Love Your Library: Celebrate National Library Week!

National Library Week begins Sunday, April 8 and runs through Saturday, April 14.  Whether you’re a regular at your local branch or simply an occasional browser, you’re encouraged to celebrate with these family-friendly programs at your library:

April 9: 

• Head over to the North Tampa Branch Library and “Become a Library Detective” with a scavenger hunt for kids.  The fun runs all day, every day until April 14.  Check the branch’s web page for operating hours.
• Share your library experiences any time between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library and post them to the “building.”  Light refreshments will be provided.
• Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Temple Terrace Library with elected officials, civic leaders, former library staff and — you! — at a public reception from 1 to 3 p.m.

April 10:

• Come to the West Tampa Branch Library between 3 and 5 p.m. to share your library experiences and post them for others to read.  Enjoy light refreshments during your visit.
• Celebrate the Temple Terrace Library’s 50th anniversary with crafts, stories and songs from 6:30 to 7 p.m.

April 11:

• Post your library stories and enjoy light refreshments at the C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Public Library from 3 to 5 p.m.
• Play a few rounds of “Library Catalog BINGO!” at the North Tampa Branch Library from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.  Look up authors in the catalog and write their book titles on the squares to win.
• Listen to the fascinating stories of Hillsborough County Historian and former long-time Temple Terrace resident Dr. Gary Mormino at the Temple Terrace Public Library at 6:30 p.m.

April 12:

• Learn to draw cartoons with local artist Leah Lopez from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Upper Tampa Bay Regional Library.  Materials will be provided.

April 13:

• Hit the Library History Road Show at the Temple Terrace Public Library.  Bring your photographs, memorabilia, and stories to be digitized and added to the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library Collection.  Visit any time between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
• Turn Friday the 13th into a day of good fun at North Tampa Branch Library’s fortune telling program, featuring hand-folded paper fortune cookies.
• Read to a  great listener—a dog!  Children can hone their skills taking turns reading to a canine visitor at the Bloomingdale Regional Public Library’s Tail Waggin’ Tutors session from 4 to 5 p.m.

April 14:

• Drop in to the Bloomingdale Regional Public Library’s National Library Week Open House between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.  Meet staff and community partners and enter to win a variety of door prizes, including an e-book reader!
• See a performance of “The Amazing True Tale of the Big Bad Wolf,” a fairytale mashup put on by the Teen Advisory Board of the New Tampa Regional Library.  The half hour program begins at 11 a.m.
• Watch as a winner is determined at the Grand Finale! Teen Talent Show.  First and second place winners of Teen Talent Shows throughout the county come together to battle it out for the top spot at the John F. Germany Public Library from 2 to 5 p.m.
• Join in on earth-friendly activities and crafts at South Shore Regional Library’s Celebrate Earth Day program from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

For more information about these and other FREE programs @ your library®, call (813) 273-3652 or visit http://www.hcplc.org/.

February is Black History Month

If you haven’t yet checked out some of the special programs your library is offering in honor of Black History Month, there’s still time!  From performers to cooking to a scavenger hunt there are events for many tastes, all suitable for children and families.

Saturday, February 18:
Join the 78th Street Community Library from 2-4 p.m. for a screening of a film based on the true story of a six-year-old African-American girl who helped integrate the all-white schools of New Orleans. Free snacks will be provided.

Sunday, February 19:   
The Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library welcomes the Kuumba Dancers and Drummers, Tampa’s premiere dance and percussion troupe.  Attendees will experience the sounds, moves and stories of different African cultures.  The program runs from 2-3 p.m.

The Robert W. Saunders, Sr. Public Library presents “Get Things Cookin’:  Heritage Food Sampler” from 3-5 p.m.   It’s a celebration of the 23rd National African American Read – In with book talks, books discussions and individual reading.  The afternoon continues with Chef Brenda of BE’s Kitchen and Catering and a demonstration of Southern cooking with Cajun, Caribbean, African and South American touches.

Tuesday, February 21:
The Seminole Heights Branch Library hosts a “Black History Month Scavenger Hunt” from 3:30-5:30 p.m.  Sleuth out the identities of some famous African Americans using the Library’s World Book Online for Kids electronic database in this fun, interactive program.

Sunday, February 26:
Poet Myron Jackson presents original works influenced by the Harlem Renaissance, the Beat Poets of the 1950s and Nikki Giovanni, among other sources, at the North Tampa Branch Library from 2-3 p.m.  His original works address social issues, satire, history and fiction. Mr. Jackson has more than 30 year’s professional experience as a poet, drummer, and percussionist.

For more information about these and other FREE programs @ your library®, call (813) 273-3652 or visit www.hcplc.org.