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Leon County Public Library Newsletter March-April 2021 Edition

March-April 2021 Edition

Currently, Leon County remains in Phase 2 of Reopening

The Library continues to protect the safety of our customers by limiting building capacity, offering curbside pick-up, quarantining dropped off materials, and offering even more online/digital programming. To learn more about the County library's current COVID-19 plan, see the bottom of this newsletter. Thank you and stay well!

Did You Know...?

OverDrive/Libby Name Change

Our name has changed in OverDrive/Libby to Panhandle Library Access Network.

Be sure to add "Panhandle Library Access Network- LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library" as your lending library in the Libby app. Your holds will transfer to this new location automatically.

Browse our collection after signing in here.

For tips and how-tos, click here.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at (850) 606-2665.

Please care and don't tear!

Did you know that RFID tags are the white square stickers located on the inside cover of a book or case?

These tags allow library staff and patrons to check items in and out in no time.

Damaged or ripped tags will no longer work, and library staff must replace and reprogram them before the item can go to the next patron.

Please care and don't tear!

Homework Hub

Does your K-8th student need help working on a tough homework assignment or have questions about a lesson?

Homework Hub is a free program pairing students with tutors in a one-on-one environment. Our volunteer tutors are ready to help you with math, English, social studies and science!

Visit our website for more info and to make an appointment: www.LeonCountyLibrary.org/HomeworkHub

mobile hotspot photo and photo of woman using laptop

Check out a WiFi Hotspot

Take the internet along with our mobile WiFi hotspots!

For more information, click here.

Place a hold here.

We offer Free WiFi!

Free Wi-Fi is accessible from the parking lots at all library locations.

To access WiFi:

Turn on WiFi on your device
Choose 'Free Library WiFi'
A web page will open with our terms. Click the 'Accept' button and you will then be connected to our WiFi.

Digital Entertainment and Resources at Your Fingertips!

The LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library is committed to
serving and supporting our diverse community.
Our Librarians have compiled a list of resources for all ages celebrating diversity, and supporting education on matters of social injustice and racial equality.

Visit our website to access these resources.

Discover new worlds with our free digital library apps:

Read e-magazines with Flipster
Stream movies with Kanopy
Read e-books, e-audiobooks and e-magazines with Libby by OverDrive

Research your family history with Ancestry Library Edition. Search the US Federal Census as well as immigration, vital, military, court, church, and ethnic records. Explore city directories, the Social Security Death Index, and more. Please note that the content in the Library Edition of this resource may differ from the personal subscription edition.

Due to COVID-19, this resource is available from home through March 31, 2021.

Choose from more than 300 practice tests and courses, including GED, SAT, ACT and GRE.

All Ages Events

NEA Big Read - Leon County Events Forthcoming!

Stay tuned for a wide variety of events for all ages in February and March through Zoom. These events are inspired by the book Lab Girl by Hope Jahren.

March Programming:

Tues., March 2, 9, 16 & Wed., March 24 @ 6:30 p.m.: Little Read: Celebrating Women Scientists
March 4 @ 6:30 p.m.: Mental Health: Foster Resiliency, End the Stigma with NAMI Tallahassee
March 9 @ 4:00 p.m.: Sprout House Workshop
March 11 @ 4:00 p.m.: Teen Memoir Zine Workshop
March 13 @ 10:00 a.m.: Pop-Up Book Club with Beth Dees from NAMI discussing Lab Girl by Hope Jahren
March 19 @ 6:30 p.m.: She Blinded Me with Science Trivia *Win prizes sponsored by the Friends of the Library!
March 20 @ 10:00 a.m.: Virtual Nature Walk with Misty Penton
March 23 @ 6:30 p.m.: Robotics & Coding 101 for Kids with STEMS4Girls

Check our NEA Big Read - Leon County page for information on upcoming events and Zoom links.

*A part of the NEA Big Read - Leon County.

NEA Big Read is a program of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

Spring Seed Library

The Spring Seed Library is still going!

Seeds can be picked up from any library location and are also available for curbside pickup. When you arrive, call the number on the sign and let them know which 3 seed packets you'd like.

You can check out 3 packets per month per library card.

Please check with your branch library before visiting, as some varieties may be low or out of stock.

Varieties include:

Large Leaf Italian Basil
Corno Di Toro Sweet Bell Pepper
A&C Pickling Cucumber
Jackson Wonder Lima Bean
Edisto 47 Muskmelon
Burmese Okra
Sugar Snap Peas
Waltham Butternut Squash
Matt's Wild Cherry Tomato
Black Krim Tomato

Visit our Seed Library page for growing tips and more information.

Take our Spring Seed Library Survey!

By filling out a short survey, your responses will assist in creating a better seed library for next spring.

Take the survey here.

