It was another full house of book lovers when FOLSOI hosted local author Cindy Horrell Ramsey at Barbee Library to discuss her latest novel, Trying Not to Drown, a heart-wrenching story about a family whose home is destroyed by flooding after Hurricane Florence. ...

The audience was “at attention” when Southport author Col (Ret.) Dobie McArthur was the guest speaker for FOLSOI’s Meet the Author program at Harper Library in mid-May. He was there to talk about his life, military career, and a thrilling series of Civil War books...

The idea started in a Brunswick Newcomers meeting when I was listening to Debbie Keener, the Executive Director of Samara’s Village (above, center, with FOLSOI's Gail Sawchuk, left; and Cindy Phillips, right), tell the audience about their mission of helping Brunswick...

It was a day of fun this week when Barbee Library hosted a games party for a group of special needs adults and their caregivers from the JOY Sunday School class at Burkemont Baptist Church in Morganton, North Carolina. The group is here for a week-long work and play...

National Rescue Dog Day, Friday, May 20, aims to raise awareness of the wonderful dogs in need of permanent homes. Dogs find themselves in shelters for various reasons. Some are surrendered by owners no longer able to care for them. Some are brought in as strays,...

Dennis Hetzel (above, right) a resident of Holden Beach with a distinguished career in journalism, entertained a full room at Barbee Library last week with a “Meet the Author” account of his transition into writing suspense novels. It was a welcome return for this...

As any Carolina gardener can tell you, the challenge here is not just getting plants to grow, it’s also about keeping them from completely taking over! Enter the St. James Garden Club: These dedicated gardeners create order from chaos to make sure our surroundings...

"Let my People go" implores Moses. The Pharaoh of Egypt strenuously and promptly says, "No!" So begins the Torah (Old Testament) Book of Exodus. Passover, an eight-day Judaic holiday, recalls the Israelites’ journey from enslavement in Egypt to the foot of freedom in...

Wednesday, April 6, is National Library Outreach Day, formerly known as National Bookmobile Day, celebrating the work of library professionals looking for new ways to engage the public. Some of their key innovations include bringing library resources out into the...

Way back in the late 1950s, librarians and book sellers across the country began to ring the alarm on a dramatic decrease in library usage and book purchases—at the same time America's use of a new technology called television was rising. Worried that America’s...

Water fascinates us, perhaps because we humans are largely made up of water and here in coastal North Carolina, we’re surrounded by it. And wherever we go, we have our bottle of water handy, reminding ourselves to stay hydrated. So, celebrate World Water Day 2022 on...

Monday, March 21 is World Poetry Day, a day the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) set aside in 1999 to recognize the many wonderful forms of poetry that entertain, challenge and inspire us. In honor of this auspicious occasion,...

When does spring begin? Lately, we’ve been told that “meteorological spring” begins on March 1. For gardeners, it might be the day that flowering plants emerge from the ground, and lawns show the first sign of green. For college students, it might be the first cold...

One of parents’ proudest moments is when their children learn to read. It’s right up there with learning to crawl, walking and saying their first words. But once the kids start reading, what kinds of books can parents find for their young readers? Fortunately,...

“Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, … “ We sure love sugar because it helps to make our lives sweeter. But over the centuries, sugar has had an unsavory side to it, too. This week, Desiree Bridge of the Southport Historical Society hosted a Zoom and...

Essential oils are the “life blood” of plants, and ancient practice and modern science confirm that they offer many health benefits for people and for animals. Mary Beth Mount, an educator and distributor for Young Living products, hosted a presentation at Barbee...

How many female scientists, besides Marie Curie, can you name?  Maybe the famous primatologist Jane Goodall comes to mind, or Rachel Carson, the environmental scientist who exposed the dangers of pesticides in the 1960s.  But if you’re like most people, other names...

Kicking off its Black History Month celebrations, the Southport Historical Society this week hosted an online presentation by Board Member Donnie Joyner on The Life and Times of Ms. Cora Lee Greene. Southport native and 1954 Brunswick County Training (BCT) school...

When many of us were young, our parents warned us against the world’s dangers. Don’t talk to strangers, they said. Come straight home without taking a detour through the woods. Tell a parent or other authority figure if you see or experience anything creepy or scary....

