installation, we are asking artists to think BIG. In the spirit of thinking big for our city, Cleveland Public Library and LAND studio challenge artists to design thoughtful, wacky, novel or whimsical concepts for a jury of local stakeholders to consider for installation in the Eastman Reading Garden. Artists are encouraged to develop concepts that deal with the garden space specifically, or present ideas for sites throughout the city at the scale of the garden.

One or more artists will be selected to create an installation for the garden that showcases their big dreams for a small space.

Find more information — including eligibility, location, requirements, awards, deadlines and budget — at See Also: 2013 Call for Artists.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Interested in hearing about the 2012 election from the perspective of political authors? Check out the upcoming Writers & Readers event at Cleveland Public Library, featuring S.E. Cupp and Jodi Kantor.

Writers & Readers: S.E. Cupp & Jodi Kantor is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sept. 15 in the Louis Stokes Wing Auditorium at the Main Library downtown. Tom Beres of WKYC-TV 3 will serve as host and moderator.

Learn more about the event and the authors on CPL's website.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Have a recipe that highlights the community, culture and history of Cleveland? Consider submitting it for consideration of inclusion in a cookbook.

From LAND studio's website:

About the Work

LAND studio, in partnership with Cleveland Public Library, is seeking submissions for a cookbook.

The intent of the cookbook is to highlight a focus on community, sharing, and importance of food as it relates to culture and the history of Cleveland. The cookbook will serve as a resource for cooking, platform for storytelling, and as a way to connect Clevelanders across cultures and communities.

How It Started

The book stems from the Cleveland Public Library 2012 Lockwood Thompson Dialogue in which the topic was FOOD. The speakers, Michael Ruhlman, Penny De Los Santos, and Dan Barber, raised topics such as the importance of cooking, sustainability, eating simply, rituals, and the social camaraderie associated with food. We would like to extend the program by inviting Clevelanders to share their own Food Dialogue.

Other Facts

Submission Qualifications:
•      Must have a connection to Cleveland
•      Must include current contact information
•      Must be received by FRIDAY, JULY 20, 2012

Requirements:
One recipe that has meaningful value to participant. Must be from scratch.
300-500 words submitted in a Word (or like program) document about what that recipe means to participant, why it is important to share, or a related story and/or poem.
3-5 pieces of ephemera to correspond with piece: photographs, drawings, maps, labels, etc.
If participant is submitting a digital image, image must be at least 300dpi and 2" x 2".


Selection Process:
Recipes will be reviewed and tested by a panel and a select number will be chosen for final publication.  Contributors of chosen submissions will be notified.

Please note that every effort will be made to return valuable items as specified by the sender. However, we are unable to assume responsibility for lost or damaged items. Unless specified, all articles and images will be edited and will not be returned. LAND studio reserves the right to not use any material submitted. Expected print date is October 2012.

Send all materials to:
LAND studio
ATTN: COOK BOOK                                            -OR-                              food@land-studio.org
1939 West 25th Street, Suite 200
Cleveland, OH 44113

All materials must be received (not postmarked) by Friday, July 20, 2012 at 5:00pm. Hand deliveries are acceptable. Please do not send any additional materials. CDs will not be returned.

Please contact Sarah Siebert at food@land-studio.org or 216-621-5413 x 117 if you have any additional questions.

Sounds like a great opportunity to share your love for food and Cleveland. Get cooking!


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

The weather seems to have aligned itself with the season once again. At last the temperature doesn't seem so out of whack from what my calendar is telling me.
And so with spring in the air, I've been dreaming of taking my reading outside.
Since I'm in the market for some stacks to be piling next to the glider in my backyard to enjoy those warm weekend afternoons sure to come, I'll be hitting up some of these sales.

I'm sure it's no surprise that I'm a huge fan of Friends of the Library book sales. It's the confluence of many of my favorite things - helping libraries, finding books and saving money.
Here's some of the local sales coming up.
Hope to see you there!

