Dads and Kids Storytime

Dads, grandads, uncles, and best buddies are invited to bring their little ones to the Library for a Saturday morning storytime on March 28 at 10:30. Stories, rhymes and songs will be followed by a snack and a craft. Come and join the fun!

Shmoop

Check out www.shmoop.com - a new educational website for high school students interested in learning more about literature, poetry, and US history. Presented in a web 2.0 format -incorporating video, audio, and photographs - shmoop offers in-depth content created by graduate students. Both students and teachers will benefit from shmoop's clearly cited sources and breadth of detail.

Teen Book Club

Teens: Join us on Friday, April 17th 3:30-4:30pm as we discuss "Stormbreaker" by Anthony Horowitz. Pick up a copy of the book at the Reference Desk.

Aprons, Aprons, Aprons!

Emm's Aprons will be the theme of a style show and display of aprons on Thursday March 26 at 1:00. Elizabeth MacLeod will narrate a show of part of her collection of 200 aprons.

Come and learn about:

• Apron history and stories aprons tell about American history
• Different kinds and styles of aprons and when they were worn and for what reasons
• How aprons were, and are, constructed
• Aprons from other parts of the world

A display of apron memorabilia, sewing techniques, anecdotes and apron facts will open at 12:30 and be followed by a style show at 1:00 pm featuring nearly 100 aprons. Local women will model aprons for the show.

This week at the Grand Rapids Library:

Thursday, March 19 at 12:00 Global Food Policy Discussion
Global prices for food staples have risen dramatically, resulting in protests and unrest around the world. What factors are driving prices up, and can they be tamed? What will the political fallout be for governments that fail to act, and what role can global institutions play?
This week is the second in the “Great Decisions” series of discussions of global issues. Copies of the background briefing book for this series are available for checkout at the library, and one copy is available at the reference desk for use in the library.

Friday, March 20th at 3:30 Teen book Club
There is no book selection for this month. Just come and talk about a book you’ve read recently

Friday, March 20, 7:30 pm - Another Evening of Stargazing: The Vernal Equinox!
Where: At Itasca Community College Engineering Center
What: Explore the spring night sky with Aaron Wenger
Who: Ages 9 to adult
How to register: Call the Children's desk at 218-327-8823
Participants will look at planet movement, the solar system and constellations. Bring your binoculars or even a telescope. There is no fee for this event, but preregistration is required.

This week at the Grand Rapids Library

Thursday, February 5, 6:30 pm "Foreign Policy Challenges Faced by President Obama" at the Blandin Foundation
Tom Hanson, former Foreign Service Officer and a volunteer consultant with Minnesota International Center's Great Decisions program, will talk about the upcoming foreign policy issue.
This event kicks off the Great Decisions Discussion Series beginning February 18 with "Energy and the Global Economy" at noon at the Grand Rapids Library

Saturday, February 7, 10:00 am "Ready, Set, Goal" workshop by Karen Christenson
In the Library Community Room
This 3-hour workshop is designed for women who wish to uncover their life dreams. It will help to answer the question: "How do I see myself and my life's purpose?"
Preregister at http://www.getlearning.com/ or call 327-5730. $8.00 charge

Icicles

This Week at the Library

Wednesday, January 28th 7 pm Men’s Book Group meeting
Aaron Brown, author of “Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range” will be the guest of the Men’s Book Group at the library. Feel free to join them in a discussion of Aaron’s book.

Thursday, January 29, at 1:00 Mary Shideler: Travels in China
Mary will be talking and showing slides about her recent trip to China and Hong Kong. Mary was fascinated by the juxtaposition of the ancient and the modern side by side, and will share her observations of this unique country and its culture.

Friday, January 30, at 12:30 EllyAnne Geisel, curator of The Apron Chronicles
Geisel, curator of this traveling exhibit opening Feb 1 at Iron World, will talk about the process of the collecting 200 vintage aprons and the stories that go with them. Along with photographer Kristina Loggia, Geisel put together an exhibit that recalls a woman who’d worn an apron and what she represented to a family; an event when an apron was worn; recipes; values and traditions from gentler, less complicated times; the bond between parent and child; and modern perspective.
For more events connected to the exhibit see Iron World’s Web Site at www.ironworld.com/events/apron/ or pick up a flyer at the library.

