Friday, September 21, 2012

Hedgehogs, Pajamas, and Climate Change

The Wells Public Library will be closing out September with a wide variety of programs for all ages and interests.

First, on Tuesday, September 25th at 1:15 we will kick off our new Afternoon Book Discussion Group.  This group is in addition to our popular evening group, and is designed especially for those unable to attend in the evenings.  Our selection this month is The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.  I still have about 100 pages left, and must admit that it's been a bit of a struggle at times, but am  enjoying it.  If you're interested in joining this group, call me or email me: cschilling@wellstown.org, or 646-8181 ext. 206.  We promise to end our discussion by 2:45, so if you need to pick up your child from the elementary school you'll have plenty of time to do so.

Later that evening, you may want to put the kids in their pj's, grab a stuffed animal and come to the library for our Pajama Storytime at 6:30 p.m.  Devin will have great stories and songs to get everyone ready for a good night's sleep.

For our last program of the month, join us on Wednesday, September 26th at 6:30 for a program on "Climate Change and You."   Wells resident Joe Hardy, an environmental educator, will give an overview of the issues involved , and will share tips on things we can do to reduce the impact of climate change.  I'm looking forward to hearing what Joe has to say on this topic.

Of course, these programs are in addition to our regular weekly programs:Mother Goose Storytime on Mondays at 10:30, Toddler Time on Wednesdays at 10:30, Stories and More on Wednesdays at 1:00, and our Knitting and Crochet Group on Fridays at 10:30.

All these programs are free of charge; for more information please contact the library at 646-8181.  

Have a great weekend, and we hope to see you at the library.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Wii Night

On Tuesday, September 18th at 6:00 the Wells Public Library will be hosting a Wii Family Game Night. Bring your friends, parents, and siblings to participate in Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resorts. In addition, two Nintendo 3DSs  will be available that evening for cooperative Mario Kart play. 

Many of you may not be aware of this, but the library currently owns two Nintendo 3DS devices.  They may be checked out with a valid Wells Public Library card for 1/2 hour of in-library use.  We also have a small collection of Nintendo DS games that may be checked out for a 1 week loan period.

You may ask why the library offers these programs and services, since they don't seem to be related to traditional library services. Much research has been done over the past several years to determine the value or damage caused by video games, and most of the results have been positive.  It has been demonstrated that video games help promote problem solving, how to follow directions, how to creatively attack a problem without fear of failure, and to learn from your mistakes.

As Jane McGonigal, author of Reality is Broken : Why Games Make Us Better and How They Can Change the World wrote in  The Huffington Post;
 "When we play a good game, we get to practice being the best version of ourselves: We become more optimistic, more creative, more focused, more likely to set ambitious goals, and more resilient in the face of failure. And when we play multiplayer games, we become more collaborative and more likely to help others. In fact, we like and trust each other more after we play a game together -- even if we lose! And more importantly, playing a game with someone is an incredibly effective way to get to know their strengths and weaknesses--as well as what motivates them. This is exactly the kind of social knowledge we need to be able to cooperate and collaborate with people to tackle real-world challenges."

If you want to learn more about this topic, McGonigal's book is available through the MINERVA online catalog.  For more information, you can always contact Devin Burritt, our Youth Services Librarian. He may be reached at dburritt@wellstown.org, 646-8181, ext. 202, or just stop by the Youth Services desk and talk to him in person.

Also, feel free to stop at the Check Out desk and check out one of our devices for yourself.  In addition to all the positive qualities listed above, they're just plain fun.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Storytimes!

For most of the country, Labor Day means back to school.  Here at the Wells Public Library it also means that our regular Storytimes resume.  Devin and Kayla are busily planning stories, songs, and crafts to entertain our youngest members.

Our Mother Goose Storytime on Mondays at 10:30 is for the very youngest children - ages 0 through 2 years and a caregiver.  This lapsit storytime features very simple books, rhymes, and bouncing songs.  

Toddler Time is designed for children ages 2 - 3 and their caregivers, and meets on Wednesday mornings at 10:30.  In addition to listening to great stories, children will sing songs, learn new rhymes and sing and move to lively music.

Stories and More meets on Wednesday afternoons at 1:00.  Children will hear stories, learn  songs and  rhymes, and complete a craft.  

In addition to these weekly events, we will also be adding a monthly Family Pajama Storytime for children birth to 5 years.  The first of these events will be on Tuesday, September 25th from 6:30-7:00.  Children are encouraged to bring their favorite stuffed animals and come in their PJs for songs and stories.

Storytimes are a great way to introduce your child to reading and literacy through books, rhyme and music.  It's also a good opportunity to meet other families and children in the community. 

These programs are all free of charge and registration is not required.  For more information contact the library at 646-8181.