Income Tax Help Available for Seniors and Low to Moderate Income Taxpayers

The last date to file taxes is now less than a month away.  AARP is again offering tax assistance for senior and low to moderate income taxpayers.

The remaining days of their schedule are as follows:

Wednesday, March 18

Wednesday, March 25

Wednesday, April 1

Wednesday, April 8

On each of the scheduled days, the doors will open to begin tax assistance at 9 am.  First come, first served - no appointments.  The tax preparers will prepare up to 25 returns a day.  Once the 25 return threshold is reached, the doors will shut for the day.  AARP membership is not required for this assistance.

Documents and Helpful Information that you will need to provide:

• A copy of your 2013 Income Tax Return
• All income documents for 2014 (W2 - 1099 - Retirement - Pensions - Social SEcurity - Unemployment - etc)
• 2014 Mortgage statement showing interest and property taxes paid
• All 2014 Tax Receipts from Tax Collector's Office (Home, Land & Tags)
• All Social Security Cards (Taxpayers & Dependents)
• Driver's License or other valid picture ID

Are You Ready for Spring?

     Spring is in the air! I know a lot of people who are still getting used to the time change from daylight savings and a few are still cleaning up from all the muck created with the recent batch of winter storms. But don't get discouraged! St. Patrick's day is coming up next week on March 17th and Spring begins on March 20th. The weather is supposed to clear up and I know that a great many of our patrons will begin preparing those garden plots. So, I'm including some of our most recent books on gardening to help you get started.

     First up is Deep South Month-by-Month Gardening: what to do each month to have a beautiful garden all year by Nellie Neal. As the long title suggests, the author gives you the tips and tricks needed to keep up your garden all year long. You will learn which plants grow best in our area and when you should plant, prune, or dig them up. She gives you an easy-to-follow format and includes step-by-step pictorial guides.

     One of the biggest challenges for gardeners is how to keep pests at bay without spraying all those harmful chemicals. Fear not, dear patrons, because we have Attracting Beneficial Bugs to Your Garden: A Natural Approach to Pest Control by Jessica Walliser. This book is all about beneficial bugs--who they are, how they work, what they eat, and how to attract them. The author profiles nineteen bugs which are helpful to gardeners, with descriptions, illustrations, and a list of their benefits, along with planting and zone details about thirty-nine plants which can be used to attract them.

     Not sure you want to plant and take care of a big garden? Don't really have the space to plant a garden? No problem! We have a couple of new books on gardening in small spaces. First, there is Grow Vegetables in Pots which gives you tips and tricks about how to plant tasty tomatoes and luscious herbs in small containers, so that you can enjoy the "fruits" of your labor without having to till up a garden plot. The author lists the plants that grow well in small spaces and which plants grow well together.

We also have the book All New Square Foot Gardening: the Revolutionary Way to Grow More in Less Space by Mel Bartholomew. This author covers how to build planter boxes, how to use vertical space to plant your crops, and how to extend your seasons to get the most out of your crops.

     All of these books (and more) are located in the library's non-fiction section between the call numbers 628 and 636. Feel free to come in and check some out or just flip through them to get some ideas. We have books for the novice gardener as well as the seasoned horticulturalist! Enjoy and Happy Planting!

Life in an Internment Camp in America During World War Two

In 1942, the United States began searching the homes of immigrants who had come to America from Germany, Japan and Italy and, even with no evidence of any crime, many were taken away in handcuffs and removed to what was referred to as "custodial detention" with no charges, no trials and no recourse.

Even though their cause was supported by President Roosevelt's wife Eleanor, Executive Order 9006 was signed requiring the forced removal of all people of Japanese decent from certain areas - including the entire state of California.  Families were forced to leave their homes and were shipped to internment camps - even those who were born in the United States.  The plan was to trade these 'prisoners of war' for Americans being held overseas.