Celebration of Autism & Neurodiversity

Throughout the month of April, we will be offering a variety of fantastic events for all ages that celebrate Autism and Neurodiversity.

Upcoming programming:

Fridays @ 11:30 a.m.: Virtual Sensory Storytime
April 2 @ 6:30 p.m.:Spectrum: A Story of the Mind - Film Viewing and Discussion
April 10 @ 11:00 a.m.: Star Wars Role Playing Game
April 14 @ 12:00 p.m.: Introduction to Music Therapy with Tallahassee Memorial Hospital

April 16 @ 7:00 p.m.: Dungeons & Dragons with Teens
April 21 @ 4:00 p.m.: Adulting 101 for Teens: Gaining Independence on the Spectrum
April 23 @ 6:00p.m.: Expression from the Spectrum: A Musical Showcase
April 29 @ 6:30 p.m.: Resources and Strategies for Caregivers of People with Autism Spectrum Disorder with the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities (CARD)

Also join us for Artists and Autism: How I See the World, showcasing a virtual display of artwork by artists on the autism spectrum during the month of April. In partnership with CARD and Arts4All Florida. Stay tuned to our website and social media for more information coming soon.

Pick up adventure bags with unique sensory crafts each week in April at any library location. No registration required.

Visit our website in the coming weeks for more information, resources and events!

Adult Services

Talk about your favorite books and read new ones in one of our many other virtual book clubs! Pop-Up Book Club, Mystery Book Club, History Book Club, Bucket List Book Club, Fiction/Non-Fiction Book Club and Young (Adult) at Heart Book Club are all available through Zoom.

Visit our calendar for times, dates and Zoom links.

Children and Teens

Viral Voices

Calling all Leon County students grades K-12 to share your stories about life during the pandemic.

Join Viral Voices: Sharing Your Pandemic Story and make your voice heard; we’re looking for your stories, poems, letters, photographs, artwork, spoken word, music and short videos.

We are currently accepting submissions and they will be displayed on the library's website and social media.

Visit http://www.leoncountyfl.gov/ViralVoices to become a part of history.

Special Virtual Story Time with The Grove Museum

Wednesday, March 10 @ 10:30 a.m.

Help us recognize Governor LeRoy Collin's birthday and The Grove's anniversary of becoming a museum with a special Storytime celebrating books and reading! Songs, rhymes, and books to entertain children and their guardians.

To join the Zoom webinar, click here.

To discover more about The Grove Museum, follow them on Facebook.

Science Nights with the National MagLab

Thursday, March 25 @ 6:30 p.m.: Electricity

Thursday, April 22 @ 6:30 p.m.: Optical Illusions

The Science Night 2020-2021 season will bring the hands-on science & exploration right to your home ONLINE!

Join us for a FREE, fun and family-friendly Science Night once a month from September through April. We’ll be LIVE on Zoom exploring different scientific concepts each month with interactive Q&A sessions and hands-on activities using household items.

To join the Zoom webinar, click here.

First Friday Fun with 4-H

Explore different topics the first Friday of every month at 4:00 p.m. with the UF/IFAS Extension 4-H Club!

For ages 5-18.

March 5 at 4:00 p.m.: Music

April 2 at 4:00 p.m.: Poetry

Adventure Bags are available for each months' topic and can be picked up at any library location. No registration required for the Adventure Bags.

Virtual Familytimes, Babytimes and Sing Alongs!

From virtual Familytimes to Storytimes to Sing & Sign Babytime, we have family entertainment for all ages six days a week through Zoom!

To see our full schedule, click here

Sensory Storytime

Fridays from 11:30 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Do you know a child who has trouble sitting through a traditional storytime program, gets easily over-stimulated, is on the autism spectrum, or has sensory processing differences?

If so, please share with their parents/guardian about the library's new Virtual Sensory Storytime held on Zoom every Friday from 11:30am-12:00pm.

To register for the Zoom link, click here.

Sensory Storytime Companion Kits are available at all library branches and include a scarf, egg shaker, chopsticks and more for use during the program.

Reserve a Companion Kit here.

Adulting 101 for Teens

Learning life skills can be tough! Join us for a series of programs designed to strengthen skills and foster independence for young adults.

For teens ages 13-18.

Third Wednesdays @ 4:00 p.m.

March 17: Mindfulness

April 21: Gaining Independence on the Spectrum with CARD

To register for the Zoom link, click here.

Virtual Teen Book Club

Teens! Join us for Virtual Teen Book Club through Zoom on the 1st Saturday of every month at 2:30 p.m..

March 6: Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare

April 3: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

To register for the Zoom link, click here.

You will only need to register once for all future Teen Book Club meetings. An email with the Zoom link will be sent automatically.

Virtual Teen Advisory Board

Join us every 1st and 3rd Thursday at 4:00 p.m. through Zoom.

