The Summer Reading Program “Make a Splash! Read!” is half over, but there is still plenty of time for children to read for entertainment and prizes and participate in activities tailored just for them.  Pick up a schedule of events for July at the front desk. Reading logs are due Monday, July 19.  Teen reading logs are due Monday, July 26.

Weekly activities if you have a preschooler:
Children ages 3-5 – Mondays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m.
Children 3 and under – Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m.

Weekly activities if you have a school age child:
Family movie – Fridays at 2 p.m.
Geronimo Stilton Book Club – Tuesdays at 2 p.m.
Drop-In Crafts – Wednesdays from 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Pirate Club – Wednesdays at 2 p.m.

Weekly activities if you have a teen:
Crafts – Thursday, July 1 & Mondays, July 12 & 19 at 2 p.m.
Movie Time – Thurs. July 15 at 2 p.m.
Lunch Book Club – Thurs. July 22 at noon

Please check the monthly schedule as activities to not extend to the end of the month.

Special events are also scheduled for July:
Ronald McDonald Show, Tuesday, July 6 at 11:30 a.m.
Picnic at Evans Park, Thursday, July 8 at noon.  Bring a sack lunch & drink.
Blank Park Zoo Visit, Wednesday, July 21 at 1 p.m.
Top Reader Pool Party at the Adel City Pool – Monday, July 26 at noon.  Children must read 40 hours to qualify; teens, 50 hours.  Rain date: Tuesday, July 27 at noon.

Many thanks to our summer reading program sponsors:  Shugar’s Super Valu, Casey’s, Medicap Pharmacy, tellers at Raccoon Valley Bank, Subway, Fullers, Adel Family Fun Center, Blank Park Zoo, and I-Cubs.

The Friends of the Adel Public Library will meet on Thursday, July 8 at 6:30 p.m. to make plans for the Annual Friends of the Library Used Book Sale.  This year’s sale will be held on August 13 and 14 during Sweet Corn Days.  More information will be in the August newsletter.

Thanks to all who have so generously given items to our monthly garage sales.  Our next sale will be Friday, July 30 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, July 31 from 10 a.m. to noon.  Proceeds will benefit the children’s area and other needs.  We hope to have a bake sale at the same time.  If you don’t have items to donate, please consider giving baked goods.  They are very popular!  It’s a great time to try out those new recipes.

Due to budget cuts, the library will no longer purchase DVD’s, but we will take donations.  Movies we do not have and are not rated R will be placed in the library system upon approval.  Others will be saved for our sales.  Library magazine subscriptions are also being cut.  If you would like to donate your subscriptions, please call 993-3512 for more information.

Also due to budget cuts, library hours have been cut beginning July 1.  Our new hours will be Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and closed on Sundays.  We regret any inconvenience these changes may cause our patrons.

The Adel Public Library has scheduled two computer classes for February using a new laptop system.

Each class is limited to 10 individuals and sign up is necessary. A Beginner’s E-Mail class will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 16 from 2-3 p.m. with a repeat session on Thursday, Feb. 18 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The shared laptop system was recently set up in the Central Iowa Library Service Area and our library is one of 15 libraries participating in the program. The traveling laptop system will circulate among the libraries and classes may be held without tying up the regular computers.

The Friends of the Adel Library funded Adel’s portion of the project. Several Dallas County libraries began the project and additional libraries have been recruited to make the lab more cost effective.

To register for either class, call the library at 993-3512.

Terri Groover RN will give a program on “Reflexology” in the library meeting room on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. This is the eighth of 12 programs in the Adult Program Series at the library. Terri will teach workshop participants how to stimulate the reflexes of the hands and feet in order to help many health problems in a natural way.

The workshop is free and sign up is not required. Refreshments will be served after the workshop. To learn about future programs, pick up a brochure at the front desk.

Two reading programs are in full swing during February:

• For Adults: “Snow is Falling, Books are Calling” for 18 years of age and older. Read a book, fill out a form, and drop it into our special jar. There will be a drawing each Friday for a prize. A grand prize – a gift basket including a $50 Barnes & Noble gift certificate – will be given away on Friday, March 19, the last day of the program. Do you need a good book to read? Look for the poster which will list 5 star books recommended on contest entry forms.
• For Families: “Step Right Up and Read” through Friday, Feb. 26. Call 993-3512 to register or stop by the library. Families keep track of the hours they read and prizes will be given to families who read the most hours. A fun evening at the library is planned for the entire family on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 6:30 p.m. when children may wear pajamas and bring a stuffed animal for a Teddy Bear Sleep-Over. A carnival theme atmosphere is planned for the Grand Finale to be held on Friday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m.