The Friends of the Cleveland Public Library will host a Spring Used Book Sale at the Cleveland Public Library, 525 Superior Ave., April 23 through April 26. A large selection of books in all categories will be on sale, including a large assortment of art books, audio books and music CDs. A members-only preview will be 10 a.m. to noon and members should bring their cards for admittance. Those who are not members of the Friends may join at the door. The sale will be open to the public noon to 6 p.m. Monday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and on Thursday, a bag of books will be offered for $5 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Friends of the Euclid Public Library, 631 E. 222nd St., Euclid will host the April Book Sale 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 27; 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 28 and 1 to 4 p.m. April 29.
Friday evening is a special preview for members only. Saturday and Sunday the sale is open to the general public with a $2 buy a bag event on Sunday. Only Friends-issued paper bags will be allowed in all of the sale rooms. No outside bags will be permitted.
Donations benefit the Friends of the Euclid Public Library. For details, call 216-261-5300 or www.euclidlibrary.org.

Chardon Friends of the Library will host its annual Maple Festival Book Sale in the Chardon Library’s Bostwick Room. There will be a Friends Members Only Preview from 9 to 10 a.m. April 26. It’s possible to join the Friends or renew membership at the door.
General book sale hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 26, 27 and 28; 1 to 5 p.m. April 29 (bag day, $3 per bag).
For details, call 440-285-7601.

The Friends of the Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library will hold a large book/AV sale at the Willoughby Public Library, 30 Public Square, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 4, 5 and 7. Call 440-942-3200 for more information.


The Friends of the Kirtland Public Library, 9267 Chillicothe Road, will host a book sale to benefit the Library from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 5. All books, except those specially priced, are $3 per bag. Audio visual materials and jigsaw puzzles are all priced separately. A large collection of adult fiction and non-fiction is available as well as children’s books. Bags will be provided. For details, call the library at 440-256-READ.

Let me know if you make any great discoveries...

- Tricia Ambrose

@triciaambrose

Last week I had the awesome experience of meeting the author of my favorite book.

Audrey Niffenegger and me

Audrey Niffenegger was speaking at the Cleveland Public Library as part of Octavofest. Niffenegger is a visual artist and an author, and among her books is my favorite novel, "The Time Traveler's Wife."

I was thrilled when I learned Niffenegger would be in town, and I'm so glad I went to hear her speak. She read to the audience a short story of hers that has not yet been published. It's sort of a continuation of "The Night Bookmobile" (which I haven't read but now am looking forward to). She shared some of the visual artwork she has created. She answered audience questions, then signed books. She was even kind enough to have her picture taken with me before she signed my books.

It was such a neat experience to be so close to someone you admire in such a creative sense. I'm so glad I went and am disappointed that the auditorium wasn't packed to hear such a great writer read her work. If you've never heard an author read his or her own stuff, I encourage you to do so when the opportunity presents itself.

There are a ton of great events going on this month with Octavofest, so check out the Octavofest calendar and make plans to go to some of them.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Odds and Book Ends features activities and events in the area related to libraries, books and authors. Submit your events at www.News-Herald.com/Calendar, and check back to The Book Club every week for upcoming events and activities at your local library.

---

This week

The library story time program for children 24 months and younger runs Mondays from the week of Sept. 26 through Nov. 14, at 6:30 p.m. at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. Caregivers attend with children for all story times. Register: 440-943-4151.


Medicare Check Up will be at 2 p.m. Oct. 17 at Morley Library, 184 Phelps St., Painesville. The program will review Medicare and provide information regarding open enrollment and the changes that beneficiaries are able to make during this time. It is appropriate for individuals currently receiving Medicare, as well as those approaching age 65. For more information, call 440-352-3383 and ask for the Adult Reference Department.


Resume Development will be at 9:30 a.m. Oct. 18 at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. In a classroom setting, we cover resume content and selection of the best resume format. Learn how to highlight your accomplishments and get tips on deciding what to include and what to leave out. Register for the free program: 440-943-4151.


