Summer Reading, Grants and Local News

Local Library Director Mrs. Cindy Scheu has been awarded “Student of the Year” from The Catholic University of America. Cindy holds several degrees including a bachelor’s in Computer Science and Business Administration, MLA in Cultural Anthropology, and a Master’s in Library and Information Science. Cindy has been the director of the J. Robert Jamerson Memorial Library since May of 2024. She has worked hard in implementing many new programs, community outreach and has figure-headed many improvements to the Library in the past two years.

The Jamerson Library applied for and received the grant “Science Across America”. As America celebrates its 250th anniversary, HHMI Tangled Bank Studios and STAR Net have launched a new campaign to help libraries highlight the history of scientific achievement in our country, and the local connections to science in our communities. SCIENCE ACROSS AMERICA, the newest campaign from Spark of Science @ My Library, invites libraries to showcase local scientific advances and scientists, engage your communities with focused Community Dialogues, and host educational and inspirational activities that shine a light on the past, present, and future of science in our lives.

The Jamerson Library has free copies of the Appomattox Times. Thanks to Nathan Simpson, owner of the Appomattox Times, the Library has been honored with stacks of this local paper so that patrons may come in and pick up a free copy. Nathan plans to print a hard copy of the paper once a month. If you would like to find out more, you can visit them at: https://appomattoxtimes.com/ or their Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556173151506.

In celebration of the Science Across America and several other grants the Library has received recently, we have put out a steady supply of math, science and American history related DVDs and books, citizen science kits. The library has also put on extra programs, hosted guest speakers, raffles and more. For the latest information and updates, stop by the circulation desk for a copy of our monthly newsletter, follow us on our website and social media accounts, or find us in the local newspaper, the Appomattox Times.

The Library has plenty of herb, flower and vegetable seeds to choose from in our Seed Library. We have replenished black oil sunflower seeds, and have added burgundy okra, cantaloupe and luffa seeds to our selection. Patrons are allowed to select 3 items per week, per household so that we can ensure that there is plenty to share.

The Jamerson Memorial Library is hosting a plant sale. We have lots of plants that need new homes with indoor and outdoor plants to choose from. All proceeds will benefit the Library. Prices are as marked.

On Tuesday, May 12th, MaKayla provided a Tween STEAM program complete with snacks and soda. The Library is taking a break from Tween STEAM to focus on the upcoming 2026 Summer Reading Program “Unearth A Story”. We will resume this program in the fall.

For Wednesday, May 13th’s Story & Craft Time, Library Fairy MaKayla read the book “Goodbye Spring, Hello Summer” by Kenard Pak. Join a young girl as she roams grassy plains and shady forests, greeting all the signs of the coming season. In a series of conversations with everything from the rolling hills to the chickadees up above, she says goodbye to spring and welcomes the liveliness of summer. The kids enjoyed snacks and juice while creating their own decorated flower pots and planting sunflower seeds.

On Saturday, May 16th, the Library was a guest vendor at Holliday Lake’s Kids to Parks event! Library staff members MaKayla and Oz passed out Library and Summer Reading information, crafts, coloring pages and other handouts.

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.

The Library would like to congratulate ACLA (Appomattox County Library Association) for being awarded the General Dollar Summer Reading Grant. ACLA will donate the entirety of this grant ($3,000) toward this year’s Summer Reading Program! If you are interested in being a part of ACLA, please email them at [email protected]. This Friends of the Library group has taken a very active role in fundraising and providing volunteer staffing at the Jamerson Library.

The 2026 Summer Reading “Unearth A Story” starts on Monday, June 1st! Patrons of all ages, including adults, can enroll early using the Beanstack App. To register and track your progress, download the Beanstack App, available on the Apple Store or Google Play. Search for the Jamerson Library and sign up each participant by following the instructions and answer a few simple questions on the app. If you have any difficulties logging on, come to the circulation desk with your cellphone/tablet and a friendly staff member will be happy to help you. We will be featuring dinosaurs, archaeology, paleontology, adventurers, scientists, fossils, rocks, gardening and more!

In observance of the Juneteenth Holiday, the Library will be closed on Friday, June 19th. We will reopen for normal business hours on Saturday, June 20, starting at 9:30 am. The book drop located at the back of the building will remain open at this time. Please do not leave library-owned materials on the free rack located at the main entrance. The Library is not responsible for materials left on this rack.

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

• The Prize: the Epic Quest for Oil, Money & Power
• Gangster Empire: Rise of the Mob
• Railroads: Tracks Across America
• Abraham Lincoln: Trial by Fire
• Guns: The Evolution of Firearms
• America: The Story of Us

Community Calendar

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!

June 4th, Thursday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 11:00 am to 12:00 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.

June 10th, Wednesday – Jamerson Library’s Family Story & Craft Time starting at 11:00 am in Abbitt Park (located next to the Library). This program requires registration, please register under the Family Story & Craft Time tab on this page: https://www.jrjml.org/kids/.

June 11th, Thursday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 11:00 am to 12:00 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.

June 18th, Thursday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 11:00 am to 12:00 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.

June 25th, Thursday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 11:00 am to 12:00 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.

July 2nd, Thursday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 11:00 am to 12:00 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.

July 9th, Thursday – Trot the Book Bus at the Jamerson Library from 11:00 am to 12:00 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.