By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The MJB Library and Friends of the Guthrie Center Library would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of the Third Annual Fundraising Golf Tournament. Thanks to the community’s support, the Friends of the Guthrie Center Library were able to pay for the replacement of the drinking fountain in the library with a fountain that also features a water bottle filler. 

We would like to extend a big thank you to the businesses that were golf tournament sponsors. Those businesses are listed below: Bruner, Bruner & Reinhart; Calvert Langgaard & Co PLLC; Courtney Tax Services; DubP Apparel; Edward Jones; Excel Ag LC; Gap Creek Quilting Mercantile; GIT Insurance; Guthrie County Quality Meats; Guthrie County State Bank; Guthrie Family Medicine Center; Haver Lumber; HomeTown Foods-Guthrie Center; HomeTown Foods-Panora; Incredibowl; Lake Lumber; Local Liquor; Panora Fiber; People’s Bank; Primetime; Rod Robson-BH Realty; Schreiber Family Chiropractic; State Farm Insurance; Synergy Wellness; The News Gazette; Twin Vines Vineyard; Vicki Crannell-Realtor; Wetzel Repair. 

Thanks also to the following individual sponsors of the golf event: Cricket’s Garden; The Flanery Farms (Dennis Flanery); Mary Leighty. And our volunteers from the Friends of the Guthrie Center Library Board, Vicki Crannell, Mary Leighty, Debbie Menning, Diane Flanery, Library Director Jerri Hawkins, and Guthrie Center Golf Course employees, and Rod Robson.

The Friends of the Guthrie Center Public Library, together with the library staff, wish to extend their sincere appreciation to Guthrie County Quality Meats and Fox Countertops for their generous donation of $500 to the Friends of the Guthrie Center Public Library. We also would like to convey our heartfelt gratitude to Roxy Schwartz for her gracious support to the Friends of the Guthrie Center Library. Your contributions make a meaningful impact on our community.

We are heading into our final week of Summer Reading Program, but remember, you can “Level Up at the Library” all year long. On Wednesday, June 25, the Guthrie County ISU Extension Office will have a program for all ages at 2 p.m. in the Taylor Meeting Room. 

Those who are registered for the summer reading program need to turn in all reading logs and activity sheets by the close of the library on Thursday, June 26 to be included in the prize drawings. 

Our summer reading program finale will be on Friday, June 27 at noon. HomeTown Foods in Guthrie Center will be providing burgers, and we will draw for prizes for the reading program participants. 

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The Summer Reading Program (SRP), Level Up at the Library, is buzzing with excitement. Forty-six enthusiastic children have signed up, joined by many other youth participating in our thrilling activities.

Registered participants are reminded to continue tracking their reading minutes and completing their progress sheets. When the sheet is full, return it to the library to be included in the final prize drawings. Also, youth who are registered get an extra chance in the drawing for each library activity they attend during SRP month.  

This coming week, the always popular DNR Conservationist Anne Riordan will be here to present a program entitled Animal Olympics. The program will be on Thursday, June 19, at 2 p.m. in the youth area of the library.  

On Friday, June 20, the weekly preschool story hour will take place at 10 a.m. Stories and the craft will have the theme “messes.”

This month’s creation corner will be SRP Creation Stations on Monday, June 23, at 4 p.m. We have some exciting crafts planned for participants including Perler Bead Crafts, Make your Own Puzzle, and Jellyfish Salt Painting. Be sure to register online.

Even with all the youth programs, adult programs are going on as usual. Card-making class will be on Thursday, June 19, from 9-11 a.m. A $5 fee for each participant covers the cost of all materials and supplies needed to create lovely, hand-made greeting cards.  

The Cookbook Club also meets on Thursday, July 19, at 6:30 p.m. Participants are reminded to stop by the MJB Library to choose a recipe from this month’s featured cookbook, “Magnolia Bakery Handbook: Volume 2, Icebox Desserts.” Bring the dessert of your choice to share when you come to the meeting.  

Cribbage is each Monday morning from 9-11 a.m. in the Taylor Meeting Room. Bridge Club is each Wednesday morning from 9-11 a.m. Both groups welcome card players of all skill levels. 