The weather outside was certainly frightful for most of January--creating the perfect backdrop to celebrate National Soup Month! Who doesn’t love a good pot of something warm on the stove this time of year? So, some of our friends and local cooks shared what they had...

This week, Harper Library hosted the in-person return of FOLSOI’s “Meet the Author” program, featuring two well-known thriller writers from the area, Alan Woodruff (in picture, left) and Henry Hack. While FOLSOI had successfully live-streamed two MTAs during the...

January is National Hobby Month, celebrating the ways we pursue creativity, strength, nutrition, relaxation, exhilaration, wisdom and good cheer. The term “hobby” comes from a 16th century term “hobyn” meaning a small horse or pony. Toy hobby horses – sticks with the...

Hanukkah, like all Jewish holidays land in accordance to the lunar calendar. This year it started on Sunday, November 28th at sunset (all Jewish holidays begin at sunset). The dates change yearly, although it is always observed for eight days. The Food The two...

Donating money to help local charities is par for the course for the Oak Island Elks Lodge. After all, “Elks Care, Elks Share” is their motto.  Over the last several years, the OKI Elks have donated approximately $12,000-$18,000 annually to such charities as...

From the earliest accounts of Wampanoag Indians teaching settlers in Plymouth, Massachusetts, how to grow corn (Thanksgiving anyone?) to today’s Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland, a Pueblo Indian, Native Americans have always had a tremendous impact on our country. ...

Bibliophiles, grammarians, brainiacs, and word geeks, some in costume and some in official police uniform paired up for the 31st annual Adult Spelling Bee and silent auction event sponsored by the Brunswick County Literacy Council and held at the Odell Williamson...

So, who’s stressed out? This week at Barbee Library, Kate Kusterback, RN (in photo, above) and certified Health and Wellness Coach, got our attention really quickly, first by her delightful, dynamic personality, and next by asking how many of us in the group were...

While Election Day is still more than a month away (Nov. 2), it’s time to get registered to vote! That’s why Tuesday, September 28 is National Voter Registration Day, celebrating American democracy and voter registration. Established in 2012 by the National...

How would you feel if someone said you couldn’t read the Bible because it was banned due to its religious content? What would your book club do if it was blocked from reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, also because of fears about religion? Think about the...

On a dark and stormy afternoon, several dozen FOLSOI members braved flooded streets and donned their masks to attend our 31st Annual Membership Meeting at the Southport Community Building. President Carol Brolley opened the meeting by introducing FOLSOI ‘s Board of...

It’s time to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month, starting Wednesday, September 15 and spotlighting the history, culture, and achievements of Americans of Spanish, Mexican, Caribbean, and Central and South American heritage. This year’s theme is “Esperanza: A...

[Photo above: Southport Woman's Club president Roxie Smith (left) with FOLSOI president Carol Brolley.] While much has changed in our lives over the past 18 months due to the pandemic, one thing hasn’t changed for the Friends of the Library Southport & Oak Island:...

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month. A library card is your passport to information, education, recreation, imagination, and exploration. In Brunswick County, “everyone who lives, works, goes to school, or owns property” in the county is “eligible for a FREE...

[Photo: FOLSOI President Carol Brolley addresses Brunswick County Commissioners in June with the results of the focus group findings.] It is common, if not essential, for any board of directors to think about strategy. FOLSOI is no different. In fact, we would not be...

Hopefully by now you’ve chosen a book—or stack of books—to read on National Book Lovers Day, Monday, August 9. So, you may be wondering, “What else can I do to celebrate?” Here are three great ideas: Why not make National Book Lovers Day a time to sort through your...

Books, books, and more books!  Books that educate us, books that entertain us, books that raise our awareness and increase our empathy toward others. Who can get enough of them?  If you are one of those people, then National Book Lovers Day is a day for you!  Put down...

National Librarian’s Day in India on August 12 celebrates the life’s work of a great mathematician. Wait, what? Yes, Shiyali Ramamrita (S. R.) Ranganathan, born in 1892 in British-ruled India, earned degrees in Mathematics, intending to teach, but he would make his...

