Activities in the Children’s Department

LAPSIT STORY TIMES: Lapsit Story Times for ages 0-23 months will be offered beginning February 16, running for five weeks. The interactive child/adult sessions include songs, fingerplays, books and baby games. Lapsit will be offered on Mondays at 5:30 & 6:30 p.m., and Tuesdays at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. Registration is required, and begins Monday, February 2 for Normal residents, and Thursday, February 5, for residents outside of Normal. To register for this FREE program, call 454-4668.

TWO-YEAR-OLD STORY HOURS: Story Hours for two-year-olds and an accompanying adult will be offered beginning February 17, running for five weeks. The sessions include stories, songs, and large motor activities. Classes will be offered on Tuesdays at 5:45 & 6:30 p.m., and Wednesdays at 9:30, 10:15 and 11am. Registration is required, and begins Tuesday, February 3 for Normal residents, and Friday, February 6, for residents outside of Normal. To register for this FREE program, call 454-4668.

FAMILY STORY HOURS: Family Story Hours will be offered at 10 a.m. Friday, February 20 & Saturday, February 21 in the Community Room. This FREE family activity is designed for preschoolers accompanied by an adult, and includes stories, songs and a craft activity. There is no registration required for this program. If you are planning to bring a large (more than 10) group of children, please notify Jennifer at the library 2 days in advance so that we can have enough craft supplies on hand. For more information, call 454-4668.

LINCOLN CELEBRATION: Preschoolers through 6th graders accompanied by an assisting adult are invited to help us celebrate Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday – drop in between 10am-1pm Monday, February 16, in the Discovery Room. This is a FREE family craft activity. Call 454-4668 for more information.

WOLF PROGRAM: Meet Scotti Cohn, author of the picture book One Wolf Howls, and learn about the wolves in her world. This free 45-minute program is geared toward children ages 4-8, but everyone is welcome. Join us at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 28, in the Community Room.

VOTE FOR CAUDILL & MONARCH AWARDS: Voting for the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers’ Book Award and the Monarch Award will take place from February 1-26 in the Children’s Department. Students may vote for their favorites from a list of 20 nominees if they do not vote in their school. 4th-8th graders are eligible to vote for the Caudill Award if they have read or listened to at least three of the titles on the master list. The Monarch Award is for kindergartners-3rd graders who have read or listened to at least five of the titles on the master list. Copies of the nominees are available at NPL.

TUESDAY TALES: Preschoolers and their families are invited to the Children’s Department Book Nook every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. to enjoy stories. No registration is required for this free story time.

For more information about these and other activities,
call the Children’s Department, 454-4668.

Scholastic Book Fair

Do you need a Valentine’s Day gift for a special child? Visit the Children’s Department during the week of February 2 to purchase book and other items at our Scholastic Book Fair. All proceeds will be used to purchase books to give away to participants in the 2009 Summer Reading Program!
Hours are:
Monday, February 2: 1-8pm
Tuesday-Thursday, February 3-5: 9am-8pm
Friday, February 6: 9am-4pm
Saturday, February 7: 9am-1pm

Teen Activities at NPL

The Anime/Manga Club will meet at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 3 & 17 to watch episodes of anime and discuss manga we have read. All junior & senior high students are welcome, and snacks are provided.

NPL’s Teen Advisory Council will meet at 4 p.m.Thursday, February 12, in the Board Room, and Thursday, February 26, in the Community Room. We will discuss The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flangan on the 12th, and have a craft day on the 26th. All teens in grades 7-12 are welcome, and snacks will be served.

Voting for the Abraham Lincoln Award will take place during February at the Circulation Desk. High School students who do not vote in their school are eligible to vote if they have read at least four of the 20 books on the nomination list. All nominated titles are available for checkout at NPL.

Contact Kristi at 452-1757 for more information about any of these events.

Movie Matinee for Adults at NPL

NPL’s Movie Matinee series continues this month at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, February 19. This month’s offering is Bringing Up Baby starring Cary Grant, Katharine Hepburn, and a leopard named Baby. Bring a friend and enjoy the afternoon – free, and snacks provided!

Free Magazines

The library is in process of discarding many older magazines. They are free to anyone who wants them, and are kept on a cart near the Circulation Desk on the main floor. There is no limit to the number of magazines you may take – first come, first served!

VITA Tax Assistance Location Change

The VITA tax services will NOT be meeting at the Normal Public Library this year. VITA has consolidated the sites where assistance is available (call VITA at 1-800-829-1040 for further information). The tax assistance sites for 2009 are:

Bloomington Housing Authority (Wood Hill Towers):
Jan.24 - Feb. 28 M, T, W, Th 5:30-8pm and Sat. 9:30-Noon
Mar.1 - Apr. 11 M, W 5:30-8pm and Sat. 9:30-Noon
Normal Senior Center: Jan. 23 - Apr. 10 Fridays 9:30-11:30am & 12:30-2:30pm
Heartland CC Workforce Development Bldg: Jan. 29 - Apr. 9 Thursdays 5-7:30pm
Mid-Central Community Action: Jan. 26 - Apr. 13 Mondays 9am-2pm

Library Patrons Can Park in Deck for FREE!

The public parking deck just east of the Bank of Illinois has opened, which will provide 600+ additional parking spaces for library patrons. Library patrons can park in the deck for free. Vouchers to use in the deck’s payment machines will be given to library patrons whorequest them; you will need to request a voucher each time you visit the library and park in the deck for longer than the first free hour.

Donate Your Used Books

The Friends of NPL are happy to accept donations of used book throughout the year.
Bring them to the library marked ‘for the Friends book sale’. Please DO NOT leave your book donations at the off-site book drops!! All donations for the sale must be brought in to the library. Thanks!