Poet Jonathan Clayborne at BCCC Library April 12

As part of its Community Voices series, the Beaufort County Community College library will host Jonathan Clayborne on Thursday, April 12. Clayborne will read from his first book, Ten Dollars and a Zippo.

Ten Dollars and a Zippo is a stark record of joy, pain and a poet's long struggle with mental and physical illness. Part poetry collection, part photo essay, the book is semi-autobiographical. The work reveals the private thoughts of a usually introspective writer. Jonathan Clayborne is a poet, novelist, and playwright living and working in Washington, N.C. This is his first published book.

He will present in the library in Building 5 from 2:00-3:00 p.m. and sign books after the reading. Clayborne is a former BCCC student. This year, the library has hosted photographer Shanon Shuler-Gaskins, editor Roy Armstrong and historian Leesa Jones as part of its Community Voices series.

April is National Library Month, and the BCCC library will have a series of events throughout the month to celebrate. On April 9, the library will roll out Flipster, a digital magazine service. On April 10, there will be a book trivia contest at 2:00 p.m. Clayborne’s presentation is part of this celebration. Check with the circulation desk for more information. The BCCC library is open to the public, with a collection of books, audiobooks and DVDs.