MPL Connect
                                October 2022
From the Director:
 
October is here and that means it’s time for our 9th annual, international award-winning, South Texas Book Festival on October 29th! This year we have a stellar line-up of celebrated, diverse authors for children, teens, and adults, including this year’s South Texas Reads! featured author, Reyna Grande. The multi-day Festival kicks off on Thursday, October 27th with A Night of Dark Poetry at Roosevelt’s at 7 at 7:00 pm. Join us on Saturday, October 29th beginning at 11:00 am for a day of author readings and have your favorite authors sign your book! Author books will be for sale onsite through our exclusive bookseller, The Storybook Garden. Visit our Family Fun Zone where you can experience performances, an animal show with Contacto Animal, craft stations, and a train ride. Check out the full schedule and author roster by visiting www.southtexasbookfestival.com.  
South Texas Book Festival is a 100% free event, thanks to the McAllen Public Library Advisory Board, which raised funds at our Wild West Casino Fundraiser through ticket sales and sponsorships. The week culminates in a community favorite, the Halloween Trick-or-Treat Trail at the Main Library. Come dressed as your favorite character and collect candy and family memories at our indoor and outdoor candy stations. I hope to see you there!                                                               
 
Kate P. Horan, MLS
Library Director
 
                                
Current Hours of Operation
 
Main Library
Monday - Thursday
9 AM - 9 PM
 
Friday - Saturday
9 AM - 6 PM
 
Sunday
1 PM - 9 PM
 
Lark & Palm View Branches
Monday - Thursday
10 AM - 9 PM
 
Friday - Saturday
10 AM - 5 PM
 
Sunday
1 PM - 9 PM 
 
   
                                       
 
McAllen Public Library System has once again received a Letter of Accreditation from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC). Accreditation entitles public libraries to apply for grants and receive discounts when they meet Public Library Standards and the Minimum Criteria for Accreditation by submitting an Annual Report.
 

Congratulations to Lark Branch Manager Eddie Lopez for achieving the rank of Certified Festival & Events Executive (CFEE). This certification is achieved after completing a series of classes and projects which demonstrate a commitment to excellence in festival and event planning.
 
“It has been an amazing experience having the opportunity to learn and work with the best in the festivals and events industry.  Thank you to all the professionals and colleagues for taking the time to teach me how to approach and overcome the many challenges involved in each of the events I’ve been a part of. Achieving the CFEE Certification has been a challenging but extremely rewarding.”
 
                                                    

MPL was honored to win multiple awards from the International Festival & Events Association (IFEA) during the 65th Annual IFEA Convention, held right here in McAllen. In addition to winning 6 Gold, 5 silver, and 8 bronze awards, MPL also won the highest honor, the coveted Pinnacle Award for the South Texas Book Festival.
 
“I am proud and honored of the amazing work that the City of McAllen does to plan, organize, host and promote the quality festivals and events held here in our community throughout the year and extremely proud of the staff who make them happen,” said McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos. “These awards are truly well-deserved and also, inspiring for us to be honored in such amazing company with other festivals and events from around the world.” Congratulations to MPL!
 

On September 17, MPL sponsored our second annual Wild West Casino Fundraiser in partnership with the McAllen Public Library Advisory Board, featuring gaming tables, slot machines, a live DJ, a taquiza, a 360 video keepsake, and some incredible prizes, such as a weekend stay at La Quinta South Padre Island. Thanks to our amazingly supportive Library Advisory Board members for selling tickets and sponsorships to support STBF 2022. Tickets were also made available to the general public through our southtexasbookfestival.com website. In all, we raised more than $20,000 for our 9th annual South Texas Book Festival!
 
From Library Advisory Board President, Dr. Joseph Ryan:
"The Library Advisory Board is proud to have raised funds for STBF through the Wild West Casino Fundraiser. STBF is a fun, free event for everyone to enjoy authors, books, literacy, and community at our wonderful library!"
 
