It was Nerf Wars: Parents vs. Kids at the Cedar Springs Public Library last week Wednesday, July 6. Twenty kids and eight adults took to the battle field, some dressed in battle attire, and tried to successfully capture as many of their opponents’ balls as possible without being a target. They played three rounds, and each time the kids defeated the parents and took home the win! 

Everyone showed great sportsmanship and had a great time.

By Judy Reed

A Solon Township man has created and donated a beautiful owl to the Cedar Springs Public Library.

Duane Harriman, who loves to work with wood, created this special piece of art, which he named Otis, using a method of art called intarsia. 

The owl, which measures 28 inches across and 19 inches high, is made of various species of wood: blue pine, aspen, alder, wenge, and yellow heart. In all, he is 510 pieces and took about 100 hours to complete. 

Harriman said in write up about the owl that each piece was cut using a scroll saw. Each feather was shaped with a drum sander, then glued together. After all the pieces were shaped and glued, they were attached to a backer board and finished with a clear gel. The colors are all natural. 

Stop by the library, at the corner of Main Street and W. Maple Street, to see Otis, during the library’s open hours Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to noon.

Rep. Mark Huizenga donated a new Michigan state flag to the Cedar Springs Public Library on Wednesday, December 23. 

“Ours was tattered,” explained Library Director Donna Clark. 

It will replace the one donated by Rep. Huizenga in February of this year. 

The photo shows Clark, City Councilor Rose Powell, her grandson Turner Powell, who attends Creative Technologies, and Rep. Huizenga.

The “Wishing Tree” at the Cedar Springs Public Library has been a big help to the library in terms of fundraising for new books.

“Since the idea of a Wishing Tree was thought of by staff person Mary Garner in February, our community library has been blessed with about $900 to spend on books, beyond our meager budget!” noted Library Director Donna Clark.

They have received at least 86 books.

Anyone can participate. Books can be purchased in honor of others as a gift, and their name can even be put inside the cover. To choose a book title, you can either visit the tree at the library, or visit their website, where there is a link to their Amazon wish list for books. Just go to: http://cedarspringslibrary.org/news/online-giving-tree/.

By Judy Reed

The Cedar Springs Public Library, at the corner of Main and W. Maple Streets, is officially back open to the public.

According to Librarian Donna Clark, they are open regular hours, but with a limited capacity. You do not need to make an appointment, but there is a limit of 22 people at a time. Masks are required.

There is a 30-minute limit on computers, a one-hour limit in study rooms, and a short visit time to browse books/dvds. The playroom is closed.

For those who wish to continue using curbside pickup, that is still an option. They will deliver your order right to your car.

Their programs will remain online for now. “We are having a great response to our online programs and Facebook live mini programs,” said Clark.

Readers won’t want to miss the end of summer celebration program that will air online Wednesday, July 29, featuring a prize giveaway and puppeteer event beginning at 1 p.m. See the details on the library ad below.

Libraries gearing up to reopen

Good news! All those library materials that patrons have been holding onto for the last couple of months can be returned soon. Exterior book drops at all Kent District Library locations will open on Monday, June 8. Curbside service, for picking up items, will begin Monday, June 15 and the projected reopen date for limited service in the branches is Monday, July 6. 

KDL is taking this phased approach to reopening, introducing those services that can be immediately provided while staff make adjustments within the facilities to ensure safety and compliance. The most significant changes are required within the library facilities, to move public computers, designate safe-distancing areas and implement additional sanitation procedures. Executive Order 2020-110 states that the library may reopen for public access, subject to the rules governing retail stores described in Executive Order 2020-97 or any order that may follow from it. 

Library patrons are reminded that since KDL is a fine-free library, it is okay to hold onto materials until it’s convenient to return them. With more than 240,000 items currently checked out, book drops may become busy during the first few days, but the library will be ready for returns. Items will be placed in quarantine for three days before being returned to the collection for future checkouts. 

The new curbside service is an easy and safe way for people to pick up checked out materials from the convenience of their car. To use curbside service: 

1.      Visit kdl.org, search the catalog and place items on hold, indicating the branch location for pickup. 

2.      After receiving notification that items are ready for pick-up, visit the branch during normal open hours and park in one of the designated Curbside Pick-up spots. 

3.      Call the number listed on the signs in the parking lot; please have your library card number ready. 

4.      A library staff member will bring the items to the car. 

Details for visiting library branches will be announced shortly before the July 6 reopening date. Check kdl.org for the latest updates. 

The Cedar Springs Public Library is also getting ready to reopen, but has no firm date. “Here we are weeks into our ‘Safe Homes,’ longing for the day we can host you once again in the CS Library!  You are surely wondering WHEN we will reopen. Though there is no official date, we are making plans to reopen in stages, along with KDL and all of our library neighbors in Western Michigan,” said Library Director Donna Clark.

Full Summer Reading Program starting June 8 with registration, reading logs, prizes and programs are all online.  Pick from dozens of prizes with reading points. Story on page 3.

The Cedar Springs Public Library may not be physically open, but they still have a great lineup for their summer reading program, titled Imagine Your Story.

You can watch their fun-filled Launch Day on Facebook Live at 10 a.m. on Monday, June 8. They will be giving away a huge prize basket and going over how to register and fill out your reading log online via a program called  READsquared. Everyone can sign up, from babies to adults.

There are a few changes to the summer reading program including online registration; online reading logs; and you can earn points for reading and put those points towards prizes. There will be virtual events with no registration; and if you attend events you get points towards prizes. The readsquared app is downloadable for phones and other devices. There are in app games and you can create your own avatar and so much more. Register online at http://cedarsprings.readsquared.com.

