As the Page Turns
It’s A Wrap, Goodbye July, Hello August
August is named after the very first Roman emperor (and grandnephew of Julius Caesar) Augustus Caesar (63BC – AD14). August’s birthstone is the peridot and the flower is the gladiolus. Some observances in August are: American Adventures Month, Back to School Month, National Dog Month, US Air Force Day: 1, Coast Guard Day: 4, National Night Out: 4, Smokey Bear’s Birthday: 9, National Hip Hop Day: 11, National Honey Bee Day: 15, National Radio Day: 20 , and International Whale Shark Day: 30 just to name a few.
The Jamerson Memorial Library would like to thank W.D. and Patty from Wilkins Myrick Frames & Fine Arts for the beautiful, framed print of children reading. This is a parting gift to the Library and the public as they goodbye after 35 years of service to Appomattox. They are turning the page in their life to the chapter known as retirement. W.D. looks forward to lots of fishing and hunting, and Patty looks forward to whatever adventures await her as they turn from a life of working and preserving memories in frames, to making their own memories with family and friends.
It was a hen party in the Library’s community room on Monday, June 20th, as the ladies from Sun Bonnet Sue met up for good conversation, and the click click of knitting needles as that seemed be to that everyone was working on knitting projects. If you are interested in joining them to learn, teach or share your interests in crocheting, knitting, quilting, embroidery or other busy hands work join them at their next meeting on Monday, August 3rd, from 10:00 am – 12:00 pm in the Library’s community room.
On Tuesday, July 21st, the Library Director headed up the Pamplin Story and Craft. She read a total of four books including “Oliver’s Lollipop”, and “Little Penguin and the Lollipop”. There was a lollipop craft project using glue, tissue paper, a paper plate, and a craft stick while enjoying snacks.
The rain and thunder held off just long enough for the Tuesday BAC (Book, Activity and Craft) to the Library event. Library Fairy MaKayla read the book “How Do Dinosaurs go to School?” by Jane Yolen & Mark Teague. The kids enjoyed snacks while making dinosaur tangrams, and dino mosaic patterns.
We had a small crowd of movie goers for the Wednesday, July 22nd’s Move Matinee with snacks. We were the cool spot-on Main Street with a movie about a futuristic team of unlikely superheroes who protected the galaxy from danger.
Parting is such sweet sorrow as we say goodbye to the kids of Methodist Day Care as Thursday, July 23rd, was their last day with us for dinosaur adventures at the Library. The kids worked on dino tangrams, dino designs, and several worksheets. The Library provided kids and workers alike with a dinosaur mystery bag filled with animal brick building miniatures, stickers, glow in the dark dinosaurs, and other fun trinkets.
Thursday was also the last BAC (Book, Activity, & Craft) to the Library Day as the Summer Reading Program comes to an end. Library Fairy MaKayla and volunteers read the book “The Lost Dinosaur Bone” by Mercy Mayer. The kids enjoyed snacks while creating multiple dino popup cards, using crayons, shapes, sequins, and other embellishments and imitating perceived dinosaur actions.
The Library wrapped the week up with a special Story & Craft Time on Friday, July 24th. Virginia authors, the mother and daughter duo Rachel and Jordan Arnette presented their book “Jojo’s Journey: Let’s go to Kindergarten”. Join Jojo as she begins her exciting Journey into Kindergarten! Jojo is both nervous and curious as she steps onto the school bus for the very first time. With the help of her loving parents and her teacher, Mrs. Wish, Jojo learns that being brave opens the door to fun, friendship, and new adventures. From classroom games to making her very first best friend, Jojo discovers that kindergarten is a place where everyone belongs and every day is filled with something new to learn and love. We will soon have a copy of the book available for checkout on our shelves.
There are only two day left to get put your entry in the free Shark Week Raffle. We will announce the winners on Wednesday, July 29th, so keep an eye out on our social media pages. You might see you name as one of the winners!
