The Newport Branch of the Campbell County Public Library (Photo from CCPL)
Campbell County Public Library patrons can cool down from the August heat with a trio of engaging talks from local speakers and authors as part of the Newport Branch’s annual Spotlight Series.
The series aims to bring educational and insightful discussions to Campbell County that explore fascinating topics, from historical deep dives to personal experiences to relevant social issues. Topics for this season are:
• Aug. 11: Mirsada Kadiric, author of I Am a Refugee: Finding Home Again in America, will share her personal story of her childhood journey in 1992 from Bosnia to Western Europe and the United States, where at 16 years old she settled in Florence, Kentucky, with her family. Hear from Kadiric about the challenges and opportunities she faced coming to the U.S. as a teenager, as well as her hopes for creating a welcoming community for all of our neighbors.
• Aug. 18: Learn about the history of Kentucky bookmobiles with Wayne Onkst, the former state librarian. The Commonwealth is home to the largest fleet of bookmobiles in the United States, a title it has claimed for decades, according to data from the American Library Association. The Bluegrass State’s relationship with these vans — mobile walk-on libraries that allow patrons to check out materials— dates back to World War II. Onkst’s presentation covers this history as well as the 1954 statewide campaign to raise funds for the purchase of 100 fully-stocked bookmobile.
• Aug. 25: Paul Daugherty of the Cincinnati Enquirer will join the library to discuss some of his favorite stories from his time as a local sports journalist. Daugherty has worked as a sports columnist at the Enquirer since 1994. In 2015, the Associated Press Sports Editors named Daugherty the best columnist and best feature writer in America. He is the co-author of the book Finish Strong: A Father’s Code and a Son’s Path.
All talks are free to the public. Registration is required for each program in the series. For more information, visit www.cc-pl.org/spotlight-series-2022.
