By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The Summer Reading Program had a successful kick-off on June 1. Young readers were treated to the chance to enjoy the story walk as well as to engage in jump rope and hula hoop activities. When they finished, the young readers were treated to a trail mix bar where they assembled a tasty trail mix with their choice of ingredients.

Upcoming SRP events include LEGO Mania day at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, June 3. On Thursday, June 4, Farm Bureau is presenting a program entitled “Pollinators around Us.” On Friday morning, the Pre School Story Hour at 10 a.m. features the theme of bees for their books and crafts.

At 1 p.m. on Monday, June 8, Science Heroes will present a highly interactive program for all ages that will explore ways to use STEM to make our world a better place. Witness the water cycle in action with the “Cloud in a Bottle.” Discover Bernoulli’s Principle as they inflate the “Air-mazing Airbag” with a single breath. Experience the power of air pressure and energy with the “Floating Eye.” Test and observe Newton’s laws of motion with the “Balloon Rocket Racer.” Create chemical reactions with a pressure-powered “Foam Volcano.” Experiment with force, gravity and surface area in the “Big Block Drop.” Science Heroes is free and suitable for youth of all ages.

Guthrie Center ISU Extension Office will be presenting “Flower Talk” at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9, in the Taylor Meeting Room. On Thursday, June 11, Anne Riordan from Guthrie County DNR will lead a workshop at 1 p.m.

Friends of the Library are reminded that their meeting will be at 6:15 p.m. on Monday, June 8. Topics of discussion include the Friends-sponsored golf tournament and the planning for the Friends RAGBRAI activities.

The Friends of the Guthrie Center Public Library’s Fourth Annual Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, June 27 at the Guthrie Center Golf Course. The Four-Person Scramble Par 3 Challenge will begin with registration at 8 a.m. with the shotgun start at 9 a.m. Teams may begin signing up right away. The cost is $60 per player ($240 per team), which includes cart and lunch.  To become a $100 sponsor, contact the MJB Library at (641) 747-8110. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the MJB Library.

Craft and Connect will continue through the summer on each Monday, from 4-6 p.m. Between the Covers afternoon book club will meet on Tuesday, June 9, to discuss “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

As May comes to a close, take a moment to embrace the experiences our library offers. Join us for the cardmaking class led by the talented Judi Zimmerline on Thursday, May 21, from 9-11 a.m. For just $5, all supplies and equipment will be provided to help you express your creativity.

The Cookbook Club will gather at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 21. Visit the library to select a delicious recipe from the Pioneer Woman’s cookbooks or magazines, then bring your creation to share with fellow food enthusiasts.

On Tuesday, May 26, the afternoon book club, Reads Well With Others, invites you to dive into “The Blue Sisters” by Coco Mellor at 5 p.m. Books are readily available for checkout, so come and engage in a vibrant discussion.

The Bridge class will meet in the Taylor Meeting Room from 9-11 a.m. on Wednesday, May 20, and Wednesday, May 27, presenting a wonderful opportunity for connection and personal growth.

Join the Youth Creation Corner at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, where the creative spirits of all ages can explore their imaginations in a joyful crafting experience. Every Friday at 10 a.m., the preschool story hour awaits to whisk young hearts away on adventures through stories and crafts.

Please remember that the library will be closed on Monday, May 25, in observance of Memorial Day, resuming regular hours on Tuesday, May 26.

As we anticipate the arrival of June, the library is set to burst with exciting possibilities this summer. ACGC preschool through sixth-grade students will receive an envelope filled with information about the Summer Reading Program, Books for Bikes Program and a calendar of events for June.

A calendar of June events is also available on the Mary J. Barnett website. The month starts with the Summer Reading Program kickoff on Monday, June 1, at 4 p.m. at Riverside Park on School Street, inviting youth of all ages to join in the summer fun.

LEGO Mania will spark creativity on Wednesday, June 3, at 4 p.m. On Thursday, June 4, the Farm Bureau Youth Outreach Event at 1 p.m. will explore “Pollinators around Us.” Don’t miss the preschool Story Hour every Friday at 10 a.m.

An inspiring program for youth, “Science Heroes,” will take place on Monday, June 8, at 1 p.m., followed by “Flower Talk,” hosted by the Guthrie County ISU Extension staff on Tuesday, June 9, at 2 p.m.

Beginning June 1, youth enrolled in the Summer Reading Program and the Books for Bikes Program can start logging their reading minutes and the books they have read for exciting prize drawings.

Our regularly scheduled adult programming will continue all summer. Be sure to check the library website or the bulletin board for all scheduled events.

