Happy Spring!

National Library Week is April 7-13, and it is one of my favorite weeks since it gives us the opportunity to promote everything the library has to offer.

Be sure to stop in and thank our wonderful staff for all they do to serve the community. Scroll down for all of the programming information.

Click here to see our press release.

We are very excited to announce that for National Poetry Month our Friends of the Watauga County Public Library group is sponsoring the SwingBillies of Boonetown, highlighting local talent at its best! The program is focused on the Sufi tradition of composing music for ancient poetry (represented by the guitar player who is a practicing Sufi and Turkish immigrant) and how musicians such as themselves go about composing and arranging music to fit the symbolism, tone, and mood of these poems. They will touch on cultural elements in the music (melding traditions of Appalachia and The Middle East), how to achieve and interpret symbolism in music, and the history of music in Sufi poetry.

Join us at Grace Lutheran Church for this memorable FREE concert that will be a cultural, literary, musical and educational experience you won't soon forget!

Check out their music here:

https://www.instagram.com/swingbillies/

https://youtu.be/TRrjYPHrQCE

~Monica Caruso

County Librarian

Solar Eclipse Event for National Library Week

Monday, April 8

1:30 PM

Come by and watch the solar eclipse! Viewing glasses will be provided. Co-Sponsored with the Western Watauga Project on Aging.

Musical Story Time with Sharon Clarke for National Library Week

Thursday, April 11

9:30 AM

Join Sharon Clarke for a musical story time. This blend of music, movement, and storytelling is great for preschoolers!

Western Watauga Branch Book Club

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

Wednesday, April 17

2:30 PM

Wi-Fi printing is now available at the Branch Library! Enjoy the convenience of printing from your device - fast and easy!

Children's Programs

Story times include songs, books, and activities!

Join us for after-school story time, Tuesdays at 3:30 PM!

Get reading and collect some Reading Dragon trading cards!

Open S.T.E.A.M. Table

Tuesday Afternoons

Come by every Tuesday afternoon for an open S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activity for elementary schoolers! You can follow the suggested challenge or use the materials to make your own!

Join our Crochet Club!

Wednesdays, April 3 and 17

4:00 PM

For ages 8-18

No experience or supplies needed. Snacks provided!

Small Group Meeting for Crochet Beginners

CANCELED FOR APRIL

Email Jennifer with questions about either program or to register for the Crochet Beginners group

Solar Eclipse Day for National Library Week

Monday, April 8

1:53-4:26 PM (maximum coverage at 3:11 PM)

Come by on eclipse day and pick up a solar viewer (while supplies last, limit 1 per family) to see the eclipse! We'll have a livestream of the event set up in the meeting room, so even if it's cloudy or you'd rather stay indoors, you won't miss the eclipse. We'll have eclipse-related activities and snacks!

National Library Week Story Times with Special Guests

Come to any Story Time during National Library Week (April 7-13) for a special guest event!

Tuesday, April 9

3:30 PM

Story Time with the Friends of the Library

Wednesday, April 10

11:00 AM

Story Time with Park Ranger Olivia Burke

Thursday, April 11

11:00 AM

Story Time with members of the Town Council

Saturday, April 13

11:00 AM

Flamingo Story Time with local legend and historian Bettie Bond

National Library Workers Day for National Library Week

Tuesday, April 9

As part of National Library Week, April 9 is National Library Workers Day. If you want to submit a star and tell the world about a stellar library worker, you can fill out the survey at the National Library Workers Day website or use the hashtag #NLWD24 on public social media posts about your favorite library workers!

Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department Release Party

Saturday, April 20

2:00 PM

We'll be closed for the release of Taylor Swift's new album, The Tortured Poets Department, on the 19th. So that gives you a whole day to listen to the album on repeat before our launch party devoted to all things Swift (not that one) on Saturday the 20th!

Animanga Club

Wednesday, April 24

3:30 PM

We've started a brand-new Animanga Club, where teens age 13-18 can read manga and watch anime together! Come by to watch some anime and discuss manga you've been reading. For April's meeting, we will be watching Haikyu!!

