Dear Readers,

If you haven't seen our Climate Change Exhibit titled "Real People, Real Climate, Real Changes," it will be here until August 18 so don't delay. We have scavenger hunts for families to complete together to win a prize from Youth Services.

To complement this exhibit, Ray Russell of raysweather.com will join us for a weather-related story time for families on Wednesday, August 2 at 11 am.

Immediately following, at 12 noon, Ray will give a lunch and learn talk titled "Climate Change in the Southern Appalachians:Empowering our Community for a Sustainable Future".

Pizza and drinks will be provided courtesy of Friends of the Watauga County Public Library.

On Friday, August 11 from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, we'll have

a Climate and Conservation Fair to highlight the numerous local agencies that work hard in the area of conservation and sustainability. This is an opportunity for these agencies to raise awareness about what they do and engage with the public. Volunteer opportunities are plentiful.

Some of the agencies we have invited include Appalachian Voices, Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture, Blue Ridge Conservancy, Climact, High Country Food Hub, Mountain True, Town of Boone and Watauga County Recycling, Watauga County Soil and Water, App State Sustainability, and High Country Audubon. Click on the links to learn about each.

Those that have confirmed attendance so far are Blue Ridge Women in Agriculture and Watauga County Soil and Water.

~ Monica Caruso

County Librarian

Story times include songs, books, and activities!

Going Ape: Survival of the Friendliest with Natalia Reagan, Biologist & Comedian

Thursday, August 3

11:00 AM

Visit the library for a funny and educational virtual show about primates and their communities. Host Natalia Reagan is a comedian who has worked with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Bill Nye the Science Guy!

Two Ray Programs

One Ray Day

Storytime with Ray Russell

Wednesday, August 2

11:00 AM

Come see Ray Russell of RaysWeather.com on Wednesday, August 2nd for two weather and climate events! First, we will have Storytime with Ray for kids at 11:00 AM, and then we will provide pizza and drinks for an adult-oriented Lunch and Learn presentation with Ray at 12:00 PM. Come by, check out NCAR's "Real People, Real Climate, Real Changes" traveling exhibit, and meet Watauga County's favorite weatherman!

LEGO Club

Tuesday, August 29

4:00 PM

Come and build with us!

Creative Writing Workshop for Teens and Preteens

Friday, August 25

4:00-5:00 PM

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

Email Kristian for RSVPs, questions, and pizza requests

Book Brigade

Young Adult Book Club

Thursday, August 10

5:30-6:30 PM

ages 14-18

For our first-ever meeting, the Book Brigade will discuss The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert, eat some pizza, and choose the next book to discuss. Stop by the Adult Services desk any time to pick up a copy of the book and join the fun!

Email Justin or Kristian for questions and pizza requests.

Books may contain mature themes, profanity, or violence. Parental discretion advised.

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!

Watauga County Public Library at the Back 2 School Festival

The library will have a booth at the Back 2 School Festival at the Watauga High School. Stop by when picking up school supplies for the new year to get some library goodies!

Saturday, August 12

Check out the schedule below to see when your school's time starts:

The prizes for completing the Climate Change Scavenger Hunt include "Investigating Climate" science experiment kits provided by App State's Math and Science Education Center. Check out the contents of one of the kits below!

Make your mark! Contribute to our collaborative bulletin board!

Check out the Appalachian Regional Library Literacy Resources YouTube channel for virtual library story times.

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

News from the Circulation Desk

Watch this space each month for new statistics on book loans from the folks at the circulation desk!

More Adult Programs

Appalachian State University's Common Reading Program

Since 1997, incoming first-year students at App have been assigned a book as part of their orientation to the University. By participating in the Common Reading Program, students establish a common experience with other new students that helps develop a sense of community and introduce them to a part of the academic life they are beginning at Appalachian. This year's Common Read pick is John Elder Robison's Be Different: My Adventures with Asperger's and my Advice for Fellow Aspergerians, Misfits, Families, and Teachers. The Watauga County Public Library has added several copies of the Common Reads Edition of the book to our collection so that members of the community may participate as well.

