The bidding has begun!

Stop by the Adel Public Library and bid on the Christmas baskets at our Holiday Silent Auction.

As of Nov. 17, eight baskets for adults and two large stockings for children have been donated.

Attached to each basket and stocking is a list of contents.

Many thanks to those who have donated the following items:

• “Things to Warm You” and “Hot and Spicy” by the Tea Girls
• “Christmas Stockings” (one for ages 3-5 and one for ages 5-8) by Penny Rittgers
• “Mystery Book Lover Basket” by Rosemary Killmer Thornley
• “Relax by the Fire on a Cold Snowy Night” by Vickie Moorhead
• “Long Winter Nights” by the tellers at the Raccoon Valley Bank
• “Cookie Gifting Basket” by Mickey Hawes
• “Bringing Baby Home Basket” by Shelley Kilker
• “Relaxation Basket” by the library staff

The bidding will end on Friday, Dec. 9 at 4 p.m.

What a great way to shop for Christmas gifts and help the library at the same time. Proceeds from the silent auction will be used to purchase audio books for the library’s collection. Check your bid often to see if it has been “upped.” Phone bids will be accepted until noon on Dec. 9.

Cari Bilyeu will hold a cookie decorating workshop on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the library community room.

Cari will give you some new ideas on different ways to dress up your next batch of cookies.

Please register for the class by calling the library at 993-3512 or sign up at the front desk.

Our final garage sale of the year will be held Friday, Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. until noon.

EVERYTHING MUST GO!

Bring canned goods for the local food pantry – we will not accept food past the expiration date – in exchange for items in our sale. Please be generous with your donations. There are many people in need and the Adel food pantry needs your help.

Mrs. Claus and a special elf will visit the library to entertain children and families from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 2.

Scrapbookers will also meet that evening at the library at 6 p.m. Bring a project and a snack to share.

The Evening Book Club will have a Christmas potluck on Thursday, Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. in the library club room. Members, please note the date change. Bring a favorite book to share and a side dish. Soup will be furnished. The group would love to have new members come to this meeting.

Copies of “The Thirteenth Tale” by Diane Setterfield are available to Brown Bag Book Club members or anyone wishing to join. Brown Baggers will meet on Thursday, Dec. 8 at noon.

Do you dread wrapping Christmas gifts? Let the library staff and volunteers do it for you for a free will donation which will be used for library projects.

The gift wrapping service will be held in the library board room from Wednesday, Dec. 7 through Wednesday, Dec. 21.

The last Preschool and Toddler Time sessions of 2011 will be held the week of Dec. 5 and will resume Jan. 26.

However, there will be a special story time on Wednesday, Dec. 14 at 10:30 a.m. when the Dallas County Conservation will present a program entitled “Getting Ready for Winter.” Children will learn what the local wildlife is doing to get ready for winter. There will be stories and activities.

Andrea Juergens will hold a holiday card making workshop for school children on their early out day, Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 1:30 p.m. Come join the fun in the library community room.

Teens will make lip gloss on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 4 p.m.

The library will be closed Dec. 23 – 26 and Dec. 31.

Library hours are:
Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Adel Public Library is reviving one of its popular fundraisers – The Baskets of Christmas Silent Auction. Here’s how it works.

To raise money for new books on CD, we are asking civic groups, church groups, groups of friends, individuals, etc. to prepare a themed basket wrapped in clear plastic for the auction.

Bidders may leave their bids over a three week period which will run from Monday, Nov. 21 through Friday, Dec. 9 at 4 p.m.

Bidders are encouraged to check back often to see if their bid has been “upped.”

Please bring your baskets between Monday, Nov. 7 and Friday, Nov. 18.

This is a great way to benefit the Adel Library and get your Christmas shopping done all at the same time! Call the library at 993-3512 if you need some theme ideas and pick up a guideline sheet at the front desk.

The library will hold a Homebrew Basics class on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the library community room.

Steve Rinderknecht and Laura Hanson will share with you the basics on how to brew your own wine and beer at home.

There is no charge for the class.

Iowa State University Extension will give a program “Identity Theft” on Monday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. in the library community room.

Learn how to protect your personal information and how to avoid excessive exposure to direct marketing. Online and over the phone scams will be discussed along with tips on how to avoid them. Also, learn how to respond to situations where fraud, identity theft and other deceptive practices are suspected.

The ISU Extension will also present a workshop entitled “Spend Smart, Eat Smart” on Wednesday, Nov. 16 at 6:30 p.m. Learn strategies to save money on food expenses and add new ideas into menu planning and food shopping.

You will also explore the Spend Smart, Eat Smart website that includes tips and strategies to reduce food expenses and how to save time and money when eating out or at home.

If you need some new ideas on how to decorate Christmas cookies, come to our Holiday Cookie Decorating workshop on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6:30 p.m.

Carrie Bilyeu will share various ways to dress up your next batch of holiday cookies.

