NEWS ARCHIVE

Amarillo Public Library to Present Families of the Year

Amarillo Public Library and the American Association of University Women (AAUW), along with the Amarillo Globe-News and Hastings Book, Music and Video, will honor five Library Families of the Year Saturday, Feb. 14 at 10 a.m. in Room AB of the Central Library, 413 E. 4^th Avenue.

The Amarillo Globe-News will present a plaque and Hastings Book, Music and Video will present an atlas to each of the families. The Friends of the Amarillo Public Library and the AAUW will provide refreshments. The program is free and open to all Library supporters.

The Families of the Year were chosen by Library staff based on their use of Library services during 2003. The five selected families are as follows: Central Library-The White Family; North Branch-The Bynum Family; East Branch-The Fristoe Family; Northwest Branch-The Neely Family; and Southwest Branch-The Bennett Family.

Central Library

The White Family, honored by Central Library as a 2003 Family of the Year, consists of Stevan and Carol White and their two sons, John Michael, 15, and Philip, 12.

Stevan White has been an Amarillo Public Library patron since the Mary E. Bivins Memorial Library was located at 10^th and Polk. He is self-employed as a radio engineer, repairing and maintaining radio broadcast equipment. His primary reading habits include books on short wave radio and home improvement. He also checks out many videos and DVDs.

Carol White, born and raised in Dumas, Texas, attended Texas Tech University and West Texas A&M University. Carol said she did not use the Library much until she began raising her family. For the last 12 years, she has been home-schooling her two sons and has become an avid reader. She reads historical fiction, children’s books and art books.

John Michael, 15, is home-schooled and is a ninth-grader at the Amarillo Area Center for Advanced Learning. He has been a regular Library patron since he was three years old. He reads just about everything and has finally persuaded his mother to read The Lord of the Rings.

Philip, 12, is home-schooled and is in the sixth grade. He has been a regular Library visitor his entire life. He is particularly interested in animals and can quote extensive passages from the movie The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring—complete with accent.

Central staff said the White Family uses the Library often and uses a variety of materials. Youth Coordinator Pat Mullin said the Whites don’t just enter the Library and leave. He said they always stop to visit, ask questions, get suggestions and make their own recommendations to the staff.

North Branch

Bill and Kay Bynum have been North Branch Library patrons since it opened its doors in 1974. They have been married for 46 years and have three children and five grandchildren.

Mr. Bynum was born in Olton, Texas, and moved to Amarillo in 1940. He later attended Amarillo High School. Mr. Bynum worked at the Amarillo Globe-News for 28 years. His main interests are in artifacts and astronomy, and he enjoys reading and rock hunting. His favorite authors are Elmer Kelton and Louis L’Amour.

Mrs. Bynum was born in Vega, Texas, and moved to Amarillo while in the second grade. She also attended Amarillo High School. Mrs. Bynum worked for the Southwestern Investment Company, before retiring to become a homemaker and mother. Her hobbies are reading, counted cross-stitching, doing crossword puzzles, cooking, doing crafts, and crocheting. Mrs. Bynum’s favorite author is Fern Michaels. She also likes to read mysteries and fiction.

The Bynum’s oldest daughter, Dena Brown, and her husband Danny have four children: Lindsey, 16, Zachary, 15, Wesley, 11, and Troy, 5. Their family uses Central Library.

The Bynum’s second daughter, Dawn Henderson also lives in Amarillo and has one daughter, Amanda, 15.

Dee Bynum, the Bynum’s only son, lives in Dallas Texas.

Mrs. Marie Loyd, Mrs. Bynum’s mother, worked for Amarillo Public Library for 24 years. She began as a book mender and later worked in Acquisitions.

The Bynums come to the Library for books, movies, use of the copy machine, Family Movie Night, and various Library programs. They said they like the North Branch staff because they are friendly and helpful. North Branch staff said the Bynums always come in with smiles and cheerful words.

East Branch

Members of the Fristoe Family, selected by East Branch, are Kelly and Margie and their five children Heidi, Emma, Clayton, Fallon and Conner.

Kelly Fristoe was born in Artesia, New Mexico, and moved with his family to Amarillo when he was six years old. He attended Amarillo High School and has Bachelor’s degrees in History and English from West Texas State University. He currently teaches ninth grade English at Palo Duro High School. Kelly prefers reading in his spare time, and his favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird.