For those adult readers seeking new literary adventures, our Book Bundle service is ready to help. By completing a brief questionnaire on the Mary J. Barnett website, patrons can discover four or five books by new authors tailored to their preferences, offering an exciting opportunity to explore fresh stories and embrace new challenges.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The library has many regular adult programs going on. If one of them sounds interesting, just show up and see if you like it. Craft and Connect meets each Monday from 4-6 p.m. for anyone who has a hobby that they would like to pursue while talking with others. If you aren’t working on a project right now but would like to attend, bring an adult coloring page or check out a jigsaw puzzle.

MJB Library has two book clubs. Patrons are invited to attend one or both of them. Between the Covers meets the second Tuesday of each month at 3 p.m., and Reads Well With Others meets the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. The May book for the afternoon club is “We All Live Here” by Jojo Moyes.

“Blue Sisters” by Coco Mellors, evening book for May, tells the story of three estranged siblings who return to their family home in New York after their beloved sister’s death in this unforgettable story of grief, identity and the complexities of family. As they each navigate grief, addiction and ambition, they find they must return to New York to stop the sale of the apartment they were raised in. But coming home is never as easy as it seems. As the sisters reckon with the disappointments of their childhood and the loss of the only person who held them together, they realize that the greatest secrets they have been keeping might not have been from each other, but from themselves. “Blue Sisters” is a story of what it takes to keep living after loss –– and, ultimately, to fall in love with life again.

On the third Thursday of each month, cardmaking class takes place at 9 a.m., and Cookbook Club takes place at 6 p.m. Card making class, led by Judy Zimmerline, teaches how to create one-of-a-kind greeting cards. Everyone is welcome to come and learn this skill. All supplies and materials are provided for a $5 fee.

Cookbook Club members are asked to stop by the library and choose a recipe from the cookbook of the month to prepare and bring to the evening meeting. The group will share a meal and taste each other’s dishes while discussing the recipes and the cookbook.

For those who enjoy card games, cribbage meets each Monday from 9-11 a.m. Bridge meets from 9-11 a.m. every Wednesday. Canasta meets at 1 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday. No experience is necessary to be able to join the card clubs.

Our youth programs include weekly preschool story hour for preschoolers and their caregivers on Fridays at 10 a.m. Creation Corner will meet on Wednesday, May 27 at 4 p.m.

Starting June 1, Summer Reading Program will begin with a kickoff party at 4 p.m. at Riverside Park. This come and go event will feature a number of activities to start the Summer Reading Program.

Registration is now open and can be completed at the library website. See the calendar of events for June on the website for events for the Summer Reading Program.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The MJB Library Staff wishes to extend a huge thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate National Library Week last week. We are so excited to have so many people stop in to use the library and to see what we offer. The kind words and gestures for our staff last week were so appreciated. Patrons and the Friends of the Guthrie Center Library made us feel so valued. Thank you for the flowers, sweets and snacks that you treated us to. Your generous support of our library is such a valued gift to us.

As the weather is heating up, so are the plans at the MJB Library. Youth Creation Corner will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 29. The next LEGO Mania Day will be on Wednesday, May 13, at 2 p.m. Preschool Story Hour will be each Friday at 10 a.m.

Friends of the Guthrie Center Library will meet on May 4 at 6:15 p.m. They will be discussing RAGBRAI and the upcoming golf tournament on June 27.

Card players, remember that each Monday from 9-11 a.m., Cribbage players meet. Bridge Class gathers every Wednesday from 9-11 a.m. to play bridge. On the first and third Tuesdays of the month, Canasta Class meets at 1 p.m., so in May, canasta will be played on May 5 and May 19.

This year’s summer reading program (SRP), “Plant a Seed, Read!” is going to be filled with exciting activities. The SRP Kick Off will be a special start to this summer’s events. We will be gathering at the Riverside Park on School Street by the Storywalk. This come-and-go event will be running from 4-5:30 p.m. Participants will have activities including a scavenger hunt, games and ice cream making.

Registration is now open on the MJB Library website, so get signed up to participate in all the activities. The calendar of events is also listed on the website.

Some of the special programs include “Science Heroes Digging It” on Monday, June 8 at 1 p.m., and “Mesozoic Adventures Funny Farm “at 1 p.m. on Thursday, May 18. DNR Naturalist Anne Riordan will have a program on Thursday, June 11, at 1 p.m.

The Guthrie County ISU Extension Office will present some SRP events during June, including Flower Talk (color changing flowers and seed balls) at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9; The Beeman (build a honeycomb and beeswax candle) on Wednesday, June 17 at 2 p.m.; and on Wednesday, June 24 at 2 p.m., Wax to Crayons (watch how crayons are made and crayon melt).

On Friday, June 26, at 10:30 a.m., we will have the end-of-summer reading party. We will do prize drawings and have a mega foam party to celebrate all the great work our summer readers have done.