Books, Birds and Beans (Jelly Beans)!

The winner of our April “Cleared for Takeoff” Bird Raffle is Naomi! She won a huge flower pot filled with a Flight Path tote bag, bird safe coffee, water bottle, sticker, pen & notebook set, beaded parrot keychain, seeds, and other assorted items. Over 170 patrons took a chance on this free spring-themed raffle brought to you by the Flight Path Grant and the Jamerson Memorial Library.

May is coming in fast and furious! Our monthly Library newsletter for May is available at the circulation desk, with the latest listing of events for the month. Be sure to grab yourself a copy when you stop by.

April showers are bringing in May flowers, and the Library has plenty of herb, flower and vegetable seeds to choose from in our Seed Library. We have replenished yellow squash, and have added burpless cucumbers, zinnias, and zucchini.

Math Matters in May with the equation Books+Me+Jelly Beans = the perfect trio! Patrons are encouraged to ask for a small packet of Jelly Belly® jelly beans when they checkout at the circulation desk. It is one pack per visit per patron, while supplies last. Don’t forget to look at some of the math items we have on display for the month of May!

The Library proudly presents our new Citizen Science Kits! These kits are portable curated totes containing specialized instruments and activity guides that enable patrons of all ages to gather authentic scientific data for real-world research projects. These kits facilitate activities like testing air/water quality, mapping biodiversity, or measuring light pollution, often allowing patrons to contribute to projects via smartphone apps. Great for STEAM, homeschooling, science projects, and fun! These kits are consider special checkout items and must be checked out by an adult with a signed special checkout user agreement. You may checkout one kit per family at a time.

On Monday, April 27th, the Library welcomed a Witness Advocate from the County office to offer support, resources, and a safe environment to report and seek help from domestic violence.

It was a bedazzling good time at the Tuesday, April 28th’s Jamerson Library’s Teen Crafts. Patrons had the opportunities to bring in their favorite book, add in some glitter and glue to sparkle things up! The teens provided the book, the Library provided the rest, including snacks.

For Wednesday, April 29th’s Preschool Story & Craft Time, Library staff member Oz read the book “The Night Before Mother’s Day” by Natasha Wing. The kids enjoyed snacks and juice while making tissue paper flowers just in time for Mother’s Day. Our next Story & Craft Time will be on Wednesday, May 6th. Our guest reader will be the Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline, starting at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm.

On Friday, May 1st, the Library staff participated in a professional development day by taking a tour of several different Libraries at UVA and in Waynesboro, and visited the Green Valley Book Fair. The purpose of this tour was to visit other libraries, meet their staff to ask questions, compare programs and services, and to learn how to better serve our area by using the resources that are available. The Green Valley Book Fair was a bonus to acquire summer reading prizes, books and craft items.

On Saturday, May 2nd, staff members represented the Library at a Rustburg Spring Craft Show “Beneath the Blossoms” hosted by the Hearth and Hallow Collective. We had a great time passing out Library and Summer Reading information along with butterflies, bubbles, and assorted craft projects. We would like to thank Hearth and Hallow for allowing us to be a part of the fun, and look forward to the next event.

Also on Saturday, the Library welcomed Doraine Mills from the Appomattox Adult Education Center for a GED Meet & Greet. Patrons interested in learning more about how to get their GED or enroll in classes could ask questions and get much-needed information about this important educational opportunity. Mrs. Mills can be found in the Library on most Mondays to promote the GED program. If you would like to meet Mrs. Mills to discuss the GED program, please like and follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Bluesky, as the Library promotes this service often on our social media accounts.

In observation of the Memorial Day Holiday, the Jamerson Library will be closed on Monday, May 25th. We will reopen to the public on Tuesday, May 26th, starting at 9:30 am. The book drop located at the back of the building will remain open during this time.

Library staff is working hard to get ready for the 2026 Summer Reading Program “Unearth A Story”! Summer Reading will start on Monday, June 1st, and run through Friday, July 31st. Patrons 2 years of age and older will have lots of opportunities to read, win prizes, attend programs, and do crafts. We will be featuring dinosaurs, archaeology, paleontology, adventurers, scientists, fossils, rocks, gardening and more!

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

• Criminal Minds: Season 5
• Criminal Minds: Season 6
• Criminal Minds: Season 7
• Criminal Minds: Season 8

Community Calendar

May 2nd, Saturday – GED Meet & Greet – Learning About GED at the Jamerson Memorial Library from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm. Come meet Doriane Mills from the Adult Education Center, the GED representative for Appomattox County. Ask questions, learn more about getting your GED or enrolling in local classes. Light refreshments will be served.

