Kent District Library (MI)'s Blog, page 113

Contest: Share Your Story and Win!

How has KDL helped bring your family together?

We hear stories all the time — about the Kentwood grandfather who bonded with his granddaughter when her brother faced a life-threatening illness, the Belmont mother who has taken her young children on virtual trips around the world through books and programs, and the Caledonia mom who loves that she can provide her daughter with “a constantly changing library of books at home without having to purchase a single one.” Now we want to hear from you.

What’s your story? Tell us by 5:00 PM on Monday, July 22 by filling out the form here. All those who submit a story will be entered in a drawing for a $25 gift card to Schuler Books & Music. (Notes in the comments section are welcome, but will not be considered for the prize). Entries also may be shared on KDL’s Share Your Story page.

 

Winning Artwork on Display in Kent City

Kent District Library welcomes the opportunity to partner with local schools and organizations. The Tyrone Township branch recently teamed up with Kent City Elementary, Algoma Christian School and the Kent City DDA to present a Summer Reading Art Contest. Area students submitted art based on the theme “Reading and Libraries,” and two entries received the top prize and are displayed on banners outside of the Tyrone Township branch.

Congratulations to Hunter and Kylie, the winning artists!

 

 

 

Local Indie Spotlight: J. Scott

My overall impression after listing to Unconventional Vol. 1 is that the production of the album is very high-end and the beats are creative and catchy. It is not your traditional rap CD, which might help explain the title of the album, where the rapper is typically bragging about fast cars or money. Instead, this CD gives great insight into who J. Scott is and the trials and tribulations he’s had growing up and that he currently faces with fatherhood. His voice reminds me a lot of Obie Trice, but J. Scott doesn’t deliver his rhyme style in the same way. He has lots of great samples that were used in crafting the beats and is well worth a listen. Any fan of local hip hop and rap should give the album a chance and have a listen to it.

J. Scott’s CD is part of the Local Indie @ KDL collection, housed at the Cascade Township and Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branches. It was created to give independent authors, filmmakers and musicians the opportunity to be added to our shelves and to be featured by staff in order to increase viewers, readers and listeners.

Click here to browse our Local Indie @ KDL collection.

 

 

Early Lit Bits: Learning with Crafts — Popsicle Stick Puzzles

Popsicle Stick Puzzles

Summer is the time for popsicles! Rinse off those wooden popsicle sticks (or buy wooden craft sticks) to create your own picture puzzles. Puzzles can be stored in sandwich bags to take along on summer vacations. Solving puzzles allows children to develop fine motor skills and concentration skills such as matching and sorting. It also helps develop language skills as children listen, follow instructions and talk about what they are doing.

Materials:

Wooden Popsicle Sticks (or craft sticks)
Glue
Pictures cut from a magazine or printed from a computer
Scissors

 To Make:

Cut the picture into narrow strips the width of Popsicle sticks and glue a section of the picture onto each stick. Store dried sticks in a baggie or plastic container.

To Use:

Put the sticks together to reform the picture.

Other Ideas:

Print off large letters from a computer and make letter puzzles. Make puzzles for items of differing colors and scramble the puzzle pieces together so that children need to sort colors apart and then complete each color puzzle. Try writing the name of a color on the end of several wooden sticks. Make sleeves out of felt in corresponding colors. Have children “put the popsicle on the stick” and match the color of each sleeve with the color name written on each stick.

-Anjie G.

 This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

KDL Top Ten – 7/5/2013

See what everyone else is reading and watching! Click on the link to the KDL Top Ten List. These are 10 of the most checked-out items at KDL this week!

 

2013 Andrew Carnegie Award Winners

The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction were established in 2012 to recognize the best fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. the previous year.

Congratulations to Richard Ford and Timothy Egan, 2013 winners of the Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction! Richard Ford won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction for his novel Canada. Timothy Egan won the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction for his book, Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher: The Epic Life and Immortal Photographs of Edward Curtis.

            

Holiday Closing — Independence Day

All Kent District Library branches will be closed Thursday, July 4 for Independence Day. We will resume normal operating hours on Friday, July 5. For additional 2013 holiday closing information, please view our holiday closings page.

We appreciate your patronage and wish you a Happy 4th of July!

 

Flutter Away with a HAPPY Read

July is such a wonderful month… the butterflies are back!  Set your heart aflutter with these tempting butterfly-themed titles for the whole family.

For Adults: Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver

Tired of living on a failing farm and suffering oppressive poverty, bored housewife Dellarobia Turnbow, on the way to meet a potential lover, is detoured by a miraculous event on the Appalachian mountainside that ignites a media and religious firestorm, changing her life forever.

For Teens: Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett 

In 1980s Australia, nearly 14-year-old Ariella “Plum” Coyle fears the disapproval of her friends, feels inferior to her older brothers and hates her awkward, adolescent body. But when her glamorous neighbor befriends her, Plum starts to become what she wants to be–until she discovers her neighbor’s ulterior motive.

For Kids: Touch a Butterfly: Wildlife Gardening with Kids by April Pulley Sayre 

Turn your garden into a hummingbird hotspot, a haven for butterflies and a thriving ecosystem that will delight and inspire the young and young-at-heart.

For the Family: Attend the Butterfly Bonanza held at multiple KDL branches.

Michigan Butterflies of Jenison is on tap to teach about the beautiful Monarch butterfly. You’ll see up close how they develop from caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly and why they are a big part of the Michigan wildlife scene.

 

Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas

Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas is one of the best books I’ve read on the subject of Christian marriage.  Yes people, I know I’m not married, but I like to study the institution. Should we not study about “preparing for the battle” before the battle actually begins (in theory)? This book will shine a different light on how we look at our spouses, friends and families.  I highly recommend this to anyone who is getting married, those who are in a Christian marriage and even us single gals.

 

Free Computer & Technology Classes

Whether you’re a computer novice or looking to update your skills, KDL’s free computer classes can help you learn something new! Registration opens today for our August classes:

Digging into Your Past: Online Genealogy Research

(Bring Your Own Laptop) (pre-registration not required)
Gadgets: B.Y.O. eReader & Tablet Users Group

(pre-registration not required)
Internet: Getting Started on Craigslist

(Bring Your Own Laptop)
Internet: Wikipedia Editors Meet-Up
Microsoft Excel Basics I, II & III
Microsoft PowerPoint Basics
Microsoft Word Basics I, II & III
Speak to a Geek (pre-registration not required)

For class descriptions and schedule, please see our brochure or search our events calendar.

Unless otherwise noted, pre-registration is required and will begin the month before the scheduled classes on the first Monday of each month for KDL cardholders and the second Monday for non-KDL cardholders (if space is still available):

August classes: Registration begins Monday, July 1 for KDL cardholders

(Monday, July 8 for non-KDL cardholders)

To register, please call 616-784-2007.