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BIXBY BULLETIN NEWSLETTER
February 2024
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Didn’t January seem particularly interminable?
Thankfully, February has wrapped us in a lovely blanket of snow for outdoor fun and frolicking. When you’re ready to come in from the cold, you’ll find cozy fireplaces and something for everyone in this month’s Bixby offerings—from our Civic Conversations Book Display featuring relevant reads for our times, to a Valentine card-making station for local seniors in the Community Room (Saturday 2/8 is the last day to craft a card!), to the After Hours Lord of the Rings Potluck & Watch Party on Friday, February 21st, and culminating with the very popular and inspiring 7th(!) annual LEGO Contest exhibit on March 1st, the last Saturday of school vacation.
Speaking of being thankful, I also want to extend a heartfelt thanks to everyone who contributed to this year’s annual fund. So many of you were first time donors! You join a wonderful group of supporters who have been our rock — giving so consistently over the years. We are also humbled by how many of you were especially generous this year — going above and beyond in support of your Bixby Library. Together, you helped us achieve an ambitious goal that enables this dedicated staff team to keep fresh new physical and digital books in everyone's hands (and ears), make sure the Wi-Fi, computers, and printers are up and running for whoever needs them, and deliver fun and informative programming for all ages, to rave reviews.
So with all this goodness, if you have the chance to stand up during your town meetings to give a shout-out for all that the Bixby offers as an essential, vibrant and welcoming local community center for everyone in our five towns, please do so proudly. That kind of support is hugely important, too.
Warmly,
Catharine Hays
Library Director
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What's New at the Library? | |
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Big news for young readers! Meet Wonderbooks—print books with a built-in audiobook player. These interactive books combine sight and sound to help children connect with stories in new ways. After reading along, switch to Learning Mode for fun questions and activities that boost comprehension and critical thinking skills.
We are incredibly thankful to local Life Scout, Grey Fearon, who raised over $1,500 to be used towards our Wonderbooks collection through the Bookin' It for Bixby 5K Run/Walk in June 2024. Grey also built the bookshelf that houses our brand-new collection! Thank you, Grey, for opening the door to a new way of reading.
Stop by the Children's Room and check out a wonderful Wonderbook today!
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Bixby Block Print Apparel Available Now | |
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You may have seen these Bixby Block Prints as part of our Annual Appeal raffle. Now, by popular demand, we have released a collection of 20 unique, hand-printed Bixby Block Print apparel items, available in sizes S-XXL.
Each shirt is a one of a kind artwork, designed, carved, and printed by Community Engagement Manager, Cedar Winslow. The materials are sustainably sourced from local consignment shops, and all proceeds directly fund the collections, programs, and services available to you at the Bixby Library. You can feel good, and look good in a Bixby Library vest, t-shirt, long sleeve, turtleneck, sweatshirt, jacket, and more!
Check out the gift shop display in the lobby of the library for all this, plus hand-printed, Bixby Block Print cards for you to share the library love this Valentine's Day. Supplies are limited, come into the Bixby to support the library while you sport the library!
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Make the most of February break with a visit to the Bixby! Along with our regular board games, puzzles, and toys, we’ll have a special sled craft of the week featuring the Bixby's cardboard hill for kids to give their paper sleds a test run.
Hours of entertainment await in the Children's Room. We will have an art table for folks to get creative with, along with puzzle pages, and books galore. Come play with new toys, courtesy of Maple Landmark, or listen and read along to our new Wonderbook collection.
The fun extends beyond the Children's Room. Pick up a crochet hook or knitting needle by the fireplace, or add a piece to our community jigsaw puzzle. And don’t miss out on our 7th Annual LEGO Contest exhibit on Saturday, March 1st. Sign up to enter the contest by February 18th!
Don’t let February break slide by, sled on over to the Bixby for a week of fun!
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Looking to make a career change, start your own business, or learn a new skill this year? Your library card provides FREE access to Gale Presents: Udemy, an online learning platform with thousands of video-based learning courses taught by leading experts in business, technology, and personal development. Courses are added, updated, and retired monthly, as new skills and demands emerge in each field. Trending course topics include:
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Technology: Web Development, ChatGPT, Amazon Web Services, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, UX Design
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Business: Accounting, Financial & Market Analysis, Investing, Leadership Skills, Time Management, Digital Marketing, Project Management
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Personal Enrichment: Yoga & Fitness, Language Learning, Guitar & Piano Lessons, Drawing & Painting, Nutrition
Visit the Udemy website to enroll in your first course today.
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Amber Lay, Assistant Director/Adult Services Librarian
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On Tuesday, February 11th, the Bixby Book Club will be discussing The Bear and the Nightingale by Middlebury College alum, Katherine Arden. The book has been on my “to-be-read” list for a while, and I am excited to finally read it! A perfect choice for this time of year, the book is set in the Russian wilderness, where “the snowdrifts grow taller than houses”, and the family spends winter nights huddled around the fire listening to their nurse tell fairy tales. I’m still at the beginning of the book, but I’m really enjoying it so far.
