2012 marks 80 years of the North Carolina Poetry Society, and the organization is celebrating with free readings in every part of the state.

The celebration kicks off with North Carolina's new poet laureate, Joseph Bathanti, reading Thursday, Nov. 29, at 3:30 p.m. at the Appalachian State University bookstore.

The remaining six readings will all be held on Saturday, Dec. 1. Each reading will be led by a featured poet to be joined by other poets from their region. The readings will conclude with an open mic. These events are free and all are welcome to attend.

Charlotte: Host Tony Abbott, Myers Park Baptist Church, Shalom Hall, 2 to 4 p.m. Readers: Morri Creech, Annalee Kwochka, Alan Michael Parker, Dannye Romine Powell, David Radavich and Lisa Zerkle.

Durham: Host Betty Adcock, The Regulator Bookshop, 2 to 4 p.m. Readers: Noel Crook and Marylin Hervieux.

Sylva: Host Kay Byer, City Lights Bookstore, 3 p.m. Readers: Kathryn Kirkpatrick, Joe Mills and Julie Suk.

Winston-Salem: Fred Chappell, Community Arts Cafe, communityarts cafe.com, 2 p.m. Readers: Malaika King Albrecht, Terry Kennedy, Val Nieman and John Thomas York.

Salter Path: Host Peter Makuck, St. Francis by the Sea, 4 p.m. Reader: Mark Cox.

Fountain: Host Shelby Stephenson, R.A. Fountain General Store, 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Readers: Alex Albright, Marty Silverthorne and Jim Clark.

Gathering at Given

Given Memorial Library welcomes The O'Neal High School Glee Club, led by Baxter Clement, at the Gathering at Given, Thursday, Dec. 6, at 3:30 p.m. at the library.

The singers will be performing holiday music at this free event.

Novel Chosen

Jonathan Shectman's novel "Bound for the Future" >has been chosen as an >award-winning finalist in the "History: United States" category of The 2012 USA Best Book Awards, sponsored by USA Book News.

Shectman is a writer who lives in Pittsboro.

Montgomery Library

The Montgomery County Public Library will hold a book sale on Thursday, Nov. 29, Friday, Nov. 30, Saturday, Dec. 1, and Sunday, Dec. 2, in the Troy Library meeting room.

Library hours are 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Single items may be purchased. Discounts will be given for volume purchases.

The Community Christmas Trees will be on display through December at the libraries in Biscoe, Candor, Mount Gilead and Troy.

A Santa Party will be held Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Troy Library meeting room. Photos with Santa will be made. There will be balloons, cookies, gifts and a mystery visitor. A $5 donation is requested for each photo.

Haiku Workshop

A haiku workshop and poetry reading will be held Dec. 17, from 5 to 7 p.m., at Taste Full Beans Coffeehouse in downtown Hickory.

The workshop, which costs $10, lasts about an hour, with the free reading to follow. The registration deadline is Dec. 10, and the workshop is limited to 16 participants. Ce Rosenow and Lenard Moore will be leading the workshop.

Contact Scott Owens at (828) 234-4266 for more information.