Margie Fristoe was born in Spearman and moved to Canyon when she was three years old. Her favorite books are autobiographies, cookbooks and how-to books. She said her family recently made the decision to cut back on the amount and time and the channels they watch on television. She said it has allowed them to spend more time together talking and reading.

Heidi, 17, is a junior at Palo Duro High School. Her parents call her their “miracle child” because she was born three months early weighing only one pound and three-fourths of an ounce. Heidi has moderate cerebral palsy and her mother said she gets around pretty well with the help of leg braces and the use of her wheel chair for long distances. Heidi’s greatest escape is reading. She loves to read The Babysitters Club series and has read the Little House on the Prairie Series through at least three times.

Emma, 15, is a sophomore at Tascosa High School. She is working hard to earn college scholarships. Her favorite movies are The Princess Diaries and The Pirates of the Caribbean. She enjoys reading in her free time. Her favorite books are Castaways of the Flying Dutchman and The Angels Command by Brian Jacques. She also enjoys mysteries and the Harry Potter series.

Clayton, 12, is in the sixth grade at Bowie Middle School. He enjoys playing video games and watching The Lord of the Rings with his dad. Clayton discovered the Harry Potter books in the fifth grade and brought his reading grade up from a low B to a high A. He also enjoys books by R.L. Stine and the Red Wall series by Brian Jacques.

Fallon, 8, is in the second grade at Lawndale Elementary School. Her favorite movie is Santa Clause 2, and she enjoys reading the series that includes Teacher’s Pet and Schools Out. She also enjoys reading mysteries. Fallon’s passion is writing and illustrating her own books. She won 2^nd place out of 126 Panhandle first-graders who entered the Reading Rainbow Writers and Illustrators contest last year.

Conner, 3, stays at home to help mom. He loves for people to read to him, as do all the Fristoe children. His favorite books are the Arthur series by Marc Brown and a Little Golden Book called Baby Deer. His favorite movie is Kiki’s Delivery Service and he loves to watch Arthur and Clifford the Big Red Dog.

East Branch staff members said it is a pleasure to serve the Fristoe Family, and they appreciate the Fristoes using the Library in various ways to meet their family’s needs.

Northwest Branch

Robert and April Neely and their two daughters Elizabeth and Katie were selected by Northwest Branch staff to be a Family of the Year.

Robert Neely, a graduate of Amarillo High School, was born in New Orleans. He is self-employed as a manufacturer’s representative. He said he enjoys Northwest’s collection of periodicals and great selection of DVDs, especially old Westerns. Robert enjoys skeet shooting in his spare time.

April Neely was born and raised in Amarillo. She is a legal secretary and is active in the PTA. When asked about her hobbies, her family said she takes good care of them. The Neelys said they appreciate the new materials at Northwest and the safe environment for young people.

Elizabeth, 14, is a student at Bonham Middle School. She enjoys reading many types of books, but inspirational fiction is her favorite. Reading and bike riding are two of Elizabeth’s hobbies. She said she is looking forward to warm weather so she can ride her bike to the Library.

Katie, 11, is also a student at Bonham Middle School. Her favorite author is Roald Dahl. She enjoys tennis, bike riding and reading. Her favorite thing about the new Library is the speed of the computer connection.

The Neely Family watched the progress of the building of Northwest as eagerly as Library staff did, and they were one of the first families to come to the new Library. The Neelys were a unanimous choice among Northwest staff who described the family as “charming.”

Southwest Branch

The Bennett Family, who has attended Southwest Branch for 11 years, includes Joel and Leslie and their three children, Jace, Jancee and Jayton.

Joel and Leslie Bennett grew up together in Dumas and graduated from Tarleton State University in Stephenville, TX. They moved to Amarillo in 1991. Joel currently owns an auto brokerage business.

Joel enjoys hunting, team roping, coaching football and wrestling. He is a Hunt Master for the Texas Youth Hunting Program. His favorite books are the Bible and the Left Behind series by Tim LaHaye.

Leslie is a stay-at-home mom. She enjoys reading the Bible and reading with her children. She also enjoys attending Bible studies, reading, working out and being involved in her children’s church, school and sport activities.

Jace, 11, enjoys hunting, wrestling, football and paintball. He likes books about battles and adventures. His favorite book is the Newbery prize book Rifes for Watie by Harold Keith.