There are just a few more days to wrap up the Summer Reading Program, that ends on Friday, July 31st. You must have all your reading minutes logged on Beanstack by the end of business day. You will have until Saturday, August 8th, to spend the last of your tickets, no exceptions, the Library will not accept unspent tickets after the August 8th date.
It’s the Final SPLASHDOWN! On Friday, July 31st, the Library will host “Final Splashdown” as a goodbye to the Summer Reading Program! Dress to get wet and come to Abbitt Park between 10:00 am to 2:00 pm for a huge waterslide, reusable water balloons, vendors, games, glitter tattoos, bubbles, and more. Don’t forget to bring a t-shirt for tie dying! This program is free and open to everyone!
Coming in September, Jamerson Library’s Film Noir Club! It was a dark and stormy night ……… the perfect setting for sinister danger, sexy femme fatales, crime dramas, hard-boiled detectives, and fatalistic stories where heroes rarely get their happily ever-afters, mixed in with a touch of classic black and white films from the 1940s and 1950s. If you are interested in learning more about the genre, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has a great YouTube video to explain the grittier details at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOrgAnJNoTA.
The Library offers Kanopy, a free, ad-free video streaming service. User can watch thousands of movies, including Film Noir, documentaries, foreign films, kids films, classic cinema and so much more. All you need is a valid Library card, visit our website, or go directly to the Library’s Kanopy account at: https://www.kanopy.com/en/jamerson. You can download the Kanopy app for apple or android for your mobile devices.
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:
DVDs
- Geostorm
- Call the Midwife – Season Fifteen
- Reacher – Season Three
- You, Me & Tuscany
- Greenland
Community Calendar
July 2026
July 28th, Tuesday – Jamerson Library presents Worm Farming and Composting Basics from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm. This event is open to patrons of all ages. A worm farm is a sustainable, low-maintenance way to manage organic waste, while creating premium, nutrient-rich fertilizer. By processing kitchen scraps, worms divert waste from landfills and generate organic castings and liquid fertilizer that naturally promote plant health, soil aeration, and disease resistance. This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant.
July 28th, Tuesday – Pamplin Depot Story & Craft Time by the Jamerson Memorial Library, starting at 1:00 pm. Meet Library Director Cindy Scheu for an adventure in reading and creativity. The Library will feature an age-appropriate book for children preschool through 6 years of age, followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for younger patrons.
July 29th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library’s Infinity Monsters Crafts for all ages starting at 4:00 pm in the Library’s community room. Enjoy the endless options to create your own build-a-monster and snacks! This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant.
July 29th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library’s Creative Class for Adults starting at 6:00 pm. Math matters including in nature and flowers! Join us in making an infinity flower art piece. You must be pre-registered to attend this event as supplies and space are limited. Please register online at: https://www.jrjml.org/adult-program-registration. This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant.
July 30th, Thursday – Jamerson Library Infinity Kaleidoscope craft for patrons of all ages starting at 4:00 pm in the Library’s community room. Make and take your very own kaleidoscope, with free snacks! This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant.
July 30th, Thursday – Jamerson Library’s Air Clay Bowls Creative Class for Adults (Part 1) from 6:00 – 7:30 pm in the Library’s community room. Use your fingers and your imagination to create clay bowls. You must be pre-registered to attend this event as supplies and space are limited. Please register online at: https://www.jrjml.org/adult-program-registration.
July 31st, Friday – Jamerson Library’s Final Splashdown in Abbitt Park! Join us as we say goodbye to the 2026 Summer Reading program with a splash! Dress to get wet and meet us in the park, next to the Library, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Don’t forget your towels and a change of clothes. There will be games, waterslides, bubbles and more. Bring a t-shirt for tie-dying!
AUGUST 2026
August 2nd, Sunday – Jamerson Library to join the Appomattox County Sheriff’s Department for National Night Out from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in Courtland Festival Park. Look for us under the white tent for Library-related information, bubbles, craft projects, and body glitter tattoos.