Author John Elder Robison talks about his book at the Schafer Center

Tuesday, September 19

7:00 PM

North Carolina Legal Aid

Free Social Security Disability Listen & Learn

Thursday, August 3

2:30 PM

Free Simple Divorce Listen & Learn

Tuesday, August 17

2:30 PM

Free Tenant Rights Listen & Learn

Tuesday, August 24

2:30 PM

All clinics are online! For a full list of clinics and to register, click here.

AARP Featured Online Events

~all times are Eastern Time~

Aviation: The Invention of Airmail

While planes were the weapons of World War I, there were limited uses in the civilian world at that time. It took the daring of General Billy Mitchell and the bold vision of the U.S. Assistant Postmaster General Otto Praeger to foresee one key way the airplane could connect the nation. This presentation tells the story of the world’s first transcontinental airmail route and the daring pilots, technicians and communities willing to take a chance on new technologies to conquer the challenges of flying coast to coast over some of the most difficult environments on the planet.

Thursday, August 3

2:00 PM

Understanding Gender Pronouns in the LGBTQ+ Community and Gen Z

He/she, him/her/they, nonbinary, cisgender…. Are you confused by the new use of gender pronouns by the LGBTQ+ community and Generation Z particularly, and by what they mean? Does the generation gap between you and Gen Z seem to be growing? Join AARP Hawaii and the Hawaii Department of Health for a discussion about gender pronouns and how to respectfully communicate with LGBTQ individuals, their allies and Generation Z. Speakers are Robin Lee, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, and Kimber Allen, Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

Tuesday, August 8

4:00 PM

Cutting-Edge Modern Technology: Intelligence about Artificial Intelligence

With innovation happening rapidly, it's more important than ever to understand how modern technology influences our daily lives. We will discuss the most cutting-edge advances in AI during this session. How does it work? What does it mean for our future? Join us and find out!

Monday, August 14

11:00 AM-12:00 PM

More AARP Mountain Region events available here.

VIRTUAL WORKSHOPS:

Resumes and Job Applications

Learn tips to create a Resume and complete an Application that will get you the interview!

Wednesday, August 9

10:00 AM

Interviewing

Learn tips on how to ACE a job interview!

Thursday, August 17

10:00 AM

Social Media for Job Search

In this workshop, you will learn tips on how to conduct effective job searches on social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn!

Tuesday, August 22

2:00 PM

Third Thursday Job Fair

Come by the Watauga NCWorks Career Center at 130 Poplar Grove Connector to meet with prospective employers! Come dressed appropriately and bring your resume.

Every Third Thursday

11:00 AM-2:00 PM

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

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 pm

Book Bunch Book Club

Book Bunch will discuss The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave on

Tuesday, August 29 at 1:30 pm.

Please stop by the Adult Services desk for a copy of the book and a list of upcoming books the group plans to read.

Cook the Books Book Club

Cook the Books will discuss What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline on Tuesday, August 8 at 3:00 pm. Please stop by the Circulation desk for a copy of the book.

Two Ray Programs

One Ray Day

Climate Change in the Southern Appalachians: Empowering our Community for a Sustainable Future with Ray Russell

Wednesday, August 2

12:00 PM

Come see Ray Russell of RaysWeather.com on Wednesday, August 2nd for two weather and climate events! First, we will have Storytime with Ray for kids at 11:00 AM, and then we will provide pizza and drinks for an adult-oriented Lunch and Learn presentation with Ray at 12:00 PM. Come by, check out NCAR's "Real People, Real Climate, Real Changes" traveling exhibit, and meet Watauga County's favorite weatherman!

