IN Mt. Lebanon Fall 2016 | Page 71

VOLUNTEERFOCUS Jon Craft started volunteering at Mt. Lebanon Public Library to fulfill a community service requirement and just kept on going after he fulfilled his service hours. He’s now been helping for about four years as an AV volunteer. His main duties consist of putting away CDs, DVDs, audio books, and a few other items, but over the years his duties have expanded to include occasionally helping out with crafts, recycling books, tagging every item with RFID tags, and other responsibilities. for kids. I had so many books to choose from, and each one was an adventure. I could go to different worlds or learn about space or dinosaurs. I got involved in the chess tournaments there. The library was always a fun place to go to. Q: What is your favorite part of volunteering at the library? A: Since I am an AV volunteer, I get to see the music and movies. I have found many movies and CDs that I would never have heard of otherwise. So I think my favorite part of it is that the library has expanded my horizons. Q: Who is your favorite author and why? A: I really like the world George R. R. Martin created. His characters are not morally black or white, but all shades of gray. It seems a lot more realistic for a fantasy novel than most. But his lack of writing can be very frustrating at times. Q: What keeps you coming back as a volunteer? A: I think being of service is very important. It is good for the soul. Volunteering at the library also helps me feel a part of the community. It gives me a vested interest on some level. I am involved and can take pride in it. But mostly I think I just like the smell of books. Q: What is your favorite movie and why? A: I’m not sure if it is my favorite, but a movie I really enjoyed was Old Boy. It had a lot of twists that all pertained to the story. It had action and suspense. Not for the faint of heart, but a very enjoyable film for those who like a darker story. Q: What are you currently reading? A: Confessor by Terry Goodkind. It is the last book in the Sword of Truth Series. Q: What is your favorite work of fiction or non-fiction? A: Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss. It felt like every word was perfectly placed. Just a very excellent book. Q: Have you always been interested in libraries? A: Yes. My dad would take me to the local library as a kid. I think they are great Q: What would you title your autobiography? A: Well I hope it is Jon Craft: A Man Who Did Well as opposed to Jon Craft: A NOVEL AFFAIR A Novel Affair: A “Knight” in Camelot 6 p.m., Saturday, October 8 Join us as we celebrate chivalry, mystical magic, and courtly romance at the library’s annual after-hours party. Enjoy delicious food, champagne, wine, beer, soft drinks, and a signature cocktail or two—inspired by your favorite knights of honor and faire ladies—and so much more. Live music. For adults 21 years and over. (Please note: this event was formerly called Books & Bubbly.) Tickets are $30 in advance at the library or at www.mtlebanonlibrary.org and $35 at the door. NATURE Rose Rosette: A Tsunami in the Rose World? 1:30 p.m., Saturday, October 8 Speaker Dr. Mark Windham, University of Tennessee’s distinguished professor in ornamental plant pathology, will discuss rose rosette disease, the most serious current threat to the world’s roses. This virus has the potential to destroy the rose industry and drastically reduce the use Man Who Intended To Do Well. Sometimes the hardest part of life is actually getting started. Q: If you could be any fictional character, who would you choose? A: This is a tough question, because there are many to choose from that would be a lot of fun. But I would like to be Simon Potter from the Greatest Miracle in the World. His goal was to guide people back from the living dead, and convince them that this life is worth living. That they were indeed special, that they were in fact the greatest miracle in the world. Q: What’s the library’s best-kept secret? A: The library has a lot of new releases. It is cheaper than Redbox, and you get the DVDs for longer too. Q: What is your favorite hobby outside of the library/reading? A: Right now it is kayaking. I really enjoy the peace and serenity of being on the water floating down the river. of roses in landscape and garden design. Currently there is no cure for this disease in roses and the spread of the disease has widened to all parts of the United States. The American Rose Society continues to support research for better understanding of the etiology of rose rosette and to develop strategies to control the spread of this viral disease. Dr. Windham is a member of the ARS Rose Rosette Advisory Panel and researcher studying this disease and world authority on the pathology of this infestation. This program will be valuable for Master Gardeners, professional Continued Mt. Lebanon | Fall 2016 | icmags.com 69