Saturday, April 30, 2011

Kimball Library News 4/19/11

Are you interested in learning how to ‘Reuse, Recycle and Repurpose’? Atkinson resident and owner of Functional Home Designs, Kerri Durkee, will present a workshop on home decorating ideas on Thursday, May 12, from 6:30-8pm. Kerri will give instruction on how to use everyday items in unusual or unexpected ways to create low-cost/no-cost home decor. This will include using pieces found at yard sales and thrift shops as well. ‘Tis the season for yard sales right around the corner! You won't want to miss this workshop to get inexpensive ideas for beautifying your world. You can find out more about Kerri Durkee by visiting her website at www.functionalhomedesigns.com.

Are you interested in learning about rain and water? The children’s room is hosting a wonderful science program about rain and the water cycle on Saturday, May 14th, from 10:30-11:30am. There's a beautiful flannel board illustration with a story about a raindrop, and of course, Spanish vocabulary. You'll also meet Lombri, the Spanish speaking worm, and do plenty of singing with the guitar. Rain doesn’t get any more fun than that! This program is brought to you by Hazel Drive Early Childhood Center, Hampstead, NH and is perfect for children ages 3-6.

Are you interested in creative writing? ‘Write your Story’ on May 16 from 6:00-8:30pm is for you! This workshop is on writing from personal experience, for writers of all levels. Participants will be given examples of short memoir pieces and then will work on writing exercises in response to the instructor's prompts. Enrollment is limited to 15 students. Please bring your own paper and pens, and be ready to share your stories. Registration is required. Both adults and teens are welcome.

The instructor, Vivian Dorsel, editor and publisher of the literary journal ‘Upstreet’ holds an MFA degree in writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has coordinated and taught writing workshops in the Berkshires for a wide range of people, from secondary school students to senior citizens in venues such as Word Street, Taconic High School, the Norman Rockwell Museum, and for the first four community reading projects in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Are you interested in finishing the school year well? “FOCUS” at ‘Teen Focus’ on Thursday nights at 6:30pm. If you need a second pair of eyes for a paper or a listening ear for a presentation, the teen librarian will be available for an hour or so. She’ll also quiz you on material you bring in. Or, just come in to the teen room for studying in general. Register if you need personal attention.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Kimball Library News 4/12/11

Continuing from last week—programs for youth during the last week on April are on the horizon.

Monday, April 25, @5:30-6:30pm: “Brown Bag Book Club” Kids in grades 2 and 3 will be discussing ‘Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Stolen Diamonds.’ Books are available at the children’s desk. Bring your supper and we’ll provide dessert and a drink. Registration is required.

Tuesday, April 26, @2:00-3:15pm: “BINGO for Books!” Kids ages 5 to grade 5, come play Bingo and win books! Younger children may need some guidance, so parents are welcome, too.
@6:30-7:30pm: ‘Kidz Stuff for Teens’ We will go back in time to play with some of our old favorites. Finally you have a good excuse to use playdough, paint by number, coloring, and other ‘little kid’ activities that we all still love but never bother doing anymore. ‘We won’t grow up’ will be the mantra for the evening and milk and cookies will be our snack. Register grades 6-12.

Wednesday, April 27, @1:00-2:30pm: “Vacation Movie Time” in the Children’s Room. Come enjoy the wonderful classic, Charlotte's Web' one of the best! Wilbur, Charlotte, Templeton and the rest of the animals on the farm are charming, funny, and often have a valuable lesson to teach.
@6:30-9:00pm: ‘Teen Movie Night’ is the showing of a magical film that everyone knows and loves and has recently been released on DVD. Come see this here before the final film is released. We’ll serve popcorn if you bring your own candy, clear drinks, and friends. Don’t forget to register yourself and your friends! You must be in grades 6-12 to attend.

Thursday, April 28, 1:00-7:00pm: “Scavenger Hunt” Are you searching for something to do? Stop in the Children’s Room anytime after 1pm and hunt for some items.
@6:30pm: “Wii Teens & Tweens” We will be booting up the Wii for teens and tweens (ages 10 and up) to enjoy in an atmosphere other than home. It can be as competitive or as friendly as you like! Just register yourself and the friends you want to beat.

Friday, April 29, 10:00am-2:00pm: “Pick Your Own Craft and Make It” There are several kits to pick from. Choose your favorite and put it together! Open for age 4 through grade 5 children.
@6:30pm: “Read & Feed Story Time” Our classic Friday night story hour available each week for reading and a snack. Children ages 4-9 are welcome. No registration required.

Also for youth, please help us celebrate Earth Day! We have a choice of posters (large or small) that we’d love you to color. Once you finish with it we’ll hang it in our lobby and put your name on a ticket for an Earth Day raffle. We’re giving away 15 ‘tweet’ bags on April 25th from the random drawing. Stop in to see the display and pick up your poster. You have to play to win!

Kimball Library News 4/5/11

It’s hard to believe, but we have new fabulous photos up! The Merrimack Valley Camera Club is currently displaying their members’ photography. From Bar Harbor to their own backyards and beyond, the members of the Merrimack Valley Camera Club are constantly on the move with their cameras in hand, chasing after the light that makes their photos glow. Always learning, always sharing what they know and always ready to capture what might be their best shot yet.