The evening book club will meet on Tuesday, June 24, at 5 p.m. The group will be discussing “What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty. The afternoon group will meet on July 8 at 3 p.m. to discuss “Long Island” by Colm Toibin. We have extra copies of both of these books available to check out. 

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The 2025 Summer Reading Program, Level Up at Your Library, began on Monday, June 2. Our kick-off event was a magic class. Later in the week, kids participated in the LEGO Mania activity of building the tallest tower with LEGOs. The month of June is filled with exciting opportunities to participate in the SRP. If you haven’t registered already, go online and sign up to earn chances to win prizes by reading and participating in activities.

The MJB Library and Friends of Guthrie Center Library were awarded a $1,000 grant from Communities 4 Children to help fund the MJB Library Summer Reading Program. Funds were used to pay for books that go support the theme, Level Up at your Library. Prizes and incentives for readers who complete the reading challenges were purchased with these funds as well as the fees for summer reading performers who entertained and educated our young patrons.

The first Guthrie County Extension program of the summer will be on Wednesday, June 11, at 2 p.m. The topic will be “Game of Best.” Pre-registration is appreciated. This program is open to all ages.

Friday, we will have our weekly story hour at 10 a.m., which will feature the theme flowers. Friday afternoon is a special program, so the library will be open an extra hour. Beginning at 1 p.m., Dinosaur Guide Anthony, owner of Chomp, Stomp, Roar, will be sharing a Prehistoric Pep Rally to teach us about dinosaurs and prehistoric times. He might even bring along a couple of his dinosaur friends. Kids of all ages will love this fascinating, educational and free program. Youth who are registered for the summer reading program will receive an additional prize drawing ticket for participating.

On Tuesday, June 17, the library will host the trick bubble show at 1 p.m. If you like bubbles, come learn some fun and exciting new tricks.

A reminder to book club members, stop by the library to get a copy of this month’s book. Between the Covers is discussing “Long Island” by Colm Toibin in July. Reads Well with Others will be reading “What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty on June 24.

Be sure to register your team for the Friends of the Library four person best-ball golf tournament on Saturday, June 14. The $60 per person registration includes lunch and a golf cart. Shotgun start is at 9 a.m.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The Iowa Adventure Pass is back. After a brief pause, the Iowa Adventure Pass is relaunching thanks to the collaboration of libraries across the state and some of Iowa’s fascinating destinations. This program allows adult library cardholders to check out free passes to family-friendly destinations. 

Whether you’re planning a day at the Blank Park Zoo, touring the Science Center of Iowa, or discovering the Children’s Museum, the Iowa Adventure Pass venues at Mary J Barnett Memorial Library make it easy and affordable to try out a new destination or enjoy a repeat visit.

This is how it works.  Reserve a pass online. Print or download your confirmation. Show the printout or download along with an ID at your destination for free admission.  

Each pass offers free entry for two adults and two children (unless otherwise specified), and it’s just one more way your library connects you to new experiences. 

This relaunch represents a renewed commitment to community partnerships, learning and exploration, so more Iowans can experience the wonders right in their backyard. At the MJB Library, this program is funded by the Friends of the Guthrie Center Library.  

If you have a preschool through middle school-aged child, be sure to go to the MJB Library website and register for the summer reading program. We have many exciting programs and activities, as well as reading incentives, throughout June.  

From Wednesday, June 4, through Friday, June 6, the PBS STEM trailer will be at the MJB Library. Each day, the library will have new and exciting STEM games and activities for youth to explore.

On Thursday, June 5, LEGO Mania will be at 4 p.m. The Guthrie STEM Lab takes place on Monday, June 9. Guthrie County ISU Extension will present a STEM activity called Game of Best on  Wednesday, June 11, at 2 p.m.

Preschool Story Hour will take place on Friday mornings at 10 a.m.  On June 6, summer fun is the theme for Story Hour. Flowers will be the topic of June 13, while messes will be the topic for June 20. We will not have a story hour on June 27 since that is the Summer Reading Program Prize Party. 

MJB Library will extend its hours on Friday, June 13, because Dinosaur Ranger Anthony will be presenting a Prehistoric Pep Rally to talk about dinosaurs. The program begins at 1 p.m. Dinosaur lovers won’t want to miss this exciting program. 