Take a look at the fun we had in the link, below. Don’t miss out next year! https://business.facebook.com/mcallenlibrary/videos/1135508740506601/Tik
 
 

Thanks to our
South Texas Book Festival
Sponsors
 
 
 
 
 
 
 



 


Children's Programs
 
For more information on children events, visit the MPLKids Facebook!
  
Program Highlight:
11th Annual Children's and Breast Cancer Awareness Walk-a-Thon (Lark)
Friday, October 7th at 10:30 AM 
 
Join us for our eleventh annual walk, run, or stroll around Garza Park in awareness of Breast & Children’s Cancer Month. Support all of our loved ones who have survived, or are going through, this battle.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                        
 
Programs
Once Upon a Time 
(Lark)
October 3rd, 10,tt  & 17th at 11 AM 
 
Once Upon a Time 
(Lark) 
October 4th, 11th, & 18tth at 11 AM
 
Family Storytime (Lark)
October 4th, 11th, & 18tth at 6:30PM
  
Once Upon a Time 
(Lark) 
October 5th, 12th, & 19th at 11AM 
Toddler Time 
October 6th, 13th, & 20th at 10 AM
 
Crafty KIids
(Lark) 
October 5th, 12th, & 19th at 6 PM 
 Coloring Day  
(Lark)
October 10th at 6 PM 
Kids Lego Club
(Lark) 
October 17th at 6 PM  
 
 
Teen Programs
 
For more information on teen events, visit MPLTeenFacebook!
  
Program Highlight:
Fright Night  
Friday October 7th at 6PM
 
Ready to have a scary good time? Join us for a spooktacular teens-only after-hours costume party at the library! Have an eerie evening full of fun, snacks, a thrilling escape room and more! Space is limited. Registration required.
 
 
 
        
 
         
 
Programs
 
TAC Meeting 
October 1st & 15th at 2 PM
 
Teen Jigsaw Puzzle Race 
(Lark) 
October 3rd at 5 PM
 
Teen Sketch Class
(Lark) 
October 5th at 5 PM 
 
Mazes and Monsters Club
October 6th & 20th at 6 PM
 
Spooky Flix
October 9th & 23rd at
6 PM
 
Homeschool Hang Out 
October 11th at 2 PM 
 
Teen Book Refurbishing
Craft
(Lark)
October  12th at 5 PM
 
Wtich's Slime 
October 17th at 6 PM
 
Pumpkin Dinosaur Origami
(Lark) 
October 19th at 5 PM 
 
Halloween Sketch Class
(Lark)
October 25th at 5 PM
 
 Super Spooky Disco Madness Dance-Off
October 26th at 5 PM 
 
South Texas Book Festival
Teen Day 
October 29th at 11 AM   
 
  


Adult Programs
 
For more information on adult events, visit the MPL Adults Facebook!
  
Program Highlights:
Virtual Painting Class (Lark)
Friday October 14th at 2 PM
Painting kits for adults! Participants come to the library to pick up supplies the week of the program.  We offer a self-paced video on Facebook.com/MPLAdults and Youtube.com/MPLAdults. Registration is required. For registration and to pick up a painting kit at the Lark Branch Library, please call (956) 681-3100
 
 
 
                 
 
 
                    
Programs 
 
Tech Help 
(Lark)
Saturdays at 10 AM & 2 PM 
 
Knitting Group
(Lark)
Tuesdays at 2 PM 
 
MPL Gaming Club 
October 4th & 18th at 6 PM 
 
Adult Sketching Class
(Lark)
October 4th & 18th at 6 PM
 
Adult Painting Class
(Lark)
October 8th at 1:30 PM
 
Adult Watercolor Painting Class
(Lark)
October 20th at 6 PM
 
Adult Coloring Class
(Lark)
October 26th at  6 PM
 
“Welcome Fall Pumpkin Wall Decor”
(Lark)
October 27th at 6 PM 
 
 



Camp Carnage by Elliot Arthur Cross
 
★★★★★ “Imagine an 80's summer camp slasher movie that features gay kids getting massacred, and you’ve got the novel, Camp Carnage. This page-turning gay horror novel has basically re-imagined Friday the 13th—at a conversion camp!”
Boys, Bears & Scares
 
Registration is required for new members.
Contact reference at 956-681-3000 to register.
 
