LibraryAware May 2023 Newsletter

ATTENTION!

The Watsonville Public Libraries will be closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 30.

NEWS & EVENTS

Graphic featuring cartoonish pale green houses in the background, with darker green rolling hills in the foreground.

Affordable Housing Month

Affordable Housing Month is an opportunity to deepen our awareness of our neighbors’ experiences; grow our understanding of the foundational role that home plays in strengthening our individual, family, and community outcomes; and cultivate a commitment to ongoing learning.

Access to safe, stable affordable homes is one of the most important tools to create strong, thriving, equitable communities. That is why we are joining residents, community groups, and library branches from around the San Francisco Bay Area region to celebrate Affordable Housing Month this May.

Throughout the month of May, Housing Santa Cruz County (HSCC) is facilitating Affordable Housing Month conversations and solutions. You can join HSCC for an Affordable Housing Solutions festival and fair on May 6 (12:30pm - 3:30pm) at Cabrillo College to learn, discuss, and stand in solidarity for housing solutions – all while having a great time! View their full local events calendar by clicking HERE.

For more information about the Bay Area’s Affordable Housing Month celebration, you can also visit: www.affordablehousingmonth.org

Check out some books on the topic of housing at Watsonville Library.

SPOTLIGHT ON LOCAL HOUSING RESOURCES

These local housing resources are operated by community agencies. If you are an individual or a member of a family in need of direct services, check these local resources.

The Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County

The Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County has a set of resources including rental assistance, youth homeless response team, transitional age youth housing navigation, and Watsonville works and roaming assessor..

Housing Matters

Santa Cruz County's largest non-profit working exclusively on the issue of homelessness.

Community Bridges

Community Bridges offers a Family Resource Collective to meet family and individual needs.

CHECK OUT OUR NEW LIBRARY MOBILE APP!

Watsonville Public Library now has a mobile app. Check your account, search for items, and explore library resources. Now available at your device's app store.

CREATIVITY

2023 Comic Book Contest

We invite residents of Watsonville and surrounding areas to participate by entering

their own original comic book art.

Comics can be fiction, non-fiction, history, fantasy, slice-of-life, or anything

in-between. Dogman, Maus, Spiderman, Investigators, My Hero Academia

and Smile are all examples.

There will be 4 age groups for judging

(K - 3rd grade, 4th-8th grade, 9th-12th grade, and adults)

The whole family can submit!

Entry submission period is May 1st, 2023 - May 31th, 2023.

Judging will occur during the month of June.

Winners will be announced June 25th, 2023 at Nerdville.

Winners will obtain drawing supplies to support their future works of art.

Please pick up an entry form at the Children's Desk at the Main Library or

the Circulation Desk at the Freedom Library.

Contact Chris Brant at chris.brant@watsonville.gov for more information

or for help in submitting your comic.

Watsonville Public Library is accepting poetry submissions for our

2023 Poetry Contest. Send us your best poem and have a chance to win

a writing journal and writing implements.

We will be selecting winners from four categories:

Adult, Teen, Middle-School, and Elementary

Nominations can be submitted via form, email, or in-person, through Sunday, May 15.

For more information, visit HERE or go to https://bit.ly/wplpoetrycontest.

Poets of all ages are encouraged to apply!

MAY EVENTS

All events are free thanks to the Friends of the Library

Library Lego Club
Tuesday, May 2, 4:00pm
Main Library: Children's Area
Audience: Children
Be a Master Builder at our Library Lego® Club!

Get creative with a provided theme or build whatever you want with the library’s collection of bricks. Bring the whole family along to join in on the fun.

Author Talks
Wednesday, May 3, 10:00am ~ Britt Hawthorn
Wednesday, May 10, 5:00pm ~ Jena Friedman
Saturday, May 20, 11:00am ~ Courtney Summers
Virtual Program
Audience: Adults

Our Author Talks series features the following published
authors talking about their work:
     Britt Hawthorn, "Raising Anti-Racist Children
     Jena Friedman, "Not Funny"
     Courtney Summers, "Sadie" & "I'm the Girl"

This session (and others, both previous and upcoming) can be accessed online HERE or by visiting https://libraryc.org/watsonvillelibrary.

Free Comic Book Day
Friday, May 5, 5:00pm
Main Library: Children's Area
Audience: Children and Teens

Celebrate Free Comic Book Day with Watsonville Public Library! Join us for superhero-themed games and crafts.

Unless otherwise indicated, the general program is for ages 5-18.

-Free comics will be given out while supplies last.
-Enter a costume raffle upon arrival.
-Create masks and pop art.
-Learn from a tabletop game tutor from 5:30-6:30pm.
-Anime Your Way through an illustration workshop (Ages 9+).

Art Academy: Matisse
Wednesday, May 10, 5:30pm
Main Library
Audience: Teens and Adults

Use your best observational skills to paint your own art in the style of a famous artist. In this case, the artist is Henri Matisse. Learn to paint like a master!

Stuffed Animal Taxidermy
Wednesday, May 17, 4:00pm
Main Library
Audience: Ages 10 and older

Don't want to get rid of your lifetime stuffy friend? Save them by creating a stuffed animal taxidermy!

During this program, our pals at the Nature Center will teach about Watsonville's endangered species and how to save them.

We encourage you to bring your own stuffed animal and we will have some extra stuffed animals available for those unable to bring one.

Poetry Circle Workshop
Thursday, May 18, 4:00pm
Main Library: Meeting Room
Audience: Adults

Are you a poet looking to share your work with other local poets? Join poet and teacher Magdalena Montagne as she leads a poetry workshop for poets at all levels. This is a chance to write and share your poetry in a supportive environment with an experienced poet as your guide.

Creative Cafe: DIY Earrings & Keychains
Tuesday, May 30, 6:00pm
Freedom Library
Audience: Teens and Adults

Express yourself with a new pair of earrings or a keychain ~ paint a new pair of earrings or keychain made out of wood printed from our Glowforge laser cutter machine!

STORYTIMES