Mark your calendars for the HUGE Book Sale sponsored by the Friends of the Williamson County Public Library March 28-31.

Book sales are the major fund-raiser for the Friends' projects, with a total of $100,000 raised over the past four years.

Tuesday, March 27 is Preview Night, open to Friends members only (but memberships can be purchased at the door).

Sale hours are: Wed. & Thurs., Mar. 28 & 29, 9:00 am – 7:00 pm; Fri., Mar. 30, 9:00 am – 4:30 pm; Sat., Mar 31, 9:00 – 11:45 am--half price sale, 12:00 – 4:00 pm, Bag of Books for $5.

Saturday, March 3, 2:00 – 4:00 pm at Williamson County Public Library. Local author Stephen Hines, will discuss his recent book Titanic: One Newspaper, Seven Days, and the Truth That Shocked the World, which examines the account of the loss of the world's largest liner from the pages of the world's largest newspaper, London's The Daily Telegraph.

His presentation will focus on facts about the ship such as its size, purpose, and safety features. The audience will learn about the vast amounts of misinformation that were first published about the sinking, about the frustration of relatives desperately seeking news of survivors, and about the reforms that followed in the wake of the Titanic disaster.

The star of the tremendously popular "Dancing with an iPod in Public" YouTube videos will present a concert at the Williamson County Public Library Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Preston Leatherman just released his latest YouTube ipod dancing performance, celebrating Valentine's Day.

A classically trained pianist through his younger years, it wasn't until Preston Leatherman discovered artists such as the Jackson 5, Alicia Keys and The Temptations that he fell in love with the soulful and jazzy style of the music they delivered.

He soon dropped the strict, standard teachings of classical piano, and instead opted to teach himself the impassioned sound that is such a huge part of his writing style today. Picking up guitar, drums, and other instruments throughout the years, Preston began performing and writing with Tony Oller and The Horizon in the Houston area in 2007.

Preston continued honing his craft as a solo artist and his hard work paid off when he went on to win the Texas Tech University Singer-Songwriter Competition. He further established himself when he performed at the Kerrville Folk Festival, a Texas music tradition that is the longest-running festival of its kind in North America.

As his resume continued to build, people began to take notice and he was ready to vault his career to the next level. That next step was taken when Preston finally went to the studio and recorded his debut CD "Letters From Lubbock" in the fall of 2009.

Wanting to really see if he had what it takes, Preston left his hometown, family and college and moved to Nashville, where he was quickly discovered by music manager and talent developer James Lucente, of Lucente Entertainment. James and Preston really hit it off and with in a couple weeks Preston was taking meetings and playing for record executives, major publishers and major producers. Preston signed with Lucente Entertainment as well as a joint management deal with Chris Keaton of Chris Keaton Presents.

Currently Preston is taking YouTube by storm with his " target="_blank">"Dancing With An iPod In Public – Christmas Edition", and with his original material as well. .

The Williamson County Public Library Special Collections Department will present a month-long exhibit of photographs honoring African Americans with connections to Williamson County who have served the United States in all branches of the Armed Forces.

The exhibit opened Sunday and will run through March 4.

The photos are part of the African American Collection created by Ms. Thelma Battle. View this exhibit in the display cases on the first and second floors, as well as in the Special Collections Department at the Main Library.

Sister Cities of Franklin and Williamson County begins its second year of the highly successful Passport to the World series by traveling to France, with Amelie de Gaulle, from the French Consular Agency in Nashville as our guide Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Williamson County Public Library main branch.

The discussion will begin with a short history of Paris, a lesson on French wines and a taste of French cheeses with an expert from the Whole Foods cheese counter.

The Passport to the World series walks you through the doorways of the world into the seven continents to experience the art, music, food, lifestyle, landscape, and heritage of our international neighbors without leaving the Williamson County Library.

Passport to the World is presented by Sister Cities of Franklin and Williamson County and co-sponsored by the Williamson County Public Library and the Townsend Institute for Global Competency at O'More College of Design.

Singer Benjie Gentry will present a concert in the Meeting Room at the Williamson County Public Library Main Library. Saturday from 2-4 p.m.

Resting on the shoulders of musical greats like Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, and Barry Manilow, Gentry is committed to honoring these legendary artists and their popular songs with his own project. This dynamic, energetic collection of Big Band tunes Gentry has put together in the studio and is taking on the road, is allowing him to deliver a message that is even bigger than the legacy of these classic tunes.

"My vision is to share my story through this music so people are inspired and encouraged to live their own lives with great intentionality and courage."

Williamson County Public Library Saturday, Jan. 28, 2:00 – 4:00 pm

Traci Nichols-Belt and Gordon T. Belt will be at the Williamson County Public Library main branch to discuss and sign their new book Onward Southern Soldiers: Religion & the Army of Tennessee in the Civil War Saturday from 2-4 p.m.

Using primary source material such as diaries, letters, journals and sermons from members of the Army of Tennessee, C.S.A., Onward Southern Soldiers is a scholarly work that examines how religion influenced the lives of those who served in the Civil War, from the political leaders in government, to the elite clergy, to the chaplains, and finally to the lives of the common soldiers.

Traci Nichols-Belt is an ordained minister and historian ; Gordon T. Belt, an information professional, historian and archivist, is currently Library Manager at the Frist Amendment Center at Vanderbilt University, and is the founding editor and publisher of the award-winning blog The Posterity Project. .

The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) will offer tax preparation assistance on a walk-in basis at the Williamson County Public Library's main branch.

. AARP focuses on low to mid-income filing with special attention given to those persons 60 years of age or older. Beginning Feb. 7 the AARP will be in the Meeting Room at the Library on Tuesdays from 1:00 – 5:00 pm and Thursdays from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm.
The VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program offers free tax help to low- to moderate-income (generally, $50,000 and below) people who cannot prepare their own tax returns. VITA volunteers will offer free tax preparation assistance on a walk-in basis. VITA volunteers will be available on Wednesdays from 4:00 – 7:00 pm, and Saturdays from 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. (There may be some variations to this schedule, so patrons should check the calendar on this website to be sure volunteers will be available.)
Tax forms are available at the Main Library on the second floor, and at all branch locations, and online at www.irs.gov. For general tax information visit the Tax Help page on our website. .

Are you thinking of buying an e-reader? iPAD®? Smartphone? Can't decide which device is right for you?

Come to the Meeting Room at the Williamson County Public Library main library Tuesday from 11 a.m.-noon and 2:30-3:30 p.m., and try out WCPL's collection of Nooks®, iPads®, and other devices.

Learn how to download library books, and see all the other functions available. This is a good chance to compare devices side-by-side, and see which one to put on your list for Santa.

The annual African American Photo Exhibit, on display at the Williamson County Public Library during Black History Month in February, 2012, will honor African American military veterans of Williamson County.

The display will showcase photographs of these veterans, with some information about their service. All Williamson County veterans of any service branch of the military, in any period, in war or peace, will be honored.

If you have photographs of African American veterans that you would be willing to share for this exhibit, please bring them to the Special Collections Department at the Main Library. Special Collections staff will scan them while you wait, and return them to you immediately. The scanning process not only does not damage the photographs, but preserves them by creating digital copies.

Please contact the Special Collections staff at 615-595-1246, ext. 1 to make an appointment to share your family's history.