Jancee, 9, likes riding horses, hunting, creating art projects and playing sports. She loves any books about animals and enjoys the American Girl and the Hank the Cowdog series. Jancee also enjoys reading Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery with her mother.

Jayton, 5, likes soccer, t-ball, wrestling and video games. He likes any books that anyone will read to him. He especially likes books about machines and how they work.

The Bennett Family loves reading biographies about great American heroes together. They have enjoyed attending storytimes and puppet shows and checking out many books each week. The Bennett children remember one day when Youth Librarian Patricia Allen was short-handed and they got to help with the puppet show.

The Bennett Family said they take many trips together and rarely leave town without making a stop at the Library to check out some books on tape, DVDs and “of course, lots and lots of books.” Southwest staff said they chose the Bennetts to be their Family of the Year because of their regular and enthusiastic use of the Library.

LIBRARY FAMILIES OF THE YEAR

The Amarillo Public Library and Friends of the Amarillo Library, with the American Association of University Women, Amarillo Globe-News, and Hastings Entertainment Inc. present

• Central Library—The Tormey Family
• East Branch—The Stover/Blount Family
• North Branch—The Sims Family
• Southwest Branch—The Taylor Family

November 8, 2002

34th Annual
Friends of the Amarillo Public Library
Book and Author Dinner

Thursday, November 21st
Amarillo Civic Center, Grand Plaza
6 PM Meet the Authors
7 PM Dinner

This year’s Book and Author Dinner will feature William Bernhardt. William Bernhardt made his debut as a novelist in 1992 with Primary Justice, a national bestseller that went through eight printings in its first three months. Since then, he has published six more bestselling novels which have sold millions of copies and have appeared on bestseller lists all across the nation. Called by The Vancouver Sun “the American equivalent of P.G. Wodehouse and John Mortimer,“ Bernhardt is best known for the “Justice” series of courtroom novels featuring attorney Ben Kincaid ( Blind Justice, Deadly Justice, Perfect Justice, Cruel Justice, Naked Justice, Criminal Intent) which inspired Library Journal to name Bernhardt the “master of the courtroom drama.” He is also the author of Double Jeopardy, a suspense-thriller described by The Washington Post as “a breathless page-turner,” and The Code of Buddyhood, a college-days coming-of-age novel described by The Oklahoma Daily as “a powerful and sophisticated novel about the nature of friendship.” In addition to penning many short stories and essays, he conceived, collected, and edited an anthology of original short fiction, Legal Briefs, which will be published by Doubleday in May. His books have been translated and published in more than a dozen countries. For Perfect Justice, Bernhardt received the Oklahoma Book Award for Best Fiction. Last November, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Writers Hall of Fame. His most recent novel, Extreme Justice, was released in February.

Mr. Bernhardt obtained his law degree at the University of Oklahoma College of Law, where he was a member of the National Championship Moot Court team. He worked as a trial lawyer at a large law firm for nine years and was repeatedly recognized for his pro bono work for the underprivileged and for his work with teenagers interested in law. The Oklahoma Bar Association presented him with a special award for Outstanding Service to the Public, and he was named one of the top twenty young lawyers in the nation by the American Bar Association’s Barrister magazine.

In 1995, Bernhardt served as President of Novelists Inc., a national coalition of professional writers. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Tulsa Arts and Humanities Council, the Board of Directors of the Oklahoma Center for the Book, the Writers Advisory Panel of the Oklahoma Arts Institute, and the Peggy V. Helmerich Literary Award Selection Committee.

In his spare time, Bernhardt plays the piano, writes “bad songs” (he says), directs two children’s choirs, collects board games and old radio show tapes, and constructs crossword puzzles which have been published in national magazines and newspapers, including The New York Times.

He lives in Tulsa with his wife, Kirsten, and their children, Harry and Alice.

Library honors four
Families of the Year

Gallery Wall

The Amarillo Public Library presents . . .



Edge of the Mother Road by Jim Jordan

United States Highway No. 66 was commissioned on November 26th, 1926 by the Federal Bureau of Public Roads.

Between Chicago and Los Angeles, it spanned eight states and three time zones and became the migratory route for millions of commercial drivers and happy tourists. It was also used by thousands of desperate refugees from the Depression stricken states of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas during the 1930Æ s. Author John Steinbeck coined the name "Mother Road" and it has stuck until today.