Did you know that FOLSOI marked its 30th anniversary in September, 2020? Disappointingly, COVID-19 cancelled the annual meeting where the party (complete with cake and ice cream!) was to be held. The 12-person volunteer board of directors is just not going to let the...

When Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862, to free slaves in the Confederate states, slavery was ended… or was it? Some enslaved people were released from their bonds, able to embark on a life of freedom, but many in the South...

Dads around the world are celebrated on Father’s Day, which is always the third Sunday of June in the United States, the UK, the Netherlands and India.  In much of Europe and Latin America, Fathers are honored on St. Joseph’s Day, a Catholic holiday day in March. Fun...

In the spirit of Limerick Day, Wednesday, May 12, why not try writing one of your own?  Crafting limericks is fun and challenging, very much like solving a verbal puzzle. Here are some basic guidelines for limericks: Limericks are short, rhythmic, rhyming poems that...

Thanks to The League of Women Voters of Lower Cape Fear, Harper Library’s two display cabinets are currently showcasing a wonderful photographic tribute to Moms and their service to their country. Moms who ran for public office, were appointed to public office, won...

This week, FOLSOI amateur archeologists Diana Fotinatos (past president, and current publicity committee chair) and Barbara Lemos (Roving Reporter) uncovered a treasure trove of ancient manuscripts dating back to the 1990s, the Dark Ages before the construction of...

There once was a man named Ed Lear Who wrote poems that would bring you to tears Not lovely nor eloquent But fun and irreverent We now celebrate limericks each year! National Limerick Day, held every year on May 12, pays homage to the man who made the short poems...

In the United States, indigenous women are ten times more likely to be murdered than the national average. An astounding 84% of indigenous women will be physically abused or sexually harassed sometime during their lifetime. Perpetrators are likely to go unpunished...

Matthew B. Lamer, Jr. and Virginia L. Lamer (in photo, above) were loving parents who instilled the love of reading in their children and believed in giving back to their community. There may be no better way for a daughter to honor her parents than through a donation...

Superheroes help us escape from reality. They entertain us. But most of all, they show us that good triumphs over evil and justice wins out. So, it’s no wonder we love them. And this week, we’ll celebrate them on National Superhero Day, Wednesday, April 28. We love...

There are many, many ways to take part in Earth Day 2021, Thursday, April 22. Such as: Plant a tree!  Pick up trash!  Build a birdfeeder! Or, you can take a few simple steps to make your home more energy efficient like switching to LED bulbs, lowering your heat and...

Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, continues to grow in importance every year. Although much legislation has been passed to restrict chemical pollution and regulate emissions, there are new examples of harmful contaminants seemingly every day. In our own region, the...

Thursday, April 22 will mark the 51st Earth Day Celebration, an annual event held around the world to demonstrate support for environmental protection   The theme for 2021 is “Restore Our Earth” with an emphasis on reducing climate change. Earth Day originated in 1970...

Conditions were ideal for FOLSOI’s latest Book Sale at Southport Realty on Saturday, April 10, as a rainy morning gave way to sunny skies and temperatures in the 70s. The line formed early for patrons eager to resume this pandemic-limited event. In addition to folks...

If we forget the past, we’ll be doomed to repeat it. So said the philosopher George Santayana and thus is the purpose of Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah), this year starting the evening of Wednesday, April 7. In Hebrew, Shoah means destruction and that is,...

This week’s Southport Historical Society presentation featured Travis Gilbert, executive director of the Historic Wilmington Foundation, portraying longtime Bald Head Island lighthouse keeper “Sonny” Dosher, whose life offers a view into much of our local history....

FOLSOI President Carol Brolley (in picture above) addressed the Southport–Oak Island Kiwanis Club this week to explain how the Friends serve our community libraries and their patrons, and to explore how the two volunteer groups might collaborate. After all, we have...

In a perfect world, every child in America would love to read. In reality, kids today have so many activities competing for their time, from sports to clubs to scouts, that sometimes a little encouragement to sit down with a book is needed. Imagine what a pep rally...

