Ghosts of Programs Past
The Ghosts of Programs Past (Present, and Future!)
Now that we are well into Fall, pumpkins have come out of hiding, spiders and skeletons are prominently displayed in decoration, and the excitement of a Halloween night of trick or treating is buzzing through everyone. This season is full of fun and spooky things creeping around every corner. At the library, we love October, because it is a whole month of make-believe and joy!
In the Children’s Department, we also love to be just a little bit spooky. Did you know that we have ghosts? Don’t be afraid, though! We don’t have real ones! We have the memories of the amazing things that we have done all year long. From full day events to recurring groups that meet regularly, we absolutely love what we have done with our community. We love these memories so much that we wanted to share some of them with you! Ebenezer Scrooge wishes these ghosts would haunt him!
Art Gallery Night
Starting off the library’s first annual Art Gallery Night felt a bit like a trick instead of a treat at the beginning. The event had to be rescheduled due to weather. In the end, though, the theme for the Gallery, Love is All Around, certainly showed to be the truth. Even with the delay, kids displayed art that showed how they viewed the world and the love that keeps it going, just like it did for this. Our shelves were lined with the amazing art made by the community. Every artist had the opportunity to express themselves through their physical art and through their artist statement proudly posted by each piece. During the opening event, artists not only got to see their art displayed but also had the chance to discuss their art with other artists and viewers from the community.
Next year, Art Gallery Night is coming back! Look forward to March 2023 for Reflections, a gallery for artists looking at themselves. Self-portraits are some of the greatest things for children of all ages to do as they are discovering their own body awareness. We are so excited to see what beautiful art the community has this coming year!
BOOKS
There is so much to learn about art! 100 Things to Know About Art by Susan Hodge and Marcos Farina is one of our newest books that shares an abundance of information with its readers!
One of the most fun painting stories is I Ain’t Gonna Paint No More by Karen Beaumont. This silly tale is full of sing-song rhyming text and hilarious pictures!
Destination Exploration: Mythical Creatures
The unknown can be a little scary but not for dedicated explorers! Back in August, kids became Temple Public Library Explorers during an afterhours library event all about discovering creatures from ancient myths and exploring cultures around the world. Together, they deciphered and decoded messages from tricky fairies, contemplated the unique science of water refraction, practiced the real-life magic of curtesy and word use with elves, and even used their deductive skills to find the elusive Bigfoot! As they challenged themselves with more daring and exciting activities, they earned badges for mastering knowledge of each creature. At the very end, they earned their final badge for a total completion of the expedition.
The adventure will not end there! Though this exploration into mythical creatures was a one-time event, our journey is not done. Keep a look out for another iteration in 2023 when explorers ages 7-11 take on something new.
BOOKS
If you are looking to learn more about mythical creatures, check out the
Abnormal Field Guides to Cryptic Creatures series . They explore myths from around the world in an innovative way that captures the attention of young readers.
If you are looking for a fun fiction series with a wonderful world, take a look at the Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. Three siblings take on a quest to save their family as they delve into a world of fairies!
STEAM Team
Ages 6-12 |Every 3rd Tuesday
When a huge group of cackling families file into one room and come out with amazing inventions and the knowledge to keep on building, there’s only one question to ask. Are they doing magic in there? Of course not! This is STEAM Team! STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. Though it may seem like the super cool activities and profound skills these kids are building may stem from something otherworldly, everything we do and learn is as real as everyone who comes. We meet once a month to tackle new projects and ideas that build on fine motor skills, critical thinking, problem solving and more. You would not believe some of the things that we have done- everything from tattooing bananas to making blacklights! Kids honed their math skills by designing their own rockets and building snowball launchers. They worked on their keen sense of detail in a Play-Dough excavation. They even solved a mystery with forensics.
For the spooky month of October, the team took on skeletons and bones, creating their own articulating hands and learning about joints and the muscular system. Next month is National Novel Writing Month. Many people write stories in November, but we are going to take it a step further. We are going to bind our own books. Can’t wait to see you there!
STEAM Team meets every 3rd Tuesday of the month at 4:15PM. Next STEAM Team will be on November 21.
