Last month I asked if anyone had any "Bests" to report from the strange winter of 2012. Sorry to say, this did not elicit tons of responses. Did everyone have an awful winter? Are readers shy? Is everyone looking to summer instead of contemplating a season gone by?  

            At any rate, I received an enthusiastic response from one reader who's active in the Living Hope Farm in Harleysville. Jill had found The Dirty Life - a Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love here at IVPL, a hilarious and earthy book. It brings the farming lifestyle into view, she writes - what it really takes to love the land. This book was written by Kristin Kimball (2010) and is found in Biography.

            A "dirty life" of an entirely different sort is found in this month's Monday Morning Book Club selection - Devil in the White City by Erik Larsen.   This nonfiction bestseller will be on the screen soon. Besides being the fascinating history of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair (where the Ferris Wheel, Westinghouse light bulbs, and shredded wheat were all brand new), it is the grisly tale of a mass murderer who ran a hotel (with gas lines in every room) just blocks from the Chicago Exposition.

            And, now we could talk about the Hunger Games......    

The fact is that the library faces huge budget issues because the school district will no longer fund library operations after 2012.

There is a proposal on the table for your township supervisors and borough council members to increase the millage for the library - from .165 to .33. The library tax would go from $10 to $20, on average, depending on your assessment.  

This proposal was made by Douglas Gifford, chair of the Lower Salford Supervisors, because, as it puts it, "it is the right thing to do," and this is a wise investment in our community.

What can YOU do?

Talk to your township or borough. Let your voice be heard. Tell them you support additional funding for library services. Tell them you want the library open 65 hours a week, not 15.  

Click on a link below for contact information, or attend a meeting. Meetings are held as follows:

Franconia Twp.                     3rd Monday, 7 pm

Lower Salford Twp.               1st Wednesday, 7 pm

Salford Twp.                         3rd Wednesday, 7:30 pm

Souderton Boro                     1st Monday, 7:30 pm

Telford Boro                          1st Monday, 7:30 pm

Upper Salford Twp.                2nd Tuesday, 7:30 pm

     ...Penn Valley Church in Telford for organizing and running a used-book sale to benefit the library. Over $300 was raised - and that was matched by the congregation for a gift of $630 to the library.

     We are very grateful for your efforts! Thanks for being a good neighbor in Telford.

     ...and to the Souderton Area Education Association - the SASD teachers - for sponsoring a Dress Down day and contributing the money to the library:   $3,006!   That was great!   Thanks for thinking about the library.

In addition to our selection of herbs we will be taking pre-orders for

Old Glory Hanging Basket

"Instant Gardens" and "Old Glory" hanging baskets to help decorate our community for Souderton's 125th Anniversary.

"Old Glory" Hanging Baskets - $25.00

"Instant Gardens" will consist of 7 - #4 pots of red geraniums, white wave petunias, and blue salvia along with a flag showing your support for our community and the Indian Valley Public Library. The gardens are available for $22.00.

Place your pre-orders at the Reference Desk or email bevholzer@hotmail.com. Orders may be picked up at the library on May 5th or other arrangements may be made.

Seeds for Sale

Last summer, many people inquired about the plants in the library's Butterfly Garden, and we promised that we would have seeds to sell this year from several of the plants. Seeds are on sale at the front desk.

• Tropical Milkweed (Asclepias curassavica; aka Mexican milkweed or blood flower) seeds will need to be started indoors; $1.00 per packet.
• Butterfly Milkweed (Asclepia tuberosa; aka butterfly weed or orange milkweed). Limited quantities will be on sale.
• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Limited quantities will be on sale.  
• Bronze Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) 

Square Foot Gardening in Raised Beds

Wednesday, April 4, 7 pm

Square Foot Gardening is a simple system that adapts to all levels of experience, physical abilities, and geographical locations. Grow all you want and need in only 20% of the space of a conventional row garden. Save time, water, work and money! Montgomery County Master Gardener Wayne Brunt will explain how.

Herb Gardens to Share with Butterflies

Thursday, April 26, 10 AM

Please contact the library to register for these programs.

We thank the Penn State Cooperative Extension for the Master Gardener program. Most of the speakers in this series are Montgomery County Master Gardeners who have received horticultural training from Penn State Cooperative Extension.

Do you have questions about your Medicare plan?  Are you wondering whether you've made the right choices?  APPRISE volunteer Roy Jannenga will be at the library on the second Wednesday evening of each month,  starting at 7:00 pm, to answer your questions.    

APPRISE is a free health insurance counseling program designed to help older Pennsylvanians with Medicare.  

Death of the Mantis, by Michael Stanley 

Sunday, April 1, 1:30 - 3:00 pm
Tuesday, April 17, 10:00 - 11:30 am

These are one-and-a-half hour, informal conversations that anyone is welcome to join.  Discussion topics emerge from the interest of the participants.  

This summer's theme: Simple Machines 

Monday, June 25 - Thursday, June 28

Get Ready for Science in the Summer at IVPL! GlaxoSmithKline's Science in the Summer is a free science education program that helps elementary school children "grow into science."

For children entering grades 2 or 3:

Morning Session: 10:00 - 10:45 am

Afternoon Session: 1:00 - 1:45 pm

For children entering grades 4, 5, or 6:

Morning Session: 11:15 - 12:00 noon

Afternoon Session : 2:15 - 3:00 pm

Lottery begins on April 1. Please come in to the library starting April 1 to fill out a registration form for the lottery. No phone or email registrations will be taken. Those selected to participate will be notified by mail the first week of May. 

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT THERE IS SPACE FOR ONLY 64 STUDENTS.

IVPL Kids Happenings on Twitter 

Want to find out the latest happenings in the Children's Room? Can't remember when story time starts?  Want to participate in fun contests that can win your child free books? Then follow Indian Valley Public Library Kid's Room on twitter @IVPLKids.   

Join us to play our newest Wii games!

Bring some of your favorites and your controller!

Snacks provided! Email Ms Sara @ sfigueroa@ivpl.org for more info.

Suggestions for programs? Email Ms. Sara at  sfigueroa@ivpl.org.