A good read: Rowlett Public Library offers physical, virtual collection

Ah, the library: a place where people are free to let their imagination run riot through the stacks, connect with like minds, read any book they want - even borrow it and take it home. Who can forget those days of curling up with an e-reader; enjoying the antics of dogs dancing in the meeting room; sharing ideas via an online book club ... Wait - What?

With its contests and classes, music and movies, clubs, computers and special events, the Rowlett Public Library fulfills the Merriam Webster definition of " a place in which literary, musical, artistic, or reference materials (as books, manuscripts, recordings, or films) are kept" -

And then some.

"I know some people who are new to the library still walk in and they're just astounded - 'Wow, you have DVDs? You have popular DVDs?'" said Tonya Hartline, public services manager for the Rowlett Public Library.

But - for a moment - suppose that to some people, DVDs are to the library as books are to the Internet. Hartline said many visitors don't know about the electronic resources and other services available through the library.

The online book club is one such resource. It is actually several clubs, categorized by genre. Subscribers receive a few chapters of a club's current title each day in their email inbox.

"It is sent out in short 5-minute increments so that really busy people can get back into the habit of reading," Hartline said.

In the interest of showing off its services, the library will host an open house from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 11. There will be refreshments as well as raffles every 15 minutes for books, audiobooks and other items.

The come-and-go evening is just one of the events scheduled during February's "Love Your Library Month."

Throughout February, patrons can give the RPL some smooches when they write down their favorite things about the library; the "love notes" will be posted on the library's bulletin board. "Food For Fines" week returns Feb. 11-16; donations benefit food pantries at the First Baptist and First Christian churches, and patrons are also encouraged to bring pet food to benefit the Rowlett Animal Shelter.

And on Feb. 2, 16 and 23 and March 2, the library is hosting Black History Month-related events.

"We're going to be really, really busy in February; we have a lot going on," Hartline said.

In preparation for the Black History Month celebration, children are invited to design a bookmark featuring a person, invention or event commemorating black history. Winning bookmarks will be reproduced, laminated and made available during the month. Entry forms and templates for the bookmark contest are available at the library; the deadline for entries is Saturday.

Also on Saturday, visitors will be able to see some canine cavorting when "T.C." Cappel brings her Four Paws Up dancing dogs at 2 p.m. to the library's meeting room.

Cappel, a member of several organizations including the Musical Dog Sports Association and Heart of Texas Therapy Dogs, has fetched her doggie troupe to the library for the last few years. The program entails a little learning, a little music, a little dancing, and a lot of fun.

"I will have a kid - the quietest kid - get up and teach my dog to do something, so they get a little understanding of how to teach animals things," Cappel said.

"The kids have a great time," Cappel said. "They love watching this kind of thing."

She said one of her dogs is a therapy dog, and that a dog's strengths determine its assignments. Hyperactive dogs can be matched, for example, with people recovering from shoulder surgery - the patients and the dogs play fetch for exercise - and calm dogs who love to be petted are ideal for Reading With Rover programs, which help children gain confidence in reading.

And perhaps when those children begin to share their skill with people as well as pooches, they can join one of the library's book clubs. They can download titles onto their e-readers.

They can even curl up around a book at the library, at 3900 Main St. For information, call 972-412-6161 or visit rowlett.com.




Black History Month at RPL

Feb. 2

*Movie: "Sounder" at 10:30 a.m.

Rowlett Community Chorale: Songs and spirituals

Feb. 16

Tammy Abernathy: "I like me" celebration

Feb. 23

Melody Bell: Griot storyteller

March 2

Dr. Cordell Adams: "Light Bread" author performs his memoirs




*All events begin at 2 p.m. except where noted

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