Thanks to former President Jimmy Carter, March is the month to celebrate women’s achievements and contributions to America. Well, that isn’t quite right. Actually, President Carter only proclaimed the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week. Then in...

All those “Zooming in” this week to author Judy Dearlove’s reading from her novel Play On! were inspired, educated, and totally entertained. In this online Meet the Author event sponsored by FOLSOI and presented by Barbee Library, Judy started her talk by reading...

For more than 150 years, Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HCBUs) in North Carolina have enabled African Americans in the Southport Area to unlock previously unimagined career possibilities. In fact, thousands of HBCU graduates in North Carolina and beyond...

(Third in a series of articles celebrating Black History Month in our area.) Do you like stories of adventure and courage? Of adversity and achievement? Of painful truths and unshakeable hope? Here’s a starter list of amazing books to satisfy those desires and help...

(Second in a series of articles highlighting Black History Month) There are many ways to honor the spirit of Black History Month, from participating in some great local events online (more about that in a bit); watching movies that realistically depict the early...

First of a series of articles highlighting Black History Month in February February means it’s time to celebrate Black History Month, a great opportunity to discover African Americans who have contributed to the fabric of our society in significant ways over the last...

(Photo by Carolyn Bowers of last year's performance of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas) One of the sweetest sounds of Spring for nearly two decades in Southport has been the popular Opera Sunday program presented by Dr. Nancy King, UNCW Professor and Chair, Department of...

Today’s FOLSOI Annual Meeting was our first on Zoom. Adversity, it seems, brings out the best in our volunteers. Who would have imagined that record book sales would be achieved in a year when the pandemic curtailed book sales, or that we could grow membership by 32%...

On the second-longest day of the year--and building on past successful “Meet the Author” Zoom meetings--author Kim Wright (above, left) was interviewed today by her friend and fellow writer, Joy Callaway, about Kim’s newest novel, “The Longest Day of the Year.” Here’s...

“You know the story ‘bout the jailhouse rock Go on and do it, but just don’t get caught They got ‘em all in the jailhouse, ain’t they baby I ain’t livin’ long like this” -- Rodney Crowell, sung by Emmylou Harris  Jailhouse experiences have been lamented,...

In continuous use protecting Southport from 1749 to 2006, the Garrison now houses the Fort Johnston Museum, a home of remarkable local treasures. This week’s “Armchair History” took a look at these Garrison gems, with Southport...

In a global pandemic, when we’re justifiably frightened and overwhelmed, the last thing on our mind may be the possibility of a “Blissy Life.” Yet, out of turmoil--whether personal tragedy, natural disaster, economic crises, family stresses--can come clarity and...

UNCW Professor Nancy King and her talented Opera Outreach Project students (UNC-WOOP) gave another thrilling performance to a standing-room-only crowd at the Southport Community Building on Sunday, March 1. FOLSOI has sponsored this highly anticipated annual event for...

North Carolina has spawned many great writers, and more than 30 folks yesterday filled the room at Barbee Library to hear from two local authors who not only have experienced plenty of living but have creatively transcribed their insights into print for family,...

Did you ever imagine you’d be spending your “golden years” trying to troubleshoot--let alone understand--your mobile phone, tablet, or laptop? Probably not.  Your well-meaning kids or grandkids might have handed you that shiny new device and given you five...

If there’s one thing to be said about aging, it’s that we all have to do it. Fortunately, we also can learn about aging from those who have written about the journey—which is the goal of a new, four-part “Let’s Talk About It” series at Harper Library in Southport...

Is your brain teeming with fascinating experiences, conflicting emotions, and unique perspectives yearning to escape into a compelling family memoir, a short story, a novel, a poem, or a play?  Discover how to channel your creativity in a new Creative Writing...

Delving into the world of essential oils with an Internet search can be overwhelming. The “information landfill” contains what you seek, but finding unbiased facts requires delving through some unsettling debris.  How much better, then, to have a personal guide...

Cape Fear A Capella Christmas & Seasonal Songs & Carols, Harper Library, Friday, Dec. 13, 2019  Today, I bring news of a wonderful chorus Fine folks who had shown up at Harper before us  Appearing in seasonal festive apparel Six men and ten women to sing...