All posts by Marguerite

Summer Reading Week Four

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We’ve finished half our summer reading program, but there’s still plenty of time to sign up!

Don’t forget we’re closed on Monday for Independence Day.

Maker Monday

Join us for a special Maker Monday on Tuesday.  We will make patriotic rocket crafts and red, white and blue pretzels.

Stuffed Animal Sleepover

Bring your stuffed friends in for a special storytime at 6:30, then leave them behind for a sleepover.  Wednesday morning you can pick them up along with a report on their adventures.

Teens & Tweens Thursday

We will make a red, white and blue windsock.

Coding Club

Learn coding for ages 8-12 and 13+.  Please bring your own device if you have one.

Preschool Storytime

Enjoy stories and crafts for ages 3-6 with a caterpillars theme.

Drop-in Crafts

Make a shadow puppet and/or a stick person.

Summer Reading Program Week Three

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It’s hard to believe that we’ve already finished two weeks, but there are four weeks to go.  There’s still plenty of time to sign up!

Maker Monday

We will write our names with natural materials.  If you want to bring along small amounts of grasses, leaves, or other natural materials to use, feel free.  Please only harvest with permission; don’t pull up your neighbor’s flowers.

We will also have a trail mix bar.  There will be no nuts or peanuts, but we can’t guarantee everything was produced in a nut-free facility.

Toddler Storytime

Our monthly storytime for ages 18 months to 3 years with a baby theme.

Teens & Tweens Thursday

We will make beautiful handmade journals.

Coding Club

There is no leader for Coding Club this week.  If you want to get together to work on your projects, you may, but there will be no one to guide you.

Preschool Storytime

Enjoy stories and crafts for ages 3-6 with an Independence Day theme.

Drop-in Crafts

We will have a cool 3-D paper campsite and a campfire craft for you to put together.

Fine Free!

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Declare your freedom from fines!  Starting July 5th, we will no longer charge late fees for items from our library that are returned late.  Existing late fees on items from our library will be wiped out.

We still expect you to return your items on their due date so that others may check them out. If you lose or damage materials, you will be charged.  Items from other libraries may also still incur late fees.

FAQ

Q: Does this mean I can just keep my items as long as I want?
A: No.  We still expect you to be responsible and return or renew your materials on time. Don’t deprive your friends and neighbors of the chance to check them out.

Q: Won’t removing late fees mean materials not being returned?
A: There is mounting evidence that libraries that go fine free don’t see a significant increase in items being returned late. In fact, some have seen more returns as people stop being afraid to come back to the library.

Q: I’ve always thought of my late fees as a donation to the library.  Can I still donate?
A: Absolutely!  We always accept donations that we use for cool things like the summer reading program.

Q: Will this mean the library will have to cut back on services?
A: No.  Last year, late fees only accounted for less than 1% of our budget.  Plus, we have already received a generous donation to cover the first year.

Q: Why did you decide to make this change?
A: There is a growing consensus that late fees have little efffect on timely returns and create an unnecessary burden, especially on lower income people.  We want everyone to feel welcome to use the library, not scared of collecting fees.

Q: Will there still be other fees?
A: We will still charge for lost or damaged items, since we need to replace them.  We will also continue to charge fees for printing, copying and faxing, since they help to offset some of the price of those services.

Summer Reading Program Week Two

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Summer reading program is off to a great start!  We saw lots of you on week one and hope to keep the momentum going for week two.  Haven’t registered yet?  There’s still lots of time!  Come on in and bring your friends!

Maker Monday

We will craft a paper plate camping scene that goes from day to night and a 3-D tent.  We might also sing some camp songs if anyone will sing along.

Teens & Tweens Thursday

We will make a very cool leather bookmark.  You don’t want to miss this one!

Coding Club

Learn coding for ages 8-12 and 13+.  Please bring your own device if you have one.

Summer Camp Escape Room

We have slots available Thursday at 2:00 and 3:30; Friday at 11:30, 1:00, 2:30 and 4:00; and Saturday at 10:30 and 12:00.  Please call the library ahead of time to sign up.  Limit of 5 per session.  Recommended for ages 10 and up.

Storytime

Princesses!

Drop-in Crafts

Make a camp necklace and a s’mores headband.

 

Summer Reading Week one part two

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As we wind down our first week of summer reading  2022, let’s look back at what we’ve done already.

 

Kickoff Cookout

We had a FANTASTIC turnout for our first day event.  We signed up 89 kids and served 140 hot dogs!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Maker Monday

Flower Power: Helping Bees and Butterflies

Kelly from 4H gave a great talk on pollinators and everyone went home with a plant!

And that’s not even including Teens & Tweens, Coding Club, storytime or the cool drop-in crafts.  We’ve got five more weeks to go!

Summer Reading Program Week One

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Week one is actually more than a week, since we start on a Friday, but please play along.  You can sign up for the summer reading program starting on June 10th or any day after that until July 22nd.  Here’s what’s happening just in the first week!