Friends of the Cleveland Public Library will have a fall used book sale from Oct. 18 through Oct. 21 at Cleveland Library, 525 E. Superior Ave.. Books, DVDs and CDs will be part of the sale. A members-only preview will be 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 18, and members should bring their cards for admittance. Those who are not Friends may join at the door. The sale will be open to the public noon to 6 p.m. Oct. 18, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Oct. 19 and Oct. 20. On Oct. 21, a bag of books will be offered for $5 between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Details: 216-623-2821.


Medicare Check Up will be at 4 p.m. Oct. 18 at Madison Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road. The presentation is for those already enrolled in Medicare. Register: 440-428-2189.


Joe the Coupon Guy will give a class at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at Kirtland Library, 9267 Chillicothe Road. Register: 440-256-7323.


Real Murders Book Discussion group meets at 7 p.m. Oct. 19 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square. This month's book is "The Killer of Little Shepherds" by Douglass Starr. Register for the free program: 440-942-3200.


Have coffee with the director of Madison Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road, at 6 p.m. Oct. 20 at the library. Ask questions, make suggestions and tell us how the library is working for you. Details: 440-482-2189.


Prevent Blindness Ohio and Mentor Library, 8215 Mentor Ave., are hosting a special children's reading hour led by local celebrities at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 20 in the Main Library Children's Theater. Following the presentations by guest readers, families can explore the Wild About Eyes interactive exhibit, which is designed to educate and enlighten about eye health and safety. The kiosk will be on display at the library from Oct. 20 through Nov. 22. Details, or call 440-255-8811, ext. 221.


Friends of the Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library will have a book/AV sale from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 21, 22 and 24, and 1 to 5 p.m. Oct. 23 at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. The Friends will also raffle baskets filled with books and gifts. Tickets for the raffle are 50 cents each and can be purchased during library hours beginning Oct. 14. Details: 440-943-4151.


The Upstage Players, under the direction of Carrie Walsh, will present "Murder on the Oriental Rug" at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 at Wickliffe Library, 1713 Lincoln Road. This is an audience participation murder mystery-comedy; the audience can help solve the mystery, enjoy refreshments and win prizes. Tickets are $10 and available for purchase at the library. Attendees must be 18 or older. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Details: 440-944-6010.


Tess Gerritsen, author of medical and crime thrillers, will discuss her latest Rizzoli & Isles book, "The Silent Girl", at 7:45 p.m. Oct. 22 at Notre Dame Education Center Auditorium, 13000 Auburn Road, Munson Township. The program is being put on by the Geauga County Library Foundation and the combined Friends of the Libraries. A reception with the author takes place at 7 p.m. at a cost for $25 per individual or couple. General admission tickets - at $5 - may be purchased at the door. Tickets to the author reception must be purchased by Oct. 17. Book will be available for purchase at Fireside Bookshop of Chagrin Falls. Gerritsen will be available to autograph books before and after her presentation. Tickets can be purchased at any Geauga County Library or by mail to the Geauga County Library Foundation, 12701 Ravenwood Drive, Chardon, OH 44024. Details from the Geauga County Library Foundation.


Halloween Video Scavenger Hunt will be 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 29 at Madison Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road. The list of items you need to either take pictures or video of will be available at the Adult Reference Desk beginning Oct. 22. Do the hunt by yourself or with friends. Teams will have one week to film the items on their list. The library will show all the videos and pictures taken on Oct. 29 and award prizes then. Details: 440-428-2189, or come in to the library.

Coming up

A presentation by author John B. Kachuba - Ghosthunting Ohio: On the Road Again - will be 7 p.m. Oct. 24 at Morley Library, 184 Phelps St., Painesville. No registration required. Details: 440-352-3383.


Meet Katie Spotz, a Mentor resident who set the world record for the youngest person to row solo across the Atlantic, at 7 p.m. Oct. 25 in the James R. Garfield Room at Mentor Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. Register: 440-255-8811 or MentorPL.org. More details.


