All Yours Just Ask
Celebrate National Library Card Month with this special outdoor performance with local magician, Ed Popielarczyk. | All Ages
East Forest Park Branch
Wednesday, September 22 | 4-5 pm | All Ages
Libraries are magical! Celebrate National Library Card Month with this special outdoor performance with local magician, Ed Popielarczyk. Come join the fun!
Stop by the library and have your photo taken with Mouse, and find out how you can get your very own library card. | All Ages
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month!
What happens when you give a kid a library card? The same thing as when you give a mouse a cookie; there’s bound to be a grand adventure!
Stop by the library and have your photo taken with Mouse, and find out how you can get your very own library card. There will even be a sweet surprise in store for you! For kids 2-10.
The Mouse is visiting several of our locations:
Tuesday, September 21, 10:30 – Central Library
Tuesday, September 21, 3:30 – Forest Park Branch
Wednesday, September 22, 10:30 – Brightwood Branch
Wednesday, September 22, 1:00 – Mason Square Branch
Wednesday, September 22, 3:30 – East Forest Park Branch
Thursday, September 23, 10:30 – Sixteen Acres Branch
Thursday, September 23, 1:00 – Indian Orchard Branch
Thursday, September 23, 3:30 – East Springfield Branch
Guess the book title from the jar of book confetti for a chance to win a prize. | All Ages
East Springfield Branch, Forest Park Branch, Indian Orchard Branch
September 1-30 | Open Hours | All Ages
Guess the book title from the jar of book confetti for a chance to win a prize. One jar for each age group: kids, teens and adult. Test your book smarts! It might be easy, it might be tricky…but it’s sure to be fun!
Winners will be contacted Oct. 1st.
Join a scavenger hunt and search the Children’s Room for clues. When you finish, get a prize! | Children
Central Library – Children’s Room
During Open Hours | Children
Love scavenger hunts? The library has a different scavenger hunt every month! Pick up a clue sheet at the desk and search the Children’s Room for clues. When you finish, you can pick a prize from our treasure box!
Come to our weekly storytime featuring books, songs, activities, and crafts. | Children and Families
Central Library – Children’s Room
Saturdays | 10:30-11:30 AM | Children and Families
Children of all ages and their families are invited to our weekly storytime featuring books, songs, activities, and crafts. No registration required.
Vengan y participen en una hora de cuentos en español: cuentos, cancioncitas, rimas, y actividades manuales. | Niños
Forest Park Branch
Tuesdays | 10-11 AM | Ages 1-5
Vengan y participen todos los martes en una hora de cuentos en español: cuentos, cancioncitas, rimas, y actividades manuales. Compartan con amiguitos y refrescos. Edades 1-5, familias bienvenidas.
Come and join us every Tueday for a story time in Spanish: stories, songs, rhymes, and crafts. Make new friends and enjoy snacks. Ages 1-5, families welcome.
Join us for storytime featuring books, songs, and playtime for babies and toddlers and caregivers. | Babies and Toddlers
Central Library – Children’s Room
Tuesdays | 10:30-11:30 AM | Ages 0-5
Storytime plays an important role in building early literacy and social skills. Join us for an interactive storytime featuring books, songs, and playtime for babies and toddlers birth to five with social time for caregivers.
Create art with different materials, methods and media guaranteed to unleash your inner artist. | Children
Central Library – Children’s Room
During Open Hours | Children
Come explore the world of creativity! We will be creating art with different materials, methods and media guaranteed to unleash your inner artist. If you love to make, and to do, Creation Station is for you!
This program is for children of all ages, no registration required.
Crafts and activities for kids in September at the library! | Children
September 1-30
Stop by and do a fun Back to School activity. Can’t stay? Take the fun home with you! Suitable for kids in elementary school. While supplies last.
At the following library locations: East Springfield Branch, Forest Park Branch, Mason Square Branch
September and October, all month
Paper bag puppets are a simple but super fun way to get creative. Take your puppet making to the next level with our deluxe kits! We’ll provide several bags plus a variety of clothes and accessories. You provide tape or glue and your amazing imagination. Be sure to put on puppet shows for family and friends!
At the following library locations: East Springfield Branch, Sixteen Acres Branch
September 15 – October 15
Stop by the Brightwood Branch Library to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! Grab one of our activity bags to complete either at the library or at home. Supplies are limited and on a first come, first serve basis!
At the following library location: Brightwood Branch
Young readers and those learning are invited to read to Reimi, a hypoallergenic Goldendoodle who loves everyone. | Children
East Forest Park Branch – Children’s Room
Wednesdays | 4:00 – 5:00 pm | Grades K-5
September 8, October 6, November 10, December 8
Children are invited to read to Reimi, a hypoallergenic Goldendoodle who loves everyone!
According to experts, reading to dogs has many benefits:
1. Improves Reading Abilities
Reading to a dog may improve reading abilities, specifically reading fluency (the ability to read accurately and smoothly and quickly comprehend the content).
2. Helps Make Kids Comfortable
For students who currently experience reading as an activity that makes them feel “self-conscious, clumsy and uncomfortable,” adding a dog can create an environment of “happiness and safety.”
This is likely because dogs offer a comforting, non-judgmental presence. Students reported feeling more “relaxed and confident” about reading after experiencing reading to a dog.
3. Improves Sentiments Towards Reading
Children in reading-to-dog programs show an increase in their enjoyment of reading and motivation to read overall, even when a dog isn’t present.
As a result, in one study, 18 percent of children reported spending more time reading for pleasure because of their participation.
4. Helps Build Self-Confidence
Reading to a dog has been demonstrated to improve the child’s confidence in areas outside of reading.
For example, increased involvement in school activities and decreased absenteeism in students was seen in one study after they had participated in a reading-to-dogs program.
