Drumroll, please! The South Knoxville Branch Library will have the honor of hosting the first Friends of the Knox County Public Library used-book sale of 2022. Book-aholics, rejoice!
The South Knoxville Branch Book Sale will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Feb. 18-19. The following week will bring the Powell Branch Book Sale, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Feb. 25-26.
The branch sales are a warm-up for the first big Friends book sale in three years. The Spring Book Sale – another first – will take place March 24-26 at Central United Methodist Church, 201 Third Ave., in the Fourth and Gill neighborhood.
Shopping on Thursday, March 24, 4-8 p.m., is exclusively for members of Friends of the KCPL. (Join online here.) The general public is welcome 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, March 25-26. Saturday is half-price day.
Coinciding with the South Knoxville sale is the Stay Home and Read a Book Ball on Saturday, Feb. 19. RSVP for the event by making a donation online. The fundraiser will support future author events.
One of Robert H. Thompson’s dot paintings
The South Knoxville branch, 4500 Chapman Highway, is currently featuring an exhibit by South Knox-based artist Robert H. Thompson. Several of Thompson’s provocative “word paintings” and “dot paintings” inspired by Australian aboriginal dreamtime art are in the show, along with other pieces.
Thompson, who has lived in South Knox County about 15 years, is a self-taught artist and photographer. He worked as a lawyer for TVA for 30 years before retiring. Now, he captures unexpected beauty in South Knoxville with his camera and adds intriguing thoughts to landscapes he finds in second-hand stores in the tradition of artist Wayne White.
Did you know that Knox County’s Read City USA challenge is open to adults as well as children and teens? The program, which debuted Jan. 11, is attempting to get the community to read a collective one million hours by Dec. 15.
The challenge is broken into three parts, with the first one ending April 30. After reading for 45 hours, readers can pick up a prize at the library (while supplies last). Adult and teen prizes include sustainable items such as a stainless steel travel mug, foldaway nylon tote bag and a telescoping straw.
Betsy Pickle is a veteran editor and writer who especially enjoys covering South Knoxville.
Thompson’s art has been called quirky and surrealistic.