Try it! It's Easy to check out your books!

Volunteers Katie and Georgia (age 8) demonstrate how to use the new Express Check Out machine at the library.

It's a girl!

Baby Kiley arrived safely to proud parents Tandy and Chad at 8 am Tuesday, December 30.
9 lbs 1 oz.
Mom, Dad and Baby are doing fine!

Winter @ Grand Rapids Area Library

Enjoy the beauty of winter from inside the warm and friendly confines of GRAL. Hurry down while you can still see our neighbors at KAXE over the snowbanks - if just barely. Despite temperatures of (-25) the Mississippi River is still open - with the occasional ice flow moving downstream. Also, keep an eye out for a new visitor to GRAL - a Bald Eagle who regularly perches just across the river.

Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range

Check out this exciting book by local author Aaron Brown! Be sure to mark your calendar for Wednesday, January 28, 2009 when Aaron visits the Grand Rapids Area Library Men's Book Club at 7 p.m. To learn more about Overburden visit Aaron's blog at: http://www.minnesotabrown.com/

Library Closed for Thanksgiving

The Library will be closing at 5 pm on Wednesday, November 26 and will be closed on Thursday, November 27th, Thanksgiving Day. We will be open regular hours on Friday and Saturday, November 28th and 29th.

To Big Read or Not to Big Read

Marcia Anderson, Grand Rapids Area Library, Erin Smith, Fergus Falls Public Library, and Mary Lukkarila, Cloquet Public Library, presented a session at the Minnesota Library Association Conference on November 21. The panelists talked about the positives and negatives of receiving a "Big Read" grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for conducting a community read project.

twilight celebration

Teens 12-18

Celebrate the Twilight series

Saturday, November 22
2:30pm-4:00pm
Library meeting room

*Win movie passes
*Scavenger Hunt
*Trivia
*Make a bracelet
*EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's Teen Read Week!

It’s Teen Read Week October 12-18! Books with Bite

Stop by to indulge your biting curiosity and check out books and graphic novels on animals, technology, cooking and even vampires! Pick up a page turner that you can read or listen to, just for the fun of it! Check out what’s happening at the library during Teen Read Week and Celebrate reading!

Teens’ Top Ten Book List

Here is a chance to have your voice heard. Check the list of 25 nominees, see what you’ve read, and vote for your favorites at www.ala.org/teenstopten or stop in the library to vote!

October teen drawing:

Enter the drawing in the Teen Universe room for your chance to win Halloween goodies by filling out a slip of paper about scary characters.

Give us your ideas!

We want to know what you think about the materials and services for teens. Complete a quick survey during the week and get a coupon for 5.00 off your library fines.

Ever wonder about self-publishing?

Thursday, October 16 at 2pm Young Adult author Anna Fajardo will reveal the steps to self-publishing her first novel “Chosen.” She will give tips on how to get a manuscript ready for publishing as well as give information about where to get published. There is no school that day.

View candidate forums @ GRAL

Grand Rapids Area Library has DVD videos of the Mayoral, City Council, and District 2 County Commissioner candidate forums. Stop by the library to view one of our reference copies in-house or check out a circulating copy and watch at home.

Nancy Pearl visits GRAL

Grand Rapids Area Library was proud to host librarian emeritus Nancy Pearl on September 10th. Stop by GRAL to check out Nancy's favorite titles and take away a copy of her reading list!

Blandin Turtles

Please be careful to watch for turtles!

Be advised that over the past several weeks library patrons and members of the public have reported sightings of several rare Blandin Snapping Turtles (Chelydra Serpentina Blandinis) on the walking path behind the library. Library Director - Marcia Anderson - reminds library users, fishermen, couples out for a romantic stroll, and the public at large to be mindful of these little treasures invading from the river bank. According to DNR Conservation Officer - Carl Linnaeus - Blandin Snappers usually range upstream from Grand Rapids, however the presence of Grand Rapids Area Library and KAXE Northern Community Radio make the area ideal habitat.