Labor Day

The library will be closed, Monday, September 5th, in honor of Labor Day. we will reopen at 9:00 AM. Tuesday, September 6th. Wishing all of you a safe and fun Labor Day weekend!

Preschool Story Time Returns!

Preschool Story Time begins tomorrow, Thursday, September 1st! We meet at 10:00 in the Clymer room. Story Time is for kids ages 3-5 but everyone is welcome.  See you there!

Pictures are in the Paper!

This year's Summer Reading Program photos are in the Tuesday, August 23 edition of the El Dorado Times! Get yours today!

Prizes to be picked up

There is still time to pick up your 2011 Summer Reading Program prizes. August 31 is the deadline.

Picture Day is Coming

If you haven't already done it, Monday, August 8, 2011, is the last day to get your picture taken. If you reached the "picture in the paper" prize level in this year's summer reading program, come in any time during library hours on August 8th, and we will take your picture.  We will be turning the pictures in to the paper next week!

Today is Picture Day!

If you earned your picture in the newspaper prize in this year's Summer Readubg Program, today is the day to get your picture taken! Come to the library today and we will take your picture. If you can't make it in today, come on Monday, August 8. If you can't be here either day, let us know.

3 days left!!!

Time to record your reading minutes for this year's Summer Reading Program, is rapidly drawing to a close. Friday, July 29, at 5:00 PM is the deadline. If you have been putting it off, now is the time to take care of it! If you are having trouble recording your time, call the children's department at 316-321-3363, and we will be happy to help you.

Brent Dellinger, TODAY!!!

Brent Dellinger, SpinMaster, Yo-Yo- champion, will be performing at the library this evening at 6:30!!!  Exciting, entertaining, amazing! This is a show for the whole family.  See you at the library!

Preschool Story Time is in the News!

This summer's first Preschool Story Time is in the Friday, June 10, 2011 issue of the El Dorado Times! YAY! If you were at story time, look for your picture. You might be in the paper!

Brent Dellinger rescheduled!

Brent Dellinger's show has been rescheduled for Tuesday,  June 28 at 6:30. See you there!

Show Cancelled

The Brent Dellinger program scheduled for tonight has been cancelled due to illness. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Lots to do Today!!

Today at 2:00 pm, is this summer's first program for elementary kids, grades K-5th. Brianne is presenting a program with a Mexican theme, with stoties, games and crafts. Come in out of the heat and be cool at the library.

At 6:30 pm, Brent Dellinger, Spin Master, will present his amazing, exciting, awesome yo-yo program. He is a world champion with the yo-yo. It is a high energy program for the whole family. There is no charge.

See you at the library!

Children under the age of seven must be accompanied by an adult while at the library.

Summer Reading Program 2011 begins TODAY!!!

Today is the official beginning of the Summer Reading Program! Your account can be activated and you can start recording your reading time. See the Library Kids webpage for all the infomation.

See you at the library!

Paper Cranes Project

The theme for this year’s Summer Reading Program is, One World, Many Stories. Our interactive project this year is based on the story of Sadako, and the Thousand Paper Cranes. Sadako was a girl who survivied the atom bomb at the end of World War II. Due to radiation exposure, she developed lukemia when she was in the sixth grade. She believed that if she made 1,000 paper cranes, she would be cured. For more information about Sadako and her story, follow this link. You could also read the book, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr.


This summer, when you get your Summer Reading Program account activated, you can put your name on a paper crane here at the library.

We are asking everyone to help us get 1,000 paper cranes made by the end of July. You can find instructions on how to make paper cranes here: paper crane 1,   paper crane 2,   paper crane 3. If you need help, come in and we will try to show you how. Please use scrap paper for your cranes, thin paper works best. You can paint or color your cranes, if you wish. Maybe you would like to write a poem on the paper before you fold it into a crane.

When we get 1,000 paper cranes, we will send them to the Children’s Peace Monument in Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima, Japan. We hope that you will want to make some paper cranes and donate them to the library’s project .We will hang the paper cranes in the Children’s Department in June and July, while we are working towards 1,000. If you have a message for peace you would like included, bring it to the library or email it to tleonard@eldoks.com . Be sure to have “peace message” in the subject line.

If you want to learn more origami, or watch video instructions, try this webpage

Summer Reading Program Sign Up Starts Today

Starting today you can register for this year's Summer Reading Program! We had some requests to open registration before school was out, so we have made it available. This is for registration ONLY. Your account cannot be activated until June 1.  For details, follow this link.

Bring your Library Card when You come to the Library

Monday, May 16 through Wednesday May 18, you MUST have your library card to check out. Our check out system will be down for an upgrade those days. The online catalog will also be unavailable. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Special Hours Friday, May 13

The library won't open until noon, on Friday, May 13th. Friday's hours will be from noon to 5:00 PM. We will resume regular hours on Saturday, May 14. We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Friends of the Library Book Sale

This weekend, Friday, May 6 and Saturday May 7, the Friends of the Library are having their book sale! The sale is open during regular libary hours, 9-5. Books are selling for $5.00 a bag and there is a raffle for a great gift basket! Come in and take advantage of the bargains!
611 S. Washington, El Dorado, KS.  316-321-3363

We're BACK!

