Apollo 13 Flight Controller to Speak at Pearland Library

The Pearland Library, a branch of the Brazoria County Library System, will host Sy Liebergot, Apollo 13 flight controller, at 7 p.m. on September 18 in the branch’s meeting room. Liebergot will talk about the Apollo 13 mission, during which an oxygen tank in the service module exploded while he was at one of the consoles in Mission Control. His autobiography, “Apollo EECOM: Journey of a Lifetime,” will be available for purchase, and refreshments will be served by the Pearland Community Friends of the Library. 

Liebergot will give a presentation called “Apollo 13: The Longest Hour.” It is non-technical and intended for the general public. It lasts about one hour, and it is accompanied by slides, audio, and video. Liebergot will speak about what it was like to be an EECOM (Electrical, Environmental and Consumables) flight controller in Mission Control when the cryogenic oxygen storage tank exploded. At first the multiple failures flashing across his screens seemed far too overwhelming to be anything but instrumentation failure. The spacecraft and its crew, 200,000 miles from Earth and hurtling in the wrong direction, had less than three hours of life left in the command and service modules.

Liebergot has an interest in space knowledge preservation, and he is the only Apollo era flight controller regularly speaking to the public. The final Apollo moon mission celebrates its 40th anniversary in December. Liebergot’s professional career spans the entire Apollo lunar program, the Skylab missions, the Apollo-Soyuz project, the early space shuttle flights, and the International Space Station program.

Liebergot has lectured about his experiences extensively. Among his appearances in 2012, he was the Engineering and Science Day keynote speaker at Louisiana Tech University in April. He was interviewed by Japan’s NHK in July. He will appear at the Museum of Flight in Seattle later in September, and he will be a celebrity lecturer on the Crystal Cruise ship “Serenity” in November while it sails from Lisbon, Portugal, to Barcelona, Spain. In the past, he has spoken at many venues, including Utah State University, the London Science Museum, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has also appeared in the PBS documentary “Apollo 13, To the Edge and Back,” and he served as the on-camera host for the documentary “In the Shadow of the Moon” produced by the CBS affiliate in Austin.

A feature film portraying many of the events Liebergot will discuss will be shown in the meeting room at 2 p.m. on September 22. In this film, which stars Tom Hanks, Sy Liebergot is played by Clint Howard. Liebergot also served as an advisor to the film. 

The Pearland Library is located at 3522 Liberty Drive in Pearland. For more information, contact the branch at 281-652-1677.

 

Whooping Crane Conservation Lecture at Angleton Branch

Whooping crane conservation history and current issues will be the topic presented by Dr. Felipe Chavez-Ramirez, programming director for the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, at 6:30 p.m. on April 30 at the Angleton Library, a branch of Brazoria County Library System. The topic is part of the branch’s Nature Night at the Library series.

Chavez-Ramirez earned his Masters and PhD from Texas A&M and has served as an adjunct professor in wildlife ecology. His research has centered on the ecology and conservation of migratory birds including the whooping crane and Cuban sandhill crane. Chavez-Ramirez has also conducted studies with migratory raptors and grassland birds in wintering areas and wading bird habitat along the Texas Gulf Coast.

The Gulf Coast Bird Observatory was formed in 1993 from a coalition of eight organizations to protect birds and their habits in and around the Gulf of Mexico. Over the years GCBO has become recognized as an innovative organization, designing and conducting large conservation projects, migration studies, and habitat mapping.

The whooping crane is the international symbol for conservation because of its continued survival despite being near extinction in the 1940s, with only 16 surviving birds at the time. The surviving population, which breeds in Canada and winters in Texas, has grown to 300 but is still critically endangered. Preserving habitats in Canada and Texas are critical to its survival.

The Angleton Library is located at 401 E. Cedar Street. For more information, call the library at 979-864-1519.

Raptors Are Coming to Angleton Branch

The birds are coming but not of Alfred Hitchcock fame. These are raptors. The Angleton Library, a branch of Brazoria County Library System, will host a special program about birds of prey at 4 p.m. on March 15.

Birds of prey is a special environmental programming effort utilizing several different raptors including a peregrine falcon, Andean condor, black vulture and red-tailed hawk. The event will focus on the benefits of raptors and preserving their habitat. The program was created by EarthQuest and is sponsored by the San Bernard Wildlife Refuge.

EarthQuest was created in 1989, to promote protection of wildlife and the environment. The program will feature Steve Hoddy, a professional falconer with more than 35 years of experience handling and training animals. He has worked with Jim Fowler of Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild Kingdom.”

