Hello, 2014!

A new year is almost here!  Why not make a resolution that's fun to keep?  Parents, caregivers, teachers, kids, teens, librarians, and everyone else... choose a great book and READ :)

If you're strapped for ideas, check out Amazon's treasure-trove-of-a-list- "The Best Books of 2013 for Kids of All Ages".  From Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy Buttons to Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck to The Selection, you're bound to find something great!

Cover images from Goodreads.

Keep reading!

Shaen

Have a Library Fine...?

Take care of it before the New Year gets here!  We're still accepting "Food for Fines" at the front desks of all Ozark Regional Libraries!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Just a Reminder...

Just a reminder that the library is closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.  We hope all have a wonderful holiday, and we'll be back in the book business on Thursday, December 26.  See you then!

Image from wimp.com.

Keep reading!

Shaen

Afterschool Programs Week #3: Polar Express Party

Registration is still OPEN for upcoming Winter Afterschool programs, happening at the Ironton, Fredericktown, and Annapolis libraries in January!  A complete schedule can be found in the left-hand column of this blog, or you can call or visit the front desk of your local library to register and get more details.  All afterschool programs are recommended for grade schoolers, grades 1 through 5, although you can check with a library staff member if you have a younger or older child who might like to attend.

Here are some photos from last week's amazing Polar Express party!  After having their souvenir train tickets punched, kids visited the cocoa station, where they doctored up their hot chocolate with flavored marshmallows, chocolate chips, candy canes, and cinnamon sticks.  Then we read Chris Van Allsburg's classic picture book, The Polar Express, played a few rounds of "Conductor Says" (similar to "Simon Says"), and made clothespin reindeer and elf ear hats to take home. 

It's a wintertime classic!

Working on the first craft.

Coloring clothespin reindeer.

Getting ready to make elf ear hats at the Ironton Library.

A packed house at the Fredericktown Library!

Elf ear hats!!!  These kids did such a great job!

And don't forget!  If you live near one of the Ozark Regional libraries that don't have any afterschool programs scheduled- this includes Ste. Genevieve, Cuba, Steelville, Bourbon, and Viburnum branches-, you can still join in on the fun by picking up one of three take-home craft kits available at the front desk of your local library!

You can choose from three different take-home craft kits: a paper chromatrope toy kit, a clothespin reindeer kit, or a paper games (which includes materials to play pen-&-paper games like Hangman) and paper airplanes kit.

Call your library with any questions about our series of Winter 2013-14 Afterschool Programs, or send us an email through the Youth Department blog!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Afterschool Programs Week #2: Oh, Pioneer

Registration is still OPEN for upcoming Winter Afterschool programs, happening at the Ironton, Fredericktown, and Annapolis libraries in January!  A complete schedule can be found in the left-hand column of this blog, or you can call or visit the front desk of your local library to register and get more details.  All afterschool programs are recommended for grade schoolers, grades 1 through 5, although you can check with a library staff member if you have a younger or older child who might like to attend.

Even though the weather has definitely been a factor the last few weeks, we've still had great crowds for our afterschool programs, including this week's Polar Express Party and last week's Oh, Pioneer follow-up!  See pictures from the second week of the Oh, Pioneer program below (next week, we'll catch you up on the Polar Express pics!).

Playing a clothespin drop game during last week's Oh, Pioneer follow-up.

Making spinning chromatrope toys and tin punched tree ornaments.

Working diligently to get the craft just right!

Chromatropes at the Fredericktown branch!

And don't forget!  If you live near one of the Ozark Regional libraries that don't have any afterschool programs scheduled- this includes Ste. Genevieve, Cuba, Steelville, Bourbon, and Viburnum branches-, you can still join in on the fun by picking up one of three take-home craft kits available at the front desk of your local library!

You can choose from three different take-home craft kits: a paper chromatrope toy kit, a clothespin reindeer kit, or a paper games (which includes materials to play pen-&-paper games like Hangman) and paper airplanes kit.

Call your library with any questions about our series of Winter 2013-14 Afterschool Programs, or send us an email through the Youth Department blog!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Patron Poetry!

We have another great patron contribution to the blog today (just in time to get you in the mood for all this wintry weather we're having)- an original poem written by Brianne Cooper!  You can find the text of her poem below, in italics:

Huzzah for Brianne!  We love our young readers and writers here at the library!