 
A Ballad of Love and Glory by Reyna Grande
 
“With A Ballad of Love and Glory, Reyna Grande employs her many storytelling gifts to paint a vivid and unforgettable portrait of the people caught up in the Mexican-American War. Grande brings the legend of the Saint Patrick’s Battalion to life in all its richness and humanity, along with a big cast of Mexican women patriots and vainglorious generals. This is a page-turning epic with a love story at its center. Bravo!” —Héctor Tobar, New York Times bestselling author of The Barbarian Nurseries.  
 
Registration is required.
Please call 956-681-3100 to register.
 
A Ballad of Love and Glory by Reyna Grande
 
"With A Ballad of Love and Glory, Grande gifts us a reminder of the sweeping changes that war can bring and the unexpected ties that bind us. Through quick-paced narration and a captivating love story between the main characters, the fictional retelling of the Irish battalion aiding the Mexican Army is eye-opening and enthralling. Perspective shifts are a real strength here, and the Mexican and Irish idioms throughout the novel are deftly woven in, making for a transporitive read into the lesser-told story of the Mexican-American War.” —Sofía Segovia, bestselling author of The Murmur of Bees 
 
Registration required.
Please call 681-3000 to register.
 
Before I Go to Sleep by S. J. Watson

"Watson’s debut novel unwinds as a story that is both complicated and compellingly hypnotic. . . . Watson’s pitch–perfect writing propels the story to a frenzied climax that will haunt readers long after they’ve closed the cover on this remarkable book.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Registration required. Please call 681-3000 to register
 
Stream hit movies and series.
 
 
 
 
Meet Biblio+, a library of entertainment at your fingertips.

Stream unlimited movies and series on any device, ad-free. All you need is a library card to get started. 
 
Login to the site here with your McAllen Public Library card!
Thousands of books at your fingertips.
Overdrive and Libby have got your reading handled.
 
Check out items from the comfort of your home. We have e-books, e-audiobooks, and reads for all ages and tastes, all available with a McAllen Public Library card.
 
Download the Libby app or visit mcallen.overdrive.com!
Thousands of e-books and e-audio books. 
Cloud Library
 
Check out items from the comfort of your home. We have e-books, e-audiobooks, and reads for all ages and tastes, all available with a McAllen Public Library card.

Login to the site here with your McAllen Public Library card!
Unlimited e-books selection for kids.
AR testing at home? Need books?
 
TumbleBooks is a service full of picture books, beginning readers, read alongs, and chapter books. The books are always available and have AR testing information included.
 
Login to the site here with your McAllen Public Library card!
Free online tutoring and more!
Free online tutoring and more. 

Tutor.com combines online tutoring, homework help, test preparation, and career support with a variety of self-study resources to provide a well-balanced and flexible educational environment.
 
Login to the site here with your McAllen Public Library card!
Collection of guides listed by topic. 
Library Subject Guides
 
A wide variety of guides organized by subject featuring library and internet resources on topics of cultural, historical, literary, and local interest. 
 
 
Access the page here!
Free streaming shows with your library card.
 
 
 
Unlimited streaming shows and movies.
 
Educational, enriching, entertaining!
Stream hundreds of videos for free, brought to you by your library. 
 
Download the Kanopy app or visit mcallenlibrary.kanopy.com!
Find us on Facebook!
Make the most of McAllen Public Library by following the Facebook pages that you're most interested in. All pages contain age-appropriate virtual content. It's one way MPL is keeping you connected!
  • For information about all library services and events: McAllen Public Library
  • For the parents of children birth up to 5th grade: MPL Kids
  • For teens from 6th grade through 12th grade and their parents: MPL Teens
  • For adults: MPL Adults
 
McAllen Public Library                                                        
4001 N. 23rd Street
McAllen, Texas 78504
Phone: (956) 681-3000E-mail: referencelibrarian@mcallen.netWebsite: www.mcallenlibrary.net

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