Angleton Library hosts Nature Night at the Library, a monthly nature series. The next in the series – Is it a turtle, tortoise or terrapin? – will be presented by Ruby Lewis at 6:30 p.m. on March 26. The branch is located at 401 E. Cedar St. For more information, call 979-864-1519.

Meet the Staff: Kristen in Pearland

Name?
Kristen

Position?
Reference Librarian

What are your general job duties?
I answer reference questions in person, on the phone and via email. I am responsible for most of the adult program planning. I am the catch-all computer person, book club leader, computer class teacher, and I perform other duties as assigned.

How long have you worked with the library system?
1 year and a half

What are your favorite books or authors?
Too many to list them all-
Top five of right now-Jacqueline Winspear, Christopher Moore, Jennifer Weiner, Suzanne Collins and Elizabeth George

What are your hobbies?
reading, watching TV/movies with my friends, crocheting and learning to knit

Where are you originally from?
I have moved many times but I am from Louisville, KY.

Where did you go to school?
I went to Clear Brook High School, University of Houston Honors College and Dominican University for my MLIS.

What do you like best about working at the library?
I love being surrounded by books. I also really enjoy being to help people find whatever it is they need when they come in or at least being able to get them on the path to finding it.

Friends of Freeport Library to Host Silver Tea

The Friends of Freeport Library will hold its annual Silver Tea at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 4 at the Freeport Historical Museum. Attendance to the event is free, and donations will be accepted.

Light refreshments will be served, and guests will have the opportunity to explore the museum during the event. Librarians from Brazoria County Library System will also be there to share news about the library’s programs and services.

The Silver Tea is the group’s annual meeting and fundraiser. Membership to the group is free and dues are collected in the form of donations during the event. Anyone who donates to the Friends is considered a member.

This is the first year the Silver Tea will be held at the museum. “We’re excited to be there,” Beverly Nixon, Friends treasurer, said. “The museum and the library are both important to our community, and we’re happy to be working with them.”

Friends of Freeport Library is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Freeport Library, a branch of Brazoria County Library System. They raise funds throughout the year by selling book bags and donated books. These funds are then used to support services and programs at the library, including summer reading club, Author Day and Craft Day with Mrs. Claus.

For more information about the Silver Tea, call the branch at 979-233-3622.

Health Care Reform Information Session

A representative from the Texas Department of Insurance is coming to the Pearland Library, a branch of Brazoria County Library System, at 7 p.m. on February 29 to provide information on health care reform.

President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009 (PDF of law)-- the federal health care reform bill -- into law on March 23, 2010. The purpose of the law is to provide accessible health care coverage for Americans who are currently uninsured and to help people who already have health insurance retain their coverage. Some of the law's provisions were effective in 2010, while others will be phased in through 2020. Lawmakers and federal and state regulators are working to adopt the laws and rules necessary to implement the law.

The Texas Department of Insurance representative will talk about the changes that have already taken place, such as the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan, designed to help those with pre-existing conditions who have been unable to obtain affordable insurance, and the health care premium tax credit for small businesses, which can be as high as 35 percent of the health care premiums the business pays. The representative will also answer questions about the many changes yet to take effect. These include the state-based exchanges to be set up through which individuals and businesses can purchase qualified coverage.

The session is free and open to the public. Preregistration is preferred, so all those in attendance can receive an information packet. To register, contact the library at 281-652-1677 or e-mail pearland@bcls.lib.tx.us.

A Successful Craft Day

Children of all ages gather to hear June Strambler
reading a story about Clifford the Big Red Dog.
photo by Margaret Cast

More than 140 children attended Craft Day with Mrs. Claus on December 3 at the Freeport Library, a branch of the Brazoria County Library System. Boys and girls of all ages participated in various activities and make-and-take crafts, including making a Christmas ornament, decorating a cookie, and making their own personalized gift wrap. There was also a special storytime and each child received a copy of the book that was read.

The event would not have been complete without Mrs. Claus, who promised to deliver any last minute Christmas wishes to Santa. She greeted everyone with a warm smile and a free candy cane.

Sponsored by Friends of the Freeport Library, Craft Day with Mrs. Claus is one of the biggest events of the year. “We were delighted to see so many children visit the library and celebrate the holiday season with us,” Cindy Yell, Freeport branch manager, said. “Friends members put forth an incredible effort to make Craft Day with Mrs. Claus one of the most memorable programs we offer every year.”

Freeport Friends of the Library, Inc. is a non-profit group that supports the library though fundraising throughout the year. They sponsor annual events like Craft Day with Mrs. Claus, Author Day, and summer reading club.

For information on other events held at the Freeport Library throughout the year, or for information on joining the Friends of Freeport Library, call the library at (979) 233-3622.