A Generous Community Makes A Generous Library
The community of Appomattox has been a vital part in the role this Library plays to the public. Without the support and generosity of our patrons and neighbors, this Library could not provide many of our outreach programs. This fall and winter, the Library will once again be supporting venues that provide services for local individuals and families in need.
The Piedmont Area Veterans Council stopped by the Library to drop off backpacks for the unhoused. So if you know someone who is unhoused, please send them to the Library. These drawstring backpacks contain a small blanket, towel, t-shirt, toothbrush and toothpaste, and other small personal care items. If you would like to donate items, please bring them to the front desk and we will add them to our food pantry. We are glad to be a helping hand to our unhoused patrons who make use of our food pantry.
We continue to maintain the Jamerson Library Free Food Pantry, located in the main foyer of the Library. You can drop off non-perishable food items at the front desk or with a library staff member to help keep the pantry stocked with these much-needed items. A few suggestions are: shelf-stable milk, cereal, pasta and sauce, mac and cheese, oatmeal, meal in a bag kits, rice, canned tuna, chicken or ham, soups, and other essential items that will provide hot meals for families in need. For recipes for meal in a bag kits please visit our website at www.jrjml.org and click on “Think Beyond the Can”.
ACLA (Appomattox County Library Association) has generously provided the Library with groceries for our little free food pantry in the foyer. We would like to offer them a HUGE thank you for supporting us as we support the community. This is just one of many ways ACLA helps to support our library and our community. If you are interested in being a part of ACLA, please feel free to email them at acla@jrjml.org .
On Tuesday, November 10th, the Elves for the Elders Christmas tree ornaments will arrive. Select an ornament off the tree and provide a local senior citizen with a very Merry Christmas. Each ornament will represent a local elder neighbor in need and their wish list. You do not have to buy everything off the list, and it is just a suggested list. You can purchase whatever your heart tells you to. If you do not wish to select an ornament, but wish to participate, you can donate an item (or two) so that elders whose ornaments that were not selected or returned can get gifts for Christmas.
Community Christmas Tree by St. Anne’s Episcopal Church is an outreach for local families with kids preschool up through high school-aged, who need help providing Christmas cheer. Starting on Monday, November 16th, the Library will start collecting gently used and new items on behalf of St. Anne’s to support their mission of helping local families during the holiday season.
On Tuesday, September 29th, Library Director Cindy Scheu and MaKayla, aka the Library Fairy (Youth Services Specialist) headed down the tracks to Pamplin for the Pamplin Depot Story & Craft Time. They featured the books “Don’t Eat Eustace”, “The Library Fish”, “The Fish Who Found the Sea”, and “Swimmy” followed by snacks and a fish bowl craft project. The next Pamplin Depot Story & Craft Time will be on Tuesday, October 6th, starting at 1:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend, with the understanding that this program is intended for younger patrons.
On Wednesday, September 30th, it was Story & Craft Time at the Jamerson Library. MaKayla featured the book “Swimmy” by Leo Lionni. Deep in the sea lives a happy school of fish. Their watery world is full of wonders, but there is also danger, and the little fish are afraid to come out of hiding . . . until Swimmy comes along. Swimmy shows his friends how—with ingenuity and team work—they can overcome any danger. The kids enjoyed snacks while making a fish bowl out of construction paper and glue. This book is available for checkout. Our next Jamerson Story & Craft Time will be on Wednesday, October 7th, starting at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm in the Library’s community room. Our guest reader will be James River State Park. They will read an age-appropriate book, followed by crafts and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for preschool patrons.
In honor of Jimothy, the Library is hosting a free raffle with Jimothy-themed items complete with his very own trash can! It is not too late to get your name in the free “Jimothy” raffle as the Library celebrates individuality and being different with this famous raccoon. Jimothy sprang to stardom after he was first filmed in Seattle in July of 2026, with his distinctive compact, round body shape due to short spine syndrome, a rare congenital condition. It is one entry per person, per visit. We will announce the winner on Thursday, October 29th. Good luck!
On Saturday, October 3rd, the Library was a guest vendor at two events. The first was Holliday Lake State Park’s Fall Festival. The Library was on hand to pass out the newest Library newsletter, lots of craft projects and bubbles! We want to thank Holliday Lake for inviting us to this event, and look forward to continuing to partner with the Park.
We were also a guest vendor at the Hearth and Hallow Collective’s Shadow and Sage Night Market at The Farm in Pamplin. We met lots of patrons and passed out trick-or-treat goodie bags, and lots of library-related information. We would like to thank Hearth and Hallow Collective for inviting us, we look forward to next year’s event!
On Wednesday, October 7th, the Library will be a guest vendor at the Town of Appomattox’s Town Picnic. We will be in Abbitt Park starting at 5:30 pm with free craft projects, bubbles, library-related information and more! Join us for an evening of family fun!
Join the Jamerson Library for our much-anticipated annual Fall Plant Swap. Bring your extra or unwanted houseplants, seeds, bareroots, and cuttings to the Library and exchange them for new friends to take home. You must bring plants in order to take plants in a fair or generous exchange of greenery on Thursday, October 8th, from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm in the Library’s Community Room. There are a few simple rules to follow:
- Plants must be free of diseases and infestations.
- No dead plants.
- Plants must be easy to transport (put in some sort of container, pots, cups, baggies with a wet paper towel).
- You must leave plants to take plants. No taking plants without a fair or generous exchange.
- Bring your own totes, boxes, or crates for the swap to take selected plants home.
A huge shout out to last-minute volunteers who will be manning a small table in front of the Library’s doors during the Railroad Festival October 10th & 11th. We will be passing out bookmarks and library-related information. Our building will not be open to the public during this time.
In observation of the Railroad Festival and Columbus Day, the Jamerson Memorial Library will be closed on Friday, October 9th, Saturday, October 10th, and Monday, October 12th. We will reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday, October 13th, starting at 9:30 am. Our book depository will be CLOSED during this time. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our patrons.
If you have any questions or concerns about this article, or other library-related topics, please feel free to call us during normal business hours.
Article/photo submitted by
Katharine G. Bloodworth
J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library
The Library receives a steady supply of new and donated items and would like to highlight the following items:
Fiction
- The Long Walk by Stephen King (writing as Richard Bachman)
- It Could Have Been Her by Lisa Jewell
- The Thoroughbreds (Academy series #2) by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham
- Observer: a Novel by Nicholas Russell
- The Munich Affair by James Patterson
- The Unknown by Riley Sager
- Getting Away With Murder by Shari Lapena
- You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner
- Serenity at Seagrove (South Carolina Sunsets #12) by Rachel Hanna
- Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? By Philip K. Dick
Juvenile Nonfiction
- Bug Power: from Super Strength to Web Slinging; Learn About the Amazing Abilities of Bugs by Stephanie A. Dole
- The Dream of an Education: How Phymean Noun Built a School by Susan Hughes
Juvenile Fiction
- Paloma Joins the Circus by Lupe Ruiz-Flores
Large Print Fiction
- Fury in Death (In Death #63) by J. D. Robb
Nonfiction
- Orthodoxy by G. K. Chesterton, with annotations and guided reading by Trevin Wax
- Queen Elizabeth II: a Concise Biography of an Exceptional Sovereign by David Cannadine
- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers
- Birth Vibes: Stories and Strategies for an Empowered Birth by Jen Hamilton
- The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kids’ Learning – and How to Help Them Thrive Again by Jared Cooney Horvath
Picture Books
- Frog Face by Blythe Russo
- Be the Acorn by Jason Douglas Griffin