Friends of the Euclid Library, 631 E. 222nd St., will have a book sale from Oct. 28 through Oct. 30. From 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Oct. 28 will be a special preview for members only. The general public can attend the sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 29, and 1 to 4 p.m. Oct. 30. The last day will be bag day, when you can fill a bag for $2. Only Friends-issued bags will be allowed in all of the sale rooms; no outside bags will be permitted. Details: 216-261-5300.


Geauga Humane Society's Rescue Village will have preschool story time sessions at 11 a.m. Fridays, Oct. 28 through Dec. 9. (No session Nov. 25.) The cost is $6 for a six-week session. A special story time will be at 1 p.m. Nov. 12. Families are encouraged to bring a can of Purina dog food or cat food to donate to the shelter. Families can meet one of the Rescue Village's dog ambassadors, and there will be a special craft to take home. Details: Call the Humane Education Coordinator at 440-338-4819, ext. 20, or email education@geaugahumane.org. Rescue Village is at 15463 Chillicothe Road, Russell Township.


Sign up begins Oct. 24 for Halloween After Dark events at Madison Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road. Boos and Ghouls will be 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Oct. 29. Tween Zombie Halloween - for third- through eighth-graders - will be Oct. 29 and is not for the faint of heart. Details: 440-428-2189.


"Are You Experiencing Sibling Conflict While Caring For an Aging Parent?" will be at noon Oct. 29 at Willowick Library, 263 E. 305th St. Home Instead Senior Care has partnered with the library for the program that offers strategies for overcoming sibling differences to help families provide the best care for elderly parents. Lunch will be provided. Register: 440-943-4151.


Writings from the Heretics: Anabaptist Literature, its origins and significance today will be at 7 p.m. Nov. 1 and Dec. 6 at Middlefield Library, 16167 E. High St. The three-part program by John Gingerich will examine forbidden Anabaptist Bibles and Testaments; Anabaptist Hymnals and Prayer Books; and Martyrologies, Histories and Confessions of Faith. Books significant to Amish - Mennonite - Anabaptist history, dating back to the 1500s, will be on display. Gingerich recently finished translating History of the Bernese Anabaptists, which will be available to purchase at the programs. Come to one or all of the programs. Also bring in your own pre-1900 German Bibles, hymnals, prayer books and other old German documents for a Show-and-Tell after the programs. Register: 440-632-1961.

Ongoing events

Bring your chess board to Madison Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road, the third Saturday of every month at noon and join others who like to play. All ages and skill levels welcome. www.madison-library.info


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

I overlooked a major event going on this month in my weekly Odds and Book Ends post: Octavofest, a month-long event "celebrating the book and paper arts."

From the About page:

Octavofest was first held in 2009, when a program of eight types of events (e.g., exhibitions, demonstrations, art museum tours, and lectures) was held during the month of October and sponsored by Art Books Cleveland (ABC). ABC, formed a year earlier (March 2008), is the Cleveland-area organization devoted to advancing the appreciation of book and paper arts. Its members include book artists, binders, conservators, calligraphers, printers, and papermakers.
...
The 2011 Octavofest program promises an even livelier and more visible exploration of the book and paper arts. It has continued to draw new collaborators who, by combining their energies, can leverage their own venues, audiences, expertise, staff, and other resources to build the programming. New collaborators from beyond the immediate area, such as Oberlin College and the Ohioana Library Association, demonstrate the potential of Octavofest to promote the Cleveland area’s strengths, both in the book and paper arts and in the successful co-creation of community among institutions, organizations, artists, and entrepreneurs. ...

You can read more about Octavofest to get a better idea of its origin and its future, and take a look at its founding and participating members - which include Art Books Cleveland, Cleveland State University's Michael Schwartz Library, Cleveland Botanical Garden's Eleanor Squire Library, Cleveland Public Library, the Cleveland Museum of Art, Euclid Public Library, Cuyahoga County Public Library and many, many more Cleveland institutions.

