THOMASVILLE LIBRARY: 

Our doors are open, meeting rooms and computers available for public use and we are offering some public programming. We would love to see all of the community walk through our doors, but if you are not comfortable entering the building, simply call our front desk with your library card number ready (229-225-5252) and we can bring your items curbside.

Just a reminder that our hours have been temporarily adjusted through December. The Thomasville Library is open Monday-Friday from 9.30 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 9.30 a.m.-3.30 p.m. Our branch hours have resumed their normal hours, Monday-Thursday, 1.30-6 pm.

Friday, November 20 – 12 noon

Fridays At Noon presented by TU

Featuring Tremura & Lee

Formed in 2018 by two University of Florida music professors from different areas, this eclectic trumpet and Brazilian guitar/vocal duo features classical transcriptions, Brazilian songs, jazz, and more as you have never heard them before. Since their founding, they have performed at UF as well as done a couple of tours to Spain with invited tours regionally and abroad.This program is both in-person and live streamed through Thomas University’s Facebook Live feed. If you would like to attend in-person, registration is required. 

No more than 20 attendees will be allowed during the performance.(This policy was put into place for COVID health measures.) Simply go to the Library website event calendar to reserve a spot.

Tuesdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

New eBook Provider: Libby!

Our ebook provider has changed!  We have switched to OverDrive’s ebook platform for libraries: Libby! Go to www.tcpls.org and click on the Digital Library link to create a free account with your library card and start reading from over 52,000 digital offerings!

We have a podcast!

5 Questions From a Stranger!  This audio series connects two library users, unknown to each other until that moment, for a small chat on topics we should all be discussing. Expand your thinking and start questioning the world around you. New episodes every month.  Let us know what you think!  And if you are interested in sitting down with a stranger, contact us at marketing@tcpls.org.

Fall For Art – Pines & Palms’ Members Art Exhibition

Through November 28  

Now on view within the Henry Flipper Room, enjoy the beautiful art on loan from the Pines & Palms Artist Association. The exhibit features pieces ranging from small oils to large scale watercolor to photo-realistic colored pencil. Open during library hours.

Story Walk Thomasville

Spend the afternoon in downtown and head over to Paradise Park for a casual stroll around our Story Walk! Our November story is on display, so head over to enjoy the beautiful weather and soak in nature.  

Keep Thomas County Beautiful!

The Library has partnered with our local Keep America Beautiful chapter to offer you “Litter Kits.” These trash cleaning kits are stocked with all that you need to conduct a self cleanup party: trash bags, bag holders, safety vests and gloves. Pick one up today and help Keep Thomas County Beautiful!

Our 2020-2021 Community Resources Directories are here! Stop in anytime to grab your free copy full of useful and updated businesses and organizations to help you get what you need. These free Directories are available thanks in part to Hurst Boiler.

Fun Fact!

Dr. Seuss wrote “The Cat in the Hat” to help combat illiteracy. There were 348 words were identified as being important to first-graders, which he was asked to narrow down to 250. Nine months later, Seuss used 236 of them to complete “The Cat in the Hat.”

Check us out online and on your phone!

Facebook – @ThomasCountyPublicLibrarySystem

Instagram – @tcpls

Website – www.tcpls.org 

YouTube – Thomas County Public Library System

Podcast – Five Questions From a Stranger

Children’s Activities

StoryTime: Toddlers & Tykes

Thursdays at 10.30 a.m.

Our weekly StoryTime is back! Join our Children’s Manager, Amanda, for a morning of songs, rhymes, and a few read-aloud storybooks and a fun craft. Toddlers & Tykes is intended for ages 2-4 and their caregivers. Facial covers are required for anyone over the age of 4. We also ask that attendees respect others’ desires for physical distance.

Crafts for Kids

Tuesday, Nov. 17 at 4 p.m.

Swing in for a fun in-person art activity for ages 4-7! We will be making some cool, colorful turkey-themed art in ode to Thanksgiving. All supplies provided at no cost to attendees and we clean the mess.

GOOD READS

“Transcendent Kingdom” by Yaa Gyasi

“Fifty Words for Rain” by Asha Lemmie

“What Are You Going Through” by Sigrid Nunez

“You’re the Only One I’ve Told” by Dr. Meera Shah

“Dot.con” by James Veitch

THOUGHTS

“Reclaim your curiosity, your sense of adventure, and have some fun. Don’t take every moment of your life so seriously. Allow yourself to enjoy life.”  — Akiroq Brost

3 MINUTE STORY FROM OUR SHORT STORY DISPENSER

“You Give Me Butterflies”

By Makaila Keyes

There’s nothing I love more than eating. Mmm, yes. Fat Boy loves a good meal. I enjoy the crunch, the squish, even the quietest sizzles as I grind every little particle between my molars. I cherish the rhythm my jaws fall into as they punch up and drop and punch up and drop and punch up and drop. My tongue slithers between each crevice and crack within my mouth lustfully for the sweet nectar of my favorite snack. Only when I’m finished: when every leg has been sucked from between my teeth, when every wing has been scraped from the roof of my mouth, when every beady eyeball has been slurped and swallowed from under my fingernails. Only then, as I relish in the after taste, am I satisfied. Mmm, yes.

