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  • PeaceandTrustHeader-PeaceisEveryStep-01

    International Year of Peace and Trust: Peace is Every Step

    Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hahn In the rush of modern life, we tend to lose touch with the peace that is available in each moment. World-renowned Zen master, spiritual leader, and author Thich Nhat Hanh shows us how to make positive use of the very…

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  • From the Director, December 2021

    From the Director, December 2021

    Our Local Wanderer program launched with a simple premise: Arts and culture are vital to the health and well-being of a thriving community, and everyone should have access to them. We wanted to ensure that not only were our library cardholders aware of the wealth of enriching experiences available to them here in Central Florida, but that people have…

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  • From the Director Jan2022 Header-01

    From the Director, January 2022

    For almost two years now, we have been telling you about all of the ways you can take advantage of your library at home. From home delivery to live online classes to virtual events, we’ve been proud of the many ways we have been able to bring the library to you during this pandemic. But…

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  • DIY Film Festival: National Native American Heritage Month

    DIY Film Festival: National Native American Heritage Month

    National Native American Heritage Month marks the perfect occasion to celebrate the sizable cultural contributions of Native and Indigenous actors, creators and storytellers to the history of American film. Here are a few suggested titles available for free checkout from the collections of Orange County Library System.   Smoke Signals (DVD) Based on the short…

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  • International Year of Peace and Trust: The Peacemakers & You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train

    International Year of Peace and Trust: The Peacemakers & You Can’t Be Neutral on a Moving Train

    The Peacemakers: Leadership Lessons From Twentieth-Century Statesmanship by Bruce W. Jentleson In the 20th century, great leaders played vital roles in making the world a fairer and more peaceful place. How did they do it? What lessons can be drawn for the 21st century global agenda? Those questions are at the heart of The Peacemakers,…

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  • From the Director, November 2021

    From the Director, November 2021

    It was this month 100 years ago that the first seeds of Orange County Library System were planted. A retired police inspector from Waverly, New York named Captain Charles Albertson, who spent his winters in Orlando, recognized that the city lacked a proper public library. Over the years, he had amassed a collection of 12,000…

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  • Make Your Own Candy Science Experiments!

    Make Your Own Candy Science Experiments!

    Likely the most important development in the area of science remains the ability to make everyone’s favorite snack: candy. In this post, you will learn about three different types of candy that you can make from the comfort of your kitchen. Just be careful. These experiments will involve heating up sugar to very hot temperatures,…

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  • Duke Energy Foundation Grant - A Summer Success Story

    Duke Energy Foundation Grant – A Summer Success Story

    Overcoming the digital divide – the gap between those with access to computers and internet and those without – in the middle of a pandemic highlighted the inequitable impact felt by some communities served by the Orange County Library System (OCLS). Thankfully, the Duke Energy Foundation provided OCLS a $5,000 grant to pilot a targeted outreach program to ensure children hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic received…

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  • Our History Speaks Volumes: What Happened to What Happened To Forrester?

    Our History Speaks Volumes: What Happened to What Happened To Forrester?

    It’s a dark and stormy night and you’re but days away from finishing your library book. But, what’s this? Something stirs on the check-out receipt you’ve creased into a bookmark: It’s the dreaded due date! You watched helplessly for weeks as the date crept slowly, but inevitably towards you. Callously devouring your renewals until all…

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  • International Year of Peace and Trust: A Call to Action & Champions for Peace

    International Year of Peace and Trust: A Call to Action & Champions for Peace

    A Call to Action: Women, Religion, Violence, and Power by Jimmy Carter Jimmy Carter turns 97 this month. In addition to being the 39th President of the United States (1977–1981), he is the author of over 30 books which include nonfiction, children’s books and poetry. A Call to Action takes a stern look at sexism…

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