Where’s Waldo? In Jackson, of course. He’s turning twenty-five this year, and to celebrate, the famous fellow in the striped shirt and black-rimmed specs is visiting twenty different local businesses all through the month of July. Those who spot him can win prizes, including buttons, books, and more. From Brent’s Soda Fountain in Fondren to Buffalo Peak in Highland Village, from Nandy’s Candy in Maywood Mart to The Jackson Zoo, Waldo figures are showing up in public areas of local establishments.

Anyone who wishes to participate can pick up a “Find Waldo in Jackson!” search list with the names of all the businesses, and collect an “I Found Waldo at ___________” card for each Waldo they spot. Collecting cards from all twenty businesses and turning them in at Lemuria Books will win a Waldo gift bag and an entry for other, larger prizes to be drawn at a Waldo party on July 28. There are several prizes that Jacksonians can win, including the Grand Prize: a complete six-volume set of Waldo books! People who prefer a shorter version of the hunt can collect the cards from ten businesses and pick up a Waldo button at Lemuria Books.

Waldo is the creation of Martin Handford, whose entertaining drawings of crowd scenes swept the world in 1987. Since then, the Where’s Waldo books have held a cherished spot on bookstore shelves the world over. There are now over 55 million Waldo books in print worldwide and they’ve been translated into eighteen languages. An entire generation has grown up searching for Waldo and his cast of wandering companions.

In celebration of Waldo’s longevity and popularity, his American publisher, Candlewick Press, is teaming up with the American Booksellers Association and 250 independent bookstores all across the country, including Lemuria Books here in Jackson, to have fun and encourage people to visit local businesses. There is no charge to participate, and the game lasts for the entire month of July. For more information about hunting for Waldo in Jackson, call Lemuria Books at 601.366.7619.

Get the Find Waldo Local Search List with instructions and businesses!

Get the Find Waldo Local Search List with instructions and businesses!

Check our Waldo on Facebook!

If you haven’t been to the Livingston Farmers Market already, it’s a great Thursday night to get away! At the corner of Hwy 463 & Hwy 22, you’ll find fresh produce, handmade items, live music, food + chef demonstrations, super water slides for the kids & more.

Next Thursday the 28th Lemuria Books will be at the market with photographer Ken Murphy to sign Mississippi State of Blues plus live music with Jimmy “Duck” Holmes. We hope you’ll join us!

Tomato Season!

Janis Jordan carrying on her family tradition of soap making.

These super water slides act like magnets for children.

Jason Turner played last week. Don’t miss Jimmy “Duck” Holmes on the 28th.

For More Info: Mississippi Institute of Arts & Letters 2012

Greetings parents! So, school is finally out and now you’ve got to figure out what to do with your kids for the next few months? Bring them by Lemuria Saturday mornings at 11:00 to hear a story and participate in a fun craft. Here’s the line-up for the month of June:

June 2nd- Lady Bug Girl and Bingo by David Soman.  This week we will be making Bingo ears!

June 9th- Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons by Eric Litwin. We will be learning a new song about Pete’s groooovy buttons!

June 16th- When Dads Don’t Grow Up by Marjorie Blain Parker. Celebrate Dad’s Day by hearing a wonderful story and making a special card for your dad with us!

June 23rd- Duck Sock Hop by Jane Kohuth. Come and learn a sock hop dance and color some silly pictures of ducks in socks!

June 30th- You Will Be My Friend! by Peter Brown. Loveable Lucy is back and wants to make a friend! Come hear this funny story and color a picture of your best friend with us!

**Be sure to be on the lookout for upcoming information on our website and blog about a Where’s Waldo event that Lemuria is hosting with other local Jackson businesses throughout the month of July!!

by Anna

Above: Mississippi children’s book author John Stark sings with a class from Dawson Elementary at the One Jackson Many Readers Summer Reading Press Conference held at the Eudora Welty Library on May 9th.

