Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
Serving Southern Jefferson County in the Great State of Montana
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Mark your calendars this week for a day of Japanese adventure. Nao and Nanako will be here on Thursday, May 8th, at 2 PM and 5:30 PM. They will teach everyone to play a Japanese instrument called a Koto and learn about Japan. The 2 PM session is designed for children, and the 5:30 PM session is for older students and adults. Noa is returning to Japan in July, so this is the last time we can enjoy her presentations. We had so much fun with her last summer when she taught the summer reading childr...
You may have noticed all of the new mulch and weeding done to the front and side yards of the Whitehall Community Library this last week. The Friends of the Library donated ten bags of mulch to keep the moisture in and the weeds out. Our many volunteers have been working hard to get the flower beds ready for summer, and we can't wait for all the irises to come up that Brandi planted last fall. We are not sure what color they are, so this will be a fun surprise. Have you ever wanted to learn...
This is a week for book clubs at the Whitehall Community Library. The Mystery Book Club met on Tuesday, the Teen History Book Club meets on Friday, April 25 at 1 PM, and the History Book Club meets on Monday, April 28th at 5 PM. I have had a request to start a Christian Book Club, an after-hours book club, and a middle school book club. If you are interested in any of these, please let me know so I can determine if there are enough people to start one or all of them. We have great discussions...
It is always great fun to have the Montana State University student teachers visit the Whitehall Community Library. Seeing all of the enthusiasm and excitement they have for learning is a real inspiration for the future. Libraries and schools are a natural partnership, and we enjoy doing many things with our local schools. We have many types of learning in the greater Whitehall area, including public, private, religious, and homeschools. The styles are different, but the students are all discove...
It is always great fun to have the Montana State University student teachers visit the Whitehall Community Library. Seeing all of the enthusiasm and excitement they have for learning is a real inspiration for the future. Libraries and schools are a natural partnership, and we enjoy doing many things with our local schools. We have many types of learning in the greater Whitehall area, including public, private, religious, and homeschools. The styles are different, but the students are all discove...
One of the greatest things about networking with other libraries at conventions is sharing resources. I discovered that a larger library has a huge selection of STEM kits they are willing to share with the Whitehall Community Library for programming. I also found a great source for wildlife programs and speakers. Sharing saves the library hundreds of dollars in programming costs, not to mention that we don't have the space to store fifty or sixty boxes. We can't wait to open the list and start...
I hope you all enjoyed Brandi's column last week - it is always nice to get a different perspective on things at the Whitehall Community Library. I have been writing this column for almost nine years and normally write 50 columns a year. That is a lot of words to share with our patrons! It always touches my heart when I miss a week and patrons come in see if I am alright or ask other staff where I am. That is one of the wonderful things about living in a small town where everyone knows everyone...
In 1992, Queen Elizabeth II called the year her Annus Horribilis, or horrible year. While we haven't had a whole year of craziness, the last two weeks have certainly qualified for the name. Last week and this week, we have had all four staff out at some time during the week, a family crisis, and a case of influenza A. Thanks to our amazing volunteers and hard-working staff, the library did not have to close a single day and only missed one program. Speaking of programs, next week is full with...
I can hardly believe March is just around the corner, but this week's lovely weather proves spring is on its way. I am ordering new books and loving all the summer blockbusters coming out in the next few months. Soon, the Whitehall Community Library will have new books by C.J. Box, Lisa Unger, Pam Jenoff, J.D. Robb, Lisa Black, Sandra Brown, Laura Childs, and more. For mystery fans, Harlan Coben, John Sandford, Fern Michaels, Jeffery Deaver, Michael Connelly, and Anne Hillerman have added to...
This week and next are full of activities at the Whitehall Community Library. Many have noticed that the stairway and children's areas are getting a new look, as artist Teresa Young is painting a full-scale mural on the new office wall and sunflowers down the stairs. With all the snow falling this year, it makes things so cheerful to see all the bright colors, which give hope of warm weather and spring. Our first Teen History Book Club meets on Friday, February 21st, at 1 PM. The History Book...
Brandi and I are moving into our new office created within the Whitehall Community Library this week; please be patient if we need to look for things! It is a great office and the staff is very excited about all the changes in their space. Once crammed together and buried in my projects, they'll have a great, clean area to spread out in. We can all be organized and neat! If you happen to see John Smith, thank him for the wonderful donation, as he gave all the materials to build the office as a g...
The Whitehall Community Library's Cupid Crew is gearing up for our annual Valentine's delivery on February 14th. If you have a senior who would love a long-stemmed rose for Valentine's Day, please call us at 287-3763 to get on the list. Last year, we almost ran out, so an additional 50 roses were ordered for the Cupid Crew program. This program provides roses for seniors at no cost to the library; our volunteers deliver them. The 21st Century program teamed up with us this year and made cards an...