Creative Writing Workshop for Teens and Preteens

Thursday, April 25

4:00 PM

Stretch your writing muscles, eat some snacks, and meet other creative writers!

Email Kristian for RSVPs and questions

Lego Club

Tuesday, April 30

4:00 PM

Come and build with us!

We're starting a Youth

Literary Arts Magazine!

Youth ages 3-18 are invited to submit their writing and visual artworks for our NEW Youth Literary Arts Magazine, WatCo Youth! Access our submission form here!

Try out our new Scavenger Hunt for April!

Enjoy Storywalk® at the Tot Lot!

Storywalk® is an outdoor reading experience.

Located at the Watauga County Recreation Complex

141 Complex Drive, Boone, NC 28607

Check out a Launchpad with your library card to play games and read books!

Click here to see the new books coming to our collection soon!

Click here to see new books made possible by a generous grant from AARP Mountain Region!

The Next Chapter Book Club is for adults and young adults with developmental disabilities. The discussion group provides a connection to books, friends, and community. To attend via Zoom, please contact Adult Services at (828) 264-8784 ext. 2.

With the exception of the second Wednesday of the month, the group meets Wednesdays at 1:00 PM.

Monday Matinees: Robin Hood: Men in Tights

Monday, April 1

2:00 PM

Come to the library every Monday at 2:00 for a movie! We're April Fools all month long, so come laugh at some comedies with us! For our first Monday, we'll be watching Mel Brooks's dressing down of an Olde English legend in Robin Hood: Men in Tights!

Seated Tai Chi Classes

Mondays, January 22-May 20

10:00-10:45 AM

Seated Tai Chi for Arthritis is led by a TCHI Board certified instructor, with each session including warm-up and cool-down exercises, one or two movements per lesson, breathing techniques, and Tai Chi principles. Movements can be modified to accommodate mobility issues for any participant. This course will be offered once a week through May 20th, 2024. Participants are encouraged to attend at least 11 sessions in order to maximize the program benefits.

Class will meet both in-person at the Watauga County Public Library and virtually via Zoom. Please register online here.

You will receive follow-up class information via email after registering for this program. Class is limited to 18 in-person participants. For this event, a staff member may need to reach out for more information before you are confirmed to attend. Watch for an email!

NC Medicaid Expansion Assistance

Thursdays in March and April

10:30 AM-4:00 PM

With the expansion of Medicaid in North Carolina, you may now be able to get health coverage through Medicaid even if you did not qualify before. To help explore your health coverage options, apply for coverage, and choose a health plan, come by on most Thursdays in March and April for unbiased information from a Healthcare Navigator! Walk-ins are welcome, but please call 1-855-733-3711 to confirm that a navigator will be in on the day you plan to come by. You can also book an appointment at that number or by emailing ncnavigatornet@gmail.com. Se habla español. Click here for more information in English and en Español.

Solar Eclipse Day for National Library Week

Monday, April 8

1:53-4:26 PM (maximum coverage at 3:11 PM)

Come by and pick up an eclipse viewer (while supplies last, limit 1 per family) to see the eclipse! We'll have a livestream of the event set up in the meeting room, so even if it's cloudy or you'd rather stay indoors, you won't miss the eclipse. We'll have eclipse-related activities and snacks!

Cook the Books Book Club

Tuesday, April 9

3:00 PM

Cook the Books will discuss A Slow Fire Burning by Paula Hawkins. Please stop by the circulation desk for a copy of the book.

National Library Workers Day for National Library Week

Tuesday, April 9

As part of National Library Week, April 9 is National Library Workers Day. If you want to submit a star and tell the world about a stellar library worker, you can fill out the survey at the National Library Workers Day website or use the hashtag #NLWD24 on public social media posts about your favorite library workers!

