| | | | Make Plans for Exciting Events at KPL in January | Two storytellers – one a master of the oral story and the other in print – visit KPL
The St.  Louis Post-Dispatch hails him as “an adventure story come to life.” A fourth grader in Chicago claimed he was “the best storyteller ever heard.” (And who hears more stories than a fourth grader?) According to the St. Louis Art Museum, his portrayal of Scott Joplin is “truly outstanding.”
Now it’s your chance. See Emmy-winning performance artist Bobby Norfolk as he performs as Scott Joplin, the Ragtime king. It all happens Saturday, January 23 at 2 pm at the Kirkwood Community Center. And check out Bobby Norfolk in the library catalog too.
But wait, there’s more!
Sally Tibbetts of Kids Read calls Peter & The Sword of Mercy, the new Ridley Pearson (with Dave Barry) thriller for kids, “one of P eter’s most dangerous adventures ever.” A 12-year-old St. Louis kid says he “totally, totally, totally loved this book.”
Now you can find out what all the buzz is about. Catch best selling author Ridley Pearson Saturday, January 30 at 2 pm at the Kirkwood train station when he discusses and signs Peter & The Sword of Mercy, the fourth installment of the series.
Norfolk. Pearson. With Kirkwood Public Library, the hits just keep on coming. |
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| New Library Begins Rising to Great Heights
| Plan is to have library closed in to continue work through winter
Take a walk down Jefferson or Taylor Avenue and see the new library beginning to rise from the ground.
Before you ask (as so many already have), the bay window overlooking Taylor Avenue will remain. It will just look nicer with updated windows. As the year turns, new windows are moving in throughout the library, giving it a different look than the past few months. And that look is  stunning. Imagine these windows in spring and summer, giving patrons a beautiful view into the streets of Kirkwood.
Weather has been a continual challenge with the heavy rainfall this year. Because insulation can’t get wet, we need dryness and a temperature above freezing to start on the roof. The awe-inspiring center staircase is in place, but it is still only steel and wood. And for frequent visitors to the lower level – call it a garden level now – you’ll be thrilled to know it’s a flatter place without all the bumps of previous days.
So continue to enjoy our temporary location at 200 Station Plaza while you look forward to visiting the new home back at 140 E. Jefferson. Look up wistfully as the building rises from the ground, and try to imagine what the inside will look like. What will be your favorite part? Where will you find a hidden nook to escape for a good read? And which books will rest on your personal shelf? It’s fun to anticipate. It will be even more fun to explore. |
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| | | In a world of books, how do book clubs choose what to read?
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| | | Join the Friends for a lively discussion with author Eileen Dreyer
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| | Your Question or Comment Please | KPL Responds to Patron Comments
Keep bringing us your comments – complimentary, constructive or critical – and we’ll keep doing our best to act on them.
You:
“Six weeks is a long time for the preschool learning kits to be checked out. Would you consider shortening the time?”
Us:
After receiving this comment, we decided that six weeks is, in fact, too long to keep the preschool learning kits out of circulation. They are very popular, so to ensure all of our patrons have an opportunity to enjoy them, we have changed the policy. Kits now check out for three weeks like most other library material.
 For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to enjoy these kits, here is a quick explanation. Thanks to a generous gift from the Friends of the Kirkwood Public Library, parents and teachers can use these entertaining and educational kits to make reading an enjoyable experience for kids.
Studies have shown that reading to children from an early age is a strong predictor of later love for reading and also helps children enter school with a larger vocabulary and advanced language skills. Each kit features a theme with supporting material (books, puppets, music, activity) to support that theme.
You can search the library’s database online and reserve a preschool learning kit to help your kids get on the fast track to reading.
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| | Mark Your Calendar | Save the date for these exciting events on the library’s horizon …
Check out our online calendar for all upcoming events at Kirkwood Public Library. Meantime, keep these dates in mind:
February 7: Author Julie Compton
February 12: Middle School Runescape Play
Important notice on library closings:
The library will be closed on January 18 in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. |
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