June "REaD, White, and Blue" Blog

 

June is always a busy month at Decatur Public Library and 2023 is no exception. Friday, June 2^nd, we start the Summer Reads season with a drive-thru Kick-off event. We are striving to make getting involved in our Summer Reads program easier than ever. All you have to do is drive through our circle driveway off Cherry Street, on Friday, June 2^nd between 10:00am and 2:00pm, with your children who are 12 and under in the car. We will give you their “Summer Reads prize” immediately. Then all you have to do is download the REAsSquared app on your phone to record all of the books they read this summer. The prize bag will include the directions for downloading the free app, a schedule of all of the fun programs and events we are hosting this summer for little ones, and a book that is theirs to keep forever. It will also include some coupons for free treats from our local partners!

We have some fun,  book-related programs for adult readers too, this month. The Adult Reading Challenge Book Club will meet on Thursday, June 1^st in the Community Room from 12noon to 2:00pm. If you haven’t tried the challenge yet but want to know more, join us for a fun and lively discussion of what everyone is reading to meet the challenge. Then on Saturday, June 10^th, we will host the 2023 Readers and Writers Jubilee from 10:00am to 5:00pm. This year there will be 24 authors in the building hosting classes/panels for readers and writers, as well as selling, signing and discussing books with patrons. The featured speaker this year is USA Today Bestselling Author and NAACP Image Nominee  Beverly Jenkins,  who writes historical fiction, contemporary romance and women’s fiction. Complete details for the program are available at www.myDPL.org/jubilee. We hope you can join us in this FREE celebration of books, reading and writing!

The task for this month is in honor of the Summer Solstice-the longest day of the year. This year’s solstice falls on Wednesday, June 21^st. The June task is to read a book that takes place in one day. It doesn’t have to be the longest day of the year, but all of the action of the book must happen within 24 hours.

Happy Reading!

May "ReAD, WHITE, & BLUE" Blog

 

We stay busy at DPL!  In the last 30 days,  things have gotten a lot brighter in the library. The old light fixtures have all been replaced with LED and the difference is amazing. Come see for yourself.

This next month is packed, too!  We have school tours the first 2 weeks, getting ready for Summer Reads programming, lots of outreach, and final preparation for the Readers and Writers Jubilee on June 10^th.  We hope you can join us for some of the fun in the library this May.

While you are here check out the new non-fiction books in juvenile and adult categories. New materials were made possible in part by Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) funds awarded to the Alabama Public Library Service (APLS) by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and in part to the Friends of Decatur Public Library. Topics in the adult area include: health and wellness, entrepreneurship, careers and vocation, government and civics, personal finance, family and parenting, and world religions. These new materials are on the shelf on the elevator wall facing the public computers. In the Youth Services department you will find new books on these subjects: health and wellness, animals, folklore, and reading skills-including new fiction readers.

This month is a race to get everything ready before the library’s biggest season begins. In keeping with that analogy, the task for the Adult Reading Challenge for May is to read a book that features the Kentucky Derby. The Run for the Roses will happen for the 149^th time on Saturday, May 6^th. The longest continuously running sporting event in the United States, it has something for everyone-beautiful horses, underdogs, gambling, mint juleps and fashion. You can choose to read a non-fiction book and learn about the history of the event or read a fictional tale set at the Derby.

Happy Reading!