On a Cold, Blustery Evening
By Brianne Cooper

On a cold, blustery evening,
I see footprints in the snow.
The footprints of a large animal,
I can tell by how deep they go.
The footprints, I think,
Of a deer must be.
I hear a crunch,
I turn to see,
The leaver of the footprints
Staring at me.
There was the deer,
A buck, with points numbering ten.
A prize most sought
After by men,
But tonight he has nothing to fear
This most cold, blustery evening of the year.

Keep reading!

Shaen

Patron Book Review: The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Ozark Regional has the best patrons!  River Blount, one of our favorite young guys from the Ironton Library, recently read The Thief, the first book in Megan Whalen Turner's popular The Queen's Thief series, and wrote a fantastic review of the book for you to enjoy.

That's River!

Click on the book review image above to bring up a larger screen.

Keep reading!

Shaen

Afterschool Programs Week #1: Oh, Pioneer

Registration is still OPEN for upcoming Winter Afterschool programs, happening at the Ironton, Fredericktown, and Annapolis libraries throughout the months of December and January!  A complete schedule can be found in the left-hand column of this blog, or you can call or visit the front desk of your local library to register and get more details.  All afterschool programs are recommended for grade schoolers, grades 1 through 5, although you can check with a library staff member if you have a younger or older child who might like to attend.

The first week of programming has been a blast so far, as we've delved into pioneer life by playing games and making crafts!

Playing a stick pull game (similar to Tug of War!).

Reading instructions for how to make the "cup-&-saucer" string shape.

Practicing the "hand catch" string game.

Several of our finished yarn people at the Fredericktown branch.

More yarn people (actually, I think it's a yarn octopus on the right!) at Ironton.

Also, a huge THANK YOU to our amazing Arcadia Valley Key Club teen volunteers, who recently donated their time to help us prepare 225+ craft kits that got sent to our remaining five library branches without physical Afterschool programs scheduled this season: Ste. Genevieve, Cuba, Steelville, Bourbon, and Viburnum.  If you're a patron at any of these five branches, stop by the front desk anytime this month or next to pick up your choice of three fun craft kits to take home with you!

You can choose from three different take-home craft kits: a paper chromatrope toy kit, a clothespin reindeer kit, or a paper crafts (which includes materials to play pen-&-paper games like Hangman) and paper airplanes kit.

Key Club Volunteers.

Call your library with any questions about our series of Winter 2013-14 Afterschool Programs, or send us an email through the Youth Department blog!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Annapolis Library Afterschool Program Cancelled for Today

It's probably pretty obvious to anyone watching the swirling snow outside their window right now, but the Annapolis Library's Oh, Pioneer Afterschool program that was to be held at 3:30 pm this afternoon is cancelled.  But don't worry!  You can still attend the second week of the Oh, Pioneer program next Friday at Annapolis.  Everyone be safe if you have to get out in the weather!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Christmas in the Valley Story Time

Thanks to Miss Michelle and a whole host of enthusiastic kiddos and families, our Christmas in the Valley story time this past weekend was a huge success, with nearly fifty participants attending!  Check out the photos below as proof of all the merriment (plus get a peek at the festively-decorated Youth Area at Ironton!):

 

 

 

Keep reading!

Shaen

Books Into Movies...

I just realized there are a TON of great teen books being made into movies (or that are recently out in theaters)!  Below, you can find trailers for a few of our favorites at Ozark Regional: Catching Fire (based on book two of Suzanne Collin's The Hunger Games series), The Book Thief  by Marcus Zuzak, and Divergent (based on book one of Veronica Roth's Divergent series- this one's coming out in March!).  And remember, stop by your local library to read the series before checking out the big screen version!

 

 

 

 

 



Keep reading!

Shaen

Give the Gift of Food This Holiday Season!

Keep reading!

Shaen

(Flashback) Pulled From the Vault- Thankful Turkey

Happy Thanksgiving!  In case you're looking for an easy kitchen-table craft to keep the kiddos occupied before the big meal, here's one we've pulled from vault for you that will remind everyone to keep a grateful heart and a smiling face today!

Thankful Turkey
Supplies Needed:
-paper lunch bag
-construction paper in fall colors (red, yellow, orange, brown) or white paper and markers
-scissors
-pencil
-stapler (younger kiddos: use the stapler with adult supervision!)

