On Monday night, I witnessed the election of new officers for the Marshall Public Library Foundation.

For those of you who haven't heard, the purpose of the Marshall Public Library Foundation is to solicit and receive tax exempt donations, bequests, and other gifts from the community.

Thanks to Dale Zank, the late Bill Peterson, and Art Root, the Foundation achieved a 501(c)(3) status in the past couple of years. I want to extend a thank-you to those gentlemen and all who were involved in that process. Mr. Zank is the outgoing president of the Foundation and as a parting gift, he made the Foundation aware of the following information.

A federal bill passed last month allows tax-free donations up to $100,000 from their IRAs by people age 70 1/2 and older. What this means is that people who are required to take minimum distributions from their IRA (and consequently are taxed on the distribution) can now apply those distributions directly to charitable causes and not report the gift for federal tax purposes so long as this is done before January 1, 2008.

The Marshall Public Library Foundation qualifies as a charitable cause -- contributors can save money on taxes and support the library (a worthwhile cause) at the same time.

Please feel free to contact me at the library if you are interested in making a contribution or with any questions.

I hope to see all of you on Saturday for the celebration of Latin American Independence Day in Marshall Saturday, Sept. 16, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The parade starts at 11 a.m. and once again, I will be in it with my faithful book cart. Okay, actually it's a new book cart, seeing how the old one lost a wheel three times during the last parade. That really cut down on my fancy -- a term I use loosely -- drill team maneuvers, so I'm hoping to display them this time around.

I'd like to extend another invitation to local teens. The Teen Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. The group is open to any teens who are interested. Refreshments will be served. In addition, the Teen Book Club will be meeting on Sept. 25 at 7 p.m. and we are reading "Time Stops For No Mouse" by Michael Hoeye. Books are provided by the library -- just ask at the front desk.

We are still working on our library cardholder drive as part of Nation Library Card Sign-up Month. Every person who gets a new library card in September will receive the gift of a book -- no matter what age. The only requirement is that you must not have had a card previously. If you have been waiting for the right time to bring your child to get a library card, September is it!

Memorial

We are happy to receive memorial gifts from the Country Patchwork Quilt Guild in honor of Earl Evans, Mary Jo Bostrom and Carolyn Martin. We extend our thanks for the Quilt Guild's continued interest in the library. For many years this group has been a faithful supporter of the Marshall Public Library by making donations in memory of members and member's families and we appreciate them very much.

New books

Fiction:

"Edge of Darkness" -- Tim LaHaye

"TripTyce" -- Karin Slaughter

"Fool Me Once" -- Fern Michaels

"Glass Books of the Dream Eaters" -- Gordon Dahlquist

Library events

Preschool Story Time -- each Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. Games, stories, crafts. Appropriate for children approximately 3 to 7 years old.

Pajama Story Time -- each Monday at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Wear your jammies or come as you are. Games, crafts, stories.

Wee Ones Lap Time Story Time -- for babies up to 24 months old, each Wednesday at 10 a.m. Interactive finger play and song time for mothers and babies.

Travel With Lewis & Clark Series -- every other Tuesday of the month, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Moderated by Marvin Wilhite.

How can I support the Marshall Public Library?

Bring your receipts from Patricia's into the library when you're returning or checking out books. Each month, Patricia's Foods will donate a portion of the collected receipts to the library.

When purchasing items from Amazon.com, use the link to Amazon that appears on the Marshall Public Library's website: www.marshallpubliclibrary.com. A portion of your purchase will go to support the library.

Consider joining Friends of the Marshall Libraries. Membership forms are available at the library.

Honor a mentor. Celebrate a friend. Commemorate an event. A gift to the Marshall Public Library is a unique and enduring way to pay tribute to friends and family. Your generosity will be a lasting source of joy and enrichment for the community.

For additional information, please call (660) 886-3391 with any questions.