Friday, May 5 1:00pm-3:00pm Join us for our Friday Fun Film program as we show the hit movie, BFG. Rated G. At the end of the film we will draw for one lucky participant to take the movie home with them! Participants will be treated to popcorn and drinks. This program is free to attend and no registration is required.
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Friday, June 2 1:00pm-3:00pm Join us for a throwback Friday Fun Film program as we show the Disney hit movie, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids. Rated PG. At the end of the film we will draw for one lucky participant to take the movie home with them! Participants will be treated to popcorn and drinks. This program is free to attend and no registration is required.
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Patio Lantern Class Fundraiser Tuesday, May 23
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Do you want to spruce up your patio? Join Barbara, of Queen B Encaustic Studio, as she teaches you how to create your own original hand painted patio lantern. All supplies are included for this craft class! Open to participants 14 years and up. Tickets are $43.00 credit online or $40.00 cash at the library. Click on the session time to reserve your spot online or register with cash in person at the library. Please register by 5:00pm on Saturday, May 20. All proceeds will go towards library building improvements.
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Library Closure - Wednesday, May 10
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On Wednesday, May 10 the staff of the Strathmore Municipal Library will be attending the Marigold Library workshop. This workshop is held each year for library staff to attend. The theme of this year's workshop is Advocacy: Words Worth Sharing. This year's theme expresses the idea that libraries are the entertainment, educational, and social hubs of their communities more than ever before and library advocates need to get the word out about these amazing and essential spaces to users and non-users, community groups, and municipal provincial officials.
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Bow Valley College Donation
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The Strathmore Municipal Library would like to send a big thank you to Bow Valley College for donating their equipment to the library. Bow Valley College is no longer housed within the Lambert Centre and will be moving into the old Co-op building this summer. As a thank you for the on-going partnership between the library and the college, Bow Valley has opted to donate their projector, screen, whiteboard, and cork boards to the Strathmore Municipal Library. These items will be a tremendous use to the library and community members who use the meeting room.
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Director's Corner - Alexis McKenzie
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What an incredible experience it has been to work here! What first drew me to this library was the sheer volume and variety of programs and events held at this library. Did you know that last year we delivered 378 programs to 5,915 attendees? These numbers and others (you can find them in our Year in Review) are staggering to me! I am so proud to have been a part of the hard-working team that makes the magic happen here. I have never worked with a more devoted crew of people and I am sure you have seen their dedication for yourself. Oh, how time has flown by! Some favourite memories: in the past ten months I have worn 16 cardigans at once (a record-breaking number); I have shopped at the book sales, markets, and auctions; I have played host to a praying mantis and a box full of hard-working worms! I am so proud to have been a part of this library, and I am thrilled to be welcoming back your director Rachel Dick Hughes who returns on May 15. Myself, I am moving to BC to be near family - just in time for the birth of my first child due in August. I will dearly miss this library – the staff, patrons, and books – and hope to be back to visit in 2018! I can’t wait to see how this library evolves in the years to come. I’d like to leave you with a few of my all-time favourite reads: The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls is the book that can turn anyone into a reader. This autobiography details American poverty like I have never seen it before. Written honestly but without judgement, Walls describes her life growing up in a crazy, kooky family: her dad is a drunk, her mom is an artist, and both of them are dreamers. Her family is full of love and what they lack in stability they make up for in creativity. This book will take you on a wild ride and is my top recommendation for ANY reader. You won’t be able to put it down. Catch-22 by Joseph Heller is an oldie but a goodie. You may have heard of the expression, Catch-22: “a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.” This expression comes from the book, and there are many examples of these conflicting circumstances within the story. Catch-22 is a war parody and it is not an easy read! There are so many characters, and it can be a bit of a slog, but it is well worth it. An incredibly clever and witty book, it made me laugh and I think I had the characters straight on my third reading. I have copies that were handed down to me by each of my grandfathers. You may have a copy floating around in your own family, but if not, be sure to pick it up from the library! Last but not least, is Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin. This book has changed my outlook on life more than any other. Dominguez and Robin approach the topic of money in a unique way that they say has been shown to decrease your spending by 30% without making you feel deprived! Sound too good to be true? You’ll just have to find out for yourself. The book changes the way you think about money. One of their tips that stood out to me was calculating the “life energy” it takes to buy something. If you make $15 an hour and you want to buy a $60 shirt, you’re spending 4 hours of your life to earn it. It’s a great way to determine if you’re spending money in a way that suits your values. My most sincere thanks to the board, the library staff, and our beloved patrons for making my time here so memorable. Your support has meant so much to me, and I miss you already!
