Welcome to International Volunteers Week, Stepparents’ Week, National Fishing Week (Friday begins Take a Kid Fishing Weekend), National Homeownership Week, Small Business Week, and National Hug Holiday Week. Huggers of all ages are invited to make a difference – one hug at a time!

Wednesday is National Tailors Day. Thursday is the anniversary of the day in 1975 when the Sony Corporation released its videocassette record, the Betamax, which sold for $995 (more than $2,000) in today’s market. Eventually, the VHS format proved more successful, and Sony stopped making the Betamax.

WHAT’S HAPPENING?

Wednesday’s 10:00 a.m. story time features biologist Gordan Warrick from Bitterlakes Wildlife Refuge and dragonflies in stories and crafts. Wednesday afternoon’s 3:30 story time focuses on pirates. Saturday morning’s 10:00 story time celebrates wolves with stories and activities.

Today is Terrific Teen Tuesday, with a collage program beginning at 7:00 p.m. in the Bondurant Room. Pictures and supplies will be furnished, but if you have some special pictures you’d like to use, bring them along!

June 8, at 9:00 a.m., the library will offer Computer Basics for complete beginners. The class is limited to five, so call or drop by the Reference Desk to reserve your place!

BOOK TALK

Children’s Librarian Mary Stickford provides this week's book information. For those who want to learn more about collage, there are books in both the Children’s Branch and at the main building of the Roswell Public Library at 301 N. Pennsylvania.

Among the best in the Children’s Branch are several that offer step-by-step photographs showing every step in a collage from developing the idea to assembling the parts and finishing the piece. They include "Step-by-Step Collage," by Robins & Steele, and several books simply entitled "Collage" but by different authors, namely Hodge, Devonshire, or Stocks. Many children’s books are illustrated using collages, and an especially noteworthy example is "We Are All Related: A Celebration of Our Cultural Heritage." The book has two-page color spreads of a collage by a child and the child’s explanation of it, along with a quote from a family member whose photo is included in the collage. This technique would be wonderful for a child’s memory book.

Among the best books on collage in the adult non-fiction collection are several that offer photographs and suggested techniques for making realistic collages. They include "Dorgan Rushton’s Collages," "Creative Collage Techniques" by Leland, and "Realistic Collage Step by Step" by Brown. Each provides a different approach to creating art from assemblages. "Collage Art, A Step-By-Step Guide & Showcase" by Atkinson is another that shows how to turn a remarkable assortment of materials into finished art masterpieces using a variety of professional techniques and equipment.

So, whether you are a dabbler, a doer, or an art poo-pooer, the Library has something for you!

DID YOU KNOW?

Now that gardens are in full bloom, here are some tips from Master Gardener Marion Owen, co-author of "Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul," for keeping cut flowers longer. Use plain, lukewarm water for most cut flowers, but use cold water for bulb flowers. Change water every two days -- don’t just top it off. Keep flowers out of sunlight, and move them to a cool place at night. Keep cut flowers away from fruit, which releases a gas that causes flowers to age faster!

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: "There’s not a worry in the world that’s worth the worry." (unknown)