Kirkwood Public Library

A long time ago in a library far, far away KPL is celebrating May the Fourth with a virtual panel discussion via Zoom about all things Star Wars on May the Fourth at 7 pm! Our moderator will put questions to our panel of Star Wars enthusiasts, including Professor Suzanne Scott of the University of Texas at Austin, about it’s lasting impact on our imaginations. Audience members are encouraged to submit questions and a portion of the discussion will appear as part of that week...’s KPL Podcast: Star Wars Special. Reservation is required to receive an invitation. Sign up at https://kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org//may-the-fourth-star-w/

This week longtime employee, Perry, celebrated his 20th anniversary at KPL! Wow, what a milestone! We are so thankful for his dedication and years at the library. Next time you're in, be sure to stop by the main desk to say hello.

Missouri's Bicentennial is on August 10th. Check out the summer of programming. Get more info at the link below, and sign up for some great programs. https://kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org/bicentennial/

It's a reunion this week on the KPL Podcast! Mystery author and St. Louis native Elaine Viets checks back in with us for a fun-filled conversation about her latest book "Death Grip." Then Jigisha and Ryan mixes Missouri history with National Poetry Month in a brief biography of T.S. Eliot. All this and more on this week's KPL Podcast! You can enjoy the KPL Podcast at https://kplpodcast.buzzsprout.com/ or wherever you download your podcasts. Have a topic you'd like us to explore? Comments? Please write to us at [email protected]

Whoops! Did you find the typo in the original post? Updated... We still have three spots left for next Thursday's program with Legal Services of Eastern Missouri. If you're starting or growing your business or nonprofit and have legal questions, sign up for a one-on-one meeting! (Virtual Program) https://kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org/.../meet-with-a.../...

So many great new titles this week! See story to view them all! #fantasticfriday #kirkwoodmo #kirkwoodpubliclibrary #caughtreading

Here is the last 2020 Graphic Novel Book Talk with Miss Rachel! Find a new read today, and share your favorite graphic novel read of 2020!

Historical interpreter and literary performer Anne Louise Williams joins us again on Dec 17th for a special performance of scenes from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. Immerse yourself in the Holiday season with this timeless, spooky, and magical story, recited dramatically from memory. The story will be performed in its entirety over KWMU St. Louis Public Radio on Christmas Day. Watch this video Live on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrtaL9xAxqI&feature=youtu.be

Don't say Bah Humbug to these DVD tales! Request a curbside pick up today!

This week, Teen Librarian Shannon talks about one of her favorite books, The Cruel Prince by Holly Black--which also happens to be a YALSA Teens' Top Ten winner. Check out more winners and nominees from this annual contest at: http://www.ala.org/yalsa/teenstopten Check out The Cruel Prince in our catalog here: https://pac.mlc.lib.mo.us/polaris/search/searchresults.aspx If you enjoy dark fantasy, courtly intrigue, and faeries, you will definitely want to check this novel out! #teenbooktalks #bookrecommendations #yalsateenstopten #yabooks

In Baby Storytime Miss Chelsea shares "Bear Sees Colors" by Karma Wilson and three songs/rhymes you can try along with your 6 month-2 year old at home!

Cord-cutters rejoice! So what if you don't have cable? You can still watch all the Holiday Romance Movies, even some from Lifetime! hoopla digital is available with your Kirkwood Library Card - so happy streaming! You can view their holiday romance movies here: https://www.hoopladigital.com/collection/4941

This week’s Spotlight on a Book is the beautifully illustrated graphic novel The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen. As best described by the author in the Author’s note, he set out to tell a very small story about a boy and his mother figuring out how to express love without the benefit of an appropriate vernacular, a set of vocabulary words in a syllabus, or a common language to facilitate their dialogue. The narrative features Tin, a 13 year old boy whose parents are Vietna...mese refugees, and his mother, Helen. The two have a tradition of reading aloud fairy tale books in English that started when Tin was young, and continues as a way for Helen to continue practicing English. Outside of the stories they tell each other, Tin finds it hard to communicate with his mother about the fact that he has a crush on one of his friends, a boy. Helen finds it also difficult to reach out to Tin, since she does not know the way to frame her questions. It is through the fairy tales that are told in the story (variations of Cinderella and the Little Mermaid), that the two find a way to communicate. The illustrations hard hand drawn, and the author goes through the inspiration for the looks of each fairy tale, and color is used in the pages of the book. The present is told in red shades, the past is told in yellow shades, and the fairy tales are told in shades of blue, with some hints of different colors. The use of the three primary colors to separates the different parts of the story helps differentiate the 3 parts, but since primary colors are used to blend into other colors, it is easy to blend the story together to create thoughts and meaning. This is a young adult graphic novel, but I would recommend it for young adults and adults, as the heart of the story resonates with the emotions of the ways we communicate with each other. See more

Sign up or tune into Facebook or Instagram for one of our weekly storytimes! https://kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org//request_forma/cat_ids~5

It's VOTING TIME! We have our favorites of the year, now you can tell us which staff pick is your favorite. The winning staff member for each category gets bragging rights for an entire year, so choose wisely. (no pressure). https://docs.google.com//1FAIpQLSfbJkWze0CiUdNCi/viewform

Election Day is upon us! But your vote isn't just about what happens today. Voting is a much longer process of civic engagement, one that happens way more often than every four years. Want to learn more? Check out these titles on voting rights, voting past, and voting present, available online now through hoopla and overdrive!

