Robin D. Dombrowsky
1951-2007

A friend who will be missed
Robin D. Dombrowsky, Head of Adult Services at the Palm Harbor Library, passed away after a brief illness on Sunday, December 2, 2007.  A true professional with masterful reference librarian skills, Robin was an avid genealogist who developed a lasting rapport with local genealogists.  She loved to teach others how to use the computer and had a keen interest in gardening.  In her honor, the library will unveil its enlarged and enhanced “Robin Dombrowsky Genealogical Collection” at the grand reopening of the library (currently undergoing renovations) in 2009. 

Prior to joining the Palm Harbor Library in May of 2006, Robin served as Assistant Director of the Temple Terrace Public Library from 2000 to 2006 and as a Reference and Adult Services Librarian at the Leesburg Public Library from 1991 to 2000.  She received her Masters Degree in Library and Information Science from the University of South Florida and was working on a graduate degree in Public Administration. Robin is survived by her husband Greg Dominguez and her sister Anne.

Monday through Thursday

9 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Friday

Noon to 5 p.m.

Saturday

9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday

Closed

The Homosassa Public Library celebrated its grand opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 7, 2007, at which Florida Secretary of State Kurt S. Browning spoke to the more than 350 attendees.  The Citrus County Board of County Commissioners presented the building to the citizens of Citrus County during the ribbon cutting ceremony. 

Citrus County Library System Director Flossie Benton Rogers said that the new facility will truly be a community hub.

A Reading Garden is incorporated into the new library's landscaping design where engraved brick pavers have been placed in the architecturally-designed walkway.  In addition to the Reading Garden, other notable features are a computer learning center, an expanded youth area, an expanded collection of large print publications, a community room, a refreshment area, public access wireless Internet services and stone columns through the center of the library to enhance the design.

The new library address is 4100 S. Grandmarch Ave., Homosassa, FL 34446. For more information, visit www.citruslibraries.org.

Conservationist and TV host Jeff Corwin will present “Tales from the Field” at 1 p.m., Saturday, February 2 at the Clearwater Main Library, 100 N. Osceola Ave.  It will be his only Florida appearance as he promotes his message on conservation and global warming.  Book sales and signing for his book Living on the Edge: Amazing Relationships in the Natural World will follow the program.  The free event is sponsored by the Clearwater Library Foundation and the Friends of the Clearwater Library, and no reservations are required.

Corwin has been working for the conservation of endangered species and ecosystems around the world since he was a teenager. Animal Planet audiences best know Corwin as host of The Jeff Corwin Experience, one of the most popular shows on cable television. The series is seen weekly in the United States, and is viewed in more than 70 countries worldwide.

An expert in rainforest animals, Corwin was first introduced to this unique ecosystem while on an expedition to Belize. In 1993, Corwin addressed the General Assembly of the United Nations regarding the need to conserve neotropical rain forests. By 1994, he had served as expedition naturalist for The Jason Project, the acclaimed documentary series produced by National Geographic and EDS under the direction of Robert Ballard.

Corwin has bachelor of science degrees in biology and anthropology from Bridgewater State College, and a master of science degree in wildlife and fisheries conservation from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. In 1999, Bridgewater State College honored Corwin with a doctorate in public education for his work in communicating about the need for a sustainable approach to using natural resources and the importance of conserving endangered species. Corwin firmly believes that through education and awareness, the natural resources, wildlife, and ecosystems that make up our planet will be conserved for future generations.

Corwin has made guest appearances as himself on the popular television series CSI: Miami, the Today show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,  and Oprah. In 2004, Corwin won an Emmy for best performer in a children's series. Recently, Corwin hosted a series of CNN specials with Anderson Cooper, Planet in Peril, and continues to make appearances on CNN to discuss the problems facing our environment today.

The Friends of the Clearwater Library and the Clearwater Public Library System are pleased to bring this noted author to the community.  In conjunction with his appearance, please visit the Clearwater Main Library’s Youth Services Department  and view the exhibit “Global Warming.”  For more information, please call (727) 562-4970 (ext. 5284).

