Events and Activities : Hawkins Memorial Library Newsletter

May is "Get Caught Reading" Month!

Get Caught Reading is a nationwide campaign to promote the fun of reading books for all ages. Because research indicates that early language experience actually stimulates a child's brain to grow and that reading to children gives them a huge advantage when they start school, we hope to encourage people of all ages to enjoy books and magazines and to share that pleasure with the young children in their lives. Thousands of items to read - books, magazines, and newspapers - are available to you at the library. Hawkins Memorial Library loves readers!

Don't Touch that Flower, by Alice Hemming, is the May window story you can read along with while strolling downtown. Spring is here and today a flower has sprung to life. But when Squirrel becomes too protective of it, Bird shows Squirrel the right way to let flowers blossom and grow. Beginning in the library's front window, follow the directions to find the next set of posted pages.

Children's Story Time is on Monday mornings at 10 AM for our youngest readers. Kids five years of age and younger can participate in our fun learning program which includes stories, songs, activities, and crafts. Our final Story Time for the school year will be on May 20.

Origami week is Monday through Saturday, April 29 to May 4, at the library. Origami art is the traditional Japanese craft of folding a sheet of paper into objects and figures. Ori translates as "folded," and kami means "paper. Drop in and give this art a try.

National Children's Book Week, May 6-12, was established in 1919 and is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. Every year, young people participate by attending events at schools, libraries, bookstores, celebrating at home, and engaging with book creators both online and in person. This is a great week to bring a child to the library to check out books!

Design special Mother's Day cards for your dear mom, grandmother, or other special lady during Mother's Day cards week, Monday, May 6 through Saturday, May 11. Choose decorations, stamps, and embellishments to create a keepsake card. We also have Mother's Day card kits that are ready to pick up to assemble at home for a beloved lady.

The next Big Library Read kicks off on May 9 and is available through May 23. The selection is Wild New World by Dan Flores. Flores celebrates the astonishing bestiary that arose on our continent and introduces the complex human cultures and individuals who hastened its eradication, studied America's animals, and moved heaven and earth to rescue them. Wild New World is a sweeping, yet intimate, big history of the animal-human story in America. Big Library Read is an opportunity for everyone with a valid library card to read the same digital title at the same time without any wait lists or holds on Libby, the digital app available through the library. Wild New World will be available for simultaneous use in ebook and audiobook formats.

Work on knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, quilting, jewelry, sewing, or another craft of your choice on Thursday, May 9, from 1 to 3 PM at Hawkins Handcrafters. It is productive time.

Monday, May 13 through Saturday, May 18 you can build with Brainflakes interlocking plastic discs at the library. This is a creative and educational alternative to building blocks and a great STEM construction activity for everyone.

Come to color, come to craft, come to chat…all adults are welcome at our Color and Connect program on Tuesday, May 14, from 6 to 8 PM. There is a wide selection of coloring books, bookmarks, and pens and pencils, or grab your goodies from home and work on them here.

Monday, May 20 through Saturday, May 25 you can weave colorful and useful potholders with our looms and loops. Sewing cards will also be available to work on.

LPC Elementary children will visit the library on Thursday, May 23. They'll learn about the library with a scavenger hunt and other fun activities. Ask your child about it.

The library will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 27. Remember to check out books, movies, magazines, games, and puzzles for the long holiday weekend.

Tuesday, May 28 through Saturday, June 1 is coloring week. The library will have colors and markers, and plenty of pages and bookmarks to decorate.

Pick up the May Book Club selection now - Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. With nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State-and she would do it alone. Stop in and grab this book to read, and join us for the discussion on Tuesday, May 28, at 1 PM or 6 PM.

Coffee Time is the perfect time to meet your friends and visit. How can you turn down free coffee at the library on Mondays from 8 to 10 AM, and Saturdays from 9 to 11 AM?

Did you know the library has public Wi-Fi, computers, and tablets available for use? We also copy, print and Fax for a small fee.

Hawkins Memorial Library has great Summer Reading Programs all summer long for the kids. Stop in for a schedule, find it online at www.laportecity.lib.ia.us (Calendar or Featured Events), on our Facebook page (Events), watch for fliers posted around town, and check school bags for a copy. Take advantage of these free, fun, and educational activities

Hawkins Memorial Library is located at 308 Main Street in La Porte City, and can be reached at 319-342-3025 or https://www.laportecity.lib.ia.us