Gleason Public Library Latest - January 2023

DIRECTOR'S NOTE

Happy New Year! If you are looking for good books to read over the cold winter months, you can always ask the librarians for suggestions, or request a personalized Book Bundle. 

A reminder of our inclement weather policy: If the Carlisle Public School is closed due to snow, the Library will automatically have a delayed opening of 12 noon. Should the weather continue to be hazardous, or if hazardous weather begins later in the day after the Library is open, the Library Trustees will make a decision on library hours and we will post any changes to the regular hours of operation on the homepage at gleasonlibrary.org.

-Martha

INDOOR MINI GOLF FUNDRAISER AT
THE GLEASON LIBRARY
On Sunday, January 22nd, the Gleason will be transformed into a fun, indoor mini golf course! Proceeds will benefit the Gleason's Interior Renovation Project and Gleason Public Library Endowment.

Register to tee off during a 1-hour timeslot between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. (last slot starts at 4 p.m.). Tickets are $15 per person with a cap of $50 per family. Payment at the door by cash or check (made out to "GPL Endowment") preferred, or click here to pay online via Paypal (if Paypal account is in different name than event registration, please note on payment). If you are interested in supporting this event as a sponsor, please click here.

LIBRARY CLOSINGS FOR JANUARY
The Library will be closed on Monday, January 2 for New Year's Day and Monday, January 16 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

MAINTENANCE WORK AT THE LIBRARY IN JANUARY
Work on our planned HVAC ventilation system improvements continues. Some areas of the second and third floors of the Library may be unavailable at times for patron safety during construction. The updated equipment will be more energy-efficient and use sensors to respond to fresh air ventilation needs in the building.

CHILDREN

If you have questions about any of these events, please email [email protected].

MAKE YOUR OWN RUBBER DUCK SOAP
Friday, January 13 | 3:15 p.m.
Celebrate National Rubber Duck Day by making your own Rubber Duck Soap with folk artist Garine Arakelian! Each participant will make their own soapy creation using glycerin-based soap and adding colors, glitter, and scents. Participants will take their soap home, which can be removed from the mold the following day and used right away.

Children MUST be age 8 or older. Due to safety concerns, because the melted soap is hot, a caregiver must be hands-on and actively involved with each child under the age of 12 to help with the project. At the beginning of the workshop an acknowledgement of safety concerns form must be signed by parent/guardian if the participant is under 18 years old. Program starts promptly, no admission is allowed after instructions are given. Click here to register.

This program is made possible by our wonderful Friends of the Gleason Public Library.

TAKE AND MAKE: TINY ART KIT
Friday, January 20 | 10 a.m.
Let's create our own tiny art! Register online for a tiny art kit and pick it up any time between Friday, January 20th and Monday, January 23rd via in-person or curbside pickup. This kit includes a tiny canvas, tiny wooden easel, tiny selection of acrylic paints and a tiny brush. Please feel free to use additional art materials that you have at home on this canvas.

We would love to share your child's wonderful art with our community; we will host a display of the tiny art canvases in our display case in the Children's Room during the month of February. If your child(ren) would like to participate, please drop off their canvas and easel by February 1st in the Children's Room. Make sure to label the back of their canvas with their name.  This craft is for ages 3 and up with help from an adult. Take & Make craft kits are made possible by our wonderful Friends of the Gleason Public Library.

WINTER PRESCHOOL STORY TIME
Tuesdays, January 3 through February 14 | 10:30 a.m.
Join us Tuesday mornings from 10:30 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. for a fun story time. This  event is chock full of interactive stories, rhymes, fingerplays, songs and a small craft. Our story time program, designed for children ages 3 to 6, promotes reading readiness and early literacy skills. Our Winter Preschool Story Time will run weekly through February 21st. Please register for each session individually.  

NATURE CONNECTION STORY TIME
Thursday, January 12 | 10:30 a.m.
Join The Nature Connection as we explore plants and animals and connect with the world around us in new ways—all through nature-based stories and poems! During this monthly 45-minute program for 3–6-year-olds, we will read a seasonally appropriate story followed by a sensory engagement activity. Registration is required; please register for each session individually. Masks are strongly recommended for ages 2 and up.

WINTER CRAFTERNOONS
Wednesday, January 11 | 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Wednesday, January 25 | 3:15-4:15 p.m.
Join us in making a fun hands-on craft at the Library! Winter Crafternoon is for children ages 5 through 10. Please bring a large, old T-shirt to wear as an art smock, as art materials can stain. Registration is required; please register for each session separately by clicking the links above. This program is made possible by our wonderful Friends of the Gleason Public Library.

KIDS' BOOK CLUBS
Come join one of our book clubs for grades 1 through 4 at the Gleason Library. Visit our book clubs page for more information or to register.

1st & 2nd Grade
Wednesday, January 4 | 4 p.m.
Have your first- or second-grader join us at the Gleason Library's 1st & 2nd Grade Book Club! Each month we'll meet in person at the Library to talk about our book of the month. After discussion, we will do a craft, activity or game. This month's book is Mr. Putter and Tabby Spin the Yarn by Cynthia Rylant and copies will be available to check out at the library's circulation desk downstairs. Registration is required; participants only need to register once for the entire school year. If you have any questions about the book club or would like to register your child, please contact Jenn at [email protected] or call 978-369-4898 and ask for the Children's Desk.