May 4th, 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!

May 4th, Monday – GED Outreach @ the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library. From 1:00 pm–3:00 pm, Doriane Mills from the Adult Learning Center will be at the Library to answer your questions and help you sign up for classes to earn your GED.

May 5th, Tuesday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. All aboard the pony express! Preschool through high school-aged youth can borrow a book from this horse-painted bus that will be parked out front of the Library, located on Main Street. The Library accepts book returns and donations on behalf of Trot year-round.

May 5th, Tuesday – PEATC (Parent Educational Advocacy Training Center) to be at the Jamerson Library from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm. PEATC provides tools and information to empower parents/guardians of students with disabilities (birth – 26 years of age) with services and support, research-based information and training, and opportunities for strategic partnerships and advocacy for systemic improvement. For more information on PEATC please visit their website at: https://peatc.org/.

May 6th, Wednesday – Girl Scouts Story & Craft Time at the Jamerson Library, starting at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm. This month’s guest reader will be the Girls Scouts of Virginia Skyline. They will feature an age-appropriate book followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for preschool patrons.

May 6th, Wednesday – Legal Aid of Virginia to meet at the Jamerson Memorial Library, starting at 2:00 pm. This month’s interactive seminar will be on unemployment benefits.

May 6th, Wednesday – Girls Who Code at the Jamerson Library starting at 4:00 pm in the community room. Girls Who Code is a club designed to help young women learn about science, technology, engineering, math, and how they integrate into their everyday lives. The Jamerson GWC Club welcomes new members from 3rd grade to 12th grade. Please register at https://www.jrjml.org/girlswhocoderegistration/.

May 6th, Wednesday – 250th Anniversary of America presentation “Reconsidering Early American Anglo-Indigenous History and its Legacy” by Lisa Crutchfield, starting at 6:00pm in the Library’s community room. When we think of the Indigenous history of North America, our minds often go to the Old West. But what of our colonial and revolutionary Indigenous history east of the Mississippi? What were the parameters of interaction during those early years and what effect would they have on the subsequent 250 years since the formation of the United States of America? In this presentation, historian Lisa Crutchfield invites the audience to discover and reassess the prominent roles Indigenous people played in early colonial history, reflect on how we recover and present that narrative, and consider what the legacy of that interaction is in our modern world. Lisa Crutchfield is an Associate Professor of History at the University of Lynchburg and a historian of early America and the Atlantic World.

May 7th, Thursday – Spot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 9:50 am to 11:00 am. Bark up a good book! Preschool through high school-aged youth can borrow a book from this dalmatian-painted bus that will be parked out front of the Library, located on Main Street. The Library accepts book returns and donations on behalf of Spot year-round.

May 7th, Thursday – Jamerson Memorial Library’s Spring Plant Swap from 10:00 am to 8:00 pm in the Library’s conference room. What is a plant swap? It is when you 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.

May 9th, Saturday – Jamerson Library’s Creative Class for Adults starting at 11:00 am in the library’s community room. This month’s craft will feature book flower displays with flower pens. Please preregister at https://www.jrjml.org/adult-program-registration to attend.

May 11th, Monday – GED Outreach @ the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library. From 1:00 pm–3:00 pm, Doriane Mills from the Adult Learning Center will be at the Library to answer your questions and help you sign up for classes to earn your GED.

May 12th, Tuesday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. All aboard the pony express! Preschool through high school-aged youth can borrow a book from this horse-painted bus that will be parked out front of the Library, located on Main Street. The Library accepts book returns and donations on behalf of Trot year-round.

May 12th, Tuesday – Jamerson Library’s Tween STEAM starting at 4:00 pm in the Library’s conference room. Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics! Enjoy a fun interactive and educational program while enjoying snacks and good company.

May 12th, Tuesday – Appomattox Court House Quilt Guild to meet at the Jamerson Memorial Library starting at 5:30 pm in the community room.

May 13th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library’s Story & Craft Time starting at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm. Our guest reader will be the Robert E. Lee Soil and Water Conservation District. They will feature an age-appropriate book followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for preschool patrons.

May 13th, Wednesday – Jameson Library’s Adult Book Club starting at 5:30 pm. This month’s book is “Lucky Everyday” by Bapsy Jain. Forced to flee Bombay when her wealthy and charming husband divorces her and squashes her career, Lucky Boyce feels defeated and desperate for respite. Fortunately, old friends welcome her to New York where life begins with promise. Determined and trying to make a difference, she volunteers to teach yoga to prison inmates. But with her confidence in question and love starting to surface, a series of bizarre events leave Lucky searching once again for answers. There are multiple copies available at the circulation desk.