Outreach on Appalachian State University Campus

Wednesday, April 10 and Thursday, April 11

1:00-4:00 PM

April 10 is National Library Outreach Day, an important part of National Library Week. To celebrate, we're taking the library van out to Appalachian State University! We'll be hanging out on Sanford Mall to sign people up for library cards and promote the library. Come by and say hello!

High Country Writers

Hey Writers!

High Country Writers meet in the Watauga County Library meeting room with a virtual option available! Join us on Thursday, April 11 at 10:00 AM for a lecture from former North Carolina Poet Laureate and newly named North Carolina Literary Hall of Famer Joseph Bathanti and Thursday, April 25 at 10:00 AM for a critique session.

What's in a Name? The Creation of the Blue Ridge Parkway within the Greater History of the National Park Service

Thursday, April 11

5:30 PM

After a very successful event in March, Park Ranger Olivia Burke is returning to the library to discuss the history of the formation of the Blue Ridge Parkway!

Monday Matinees: Airplane

Monday, April 15

2:00 PM

Come to the library every Monday at 2:00 for a movie! We're April Fools all month long, so come laugh at some comedies with us! For our second Monday, we'll be watching the parody that has outlasted the movie it was ridiculing, Airplane!

Monday Matinees: Some Like it Hot

Monday, April 22

2:00 PM

Come to the library every Monday at 2:00 for a movie! We're April Fools all month long, so come laugh at some comedies with us! For our third Monday, we'll be watching the gender-bending caper, Some Like it Hot!

SwingBillies of Boonetown and Friends of the Watauga County Public Library Present: Music in Poetry, A Free Presentation on Composing Music to Ancient Devotional Poetry

Grace Lutheran Church

Tuesday, April 23

4:00 PM

Come to the Grace Lutheran Church to see the SwingBillies of Boonetown perform and discuss the composing process in this National Poetry Month event co-presented by the Friends of the Watauga County Public Library!

Shred Truck Services

Friday, April 26

10:00 AM-1:00 PM

Now that tax season is over, the shred truck is coming to our back parking lot once again to help you dispose of those piles of unnecessary documents. Come by with up to 2 boxes or 75 pounds of documents and the shred truck will reduce them to...well...shreds!

Thanks to the Friends of the Watauga County Public Library and the Downtown Boone Development Association for their support!

Save the Date!

National Poetry Month Event

Saturday, April 27

3:00-5:00 PM

We're still hammering out the 'who's, 'why's, and 'wherefore's, but look forward to more information on our upcoming poetry event soon!

Monday Matinees: Jojo Rabbit

Monday, April 29

2:00 PM

Come to the library every Monday at 2:00 for a movie! We're April Fools all month long, so come laugh at some comedies with us! For our fourth Monday, we're ending things on a bittersweet note with Taika Waititi's satire of Nazi Germany, Jojo Rabbit!

Book Bunch Book Club

Tuesday, April 30

1:30 PM

Book Bunch will discuss Her Heart for a Compass by Sarah Ferguson. Please stop by the Adult Services desk for a copy of the book and a list of upcoming books the group plans to read.

Tell Us What Movies YOU Want

to Watch!

We're planning to play musicals in May, but we want to know which ones will draw a crowd! Swing by the Adult Services desk to vote for your favorites or click on this link to vote online!

Spring is on the way, and the Seed Library is bursting with possibilities. Seeds are free, and thanks to the Appalachian Sustainable Development and Research Farm, our seed collection is overflowing! We do accept donations, so if you have extra seeds, please stop on by the Adult Services desk to drop them off. If you would like to volunteer to help maintain the Seed Library, please contact Monica Gowan at agnesminifarm@gmail.com

Our Volunteer Income Tax Assistance appointments are completely filled, but here are some alternative options for tax assistance as we approach the 15th:

The Accounting Department at ASU will offer a Free Tax Help Lab for Appalachian State University students, staff and faculty, February 6th through April 10th. This service will operate on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Drop-in assistance as well as virtual assistance will be offered at Peacock Hall 3015. For more information, contact Zach Lachance.

