By Carole Howard | PREVIEW Columnist, and the library staff
We hope you’ll join us tomorrow, Friday, July 7, from 2 to 4 p.m. for a free fun all-ages celebration of National Strawberry Sundae Day. We’ll be making ice cream, exploring strawberry DNA, engineering bowls and so much more.
Preregistration is required because space is limited. Phone or stop by the library to sign up. This special event us part of our summer S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and math) program.
Library early closure
Your library will close early on Monday, July 10, for a staff meeting at 5 p.m. This is a new staff meeting schedule — on the second Monday of the month rather than the previous fourth Monday.
Sign up for Summer Reading Program
It’s not too late to sign up in person or on the library’s website at https://pagosalibrary.org for the free Summer Reading Program.
It offers a huge variety of special programs and prizes for all ages, and will conclude with a celebratory party July 28. Pick up monthly events calendars at the library so you don’t miss any of the free activities available to you and your family this summer.
Save the date
for book sale
The Friends of the Library have announced their highly popular annual summer book sale will take place July 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and July 22 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Friends members will have early access to the sale both days, so you may want to take this opportunity to join the Friends before the sale or at the door.
Between now and then the library is not accepting any more donations of books, DVDs and other materials because the Friends have all they need for the sale.
Online author talks
There will be three talks in July in our free online virtual series featuring New York Times bestselling authors with an opportunity to ask questions.
Saturday, July 15, at noon will showcase “Daredevil & She-Hulk” by graphic novelist Charles Soule.
On Thursday, July 20, at 11 a.m., you can interact with psychology professor Ethan Kross, author of “Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters and How to Harness It.”
Tuesday, July 25, at 2 p.m. will feature “Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir” by Emmy award-winning actress Erika L. Sanchez. Note that you can watch this talk live at the library with cider and a cheese tasting.
Summer Reading
Club today
Our free weekly Summer Reading Club for kids in kindergarten through fifth grade takes place Thursdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. with crafts, guest speakers, stories and more. We’ll explore topics such as kindness, service, teamwork, connection, friendship and community. No registration is required.
Rhythm and rhymes
tomorrow
Youngsters aged 1-5 are invited to a free music-based storytime with lots of movement and singing tomorrow, Friday, June 7, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Board games tomorrow
Tomorrow, Friday, June 7, is our free Board Game Central from 4 to 6 p.m. If you love board games we invite you to bring your favorite game or explore the library’s collection.
Beginning chess
Saturday
Learn how to play chess with quick lessons and game time to practice your skills on Saturday, July 8, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. All ages and abilities are welcome.
LEGO Club Saturday
Kids aged 6-11 are invited to bring your imaginations on Saturday, July 8, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for the free LEGO Club. Note the extended time of two hours rather than one. Bring your own LEGOs or use ours.
Adult knitting Saturday
Join new and experienced knitters this Saturday, July 8, for our free Knitters Circle from 1 to 3 p.m. It is aimed at anyone over the age of 18 who would like to knit together or get some help if you are stuck on your project.
Junior Page Turners Tuesday
Junior Page Turners, a book club for third- through fifth-graders, will meet Tuesday, July 11, from 10:30 to11:30 a.m. It is geared for children reading at or above grade level. Pick up the July book, “Elephant in the Garden,” at your library.
Ruby’s Book Club
Ruby’s Book Club meets from 2-3 p.m. next Tuesday, July 11, to discuss “999: The Extraordinary Young Women of the First Official Jewish Transport to Auschwitz” by Heather Dune Macadam. Copies are available at your library.
This free book club is held the second Tuesday of each month, alternating between fiction and nonfiction titles. Anyone is welcome to attend.
Dungeons and Dragons
Next Tuesday, July 11, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., join our Dungeons and Dragons game free for teens and young adults. Preregistration is required because space is limited. Contact Josie@pagosalibrary.org to join.
STEAM program
Camp Connect is a free STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) program for fifth- through eighth-graders next Wednesday, July 12, from noon to 2 p.m. Registration is required.
Wacky Wednesdays
Ages 6-11 are invited to get silly and play next Wednesday, July 12, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and every Wednesday in July, when each week will be a different activity.
Family storytimes
Wednesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. join us for a free educational hour of reading, singing and free play to build early literacy skills.
Writers support group
Thursdays from 9 to 11 a.m., Ruby’s Writers Guild welcomes writers looking for opportunities, support, resources and camaraderie with other writers.
Change in ESL
class times
Free in-person evening classes take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and there is a change in the way the time is divided. Effective immediately, 4 to 5 p.m. is reserved for beginners, 5 to 6 p.m. for intermediate and 6 to 7 p.m. for advanced students.
Please help us spread the word about these classes to others in our community who would be interested, and contact us by phone or email if you have any questions.
Tech Time
Free in-person slots are available from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesdays and 2 to 4 p.m. Thursdays. Judy helps you with basic questions relating to computers, smartphones and tablets and also provides assistance in accessing any of the library’s online resources. No appointment is needed for these drop-in sessions, but it is important that you bring your device’s charger with you.
PALS/GED adult
education
Join Mark or Sally for free PALS sessions Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30 to 8 p.m. to help with high school equivalency, GED, college prep, financial aid, tutoring and more.
Downloadable books
CloudLibrary has a wide variety of downloadable e-books and audiobooks for all ages. To access this free digital collection, download the cloudLibrary app, answer a few simple questions, select AspenCat Union Catalog for the name of your library, then enter your library card number and four-digit PIN. Library staff are happy to help you set up your device if you need assistance.
Local authors
“Artful Twill Weaving With Loops” and “Design & Texture: Endless Possibilities” both are how-to books by local author Linda Lutomski. “Gathering of Words” is a fantasy about a haunted cave by local author Teeka Murphy, who says her desire “is to write so that others may feel.”
Nonfiction
“Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World” by John Vaillant is a look into the causes and results to humankind of huge wildfires. “The In-Between” by Hadley Vlahos is a memoir by a nurse who shares stories of joy, wisdom and redemption from her patients’ final moments. “Prepared” by special operations expert Mike Glover is a manual for surviving worst-case scenarios like fires, home invasions, accidents and storms.
“1964 Eyes of the Storm” is a collection of personal photos taken by Paul McCartney during the early 1960s, when the Beatles became an international music sensation. “Unlock Your Menopause Type” by midlife health and wellness expert Dr. Heather Hirsch offers exercises, dietary adjustments and other strategies based on scientific findings. “Pageboy” by Elliot Page is a memoir by this Oscar-nominated Juno star who is a trans person. “Owl Knows” by Jennifer Ackerman details the new science about this enigmatic bird with 260 different species.
Important alert
about donations
Please note that the Friends of the Library have announced their annual summer book sale will take place July 21-22.
Between now and then, the library is not accepting any more donations of books, DVDs and other materials because the Friends have all they need for the sale.
Quotable quote
“I had a big birthday, and it was a biggie. Ninety! The body might change but the heart remains constant.” -— Chita Rivera, Broadway legend and Tony award-winning actress who starred in multiple major Broadway musicals including “West Side Story,” “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Chicago.”
Website
For more information on library books, services and programs -— and to reserve books, e-books, books on CD and DVDs from the comfort of your home — please visit our website at https://pagosalibrary.org.