Check out what's planned for the rest of Octavofest on the Calendar of Events. Several exhibits last throughout the entire month (and some beyond). There are also speakers, tours and hands-on activities. Registration is required for some, so be sure to check out the details of each event.

Happy Octavofest!


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Odds and Book Ends features activities and events in the area related to libraries, books and authors. Submit your events at www.News-Herald.com/Calendar, and check back to The Book Club every week for upcoming events and activities at your local library.

---

This week

The Chardon Polka Band will perform from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. July 25 at Willoughby Hills Library, 35400 Chardon Road, to wrap up the summer reading program. The library will be awarding prizes. Everyone is welcome. Register at 440-942-3362.


Learn how to sign in to your account on Willowick Library's new web catalog at 6:30 p.m. July 26 at the library, 263 E. 305th St. The program will include demonstrations on how to search for items, place requests, manage your account, and begin using its new features. Details: 440-943-4151 or welibrary.info.


The Friends of the Cleveland Public Library will host a used book sale at the library, 525 Superior Ave., Cleveland, from July 25 through July 28. A members-only preview will be 10 a.m. to noon July 25, and members should bring their cards for admittance. Those who are not Friends may join at the door. The sale will be open to the public from noon to 6 p.m. July 25, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. July 26 and July 27. On July 28, a bag of books will be offered for $5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details: 216-623-2821.


Books of Aurora will provide an inventory of new books for the annual summer book fair benefiting the Friends of the Bainbridge Library. The fair will take place from July 27 to 29 at Bainbridge Library, 17222 Snyder Road. Children ages 3 and older and their families can participate in the presentation of "Papa Dieux's Well: A Folktale from Haiti" at 7 p.m. July 27 outside the Bainbridge Library. The presentation is free and open to the public. Details: www.geaugalibrary.net and www.bookofaurora.com or call the library at 440-543-5611.

Coming up

The Monday Night Book Discussion meets the first Monday of each month from October through June, with the next meeting slated for 6:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 1 at Mentor Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. For this month's selection, contact librarian Barb Hauer at 440-255-8811, ext. 210. The library provides books, and refreshments are courtesy of the Friends of the Library.


Lupus Foundation of America Willougby Area Support Group meets from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Aug. 1 at Willoughby Library, 30 Public Square. Details: 440-717-0183 or www.lupuscleveland.org.


The annual summer book sale sponsored by the West Geauga Friends of the Library begins Aug. 3 with a members' preview from 4 to 6 p.m., followed by the open public sale from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The sale will be open to the public rom 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Aug. 4, and from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 5. Bag day - when a bag will be $3 - will be from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Aug. 7. Funds raised from the book sale benefit the adult and children programs, and purchases at the Geauga West Library, 13455 Chillicothe Road.


The Chardon Friends of the Library will have its annual Arts Festival Book Sale in the library's Bostwick Room from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 6, and 1 to 5 p.m. Aug. 7. The members' only preview will be 9 to 10 a.m. Aug. 6; you can join the Friends or renew membership at the door. Details: 440-285-7601. The library is located on Chardon Square.


The Friends of Kirtland Library has planned a Community Yard and Bake Sale for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Aug. 6 at the library, 9267 Chillicothe Road. Rent a space on the library lawn to sell your treasures. A 12-foot-by-12-foot space is $20, and a corner space is $25. Details: 440-256-7323.


The Mayfield Drive-In Theater and Geauga County Public Library will present Library Night at the Drive-In on Aug. 7. The movies to be shown are "The Smurfs" (rated PG) at 8:45 p.m. and "Zookeeper" (rated PG) at 10:25 p.m. The box office opens at 7 p.m. Sound will be broadcast over an FM radio channel. Admission fee will be $15 per carload for the event. If outside food or beverage is being brought into the theater, a $5 permit must be purchased at the box office in addition to the admission fee. Special events include appearances by the Geauga County Public Library Bookmobile, so it is suggested that patrons bring their library card. The Geauga County Sheriff's Department K-9 Unit, Munson Township Fire Department and rescue squads, University Hospital's Life Flight helicopter, Captain Jack Sparrow and Herbie the Love Bug are scheduled to be present. The theater is at 12091 Mayfield Road in Chardon.

