FROM THE DIRECTOR

September is Library Card Sign-up Month, and we are doing a lot of special things to celebrate! We are bringing our Panther library cards out of the vault. September is the only time of year when we offer these designs. New sign-ups can choose between our regular design, UT Panther all black card, or orange panther cub card featuring our mascots Maya and Emilio. Already have a card? No problem. During the month of September you can swap your current card out for a Panther design. We also have a special reading challenge through Beanstack. Earn tickets through reading and other activities to enter into a drawing. Our library shirt store has expanded our color and style options too! Visit our RAYGUN site to order—part of the proceeds are donated to the library! And that's not all! We are partnering with 12 other local libraries in a Library Crawl—scroll down for more details.

Director’s Bookshelf

Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke is taking the book world by storm! This book was recommended to me by my hairstylist over the summer. She said she loved it, but it took her a long time to understand what the heck was going on. When I mentioned the book to a librarian friend of mine, she said people either hate it or love it. I couldn't wait to see which one I was going to be. I gave it a big fat 5 stars. Two other library workers were reading the book at the same time and we all felt the book was a very worthwhile read. The book is so popular that for the first time ever, I have had to buy multiple digital copies and there are still lots of holds. This book speaks to modern day social media, gender roles, political climate, and more. There is of course the element of—what in the world is going on!? Which culminates in a plot twist no one I have spoken to saw coming. This is the perfect book club book too!

Tom Lake by Ann Patchett was an impulse read for me. I was scrolling through Libby's available now audiobooks when this title popped up. The premise was interesting enough: a middle-aged mother tells her young adult daughters the story of when she dated a famous movie star one summer before they were born. My interest was peaked so I gave it a try. To my delight, I immediately recognized the narrator as none other than Meryl Streep! I have no idea why the goddess Meryl Streep was narrating a so-so fiction book, but she was pretty wonderful. I really enjoyed listening to the story and once it was finished, felt a loss. Though there was nothing else to tell, I wanted more. 

The Summer series by Jenny Han is certainly old news with three seasons on Netflix but better late than never I suppose. I recall my daughter mentioning the TV series to me and having a vague sense that it was based on a young adult book series. What I did not know was that Jenny Han was the author. I love her! So when the title popped up on Libby as available now, I decided to check it out. I'm a little embarrassed to admit it only took me a week to read all three books. I'll say I was hoping for more but suspect I might be too old for teen love stories. If nothing else I am little more in touch with teen pop culture. 

The FRIENDS of the East Moline Public Library Store is open -

with more color options!

Pick out something for yourself, a family member, or someone you know that loves the library. Part of the proceeds from every purchase will go towards the library outreach vehicle fundraiser.

New Limited Design!

This design will only be available through October! Get your order in now so you can wear your shirt during Banned Books Week (Oct. 4th-10th).

Click here to shop!

Library Card Sign Up Month

Beanstack Challenge

September 1-30

September is library card sign-up month and we will be having another Beanstack reading challenge to celebrate all the ways you can use your library card. Complete different activities and log your reading on Beanstack to earn tickets for grand prizes. Register online here, or download the free app here!

Everyone that pre-registers will be entered into an extra prize drawing!

ADULT PROGRAMS

TEEN PROGRAMS (Grades 9-12)

Our Teen Library Council has been meeting since May, working hard to bring you our scariest haunted house ever!

TWEEN PROGRAMS (Grades 4-8)

CHILDRENS AND ALL AGES PROGRAMS

Martial Arts

Sept 12

11-11:45am (ages 3-7)

12-12:45pm (ages 7+)

With a focus on Team Phoenix Martial Arts' core life skills of Accountability, Attitude, Empathy, Consistency, Courtesy, or Communication with combined strikes and forms, this program offers an overview of their signature classes. Registration required! Sign up here for ages 3-7, and here for ages 7+.

Bilingual Storytime

Sept 12, 11-11:30am

Join us for a fun and engaging bilingual storytime told in both Spanish and English.

Acompáñanos en una divertida y entretenida sesión de cuentos bilingüe, narrada tanto en español como en inglés.

¡Construye Tu Puesto!

Sept 29, 5:30-7pm

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a Mini Mercado Craft! Join us for a fun, hands-on celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month! We'll start with a short, engaging presentation on the history of Mexican mercados and small business culture. Click here to register!

For more information on programming, please email outreachandprogramming@eastmolinelibrary.org

NOTES FROM THE FRIENDS

Can you believe that the children are back in school? Before we know it, the football games will begin, the mums will appear on the front porches, and we will be sipping apple cider! We encourage you to find some time each day to do some reading. If you have a child not yet of kindergarten age, contact the library to learn more about the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program or get information about Story Hour at the library.

Don't forget to mark your calendars for Saturday, September 19 for the Craft/Vendor Fair from 9am-2pm here at the library. Limited spots for vendors are still available, so if you are interested or know of someone who is, please have them contact the library.

Till next time...

Marcia Lintz, President of the FRIENDS of the East Moline Public Library