May 13th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library’s Kanopy Movie at 6:00pm in the community room. Help celebrate the 250th Anniversary of America by joining us for a patriotic movie and snacks! The Library will feature the movie The First American. George Washington is central to understanding America’s founding. He was the crucial figure in winning the American Revolution, in creating the Constitution, and in establishing the precedents for effective self-government as our first president. This is a family event to celebrate the American Spirit!

May 14th, Thursday – Spot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 9:50 am to 11:00 am. Bark up a good book! Preschool through high school-aged youth can borrow a book from this dalmatian-painted bus that will be parked out front of the Library, located on Main Street. The Library accepts book returns and donations on behalf of Spot year-round.

May 18th, 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!

May 18th, Monday – GED Outreach @ the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library. From 1:00 pm–3:00 pm, Doriane Mills from the Adult Learning Center will be at the Library to answer your questions and help you sign up for classes to earn your GED.

May 19th, Tuesday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm. All aboard the pony express! Preschool through high school-aged youth can borrow a book from this horse-painted bus that will be parked out front of the Library, located on Main Street. The Library accepts book returns and donations on behalf of Trot year-round.

May 19th, Tuesday – Jamerson Memorial Library Board Meeting starting at 4:00 pm in the Library’s community room. This meeting is open to the public.

May 20th, Wednesday – Preschool Story & Craft Time at the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library starting at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm. The Library will feature an age-appropriate book followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for preschool patrons.

May 20th, Wednesday – 250th Anniversary of America presentation “The Religious Conflicts of Europe’s Confessional Era” by Benjamin Esswein, starting at 6:00 pm in the Library’s Community Room. The religious conflicts of Europe’s confessional era set in motion a migration that would fundamentally shape the American republic. Driven from their homelands by persecution, groups such as the Puritans, Huguenots, Quakers, and Moravians carried with them a vision forged in the Protestant Reformation — one centered on the primacy of individual conscience and faith free from state coercion. Their convergence in the American colonies produced something unprecedented: a society built not from a single religious tradition, but from the shared conviction that faith could not be compelled. This unique pluralism became the engine of colonial growth and civic identity, and ultimately found its most enduring expression in the First Amendment to the United States Constitution — transforming the suffering of Europe’s religious dissenters into the foundation of a nation unlike any the world had seen before. Benjamin Esswein’s field of study is Early Modern Europe and the Reformation. He deals directly with Central and Eastern Europe, the Austro-Ottoman Borderlands in the sixteenth and early seventeenth century.

May 21st, Thursday – Spot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 9:50 am to 11:00 am. Bark up a good book! Preschool through high school-aged youth can borrow a book from this dalmatian-painted bus that will be parked out front of the Library, located on Main Street. The Library accepts book returns and donations on behalf of Spot year-round.

May 21st, Thursday – Jamerson Library’s Early Dismissal Games & Puzzles 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Meet your friends after school at the Library’s collaboration tables on the main floor for some fast-paced games, cards, and puzzle challenges. There will be snacks!

May 22nd, Friday – Jamerson Library’s Early Dismissal Crafts 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Join the Library in celebrating the 250th Anniversary of America by making patriotic crafts just in time for Memorial Day and Summer Vacation! Don’t forget to join our 2026 Summer Reading Program “Unearth A Story” starting on Monday, June 1st!

May 22nd, Friday – Gladius to perform at the Jamerson Library, starting at 2:00pm in the Library’s community room! Gladius is an award-winning composer and “accomplished classical/flamenco style guitarist” who soulfully “shreds on the electric” (Phil Keaggy), sharing the bill with Grammy winners and mesmerizing audiences nationwide with his electrifying live act since 2016. For more information about Gladius visit his website at: https://gladiusofficial.com/

May 27th, Wednesday – Preschool Story & Craft Time at the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library starting at 11:00 am and 12:00 pm. The Library will feature an age-appropriate book followed by a simple craft project and snacks. Everyone is welcome to attend with the understanding that this program is intended for preschool patrons.

June 3rd, Wednesday – Fun & Craft Day in Abbitt Park! Join the Library for their annual launch of Summer Reading Program. There will be games, vendors, prizes, giveaways, body glitter tattoos, and more! Bring your t-shirt for tie-dying!