One Jackson Many Readers is a true collaborative model with the goal of preventing academic learning loss. Educational research shows that children can lose up to three months of academic learning over the summer months. Summer reading is the remedy and the gateway to more reading. As one educator put it, readers are simply successful people.

Pages of Promise is a book drive promoted by The United Way in partnership with various schools, organizations, and businesses. The books are collected and distributed to libraries and sometimes directly to students. This year we surpassed the goal of collecting 4,000 books. So far The United Way has collected 5,400 books in addition to monetary donations that have yet been used to purchase summer reading books.

A book donated to the Jackson-Hinds Public Library system encourages families to use our libraries–the coolest place in town during the summer. A book given to a student may be the only book he or she has ever owned.

Throughout the summer, The United Way of the Capitol Area with its many partners is providing numerous opportunities for students and families to celebrate and receive support for summer reading. Book club meetings at neighborhood libraries abound.

A Parent Orientation for summer reading will be held on Saturday, May 12 at The Children’s Museum. Meanwhile, churches and community groups like The Boys and Girls Club are being trained by MPB to help support summer reading in their neighborhood programs.

Several Summer Reading Parties are also scheduled: A scavenger hunt at The Jackson Zoo; a special appearance at The Ag Museum from The Electric Company, sponsored by MPB; and two more events later in the summer at New Horizon Church and The Jackson Medical Mall. See full schedule here.

The Press Conference held on May 9th was another energy booster to an already enthusiastic group of summer reading supporters. This year First Lady Kathy Johnson has taken on the role of Summer Reading Ambassador and the kids from Dawson Elementary couldn’t have been more eager or patient while the adults took pictures!

Ronnie Agnew, executive director of MPB, illustrated the importance of reading with a story from his own family. His parents worked as share croppers with a sixth-grade education and made it their goal that all eight children would learn to read and finish school. Ronnie reflected on his childhood responsibility of reading the mail for his parents. Now all eight children have surpassed their parents dreams and hold graduate degrees! Ronnie urged Jacksonians to read and show children the pleasure of reading as his parents did.

Similarly, Mayor Harvey Johnson encouraged us to reach out of our comfort zone and connect with young people who might not have readers in their families.

Above: Media coverage after the One Jackson Many Readers press conference. I like all the local networks interviewing local leaders about READING!!! Left: Carol Burger, CEO/President of The United Way of the Capitol Area; Middle: Mayor Harvey Johnson; Right: Executive Director of MPB Ronnie Agnew.

Sue Berry of Jackson Friends of the Library presented a $5,000 donation check to support summer reading activities. Berry also commented on Eudora Welty’s love of books, how Eudora loved the smell and feel of books. Many participants echoed this love for a real book, noting that it did not carry the distractions of an electronic device.

Carol Burger, president and CEO of The

Carol Burger, president and CEO of The United Way of the Capitol Area, acknowledged the Director of Education Initiatives for The United Way Shawna Davie (above, left).  For three years, Shawna has led the Pages of Promise book drive and summer events that support families in reading.  She is a core member of the OJMR steering committee.

Other core members leading OJMR are Rhoda Byler Yoder (left, center), JPS Curriculum Director for Language Arts; Ruth Davis, JHLS Youth Services Director; Rebecca Starling, JPS Partners in Education Director; Mandy Scott, UW Marketing Director, and Peggy Hampton, JPS Public Relations Director.  Together OJMR leaders are establishing a foundation for students, parents, individuals, groups, organizations and businesses to get behind summer reading.

One Jackson Many Readers is now being discussed and recognized at national conferences. Though a summer reading partnership between the Jackson-Hinds Library System and JPS has existed since 1999, the past three years have taken summer reading to a new level.

All of the supporters of One Jackson Many Readers have one thing in common: a huge heart for Jackson and its young people. Mayor Johnson couldn’t resist saying it, and I can’t either: It takes a village to raise a child. It sure does feel like a lot of people are coming out to support our young people with this program. If you’re not already involved, The United Way of the Capitol Area has many ways to contribute. Click here to learn more.