Ongoing events

A Nook e-reader will be raffled to kick off the availability of e-books at Henderson Library. Tickets are $5 each and on sale through Aug. 4. A winner will be drawn that day at the summer reading finale party. Tickets are available at the front desk of the library, 54 E. Jefferson St., Jefferson. All money raised will be used to purchase more e-books. Visit ohdbks.lib.overdrive.com to check out e-books.


Freegal Music Service has been purchased by the Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library to allow its card holders to download three free songs per week. Freegal Music Service is available through a home or library computer. New music is added daily, and the content is based on a license with Sony Music Entertainment, owner of 54 music labels. The service must be accessed through the Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library’s homepage at www.welibrary.info. Users will be asked to enter their library card number and can then begin searching for songs. Downloads do not time out or need to be returned. To obtain a library card, stop by the Eastlake, Willoughby, Willowick or Willoughby Hills library with a picture ID and a document verifying a current address (if it is different from your picture ID).


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Odds and Book Ends features activities and events in the area related to libraries, books and authors. Submit your events at www.News-Herald.com/Calendar, and check back to The Book Club every week for upcoming events and activities at your local library.

---

This week

The Friends of the Cleveland Public Library will have a Spring Used Book Sale April 18-21 at Cleveland Public Library, 525 Superior Ave. A large selection of books in all categories will be on sale, including an assortment of audio books and music CDs. A members-only preview will be 10 a.m. to noon April 18, and members should bring their cards for admittance. Those who are not members of the Friends may join at the door. The sale will be open to the public noon to 6 p.m. April 18 and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 19 and 20. On April 21, a bag of books will be offered for $5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Details: 216-623-2821.


Mentor Public Library's Book Club for Men will meet at 7 p.m. April 18 in the Frances Cleveland Room at the main library, 8215 Mentor Ave. Join male readers to discuss books of interest with librarian Steve Haas. This month's selection is "To Kill the Irishman" by Rick Porrello. Details: 440-255-8811.


Welcome to Medicare will be 2 to 3 p.m. April 19 at Mentor Library, 8215 Mentor Ave. The introduction to Medicare for individuals who are new to Medicare are approaching Medicare age will be presented by Alyea Barajas of the Lake County Council on Aging. Details: 440-255-8811, ext. 215, or www.mentorpl.org.


Dan Coughlin, author of "Crazy, With the Papers to Prove It," will be in the area at the following times, dates and locations:

• 7 to 8 p.m. April 20, Euclid Public Library, 631 E. 222nd St. Details: 216-261-5300.
• 2 to 3 p.m. May 15, Chagrin Falls Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library, 100 E. Orange St. Details: 440-247-3556.

Re-enactors representing James and Lucretia Garfield will visit Dudley Fieldhouse, 31500 Willowick Drive, at 7 p.m. April 21. The Garfields will discuss how they crossed paths before their marriage, the pitfalls of their "Dark Years," and how their relationship -- and their family -- blossomed. The program is co-sponsored by the Willoughby Historical Society. To register for the free program, call Willowick Library at 440-943-4151.


Friends of the Mentor Library will have a book sale from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 22 at the main library, 8215 Mentor Ave. All proceeds benefit the library. Details: 440-255-8811, ext. 236.

Coming up

The Twentysomething Readers Book Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. April 25 at Panera, 9587 Mentor Ave., Mentor, to discuss this month's selection "The Gargoyle" by Andrew Davidson. Discussion is with Mentor Library librarian Steve Haas.


Author Regina Brett will visit Mentor Library, 8215 Mentor Ave., at 7 p.m. April 26. She will be signing copies of her book, "God Never Blinks," which will be available for purchase. Call the library to register: 440-255-8811, ext. 215.


