Here at the public library, we can hardly believe that summer is drawing to a close! Activities at WCPL always amp up starting at the end of May and kick into high gear during June and July, when kids are out of school and vacation time off is more frequent. Every August, when the dust clears a bit, we take a minute to reflect, tally the numbers, bask in the memories of all the excitement, then rev up for another season of library events.
To review, here are some of the things we have absolutely loved seeing over the past 10 weeks:
•Folks checking out more than their normal share of books from all our locations to enjoy during weekend repose or vacation trips.
•Individuals needing a book recommendation, walking away with a number of great options.
•People at computers taking care of business, communicating online, or browsing for fun.
•Watching people’s faces relax when they get an answer to a question they have.
•Children, teens, and adults turning in their reading logs and walking away with cool prizes.
•Families at off-site library events – inside and outside!
•Movie watchers enjoying free movies every week at the Capitol!
•Folks of all ages at SOKY Center gathering on Saturdays to browse, shop, and play!
But now that summer is over, it’s time to lean into fall!
Back To School: Teen Activities & Newbery Author Visit!
Students entering ninth through twelfth grades are invited to the Bob Kirby Branch’s High Schooler Activity Space Thursday, August 28, at 2:45pm, where they can hang out, enjoy free activities, and let back-to-school stress fade away. Future activities like this one will be a regular part of the library’s lineup, thanks to a new revamp of the library’s Teen Activity Board (TAB) that will be heavily involved in planning and implementing events just for teens (students interesting in applying should check out the details on the Capitol’s article on the adjacent page).
Any student who has ever read (or watched the movie adaptation of) the Newbery-winning book The One and Only Ivan will be thrilled (as we are) to meet its author, Katherine Applegate, who will be in town Saturday, September 13, at 10am. Her free presentation at the Bob Kirby Branch is part of a nationwide book tour, celebrating her newest release, Pocket Bear. Free copies will be given out while supplies last!Applegate’s impressive list of titles include sequels to the first Ivan novel, titles in the Animorphs and Doggo and Pupper series, and others including Odder, Home of the Brave, Crenshaw, Wishtree, and Willodeen. Find her full list at https://katherineapplegate.com. Reserve your spot at her event through the library’s calendar of events (warrenpl.org/calendar).
Fall Used Book Sale: Mark Your Calendars!
The Friends of the Library Warren County works through the year to process and organize donations of used books, music and movies. Proceeds from the sale of those items generate funds that support library projects and programs. While donations are accepted year ‘round, please bring in anything you’d like to donate to the sale prior to the end of August (no VHS tapes, textbooks, or magazines, please), as there will be a pause in accepting donations between September 1 and 16.
And now is the time to mark your calendar for FOL’s Used Book Sale that will take place at the Bob Kirby Branch! You are guaranteed to find treasures galore – selections for readers of all ages, everything from new releases to classics, as well as movies, music, games, and puzzles. The schedule is as follows:
•Thursday, September 11: Preview Night from 4pm to 8pm (FOL members only)
•Friday, September 12: 9am to 5pm
•Saturday, September 13: 9am to 5pm
•Sunday, September 14: Bag Day from 2pm to 5pm (FOL members-only early entry begins at 1pm)
Anyone who would like early access to the sale’s members-only Preview Night or early entry on Bag Day can sign up for membership on site or ahead of time. For more information, go to warrenpl.org/friends.
Find out all that’s going on at the library by following us on social media (@warrenpl on Facebook, Instagram, or X), signing up for our online newsletter (https://tinyurl.com/WCPLNews).
-by Ashley Fowlkes, Digital Content Manager, Warren County Public Library
