The Return of the Chemistry Cave!

Some of you may remember that I had a Chemistry Cave display last summer.  I decided to bring the display back this year for our science filled summer and do even more experiments!

Experiment 1: Stalactites and Stalagmites

If you remember last year's Cave, you will also remember the infamous Stalactite and Stalagmite Growing Fail.  If you don't, let me give you the short version: the experiment didn't work.  I decided that this summer, I WOULD grow stalactites and stalagmites, no matter what! 

Here's our set up:

Two cups, one filled with Epsom Salt that had been dissolved in water, with a string stretched between them.  The desired outcome: stalactites and stalagmites growing from the string!

I waited.  I waited.  I waited.

Nothing.  Once again, I was defeated.

I will never attempt this experiment again.


Experiment 2: WASH YOUR HANDS!!! 

This next experiment was done by Cassie and our Tweens during a Tween Wednesday program.  They were talking about germs and why we should wash our hands.  For the experiment, they had two pieces of an apple.  For Apple A, as soon as they cut the piece from the apple, they sealed it up in a plastic bag.  For Apple B, they passed the slice around the group, making sure everyone had a chance to hold the apple (it even briefly hit the floor!), before placing it in a plastic bag.  They left the apples to sit to see what happened over a few days.

Remember, Apple A is the "clean" apple and Apple B is the one that was passed around the group.

Do you need to wash your hands now?

Experiment 3: The Bouncing Egg

Yes, you can make an egg bounce!  I placed a regular egg in a bowl, covered it with vinegar, and let it hang out for 24 hours.

Ok, so not much to see.  After 24 hours, I took the egg out of the vinegar and the shell was gone!  The egg also felt a little swollen and it felt SUPER GROSS!!!  But would it bounce?

 

 IF I had followed the instructions and dropped the egg from a height of 3 inches or less, I'm sure it would have bounced.  Good thing I did this over the sink!

 

 I hope you've enjoyed our Chemistry Cave!

Alyssa




 

Summer: So Close, Yet So Far!

It has been one crazy winter!  Almost everyone who has come in to the library recently has been longing for summer.  I'm ready for summer (just remember, I will be whining the first day it is over 85 degrees), and I'm already working on the Summer Reading Program

Yes, it's February, and the library been getting ready for Summer Reading since November. 

From scheduling programs, to ordering prizes, and creating advertisements and more, it takes several months of planning and plotting to get Summer Reading ready to go by June 1st.  In November, thanks to the Indiana State Library, we received a planning packet from the Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP), including a CD of some fabulous programming ideas and artwork.

Would you like to see the logos for this year?  Of course you would!

It's going to be a Summer full of Science, with "Fizz, Boom, READ!" for children, "Spark a Reaction" for teens, and "Literary Elements" for adults.  We're working on some great programs for everyone, including a kick-off event featuring WonderLab!  I don't want to reveal all of our secrets but I think we'll have a really great summer.

So as we prepare for (another) snowstorm, just remember that Summer Reading (and summer!) will be here soon!  I hope....

Stay warm and keep reading,
Alyssa   


  

The 2013 Review!

Can you believe it's almost the end of the year?!  It doesn't seem like it but another year has come and gone.  Do you remember some of the things we did this year?

The Game Truck came for Teen Tech Week in March.

Bookmaking Workshop over Spring Break.

Fairy Houses during Summer Reading.

Morgan celebrated her fourth birthday!

A visit from Stick Dog author Tom Watson.

WonderLab!

Learning all about worms!

 

What is your favorite library memory from 2013? 

Looking forward to a new year and new fun,
Alyssa

Summer Reading Wrap-Up

This year was a great year for our Summer Reading Program!  Our patrons and staff had a great time digging into reading, looking beneath the surface, and exploring groundbreaking reads.  Let's take a look back at our summer.

Early Literacy and Children's Summer Reading

Abigail is ready to rule the road!

This year, we had a total of 821 children participate in Summer Reading.  We had our first ever Early Literacy Summer Reading Program for ages birth to 4 years, with 150 children participating.  These little ones worked on activities to help them get ready to read!

There were 671 children in grades Kindergarten to 5 who participated in our Children's Summer Reading Program.  The children kept track of how many minutes they read this summer and could come to the library for a prize when they had completed 250, 500, 750, and 1000 minutes of reading.  They also earned entries for our grand prize, a new bicycle.  There were 176 children who completed 1000 minutes of reading; we also had 64 children read a total of 2000 minutes to earn extra entries for the grand prize drawing.  Here's our winner, Abigail, with her brand new bike!

Teen Summer Reading
It was also a big summer for Teens with 290 teens participating in Summer Reading.  Like the children, they kept track of how many minutes they read and came into the library to collect prizes along the way.  They were earning entries for the chance to win a Kindle Fire HD or a $100 gift certificate!  The grand prize winner, Blake, chose a Kindle Fire HD.