'The Train to Crystal City' is the story of the upheaval and struggles faced by the families forced to leave everything behind them.  The author, Jan Jarboe Russell, focuses the story on two teenagers whose families were sent to the Crystal City internment camp - Ingrid, born in New York in 1930 to German immigrants who had migrated to the United States in 1923, and Sumi, born in 1928 to Japanese immigrants.

Putting personal faces on a little known and often forgotten portion of American history, the stories of the two girls and what happened to their families are not easily forgot once the book is finished.

A Sweet Romance and a Lesson of Forgiveness

The Union of the North and the South by Ann Mock is a historical christian romance novel set in Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1875. This novel opens with Laura Malcolm reminiscing by the Mississippi River while the young Jenny plays nearby. Laura is Jenny's mother, but the child doesn't know that. Gerald Taylor, Jenny's father and Laura's husband died before the girl was born. Gerald's father, a powerful judge, did not want his son to marry Laura, so he had the couple's marriage annulled after the tragic accident that befell the young man. Laura decided that this betrayal was unforgivable so she conspired with her parents to have them pass Jenny off as their own daughter and her sister so that the senior Gerald Taylor would not try to take the child away. The bitterness and sorrow that grips Laura's heart and soul begins to fade, however slowly, and the truth comes out that Jenny is actually Laura's and Gerald's child. Judge Taylor's heart is also healed and he makes amends with Laura and her family. Laura learns to forgive and, eventually, to love again.
This is a very romantic and sweet historical novel about finding faith, learning to forgive, and having the strength to begin again. If you enjoy clean-cut stories about faith and the power it gives individuals to triumph in the face of adversity and sorrow, then I think you will love this novel. The author was inspired to write this book after taking a steamboat ride along the Mississippi River and touring the historic houses of towns such as Vicksburg, Natchez, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. The library has one copy of this novel that you may request to be put on the hold list. If you prefer, you may search for the title or author on Goodreads.com or Amazon.com.

New Titles on the Civil Rights Movement

We have two titles in our Adult Non-Fiction section on landmarks of the Civil Rights Movement, both of them are Mississippi history as well.

The first is 'We Shall Not Be Moved : The Jackson Woolworth's Sit-In and the Movement It Inspired' by M. J. O'Brien with a foreword by Julian Bond.  The May 28, 1963 sit-in at the lunch counter at Woolworth's in Jackson, Mississippi is now recognized as one of the iconic moments of the Civil Rights Movement.  It came just after the Supreme Court passed their decision on the legality of sit-in demonstrations and two weeks before the June 12 murder of Medgar Evers.

The book offers an in depth behind the scene look at the people and situations that were behind the headlines.

'Count Them One By One : Black Mississippians Fighting For the Right to Vote' by Gordon A. Martin, Jr. covers the struggles met by volunteers, both black and white, who came together to register black citizens through Mississippi to vote despite threats of violence and even death.

The author was a young lawyer in 1962 and was sent to Mississippi as a member of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice to help find witnesses willing to testify in the case United States v. Theron Lynd (Lynd would become the first southern voter registrar to be held in violation of charges of discrimination under the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1957).

 A fascinating story told in the words of a man intimately involved in that piece of history.

New Art Instruction Books Donated to the Library!

We were fortunate this past year to have six beautifully illustrated art instruction books donated to us by The Shelby Ferris Art Study Group. The books were donated to us in memory of both Shelby Flowers Ferris and Elizabeth Montgomery Clarke.

First, we have Women Artists written by Margaret Barlow. This large, beautiful book covers the lives and work of female artists from the time of the Renaissance until present day. It includes well-known artists like Mary Cassatt, Georgia O'Keeffe, and Frida Kahlo, as well as, artists like Judith Leyster, Kathe Kollwitz, Dorothy Tanning, and Judy Chicago. This book highlights the artists accomplishments and their influence on art despite limited access to formal training and society's pressures for them to conform to what was considered to be "womanhood."
Next, there is William Newton's Complete Guide to Watercolour Painting by, you guessed it...William Newton. This instruction

guide has beautiful full color pictures as well as step-by-step guides to complete your own watercolor projects. You'll get an introduction to painting basics, materials you'll need, the use of color, and how to choose your subjects.

