Here comes...Olivia!!

Yes, Olivia has been gracing Allen County Public Library locations with her wonderful presence. She will be  in Children's Services, at the Main Library, on Thursday, July 28 at 10:30 a.m. and again on Saturday, July 30 at 2:00 p.m.  Be sure to bring your cameras for pictures!

To see other locations, dates and times where you can meet this world-famous pig in person, click here.

Crafts Around the World

What's a didgeridoo?  Ever heard of Kente cloth?  What about matryoshka dolls?  Visit Children's Services on Thursday, July 21 to learn about AND make these crafts -- and more.  We'll have all the supplies you need, just come and craft away!  We'll have programs from 10:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.

Crafts Around the World is part of One World, Many Stories -- this year's Summer Reading Program for children.  There's still time to participate!  Pick up a time sheet at any library location, or print out your own.

James Coffey LIVE in Concert!

James Coffey -- Live in Concert
We're Travelin' the World!

July 14, 2011

10:30 a.m.

2:00 p.m.

7:00p.m.

Bring your family, a blanket, and sunscreen, and enjoy this great concert
outside on the Library Plaza
at the Main Library.

The James Coffey Concert is part of this year's

 Summer Reading Program: One World, Many Stories
and
is affiliated with the Three Rivers Festival.

 

Have you read to your child today?

Adults -- be sure to pick up a Reading Partners Bookmark and complete at least 6 of the reading activities with your children.  Then, fill out the bookmark and bring it back to the library by July 29, 2011 to be entered into the Reading Partners drawing!  Three $100.00 gift cards will be given away in a drawing, but really, everyone who participates will be a winner, because they will have spent time reading with their children!

Read, read, read with your kids!  Share your childhood favorites with them.   Ask them about their favorite books.  Make up stories with them.  And when they start to learn to read on their own, keep on reading to them!   Need ideas for great books to read aloud?  Ask us! 

Happy 4th of July!

All Allen County Public Library locations are closed today in honor of Independence Day.

 

 

But we'll all be open tomorrow, so come and visit one of our 14 locations -- maybe over the holiday, you can get some extra reading time in, and be ready to pick up your next gift at one of the Summer Reading Program sites shown here!

Roz Puppets Photos

A fun time was had by all when Roz Puppets visited the Allen County Public Library to perform "The Emperor's New Clothes", part of this year's Summer Reading Program!



Have you read the story of the Emperor's New Clothes? Originally written by Hans Christian Andersen, there are many adaptations available. Visit the library soon to check out some out today!

Share Your Stories and Artwork -- Online!

Kids -- have you checked out the library's Summer Reading Program website, yet? You'll find some fun new things there, like...

...stories to read online... (don't forget to keep track of your reading time on your Summer Reading Program timesheet!)

...and a place to write your own stories and submit them to be published online...

...and a place to upload your own artwork that you've created on a computer, or that you've photographed with a digital camera, and submit it to be published online.

We'd love to see what you have to share!

Babies and Toddlers and Books!!

Fridays are exciting days in Children's Services. Why? Because it's Baby & Toddler Storytime day! We have storytime for Babies -- newborn through 18 months -- at 10:00 a.m. on Friday mornings, AND we have storytime for Toddlers -- 18 months through 3 years of age -- at 10:30 and 11:00 a.m.

If you have a baby or toddler, we hope you'll join us for storytime. And be sure to get them started on the Summer Reading Program! Sharing books with babies is important -- and fun!

Roz Puppets are Coming to the Main Library!

This morning at 10:00, the Children's Services department of the Main Library will have a special puppet show featuring the Roz Puppets. The program will be repeated at the Main Library at 2:00 this afternoon and 7:00 tonight. Come and enjoy this creative interpretation as the puppets bring the classic story, The Emperor's New Clothes, to life.

Roz Puppets are traveling around the Allen County Public Library system as part of this year's Summer Reading Program. Want to know dates and library locations for all of their performances? Click here.

Team Read!

Reading through the summer time is important and fun -- in addition to the FREE Summer Reading Program offered at the library, parents will also want to explore Team Read. Team Read is a FREE reading program for children entering 1st - 3rd grade next year. Children are paired up with trained teen reading coaches for weekly summer reading activities.

Team Read runs from June 20 - July 28, 2011.

Fill out an application and turn it in at any Allen County Public Library location to attend the program at the New Haven or Georgetown branch libraries. There is limited space at library locations for this program, so turn in your application early!