Blake and her prize

Emma and her gift card

Adult Summer Reading
This year we had 335 participants and 1718 books read!  This averages out to around 5 books read per adult.  The grand prize winner, Emma W. chose a $100 gift card as her prize.  Other prizes of a Starbuck’s gift card & reading mug went to Patti O., Pat S., Tammy S., Angel M., Sarah N., and Tamara B.

But We Didn't Just Read....

Down the Rabbit Hole to Summer Reading!

Summer Reading Kick-Off with Tom Sieling

Worm Composting with Carla Allen

Make Your Own Book Planters

Masquerade Ball

 

































































Thank you again to everyone who participated in Summer Reading.  We're already planning for next year and hope you'll join us again!

Keep Reading,
Alyssa

The Chemistry Cave

This summer, I've turned one of our display cases into the Chemistry Cave.  I've been placing different experiments in the "cave" throughout the summer.  The experiments have come from the book Cool Chemistry Concoctions: 50 Formulas that Fizz, Foam, Splatter, and Ooze by Joe Rhatigan and Veronika Alice Gunter. 

The first experiment, growing stalactites and stalagmites, was an EPIC FAIL.  It seemed simple enough: mix epsom salt and hot water in a cup, let a string tied to two paper clips soak in the solution, get another cup to place one of the paper clips in, and wait for the stalactites and stalagmites to form.  I waited a whole week and NOTHING happened!

 I tried the experiment again and, once again, nothing happened.  I went to take the cups out of the case and found a surprise. 

A crystal had formed in one of the cups!  Instead of traveling down the suspended string to make stalactites, the solution stayed in the cup and formed this lovely crystal.

Inspired by the crystal, I decided to grow crystals for the next experiment.  This experiment involved dissolving alum (found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores) in hot water and letting it set overnight to form seed crystals.  Then, you tie one end of a string to a crystal and the other to a pencil and hang the crystal in the jar to let it keep growing.  I forgot about the whole string and pencil bit and just left everything in the jar.  A week has gone by and here's what we have.

   Lots of tiny crystals! 

 

 

I've added the crystals to another mixture of alum and water.  What do you think will happen now?  Stop by the library to see what the crystals do next!

 

 

Enjoy Summer Reading!

Alyssa

 

 

New Mural in the Children's Department at Monrovia Branch

Have you been in to the Monrovia Branch lately?   You might not know that we have a new mural on the wall in the children's department.  Thanks to the Community Foundation of Morgan County, Inc. for providing the funding and to Suzanne Lawler, the artist of Everything's a Canvas Art Studio in Martinsville, for creating the mural.   The Monrovia Branch is the place to come to sign up for summer reading and "...find magic wherever you look.  Sit back and relax, all you need is a book." -Dr. Seuss.  We have all kinds of events planned this summer for the entire family that you can enjoy. Come on by to look at and appreciate the new art mural and to sign up for our summer reading program!

Construction Bunny

Hello friends! 

If you've been to the library recently, you've probably noticed the caution tape and picture of moi on the Story Corner door.

Me, with my toolbox and trusty duct tape.

 

 

I had the librarians close the Story Corner down so I could transform it for Summer Reading!  I have big plans for the Story Corner and it's almost time for me to unveil my masterpiece.  Until then it is top secret.

 

It will be ready for all to see on Saturday, June 1st, the first day of Summer Reading.  Be sure to stop by and see the Story Corner when you sign up for the Summer Reading Program that day. 

 

Time to get back to work!

 

Love, carrots, and duct tape,

 

Morgan

Marvelous May!

Happy May Day everyone!  Did you know that our Summer Reading Program begins one month from today?  We're busy getting everything ready for summer, but we still have some awesome things for you do in May.

This month, the Page Turners book club (ages 5-8) will be reading Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.  We'll meet up on Monday, May 6th at 5:30 to talk about the book and create our own Wild Thing! 






The inbeTWEEN the Lines book club (ages 9-12) will be meeting on Monday, May 13th at 5:30 to talk about Joey Pigza Swallowed the Key by Jack Gantos.  There are still several copies of this book available.  Sign up today to get yours!





As a special treat this month, we'll be having a Puppet Show for all ages on Thursday, May 16th at 10:30am.  Come out to see  "Digga the Dinosaur Digs Reading" and "Digger, the Palentolo-Pup."

Tweens ages 9-12 can get a sneak peek of what we have planned this summer during Tween Wednesdays on May 8th at 4pm.  There will be another summer reading sneak peek during our Evening Storytime for ages 3-8 on Thursday, May 16th at 7pm.

Don't forget to see what's going on our other branches by check out our Events calendar.  I hope you can make it to some of our awesome programs!

Happy Reading!
Alyssa