Posted in Explore and Discover on June 8, 2021 at 6:00 am
BY CRYSTAL MILLER After the disruption to students’ lives and school year trying to adapt to online, hybrid, or homeschooling learning models (sometimes all three), your student may benefit from some tutoring over the summer. Even if your student thrived in the new online or hybrid environments, when kids and teens continue to read, […]
Tags: brainfuse, helpnow, kids, online tutoring, summer learning loss, summer slide, teens, tutoring
Posted in Explore and Discover on June 3, 2021 at 6:00 am
BY ALISON JOHNSON From black licorice doughnuts to the Cronut (doughnut made from croissant batter), everyone can find a favorite. Even savory doughnuts exist for those who don’t have a sweet tooth. Tomorrow is National Doughnut Day, the first Friday in June! You could celebrate by eating a doughnut, reading about doughnuts, and by doing […]
Tags: adults, books, chapter books, children, cookbooks, donuts, doughnuts, fiction, kids, murder mystery, picture books, reading, recipes
Posted in Explore and Discover on June 2, 2021 at 6:00 am
By Abra Cole Have you found art out in the wild? If you’ve spied some art while out on a walk in your neighborhood, at a bus stop, or on a chair in a café, then you have probably found the kind of art I’m talking about. If not, keep your eyes open for the […]
Tags: adults, art, art abandonment, botjoy, craftivism, creativity, found art, guerilla art, kids, kindness rocks, little art gallery, painted rocks, random acts of art, sharing, social, teens, warmth drops
Posted in Explore and Discover on May 12, 2021 at 6:00 am
BY CAITLIN WHEELER In 2018, I started working at the Otis Orchards Library just as I was also desperately trying to fit exercise into a routine laden with reading books, making art, and crafting. My drive to Otis Orchards took me over the Harvard Road Bridge, where a Centennial Trailhead happened to sit just three […]
Tags: adults, adventure, birds, books, conservation, county hikes, dogs, explorer, Families, flowers, hiking, kids, microadventure, microadventures, nature, outdoor, outdoors, picnic, reading, STEM, trees, walking
Posted in kids, Parents and Teachers on May 4, 2021 at 6:00 am
BY RACHEL EDMONDSON This month is a time to celebrate the history, traditions, and cultural contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). You’ll find great digital reads to celebrate AAPI authors on OverDrive. I also share two lists of picture books and chapter books that you can check out from the library. FIRST, A […]
Tags: aapi, Asian American, books, chapter books, kids, kids books, Pacific Islander, parents, picture books, reading, stories, teachers
Posted in Explore and Discover on March 31, 2021 at 7:00 am
BY CRYSTAL MILLER April is a month that brings the hope of warmer weather and a time to take stock of our surroundings to see how they’ve weathered through the winter. Lots of us are inspired to spring clean our homes, clear out the garage, and look with fresh eyes at our finances. April is […]
Tags: adults, budgeting, financial literacy month, financial planning, fraud, investing, kids, Money Smart Week, parents, piggy bank, scams, spend or save game, teens
Posted in News on February 22, 2021 at 6:00 am
BY GWENDOLYN HALEY You may have already checked out the Ready for School with STEM kits for younger children (ages 3–5) from the library. Or perhaps you’ve borrowed our Snap Circuits set for elementary school students. We have heard positive reviews from library customers for both of these kits. In response, we are pleased to […]
Tags: activities, books, elementary, engineering, kids, math, parents, science, STEM, students, technology
Posted in Explore and Discover on February 17, 2021 at 9:00 am
BY ABRA COLE Gardening season is fast approaching. Whether you’re planning your second or first pandemic garden, or if you’ve been gardening for years, the library is here for you! Late winter is an ideal time for garden planning. It may be too early to start seeds in the still-frozen soil, but it’s not too […]
Posted in Parents and Teachers on January 28, 2021 at 6:00 am
BY MELISSA RHOADES Children are naturally creative and tend to display expansive imaginations. It’s even a stereotype that our imaginations blossom when we’re young and get socialized out of us as we grow into adulthood. Pablo Picasso is famously quoted as saying: “Every child is an artist. The problem is staying an artist when you […]
Tags: books, childcare, creativity, early learning, grandparents, imagination, kids, parents, picture books, reading, teachers
Posted in Parents and Teachers on January 21, 2021 at 6:00 am
By Sheri Boggs NPR recently re-ran a podcast from last year on what to say to kids when the news is scary. Given how 2020 went, this piece is remarkably even more pertinent now, and the tips offered are still helpful: limit kids’ exposure to the news, give them time to talk about what they’ve […]