Whitehall Community Library patrons may have noticed the construction in the library this last week; Ron Jung and friends are building an office for Miss Brandi and myself to put all of our projects, computers, paperwork, and other supplies in. This will allow us privacy in online training sessions when talking to patrons and in meetings. The rest of the staff is thrilled to have the desk space open for their book processing, reserves, craft projects, and donation sorting. Teresa Young will...
I was redoing my computer terms for our adult computer class at the Whitehall Community Library this week and was amazed at how many new terms were added. In this ever-changing world of technology, terminology is increasing almost daily. Keeping up with it is nearly as important as learning all of the new programs and gadgets. For our seniors, this radical change in lifestyles is difficult at best and devastating at worst for those who grew up with dial phones, no remotes for anything, and...
I was redoing my computer terms for our adult computer class at the Whitehall Community Library this week and was amazed at how many new terms were added. In this ever-changing world of technology, terminology is increasing almost daily. Keeping up with it is nearly as important as learning all of the new programs and gadgets. For our seniors, this radical change in lifestyles is difficult at best and devastating at worst for those who grew up with dial phones, no remotes for anything, and getti...
I hope everyone has recovered from all of the fun holiday activities. The Whitehall Community Library is easing back into the winter programming schedule, and calendars are at the front desk. We have a new winter reading program called "Who Read It?" Patrons keep track of their reading time and turn sheets in for clues. The clues help participants discover which staff member is reading which book. There are clues for all four staff and clues for which adult or children's/YA books they read. If...
Back by popular demand beginning in January, the Whitehall Community Library will hold adult computer classes. These free classes will be held on Mondays at 1:30 PM starting January 6th. Please register at the library so we can ensure enough laptops for everyone. Our favorite artist, Joan Dedyker, will begin painting classes on January 7th at 2 PM. You may have seen the exhibit of her work this fall in the display case. The library provides all of the materials needed to create a stunning...
Christmas at the Library was a huge success, and we had 410 people in attendance at the Whitehall Community Library. It could not have happened without the help of some amazing people. Thank you to my devoted staff, who never quit moving as they did one activity after another and then stayed to clean up. Thank you also to our volunteers and Friends who made cookies, helped run the desk, washed books, assisted with programs, sorted a mountain of winter wear to give away, and answered questions...
December calendars are out and available at the front desk of the Whitehall Community Library. The program changes, closing dates, and computer class announcements are all included. The library will be closed on December 24th and 25th for Christmas and December 31/January 1 for New Year's. We will be running a full, regular schedule during the rest of the week. The book drop is always open for those who want to return finished items. History Book Club meets early this month on Monday, December...
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! The Whitehall Community Library will be closed on Thursday, November 28th, and Friday, November 29th, for the holiday. We will be open all other days at regular hours. We have a huge book order coming in this week and next, so look for lots of new adult fiction, children's, and young adult books. The staff has been processing new DVDs in time for the holiday vacations as well, so check the new movie section. December is coming, and the...
The wait is over! The Christmas At The Library schedule is set! On Saturday, December 7th, the Whitehall Community Library will open at 9 AM and close at 3 PM. The Friends of the Library book sale will be open the entire day, with hardbacks going for 20 cents and paperbacks selling for 10 cents. Children's activities will run from 10 AM to noon. The Winterwear Giveaway will take place from 11 AM to 1 PM. The afternoon activities will run from 1 PM to 3 PM, with a visit from Santa, the annual...
There are so many new people moving into Whitehall I am tempted to put up a map and mark all the places they have moved from. We have new residents from different countries, every state in the Union, and fellow Montanans who just wanted a quieter life away from all of the city's problems. It makes my heart happy that so many of them are strong readers and want to get involved with their local Whitehall Community Library. Our Friends of the Library group is the perfect way to learn about library...
The Whitehall Community Library has received multiple inquiries about what the library is doing for Christmas. For almost 20 years, Santa has come to play with the children here for other activities. Again, this year, we will be having Christmas at the library. Santa will be here for his 18th appearance, and the Winter Wear Giveaway will hand out coats, hats, gloves, and other winter wear. There will be children’s programming, gifts for all of our stressed-out patrons, and music. Watch for more information here. I love holidays and hate to s...
Children's poetry is the best-kept secret in the Whitehall Community Library's collection. For those who love "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein, there are many other wonderful silly poetry books to read. "Miles of Smiles," edited by Bruce Lansky, is a book for those who like to send their children into fits of laughter with read-aloud volumes on every subject, from showering backward in the sink to "An Everything Pizza" about a pizza that literally has everything on it. Speaking of...
November is a busy time for holidays and events, so I want to remind everyone of the days the Whitehall Community Library will be closed during that time. The library will be closed on November 5th for Election Day, November 11th for Veterans Day, and November 28th and 29th for Thanksgiving. The library will be open the rest of the month during regular hours. The book drop is always open if anyone needs to return items when the library is closed. The Mystery Book Club will be meeting Tuesday,...
