By John Maruskin

Clark County Public Library

Happy New Year and happy birthday to James Clark, the 13th governor of Kentucky.

On the last Sunday of 2018, Debbie Barnes and Steve Justice spent the afternoon creating two informative displays in the Clark County Public Library foyer about James Clark and his home, Holly Rood.

Debbie’s display shows pictures of Holly Rood through its history along with fashions worn and antiques used there. She also provides a narrative history of the building from its construction in 1812 to the beginning of its renovation in 1976.

Steve’s display covers the life of James Clark. He had a remarkable career in Kentucky politics.

Clark served in all three branches of Kentucky government, the executive, legislative and judicial. He founded the Kentucky School Board, which led to universal education in the state.

Clark’s birthday will be celebrated at Holly Rood from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 16, with a giant birthday cake and presentations about his life. The party is free and open to the public.

Since January is the doorway to the new year, there is a display in the reference department of Winchester doorways photographed by Chuck Witt.

Chuck took the pictures a few years ago for a poster to benefit Main Street Winchester. Fourteen photographs are enlarged and framed for the display.

There’s quite a variety of shots: beautifully decorated residential doorways, along with entryways to businesses and municipal buildings. The pictures make a charming display and perhaps they’ll inspire you to open some new doorways for yourself in 2019.

Thursday  from 6 to 8 p.m., Amy Williams, director of MACED (Mountain Association for Community Economic Development) and Phyllis Alcorn, director of the Women’s Business Center of Kentucky, will present a workshop on starting and financing a business.

Gain a better understanding of financial basics for starting or owning a business with this free workshop. Register online by using the Evanced system at www.clarkbooks.org or by calling the library at 744-5661.

From 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, Sherlock Holmes aficionado Tim Janes  will lead the first of four evening reading groups about the master sleuth. Under discussion is the first Sherlock Holmes novel, “Study in Scarlet.”

Scotland Yard consults Sherlock Holmes about murders of two Americans, Enoch Drebber and Joseph Strangeson, murders that have their origins among Mormon pioneers in the United States.

Copies of the book are available at the library circulation desk. Please register to attend.

I want to take a moment to observe and regret the passing of a great library friend, Gordon Liddle, who died Dec. 23.

Gordon was one of our favorites. He always had a cheerful word for staff members and frequently amazed or amused us with stories about his life and information from books he’d been reading.

He was a strong library advocate. When a citizen petition for this library was necessary to secure funding, Gordon went door to door in Winchester and worked the parking lots of Walmart and Kroger to gather signatures.

He attended many library programs. He read widely and intelligently. He was always interested in making the world a better place, and he loved to share hopeful ideas. He was one of the founding members of Meeting of Minds and all of us in that group feel his loss.

Happy trails, Gordon. Thanks for helping us believe in better days to come.

John Maruskin is director of adult services at the Clark County Public Library. He can be reached at john.clarkbooks@gmail.com.