Children and families can keep an eye out for a new scavenger hunt this month. Ila, one of Bixby’s teen volunteers, has put together a heart hunt for Valentine's Day. Can you find all eight hearts hidden on the main floor of the library?
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As a library advocate, I am eager for opportunities to shout my love of libraries from the rooftops. That's why I am thrilled to introduce our new line of Bixby Block Print apparel, so you too can share in the library love! Each piece is hand printed, one-of-a-kind, and infused with all of my love for the Bixby Library. | |
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One more reason to love the library? Our Lord of the Rings Potluck & Watch Party! Join us after hours, on Friday, February 21st from 5:30 to 9:30 PM as we watch The Fellowship of the Ring and feast on dishes from the world of Middle Earth.
From Lembas Bread, to Honey Cakes, and the Prancing Pony’s Potato and Garlic Soup, click here or visit the library and look through our “Recipes from the World of Tolkien” Cookbook to find recipes that would delight even the heartiest of hobbits.
Send a message via eagle, or via email to join the fellowship and let us know what you’ll bring to the table. Potluck contributions are encouraged, but not required, to join in the merriment.
In the wise words of Thorin Oakenshield, “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.” — The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
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Have you ever wondered what was on the mind of a local 9-year-old, 125 years ago?
We're spotlighting two pocket diaries from our Field Family Papers historical collection. These two daily logs provide a rare child's view of life and routine on a Panton farm in the late 1800s.
Eugene E. Field was born in Panton on March 6, 1871 to Edward A. (1842-1927) and Ellen (1837-1920) Field. He had a brother, Adelbert, and a sister, Jessie (1879-1967). Eugene became a farmer in Panton, but died young, at 28-years-old on July 28, 1899, of appendicitis.
Eugene was 9-years-old at the start of his diaries, and 11 by the final entries. These changes are reflected in the development of his penmanship, travel and farm responsibilities, and spelling—from “went to chool” to “I went to school. It rained hard at the fore noon and part of the afternoon.”
You can view these diaries as part of our ongoing Biosphere in Your Backyard exhibit in the Kerr Room, or learn more about the Field Family through the finding aids on our Special Collections webpage.
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Is the February chill making you long for sea breezes and golden sands? Catch the ferry to Marsyas Island in T.J. Klune’s Somewhere Beyond the Sea, a follow-up to the acclaimed House in the Cerulean Sea (2020). This sequel dives into the history of Arthur Parnassus, the caretaker of the island’s magical children, and delivers a strong message about the power of changing your mind through David, an effervescent new character. Brimming with wit, charisma, and nostalgia, the world and cast of characters is where Klune’s writing shines. If you are looking for a warm read with lovable characters and a message of hope, check out Somewhere Beyond the Sea today!
Kelly Bartlett, CVNHP Historical Collections Associate
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Here is a book that will make you forget it's winter! An entertainingly-true story of two brothers, well into midlife, who travelled the Oregon Trail in a covered wagon drawn by three mules in 2011, more than 100 years after the last person tried to navigate the trail with a wagon. The book is part adventure, part well-researched history lesson, part family dysfunction; in addition to dabbling in economics, expansion, religion, and politics. It’s interesting and, at times, belly-shaking funny. You’ll want to pull out a map at times to figure out just where in blazes they are. Sometimes, you’ll be concerned for the safety of the brothers, the dog, and the mules. And you’ll be mighty glad you took the time to read this book. It will restore your faith in the human race, and banish any cabin fever that may be creeping in the door.
Anonymous, Bixby Volunteer
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Tom Newlands' Only Here, Only Now is a striking debut that brings to life the raw, complex world of Cora Mowat, a teenage girl grappling with undiagnosed ADHD in working-class Scotland. Beginning in the summer of 1994, the novel follows Cora as she navigates the limitations of her small-town life, her relationship with her strained family, and her quest for identity and belonging. When tragedy strikes, Cora’s rebellious search for love and acceptance pushes her to confront her grief and rethink who she is and what she’s capable of. Written with an infectious energy, Newlands crafts a narrative that is at once vibrant, poignant, and fiercely funny. Only Here, Only Now is an unforgettable coming-of-age story that explores themes of resilience, family, and the powerful longing for a life beyond what seems possible.
Amber Lay, Assistant Director/Adult Services Librarian
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Questions or comments on this month's newsletter?
Contact Bixby Bulletin Editor-in-Chief, Cedar Winslow.
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Library Hours:
Tuesday–Thursday: 10 AM–7 PM
Friday–Saturday: 10 AM–3 PM
(802) 877-2211
Contact Us
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