Some Online Options

Because appointments at these VITA locations are limited, we encourage tax filers who are comfortable with computers to consider these online options:

My Free Taxes Still need to do your taxes? MyFreeTaxes.com may be the answer! MyFreeTaxes.com is sponsored by United Way, and you can use its online self-filing option to complete and file your state and federal taxes for free if your income is under $79,000 for the 2023 tax year.

The site is easy to use, features frequently asked questions & answers, and it offers a toll-free number to connect you with additional assistance if needed. The software guides you through the entire process, making it as pain free as possible! And yes, it is ALL free of charge with no gimmicks.

Knock those taxes out now with MyFreeTaxes.com.

Look for the United Way symbol, and you will know you are on the correct site.

Happy getting your taxes done!

IRS Free File provides additional options for preparing and filing federal income taxes online. Eligibility for IRS Free File services is income based, and some partner companies may charge a fee for filing state taxes.

COVID-19 Tests Available at Library

Thanks to AppHealthCare, COVID-19 home tests are available to the public at both locations. Limit of 2 boxes per family. Each box has 4 tests.

Please do not come in to pick up tests if you have COVID-19 symptoms and/or are not feeling well. Just give us a call, and we will bring tests to the bench outside the library doors for you to pick up. Thank you!

Overdrive is offering free monthly webinars on using Libby, their library reading app. Learn how to access our library’s digital collection of ebooks, audiobooks and more. These webinars are great for new digital users or those making the switch from OverDrive to Libby. April's session is on Wednesday, April 3 at 2:00 PM. Click here to register for it or any upcoming session!

Events from our partners

AARP Featured Online Events

Media Literacy for Older Adults

Being able to judge the accuracy and credibility or bias of what we read in various media today is crucial. Older adults, in particular, often face unique challenges in navigating the ever-changing media landscape. Carol Quade, an adjunct faculty member at Northern Virginia Community College-Annandale, will explore these challenges and provide practical strategies to enhance your digital skills, critical thinking and online safety. She holds a doctorate in communications and media studies and has taught for 26 years.

Friday, April 5 10:00 AM

Filing for Social Security: Sometimes Timing is Everything (North Carolina)

Not sure when to file for Social Security? This is where AARP can help. Social Security doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all solution, but knowing what questions to ask can help you maximize your benefits. Join us for a free virtual seminar in your area to explore Social Security eligibility requirements, how age, employment and marital status factor in, and helpful tools like the AARP Social Security Resource Center. Ready to explore Social Security? Learn about:

● How claiming your age impacts benefits

● What to expect from spouse’s and survivor benefits

● Where to find help with Social Security

● What you can do with a my Social Security account

PLUS, you’ll also hear about the work of AARP North Carolina.

Tuesday, April 30 11:00 AM

More AARP Mountain Region events available here.

Virtual Workshops:

For more information, click here!

Call your local NC Works Center to register (828) 265-5385 or go to www.ncworks.gov

Address: 130 Poplar Grove Road Connector, Boone, NC 28607

Aging Academy Fridays Free Workshops for Healthy Living

Please mark your calendars and join us for our upcoming Aging Academy 2023-2024 series. All presentations will be held in Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences room 103, from 3:00-4:15 pm unless otherwise noted. Kindly confirm your registration here for all events.

Understanding Dementia and Adapting for Positive Outcomes: Caregiver Support Series

Sponsored by Appalachian State University and Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services

Alternating Wednesdays, February 7-April 17

9:30 AM-11:00 AM

All sessions in this 6-part educational series will be held at the Blue Cross NC Institute for Health and Human Services Clinic on the first floor of Leon Levine Hall at 1179 State Farm Rd. Families are encouraged to come to this event together. While caregivers attend sessions in Group Room A, fun and social activities will be offered for their partners with dementia in Group Room B, facilitated by Mary Strong, LCSW, LCAS and students in App State’s Department of Social Work.