BOOKS
If you are looking for some awesome things to do at home, take a look at Amazing Science: 83 Hands-On S.T.E.A.M. Experiments for Curious Kids! by Aubre Andrus. Experts have put together some of the coolest things for you and your kids to do at home!
Smithsonian has put out books like Maker lab and STEM lab that give kids great ideas for their next discoveries!
Mystique and Mayhem
Ages 7-11 | Every 1st Wednesday
A chilling air clouds the teen space. What is it that floats above the heads of kids sitting around a table? Imagination and creativity! What is more mysterious than creating stories with friends? The kids who attend Mystique and Mayhem have been solving puzzles, cooperating as a team, and pushing the boundaries of their ingenuity and innovation! They have built and developed characters in a variety of worlds and worked together to form tales unlike any others. Together, they have captured and brought bandits to justice, survived a jungle planet, defeated a prehistoric sea monster, and are currently working on restoring time to a broken world. Playing a wide range of characters including an android engineer of a pirate ship, the Queen of the Dragons, and an awakened muffin now turned wealthy patron of voyages, there is no limit to what can be done!
This program is a great introduction to roleplaying games. With basic rules and dice mechanics, this is a good way to start off your journey into more advanced gaming in the future. Currently, kids meet on the 1st Wednesday of every month at 5:00PM. Starting in January 2023, meetings will shift to the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.
BOOKS
Are you looking for some books to transport you into another world? Here are some awesome finds! The Dungeons and Dragons Young Adventurers Guide series is a wonderful resource into the fantasy realms for young readers. The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien is an introduction to a beautifully crafted world of adventure. For a more interactive experience, check out the Choose Your Own Adventure series to immerse yourself in the fantasy world. If fantasy isn’t your thing but you still love the interactivity, take a look at some of the You Choose series. There are a variety of options to include interactive historical novels!
Dungeons and Dragons
Ages 12-18 | 2nd and 4th Thursdays
Did you sense something powerful lingering in the same area? You definitely should have! When the young adventurers have completed their quests, the older ones come out in full force. Teens play 5th edition Dungeons and Dragons every 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month. Together, these weathered heroes take on dastardly foes, solve staggering riddles, and explore the vast terrains of their imaginations. With continuous arcs that last through multiple sessions, full-fledged maps, and mini figurines (or minis for short!), the adventure never rests. Whether you are a seasoned adventurer or new to the game, this experience full of quests and missions awaits you!
Join us on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month at 5:00PM to be part of something amazing! Starting soon, adventurers will take part in one-shots from the Candlekeep Mysteries. Most sessions are run by a library staff member, but sometimes a veteran teen player makes their debut!
BOOKS:
If you are thinking about getting in to Dungeons and Dragons or are interested in the content, take a look at the Dungeons & Dragons handbooks that we have for check out. There are plenty of books that include information for people who want to run the game or want to play it.
If adventure calls to you, give the Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima a try. Heroics and magical warriors abound!
Teen Advisory Board
Ages 12-18 | Every 2nd Monday
Double double, toil and trouble. Those are the sounds of teens mixing up a new concoction- of programming and ideas! No potions are hexes here, just great teamwork as a core of young adults come together to discuss what they would love to see in the library and how we can make their experiences more meaningful. As our personal advisors to young adults, they spend their time working together to make great new things happen. Over the summer, they were the front lines of the volunteer core, ready to take on any task. From aiding patrons to helping with programs, there was nothing they could not do. Now that it’s fall, they are beginning the VolunTEENS group of volunteers who will know the ins and outs of volunteering at the library and can eventually train new volunteers!
The Teen Advisory Board is for young adults ages 12 to 18. They meet the second Monday of each month at 5:00PM. To join, go to the next meeting to get more information!
BOOKS
Teens who volunteer or want to make a difference in libraries or other organizations have all different preferences for books to read. Books like Running by Natalia Sylvester and Love is a Revolution by Renée Watson are about joining an activist cause.
Get inspired to be the change with Catch the Spirit by Susan K. Perry is a collections of stories from teens who have made a difference somehow.