Bhutan: A View from the Top of the World

Thursday, November 1, 7:00 pm

Professional photographer Cal Rice recetly tavelled to Bhutan where he spent 2 weeks documenting monumental cultural changes thaking place.  Through Cal's amazing photos  experience the beatury of a distant and mysterious land and its people.  Take a fascinating look at this Himalyan country as it transitions swiftly from a 17th century to a 21st century society. 

Bhutan wikipedia entry

Solar Sunflower

One completed solar sunflower!

The plan is to construct three sunflowers just north of the Library.  When all three are connected, they will generate electricity for the Library and serve as one of the educational componants of the Riverfront Energy Center.  The Grand Rapids Area Library Foundation is raising money for all of the educational componants, including solar and wind energy generation, and a dashboard showing energy consumption and savings.

Create a Storybook Theater at the Library

Kids Create! A Storybook Theater
Saturday, October 27    11:00 am


Come and create a book that becomes a stage, tells your story, and holds your puppets! Join the artists from the Creativity Tank as they teach us how to make our own Storybook Theater, while focusing on the art of author/illustrator Eric Rohmann. All ages are welcome, children under the age of 6 must be accompanied by an adult. Please pre-register at the Children's Desk by calling (218) 327-8823

Family Movie Night at the Grand Rapids Library

Thursday, October 25,  6 pm

  The Pirates - A Band of Misfits 

Join us in the community room to watch this hilarious movie on the big screen.  Bring dinner, a snack, a pillow for the floor, or just yourself for fun evening of movie watching.

Friends of the Library Week!

Come and celebrate with the Friends of the Grand Rapids Area Library

 Wednesday afternoon October 24 from 2:30-4:30

Cake in the lobby

Watch for specials in the Friends of the Library Bookstore!

        October 21-27 is Friends of the Library Week, so I will take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to our Friends group. The Friends of the Grand Rapids Area Library was established in 1979 as a not for profit organization and has raised thousands of dollars for the library to date. Currently many community members contribute annually to the Friends and many of these contributors actively volunteer their time to assist the group.

       Fundraising efforts include the used bookstore in the lobby of the library and the sale of canvas book bags. The money raised by the Friends group enables our library to move from good to great -- providing the resources for additional programming, much needed equipment, and support for children’s summer reading. Our library would be much poorer without the Friends. The Friends also contributed to the Smart Play Spot recently installed in the Library, and to the Early Literacy Station full of educational games.

       The work of the Friends highlights the fact that our library is the cornerstone of the community, providing opportunities for all to engage in the joy of life-long learning and connect with the thoughts and ideas of others from ages past to the present; The Friends understand the critical importance of well funded libraries and advocate to ensure that our library gets the resources it needs to provide a wide variety of services to all ages including access to print and electronic materials, along with expert assistance in research and children’s services.

Support the Friends

     The Friends also maintain Bright Red Book Shelves at two locations for Project Read. If you have gently used books for toddlers or preschoolers, drop them off at the Library for placement on the bookshelves. Please stop by the library to learn more about the Friends' activities and find out how to become a member of the Friends.

Man Booker Prize

The 2012 Man Booker Prize winner was announced on October 16. This prize is given for the best novel of the year written by a citizen of the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth or the Republic of Ireland. This year's winner is Hilary Mantel for "Bring up the Bodies." To request a copy click on this link to visit the Arrowhead Library System catalog.

National Book Award Finalists

The National Book Award Finalists have been named in four categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature. Visit the National Book Award site to view the finalists. Winners will be announced Wednesday, November 14.

Living More with Less: Author Ellen Sandbeck at the Grand Rapids Library

Author Ellen Sandbeck promotes a return to a simpler way of life - a life with more joy and fewer household products. She shares thoughts and excepts from her book, Green Barbarians demonstrating how, by relying less on modern conveniences, people can live happier, safer, more ecologically and economically responsible lives. Check out her blog on green living Thursday, October 18 7:00 pm

Minnesota History on Display at the Grand Rapids Library

We have an exhibit through the month of October about the Dakota – U.S. Conflict of 1862. Thanks to the Nicollet County Historical Society, we have a 12 panel display that chronicle the history of the conflict that took place in southern Minnesota during 1862. We also have books on display. Come to learn more about this often neglected chapter of Minnesota’s early history. Discussions of the Civil War will continue in November, and books are also available for background reading.