In the season for wrapping gifts, we thought we’d wrap up our year with an update of the latest library news.

If you’ve recently stepped into the children’s department of our Albemarle library, you’ve noticed our striking new book display. Donated by Rusco Manufacturing of Oakboro, in memory of late owner Don Russell, this new display piece is a literacy focal point with a purpose. With six alternating sides of shelving and display space, there is room for you to see our newest reads, a panel devoted to keeping our patrons updated with our latest programming opportunities and even shelving for our board books at the perfect height for our youngest readers to crawl up and enjoy.

The Stanly County Public Library has a new book display.

In preparing for the holiday season and meals that come alongside those occasions, enjoy our fresh adult display of cookbooks. Whether you’re looking for a new twist on an old classic, trying to create a favorite family dish or hoping to finally perfect your figgy pudding, we have tons of cookbooks available for you to devour, both in print and digitally with the Libby app and your library card.

Looking for the perfect gift for the reader who has everything? If you love our seasonal book sales that we host each spring and fall, be sure to enjoy our upstairs book sale that is ongoing throughout the year. The shelves are packed full of books for readers of all ages, all with varying genres and plots, ranging in prices from $0.50 to $2 per item. This is truly a gift that gives back, and keeps on giving, as all proceeds from our book sales go to our Friends of the Library groups, who fund our literary projects and dreams.

Speaking of our fabulous Friends, be on the lookout for exciting upgrades and enhancements that are a result of our annual Friends of the Library mini-grants. You will soon see new display spaces available in the children’s room of our Albemarle library, new staff shelving in the Norwood location, new chairs in Badin and a new collection of Young Adult titles in Oakboro, all funded by money that has been repurposed from our fundraising Friends.

Finally, on your holiday stroll through downtown Albemarle, be sure to stop by the Stanly County History Center to view its two newest exhibits.

If you’re skipping the sidewalk hot cocoa and would prefer a virtual stroll, visit stanlycountymuseum.com, where you can view virtual tours of previous exhibits featuring AI technology bringing old pictures to life.

We look forward to a new year with all of our library patrons and can’t wait to share with our readers some things we have in store.

Love, literacy and well wishes, and we will see you in 2022.

Currently Reading: “Redeeming Love” by Francine Rivers Picture Book Highlight: “The Christmas Pups” by Teresa Bateman