Kent District Library (MI)'s Blog, page 65

A Little Help Means A Lot

KDL Gives Back: Pine Rest Mother and Baby Postpartum Depression Treatment Program

During the month of May, all 18 KDL branches will participate in the collection of wish list items including baby care supplies (diapers, wipes, new infant toys) and items for mothers (journals, slippers, lotion, gas cards). A list of additional requested items can be found here.

Thank you — our KDL Gives Back effort has shown us we’ve got the most compassionate patrons anywhere!

 

Calling All Teen Volunteers!

Do you like helping out and meeting new people? Do you want volunteer experience (which looks great on resumes and college applications) and the satisfaction of knowing that you helped promote reading and literacy in your community?

KDL is looking for volunteers to sign up for the Teen Crew this summer. If you are a teen entering grades 6 to 12 in the fall and you are self-motivated and reliable, the library might be the place for you. As a volunteer you will have the chance to help our staff with various duties including children’s programs, putting books away, signing-up people for the summer reading program, crafts and much more! Stop by your local KDL branch to pick up a teen crew application today; spaces fill quickly for this great opportunity.

Orientations will be held:

Wednesday, May 14, 6:30 PM – Sand Lake/Nelson Township Branch

Thursday, May 15, 5:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch

Saturday, May 17, 10:30 AM – Alpine Township Branch

Monday, May 19, 4:00 PM – Krause Memorial Branch

Monday, May 19, 4:30 PM – Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch

Monday, May 19, 6:00 PM – Walker Branch

Tuesday, May 20, 4:00 PM – Byron Township Branch

Tuesday, May 20, 4:00 PM – Walker Branch

Tuesday, May 20, 4:00 PM – Wyoming Branch

Tuesday, May 20, 6:30 PM – East Grand Rapids Branch

Wednesday, May 21, 4:00 PM – Gaines Township Branch

Thursday, May 29, 4:00 PM – Caledonia Township Branch

Saturday, May 31, 2:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch

Tuesday, June 3, 7:00 PM – Plainfield Township Branch

Saturday, June 7, 10:00 AM – Spencer Township Branch

Saturday, June 7, 11:00 AM – Englehardt Branch

Tuesday, June 10, 12:00 PM – Cascade Township Branch

 

Hunger Games eBooks Now Available!

At long last, this crazy-popular series has been released in eBook format.  Click here to check out or place a hold on a copy today — we know you’ll think it was worth the wait!

                     

In addition, Scholastic has made many other popular titles from classic series like Goosebumps and The Baby-Sitters Club available for public libraries. Visit our eBook site today to check them out!

 

KDL Director Honored by Alma Mater

KDL Director Lance Werner was honored recently as the 2014 recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Wayne State University’s School of Library and Information Science.

KDL Director Lance Werner, center, with Sandy Yee, Dean of the Wayne State University Library System; and Stephen Bajjaly, Associate Dean.

The award, given annually since 1989, is presented to a graduate who has “made outstanding contributions to the library and information science field (and) recognizes those who have achieved distinction in the profession based on job performance, service, publications or other relevant professional activity.”

As one nominator described Werner, “[He] is a leader who truly embodies the mission of Wayne State University to excel in an increasingly complex and global society.”

Under Werner’s directorship, KDL earned Library Journal’s Star Library status three years in a row, was awarded the Excellence in Business award from the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce and earned Library of Michigan Foundation’s Citation of Excellence for superior customer service, among other accolades.

A 2004 graduate of Wayne State, Werner has been director of KDL — the second largest library system in Michigan — since 2011. Previously, he was the director of the Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI) and the Library Law Specialist at the Library of Michigan. During his tenure at KDL, he has helped the library grow the largest and most popular eBook and eAudiobook collection of any library in Michigan.

Werner currently serves on the State Bar Committee for Libraries, Legal Research and Legal Publication and is vice president of the Lakeland Library Cooperative Board of Trustees. He is also the immediate past president of the Michigan Library Association. Additionally, he serves on the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce Committee for Workforce and Education.

 

Early Lit Bits: Book Review — “Nest”

Nest by Jorey Hurley

Robins are a welcome sign of spring, and this simple picture book is a wonderful way to explore these birds with your child. Hurley writes just one word per two-page illustration, taking the reader from nest, to egg, to flight, then back to nest again. Talk with your child about what robins do each season as you read together. What things do you like to do in spring, summer, fall and winter? Identify the letters you see on each page and talk about the season each picture portrays. Look out your window and see if you spy a robin. Talking together is a great way to increase vocabulary and gets your child ready to read!

–Liz W. at KDL’s Plainfield Branch

 

 

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 — Home DIY

Get handy with this week’s Top Ten.  These are 10 of the most popular titles in KDL’s Home DIY section this month:

And if you like this list, but can’t get to the library, visit KDL’s downloadable magazine service Zinio.  There you’ll find popular DIY magazines like Family Handyman to give you some step-by-step home improvement inspiration.

 

 

New Adult Booklists

Spring is finally here and KDL has put together some great new booklists for your enjoyment:

American Wars of Manifest Destiny
Complementary Healing Modalities
Goodreads Choice Award Winners
The Hard-Boiled Detective
Inspirational Suspense
Mount Everest

 

Walker Branch Closing Early on 4/26

The Walker Branch will close early on Saturday, April 26 for carpet cleaning. The branch will close at 3:00 PM instead of 5:00 PM. The branch will reopen on Monday, April 28 at 9:30 AM. We apologize for any inconvenience!

 

Teen Books to Movies

If you’ve tried to get a copy of Divergent recently, you know that there are tons of holds. So here is your chance to get ahead of the game on the books that are being released as movies this year:

by John Green (June)
The Giver by Lois Lowry (August)
If I Stay by Gayle Forman (August)
The Maze Runner by James Dashner (September)
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins (November — part 1)
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien (December — part 3)

         

 

KDL by the Numbers

Did you know…

On a typical day in 2013, over 8,000 people visited KDL branches, checking out over 16,000 items
Our staff also answered almost 2,500 questions every day!
Over 400,000 eBooks and eAudiobooks were downloaded in 2013 – a circulation figure that outpaced 12 of our 18 branches!

For these statistics and more, check out the 2013 Fact Book and Annual Report. The Fact Book is a full publication of KDL information from the past year, while the Annual Report is a shortened “Cliff’s Notes” brochure version. Check them out not only for the hard numbers, but also for a nice summary of all the KDL programs, resources, initiatives and achievements from last year, as well as a financial breakdown of revenue and expenditures.