Join us for Cribbage on Monday mornings from 9-11 a.m. and Bridge Club on Wednesday mornings from 9-11 a.m. Players of all skill levels are welcome to participate. Members of the Between the Covers Book Club should stop in and get a copy of “The First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston so they are ready for the book club on Tuesday, June 10.    

Reads Well with Others Book Club is going to discuss Liane Moriarty’s novel, “What Alice Forgot.” Alice Love is 29, crazy about her husband, and pregnant with her first child. So, imagine Alice’s surprise when she comes to on the floor of a gym (a gym! She HATES the gym) and is whisked off to the hospital, where she discovers the honeymoon is truly over — she’s getting divorced, she has three kids, and she’s actually 39 years old. Alice must reconstruct the events of a lost decade and find out whether it’s possible to reconstruct her life at the same time. Ultimately, Alice must discover whether forgetting is a blessing or a curse, and whether it’s possible to start over. This interesting book should provoke a great discussion.  

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

“Rainy days and Mondays always get me down,” sang Karen Carpenter in 1974. Great song, but the Carpenters got it wrong. Rainy days and Mondays always make me want to read. That’s the way the lyrics should go.  

Last week, one of our patrons who is a voracious reader stopped in early on one of those drizzly, overcast days. As I checked out the last of her half dozen books, I said, “I hope you’re going to have some time to read today.”

She said, “I have some things left on my to-do list. I’m considering saving the rest for another day and going home to snuggle up with a book, a blanket and some munchies. What do you think I should do?” Could she have asked me an easier question? As I handed her the receipt that tells her when her books are due, I notice a sentence at the bottom. “Wow. In 2025, you have saved $2, 615.” That’s a lot of money, and we are not even half way through the year.

We at MJB Library firmly support the idea of abandoning the to-do list to read on rainy days, Mondays, and, really, any day. Not only do we support this, we enable it. Next time you check out materials from the library, look at the bottom of your receipt to see how much money you have saved by utilizing your library. The more you read, the more you save. Shoot, you can’t afford not to check out a big old stack of books and head home to read on the next rainy day. 

We have a huge variety of new fiction and nonfiction books for adults and kids. Our audiobooks for youth section is expanding with new Playaway books as well as new read-along Vox Books and Wonderbooks. The library has been adding to our beginning reader collection also. For those rainy days when everyone is confined to the house, there are new DVDs for kids and families as well as for adults. 

Creation Corner is scheduled for Wednesday, May 28, at 3:30 p.m., so be sure to get signed up for the chance to  make a fun craft project.  

The month of June holds many exciting events for library patrons of all ages. Our Summer Reading Kick Off Begins on June 3 with our Magic Class scheduled for noon. Kids preschool through middle school are invited to sign up for our summer reading program; sign-up can be completed on our library website or by calling or emailing the library if you have difficulty with the online sign up. 

On June 4 through June 7, the Iowa PBS STEM Activity Trailer will be at the MJB Library. Loaded with STEM educational toys and activities, the trailer will provide new and challenging activities each day in the youth section of the library.  

Thursday, June 5, at 4 p.m., LEGO Mania is scheduled. Guthrie STEM Lab will be Monday, June 9 at 4 p.m. Be sure to pre-register for both of these activities as we only have room for 25 participants. As usual, preschool story hour will be each Friday at 10 a.m.

Between the Covers afternoon book club will be discussing “The First Lie Wins” by Ashley Elston on Tuesday, May 10 at 3 p.m. Reads Well with Others evening book club will meet on Tuesday, June 24 to discuss “What Alice Forgot” by Liane Moriarty.

Wednesday, June 3, the Guthrie County ISU Extension will present a STEM program at noon. On Friday, June 13, the library hours will be extended to have our Prehistoric Pep Rally with Dino Ranger Anthony. Back by popular demand, Dino Ranger Anthony will share stories and information about dinosaurs with our group. The Prehistoric Pep Rally will begin at 1 p.m. You will not want to miss this exciting event.

