BETH CLINTON: P.E.I. library prepares for the holidays

CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — To help staff celebrate the season the library will be closing at noon on Dec. 24. We will also be closed Dec. 25-26. We will be closing at 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve (I know, I know, you wanted a wild New Year’s Eve at the library but it’s just not going to happen this year).  The library will remain closed until Jan. 2.

All the other days we are here at our regularly scheduled times to help you with all your reading and information needs. (That includes your movie watching, snow shoeing, Internet accessing, musical instrument borrowing, puzzle completing and general hanging out needs).

Please note, anytime your physical library is closed our online Overdrive service means you can check out e-books and E-audiobooks 24/7. Or you can learn something new with Rocket Languages or have TumbleBooks read a story to the kids.  All you need is your library card. So, drop into the library, check out our website or give us a call for details.

In the Children’s Library regular programs are on a holiday hiatus for December but all your weekly favourites will be back in 2020. Regular programs will re-start the week of Jan. 5. 

First up in the lineup is Lego club—every Sunday at 2 p.m.  Family Storytimes happen on Tuesdays at 3:30 p.m. and Wednesdays at 11 a.m. Toddlers get their own special time at 10:30 on Thursdays. And Thursdays at 1:30 p.m. is all about babies with Wiggle, Giggle, Read! Last, but still super fun, is Family Game Time on Fridays at 11 a.m.

There is one special event happening in the Children’s Library this year on Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve – at 11 a.m. If midnight is past your bedtime (and it’s definitely past mine) come in for some games and crafts and count down to the noon year. All ages welcome.

Some special events are coming in January. Craft Club will be Jan. 7 at 6 p.m. and you’ll be making something crafty. On Jan. 4, 11 and 18 there will be supplies set out in the Children’s Library for Valentine’s for Vets, held in conjunction with the Military Family Resource Centre. Children will have the opportunity to create home-made valentines to send to veterans. On Jan. 15 there will be puppet drama on offer at 10:30 a.m. Starting Jan. 16 we will be offering a six-week Code Club for kids ages 8-12. Participants will work on a new coding module each week starting with Scratch Coding.  The program starts at 6:30 p.m. and registration, and a 6-week commitment, are required. Call 902-368-4644 to register.

Then, Jan. 21 at 6 p.m. will feature bedtime stories. Bring your stuffy and your grown-up, put on your pajamas and head to the library.

For teens, our popular Drop-in Drawing program continues on Saturdays at 1:30 p.m. The Teen Advisory Group meets Jan. 9 at 4 p.m. Give us a call if you’d like to join and help with volunteer projects and give your feedback on teen library programs. Drop in Jan. 11 at 1 p.m. to De-stress for Success (exam time) make a sharpie mug or stress ball and learn some de-stressing techniques.

A six-week Code Club for ages 13-18 will start on Jan. 16 and will run on Thursdays at 6 p.m. Learn to create games, animations and websites. Call 902-368-4642 to register.

Calling all stitchers, knitters, cross-stitchers or fibre artists of any stripe. Jan. 8 at 6:30 p.m. will be the first meeting for 2020 of In Stitches—A Fibre Art club.  Drop in with your latest project and join in the fibre fun.

Coming up on Jan. 15 at 6:30 p.m. we have Craft or Fail, check in later in the month for an update on the project. On Jan. 16 at 2 p.m. we will be holding the Seniors’ Café so drop in for coffee, tea and a chat.

Happy Holidays and try and find a chance to spend some relaxing time with a book, or a movie or a TV show, or your family or a pet or whatever makes you happy.

Beth Clinton is the regional librarian with the P.E.I. Provincial Library Service. Her column appears in The Guardian once a month. Anyone who would like more information on programs should call the library at 902-368-4642.