Joe the Coupon Guy will present a class at 7 p.m. April 26 at Perry Library, 3753 Main St. Learn how to save money on grocery shopping, restaurants, utility bills, cellphones, vacations, gas and more. Details: www.joethecouponguy.com/schedule/index.htm


Claire Zurbuch, a resident of Hambden Township for nearly four decades, is the season’s featured artist at “Art in the Mart” at the Middlefield Library, 16167 E. High St. Zurbuch is a photographer who specializes in film. His work features nature, landscapes and photos from a recent trip to Italy with his wife, Kay. Zurbuch will present “Photographing Italy” at 7 p.m. April 28. More than a travelogue, the free program will include tips on how to photograph a vacation. “Art in the Mart” is sponsored by the Geauga Council for Arts & Culture, whose mission is to bring art and people together. All of the items are for sale and the proceeds benefit the artist, the council and the Middlefield Library. Other Art in the Mart locations include the New York Deli, the Geauga YMCA and University Hospitals Geauga Medical Center. Those interested in purchasing a piece, can email artinthemart@gmail.com or call 440-537-3344.


Friends of the Euclid Library will have a book sale during the following times:

• 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. April 29 (special members' only preview)
• 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. April 30
• 1 to 4 p.m. May 1 (buy a bag for $2 and will it with the book sale materials

The sale will be at Euclid Library, 631 E. 222nd St. Details: 216-261-5300.


Drumplay, a percussion group from Cleveland, will perform at 1 p.m. April 30 at Perry Library, 3753 Main St. The event is intended to be interactive and fun for the entire family. Children will make a drum craft to take home. Drumplay's sound is described as "rhythmprovisation": world/jazz percussion inspired by Afro-Cuban, Brazilian and West African rhythms as well as Middle Eastern motifs. Registration is appreciated but not required: perrypubliclibrary.org or 440-259-3300.


The Friends of the Burton Public Library will host its annual meeting and volunteer recognition at 2 p.m. May 1 at the library, 14588 W. Park St. The public is invited, and entertainment will include a portrayal of legendary Cleveland journalist Dorothy Fuldheim by local writer, actor and producer Carol Starre-Kmiecik. Refreshments will be served. Details: 440-834-4466.


Mentor Library's Monday Night Book Discussion meets the first Monday of each month from October through June, with the next meeting slated for May 2. For this month's selection, contact librarian Barb Hauer at 440-255-8811, ext. 210. The library provides books, and refreshments are courtesy of the Friends of the Library.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Cleveland Public Library has created its own sort of March Madness: March Book Madness 2011:

The ultimate in literary sports, CPL’s “March Book Madness” pits great novels against each other in classic NCAA tournament style. 64 great novels were carefully selected to make up our four “Conferences”: Favorites & Prize Winners, African American Novels, Young Adult Novels, and Classics.

Visit this page to cast your votes in the first round, which runs until Wednesday. The second round is Thursday and Friday; the third, Saturday through Monday. Regionals to determine the finalists in Favorites & Prize Winners, African American Novels, Young Adult Novels and Classics will be March 23 through 27. The Final Four (the top novels in each of those categories) will face off March 29 through April 1; the championship will follow, April 2 through 4. The winning book will be posted April 5.

Click here to print your own bracket. Submissions were due Sunday, so you won't be able to participate in the library's contest, but you can still follow along to see if you can predict the literary tastes of the Cleveland area. And remember to visit the March Book Madness 2011 page to pick your winners in each round of the tournament.


-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

The Associated Press reported Tuesday that John James Audubon's "Birds of America" "fetched more than $10 million at auction ... making it the world's most expensive published book."

Closer view of illustration

"Birds of America" on display at CMNH

I have seen the volumes in person, and they are gorgeous. Cleveland is lucky enough to have two: at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History (on display in the library) and at the Cleveland Public Library (main branch). If you ever get an opportunity to see the books, do not pass it up! The illustrations are so detailed they look like photographs. It's incredible to think about the time it must have taken Audubon to complete these works. I wonder if he could have imagined how much the books would be worth.
(Pardon my fuzzy photographs, which were taken in low light without a flash, and I am definitely not a photographer.)