Be sure to get your team signed up for the Friends of the Library Golf Tournament. The $60 per person registration fee includes lunch and a golf cart. This four person best ball tournament is Saturday, June 14 at the Guthrie Center Golf Course. Registration begins at 8 a.m. with a 9 a.m. shotgun start. Register online at the MJB Library website. Businesses wanting to sponsor a hole can contact the library or a member of Friends of the Library. Profits from this event will be going to pay for the replacement of the broken water fountain in the library. 

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

In a recent newsletter, I read that May is Older Americans’ Month. Established in 1963 by President Kennedy, Senior Citizens’ Month was established to acknowledge the contributions of older adults to society and to address issues relevant to aging. Recently, the month has been renamed to the kinder, gentler, more politically correct Older Americans’ Month.

Having never realized that such a month even existed, I began to ponder at what age one is considered an Older American. I reflected on all the times I recalled feeling particularly old. I was 25  when I was first called “ma’am” by a high school boy putting groceries in my car. On my 30th birthday, one of my co-workers brought his class of students into my classroom so they could see what “old looked like.” At 39, my older son asked if I remembered seeing dinosaurs when I was a little girl. When I was  42, one of my students expressed concern that I could “slip and break a hip” if I walked outside when it was snowy. Driving with my kids when I was 47, the younger one reached over, yanked a gray hair out of my head, and muttered something about not realizing there were so many other gray hairs. On my 50th birthday, I got my first mailing from AARP inviting me to buy a membership to their fine organization.

Interestingly, it turns out that aging and feeling old are not synonymous. Now I am 62, and I have retired from my first career. I thought I would feel old, but that is not how I describe my feelings about aging. I realize that feeling old is a matter of perspective and maybe a choice.  

A few years ago, something I read changed my attitude. The crux of the writing was that we should not complain about aging because growing old is a privilege that many people have been denied. Since then, I have endeavored to embrace the positives of aging and to feel grateful for each day I walk this beautiful earth.  

So, for all the patrons who are embracing their age, be aware that the Mary J. Barnett Library schedules many events with you in mind. We have morning events including cribbage (Mondays at 9-11 a.m.), bridge (Wednesdays at 9-11 a.m.), and card-making club (the third Thursday of each month from 9-11 a.m.). 

We have two book clubs to meet your scheduling needs. Between the Covers meets on the second Tuesday of the month at 3 p.m., while Reads Well With Others meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. The next book club is Between the Covers on May 13; they will be discussing “The Frozen River,” a historical novel with mystery and suspense.  

On Saturday, May 17, author Enfys McMurry will be speaking about her Pulitzer Prize-nominated book entitled “Disaster at 39,000 Feet: How Small Town America Came Together at a Time of Crisis.” Her book chronicles May 1962, when a plane fell from the sky over the heartland of America, disrupting the peace of the little towns of Centerville, Iowa, and Unionville, Missouri.  Join us Saturday at 11 a.m.

If you haven’t already signed up, registration is open online to sign up your team for the four-person best ball golf tournament sponsored by Friends of the Library. This fundraising event will be Saturday, June 14, at the Guthrie Center Golf Club, with a 9 a.m. tee time. The funds raised by the event will be used to replace and upgrade the library’s water fountain and to renew the Iowa Adventure Passes for our patrons.

MJB Library has been enlarging its large print book collection. In addition, one of the computers is equipped to meet the needs of patrons who are visually impaired. We also have a page magnifier that can be checked out.   

Many of our patrons who are grandparents enjoy bringing preschool grandchildren to our weekly preschool story hour on Friday mornings at 10 a.m. This week, story hour will focus on cars.  

Our library has a community puzzle that many of our patrons enjoy working on. We have cozy spaces to sit and read. Magazines and The Des Moines Register Online are available to peruse while spending an afternoon in the library. 

With summer just around the corner, the MJB Library has some great summer events coming up. Be sure to sign up the kids in your life for our summer reading program during June. Level Up, our game-based Summer Reading Program theme, provides a variety of opportunities for our young patrons to read and learn. 

The Guthrie STEM Lab will be happening on Wednesday, May 14, at 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 28, at 3:30 p.m., the library will host a Creation Corner. Registration is required for both events.