Another Time Out for a Serious Matter

Hey, guys, it's Carl. I've received your reviews over the weekend and I'll post them tomorrow but I need to call another time out. I hate to do it, but this is serious. All of you who live in the Charlotte area have probably heard that the county has lost a lot of money because of the economy. Mecklenburg County has lost so much, in fact, that they're having to make major cuts to a lot of its services like the schools and the libraries. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Library system is going to lose $2 milllion by the end of June, which means they're planning to close 12 of its 24 branches and lay off 148 people. As things stand now, those branches will close on April 3, which also will the last day for those who are laid off. Fortunately, I am not one of them. Very unfortunately, both Bill and Zack recieved lay off notices. I hate it. They're good guys and I'll miss them. I know a lot of you will too.
And it gets worse--the library system could lose another $17 million in June and force closings of almost all the libraries in July. That means I could get laid off with that round of cuts. If you want to read more, click here.

So what does this mean to all of us reader guys? First, I'm going to keep this blog open as long as possible. You all deserve it. There aren't enough blogs or websites devoted to guy reading and I want to make sure this one keeps going. (Will Bill and Zack continue to contribute? I know they'd like to. Let's get things sorted out first)

Second, if you want to help, you can donate. Click on this link (not on the picture) to find out how. Check with your parents first, of course. And encourage them to get involved. And your teachers, grandparents, or any other adults you know. Spread the word. The more people who know, the more we can do to save the library. Every little bit helps.

Thirdly, I'm also determined to finish out the March Madness Slam Dunk Contest. Once again, you guys deserve it. But I'm going to shorten the time. I was going to run it through the end of the month but now I'll run it through March 28 so that I will have the last week of the month to get prizes out. Therefore, I will accept reviews until midnight on Sunday, March 28. I'll publish the results on Monday, March 29. Those who live in the Charlotte area can come to the Imaginon library to claim your prize. If Imaginon is too far, call me at 704-416-4630 and we'll work something out. You could also give me your mailing address, and I'll get it to you. If you live way outside of Charlotte or North Carolina, call me or snail mail me with your mailing address at The CARLMAN--Spangler Library/Imaginon--300 E. 7th St.--Charlotte, NC 28202 and I'll get it to you. Even if you don't get a prize, you can still get a free book.

All right, this has been a very painful post, but bad things happen, guys. That's why, as I've said so many times before, READING IS IMPORTANT! Sure, it's fun, but it also prepares you for tough times. I've really enjoyed all the books we've talked about, but every one of them has helped me. Think about it--Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, the brave men and women in the nofiction and biographies, even the characters in the graphic novels have faced tough situations and prevailed. Reading helps build you up for times like this. So keep writing to us and...

KEEP READING!!!