Two other books donated also cover watercolors. First, there is Painting Beautiful Watercolor Landscapes by Joyce Hicks.This author also gives a list of commonly used materials for watercolor painting and step-by-step guides for layering color and choosing your projects.

The other watercolor book is Painting Expressive Watercolor by Bridget Woods. This book, too, is richly illustrated with 259 color photographs. It also explains the importance of color, tone, shape, texture and scale through exercises and shared techniques. It encourages readers to explore the medium of watercolor to express sensations and ideas as well as to develop handling skills, confidence, and to find your own unique style as an artist.

The last two books to be donated are: Dramatic Color in the Landscape: Painting Land and Light in Oil and Pastel by Brian Keeler and AcrylicWorks: the Best of Acrylic Painting edited by Nancy Reyner. Like the other art instruction books, these two tomes have full color photographs and a variety of projects. Brian Keeler's book focuses on creating landscapes using oil and pastels. His book doesn't have the easy step-by-step guides of the others, but it illustrates each topic in depth so that the reader can see what is being taught. 

AcrylicWorks is less an instruction book and more of a collection of paintings done by artists who favor the acrylic medium. Each full color picture is accompanied by a paragraph or two about how/why the artist created the piece.


Again, we would like to thank The Shelby Ferris Art Study Group for their generous and beautiful donation to our library!

Cars and the Dogs That Love Them

 A new addition to our Adult Non-Fiction is 'Dogs in Cars' by Lara Jo Regan -  a collection of photographs of - what else - dogs in cars collected in a book celebrating the love affair dogs seem to have for riding in cars - especially when the weather is nice and the window is down.

From the front cover featuring a white Labrador named December hanging out in a 2012 Honda Accord to a trio of happy pugs named Napoleon, Lulu and Stitch enjoying the countryside, the book is filled with plenty of color shots of a wide variety of canines and the cars they allow their owners to borrow.

The book also features a section with tips on how to photograph your own dogs (along with warnings that the shots in this book were made with the knowledge and cooperation of professionals and should not be attempted to be duplicated by the home photographer).

Another section at the end is an index listing all of the dog models, their breeds and ages along with what the vehicle was that they were posing in.

A very enjoyable book for people that like to look at pictures of happy dogs.

Digital Magazines Available to Read on Your Devices

Looking for something new to read?  We have twenty-five different magazines now available on digital format.

Issues are available digitally on the same day that they become available at the newsstands, so no need to wait for the current issue.

The magazine titles currently available are : Better Homes and Gardens, Elle, ESPN the Magazine, Esquire, Every Day with Rachael Ray, Family Handyman, Field & Stream, Food Network Magazine, Good Housekeeping, HGTV Magazine, House Beautiful, Martha Stewart Living, Men's Health, Newsweek, O The Oprah Magazine, PCWorld, Popular Mechanics, Reader's Digest, Redbook, Rolling Stone, Taste of Home, US Weekly, Woman's Day, and Women's Health.

Patrons with iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows 8, Mac, PC or Kindle Fire/HD/HDX devices can now download the Zinio reader and open an account to read these magazines on their devices.

No limits - no due dates!

Signing up is quick and easy.
1) Go to URL https://www.rbdigital.com/warrenms/
2) You should see a pop-up box requesting your library card number. Enter it using the entire number, leaving out any spaces.
3) Enter your user information
4) You're ready to read!