The Teen Advisory Board is an opportunity for teens to have a voice in the development of teen programs at the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library.

While earning volunteer service hours, members will plan and implement programming as a group, as well as market programs to local teens.

To register for the Zoom link, click here.

Launchpads, a tablet with pre-loaded educational games, perfect for 3 to 5 year olds, are available for checkout!
Games and exercises offered on these tablets will introduce early learning concepts from letters to numbers to colors.

No internet necessary! Launchpads are rechargable, sturdy tablets designed for young children.

For more information and to place a hold, please visit our website.

Staff Book Picks

Anxious People by Fredrik Backman

Viewing an apartment normally doesn't turn into a life-or-death situation, but this particular open house becomes just that: a failed bank robber bursts in and takes everyone in the apartment hostage.

As police surround the premises and television channels broadcast the hostage situation live, the eight strangers begin opening up to one another. Before long, the robber must decide which is the more terrifying prospect: going out to face the police, or staying in the apartment with this group of impossible people.

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street book cover art

The Watchmaker of Filigree Street by Natasha Pulley

1883. Thaniel Steepleton returns home to his tiny London apartment to find a gold pocket watch on his pillow. Six months later, the mysterious timepiece saves his life, drawing him away from a blast that destroys Scotland Yard. At last, he goes in search of its maker, Keita Mori, a kind, lonely immigrant from Japan. Although Mori seems harmless, a chain of unexplainable events soon suggests he must be hiding something. When Grace Carrow, an Oxford physicist, unwittingly interferes, Thaniel is torn between opposing loyalties. -Amazon

How Long Til Black Future Month book cover art

How Long 'til Black Future Month? by N.K. Jemisin

In these stories, Jemisin sharply examines modern society, infusing magic into the mundane, and drawing deft parallels in the fantasy realms of her imagination. Dragons and hateful spirits haunt the flooded streets of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

In a parallel universe, a utopian society watches our world, trying to learn from our mistakes. A black mother in the Jim Crow South must save her daughter from a fey offering impossible promises. And in the Hugo award-nominated short story "The City Born Great," a young street kid fights to give birth to an old metropolis's soul.

There are no bears in this bakery book cover

There are No Bears in this Bakery by Julia Sarcone-Roach

When Muffin, a cat, hears a suspicious noise at the Little Bear Bakery, his investigation reveals a hungry bear cub.

Pretty Kitty by Karen Beaumont

In this charming counting book, a lonely old man discovers one kitty on his front step. But he does not want a kitty cat - scat!

As the number of kitties grows, will the man find room in his heart--and home--for his new feline friends?

Stay informed on COVID-19

Current Services

At this time the following services are available at each of our locations:

Our buildings are open to the public at 50% capacity. Patrons are encouraged to limit their visits to an hour per day. Per Leon County ordinance, patrons are required to wear a face covering over their nose and mouth while in the library.
In-library services currently include browsing the library shelves; selecting items to check out and/or picking up items already placed on hold; and use of self-checkout at some libraries.
Curbside pick-up is encouraged as a contact-free, convenient way to check out items on hold. Notifications that holds are ready for pick-up are sent via e-mail, text, or phone call (your choice!). You can also check the status of your hold requests through the "My Account" option via the Library app or our web site.
- All library locations' hours of operation can be found here.
- The online catalog and library mobile app are available to reserve materials; you may also call (850) 606-2665 for staff assistance. More detailed information about curbside pickup is available here.
Library computers are available for one hour per person per day at physically distanced terminals.
Information and technology help continue to be provided by phone and e-mail. Call your favorite location or e-mail AnswerSquad@leoncountylibrary.org .
Free Wi-Fi is accessible from the library parking lots.
Book drops should continue to be used to return materials. From there, the items go to quarantine for 4 days before being checked in by staff. (Please call the library to arrange for return of telescopes, Traveling Book Club bags and other items that cannot be handled in the book returns.)
Donations can be left in the specially marked drop box just outside of the Friendshop door at the Leon County Main Library, or call the Friendshop at (850) 224-3290 for other options.

For more information and FAQs about current services, visit www.LeonCountyLibrary.org.

Free face masks photo of woman taking a mask

Free Reusable Masks for the Public at all Library Locations

In coordination with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), free reusable cloth masks are available for a limited time at all County library locations. Masks are available via curbside pickup and inside.

This initiative complements Leon County Government's ongoing efforts to distribute cloth face masks at faith-based organizations in southern Leon County, at the Bragg testing site, and at FDOH’s mobile testing sites throughout the community. To date, we have given away over 325,000 cloth masks to the public.

Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal for up-to-date information on COVID-19, local resources, services, closures and sign up for County news and alerts.

You can also download the Leon County Citizens Connect App for notifications on emergency management messages or services changes.

The Citizens Connect app is available in the Apple Store and Google Play Store.