Succeeded by Interstate Highways I-40 and I-44 in 1965, Route 66 became transportation history. Recently though, it has been rediscovered by both American and European tourists who know a lot more about the subject than most U.S. citizens.

Countless examples of quaint and wacky commercial architecture were built such as cafes, motels and service stations. The sacred such as churches and camposantos (Hispanic cemeteries) are also visible.

In a continuing state of flux the Mother Road is still reinventing itself. Amarillo Boulevard and the San Jacinto district of Amarillo are good examples.

Still fun and vital, Route 66 continues to serve the nation.

This exhibition presents images from Oklahoma, Texas, and New Mexico, the states most familiar to me.

Jim Jordan
(806)352-2829

The Gallery Wall is located on the second floor of the Amarillo Public Library Downtown, at 4th and Buchanan. The gallery curator is Cherry Young.

Gallery Wall

The Amarillo Public Library presents . . .



Pan Eimon

Pan Eimon's work is recognized for its dynamic design, bold line, and confident color. Solo exhibits include: the Eimon show sponsored by the U.S. Embassy in Managua, Nicaragua; those in San Francisco, New York, Denver, Tucson, Salt Lake City, Nashville, and Amarillo; and UT - Knoxville, Stanford, University of Arizona, University of the South - Sewanee. Wife of Mining Geologist Paul Eimon, she has lived and painted in Europe and throughout the Americas. Art studies: Nashville, Cincinnati, Chicago, and at the University of Tennessee. Eimon paintings and drawings are in homes, offices, and corporate collections all over the world.

Gallery Wall

The Amarillo Public Library presents . . .



Katie Anthony

A native of Ohio, Katie Anthony began her formal art training at the age of nine at the Dayton Art Institute School for Children. After graduating from Denision University at Granville, Ohio, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, she taught for four years at Spring Branch High School in Houston, Texas. Since moving to Amarillo in 1970, she has studied under several area artists, including Ruth Bryant and Jan Herring.

Working with acrylics on both canvas and paper, she delights in building contrasts of light and shadow in vivid, complementary color schemes. She considers her strong sense of design her greatest asset. Exhibiting in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, Kansas City, Missouri, and Amarillo, Austin , and Lubbock, Texas. She has won awards in several local, regional, and state shows. Her work hangs in many private and corporate collections nationwide.

The Harrington String Quartet at Central

Library to honor four
Families of the Year

Gallery Wall

The Amarillo Public Library presents . . .



Watercolors and Pastels
by Laurese Smith

The Gallery Wall is located on the second floor of the Amarillo Public Library Downtown, at 4th and Buchanan. The gallery curator is Cherry Young.

32nd Book & Author Dinner To Feature
Two Local Award Winning Authors

Source Records of the Great War
At Auction On eBay

Gallery Wall

The Amarillo Public Library presents . . .
An exhibit of the photography of Jim Jordan titled
Amarillo: Edge of the Millennium.

The Gallery Wall is located on the second floor of the Amarillo Public Library Downtown, at 4th and Buchanan. The gallery curator is Cherry Young.

Southwest library branch plans unveiled
By PAVAN LALL
Globe-News Staff Writer

Capres Hatchett, Friends Board Member, honored for Great Books leadership

Remarks by Gary Schoepfel, adult program director of the Great Books Foundation, during a ceremony on Friday, May 5, 2000

Your Discards May Be Somebody's Treasure

One library's adventures with selling old books on eBay--and how you can get in on it, too

By Kathleen Baxter

Read the full story that appeared in the April 1, 2000 issue of Library Journal.

Capres Hatchett, Friends Board Member, to be honored for Great Books leadership

By Mary Kate Tripp

Dr. Capres Hatchett, who has been leading a Great Books Discussion Group in Amarillo for 46 years, will be honored this week by the Great Books Foundation and the Amarillo Public Library for a record unique in the nation. Read the full story from the Amarillo Globe-News.

Southern Light Gallery

AC's Lynn Library
presents . . .
Mixing Metaphors
Color Photographs and IRIS Prints
1996 - 1999
featuring artwork by
Maggie Taylor

The Southern Light Galley is located in the Library Foyer of the Lynn Library on the Amarillo College Washington Street Campus. The gallery curator is Jim Jordan.