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The Great Family Treasure Hunt - May 19
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May 15 is the International Day of Families and to celebrate we are bringing back our popular Great Family Treasure Hunt! What better way to connect with your family than working together to find hidden treasure. Pick up you treasure map at the library and follow the clues to find treasure hidden in the Lambert Park & Centre, Kinsmen Park, and Downtown Strathmore. Complete the hunt to be entered into a draw for a family photo shoot (including 10-15 edited images of a USB for you to print) by River & Reeds Photography valued at $200.00! Other prizes will also be awarded. This program is free to attend and will run from 1:00pm to 4:00pm. No registration is required. See you there!
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A Note from our returning Director Rachel Dick Hughes
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After a year of parental leave, I look forward to rejoining the library (although I will miss morning snuggles and afternoon playtime)! The board, staff, and volunteers have been busy, and I look forward to re-joining them. Thank you to Alexis for her hard work as Interim Director. I expect to be busy on my return, but I look forward to catching up with you and hearing what books you have enjoyed lately! Some of my favourites from the past year are A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman; Stalin’s Daughter by (Canadian) Rosemary Sullivan; A God in Ruins by Kate Atkinson; and Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson. I have also enjoyed many, many readings of Five Little Monkeys by Natalie Marshall; A Kiss Means I Love You by Katherine Madeline Allen; Dr. Seuss’ Sleep Softly Book; and Do Crocs Kiss by Salina Yoon. The library has seen many changes in my year away, and I anticipate more as we continue to grow and adapt to the changing needs of our patrons. What I expect to remain constant through this time of transition is a strong commitment to providing the best service possible to the communities of Strathmore and Wheatland County with committed, well-trained staff, passionate volunteers, and valuable community partners. As always, if you have ideas of ways the library can grow and improve, please share them. This is your community library, and we are honoured to serve you.
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Books with Baby: Sharing Books Heather Ulmer
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In April’s Newsletter we discussed why it is important to share books with your baby from birth. This month will focus on how to share books. There are many techniques that you can use to capture and hold your young one’s interest, but it is important to know when to move on to another activity too. Perhaps the most essential tip is to pick the best time to read. Make sure you and your baby are well-rested and in a good mood. If your baby is getting restless or upset, stop reading and try again later when you are both ready. You may get in a routine and find a regular time in your day to read together, or it may vary based on how you are both feeling. Many babies will likely want to chew on their books, and, although we do not encourage this with library books, it is important to develop a positive relationship with books. At times it may be beneficial just to let them play with the book in a way that they are comfortable with such as allowing them to hold and even throw the books. As your baby ages, you can start to encourage them to turn the pages. The thicker pages in board books help to support the development of these fine motor skills. Even though your baby might be a long way from learning to read for themselves, they will enjoy hearing your voice and this will help to develop the language part of their brain. Try using different voices, tones, pitches, and accents to make it more entertaining for both of you. Point at and name each thing on a page. Finally, remember to have fun! Snuggle and hug your baby the entire time and make reading an experience your child wants to repeat often. Do your best to share a book with your baby every day. Just a few minutes will make a difference in how soon your child learns language. For more information on how to share books with your baby or learn about literacy activities, you can ask for a “Books with Baby” handout at the library, or check Booker’s Buzz next month for another article.
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English Conversation Circle
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Calling all newcomers to Canada! Foothills Immigrant Community Services is hosting an English conversation circle on Mondays from May 1 - June 24. This program will run weekly on Mondays from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Here is your chance to learn English in a fun and relaxed environment. This program is FREE to attend and no registration is required. If you know someone who can benefit from this new program, please have them contact Nancy with FCIS at 403-938-4699.
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