Bicycles

Marathon Public Library branch of Alpine Public Library summer reading program begins on June4th. We will have a drawing for four bicycles:

Children read 10 books in 10 weeks and can put their name in the drawing for a bike. The Junior and Senior High reads 10 books and writes 10 pages to be viewed by library friends and will receive $100.00 for their effort. Must finish all 10 books and papers. Our goal is to include all ages into our program and have the children reading and using the library.

Our program includes a reading time, crafts, puppet shows, and fun from 1-2 pm, Wed. during the month of June and July. Our end of summer program party date will be scheduled sometime in August. Come join the fun at the Marathon Public Library. We welcome parents to join the fun and anyone that would like to volunteer to help. marathonlib@yahoo.com Please come by and register for the program. 432-386-4136 Donations are being accepted to help with the funding for the older grades.

Marathon Public Library

106 N. 3rd Street East

Marathon, Texas 79842

Puppet Show

We all had a great time doing the Puppet Show. It was on "Last Day Blues" Mpl friends were: Horace: Carol H., Rocky: Steve, Mrs. Hackle: Jackie, Alli: Carol T and our Narrator: Arlene. Anitra took pictures for all of us. We did the show at the school to kick off our summer reading program.

Our handsome son. Sky

Quilt for drawing for Friends of Marathon Public Library fund raiser. Tickest are $5.00 or 3 for $12.oo.
marathonlib@yahoo.com 432-386-4136 Carol

Quilt made by Carol.

Mother's Day 2008

Mother's Day 2008 at the Post Park in Marathon. We all had a great time. Picture

#1 Jim , Eula Mae, Carol, Hildy and Mom sitting.

#2 Sky, David and Carol

#3 Hildy and Jackie some great friends.

Everyone enjoyed Brisket and trimmings and a Bake Sale for desert. All had a wonderful time. Even got sunburned!!

Visit to Dallas

Fun at Medieval Times in Dallas, Texas

Carol, Sky, Arlene and Steve

Small Library Management Classes

More fun pictures

from Small Library Management Classes

April 7 and 8, 2008.

Certificates were given to Carol Townsend, Marathon Public Library and Julie Layton, Dell City Library.

Thanks Chris for all the fun and learning. Thanks to Ft. Stockton Library for having the classes available there. I hope to see Advance Management classes coming soon.

Small Library Management class

Small Library Management

April 9th, 2008
Anitra Clausen and Carol Townsend

Anitra Clausen and Carol Townsend attended Small Library Management class at the Ft.Stockton Public Library on April 7th and 8th, 2008. There were two graduates from the class, Carol Townsend, Marathon Public Library and Julie Layton, Dell City Library.

LIBRARIAN COMPLETES STATE TRAINING PROGRAM

Carol Townsend, branch manager of the Marathon Public Library, has joined the ranks of some 450 librarians statewide who have graduated from the Small Library Management Training Program, administrated by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. This two-and-a-half year commitment included the completion of five core courses covering topics Administration and Planning, Collection and Development, Reference Services and Technology.
The small Library Management Training Program enhances the management skills of library staff members in smaller communities who have not had formal library school coursework. According to Dawn Vogler, library management consultant and coordinator of the program, the training sessions are intensive, stimulating, and exhaustive. “It’s quite an accomplishment to successfully complete the program,” she notes. “The participants leave the program with a greater confidence and with some very practical skills they can apply within their libraries right away.”
Participants are encouraged to apply the theories and practices learned to their own unique situations, and to network with other librarians in their region. Carol Townsend’s active involvement in the State Library training program represents an substantial commitment of time, energy and personal expense. She received over 50 hours of continuing education credits for her participation.Marathon Public Library branch of Alpine Public Library
Carol Townsend/Branch Manager

Photographs of Big Bend National Park

January 2008

taken by @Carol Townsend

crltownsend@yahoo.com

Carol Townsend

Photograph of "Post Park" taken in 2003

Carol Studied photography at Cambridge Community College in Cambridge , Minnesota. Since moving to Marathon in 1995 she has had many photographs in the Big Bend Travel Guide and also had one of her photographs features on a postcard used by the Marathon Chamber of Commerce. Carol displays her work at the Courtyard Cafe at the Marathon Motel and RV Park on Hwy 90 in Marathon. This information can also be found on web http://www.marathontexas.com/ .

Big Bend

Hi everyone. Last Sunday was Shanee's birthday and her and Sky went horseback riding. They had a great time. Sky has also been enjoying skateboarding and playing music on his new guitar. Of course we had another change in hair color too.

My sister Sally is visiting us from Florida so we took a drive to beautiful Big Bend Park. Everyone had a great time. Will really miss her when she goes home tomorrow.

Christmas Open House

We had a great open house at the library on November 30th. I severyone ready for Christmas? We lighted trees sang Christmas songs and all enjoyed cookies and punch.

