By Donna Clark, Cedar Springs Public Library
October at the library is: Red Flannel weekend at the beginning of the month, the City’s Spook-tacular Event and the Library’s “Nightmare on Cherry Street PJ Party” at the end of the month, with Preschool Storytime on Tuesdays and every other Friday sandwiched in the middle.
The CS Library launched the third “Read to Ride” program for preK-8th graders September 1, partnering again with the Red Flannel Festival and Elliott’s Entertainments. We distributed red reading logs to Cedar Springs area schools—public, private, charter and homeschools via the Internet, Facebook, websites, email and the Library. 154 students read 6 books and “cashed” their reading logs in for their choice of 2 free tickets for a free carnival ride, a bag of popcorn or a hotdog. We are already brainstorming ways of growing this program to attract more participants.
We love promoting our Red Flannel Town, and enjoyed selling the Queen Pageant tickets at the library again this year. The Pageant evening at the Kent was a special evening. We welcome our new Queen and Court, Tinsley Nulph, Samantha McGahan and Kayla Ovokaitys. We look forward to the program they are scheduled to do for our reading program this summer!
The Cedar Springs Public Library and the Cedar Springs Garden Club had a FUNdraising “Perennial Sale” on Red Flannel Day. The Friends of the Library had their annual book sale on the Library grounds from 10 a.m.-4.p.m. It was a very chilly day, with a few sprinkles. Thanks to Phil & Earla Alber and their two tents, we managed to keep the books pretty dry. Around $313 was raised in those 5 hours, including dollars from a quilt raffle sponsored by Friends’ member, Kim Gillow.
On the 3rd Monday of every month the Library’s Book Discussion Club discusses an interesting book at 7 p.m. at the Library. If you want to jump right into November, read “One Amazing Thing” by Chitra Divakaruni. We’d love to have you join us!
We hosted 4-year-olds from the CSPS for their annual “Community Walk” as they visited their local library, fire station, City Hall and others. Mrs. Dault and other staff and parents led the way. Story Time leader, Shannon Vanderhyde met the children and gave them a library tour, followed by a fun story. 35 wee, wiggly ones filled the library for about 20 minutes!
Delightful, spooky–October 28 the Library welcomed 26 area 4th to 6th graders to have a “Nightmare on Cherry Street” in their pjs. Shannon Vanderhyde, Children’s Parapro, initiated several fun games. Director Donna Clark and Rosann Gerhardt, new to the CS staff, shared spooky stories. Everyone clumped together for a fun photo finale to a grand party.
Our City-wide “Spook-tacular” was a great success, as well. Area children trick-or-treated at several main locations downtown and packed in the ‘loot’ as local businesses, Firemen, City and Library staff handed out treats to every ghost, goblin and princess. Among the many great prizes contributed by the local business community, the library donated a “BOOk Basket of Goodies.” Prize winners will fan out this week to collect their prize from its donor.
The Library Board is considering making downloadable audiobooks and eBooks, (from the online Lakeland Library Cooperative website), accessible to the CSPL’s paying patrons. If you are a resident of the City of CS and Solon Township, would you give the library a call (696-1910) or email (ceddc@llcoop.org) and let us know if you would use this service if we buy into it.
Don’t forget that the library has 6 public-access computers and over 22,000 books, movies and books on CD for you to check out all at NO COST. If you would like to join our Friends of the Library group and get involved with fundraising ideas for a new library, call the Library Director for more information. Come on down and check us out!