Craft Steps:
1) Open up your paper bag, roll down the top a few times, and staple the opening shut.
2) Cut out four or five feathers from construction paper.  Have your child write down simple things he or she is thankful for on these feathers (i.e. Mom, Dad, pizza, my bike, my baby brother, etc.).  Staple the feathers to the back of the bag.
3) Draw a simple turkey head on the front of the bag.  If you think you might need a little artistic help, check out these cute turkey head and feather printable patterns from Kaboose!
4) Use your gorgeous gobbler as a handmade centerpiece or a coffee table decoration.  It might even start some conversations among the grownups about all we have to be thankful for!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Christmas in the Valley at Ozark Regional Library

 

Get in the holiday spirit with our upcoming Christmas in the Valley program, to be held at the Ironton Public Library on Saturday, November 30, from 2-4 pm in the conference room.  We'll welcome Christmas with classic stories, light refreshments, ornament making, and lots of fun!  This program is great for families to attend together, and is open to all age ranges.  Hope to see you there!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Announcing... A Flurry of Fun Afterschool Programs for the 2013-14 Season!

Registration is now OPEN for our upcoming Winter Afterschool programs, happening at the Ironton, Fredericktown, and Annapolis libraries throughout the months of December and January!  A complete schedule can be found in the left-hand column of this blog, or you can call or visit the front desk of your local library to register and get more details.  All afterschool programs are recommended for grade schoolers, grades 1 through 5, although you can check with a library staff member if you have a younger or older child who might like to attend.

And if your Ozark Regional branch isn't included in the program schedule, don't worry!  Your library will be receiving a giant box of craft kits in the next few weeks!  You can pick up any of four different craft kits at your convenience during the months of December and January, and take the materials home with you to make chromatrope toys, clothespin reindeer, paper airplanes, and more!

Call your library with any questions, or send us an email through the Youth Department blog!

Keep reading!

Shaen

A Little October in November!

Well, this post might be a little belated, but at least it's not as behind (or ahead of the curve, depending on how you look at it!) as Christmas in July!  Enjoy these pictures from Ozark Regional Library's second annual Halloween event, this year in collaboration with the Mountain Echo, the Iron County Courthouse, and a variety of other community-minded organizations across the Valley region. 

This year, staff members from Ozark Regional Library (including Connie Reed, Michelle Swane, and Pat Lewis) handed out candy and library information to families attending the event.  Patron Jamie Tedford provided free face painting, and other events included pumpkin bowling, an extreme bubble station, and caged animal photo ops.  Over 500 individuals, primarily youth, attended the event this year.  Trunk or Treat will be an annual event sponsored by the Youth Department at Ozark Regional. so we hope to see you for all the fun next October!!!

L to R from top: Our Youth Services van (the staff refer to it as "Vanna White"!) decorated like the fishbowl from The Cat in the Hat, gathering candy, face painting, pumpkin bowling, extreme bubbles, fun photos with friends, more photos, new Youth Department member Pat Lewis with her daughter Callie, posting for pictures.

Keep reading!

Shaen

The Alphabet Train- Week #8 Photos

 

With our finished xylophone craft!

Keep reading!

Shaen

The Alphabet Train- Week #8

Fall Story Time (Week #8)
Weekly Theme: The Letters X, Y, & Z

Books: Zin! Zin! Zin! A Violin by Lloyd Moss, My Heart is Like a Zoo by Michael Hall, Never Ever Shout in a Zoo by Karma Wilsn

Activity: pin-the-stripe-on-the-zebra game

Craft: colored paper xylophone picture

Pictures of the eighth week of story time are up in the next post, so... 

Keep reading!

Shaen

The Alphabet Train- Week #7 Photos

Our Activity Table focused heavily on the letter W this week, as we counted watermelon seeds, made pictures out of wallpaper scraps, and searched for hidden wolf illustrations.

A smiley face from wallpaper scraps at the Ste. Genevieve branch.

Two of our book choices for the week- White is for Blueberry and Wiggle.

We played a raindrop toss game with an upturned umbrella.

Cutting out triangles to make volcanoes.

Busily working on the craft.

Almost done with the crepe paper volcano pictures!

"V" is for "Volcano"!

One happy camper with her finished picture.

Keep reading!

Shaen