Sky is in band in Alpine and they are calling themselves the "Stealing Shadows". They made t-shirts and hats and have a logo button. Now they need to practice music and start singing together. His school work is going well. We just have Spanish to finish for this section of classes.

Sky is going to start a program at the library in January. He will be on a volunteer program but work 150 hours to earn some money.

Merry Christmas to all.

Marathon Snow storm 2007

Hi everyone. Sorry things have been busy at the library so I have not posted in a while Going to add a few of our snow pictures to share.
One of library, home and the Post Park in Marathon.

We had a great Thanksgiving but very white.

My brother and family was here from Houston.
All is well.
Having Christmas Open House Nov. 30th at the library 6-7:30PM. All welcome to come and visit.

Marathon2 Marathon

The M2M is going on this week-end in Marathon. It is runners from Alpine to Marathon. Everyone has a great time and comes out to support the runners.

I will be selling tickets for the MPL Friends group in front of Artensianas gift shop on Hwy 90 for our Quilt Raffle. The tickets are $5.00 each of three for $12.00 donation to the friends group.

Everyone come and join in on the fun in Marathon.

Quilt Donations

The Friends of the Marathon Public Library is having a quilt donation drawing. The quilt is queen size, jalapeno fabric, and was made by Carol. Carol received a 3rd place ribbon, in tied quilts at the quilt show this year in Marathon. Carol has been making these types of quilts since she was 9 years old.

The tickets (donation) are $5.00 each or 3 for $12.00. The money goes into MPL Friends group. We are trying to raise funds to have a covered porch for our summer reading program at MPL. If you wish to purchase tickets contact Carol at the library at 432-386-4136.

Marathon Public Library is a branch of Alpine Public Library. We are a small library in West Texas with wonderful community support. Please help us with our fund raiser and you could be the winner of a beautiful jalapeno quilt.

Birthday

Hi everyone. Sky will be 16 on the 19th of September. Time really goes by fast. We went to the ranch to pick-up his things and celebrated a little with Cinda. Sky's new friend Kaila went with us. Sky thinks that is how she spells her name but we will find out.

We also celebrated at church with a cake for his birthday. We took the rest to Cinda and Teryn's to share with them.

Sky will miss the ranch and hopes to visit soon. We will miss going down there to visit too. It is a beautiful place and Cinda and Teryn are wonderful friends.

We also took a picture of the donkey Mijo and the horses name is Jasmine. Sky will really miss them too.

Happy Birthday Sky, we all love and care about you.

Rose Bush

Roses are beautiful.
Thanks Sande for the beautiful gladiolas. They brightened my day.

Ace is on the run looking for the cottontail!

Our rose bush in the yard. I received this when I was in the hospital a few years ago. It blooms most of the time and the flowers are great. Our other plants are fruit trees and they did not do well this year. Enough apples to make 1 pie and just a couple of peaches from the peach tree.

Beautiful sunsets

Found a small cottontail wondering around. Maybe looking for our Bunny Ace?

Beautiful Sunsets out our backyard.

I took a few pictures around the yard last night as the sun was setting. Thought I would share with everyone.

Hope you all enjoy the pictures. We are all fine and busy working and Sky is busy with school and playing guitar.

Have a great Day.

Upcoming Events

Sky will be 16 on the 19th of this month. Hard to believe time goes by so quickly. Marathon is having a Westfest on Sept, 22, 2007. It has a cabrito cook-off, desert contest and many things for the children to do, and a dance. We usually have a lot of fun at it.

Not sure what we will do for the birthday yet but trying to see what Sky would like to do. No recent pictures lately. Have not been out with the camera.

Homeschooling is going great. The library has slowed down because all the students returned to school. Sky has been working a little part time job with Mark and Shirley and has been doing great. They really appreciate the help they are getting and Sky likes making a little money too.

All is well in the homestead and hope all is well for our family and friends.
Have a great day.
Carol

Library helper

Hi all. I am getting better everyday and have had help from family and friends. Sky helped me in the library all this last week and we rearranged the junior and easy section of the library. Steve built us a new shelf and everything looks great. Sky has been learning how to be a volunteer in the library and has been helping me a lot this week.

We went to "praise in the park" in Alpine yesterday and Sky and the group from church played some nice music. All of us enjoyed a hamburger cook-out and fellowshipping with each other. Other churches from Alpine joined in on our fun and all had a great time. Took pictures but need to get them developed. Sky is getting very good on the guitar. He has been playing for 6 years now.

Hope everyone has a great week and a wonderful day.
Keeping in touch.

Back on my feet

Just a quick update to say I am back at work and doing a little better. I am still using a cane but starting to improve. Have friends helping me at work to reshelf things in the library. I was off a few weeks but back in the library our regular hours.

Maybe soon I will be able to get out and take more pictures of the area we live in. I really enjoy photography and look forward to doing some more.

I hope my family members can use this blog too. Please leave me a message or comment.