Fat Boy loves to eat flies. 

But the fair doesn’t sell deep fried flies or kettle flies or funnel cake but instead of cake it’s flies, so I’m stuck sharing a less-appetizing bucket of buttery popcorn with Emma on the dilapidated Ferris wheel. The yellow glow of the fair lights bounces across the calm ripples of the ocean. The moon hangs low and full in the inky black sky. I’m pulling at a hangnail on my thumb when it decides to make an appearance. 

“This is fun,” she glances in my direction before gluing her eyes to the spiderweb strung across the corner of our Ferris wheel cab.

Forcing a fit of laughter from my throat, I try to respond, but the words die in my throat. I fix my gaze on the fine specimen that lands upon her shoulder. My mouth begins to salivate as sweat floods the surface of my fingers. She doesn’t seem to notice it, not at all. She can’t detect the faintest flutter of wings and jerkiest jilts of the head like I can. No, she can’t. But as long as she doesn’t notice, she won’t move, and if she doesn’t move, it won’t move, and if it doesn’t move, I can lust endlessly from afar. 

“Did you see the new Spider-man movie? I didn’t think I’d like it much, but it was actually pretty funny.”

“No.”

“Oh, okay. Well, if you’re thinking about seeing it, you should. It’s, uh, it’s pretty good.”

“Spiders aren’t my insect of choice.”

“… Okay.”

“They’re too leggy.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Don’t be.”

I hadn’t had a fly in approximately 16 hours, and I could be in the attic collecting more at this very moment if Mother hadn’t forced me on this date. But, seeing a live one this close could be just what I need to make this unwanted human interaction more tolerable. 

And maybe, just maybe, if I slithered a little closer without Emma noticing, I could get a better look at those delicate wings. 

I creep slyly until our thighs are barely touching. My dull nails dig desperately into the flesh of my thighs. I can’t resist drooling at the sight of the dainty wind-beaters. I’m not strong enough to fight such temptation from such a tease. Which was bad because Emma was my date and this was a date and it would be very unfortunate if I were to ruin said date, my first date, to suck that supple body between my teeth and bathe it in my saliva. To feel it crawling along my tongue, leaving a trail of its sweet honey across my pink taste buds. Mhm, yes, Emma. Make not a single move. Fat Boy does indeed want your shoulder in his mouth.

“Are you okay?” Emma’s voice is high with panic.

Inhaling through my open mouth, I wipe the beads of sweat rolling down my temple, “I’m fine.”

But I wasn’t. How could I be “fine” with its faint, tantalizing buzz ringing through my ears? I bow my head lower, my hot breath fanning across Emma’s skin as my self-control withers away. This was no ordinary attic fly. There were no cobwebs constricting its captivating body. This was a shiny, red, juicy apple and I could not wait to sink my teeth into it. Mother thought she could keep me away from my divine delicacy, but our love is stronger.

My prey spits on its legs and rubs them along its head, cleaning itself for my sake. My breath quickens as I begin to claw at my thighs, the heels of my shoes knocking against the metal below us. My jaw drops on its own accord and I lean in until I’m hovering over Emma’s bare shoulder. The fly continues cleaning itself diligently. 

“Are you sure you’re okay because—” Emma begins to turn her head towards me, her attention averted from over the rail. But, before she can disturb my precious, a low growl rumbles out of my chest and I wrap my mouth around her entire shoulder. 

Her screeches are futile as I drown her joint in my drool. The fly flits and flutters at first but with her wings drenched and her body trapped within my wet cavern, she finally succumbs to my persistent sucking. I drag my tongue along her button head and notched body, making quick work of savoring what I can with Emma squirming beneath me. I hide the limp body between my teeth and cheek before slurping at Emma’s skin for any fly residue. Once I siphon it all, I unlatch myself from her shoulder and begin chewing. The wings slide down my throat easily as I search for the antennae hiding between my front teeth. The beady head bursts as I push it against the roof of my mouth. All of my blood rushes to my head as the taste floods my mouth. I crush and crunch, and munch and mouth, and devour and tear into the exoskeleton to find the treasures buried inside her body. 

“What the hell did you do that for, you freak?” I hear Emma ask somewhere in the midst of the pleasurable fog clouding my mind. She’s shrieking as she spies the scarlet teeth marks indented in her shoulder. 

My head lolls to the side as I glance over at her, struggling to pry my eyes open. I swallow any remnants of the insect before I open my mouth, sighing in bliss. Emma stares at me in disgust, her face frowning unhappily. 

“I was gonna eat that one!”