Join Miss Madeline for a read aloud of the poetic picture book "I Am the Rain" by John Paterson.

Happy Election Day! Did you know that St. Louis County is allowing residents to cast their ballot at any polling location in the County? For an interactive map of nearby polling locations and wait times, click here: https://stlcogis.maps.arcgis.com/a/webappviewer/index.html

This week's #spotlightonabook highlights the charming and beautifully illustrated picture book " My Day with Gong Gong" by Sennah Yee and illustrations by Elaine Chen. The story follows young girl, May, and her grandpa on a day spent together in Chinatown. At first their generational differences and language barrier make their divide and misunderstanding feel akin to the great hustle and bustle of the city. As grandpa walks through town greeting friends and shopkeepers, "Nei ...Hou!", May looks on in confusion. As they sit down at a restaurant May can't wait to eat, only to find out grandpa has just ordered tea. May's feelings grow to a great point of frustration, but just then grandpa swoops in to surprise her. Despite their differences, connection and love ring through as the beautiful takeaways from the story. There may be obvious barriers that can keep us apart, but if you look a little deeper there's actually so much more that can bring us together. Pick up this sweet story through Curbside today and discover more diverse characters by searching own voices in the catalog- https://rb.gy/rrkjq7 #ownvoices #weneeddiversebooks #asianheritage

Election Day is nearly here, and it's important to make your voice heard! Do you have a plan to vote yet? You can double check your voter registration and find your polling place here (https://s1.sos.mo.gov/elections/voterlookup/). And if you need to do some research on all the races and propositions that will be on your ballot, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has put a guide together for you (https://lwv.thevoterguide.org/v/stlouispd20/build.do). And if you have any other questions about voting and elections, check out KPL's handy civics guide right here! (https://kirkwoodpubliclibrary.org/research-it/)

This Sunday afternoon, join us for a screening of the documentary "Purple: America, We Need to Talk". This fascinating short film depicts structured, facilitated discussions between diverse groups of people in some of the most "purple" political areas in the country. A range of highly contested issues are broached by both sides in these lively and provocative dialogues. Sign up here to receive a Zoom link: https://forms.gle/rnVMHiCM8oHQTsrF9

Join the Missouri Humanities Council & Kirkwood Public Library for Carole Shelton’s Many Thousands Gone. There were thousands of African American women living in Missouri in the shadows of enslavement before and during the Civil War. Many of their names and deeds have long been forgotten. This program focuses on the struggles for survival as freedom loomed on the horizon. Carole Shelton is a storyteller, author, and retired educator. She tells stories from around the world with a hint of music from the heart. As a part of her repertoire she has researched and crafted historical first-person portrayals of African American women. This program will take place on YouTube Live. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StHtHMkqYus&feature=youtu.be

Miss Julie shares 3 more Halloween Looks that you can try no matter how you're celebrating Halloween! We'd love to see your costumes and if you try out any of these facepainting tips! Look 3: Cat Look 4: Frozen Inspired Look 5: Scars

Terrifying tidings to all you boys and ghouls! Join your horror hosts Ryan and Jigisha as they close our Halloween celebrations with a truly frightening KPL Podcast episode. This week we are joined by author Matthew Lyons, who scares us with the tale from his debut title "The Night Will Find Us" from there we journey further into cosmic strangeness with Sean Branney of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society as we take a look at the work of Howard Phillip Lovecraft. Time to hide behind the sofa as the most scary KPL Podcast is here! Join us wherever you get your podcast, won't you? http://kplpodcast.buzzsprout.com/

No matter if you're celebrating Halloween at home, over Zoom, or wherever you're going to be, Miss Julie is here to help! She has 5 Easy Halloween looks that you can quickly pull together with a few pieces you can easily pick up or already have at home. We'll miss seeing you in the library, but can still share the fun of Halloween! Comment below what your costume is this year, and look out for Part 2 later today.

Friday! Friday! Friday! Yes, it's Friday! Time for new titles! Check out our stories for LOTS more! The Holiday titles are starting to come in too! So exciting! #kirkwoodpubliclibrary #growareader #caughtreading