Harford County Public Library

In response to the war in Iraq, Harford County Public Library has created a resource section about the conflict for the library's Web site. Offerings include online resources for parents, teachers and students, such as information about the conflict, how to talk to children about war, curriculum aids for educators and links to online newspapers. The library's Web site is www. harf.lib.md.us. The crisis resources link is www.harf.lib.md. us/HCPL/headlineshappenings/Special%20Events/war/iraq.

Donations of used books, CDs, DVDs and videotapes will be accepted from noon to 4 p.m. Saturdays next month at the loading dock of the Bel Air library branch, 100 E. Pennsylvania Ave. Donations, which are tax-deductible, must be in good condition. No magazines will be accepted. Items will be sold at the Bel Air Friends of the Harford County Public Library's used book sale April 1-4. Information: 410-638-3151; or Anna Housman, 410-838-8049.

Harford County Public Library has named Claudia Sumler as public services administrator. She previously was director of the Camden County Library in New Jersey and had worked for several Maryland library systems. Sumler is active in state and national library associations. The public services administrator supports the library's mission to provide access, service and information to residents. The library also named Susan Marquis as manager of the Havre de Grace branch. Marquis, a children's and youth services librarian, has previous branch management experience with Prince George's County Memorial Library System.

1877: Holy Trinity burns down Two days before Christmas in 1877, the Church of the Holy Trinity in Churchville was destroyed in a fire so fierce that the steeple bell melted. A new church was ready just a year after the fire at a cost of $5,000. It was consecrated in 1879. The first church, which opened in 1867, had been in the Gothic Revival style, built of wood. The new church is of stone and stands today. [ Our Harford Heritage by C. Milton Wright. Research by Harford County Public Library]

Jane Eickhoff has been named associate director of the Harford County Public Library. Eickhoff fills the position left vacant when former Associate Director Audra Caplan became the library's director in December. Caplan had been interim director since July 1 last year, when Irene Padilla resigned the position to become the assistant state superintendent for libraries with the Maryland Department of Education. Eickhoff brings more than 28 years of public library service to the associate director's position, having worked for the Anne Arundel County and Baltimore County public libraries.

Harford County Public Library will welcome Daisy the pot-bellied pig, who will visit all 11 branches beginning tomorrow. Traveling from Bristol, Conn., Daisy and owner Farmer Minor will share their message about the importance and love of books and tell children to "pig out" on reading. Daisy, who has visited all 48 contiguous states, is the first pig to be invited inside the U.S. Capitol. She has met foreign dignitaries, was a guest on The Montel Williams Show, received a letter from first lady Laura Bush, and has hundreds of library cards from libraries and schools across the country.

In 19th-century Harford County, a common occurrence for this time of year was a husking bee. The corn cutting, shocking and husking was a backbreaking task for farmers, taking six or more weeks each fall. One way farmers lightened the workload was to invite their neighbors to a husking bee. The men gathered in the barn, while the women prepared a fall feast. The men would have contests to see who could husk a basket of corn first. The younger men, if they were lucky to find a red ear of corn, could kiss a girl before dinner.

Jarrettsville Elementary School, Patterson Mill Middle School and Patterson Mill High School are the recipients of the Harford County Public Library 2011 Summer Reading Trophies. The trophies were awarded to the elementary, middle and high school with the highest percentage of students who completed the One World, Many Stories Summer Reading Program. To get the word out about the Summer Reading Program, Library staff visited 1,047 classrooms during the spring, reaching 25,363 students.