Team Read will also be offered at local Boys & Girls Clubs, Old Fort YMCA and several local parks. For more information about Team Read, contact Nancy Magi at 260-421-1260.

We're Counting Down the Days...

...till June 6. That's the day we've been waiting for! The day the Summer Reading Program starts!! Woo hoo!! We can hardly wait!!

Have you checked out the


Summer Reading Program website yet?
You'll find lots of great info there, like WHO can participate, HOW to get started, WHEN things are happening, and WHAT gifts kids and adults can receive. Coming soon, kids will find some fun interactive games and online stories, as well as a place to submit their own stories and artwork!

Gifts? Did I mention gifts? Yes, I did, and here's the scoop:

At Sign-up, children will receive a voucher for a FREE Tincaps baseball ticket.

Upon completing Level One, pre-readers (babies, toddlers and preschoolers) will receive an FREE egg shaker toy; readers (kids who can read on their own) will receive a FREE throw-yo toy!

Upon completing Level Two, children will receive a FREE tote bag!

Upon completing Level Three, children will get to pick out their own FREE book!

Adults may participate as well. Starting Monday, June 6, adults 18 and older may pick up a Reading Partners bookmark, complete 6 of the 14 reading activities with a child, and fill in and return the bottom portion of the bookmark to any library location for a chance to win a FREE $100 gift card to Walmart, Meijer or Target.

It's all about reading! It's all about fun! And it's all happening at the Allen County Public Library this summer! We hope to see YOU and your family!

LEGO Club!

Calling all LEGO fans!
Don't miss LEGO Club in Children's Services at the downtown library!
Come and join other LEGO-loving kids and build to your hearts content.We have lots and lots and lots of bricks, so don't be shy!

Our next meeting is Tuesday, May 24:
10:00 - 11:30 a.m. (for homeschoolers)
3:30 - 5:00 p.m. (for all kids ages 6-11)

Great news about LEGO club -- during the summer,we'll be offering this super-cool program
EVERY WEEK at the downtown library!
Beginning June 15 and continuing through August 17, 2011, LEGO Club will be offered every Wednesday from 2:00-4:00 p.m.
So take some time during the summer to get out of the heat, visit us at the library and have some creative-building fun!

2011 Summer Reading Program

Suspense is building! Preparations are being made! Let the countdown begin for this year's Children's Summer Reading Program:





The summer reading fun starts on Monday, June 6. Watch this video for a sneak preview of what's coming, and look for information soon at a library near you!

Duckapalooza was just ducky!

Here are pictures from one of our Summer Reading Programs, Duckapalooza!

We had a blast and wanted to share the fun! Enjoy!

FotoViewr - Create your 3D photo gallery

Today is the LAST day of the Summer Reading Program

If you have participated in the
Summer Reading Program,
today is the LAST day to
receive your gifts!
The library will be open until 6:00 p.m. today.

DUCKAPALOOZA! TODAY!

We’re having a ducky good time at the library! Can you walk like a duck? Have you ever painted with feathers? Do you know how to make duck soup? Join us as at 2:00 p.m. today in the Children's Services department. We will share stories to quack us up, feathery fun games, and egg-cellent crafts!

Last Week for the Summer Reading Program!

Please remember that this is the last week for our Summer Reading Program!
The last day to pick up your gifts for reading will be THIS Friday, July 30th.
So, read, read, read, read, read!!

Project WET at Main Library

We had tons of fun AND we learned so much about water and why it's important to keep it clean at our Project WET events at the Main Library. Many thanks to our pirate guest, Captain Black Sam Read, and to the Allen County Partnership for Water Quality, for providing such a great program!

If you missed this program or would like to attend again, check here for dates and times this week.

And again: Jim Gill Will Perform on the Plaza!

We cannot believe we get to host the wonderful, fun, amazing and captivating musician Jim Gill at the library! We keep pinching ourselves!! Honestly, this is a musician we dance to regularly in our story times ~ Silly Dance Contest anyone?
Click on the link above to watch Jim in action!

Jim Gill will be at the main library, performing on the plaza for four shows:

Friday July 23 2:00pm AND 7:00pm
Saturday July 24 11:00am AND 1:00 pm

Bubble-ology with Science Central!

Bubbles, Bubbles, Bubbles! Join us as we welcome the folks from Science Central who will be showing us some super-cool stuff about bubbles!

Bubble-ology in Children's Services at the Main Library:
Tuesday, July 20, 7:00 p.m.
Thursday, July 22, 2:00 p.m.

For a complete schedule of Bubble-ology programs, click here.