3rd & 4th Grade
Thursday, January 12 | 4 p.m.
Have your third- or fourth-grader join us at the Gleason Library's 3rd & 4th Grade Book Club! Each month we'll meet in person at the Library to talk about our book of the month. After discussion, we will do a craft or activity. This month's book is Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman and copies will be available to check out at the circulation desk. Registration is required; participants only need to register once for the entire school year. Your child can join at any time. If you have any questions about the book club or would like to register your child, please contact Tahleen Shamlian or call 978-369-4898 and ask for the Children's Desk.

TEENS

TEEN ADVISORY BOARD
Thursday, January 5| 7 p.m.
Use your voice and help the Gleason Library become even better! The Teen Advisory Board will meet once a month over Zoom to discuss the library, what you think would be most helpful to you as teens, and to talk with your peers about school, what you're reading and/or watching, and life in general. Registration is required in order to receive the Zoom link. This group is for students in grades 9 through 12 and will provide participants with community service hours. If you have any questions, reach out to Tahleen, the Teen Services Librarian.

VIRTUAL TEEN AUTHOR EVENT: MAUREEN JOHNSON (NINE LIARS) IN CONVERSATION WITH JENNIFER LYNN BARNES (THE FINAL GAMBIT)
Wednesday, January 4 | 7 p.m.
Enjoy a special evening with two of the country's top young adult authors as Maureen Johnson (Nine Liars) is interviewed by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (The Final Gambit), in this Zoom webinar. Register directly on Zoom here.

Maureen Johnson is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than a dozen young adult novels, including the Truly Devious series, the Shades of London series, Suite Scarlett, and 13 Little Blue Envelopes. Her collaborative books include Ghosts of the Shadow Market (with Cassandra Clare), as well as Let It Snow (with John Green and Lauren Myracle), which was also a hit feature film on Netflix. Maureen's books have sold more than three million copies worldwide and have been published in more than thirty countries. She grew up in Philadelphia, graduated from the University of Delaware and has an MFA in Writing from Columbia University. Maureen lives in New York City with her husband and dog.

Jennifer Lynn Barnes is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty acclaimed young adult novels, including The Inheritance Games trilogy, Little White Lies, Deadly Little Scandals, The Lovely and the Lost, and The Naturals series. Jen is also a Fulbright Scholar with advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science. She received her Ph.D. from Yale University in 2012 and was a professor of psychology and professional writing for many years.

MIDDLE SCHOOL ART CLASS WITH POP-UP ART SCHOOL: MAKE A DRAGON EYE
Friday, January 20 | 3 p.m.
Who's that peeking out from the cave? Sculpt a dragon eye that's fierce or friendly using a glass eye, air dry clay and metallic paint. This art tutorial for grades 5-8 will be led by Pop-Up Art School. Registration is required as space is limited.

TEEN WEEKEND READING KIT
Friday, January 13 | 10 a.m
Grab a kit that has everything you need for a book-lover's weekend. Each kit will include a random YA novel for you to keep (genres and reading/maturity levels will vary), a craft or activity, a snack, a little bookish accessory, and a hot or iced beverage to make at home. Registration is required to reserve your kit, and pickup will be Friday, January 13 through Tuesday, January 17. These kits are for grades 7-12. Please email Tahleen, the Teen Services Librarian, with any questions.

Teen Weekend Reading Kits are sponsored by the Friends of the Gleason Public Library.

ADULTS

READING POETRY ANEW
Tuesday, January 3 | 10 a.m.
Reading Poetry Anew will meet via Zoom. Please note the change in the starting time—the class will now begin at 10 a.m instead of 10:30 a.m. Please register to receive the Zoom invitation and poem packet by email. All are welcome!

Dip or dive into the pleasures of poetry. This informal course, led by Mary Zoll, will include poetry readings and reactions, discussions of the patterns and techniques used in the poems, and perhaps some intellectual understanding of the poems. This class meets one Tuesday a month. Mary Zoll has published a few poems and read a multitude of poems. 

COMMUNITY BOOK CLUB
Monday, January 9 | 10:30 a.m.
January: Discussion of book choices for 2023
The Community Book Club meets once a month, usually on the first Monday, at 10:30 a.m. via Zoom. Please register to receive the Zoom login information. No commitment required. You don’t even have to have read the book to go to the meetings, but you may come out of the discussion wanting to read it. Sponsored jointly by the COAHS and the Gleason Public Library.

LIBBY AND OVERDRIVE LOG-IN CHANGES
Beginning on January 4, 2023, MVLC library patrons will be required to enter their library PIN/password to access their accounts in the Libby app or on the OverDrive website. If you have any questions or need assistance, contact us at [email protected] or call us at 978-369-4898.

CHECK OUT A PAIR OF SNOWSHOES FROM THE LIBRARY!

Did you know the Gleason Library has pairs of snowshoes in various sizes for you to check out and bring home? Take a look at our Library of Things and reserve a pair! We have sizes for both adults and for children.

Please consider donating to the Friends of the Gleason Public Library to help us bring more great programs and services to the Carlisle community.