Lemuria was even recognized in a recent article in Publisher’s Weekly for its community involvement with the Pages of Promise book drive. Read more here. Lemuria is honored to be a part of One Jackson Many Readers and the Pages of Promise Book Drive. You can still donate one book or a thousand and receive the 20% discount!

If you didn’t get to be a book giver this year, join us next year. For more info: http://www.us.worldbooknight.org/

Everything is changing in the book industry and there is much talk about the preservation of the independent bookstore. Last week Google pulled out if its e-book contract with the American Booksellers Association. Independent booksellers must again reevaluate the reality of providing e-books for their customers.

Everything is changing for our competitors as well: Borders is long gone; Barnes & Noble is giving more space to non-book merchandise; Amazon is not interested in preserving the physical book at all–Bezos has said that he has created the better reading device. (see previous blog)

April 2012 is the time for me to state my feelings about the future of Lemuria: The Real Book Store for Real Books. Our bookstore will live or die with the physical book. Lemuria is all about customer service. Our team of Real Book Sellers work hard to create the very best Book Store for Real Books that we can. Not only do we want the best Books on our bookcases, we also want to be the best for you as we go out into the community.

A lot of our readers have e-reading devices and like them. Even some of Lemuria’s Book Sellers lean this way at times. That’s fine. We want your reading to be pleasurable for you, the reader, in any way you choose. Your reading time is valuable and the degree of pleasure you reap from that experience is irreplaceable.

However, when you think about Real Books we want you to think of Lemuria. We are your Real Book Store.

We are constantly editing our Real Book inventory: first editions, signed or not, mixed in to our stacks; used out-of-print hardbacks mixed in with the best new trade paperbacks. We also emphasize the finest of new hardbacks to keep current. We emphasize depth while striving to not be too stale or predictable. Frankly, we feel a Book Store is about the Real Book. A Real Book Store’s inventory is its Soul.

My point is simple: Lemuria is not and will not be selling e-books. Our customer service skills are focused on what we do best: Real Books in a Real Store.

Bound to Read.

JX//RX

Bookstore Keys Series on Lemuria Blog

Reading One Click: Jeff Bezos and the Rise of amazon.com (March 19) Where will e-book sales level out? (June 2) Indie Bookstores Buying from Amazon? (June 1) BEA Roundup (May 19) Lemuria’s Headed for NYC (May17) Barnes & Noble Bankrupt? (April 28) Decluttering the Book Market: Ads on the latest Kindle (April 14) Independents on the Exposed End of the Titanic? (April 6th) Border’s Bonuses (March 30) The Experience of Holding a Book (March15) Finding “Deep Time” in a Bookstore (March 8th) Reading The New Rules of Retail by Lewis & Dart (March 3) The Future Price of the Physical Book (Feb 18) Borders Declares Bankruptcy (Feb 16) How Great Things Happen at Lemuria (Feb 8th) The Jackson Area Book Market (Jan 25) What’s in Store for Local Bookselling Markets? (Jan 18) Selling Books Is a People Business (Jan 14) A Shift in Southern Bookselling? (Jan 13) The Changing Book Industry (Jan 11)

Two weeks ago the journalism department of Ole Miss invited me to be a part of a panel discussing the future of independent bookselling in Mississippi. Three other Mississippi booksellers participated: Richard Howorth of Square Books in Oxford, Jamie Kornegay of Turnrow Books in Greenwood, and Emily Gatlin of Reed’s Gum Tree Bookstore in Tupelo.

I’ve found that when booksellers talk shop, fresh ideas on how to make our bookstores better is the usual result. All of our markets are different and we have unique challenges. However, sharing how we deal with questions gives us the common bond of survival. Independent booksellers are a small family who care about the quality of our profession and how we effect the bookselling industry.

Also, independent booksellers care about our communities. We believe our stores make a difference enhancing the quality of local lifestyles. These are questionable times for bookstore survival.

If having a local bookstore in the community is important to you, you might enjoy listening to this panel.