The Merrimack Valley Camera Club, based in North Andover, Mass., has nearly 200 members hailing from the Merrimack Valley and Southeastern New Hampshire, ranging from beginners to professionals. The club and its members have been garnering recognition and awards throughout New England and beyond for decades. The club holds frequent hands-on workshops, field trips, photo-related activities, presentations and competitions, most of which are open to the public.

You won’t want to miss seeing these “Discoveries of Light” which will be on display until May 9th. You’re welcome to browse the meeting room anytime it is not in use to see these deLIGHTful photographs. For more information about the club, visit www.mvcameraclub.org. For more information about us visit www.kimballlibrary.com.

It’s hard to believe, but Timberlane school vacation is coming up, and there might not be snow on the ground! We invite teens (when we say teens, we mean youth in grades 6 to 12) to spend some of their hangout time at the library that week. We have events for this age group from April 26-28 each night starting at 6:30pm. Registration is required for each event and we urge you to invite your friends (they need not be Atkinson residents) and register them as well.

On Tuesday, April 26, we have ‘Kidz Stuff for Teens’ where we will go back in time to play with some of our old favorites such as playdough, paint by number, coloring, and other ‘little kid’ activities that we all still love but never bother doing anymore. ‘We won’t grow up’ will be the mantra for the evening and milk and cookies will be our snack.

On Wednesday, April 27, we’re hosting ‘Teen Movie Night’ starting at 6:30 and staying until 9pm to be able to finish this PG-13 145 minute film. This is part one of a magical film that everyone knows and loves and has recently been released on DVD. Don’t be scared, we’ll protect you from Voldemort! We’ll serve popcorn if you bring your own candy, clear drinks, and friends. Don’t forget your friends!

On Thursday, April 28, we’ll be booting up the Wii for teens and tweens (ages 10 and up) to enjoy in an atmosphere other than home. It can be as competitive or as friendly as you like! Just register yourself and the friends you want to beat. It’s all in good fun.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Kimball Library News 3/29/11

Celebrate National Library Week (April 10-16) with us. This year’s message is “Visit your library today and create your own story.” Kimball Library can help you discover a new and exciting world. Take advantage of the free access to books and computers, homework help, children’s programs A to Z, discovering your heritage at ancestry.com, free online classes at Universal Class, museum passes, CDs, DVDs and much more. We are here to help you ‘create your own story.’ As a bonus, we will be serving cake in our lobby on Wednesday (5pm) and Friday (10am) to honor our patrons. Stop in and have a slice while it lasts. Celebrate in the sweetness of libraries. 

Exciting events are coming up and we don’t want you to miss out! Please remember there will be an author talk and signing (The Reverse Immigrant: Return to My Sicilian Roots by Frank Zappala) on April 6 at from 7-8pm. The following week, “Keeping Wildlife Common” will be hosted at 6:30pm on April 14. These events are free of charge and open to the public. Invite a friend for an educational night out.

Also worth mentioning: our semi-annual book sale coming up on May 21st that conveniently coincides with the Town Wide Yard Sale. Are you wondering why we are bringing this up so early? We are hoping to be the recipients of your spring cleaning efforts in order to organize for the sale. We will happily take your gently used books, DVDs, CDs, and audio books. (No magazines, text books, encyclopedias, or moldy items, please.) We then choose if they go to our collection, the sale, or Got Books. All proceeds from the sale directly benefit the library.

This book sale event along with many of our adult programs are run and sponsored by “The Friends of Kimball Library.” If you’d like to be directly involved with the ‘Friends’ please join them on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 10:15am. We hope to see you at the April meeting on the 20th.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Kimball Library News 3/22/11

Need ideas, help or inspiration for your spring gardening plans? If yes, then get your planner out to mark the date and get prepared to be inspired.

Frank Wolfe, renowned horticulturalist and owner of Lake Street Garden Center, will be presenting a program on “Spring Gardening” that will be not only educational but inspirational too. The meeting on April 5th will start at 6:30pm right here at the library in the meeting room. Not only will you get practical ideas and advice, but there will be opportunity to have some tailored wisdom. You can also bring pictures or concerns about your personal garden(s) for Frank’s expert advice. Think renewal, think revival, think spring!

Saturday Cinema continues to attract new followers and we are preparing for another great showing in April. Sign the kids up for Saturday, April 16th, from 10:30am-12:15pm. We’ll be showing a new release from Disney, and I’m pretty sure it’s not the Rapunzel that you imagined as a child. We’ll supervise your children as they enjoy this film in our large meeting room while you shop, plant some flowers, change the oil, run some errands -- or just enjoy the time alone. Please send them with movie snacks and clear beverages. Pillows are also welcome if they prefer to sprawl out rather than sit in chairs. We want everyone comfortable. (Please note that we require waivers and registration for children ages 6-9.) Younger children are welcome with a parent or guardian. ALL AGES are welcome to enjoy, and truthfully, this is probably a film you may not want to leave. Make room on your calendar and we’ll make room for you.

Teens, it’s not time to slack off, it’s time to focus! Those last quarter grades and exams can ruin your GPA. Register on Thursday nights (excluding vacation week) for one on one attention with the teen librarian from 6:30-7:30pm, or just come in to a different environment from your home that will have less distractions and study solo. Bring your library card and borrow a laptop or use one of the public access computers. Keep on keeping on, summer freedom is only a few months away!