Friday, December 26, 2014

Swan Song

Many of you already know if you regularly attend library programs or frequent the front desk at Ironton, but I'm going to be leaving the Ozark Regional Library system at the end of this month to stay home full-time with this little guy (who isn't quite so little as this picture shows, as he's now a roly-poly toddler)...


I'll truly miss everyone I've met through the library over the past nine years and feel so privileged to have worked with so many wonderful families.  From the bottom of my heart, thank you to each and every one of you!  I know I'm leaving the Youth Department in great hands, though, as Ms. Pat will be taking over the position full-time, beginning January 1st.

Ms. Pat in her element!


I wish everyone the happiest New Year as we head into 2015.  And as always...

Keep reading!

Shaen

Thursday, December 18, 2014

Just a Reminder...

Just a reminder that the library is closed from Wednesday, December 24 through Friday, December 26.  We hope all have a wonderful holiday, and we'll be back in the book business on Saturday, December 27.

Image from wimp.com.

Keep reading!

Shaen

Friday, December 12, 2014

Winter Afterschool Programs: Week #2 of Painting Sampler Platter Photos

Each participant in Week #2 of the Painting Sampler Platter had the opportunity to check out a variety of art-related books, as well as take home additional information about the artists on whom we focused.
Lots of great art books!
This week's artists included Frida Kahlo and Henri Matisse.
Then we got to business with our own interpretation of each artist's hallmark style.
First, we tried our skills at drawing self-portraits with colored pencils.
The results were unique and beautiful!
More self-portraits at Fredericktown.

Some fantastic landscapes were created, as well.
An amazing product from PSP!
After self-portraits, we created Matisse-like paper collages.
Some kids thought seasonally...
While others adopted a more abstract, but equally eye-catching, approach.
A collaborative collage-in-progress at Ste. Genevieve.




Keep reading!


Shaen

Monday, December 8, 2014

Winter Afterschool Programs: Week #2 of Painting Sampler Platter!

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate with us a bit more this week than last, as we continue our exploration of art in Week #2 of our Painting Sampler Platter Afterschool program!  This week, we'll learn about Henri Matisse and Frida Kahlo and make colorful paper collages and self-portrait sketches.

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!  You can pick up a craft kit at your convenience just by visiting the front desk of your library branch any time during the month of December.

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

Keep reading!

Shaen

Friday, December 5, 2014

Winter Afterschool Programs: Week #1 of Painting Sampler Platter Photos

Artists referenced for the first week of the Painting Sampler Platter included Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock.  Kids could visit the information table for artist bios and art-related take-home activities, as well as for drawing and crafting books to check out.
After a brief introduction to both artists and their style of work, everyone got busy creating!

A Cubist masterpiece.

More wacky fun with Cubism.
Another Picasso-esque piece.
And another gem.
At the Pollock station, kids tried their hands at action painting by flinging, smearing, and dripping paint on their cardstock canvases.
A work in progress.
Look at the gorgeous use of space and color!
Works of art waiting to dry.
A few more creative pieces.
Referencing a different artist, does anyone see shades of a Starry Night...?

And a few more from our Annapolis branch.

This one is called "Messy Cat" :)

Look at the great texture!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Friday, November 28, 2014

Winter Afterschool Programs: Painting Sampler Platter


Come on out of the cold!  Join us for our upcoming Winter Afterschool programs, happening at the Ironton, Ste. Genevieve, Fredericktown, and Annapolis libraries over the first two weeks of December!  This season, we're hosting a Painting Sampler Platter, in which kids learn about different artists and then create their own imitative masterpieces.  The first week of December, we'll explore the techniques of Pablo Picasso and Jackson Pollock, and during the second week, we'll learn about Henri Matisse and Frida Kahlo.

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 your craft kit at your convenience just by visiting the front desk of your library branch any time during the month of December.

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

Keep reading!

Shaen

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Thanksgiving Day Craft Ideas

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone this week!  If you know you'll be busy in the kitchen, keep the kids busy and happy with  one or more of these adorable crafting ideas from the Parents website.

Image from the O'Neil Sisters website.

Keep reading!

Shaen

Monday, November 17, 2014

Rescheduled Steelville and Bourbon Story Time Sessions!

There's still time to get in on one last story time session for the fall season!  If you live in Crawford County, drop by the Steelville Library at 10 am or the Bourbon Library at 1:30 pm this Tuesday, November 18 for our rescheduled giraffe-themed story time (last week we missed due to the Veteran's Day holiday).  Hope to see you then as we close out fall programming!

Keep reading!

Shaen

Friday, November 14, 2014

Wild About Animals- Week #8 Photos

Our giraffe-themed Activity Table featured number placemats, a stick-the-spot-on-the-giraffe game, and animal pattern matching cards (plus, a bonus giraffe book to read!).

A few of our book choices- and a pic of our cute craft!
Our game was giraffe limbo.  We had lots of fun pretending to be giraffes at the watering hole.
For our craft, we patterned our giraffes using fingerprints!
Getting creative with ink stamping.
Working on our craft at the Cuba branch.
At Ste. Genevieve.
One of the most creative giraffes of the week.
Who knew giraffes could stand on their heads??
All of our giraffes were unique- just like our fingerprints!

Wrapping up with some puzzle time.


Keep reading!

Shaen

Monday, November 10, 2014

Wild About Animals- Week #8

Fall Story Time (Week #8)
Weekly Theme: Giraffes

Books: Giraffes Can't Dance by Giles Andreae, A Kiss for Lily by Lia Nirgad

Activity: giraffe limbo

Craft: thumbprint giraffe pictures

Reminder!  All Ozark Regional libraries will be closed on Tuesday, November 11th in observance of Veterans Day.  Story time sessions for the Steelville and Bourbon library branches will be rescheduled for the following Tuesday, November 18, with the same locations and times as normal.

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

Keep reading!

Shaen

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Wild About Animals- Week #7 Photos

This week's Activity Table included goldfish cracker counting, snowball tossing, and a "feed the penguin" color game.
A couple of our week's book selections.
Starting off the story time with our animal ABC matching chart.
For our game this week, we learned how to walk like penguins protecting their eggs.
More penguin games at Cuba!
We had a great crowd at Ironton!

Working on our craft at Bourbon.
Using scissor skills at Ste. Genevieve.
The finished product!
All smiles with our paper tube penguins.
What a great day at story time!

Keep reading!

Shaen