Read more of Gregory Katz's story on the auction, Aububon and his birds below:

With its 435 hand-colored illustrations of birds drawn to size, the volume is one of the best preserved editions of Audubon’s 19th-century masterpiece. The sale at Sotheby’s auction house had been anticipated for months by wealthy collectors.
The book sold for $10,270,000 to an anonymous collector bidding by telephone, the auction house said.
Because each picture is so valuable, there have been fears the volume will be broken up and sold as separate works of art.
However, experts believe that’s unlikely. The tome is probably more valuable intact. And collectors hold Audubon in such reverence that the notion of ripping apart a perfect copy would be akin to sacrilege.
“Audubon’s ‘Birds’ holds a special place in the rare book market,” said Heather O’Donnell, a specialist with Bauman Rare Books in New York.
“The book is a major original contribution to the study of natural history in the New World.”
“It’s also one of the most visually stunning books in the history of print: The scale of the images, the originality of each composition, the brilliance of the hand coloring.”
Then there’s the wow factor.
“No one can rival John James Audubon for frontier glamour,” O’Donnell said. “The story of his lonely journey through the American wilderness and his struggle to record what he saw there gives the ‘Birds’ a resonance that no other book can match.”
Part naturalist and part artist, Audubon possessed an unequaled ability to observe, catalog and paint the birds he observed in the wild.
Experts say his book, originally published in 1827, is unmatched in its beauty and is also of considerable scientific value, justifying its stratospheric price tag.
Pom Harrington, owner of the Peter Harrington rare book firm in London, said it has been 10 years since the last complete edition of “Birds of America” was auctioned, going for a then-record $8.8 million.
He said it is unusual to find a copy not in a museum or academic institution.
“If you want to buy an example of a rare work of art, this is one of the best,” he said. “It is valuable in its artistic nature because it is so well drawn.”
... 

The “Birds of America” plates were printed in black and white and then hand-colored by “the best artists of the time,” Harrington said. The collection, made from engravings of Audubon’s watercolors, measures more than 3 feet by 2 feet because Audubon wanted to paint the birds life size.
The size of the illustrations makes them extremely valuable as stand-alone pieces of art, leaving the complete edition vulnerable to being broken up so the prints can be sold one by one. Harrington said the wild turkey depicted in the first big plate of the book can be sold for $200,000.
But Mark Ghahramani, a rare book specialist at Classic Bindings in London, said it is unlikely this “Birds of America” will be divided up.
“There are very few copies left of the entire book, so I would think that whoever bought it at the auction would be quite interested in keeping it whole,” he said. “Anything to do with American natural history is quite valuable.”
Audubon, who died in 1851, represents a unique figure in American history — a Renaissance man with shades of Huckleberry Finn. Like Mark Twain’s fictional character, Audubon made an epic voyage down the mighty Mississippi — but with a scientist’s inquisitive nature.
Taking along only a rifle, an assistant and a drawing pad, he made illustrations of as many birds as he could find.
He did not find a printer in the United States willing to take on the book with its oversize illustrations, so he sailed to Britain, eventually finding printers in London and in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The volume is seen as a vital piece of American history, Harrington said.
“It is the most important natural history book for America,” he said. “That is the main point. It screams Americana. For an American patriot, it is the greatest book on American heritage. There is no competition.”

-- Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com

I know everyone is on the edge of their seats, anxious to hear the update on the Countdown to Sweet Valley Confidential. But the update is a non-update because Danielle was on vacation in Florida (where it has been even hotter than Northeast Ohio) and I have been busy trying to finish my master's degree.

< shameless plug alert >

What's been keeping me busy for the past few weeks is finishing up a project as part of my practicum in the Cleveland Public Library Special Collections department -- the final requirement before earning my master's of library and information science from Kent State University. You can learn about what I've been doing this summer on CPL's blog.

Check back next week for what I hope will be a non-non-update.



--Cheryl Sadler
CSadler@News-Herald.com