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4th Annual Halloween Costume Exchange
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Do you have old Halloween costumes kicking around the house? Want to exchange for something new without spending a fortune? Join us for our fourth annual Halloween Costume Exchange on October 13 from 3:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Wheatland Society of Arts Gallery/Studio (115 Third Ave.). Participants are welcome to drop off new or used (cleaned) Halloween costumes & accessories at the library beginning October 1. One Halloween costume/accessory ticket will be given for each costume/accessory donated. Each ticket can be used to exchange for a new costume the day of the event. Don't have a Halloween costume or accessory to trade? Come to the exchange from 6:00 pm-7:00 pm and purchase items with a cash donation.
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The Strathmore Municipal Library renovations are on track and new furniture has been ordered to spruce up the library. New children's shelving, computer tables, teen furniture, children's furniture and a water bottle filling station will grace the interior of the new library. A fireplace, art gallery system, fridge, and stove are still needed to make the renovations complete. This is where we need your support! Your donation will not only help us purchase the remainder of these items, but for a minimum of $50.00, your donation will be recognized on our beautiful new donor wall. PLUS! Everyone who donates to before October 31 will receive an exclusive sneak-a-peek open house invitation to view the library the weekend prior to opening.
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Join Heather for this unique and fun drop-in program. Nighttime Tales begins on October 5 and will run weekly on Thursdays from 6:30pm-7:30pm. Children can come in their pajamas, bring their favourite stuffed animals, and enjoy quiet stories and songs. This program is free to attend and is designed for children and their caregivers. While we are in our temporary location, Nighttime Tales will be held at the Parent Link Centre (419B - 2nd St.).
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Director's Corner - Rachel Dick Hughes
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It is already our last month in our temporary space, and we are eagerly anticipating moving home! Thank you to all of you who have supported our fundraising campaign. There may still be a few additions to the space after we move in and see how it all fits back together but overall we are in good shape. We will close the doors on 3rd Avenue on October 27th for the last time, and we hope to re-open at the Lambert Centre on November 15th. No items will be due during that time, but no items will be accessible for pickup during those couple of weeks either. What this means for you is that you should get ready to stock up on your reading material! So come in before October 27th to stock up on books, magazines, and movies. The more you borrow, the less we have to pack! In case you are interested in helping us pack up our surroundings here, we are looking for volunteers for Saturday October 28th from 9am-4pm. Please contact me at 403-934-5440 or racheldh@marigold.ab.ca to let me know to expect you. We may need more volunteers in the beginning of November once our shelves are re-assembled and re-positioned, so we will be sure to keep you posted. As library volunteers and staff, we have many dreams for the new space. We envision a space with a spot for everyone and every activity: space for quiet study and for noisy storytimes, for community events and book clubs, a place to browse the newest books and to sit and read or play games. We will be shaping the space and settling in for a little while, so if you have feedback for us, I would love to hear it. And please be patient as we iron out the wrinkles! October brings elections! As you evaluate the candidates in your area, ask them about support for the library. We rely heavily on grants from the Town of Strathmore and Wheatland County, and much of our capacity for programming, extended hours, and services depends on the funding levels they set. Currently the Town of Strathmore grants us $19.10/capita. Wheatland County grants us $15.00/Wheatland County resident who is a member of the library. And while the additional space for the library is an amazing gift, it comes with additional costs that will need to be covered by our budget. Consequently, if we are going to expand or even maintain our level of service going into the next year, we will need more municipal funding. Thank you for considering us as you take part in the democratic process. I was honoured to have a chance to share some book recommendations with the wonderful attendees at Senior Power this month. I'll leave you with a couple of my picks: Kate Atkinson is a master storyteller whose novels don’t follow a sequential order of events. A God in Ruins tells the story of Teddy, a fighter pilot with the RAF in the Second World War. The story loops over itself in time as it covers his childhood, his time in the RAF, and his life afterward, and she returns to events from different perspectives, adding details that completely change the reader’s impression of what actually happened. Her writing is distinctive and unique, and once you read one of her books, you will want to seek out more. This book is a companion to Life After Life, but they do not need to be read in any particular order. Even Silence Has an End: This book tells the true story of Ingrid Betancourt, a candidate in the Colombian election in the early 2000s who was kidnapped and held by guerrilla rebels in the jungles of Colombia for 6 years. You can almost feel yourself swaying in a hammock in the jungle as you read this book, pelted by rain, or your skin might start to crawl as she describes the conga ants that are so deadly and large that she spears them with a stick. Her story is incredible, and reading it will make you thankful for a warm dry bed at night.
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"The program helped my grandchild gain confidence with her speech. She has a delay and being given the chance to read and engage with other kids was beneficial to developing her speech." - Grandparent Comment, Summer Reading Program 2017
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If you drive around our lovely community, you may notice some new additions in front of a few homes and businesses. This summer, the library worked hard to install 10 little free libraries through the Town of Strathmore. "What are little free libraries," you ask? A Little Free Library is a "take a book, return a book" free book exchange. They come in many shapes and sizes, but the most common version is a small wooden box of books. Little Free Library book exchanges have a unique, personal touch which make them a beautiful addition to any home or business. The Strathmore Municipal Library's "Little Free Library" initiative began in 2016 and is almost complete with the help of several key players. A grant from the United Way of Calgary and Area helped us fund the project and the students of the Strathmore High School helped tie the project together by building and decorating several of the libraries. Thank you to all the stewards who have come forward to look after these precious libraries. A big thank you to our handyman Brant Henderson and his little helper, Ethan Henderson, for installing all our little free libraries. We hear that Brant is building another library and we look forward to seeing his new creation. So, while the weather is still nice, take a walk, enjoy the fall scenery, and stop by one of these beautiful new libraries. For a full list of locations or learn more about becoming a steward go to www.strathmorelibrary.ca/littlelibraries
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Teen Advisory Council: First Impressions - Karla Mallach
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On September 12th, our Teen Advisory Council gathered for their first official meeting! Amidst laughter, pizza, and a make-your-own candy sushi session, the group of 11 teens came together and began brainstorming their hopes & dreams for the teen council. From teen programming to book selection, and even decorating ideas for the new teen space, the group managed to fill 6 poster boards with their visions for a library they love! Moving into October, we are looking forward to setting their plans into motion & getting even more connected as a group. Our next two meetings will take place Oct. 2nd & Oct. 16th from 6:30-8 pm at the Strathmore Municipal Library (116 Third Ave.), so if you are a teen or know a teen who still wants to get involved, there is an open invitation to stop by! (Ps. Next meeting we’re deciding on furniture, so you will want to make sure you’re there!)
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