August 3rd, Monday – Sun Bonnet Sue Stitchers to meet at the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library starting at 10:00 am. Anyone interested in sharing or learning a skill like crocheting, knitting, quilting, needlework, sewing, or other related hobbies are encouraged to attend. Enjoy good company while sharing patterns, exchanging ideas, learning new projects, or teaching others. This meeting is open to anyone willing to teach or learn, yes gentleman, this includes you too!
August 4th, Tuesday – Free Resume Help Desk from Virginia Career Works at the Jamerson Memorial Library from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Tim is IN! Need help creating a resume or have questions about your existing resume? Come meet Tim Saunders for suggestions on wording, style, and other resume-related help. It is suggested that if you already have a resume that you bring a copy with you.
August 4th, Tuesday – All Aboard! Pamplin Depot Story & Craft Time presented by the Jamerson Memorial Library, starting at 1:00 pm. Meet Library Director Cindy Scheu for an adventure in reading and creativity. The Library will feature an age-appropriate book for patrons preschool through 6 years of age, followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for younger patrons.
August 4th, Tuesday – Pamplin Depot Creative Class for Adults starting at 3:00 pm. This month’s creative class will feature iris folding, which originated in the Netherlands. It gets its name because the finished design resembles the spiraling iris of a camera lens. Please register online at: https://www.jrjml.org/adult-program-registration.
August 5th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library and the Library of Virginia present “Like a Wave We Break: Overcoming Burnout to Lead with Resilience and Alignment” starting at 12:00 pm in the Library’s conference room. This live-streamed presentation is hosted by Jane Marie Chen, a national bestselling author, internationally acclaimed inventor, and leadership coach.
August 5th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library’s Infinity Dance in Abbitt Park starting 4:00 pm. Dance to infinity and beyond with Library Director Cindy Scheu! Learn the basic moves for fan, poi and dragon flow dancing. Go with the “flow” as you use your own creative movement and large free-flowing ribbons and poi balls to express your own interpretation of freeform performance art through dance. This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant.
August 5th, Wednesday – “Let’s Dough This”! Jamerson Library’s Introduction to Sourdough starting at 6:00 pm in the Library’s community room. Learn how to make sourdough starter with Adrian Gilbert, and get hints and tips on baking up some of the best bread you have ever tried. This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant.
August 6th, Thursday – Jamerson Library’s Fun with Infinity & Sound 4:00 pm in the Library’s community room. Get “tuned in” with tuning forks, sand, and sound. When you strike a tuning fork near sand, the fork’s vibrations push the air and create sound waves. These waves make the sand jump and bounce. This helps us see invisible sound energy in action. This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant.
August 6th, Thursday – Jamerson Library’s Creative Class for Adults: Clay Bowls – Part II at 6:00 pm in the Library’s community room. It’s painting day for patrons who joined us for Part 1 of the Air Clay Bowls project. It is time to pick up your bowls! We will paint them with an option of different styles and techniques, and you can take your finished bowls home! This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant. You must be pre-registered to attend this event as supplies and space are limited. Please register online at: https://www.jrjml.org/adult-program-registration .
Saturday, August 8th, is the last day to spend Summer Reading Tickets.
August 8th, Saturday – International Infinity Day at the Jamerson Library from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in the community room. It is all about the numbers! Come celebrate this day with crafts centered around numbers, infinity and fun. This program is paid for by the Infinite Sums Rural and Small Libraries Grant.
August 11th, Tuesday – All Aboard! Pamplin Depot Story & Craft Time presented by the Jamerson Memorial Library, starting at 1:00 pm. Meet Library Director Cindy Scheu for an adventure in reading and creativity. The Library will feature an age-appropriate book for patrons preschool through 6 years of age, followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for younger patrons.
August 11th, Tuesday – Jamerson Library’s Pamplin Depot Adult Book Club starting at 3:00 pm. Meet us at the Depot as the Library features the book “The Queen of Crimes” by Marie Benedict. London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment. There are copies of this book available at the Pamplin Town Office.
