House of Knowledge

Written By: Deena Bouknight | Issue: 2020/03 - March

Residents who may have adopted a self-prescribed hibernation will want to venture to Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library to partake in its many springtime offerings. 

Serenity Richards, branch librarian, said there is a program or activity for every age – from lively wee ones to retired adults. 

Imagination Station, for one, is a monthly activity available for inquisitive early elementary-age children. 

“It centers on literacy, STEAM, and creativity activities to encourage imagination and reading for pleasure,” said Richards. Spring dates for Imagination Station are Tuesday, March 3, and April 7 at 3:45 P.M. 

And then there is STEAM Explorers, which is also for early elementary-age children, scheduled for Tuesday, March 17 and April 21, at 3:45 P.M. While this monthly offering also spotlights literacy, STEAM, and creativity activities to encourage imagination, another component is enhancing problem solving skills.

Wednesday at 10:00 A.M. is PreK Storytime, where children from birth to five years old can enjoy books, crafts, and songs.

Children are encouraged to improve dexterity, imagination, and building skills on Tues. March 10 and April 14 at 3:45 P.M. by participating in Lego Builders. 

Implored Richards: “Come build with us! We have a variety of building kits to help explore your imagination! Kits for all ages provided!”

Crafternoon is for kids, kindergarten through 6th grade, and this program takes place Tuesday, March 24, and April 28 at 3:45 P.M. 

For adults, weekly “friendly” MahJong games are offered. Whether skilled in MahJong, a game that is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols, or not, adults gather to watch and learn or participate. MahJong is every Wednesday at 1:00 P.M.

And every Thursday at 3:45 P.M., recently released movies are shown. February featured Oscar-nominated films due to the Academy Awards airing February 9. At the library’s circulation desk is a flyer of upcoming spring movie titles. Popcorn and water are provided.

On Wednesday, March 11, at 5:30 P.M., the Bibliophiles Book Club will discuss early 20th century novelist Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence, which won the 1921 Pulitzer Prize for fiction and was turned into a 1993 film directed by Martin Scorsese.

Bibliophiles Book Club then delves into Pulitzer Prize finalist The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai. Scheduled for April 8, at 5:30 P.M., the modern novel, published in 2018, deals with the 1980s AIDS crisis in Chicago. 

Also for adults, the Albert Carlton-Cashiers Community Library provides not only free one-on-one technology assistance, but also Notary Public services. 

Besides Sundays and Mondays regularly, the only days the library will close in spring are Tuesday, March 31, for staff training, and Friday, April 10, for Good Friday.

by Denna Bouknight