By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette
As we prepare to start the new school year, we at MJB Library are reflecting on the summer library events. We are happy to report that the Summer Reading Program was a great success. Sixty preschool through middle school children signed up for the Summer Reading Program. The three to four programs we hosted each week were well attended. Readers submitted completed bingo sheets that had reading activities, scavenger hunts, and bookmarks where they logged their weekly reading minutes. Of the 21 bookmarks turned in, our readers read a total of 28,470 minutes during June. Great job to all those SRP participants who worked so hard to keep their reading skills sharp this summer.
Upcoming programs
In honor of International Library Telescope Observing Week (yes, that’s a thing!), the MJB Library will host a night viewing on Tuesday, Sept. 10 from 7:30-9 p.m. For the first two hours after sunset, using the library’s new telescope, participants should be able to see the craters on the moon, the Galilean Moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn, and much more. Join us for our first event using our telescope. In the event of cloudy weather, we will reschedule for Saturday, Sept. 14.
On Wednesday, Sept. 11, Iowa author Linda McCann will be presenting a program from 10-11 a.m. McCann will be discussing her book entitled “Rosie the Riveters of Iowa,” which shares the stories of more than 20 Iowa women who were Rosie the Riveters during World War II. Autographed copies of her book will also be available for purchase following the program.
In case you missed it, Donald Todd, Jr. will share his program entitled “A Tale of Two Soldiers” on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 11 a.m. Todd will tell the story of his father’s experience as a doctor and a soldier and how he and Dr. Herbert Neff started a medical practice that was an institution in Guthrie Center for many decades.
Between the Covers
Between the Covers Book Club will meet on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 3 p.m. to discuss Ann Patchett’s best-selling novel “Tom Lake.” The novel tells the story of Lara and her three adult daughters who beg their mother to tell them the story of her past when she was in a theater company with a famous actor. As Lara shares her experiences sharing a stage and a romance with actor Peter Duke, her daughters examine their own lives and relationship with their mother. This book explores youthful love, married love and the lives parents have led before their children were born. Stop by MJB and check out a copy so you’re ready for book club.
Cookbook Club
Cookbook Club will be taking a hiatus in September. Check in October for an exciting cookbook to sample.
Friends of the Library
Guthrie Center Friends of the Library will not be meeting in September, so their next meeting will be on Monday, Oct. 7 at 6:15 p.m. Everyone who would like to support the library is welcome to join.
Library Closure
The MJB Library will not have Story time on Friday, Aug. 30. The library will, however, be open Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The library will be closed on Saturday, Aug. 31 for the fair and on Monday, Sept. 2, in observance of Labor Day. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Festival of Trees
It’s not too soon to be thinking of Christmas Festival of Trees displays; Christmas is only 130 days away. Again this year, the MJB Library will be hosting the Festival of Trees. This year’s theme will be Christmas stories. We encourage groups and individuals to sign up to decorate a tree for our festival using favorite Christmas books, family stories, or the Christmas Bible story as the theme for their tree.
The Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library is located at 400 Grand St. in Guthrie Center. Contact us at 641-747-8110 or mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us. Visit us online at www.guthriecenter.lib.ia.us.