The Selma-Dallas County Public Library has announced the 2009-2010 schedule of a much-loved library program.

The “Lunch at the Library” series kicks off Sept. 24 and continues well into 2010. Some of the latter dates are still being set, but the early authors and poets offer a wide variety of interesting topics to hear about.

“When we are selecting people to talk at ‘Lunch at the Library,’ we look for someone nearby who would bring regional interest,” said Selma-Dallas County Public Library Director Becky Nichols said. “The first person, Jeannie Thompson, is very active in the arts and visits Selma frequently.”

Thompson is the managing director of the Alabama Writers Forum and a poet. She will discuss her newest book, “The Seasons Bear Upon Us.”

Through her relationship with the library and promoting other authors she became familiar with “Lunch at the Library.” She told Nichols she would be releasing a book and would come talk at the program.

“Sometimes an author calls us,” Nichols said. “We at the library have fostered many relationships with people like Jeannie or people from the University of Alabama Press. They help us out with securing people because the authors come without really being paid anything.”

The next author and photographer came with a book published by the University of Alabama Press — Beth Maynor Young and John C. Hall with “Headwaters Journeys on the Alabama River.” They will be at the library Oct. 8.

Young’s ethereal photos of Alabama’s rivers coupled with Hall’s narration produce a book beautiful in images and words.

“This program coincides with the Riverfront Weekend,” Nichols said. “A lot of people will be in town for Tale Tellin’ and will be on the riverfront so it is befitting to celebrate the rivers in Alabama. This book is the perfect coffee table book, too. So with Christmas right around the corner, people may want to bring their checkbooks.”

Nov. 5 welcomes Selma’s Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas to speak on his autobiographical book, “Tin Man the Life and Art of Charlie Lucas.”

Lucas, who also taught junk art to kids during a summer program, is a world renowned folk artist. He has an exhibit in the Birmingham Museum of Art and has shown in multiple museums.

“Charlie needs no introduction really,” Nichols said. “The library loves when we can have one of our own to speak. We’ve had Kathryn Tucker Windham speak a number of times, Mary Ward Brown and others.”

Wrapping up the 2009 part of the series is poet and cardiologist Henry Langhorne on Dec. 10.

His book “In the Country of Rain” deals with the life and death occurrences he sees all too often.

“He writes about these experiences with such empathy,” Nichols said. “He is going to also read his poetry too.”

The library is taking reservations already for the series or a specific program. The lunch costs $7 and each meeting begins at noon and concludes at 1 p.m.

To reserve a spot for the 2009-10 “Lunch at the Library” series, call 874-1725.