All three book clubs will meet in February.

• Brown Bag Book Club, Tuesday, Feb. 23 at noon in library board room. Selection TBA
• Mommy Book Club, Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. “Driftless” by David Rhodes.
• Evening Book Club, Thursday, Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. “Driftless” by David Rhodes.

Kids’ events:

All children are invited to a “Percy Jackson Movie Release Party” on Monday, Feb. 8 at 4 p.m. in the library community room. There will be fun activities, prizes, “Nectar” punch and “Ambrosia” snacks for children to enjoy.

• Pre-School Story Time, Mondays & Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Ages 3-5
• Toddler Time, Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Ages 3 and under
• Teens in grades 6-12 are invited to an Anti-Valentine’s Party on Tuesday, Feb. 9 at 4 p.m. Lots of surprises here!

Just a reminder that all library materials may be checked out for two weeks with the exception of movies which are on loan for 48 hours. All items may be renewed one time in person, by phone, or logging on to our Online Card Catalog. Please let us know of any changes in address or phone number as well.

Library hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

Happy New Year from the staff at the Adel Public Library!

Why not make regular exercise a part of 2010.  And your library can help.  Please join us three mornings a week at 9 a.m. for a 2-mile walk and upper body work-out.  We exercise to a variety of DVD’s by Leslie Sansone.  Pick up a schedule at the front desk because each week varies depending on what is booked in our community room.

If late afternoon is best for your, join Michele Reece for an aerobics class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30 p.m.  A variety of DVD’s are used that are medium to intense levels of exercise.  Both classes are free!

If you do not already have a library card, make 2010 the year to join us.  And library cards are free – you can’t beat a deal like that!.  Besides our ever-growing variety of books, you may also check out movies, books on tape or CD’s, music CD’s, and a wide range of magazines.  If we don’t have what you want, just use our free inter-library loan service.

And now for some very exciting news.  Thanks to a grant from the Dallas County Foundation, the library recently purchased the software called “Destiny” which gives our patrons access to the library catalog from the comfort of their homes.

In order to access Destiny, please follow a few simple steps:
- Go to the library website: adelpl.org
- Click on the link “Online Card Catalog” located on the right side of the webpage
- Select “Adel Public Library”
- Type in what you are looking for then click on Title, Author, Subject or Keyword

If you wish to place a book on hold or renew books one time, you must register using the barcode on your library card.  Click on “Create Account” found on the top right corner of the page.  Then enter your last name and library barcode.  You will then need to enter your date of birth and a password of your choosing.  If you have lost your card, just call the library at 993-3512 and we will give you the barcode.  Patrons may also find out what items they have checked out and when they are due.

In addition, the Friends of the Library have purchased three computers to be used as the card catalog.  They are very user friendly and show the same screen as the one you will find on-line.

Winter Activities at the library:

The Adult Winter Reading Program begins Monday, Jan. 11.  No need to sign up and everyone over 18 may participate.  Every time you read a book just enter your name, phone number, the name and author of the book you read, and your rating on a scale of 1 to 5 stars on a special form to be put into a drawing.  The program ends on March 19 and a drawing will be held that day at 5 p.m. for a gift basket which will include a $50 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble Book Store.

“Step Right Up and Read” is the theme for the Winter Family Reading Program which is set to begin Friday, Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m.  Families are invited to the library that evening to sign up for the 5 week program, enjoy a movie, and play games.  Family members will keep track of hours read for prizes to be awarded at the grand finale on Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m.  Other activities will be announced in February.

If you plan to attend our Annual Soup Luncheon on Saturday, Jan. 23 at noon, please call to make reservations or sign up at the front desk.  This is another is a series of adult programs – the first one in 2010.  Following the luncheon, Rob Stanley from the Perry Museum will give the program on the Orton Family Circus.  There will be a free will donation for the luncheon.  Door prizes, too!

Pre-School activities will return during the week of Jan. 25:
- Pre-School Story Time Mondays and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. for ages 3-5
- Toddler Time Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. for ages 3 and under

Book titles have been selected for two of the library’s book clubs.  The Brown Bag Book Club will meet Tuesday, Jan. 26 at noon to discuss Lorna Landvik’s “Patty Jane’s House of Curl.”  The Evening Book Club will discuss “Snow Flower and the Secret Fan” by Lisa See on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 7 p.m.  Copies of both books are available at the front desk.

Many thanks to everyone who shopped our “Scholastic Book Fair.”  The library was able to pick $150 worth of free books from the fair.

Library hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and Sunday, 1-4 p.m.