Friday, June 10 at noon: Kickoff Cookout at Sticha Park

Eat hot dogs and chips, drink lemonade, sign up for the summer reading program and get a free book!  All ages.

Monday, June 13 at 2 pm: Maker Monday

For our first week, we will make egg carton bees and butterfly rings.  Plus, we will have a bee relay race.  Best for ages 6-10.

Wednesday, June 15 at 1:00 pm: The Power of the Flower:  Helping Our Bees and Butterflies

Educators from the Rice County Extension Department will present a program about the importance of pollinators, including a craft and a plant to take home!  Best for ages 5+.

Thursday, June 16 at 11:30 am: Storytime with Chione Quintet

Join us for a special musical storytime based on Twin Cities author Ka Vang’s Shoua and the Northern Lights Dragon.  All ages.  (This event was rescheduled.  This is the correct day and time.)

Thursday, June 16 at 1:00 pm: Teens and Tweens

For week one, we are making workout headbands from old t-shirts.  Bring your own t-shirt if you have one in a cool color.  We will also have some at the library, but they may not be cool.  Best for ages 11+.

Thursday, June 16 at 2:00 pm: Coding Club

Learn coding by working on self-directed projects.  Ages 8-12 can learn Scratch or Dot and Dash robots.  13 and up may learn Python or advanced projects.  Bring your own device.   (If you are interested but don’t have a device, contact the library and we will try to arrange use of one for you.)  Best for ages 8+.

Friday, June 17 at 10:30 am: Storytime

Every week we have a pre-school storytime with books, fingerplays, songs and crafts. This week’s theme is princesses.  Best for ages 3-6.

Drop-in crafts

Each week we will also have a drop-in craft to do in the library anytime.  Week one we have a toilet paper roll bee and a mix and match flower.

Kim Todd author tour

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Join us Tuesday, June 14th at 7:00 pm for Minnesota author Kim Todd.  You don’t need to have read the  book to enjoy her presentation about pioneering female reporters who dared to tell the truth.

Kim Todd, Ph.D., is known for her award-winning storytelling about science, nature, and history.  Her most recent publication, Sensational: The Hidden History of America’s “Girl Stunt Reporters,” is a 2022 MN Book Awards Finalist.

Summer Reading Program Grand Prize Baskets

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When you sign up for the summer reading program, you get a chance to enter a drawing for one of these grand prize baskets.  Earn more entries by filling out your reading log.

This year there are 14 different baskets!  Numbers in parentheses are suggested ages, but choose whatever you like.  (Please note: some items may be a choking hazard for younger children.  Use caution.)

 

  1. BATH FUN (0-4)
    Octopus bath toy
    Dragon bib
    Sand toys
    Penguin stuffed animal
    Mermaid rubber duck
  2. ANIMAL FUN (18 months-4 years)
    Leapfrog 100 Animals
    Fox stuffed animal
    Beach ball
    Green Frisbee
    Sidewalk chalk
  3. HERO FUN (3-8)
    Paw Patrol fire truck
    Patriot beanie baby
    Dirt bike toy
    Green sunglasses
    Blue jump rope
  4. NATURE FUN (3-8)
    Binoculars
    Bug catching kit
    Stuffed hedgehog
    Yellow dinosaur Frisbee
    Yellow jump rope
  5. MUSEUM FUN (4-8)
    Children’s Museum of Southern MN passes
    Trolls World Tour coloring pack
    Dog stuffed animal
    Red Frisbee
    Watermelon sunglasses
  6.  ART FUN (6-14)
    Window art kit
    Modeling clay
    Squishy Palz
    Purple jump rope
    Natural branch pencil
  7.  GAMING FUN (7-11)
    Minecraft Uno game
    Two paracord bracelets
    Slinky
    Camping stickers
    Natural branch pencil
  8. FASHION FUN (8-15)
    Hair chalk
    Pink unicorn stuffed animal
    Daisy novelty glasses
    Natural branch pencil
    Rainbow splash ring
  9. CAMPING FUN (8-14)
    S’mores Squishmallow
    Camping stickers
    Unicorn paddleball
    Goofy string
    Natural branch pencil
  10. OUTDOOR FUN (8-16)
    Nerf gun
    ATV toy
    Camping stickers
    Tire splash ring
    Natural branch pencil
  11. WIMPY KID FUN (9-12)
    Diary of a Wimpy kid book
    Diary of a Wimpy kid bag
    Camping stickers
    Mandalorian coloring pocket activity
    Natural branch pencil
  12. SUMMER CAMP FUN (10+)
    Burt’s Bees lip shimmer
    Read Beyond the Beaten Path book light
    Camp iRead reflector
    Plastic boomerang
    Natural branch pencil
  13. NINJA FUN (10+)
    Conquer Ninja gym passes (not pictured)
    Read Beyond the Beaten Path water bottle
    Camping stickers
    Blue shark Frisbee
    Natural branch pencil
  14. DRAWING FUN (11+)
    Drawing pens
    Sketch book
    Fluffy rainbow pen
    Planner stickers
    Natural branch pencil