Check out the ad on this page for a list of virtual programs and events and the various prizes you can win! 

From Donna Clark, Director

We at the Cedar Springs Public Library are working hard to reinvent our famous Summer Reading Program and have it ready to go by our target launch date of Monday, June 8.  There are many challenges we face as a staff and as a community this year, posed by the invisible enemy, COVID-19.  The six-foot rule won’t work with large crowds of excited people, in line to register, grab a free ice cream cup, choose fun programs to attend, and getting a good look at the Prize Wall in the Library.  

The Library will likely not even be open to the public by then.  If so, what will we do for our Summer Readers?

Thanks to the Friends of the Cedar Springs Library, we now have new online registration, tracking resources for reading, and even a way provided to earn points and put them on the prize desired for the Library’s Famous Raffle. This new software, ReadSquared, is now being programmed to host our Reading Program in a very similar fashion as earlier years…just not in person for now.  

You can still attend programs, too, from your phone, your computer or tablet. You can be in a park, in a car, in the woods, at home or away, and still show up for a program. We have a great line-up this year you won’t want to miss. Like you, we miss being together, seeing our friends, hanging out…but we are comforted by the fact that we are in this new day together. We are Cedar Strong.

At some point we will be able to reopen. At first it will likely be curbside service, just picking up an order. The next phase would be letting a few people in at a time to check out, use the computers, make copies, fax, etc. No inside programs at this time yet. We will take one day at a time and see where it leads. Right now, things are happening on our Facebook page, on YouTube and our website.  

So set your calendar for June 8, and join us on our Facebook page for our new Summer Reading program: Imagine your story!

Did you know you could help the Cedar Springs Public Library grow by purchasing a book? And you can even be the first one to read it! 

The library recently set up a “Giving Tree” with front covers of books. Just select a book from the tree and pay for it at the front desk. Your name will be printed inside the book, and your donation is tax deductible. They will let you know when the book arrives, so that you can check it out.

February’s featured genre is romance and inspirational books.

For more info, stop in to the library at the corner of Main and W. Maple Street.

Plan now to enter the “Sweetest Christmas” holiday gingerbread house contest hosted by Double K Farms and the Cedar Springs Public Library.

There will be three categories: 5-8 years; 9-12 years; and a group/family entry. Participants will drop off entries at the Cedar Springs Public Library on Saturday, November 30 between 9 a.m. and noon. Entries will be on display until December 30.

The community will be invited to judge entries December 2 through December 14. Winners will be posted in the Cedar Springs Post and on the Cedar Springs Library’s website on Thursday, December 19, 2019.

Awards will be given to first place participants in each category.

Registration forms are available at the library.

For more information, contact Cynthia Karafa at 616-696-2604 or email her at cindy-k-13@hotmail.com. 

The Quilting, Sewing  & Crafting Group are having fun at the Cedar Springs Public Library. All kinds of projects are being worked on, from making a purse, a tent, and quilts! Anyone can join in, bring a sewing machine, or just watch and pick up tips. Light refreshments and coffee are provided by the group for fun.

Sessions usually run Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to around 4:30 p.m.

November 15 5:30-6:30 p.m. at CS Public Library

The City of Cedar Springs wants to hear what citizens have to say about whether to allow marijuana businesses in the city, and if they do, what type of businesses they would like to see. Citizens can give their input at a public forum/conversation in the Cedar Springs Public Library’s community room Friday, November 15, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

“As I stated following the City’s decision to opt-out in November 2018, the City Council is reexamining their position on allowing marijuana businesses now that the State of Michigan has released their rules governing the businesses,” explained Cedar Springs City Manager Mike Womack.

The Village of Sand Lake rescinded their ordinance on medical marijuana earlier this week, and approved an ordinance allowing up to two marijuana dispensaries in the village. 

“After much discussion, research and deliberation, the Village passed a new ordinance allowing a dispensary,” explained Sand Lake Village President Tracy Quinlan. “We will allow up to two dispensaries that need to be part of a franchise.”

Muskegon also passed an ordinance allowing dispensaries, microbusinesses, and special pot events earlier this month.

Grand Rapids passed an ordinance allowing them earlier this year.

The purpose of the public forum is to discuss the recreational marijuana law and also ask for public input on some of the questions that the City Council members are considering. Womack said the questions he will be asking for the public’s input on include:

1. What types of recreational marijuana businesses/licenses are citizens interested in having in the City? Types include: Marijuana grower, marijuana processor, marijuana secure transporter, marijuana retailer, marijuana safety compliance, marijuana microbusiness, temporary marijuana event, marijuana consumption establishment.

2. Where in the city are citizens interested in seeing marijuana businesses? B-2 Central Business District (Main Street from Muskegon to Maple St.); B-3 Highway business district (Main Street from Maple to 18 Mile Rd); HC Highway commercial (Muskegon from Advanced Auto to US131 and White Creek Ave from Save-A-Lot to White Creek Lumber); I-1 Industrial.

3. How many marijuana businesses should the city allow to open? The city can allow any number between zero and unlimited for each type of business. (See number 1 for types of businesses.)

4. What reasonable (not “Unreasonably Impracticable”) restrictions should the City consider requiring of marijuana businesses in the City? 

a. 1000 feet from schools is standard but can be increased or decreased

b. Separation between different marijuana businesses?

c. Prohibit use of the marijuana leaf symbol in signage

d. etc.

Womack said depending on how the forum goes, he may schedule another public forum in December as well.