REGISTRATION REQUIRED ASAP! SPACE IS LIMITED TO 10 FAMILIES

CALL 828-262-8658 OR EMAIL strongme@appstate.edu

Adapting Along the Timeline of Dementia: Early and Middle Stages

Wednesday, April 3

Providing the Right Care at the Right Time in Late-Stage Dementia and Maintaining Your Brain

Wednesday, April 17

Click here for more information.

To register, email strongme@appstate.edu or call 828-262-8658.

The Caldwell Community College Small Business Center offers a wide variety of FREE webinars to help your small business succeed.

Featuring Facebook Features

Understanding the most relevant Facebook features for business.

Speaker(s): tenBiz, Inc.

Wednesday, April 3

12:00 PM

Basics of Bookkeeping

Gain a workable knowledge of how to properly record financial transactions for your business. Discover the three most important financial reports and how to use them to make the best-informed business decisions. If you’re a new business owner or need a refresher on the basics of bookkeeping, this webinar is designed for you.

Speaker(s): tenBiz, Inc.

Tuesday, April 23

10:00 AM

Register for this and other courses at the CCC&TI Small Business Center Website!

VAYA Health Training

Facing Substance Use and Misuse in Your World

Substance use is a reality in every community. Possibly you or someone in your life has been impacted by the challenges of substance use and addiction. This course identifies common substances, addiction development, and their impact on families and communities. The focus is on the older adult population regarding identification, safety, treatment, and recovery.

Friday, April 12

10:00 AM

For a full list of events, visit our events calendar.

NAMI Family Support Group

Meeting virtually on

Monday, April 8 at 7:00 pm.

Please contact Mike Tanner if you would like to join this meeting. For more information click here.

NAMI Connection Recovery Support Groups

Meeting virtually on Tuesday, April 23 at 6:00 PM. For zoom link please contact Pam Thomas.

For a full list of online programs from NAMI affiliates, please visit NAMI's North Carolina calendar.

The New Normal Stroke, TBI, & Movement Disorders Support Group

First Wednesday of every month

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

The New Normal, a stroke, TBI, and movement disorder support group hosted by App State's Interprofessional Clinic, meets over Zoom at this link.

For more information call/email

(828) 262-6628

strongme@appstate.edu

Surviving to Thriving Caregiver Support Group

Leon Levine Hall, 1179 State Farm Road, Rooms 208 & 210

Meeting on the first and third Monday of every Month, or on Zoom (Meeting ID 946 3674 2526, Passcode 213158).

12:00-1:30 PM

For more information call (828) 262-6628 or email strongme@appstate.edu

"Movin' & Groovin' Walking Group"

On Mondays from 8:30-11:30 at the Greenway, community members can sign up for 30 or 60-minute walks. They will traverse the Greenway from Leon Levine with students. The goal is to improve physical and social health outcomes. Register at 828-262-6628 or strongme@appstate.edu

Conversation Connection with Immigrant Connection of the High Country

Wednesdays, February 21-May 8

6:00-7:30 PM

We're a conversational English class at Alliance Bible Fellowship in Boone. Come join us for one or all of the weeks. All levels of English speakers are welcome. We look forward to practicing English and learning some of your language too! Childcare is available for all ages.

Te invitamos a clases de inglés en Alliance Bible Fellowship en Boone. Puedes asistir a una o a todas las clases. Todos los niveles de ingles son bienvenidos. Te esperamos a Practicar y aprender juntos! Cuidado para niños disponible.

Caregivers of Neurodivergent Individuals Brown-Bag Lunch

Caregivers of Neurodivergent Individuals Brown Bag Lunch every third Thursday 12:30-1:30 PM 400 University Hall Drive, Boone Room 168 For more information call 828-262-7690

Free Aging Well Assessments

are screenings for aging adults and are available for any community member in the High Country. Screenings include balance and fall risk, cognition, dementia, and nutrition. They take approximately 60 minutes to complete and results can be sent to the primary care provider. To schedule an appointment call the Interprofessional Clinic front desk at 828-262-8658 or email ipc@appstate.edu

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