Ark Valley News - From the library

From the library
By Janice Sharp, director
Last Updated: January 22, 2015

'Souper Bowl' 2015

Join our "Souper" Bowl 2015. Bring in a can or box of unexpired, unopened and undamaged soup and exchange it for two paperbacks or one hardback from our book sale shelves. We've had an over-abundance of donations recently and we'd like to share our bounty with you and help the Valley Center Food Bank as well. Our Souper Bowl will continue until Jan. 31.

The 2015 Adult Reading Challenge is well underway. The Library is beginning a new adult reading challenge that encompasses all of 2015. The challenge is for adults to read a minimum of 26 books in different categories. There are 50 categories to choose from, allowing patrons to select from many possibilities. Once patrons have completed the required reading and returned their form, they will have their name entered for a drawing to be held Dec. 28.

This will be a fun endeavor encouraging us to read materials we may not normally choose. There are forms and selections of titles on our display at the circulation desk. Materials may be chosen from any source — not only our library.

The Library will begin a weekly gaming program from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 23 for those in fifth through 12th grade. The Library will reserve the right to pull kids from the games if their behavior is inappropriate. Parental permission forms are available.

We will have Kansas Day activities from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Jan. 29. Activities will include a quiz bowl and games. All ages are welcome to participate.

The Library will begin a book discussion for high school age students from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Jan. 29. The title chosen for the first discussion is "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green. Please come by the library for a copy.

The committee for the potential combined facility will meet again from 6 to 10 p.m. Jan. 22 to hear presentations from four architects and ultimately vote for their choice. The combined facility would include the Library, the Senior Center and the Community Building. It would be located in Lions Park on the corner where the current Community Building sits.

What would you like to see in each area of the facility? Obviously some areas would be used by all organizations such as restrooms and a large meeting room. Please contact each organization and let them know what services you would like to have offered. The chosen architect will need to know the needs of each organization to plan the appropriate footage. This is your opportunity to have your voice heard. Comments would be welcome whether they are pro or con for the facility.

We have appreciated that our patrons heeded our request to not come in while they had been ill. Please remain at home if you or your children are not feeling well. Our staff is small and we always have at least two staff members in the building. Some years back, the library board determined that for the sake of staff safety, we should always have two staff in the building. If one of us gets sick, it's difficult to switch schedules to cover the library.

We appreciate your understanding in not visiting the library when you have a temperature and may be contagious with a cold or flu virus. Call us and we'll gather materials you would like to check out and meet you at the curb.

The library will have a change in Saturday hours beginning Feb. 7. The new hours will be 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The board decided that patrons may prefer to begin their errands, including their library visits, earlier in the day. The change in the hours will be evaluated at the end of the year.

Do you want a weekly update of what's happening at the Library? Please email valleycenterlibrary@yahoo.com and we'll add you to the list of the updates. The updates include current and upcoming events as well as a sampling of new materials added to the Library collection.

Upcoming Events

Jan. 23 — National Pie Day

Jan. 23 — Gaming time

Jan. 24 — Global Belly Laugh Day

Jan. 29 — Kansas Day

Jan. 29 — High school book discussion

Jan. 30 — Gaming time

February: Library Lovers' Month

Feb. 2 — Groundhog Day

Feb. 3 — City Council

Feb. 6 — Gaming time

Feb. 7 — New hours start

Feb. 9 — Library Board meeting