July "Reading Eras" Blog

 

We hope you took time to enjoy good food, family, friends, and a firework show for the 4^th of July. The staff certainly enjoyed our holiday as the library was closed Friday (7/4/25) and Saturday (7/5/25). Once you have recovered from the festivities make plans to join us for some free fun at the library.

DPL will host Land to Sea Exotics on SUNDAY, July 13^th from 2:00pm 4:00pm. The library will only be open for this program; there will not be other services available. This program will be held in the main area of the library and is intended for all ages to be able to learn about and get close to wild animals.  The presenters did the program for us last year and the little ones loved it. We had adults who asked why we didn’t do the same type of program for older folks, so this year we decided to use the main area to have room for everyone to come take part in the fun. The program usually has multiple snakes, tortoises, a caiman, and lizards. Please join us for some scaly fun on the 13^th.

The finale for Summer Reads this year will be on Monday, July 28^th, at noon and is all about colors. The Science Guys will be here for the Sensational Science Super Summer Show. The program will be about 45 minutes long and is intended for children ages 3 and up.

Before the June 28^th finale there will be Story Times, Book Babies, LEGO programs, a ballerina, and an author event in the Youth Services room. Our outreach will be in the community this month also. You can find them issuing library cards and giving away books at Wesley Methodist Church on July 17^th from 11am until 1pm. We will also be giving free books to children at the next Once Upon a Saturday event at Delano Park on Saturday, July 19^th from  5:00pm to 7:00pm.  Please join us for any and all of the events DPL will be hosting or attending this July.

If you are taking part in the 2025 Adult Reading Challenge, here is your July task. Read a book that is about a character’s reputation. The definition of reputation is the beliefs or opinions that are generally held about someone. The word comes from Latin reputationem which means consideration.  When looking for a book for this task remember it needs to be about how the main character is perceived.  The book can be about someone  trying to save their reputation from being ruined or it could be about how they came to have a great reputation - or a nasty one. 

Happy Reading!

June "Reading Eras" Blog

 

June is here and that means Summer Reads is in full swing at DPL. Be sure to download the READsquared app to track the books you read this summer.  There is an adult program in the READsquared app; we want everyone to track their reading and earn all the digital badges, not just kids and teens.  There are badges for attendance to certain programs, too. If you need assistance or have questions about the app, please stop by the Marketing and Outreach office and we will be happy to help you get started.

If you haven’t heard, DPL will be hosting the 4^th Readers and Writers Jubilee featuring Lesa Carnes Shaul on Saturday, June 14^th from 11am until 4pm. There will be 20 authors set up on the ground floor of the library, doing meet & greets, selling and signing books, and participating in moderated author panels. The featured author’s book  Midnight Cry: A Shooting on Sand Mountain is a true crime story set in North Alabama in 1951. She will speak on the book and answer questions starting at 3pm in the main area of the library.

The June task for the Adult Reading Challenge is to read a book that has been the basis for a TV series. The book must have been used to create a series not a made-for-TV movie. Some examples that will work would be the Kathy Reichs Temperance Brennan series or James Patterson’s Alex Cross series.  If you have a favorite character, which version do you prefer?  Does the TV series stay true to the personality and character you met when you read the book?

Happy Reading!

May "Reading Eras" Blog

 

This May, make sure you check out the display cases as you enter the library. In the cases by the Cherry Street entrance there is a display of cloth art dolls created by DPL’s Heather Whiteside. The dolls run the gamut from fantastical to flashy fun.

To celebrate Star Wars Day (May the 4^th) there is a collection of Star Wars memorabilia in the 6^th Avenue cases. There are light sabers, figurines, and comic books. There is also a Featured Titles display on the new books shelf of books about Star Wars. Stop by the library this May to see the displays, check out a book or a DVD and visit a galaxy far, far away….

If you have children or know of a child 12 and under, make sure to mark your calendar for Friday, May 30^th, when we will kick-off the Summer Reads program from 10:00am until 2:00pm. Drive through DPL’s circle drive on Cherry Street - with the kids in the car - to receive a free goody bag to get the summer started right. Each bag contains a hardback book (courtesy of our wonderful Friends group), coupons from local businesses who are sponsoring the 2025 Summer Reads program at Decatur Public Library, and a full schedule of all the free fun programs this summer. We have 500 of the bags to give away.

May is the month we celebrate those that serve the red, white, and blue in uniform. May 17^th is designated to honor the men and women who are currently serving our country in one of the branches of our military. May 26^th is Memorial Day and is set aside to remember those who gave their lives in the service to the United States. If you know a member of the military, please extend your gratitude for their service.

The May task is to read a book where the main character is a member of the United States military.  The character can be a current member or a veteran who is no longer serving, but the book needs to have more than just a mention that they once were in the military. They need to still have some connection to the military or use the skills they learned while serving in the course of the book.

Happy Reading!