August 11th, Tuesday – Appomattox Court House Quilt Guild to meet at the Jamerson Memorial Library from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.
August 12th, Wednesday – Legal Aid to meet at the Jamerson Memorial Library at 2:00 pm in the community room. This month’s topic will be “Changes to the Housing Law”.
August 12th, Wednesday – Jamerson Memorial Library’s Adult Book Club starting at 5:30 pm in the community room. Join us for the book “The Queen of Crimes” by Marie Benedict. London, 1930. The five greatest women crime writers have banded together to form a secret society with a single goal: to show they are no longer willing to be treated as second class citizens by their male counterparts in the legendary Detection Club. Led by the formidable Dorothy L. Sayers, the group includes Agatha Christie, Ngaio Marsh, Margery Allingham and Baroness Emma Orczy. They call themselves the Queens of Crime. Their plan? Solve an actual murder, that of a young woman found strangled in a park in France who may have connections leading to the highest levels of the British establishment. There are copies of this book available at the circulation desk.
August 15th, Saturday – Jamerson Library’s Creative Class for Adults starting at 10:00 am. This month’s creative class will feature iris folding, which originated in the Netherlands. It gets its name because the finished design resembles the spiraling iris of a camera lens. Please register online at: https://www.jrjml.org/adult-program-registration.
August 17th, Monday – Sun Bonnet Sue Stitchers to meet at the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library starting at 10:00 am. Anyone interested in sharing or learning a skill like crocheting, knitting, quilting, needlework, sewing, or other related hobbies are encouraged to attend. Enjoy good company while sharing patterns, exchanging ideas, learning new projects, or teaching others. This meeting is open to anyone willing to teach or learn, yes gentleman, this includes you too!
August 18th, Tuesday – All Aboard! Pamplin Depot Story & Craft Time by the Jamerson Memorial Library, starting at 1:00 pm. Meet Library Director Cindy Scheu for an adventure in reading and creativity. The Library will feature an age-appropriate book from preschool through 6 years of age, followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for younger patrons.
August 19th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library’s Story & Craft Time starting at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm in the Library’s conference room. This week’s guest reader will be the Appomattox Court House National Historic 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.
August 21st, Friday – Jamerson Memorial Library to host Rodney Stotts for a Book Signing and Meet & Greet starting at 2:00 pm in the Library’s community room. Come meet one of the few African-American master falconers, and his Harris Hawk, Agnes. You can purchase a personally signed copy of Rodney’s book “Bird Brother: A Falconer’s Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife”, an inspiring true story of pursuing dreams, redemption and second chances.
August 22nd, Saturday – Jamerson Library to join Wolfbane’s Wolfswood Faire from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Lords and ladies, join us for a fun-filled day of medieval games, sword fights, live performances, music, delicious food, cold drinks, and dancing at 618 Country Club Road Appomattox, VA 24522. Find our tent for library-related information. This year we will be be participating in Trinket Trading (the exchange of small tokens among attendees), glitter tattoos, bubbles, and other giveaways. To learn more about the Wolfswood Faire visit their website at: https://www.wolfbane.org/wolfswood-faire.
August 25th, Tuesday – All Aboard! Pamplin Depot Story & Craft Time by the Jamerson Memorial Library, starting at 1:00 pm. Meet Library Director Cindy Scheu for an adventure in reading and creativity. The Library will feature an age-appropriate book for patrons preschool through 6 years of age, followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for younger patrons.
August 26th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library’s Story & Craft Time starting at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm in the Library’s conference room. This week’s guest reader will be the 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.
August 27th, Thursday – Jamerson Library’s Family Movie Night starting at 6:00 pm in the Library’s community room. In this animated comedy adventure, an animal lover seizes an opportunity to use a new technology to “hop” her consciousness into a lifelike robotic beaver and communicate directly with animals. As she makes amazing discoveries, she befriends a charismatic beaver and must rally the entire animal kingdom to face a major, imminent, human threat. This movie is rated PG.