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Love is in the Air

Love comes in all shapes and sizes…check out this list of titles perfect to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Black History Month

In honor of Black History Month check out this diverse collection of Black authors and artists whose work has been impactful and inspiring.

DNA Genealogy Series

Join us for Part 1 of this series as we learn about Using DNA in Genealogy, the types of DNA and the testing companies out there. Use DNA matches to help identify new cousins or parents missing in your direct genealogical line. This Sunday, March 12th at 2PM presentation is for those who haven't yet done DNA or don't know what to do once they have results. Presented by Carol Whitton, St Louis Genealogical Society.

Part 2 of the DNA Genealogy series is Could Your DNA Test Send a Family Member to Jail? on Saturday, March 18th, at 11AM. We have all seen cases in the news such as the 'Golden State Killer' where DNA leads in family tree databases have helped solve the case. Could your DNA be the next one to help solve a cold case? Could your DNA even lead someone to your own or a close relative's doorstep? This program will discuss DNA technology used in solving cases such as this as well as the broader context of solving cases using forensic science. Presented by Erik Hall, Director/Assistant Professor of Forensic Science, St. Louis University.

Featured Book Club Kit

Check out this Book Club Kit for your book club: Night of the Living Rez by Morgan Talty - our 2023 One Author, One Kirkwood selection. Set in a Native community in Maine, Night of the Living Rez is a riveting debut collection of 12 stories about what it means to be Penobscot in the twenty-first century and what it means to live, to survive, and to persevere after tragedy.

Morgan Talty, is a citizen of the Penobscot Indian Nation. Night of the Living Rez won the New England Book Award, was a Finalist for the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers, a Finalist for the 2023 Story Prize, and is a Finalist for the 2023 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. A winner of the 2021 Narrative Prize, Talty’s work has been supported by the Elizabeth George Foundation and National Endowment for the Arts (2022). Talty is an Assistant Professor of English in Creative Writing and Native American and contemporary Literature at the University of Maine, Orono, and he is on the faculty at the Stonecoast MFA in creative writing as well as the Institute of American Indian Arts. Talty is also a Prose Editor at The Massachusetts Review. He lives in Levant, Maine. 

Morgan Talty, One Author, One Kirkwood 2023, will talk about his book at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, May 23rd at 7PM. Watch for further details. Funding made possible by the Edward Chase Garvey Memorial Foundation.

10 Warning Signs for Alzheimer's

Alzheimer’s affects approximately 1 out of 9 individuals over 65. 70% of these individuals live in homes and not in memory care of assisted living facilities. Because Kirkwood Public Library strives to be a place where all are welcome, we are continuing to find ways to provide resources for people experiencing cognitive disorders. In 2021, we introduced Reading2Connect books which are books specifically formatted to be readable for people with dementia. In 2022, we partnered with the Alzheimer’s Association to present “Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia.”

Here are some of our plans for 2023: 

• On March 3, 2023 at 10AM the Alzheimer’s Association will present 10 Warning Signs of Alzheimer.  
• During the spring, Discovery Kits will be available. These are bags which include adult coloring kits, St. Louis history, chair yoga, music and 8 other kits to create discovery and engagement. 
• The library will also add Reminisce Kits. These are bags with simple objects to help recall memories and prompt conversation. In each of these bags we will also have a list of ways to engage the kit, a book about tips for caregivers and a Reading2Connect book that is linked to the theme of the bag.
• The library is searching for a facilitator for a Memory Cafe. This short video explains how memory cafe’s reduce isolation by providing activities for participants and caregivers to do with others who are facing the same challenges. Some of the memory cafes might be: chair yoga, crafting, music, sing along, short story book clubs. 

If you would be willing to donate supplies for a Reminisce Kits (particularly vintage items) or if you or someone you know would be willing to facilitate a memory café or have ideas please contact Lynne at lhaynes@kplmo.org or 314-821-5770 x 1018. Also let me know if you want to be on my email list to stay updated.