April "Reading Eras" Blog

 

“April is the cruelest month”, or so Eliot said in the beginning of “The Waste Land”.  Those who love poetry know it is the time to celebrate all things poetic at Decatur Public Library and we have many ways to do that this month. Check out the spine poetry display in the cases as you come into the library. Make sure to pick up a poem to carry and one to share for Poem in Your Pocket Day on Thursday, April 10^th. There are multiple copies of poems to choose from on the tops of the display cases.  Check out the featured books shelf beside the new arrivals for a display of poetry books from the collection. Make sure to pick up a leaf from the plug-in bar in front and fill in two lines from your favorite poem. Leave the leaf in the basket and we will add it to our “poet-tree”.  At the end of the month we will list all of the lines as a single poem on our Facebook page.

There is also a copy of “Paul Revere’s Ride” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on the bar to take. It is part of our celebration of the Two Lights for Tomorrow initiative, which commemorates Paul Revere’s famous ride on April 18, 1775  and America’s fight for liberty and independence. You can find more information about Two Lights for Tomorrow here.

There are also two FYI Series programs this month. The first one is on Wednesday, April 16^th, “Native Plants to Attract Pollinators” presented by Jessie Douglas Taylor. “CSI-K9” will be presented by Leona Conner and K-9 Micha on Wednesday, April 30^th. Both programs will begin at 12noon in the Community Room.

The April task for the Adult Reading Challenge is to read a novel in verse.  There will be a list of books that work for this task in the public lists on our catalog. For this task you will be able to use those juvenile titles that are on the list. We hope this task doesn’t leave you feeling like a tortured poet. If you have questions about if a title works, please email or drop by the marketing and outreach office.

Happy Reading!

 

March: Reading Eras” Blog

 

March with its capricious weather has arrived. Whether it is sunny or chilly, windy or calm, rainy or dry, or any combination at the same time, the library has a book to either enhance the vibe or help you escape it.  We have books to help you get ready to spring into whatever Alabama has to offer next. Our FYI Series returns with a program for you to learn about how to stay safe during severe weather on Wednesday, March 26^th,  from 12noon to 2pm in the Community Room.

March is women’s history month, so while you are here be sure to look for your favorite female author or discover a new one to read. One way to find new authors is to take the Adult Reading Challenge.  Sign up and join us for the monthly ARC Book Club to find out what other people are reading and which clues and tasks their books fulfill. There is always bookish fun at the meetings and room at the table for new members.

The March clue is to read a book about a woman who is fearless. Whether she’s an elected official standing for her constituents or a woman facing down her own worst fears and doubts to accomplish her goals, the character overcomes obstacles to help herself or others.  In the words of Michelle Obama, "There is no limit to what we, as women, can accomplish." This should be an easy task to fill in on your reading log, while learning about a strong woman.

Happy Reading!

February “Reading Eras” Blog

 

It’s that time again, DPL has kicked off the 2025 Adult Reading Challenge for patrons 18 and older.  This year, we’re taking a page out of Taylor Swift’s book and celebrating all of our past Reading Challenges. It’s hard to believe, but we have 12 past challenges to mine for the best clues.  If you haven’t played before, now’s your chance to catch up on all of the past years’ fun at one time!  Adults can sign up anytime we are in the office, most weekdays from 10am ‘til 5pm. If you want to make an appointment to confirm that we will be available, call or email us. Our contact information is at the bottom of this post.

The February task is perfect for Valentine’s Day! Read a romance to celebrate Lovers day. Everyone needs some happy ever after and there is no better place to find it than between the pages of a romance.

Happy Reading!

Marketing and Outreach Office

256-340-5780

StephRhonda@myDPL.org

 

November "Roarin' Reads" Blog

 

It is hard to believe , but we are headed into the holiday season and the end of 2024. Here at DPL the end of the year is always a busy time. In October we hosted 21 in house programs, plus the 43^rd Annual Quilt Show, and took part in 5 Outreach events outside the library.  That was a lot of programming and event participation!  We hope we saw you at some of the in-Library programs and the outreach events, too.

We will kick-off November by participating in Downtown Decatur’s Día De Los Muertos Celebration on Saturday, November 2^nd from 11:00am until 5:00pm. Come see us if you are in the downtown area. This November there will be lots of activities in the Youth Services department and a couple of programs for teens and adults.  Our Friends will host their Holiday Book Fair on Thursday, November 21^st from 2:00 pm to 4:30 pm  and on Friday, November 22^nd from 10:00 am until 4:30 pm.  We would love to see you at any or all of these programs!

This last task for the 2024 Adult Reading Challenge is all treat, no trick!  You are getting it a day early and it is an easy one to boot.  In the 1920s the most popular dog breed was the German Shepherd. For the November task read a book with a German Shepherd as a character in the book.

Don’t forget the deadline to turn in your Reading Log is Wednesday, November 27^th by 6:00 pm. We hope you enjoyed reading books inspired by the Roaring Twenties and will sign up for the Adult Reading Challenge again next year.

Happy Reading!