APL Presents Two New Discussion Groups in April

As you may already know, for years the Library has hosted two discussion groups, Modern Thought and Great Books, which meet every other Tuesday and Wednesday respectively. Starting this month, APL will host two new groups.

The Sci-Fi Discussion Group is scheduled to hold its first meeting, Thursday, April 20th from 7-9 pm in the boardroom of the Central Library, downtown. They plan to continue meeting at the Central Library the first and third Thursdays at 7-9 pm of every month following. At the first meeting, Aaron Guzman, Planetarium Coordinator for the Discovery Center and the group's moderator, plans to discuss with attendees possible titles for future reading and whether or not to include titles from the fantasy genre in their discussions. Come help them launch this exciting new endeavor.

The Mom's Club of Amarillo will also begin meeting at Amarillo Public Library in April. Times for the discussions are set for noon following Storytime at the Southwest Branch, the third Wednesday of each month. For the April 19th meeting, the group has selected Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt. Please, don't let the name Mom's Club fool you. This group is open for all who wish to attend.

April 7, 2000

New Faces in the Panhandle

A community project of the Texas Panhandle celebrating cultural and historical heritage. Sponsored by the Texas Council for the Humanities and West Texas A&M University. April 6-8, 2000

Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon

The Amarillo Public Library would like to invite you to a Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon, April 7, at 11:45 A.M. in Room AB of the Central Library, 413 E. 4th Street, Downtown. We will be honoring the following people for Outstanding Volunteer Service:

• Jim Alfonte
• Jan Arthur
• Reba Bailey
• Kay Duncan
• Collene Frazier
• Lewis Houseman
• Vickie Merrill

February 23, 2000

The Amarillo Public Library and Friends of the Amarillo Library, with the American Association of University Women, Amarillo Globe-News, and Hastings Entertainment Inc. present

• The Bauman Family
• The Gonzales Family
• The Ortega Family
• The Spencer Family

February 14, 2000

A Great Books Leader for Life

The Great Books program was founded to give adults an opportunity for lifelong learning. Many welcomed the opportunity to read and discuss outstanding works of literature in a comfortably structured environment. As a result, Great Books groups have prospered in cities and towns throughout the United States. Meeting regularly in libraries, community centers, schools, and homes, many groups have thrived for an impressive number of years. But there's one longstanding Great Books group with a unique achievement: a group in Amarillo, Texas, has not only flourished for 46 years but has done so under the continuous leadership of one of its founders, Dr. Capres Hatchett.

In 1953, Dr. Hatchett, his wife, and two other couples formed their Great Books group after two of Hatchett's friends attended a Great Books seminar in Aspen, Colorado. ``Joe and Doris Harlan came back from the seminar very excited about Great Books,'' recalls Hatchett. ``We all liked to read, so it sounded like something we'd enjoy. The six of us got together and started meeting at the Amarillo Public Library.'' Due to the popularity of the early Great Books movement, there were other Great Books groups in town, but over the years they disbanded and remaining members joined Hatchett's thriving group. For many years Hatchett co-led the group with Doris, one of the original founders, but since Doris's death 12 years ago Hatchett has served as the group's sole leader. ``I've never tired of the process,'' says Hatchett, now 81. ``Leading a Great Books group has been the ideal way for me to challenge myself and continue learning.''

Today, the group's 25 participants, whose ages range from the mid-20s to early 80s, meet at the library every other Wednesday. They praise Hatchett's leadership for the group's success. ``Capres is a great leader,'' says Luke Morrison, coordinator of programming and public relations at the Amarillo Public Library. ``He's fair, has a razor-sharp mind, and knows how to encourage an energizing discussion.'' Amarillo residents, who generously support the public library, are kept abreast of the group's activities through the library's fall program announcement, cleverly included in the city's annual water bill mailing.

Dr. Hatchett, who is retired and able to spend more time reading the books he loves, credits participants and the process of Shared Inquiry for his unprecedented accomplishment as a Great Books leader. ``I've been fortunate to have wonderful people in my group,'' says Hatchett, ``and every discussion builds on the spirit of the participants. If the group is going good, they will lead the way.''

The Foundation congratulates Dr. Hatchett, the members of his group, and all of the other Great Books groups that have endured through the years.