Get Ready for Battle of the Bands XI: Rockus Maximus – Pasco’s ORIGINAL Battle of the Bands
Pasco County Library System is gearing up for this year’s Original Battle of the Bands XI: Rockus Maximus. The event is scheduled for Friday, March 28, 2008, at Crews Lake Park in Shady Hills. Beginning at 6 p.m., the eight qualifying bands will have 25 minutes to perform, which will include at least two original songs in the set. The bands must have a minimum of three people, reside mostly in Pasco County, and the majority of the members must be under 20 years of age. Any style of music is eligible. The bands will be judged on stage presence, vocals, songwriting, and general musicianship. Go to the teen page on our website, www.pascolibraries.org; the teen blog; or www.MySpace.com/pascolibraries to learn all the details of the event. Attendance is free with a current library card. If teens don’t have a card, they’ll be able to sign up for one at the show.

In addition, we’re adding something new this year --  a video/online documentary that will allow bands to compete for the honor of having the best online presence. We'll post eight weekly episodes on our MySpace page so that teens can join us to watch the bands and vote for their favorite each week! We'll have a new winner each week and a champion at the end.

It’s A Mystery @ Your Library
This winter, the Pasco County Library System sponsored its first Adult Reading Program, It’s a Mystery @ Your Library. People were invited to read books, earn a chance to win great prizes, and attend interesting programs exploring the mystery genre.

The series kick-off featured Author Cal Branche who presented a program on Florida Mystery Writers and illustrator Edward Gazst who talked about Journey into Illustrating and Adventures in Getting Published.  In addition, there was a well-attended Local Authors’ Fair featuring several area authors including Tampa Tribune columnist Megan Hussey.

Several other planned programs included a Mystery Films Series and Special Agent, Bill Estevez, who discussed the FBI’s fugitive profiling methods. Mystery sleuths will enjoy trying to solve the mystery: WhoDunnit? The Disappearance of Angela Day. Programs run throughout February 2008. “Sherlock Sandy,” the three-legged dog, helped promote the series on posters, the winter calendar of events and other materials.

The new Oldsmar Library opened its doors to the public on January 2, 2008.  We had quite a crowd visiting to get the first look at our beautiful new building.  This new library is three times the size of the old library with triple the number of public computers.  We have a large community meeting room that seats 100 people, and a soon-to-open cafe for patrons to enjoy.  The library was designed to reflect the 1920s architecture at the time of the founding of Oldsmar by R.E. Olds the Oldsmobile automobile maker.  In fact the library is based on the hotel planned but never built by R.E. Olds. 

Inside the library, the decor harkens back to an older Florida with lots of windows, high ceilings, cool green colors, and dark wood.  The Children's and Teen areas use a car theme centered around a "Road To Reading" carpet.  There is a screened Garden Room for reading amongst tropical plants, wrought-iron tables, and the famous "Oldsmar Chairs."  And, of course, there is finally plenty of staff work areas. 

A group enjoys the food and festivities
of last year's Lemon Bay Fest

The sixth annual "Lemon Bay Fest: Englewood History with Zest!" will be celebrated Feb. 2-9. The Lemon Bay Fest is a community event which involves Englewood-area libraries (Elsie Quirk Public Library and Englewood-Charlotte Public Library), Dearborn Street merchants and various organizations in the area.

This event is a weeklong celebration of Englewood's past, featuring tours, a series of informative Englewood history programs, and a day-long "Cracker Fair." The "Cracker Fair," a celebration of old Florida history, will be held Saturday, Feb. 9 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Dearborn Street. After the “Cracker Fair,” continue the festivities by joining Dearborn Street merchants as they celebrate “Saturday Nite Live” from 6 to 9 p.m. Merchants stay open for your shopping and dining pleasure while live entertainment provides a festive atmosphere. For a full list of events, contact the Englewood-Cape Haze Area Chamber of Commerce at (941) 474-5511 or (800) 603-7198 or email info@englewoodchamber.com.