East Central Regional Library

News Bits Archives, April - June 2009

• Magic Around the Bend at Hinckley -Join us on Friday, July 3 at 7:00 pm at the Ostrand Fine Arts Center in Hinckley as Layne Gneiting presents Magic Around the Bend, a storytelling program in the style of the ancient bards.  The event is sponsored by the Hinckley Lions Club in conjunction with the Hinckley Public Library summer reading program.  The event is free and open to the public.  Free tickets for the event may be picked up at the Hinckley Public Library or at the door.  The program is suitable for ages 5 and older.  You may follow Layne's journey at www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/adventures2009.
  

• Express Yourself @ the Library - Teens!  Why not stop by your local ECRL branch and join the 2009 Teen Summer Reading Program?  Express yourself with art, music, books, computers, photography and more!  Check with our local branch for more information about guidelines, programs and prizes.
  

• Holiday: All branches will be closed Monday, May 25, Memorial Day.
  
  
• Back by popular demand - more Digital Immigrants technology classes! These classes have previously taken place at each of the ECRL Branch locations.  This is a hands-on learning experience, and registration is limited. Please call the branch library to pre-register for the class of your choice (click on the "ECRL Branches" link for phone numbers).
  
  • 5/20/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ North Branch, 10am-12pm
  • 5/20/09 - Digital Cameras @ Hinckley, 6-8pm
  • 5/22/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ Mille Lacs Lake, 10am-12pm
  • 5/27/09 - Digital Cameras @ Princeton, 1-3pm
  • 5/27/09 - Digital Cameras @ Rush City, 6-8pm
  • 6/2/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ Hinckley, 9:30am-11:30am
  • 6/5/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ Milaca, 10am-12pm
  • 6/8/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ Mora, 1-3pm
  • 6/10/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ Pine City, 1-3pm
  • 6/10/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ Rush City, 6-8pm
  • 6/16/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ Aitkin, 6-8pm
  • 6/18/09 - Computer & Internet Basics @ Princeton, 1-3pm
• The Digital Immigrants Project is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).
  
  
• Be Creative @ Your East Central Regional Library branch this summer:  Imagine, create and participate in our 2009 summer reading program for kids ages preschool and up.  To kickoff the program, the Reptile and Amphibian Discovery Zoo will be visiting all 14 branches of ECRL.  Call the library for more details:

• Teens take over the library: Thanks to an LSTA grant, teens have been seen at ECRL branch libraries in record numbers. Here's the May schedule:

Teens 2 B Seen @ the Library - events just for teens:

Mora, April 11, 10-11, Jonathan Friesen, Author of Jerk California
McGregor,May 6, 4-5:30, Anime
Aitkin, May 6, 6:30-8, Anime
Sandstone, May 7, 3:30-5, Anime
Mille Lacs Community Library, Isle, May 7, 7-8:30, Anime
Milaca, May 8, 4-5:30, Anime
Pine City, May 12, 4-5:30, Jonathan Friesen, author of Jerk California
North Branch, May 13, 3:30-5, Chess
Wyoming, May 14, 4:30-6, Nicole Johns, author of Purge : rehab diaries
Chisago Lakes, May 14, 6:30-8, Nicole Johns, author of Purge : rehab diaries
Hinckley, May 20, 3:30-5, Chess
Cambridge, May 21, 6:30-8, Jewelry making workshop
Princeton, May  28th, 3:30-5, Jewelry making workshop

• (May 7, 2009) Wyoming Closed:  Staff of the Wyoming branch of East Central Regional Library were instructed to evacuate the library this afternoon due to a gas leak. The branch may be closed for the remainder of the day, depending on instructions from emergency personnel. For further information, call the library at (651) 462-9001 to determine if they are open before you venture there this evening.

• Minnesota Public Radio Host and Almanac Co-Host to Visit Cambridge Library:  The Cambridge Friends of the Library would like to invite you to their annual meeting event on Thursday,  May 14 at 7:00 pm.  The special guest for the evening will be Minnesota Public Radio host and Almanac co-host, Cathy Wurzer.  Cathy has recently published the book, Tales of the Road:  Highway 61.  After a short business meeting, Cathy will talk about her book and why she wrote it.  The event is sponsored by the Cambridge Friends of the Library.

• Local author at Milaca Community Library:  Local author, John Becker, will be reading and discussing his new book, The Touch of Our Sleeves, at the library on Thursday evening, May 7th at 6:00 pm.  John & his wife, Michiko will soon leave for Japan as the book is being adapted to film.
  

• Aitkin Volunteer Earns 2008 President's Volunteer Service Award:  Congratulations to Ardith Kane, volunteer at the Aitkin Public Library since September 2005.  She earned the 2008 President's Volunteer Service Award for her 4000 hours of volunteer service.

• New Wyoming Branch Librarian Named:  Rebecca Hostetler was recently named as the new Wyoming Area Library Branch Librarian.  Rebecca, a former Reference Assistant at ECRL headquarters and the Cambridge Public Library, began her new position on Monday, April 20.  See the story about Rebecca on the ECRL blog.
  

• Thank you, Library Workers!  76 full and part-time staff members provide services in  East Central Regional Library through 14 branches  and the bookmobile. In 2008 we had 580,264 visitors. There were 111,200 uses of ECRL computers. And we checked out 1,182,521 books, movies, and CDs - breaking the million mark for the first time in ECRL!

  
  
• Wyoming Branch closed Easter Sunday: Wyoming Area Giese Memorial Library will be closed Sunday, April 12, 2009, Easter Sunday

• Digital Immigrants Classes:  This month we learn about Cell phones. This 90 minute class will introduce the use of Cell Phones.  Cell phones to use in the class will be provided—there is no need to own a cell phone to participate.In this class you will:
• Review use and features of a cell phone
• Learn to save a number into a cell phone
• Place and receive calls on the cell phone
• View a call list (missed calls, received calls & dialed calls)
• Create and send a text message
• Retrieve/read text messages