On February 18, 2012, the Archbishop of New York, Timothy Dolan, was elevated to the position of Cardinal by Pope Pius XVI. There are currently 181 Cardinals in the Catholic Church worldwide, of which only 108 are under 80 years of age and eligible to vote for a new pope in conclave. For more information on Cardinals (Catholicism) or Timothy Dolan, click on the subject links.

How did Valentine's Day originate? Who is this patron saint of lovers, of whom actually very little is known? According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, three different Valentines were actually martyred during the early days of the Christian Church, but very little is known about any of them. For more information, see this Catholic Online link. You can also view a list of Canton Library's books, programs and DVDs about valentines, like one with historic pictures of awesome valentines:

Greetings with love: the book of valentines by Michele Karl

Five books to help make life a little easier as you age:

I feel great about my hands: and other unexpected joys of aging by edited by Shari Graydon

AARP guide to revitalizing your home: beautiful living for the second half of life: reimagine, redesign, remodel by Rosemary Bakker

The social animal: the hidden sources of love, character, and achievement by David Brooks

The year 2012 is The Year of the Dragon in China and the Chinese New Year begins on January 23rd. Dragons symbolize such character traits as dominance and ambition. Dragons prefer to live by their own rules, and if left on their own, are usually successful. They’re driven, unafraid of challenges, and willing to take risks. So, if you were born in any years designated as "Year of the Dragon," you may exhibit these characteristics. To check and see which sign dominates the year you were born, see the China Today website. For more on Chinese horoscopes that you can check out in our library, see:

The handbook of Chinese horoscopes by Theodora Lau

We are celebrating Black History Month with the return visit of the Praise Choir from the Canton Christian Fellowship Church under the direction of music director Darren Patterson. Come join the celebration on Thursday, February 2 at 7:00 PM.

The language of flowers: a novel by Vanessa Diffenbaugh

Winterdance: the fine madness of running the Iditarod by Gary Paulsen

My name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira

1984: a novel by George Orwell ; with an afterword by Erich Fromm

1861: the Civil War awakening by Adam Goodheart

Blood, bones, & butter: the inadvertent education of a reluctant chef by Gabrielle Hamilton

Blue nights by Joan Didion

Ms. Nicole, from As the Page Turns bookstore, will have a Kwaanza Celebration on December 29 from 1:00-2:00 PM. There will be stories and activities and she will discuss the Nguzo Saba, known as the 7 principles of Kwanzaa. Come join the fun in the Purple Room!

Christopher Eric Hitchens, author and journalist, columnist and literary critic for The Atlantic, Vanity Fair, World Affairs, The Nation and others died at 62 years of age on December 15th from complications from esophageal cancer. He was voted the world's 5th top public intellectual in a Prospect/Foreign Affairs opinion poll. Here are some of the books Canton Library owns by this controversial author:

God is not great: how religion poisons everything by Christopher Hitchens

Hitch-22: a memoir by Christopher Hitchens

Come enjoy the pageantry, music and more as we celebrate the Lunar New Year. In China it is the year of the dragon; in Vietnam it is called Tet; the Koreans call the holiday Seollal and the Tibetans celebrate Losar. All of these holidays and more are in honor of the New Year and are based on the lunar calendar. Celebrate with us on Monday, January 30th, at 7:00 PM.

On November 9, CPL hosted a Diwali Celebration program that featured traditional and contemporary Indian music, dance, food, and more — all centered around the festival of lights. If you couldn't make it that night, check out the video above and pictures below to get up to speed:

Come celebrate the Hindu Festival of Lights at Canton Public Library. The Diwali program is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9th at 7:00 PM in our Community Room. Diwali is one of the oldest and most important festivals in India. The name comes from the Indian word "Deepavali" and the literal translation means "an array of lamps". Diwali falls on the new moon night, so celebrants light lamps to ward off the darkness and to symbolize the removal of spiritual darkness and the onset of happiness and prosperity. Every Indian state celebrates the festival in its own way, but most celebrations include making special foods, buying new clothes, bursting fireworks, and lighting lamps and candles.

This free family friendly event will feature Indian music, dancing, rangoli, sampling of Indian food and the art of drawing henna patterns.

Local community leaders will share both memories and proposals for building inter-faith bridges at an observance of the tenth anniversary of 9/11, hosted by the Muslim Community of Western Suburbs (MCWS). The event will be held at the group's headquarters, located at 40440 Palmer Road, on Sunday, September 11 at 2:30 PM. The event is free and open to the public, but donations of non-perishable items for local food pantries are encouraged.

For more information, contact Aamina Ahmed (248-894-7081) or Anne Marie Graham Hudak (734-502-2508).

Eid Al-Fitr is a holiday marking the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting which is one of the greatest religious observances in Islam. This festival is expected to be around August 30, 2011. Eid ul-Fitr is celebrated for one, two or three days. Common greeting during this holiday is ‘Eid Mubārak which means "blessed Eid" in Arabic.

If you are looking for a new Christian book to read, whether fiction or non, and would like to read a review first, check out these websites:

• Christian Review of Books
• Christian Broadcasting Network New Books
• Discerning Reader

Also, check out our Inspirational Books Suggestions on our "Books and More" Page and our Inspirational Bundles.

For more than a billion Muslims around the world, including some 8 million in North America, Ramadan is a month of fasting, marked by prayer, fasting and charity. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Because the lunar calendar is about 11 days shorter than the solar calendar used elsewhere, Islamic holidays move each year. This year Ramadan began at sundown on August 1st.
On this occasion we send our greetings to all Muslims worldwide and special Ramadan Kareem to Muslims in North America.

August 17 marks the 225th birthday of American legend Davy Crockett. Although much lore surrounds the life of the coonskin-capped frontiersman, the truth is actually a different story–and just as interesting. History buffs will find Michael Wallis' new biography, David Crockett: The Lion of the West, a compelling portrait of the man.

Campy: The Two Lives of Roy Campanella by Neil Lanctot

Bootleggers, Lobstermen & Lumberjacks: Fifty of the Grittiest Moments in the History of Hardscrabble New England by Matthew P.

The 100 thing challenge : how I got rid of almost everything, remade my life, and regained my soul by Dave Bruno — Do you ever feel like you have too much clutter in your life? Like maybe the stuff that surrounds you is threatening to take over? Dave Bruno had that feeling, and he decided to winnow his belongings down to only 100 items. This book talks about how he did it and the impact it had on his life, which was far greater than just having fewer possessions. His blog's motto is "Reduce - Refuse - Rejigger" and offers continued insights like those contained in this book.

The Year of 2011 is the Year of the Golden Rabbit, which begins on February 3, 2011 and ends on January 22, 2012. The Rabbit is the 4th sign in the Chinese zodiac which consists of 12 animals signs. To find your sign, click on China Today web. The Rabbit is a lucky sign. People born in the Year of the Rabbit are reasonably friendly individuals who enjoy the company of a group of good friends. For more information on Chinese horoscopes, see these sources in our library. For information on how Chinese New Year is celebrated, including legends, food, and taboos, see this China Facts page.