Make Stuff.

Now that school has been out for a week, do you notice your hands are…itchy? I don’t mean like you got too many mosquito bites, I mean itching to DO something! Put them to good work at our Maker Days this summer!

Maker Days are a chance for you to exercise your hands and imagination to craft something wonderful and useful. Crafts are not just for looking at, or hanging on the fridge and then forgetting about. Think about all the ways you hear the word “craft” used and you’ll know what I mean: people talk about handicrafts, craftwork, working at a “craft” by which they mean working at something that takes patience and dedication. So there is nothing boring or juvenile about crafts!

Yarn mache bowl. Image from: http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/2011/03/etceteras-yarn-bowl.html

Check out the first Maker Day on Thursday, June 27 at 2:30 p.m. where we will craftransform (craft-transform) ordinary string into beautiful things!

Cover Blindness

What is cover blindness? Don’t you mean, “color blindness”?

No, I mean COVER blindness! This summer, YA books have banded together to ask you to ignore all the clues you usually rely on to pick books. The YA books decided they wanted you to try being “cover blind”: choose them based NOT on their cover art. You can’t see what book lies within the confines of the envelope until you check it out and take it home. Okay, you can open it in the library – but ONLY after  you’ve checked it out and made the commitment!

Challenge yourself to go beneath the surface of book covers and possibly discover a great book you might not otherwise have picked up! All the cover blind books either feature a question that is at the heart of the book, or a one-sentence summary or hint of what the book is about. You choose which one speaks to you!

Summer (Reading) is Here!

Ahhh, summer. The best time of the year!

It’s time now to start planning your summer. Let the Library help: we’ve got a whole bunch of super awesome stuff going on this summer, all of which you are invited to attend even if you don’t sign up for Summer Reading.

But, you might as well sign up for Summer Reading because it is a super easy way to cross something off your list this summer (namely: keeping on top of reading so you keep on top of school next year) plus earn some sweet coupons and the chance to win some cool stuff.

Everything you need to know about Summer Reading and summer events has been thoughtfully packaged into a handy bright blue calendar, available at the library, plus you can check it out on the Summer 2013 events page. Oh yeah, if you’re in the neighborhood (virtually), check us out at facebook.com/ShorewoodLibrary and twitter.com/ShorewoodLib for lots more info about all the haps this summer.

Trick or Treat!

Tomorrow is Halloween in April!Join us if you dare…

Spring Break boredom buster

It’s Spring Break! If you aren’t among the lucky folks who get to take a trip, you might be looking for something fun to do. That’s where we come in!

Wednesday, March 27 from 2-4pm come to the library where we’ll be making tons of upcycled art, including these awesome book animals (picture above, of course)! This guy is a hedgehog, but you can make yours into whatever type of small creature suits your fancy. Make a something useful out of an old VHS cover (like a box to hold secrets), something beautiful out of pop tabs and old CDs (like a windchime or just a glittery mobile), or just plain art.

Bonus: can’t make it? The instructions for creating a book animal can be found here: Book Hedgehog Folding Instructions (PDF).

IMPORTANT JOHN GREEN ANNOUNCEMENT

It has come to my attention that there is an awesome live stream event happening on January 15th with author John Green to celebrate one year since the publication of arguably his most famous book, The Fault in Our Stars.

7pm Eastern, 6pm Central.

Learn slightly more here:
http://fishingboatproceeds.tumblr.com/post/39752611431/penguinteen-updated-post-weve-added-events

Shorewood High School student Nerdfighters have requested we (the library) help host the live-stream event by providing a venue.

SOOOOOOO:

Tuesday, January 15, 5:45 p.m.

Village Center Meeting Room

Live stream w.John Green begins at 6:00 SHARP.

Bring your friends, your food, your awesomeness.

Nerdfighters: you have been notified!

Reminder: John Flanagan is here TOMORROW

Just a reminder that John Flanagan will be at Shorewood Library at 6:30 pm tomorrow, Thursday, November 8th. Read more about Flanagan here.

Come get a book (or two) signed, hear all about his writing, stories, and newest book, and possibly win a free autographed book!

It’s going to be a lot of fun, and it’s going to be busy so get here early to get a great seat. It’s in the Village Center meeting room on the lower level of the library building.

Hope to see you there!

Teen Happenings this Fall

Have you seen the Fall 2012 Events page on our website? Check it out to learn more about what’s going on at the library for teens this Fall! There have been updates in the last week, with more fun planned for the month of October. Here are some highlights:

Next Thursday, October 18th, TAB members and myself, the teen librarian, will host an informational meeting for people interested in seeing what TAB is all about. From 6-7:00pm, we’ll answer your TAB questions and let you voice some ideas for making the library a better place!

Book pumpkin making, October 20 at the library.

Stop by the library on Saturday, October 20th to make a pumpkin out of an old book (that we promise is no longer being used), a stick and some glue. No wonderful books will be harmed. And many wonderful pumpkins will be made. From noon to 1:30 pm on Saturday, October 20th, teens in grades 7-12 are welcome to come get crafty at the library.

And finally, on Thursday, November 8 author John Flanagan will be at Shorewood Library! Fans of the Brotherband Chronicles and the Ranger’s Apprentice series will not want to miss out on a chance to meet Flanagan.

Summer 2012

Summer is here!! You can sign up for Teen Summer Reading right now and events start the week of June 11.  Summer events include Tie Dye, Movie Book Group, Hunger Games Book Group and Summer Game Days.  Check out the Events page for more info.

Here’s a printable flyer with info about all the teen summer events.

World Book Night 2012

The first U.S. World Book Night is April 23.  Haven’t heard much about World Book Night?  It’s all about people sharing their love of reading by giving away books.  As a giver you receive 20 copies of a book generously donated by publishers and then you can give them away to light and non-readers.  The library’s Teen Advisory Board is participating in WBN and giving away copies of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.  It’s a tremendous project backed by numerous publishers, bookstores, libraries, and more.  Interested in participating next year?  Check out their website for more info, www.us.worldbooknight.org.