Mrs. Claus and a trusty elf will visit the library on Friday, Dec. 2. This is a family event in conjunction with Adel’s Holiday Open House.

Just drop in any time between 5 and 7 p.m. for face painting and balloon creations.

Our final garage sale of the year will be held Friday, Dec. 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 3 from 10 a.m. until noon. EVERYTHING MUST GO! Bring canned goods – we will not accept food past the expiration date – in exchange for items in our sale. Be generous with your donations. There are many people in need and the Adel food pantry needs your help.

On-going activities for adults:

• Brown Bag Book Club will meet on Thursday, Nov. 10 at noon to discuss “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” by Lisa See.
• Evening Book Club will meet on Thursday, Dec. 1 at 7 p.m. to discuss a variety of short stories. Books for both clubs are available at the front desk and new members are always welcome.
• Scrapbooking will be held on Friday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. Bring projects to work on and a snack to share. There will be no scrapbooking in November.
• Exercise at 9 p.m. three times a week in the library community room. Pick up a schedule at the front desk.

Activities for teens: include a marble magnet craft session on Tuesday, Nov. 15 at 4 p.m. This activity is for grades 6-12.

• Children grades K-5 will have an early out from school craft activity on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 1:30 p.m.
• Story times for preschoolers (Mondays) and toddlers (Tuesdays) at 10:30 a.m. will focus on the following:
  • Dinosaurs, Nov. 14 & 15
  • Thanksgiving, Nov. 21 & 22
• Preschool Music Time (Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.) is a popular way for children to learn singing, dancing and action songs. There will be no music time on Nov. 24.

For more information on any of our activities, call 993-3512 or visit our website www.adelpl.org.

The library will be closed Nov. 11 for Veterans’ Day and Nov. 24 & 25 for Thanksgiving.

Library hours are:
Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Adel Public Library has many fun activities for adults and children during the month of October.

For adults:

- They’re back! On Thursday, Oct. 20 at 6:30 p.m. Iowa’s Paranormal Advanced Research Team returns to present their popular program on paranormal activities.

Don’t miss this fascinating program given by those who have had experiences with things “that go bump in the night.”

- It’s our first Tri-Fundraising Event – all sales taking place on Friday, Oct. 28 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Friends of the Library Annual Bake Sale will be held in the library community room.

Donations of baked goods as well as Fall produce and craft items will be greatly appreciated. Please bring items the day before the sale or from 8-9 a.m. the morning of the sale.

Also in the community room will be a vintage book sale. An extensive collection of rare books has been given to the library and now we are offering them to you as part of our big three-part fundraiser.

Venture to the second floor, east wing, to our monthly garage sale. (The garage sale will also be open from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Oct. 29) Garage sale items are available for a free will donation. Please remember that this is a fundraiser for the library and give accordingly.

The Friends of the Library will meet on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the board room to make plans for the upcoming bake, book, and garage sale. New members are always welcome.

- Scrapbooking: Friday, Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. in the library community room. Bring your projects and share ideas. And don’t forget the snacks!

- The Brownbag Book Club will meet at noon on Thursday, Oct. 13 to discuss the biography, “Shattered Dreams” by Irene Spencer.

The Evening Book Club will meet on Thursday, Oct. 27 to discuss “Moloka’i” by Alan Brenert. As always, books for each group will be available at the front desk. Participation in both clubs continues to grow and new members are always welcome.

- Exercise with us three times a week at 9 a.m. Pick up a schedule at the front desk.

And looking ahead:

- Are you interested in brewing your own beer or wine from home? Join us for “Homebrew Basics.” Steve Rinderknecht and our own Laura Hanson will share with you the basics of brewing on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m.

- The Friends of the Library is planning a Baskets of Christmas Silent Auction to raise money for new books on CD. Civic groups, church groups, groups of friends, individuals, etc. please consider this project.

Each group or individual will prepare a themed basket for the auction, wrapped in clear plastic. Bring the basket to the Adel Library beginning Monday, Nov. 7 through Friday, Nov. 18.

Bidders may leave their bids over a three week period, which will run from Monday, Nov. 21 through Friday, Dec. 9 at 4 p.m.

Bidders are encouraged to check back often to see if their bid has been “upped.” This is a great way to benefit the Adel Library and get your Christmas shopping done all at the same time! Call the library at 993-3512 if you need some theme ideas.

Pick up a copy of the basket guidelines at the front desk.

And now for the kids!

- Preschool Story Time (Mondays), Toddler Time (Tuesdays) and Preschool Music Time (Thursdays) are in full swing. All begin at 10:30 a.m. Children may wear costumes for the Oct 24 and 25 sessions.

- Think Halloween! Teens (grades 6-12) will make Halloween treats with Laura, our Youth Services Director, on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 4 p.m.

Younger school age children are invited to a Halloween party on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 1:30 p.m. to coincide with ADM’s early out day.

Lots of fun surprises are planned.

- Other early out activities: Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 1:30 p.m. for grades K-5.

Library hours are:
Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesdays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.