Helpful Tips for Using Your Library

With a new year upon us and school projects forthcoming, I thought it would be a good idea to list some helpful tips for using the library more effectively. So, the following are my

 Helpful Tips for a Successful Library Visit:

• Give yourself enough time to conduct any research that you are working on.
• The library's hours of operation are:
• Monday through Thursday -- 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
• Friday & Saturday -- 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
• Sundays and State Holidays -- CLOSED
• Remember that our computers are on a first-come-first-served basis, so you may want to come a little early in case you have to make a reservation for the next available computer.
• You may check out up to 50 items at a time, but there are limits on the following items:
• DVDs -- 4 items for one week (unless it's a new release, then it they are only checked out for three days)
• Audio books -- 4 items for three weeks
• non-fiction of the same subject -- 4 of the same subject (art, Christmas, science fair, crochet, etc.) for three weeks 
• Also, please remember to turn you cell phones off or put them on vibrate. All cell phone conversations must be held in the lobby.
• We are a Smoke-Free Campus
• Food and Drink are not allowed inside the library. Please help to keep our newly remodeled building clean! 
• If you would like to know if the library carries a particular item, you may call ahead, check out the online catalog, or ask the Reference Desk when you arrive.
• Our telephone number is (601) 636-6411
• Our online catalog is available at:  http://catalog.warren.lib.ms.us
• The library's Reference section has many books with photos and illustrations that can be copied for your projects just in case you don't want to wait for a computer.
• If you would like to know about our e-books and e-magazines, then please, don't hesitate to ask at the Reference desk.
• Don't forget to bring change/small bills for your copies.
• The public copy machine, public computers, and the microfilm reader all have the same price for copies-- $0.15 per page.
• We are not able to break bills over $20; nor do we accept checks, credit or debit cards.
• If you want to use one of the library's public access computers, then you may need to take heed of the following:
• Computers are available on a first-come-first-served basis
• You may place a reservation on the next available computer and wait your turn or you can try to come back at another time.
• We do not make reservations over the phone or ahead of time.
• If you place a reservation, it is advised that you wait where you can see when your computer becomes available.
• Local guests and visitors from out of town may purchase a Guest Pass for $1.00. This is good for up to one hour of use and only on the day it was purchased.
• If you have or have had a library card, your account needs to be clear.
• You cannot have an outstanding fine or overdue library materials
• If you have a fine/overdue materials you may not pay for a guest pass. Your account must be clear.
• You must use your own library card (not your spouse's, child's, mom's, dad's, etc.)
• If you do not know how to operate the computers, you may bring someone who does with you. (In fact, we encourage you to do so.) There is only one librarian at the Reference Desk and she must help everyone at the computers as well as attend to her other duties.
• Finally, remember that, if you need help, Just Ask! 

We appreciate our patrons and we look forward to serving you all year long!

New Biographies!

We've gotten in a variety of biographies for your reading pleasure - here are four of the newest:

American Titan : Searching for John Wayne by Marc Elliot offers an in-depth look at John Wayne' life as well as his cinematic legacy.  Over the course of 169 films, John Wayne portrayed a wide variety of men in a number of time periods, yet remained recognizable as John Wayne.

Rather than dismissing Wayne as a 'B' actor for this, Elliot points to the crafting of an image than remains powerful even years after his death.

One Lucky Bastard by Roger Moore is a collection of true stories from Roger Moore's career in show business.

During his now seven decade long career, he has played two iconic characters, Simon Templar in The Saint and James Bond in seven different films, he had met and come to know a number of colorful Hollywood personalities including Sean Connery, Tony Curtis, Frank Sinatra, David Niven and more all of whom come together in this collection of outrageous tales.


Parcells : A Football Life by Bill Parcells and Nunyo Demasio is the story of Hall of Fame coach Bill Parcells.

Known as a brilliant leader and motivator, Parcells is also known for his many Parcellsisms, some of which many have heard without knowing who they came from - "A friend is someone who knows all about you and likes you anyway." - "Don't confuse routine  with commitment." -  "Blame nobody, expect nothing, do something." and many others.  This book is about how Parcells became who he is.


Play On by Mick Fleetwood and Anthony Bozza is the story of Mick Fleetwood but also the story of one of the most successful bands in the world, Fleetwood Mac.

From the beginnings of Mick's life to his struggles to keep the band together, the story covers the highs and lows of life in a touring rock and roll band.