Parkinson's Support Group

Tuesday, August 29

10:00 AM

Contact John Padgett for more details at john@livinghopenc.com or (828)773-2864

Blood Drive

Friday, August 4

10:00 AM-2:30 PM

To make an appointment, call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter: Watauga County Library

Health Insurance Q&A

Thursday, August 17

10:30 AM-1:00 PM

Have a health insurance related quandary you need guidance on? Come by and a Certified Healthcare Navigator from the Legal Aid of NC High Country Office can give you some answers!

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, August 10 at 10:00 AM for a visiting writer/speaker and on Thursday, August 24 at 10:00 AM for a critique session.

Tech Tips with Troy Returns!

Do you want to write an email, use a tablet, or have another tech question on your mind? Library & Information Science GRADUATE Troy Brooks rides again to provide technology assistance once more on Saturdays from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM. To schedule an appointment, call the Reference Desk at (828) 264-8784 ext. 2.

The Seed Library is seeking volunteers! No gardening experience is needed. For more information, stop by the library or email Jenna at jkissel@arlibrary.org.

Free Ficus with Spider Plant Friends

Our ficus tree has outgrown the library, but we would very much like to find it a good home! Its pot is 22 inches wide and the plant and pot together are about 8 feet tall.

If you would like this tree for your home or office, please contact Adult Services at 828 264 8784 ext. 2, or just stop by the Adult Services Desk at the Watauga County Public Library.

Read here for information on how to care for the plant: https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/ficus-benjamina/

Introducing Memory Kits!

After the Western Watauga Branch Library introduced their wildly popular memory kits, the Watauga County Public Library's Adult Services department has constructed eight themed memory kits of our own for patron use. Each kit contains activities, sensory items, books, and music based around a theme for use in reminiscence therapy for people with dementia or dementia-related diseases. For more information, read this American Library Association blog post on the subject. Come by and check one out today!

Real People, Real Climate, Real Changes Exhibit

Take a journey through climate change with a visit to the traveling exhibit, sponsored by the National Center for Atmospheric Research, Appalachian State's Math and Science Education Center, and the Friends of the Watauga County Public Library. Youth Services created three scavenger hunts to help adults and children of all ages engage and have fun! Complete the scavenger hunt and get a prize in Youth Services. The exhibit is here in the back of the Library until August 18, so catch it before it melts away!

COVID-19 Tests Available at Library

Thanks to AppHealthCare, COVID-19 home tests are available to the public at both locations. Limit of 10 tests per family. Each box has two 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. August's session is on Wednesday, August 16, at 11:00 AM. Click here to register for it or any upcoming session!

Save the Date!

Crossing the Line: Writing Workshop with Author Susan Zurenda

Thursday, September 14

1:00-3:00 PM

To celebrate the release of her upcoming September 5 novel, The Girl from the Red Rose Motel, Susan Zurenda, award-winning author of Bells for Eli, is holding a writing workshop at the Watauga County Public Library. Adults age 18+ are welcome! For more information, click here.

Save the Date!

Fall Wreath Workshop

Construct a wreath for the coming season! Choose between a fall foliage theme or a spooky Halloween theme for your wreath!

A $10 donation for supplies is encouraged, though not required.

Saturday, September 9

10:00 AM

Call Adult Services at (828)264-8784 ext. 2 to register! Limit of 12 participants!

NAMI Family Support Group

Meeting virtually on

Monday, August 14 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, August 22 at 6:00 PM. For zoom link please contact Caleb Robleto.

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, ONLY meets online for June, July, and August. Their Zoom Meeting ID is 956 3282 9303 with the passcode 209696

For more information call/ email

(828) 262-6628

strongme@appstate.edu

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

VAYA Health Training

Bipolar Disorder: Creating Balance

Having extreme mood changes can have a significant impact on a person’s ability to function in life. This cycle is difficult to stabilize without proper treatment. This course looks at the causes, symptoms, and current treatment options for the older adult.

Friday, August 17

10:00 AM

To register, click here.

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

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