All things are up and running again over at the Library Kids website. So, if you have been wondering how the 2011 Summer Reading Program will work, all the info is now available. Yay!

Library Kids Website Temporarily Down

As I was updateing the website this morning, with Summer Reading Program 2011 information, the site suddenly went all kinds of haywire. Oh, NO! I have sent out a call for help and am impatiently awaiting an answer. I hope it will be quickly resolved, but have no idea. As is typical of things in computer land, one minute everything was fine, the next they weren't. Chaos is just a click away.

AWE Early Literacy Stations are here!!!

Out with the old and in with the new. The old IMac computer is gone and in its place we now have two brand new AWE Early Literacy Stations in the Children's department! They are both loaded with tons of great programs for learing and fun. Music, art, science, math, reading, and much more!!! They are for ages 2-10, but older kids might like them, too. They are equipped with 2 sets of earphones so parents can play along with the kids!


Oh, boy!!!

HAPPY EARTH DAY!

In honor of Earth Day, here is a way to reuse, recycle, and repurpose.

Here is an idea for a book bag with no sewing if you wish. Take a tank top you don't want to wear anymore. Run a string through the hem(an old shoestring works well), pull it tight, tie a knot and you have a bag! If you can't run a string through the hem, just gather the bottom of the shirt up tight and wrap the string around and around it very tightly, about an inch up from the bottom, and tie it in a knot.

If you would rather sew the bottom of the shirt closed, turn the shirt wrong side out, or not, lay it out flat, line up the sides, and sew across the bottom. You might want to sew it twice for extra strength.

The arm holes are the handles and it is strong and stretchy.

Your bag is done! You can get a lot of books in it!

Colin O'Brien will be at a very special Preschool Story Time tomorrow, April 21, at 10:00. It is going to be SO MUCH FUN! We don't often get musicians of this caliber here, especially at story time, so please plan to be here, even if it is raining!! He will do a special "kid oriented" show with his banjo, fiddle, guitar, dancing feet and singing. Don't miss it!

Tangled!!!

Today at 4:00, the library is showing the movie, "Tangled" on the really big screen.  All ages welcome. Children under the age of seven must be adcompanied by an adult while in the library. 
Run time - 100 minutes
Rated PG for brief mild violence
(After the movie - come to the Sloppy Joe Dinner! , see previous post)

Sloppy Joes Today!

Today is the day!

Sloppy Joes from 4-7 at the Depot on North Main!!

Sloppy Joe, Chips and Drink- $5.00, Desert 50 cents.

Dessert Auction at 6:00.

SEE YOU THERE!

Sloppy Joes, Sloppy, Sloppy Joes!!!!

One week from today, on April 19 from 4PM-7PM, the Friends of the Library are having a Sloppy Joe Dinner at the Main Street Depot, 430 N. Main. Sloppy Joe, Chips and drink for $5.00, dessert, 50 cents.  At 6:00 is a Dessert Auction with many delectable, delightful, desserts up for the highest bidder! Proceeds benefit Bradford Memorial Library.

Fractured Fairy Tales---TODAY!

Today at 4:00, Brianne presents Fractured Fairy Tales for kids in grades K-5th. New versions of favorite fairy tales, games and a craft!
Come to the Clymer room downstairs for some fractured fun!

Children under the age of seven must be accompanied by an adult while in the library.

Art! Art! Art!

The 2011 Week of the Young Child Art Show is now on display in the Children's depeartment! It will be up through the month of April. The groups participating this year are:
BCC Educare, El Dorado Headstart, First Baptist Day Care, First Baptist Preschool, Jeffeson Pre-K, Skelly Pre-K, Trinity Methodist Trinity's Tykes, and Bradford Memorial's Preschool Story Time. 
Thanks to all the teachers and artists who provided us with the wonderful art!
Preview here on our Flickr page. But come and seeit in person, It is worth it!

Snow daze

Our schedule sure has been random lately due to the snow. We are open this afternoon, even though El Doardo schools are closed.  The snow has stopped falling, the sun is shining but it is still really cold. Crummy snow, too. Too fluffy to build with.

 Brianne has cancelled her Life Size Candy Land game this afternoon.  It is just too cold out to expect many to attend. She will present it in March, probably during Spring Break. Look for it!

Preschool Story Time will go on as planned tomorrow morning. We will be doing stories with a "Love" theme in honor of Valentine's Day, which is coming up soon.

Don't forget to visit us on Facebook! Check in ofter for the latest library news!

Off to see the WIZARD!!

Come and celebrate Kansas 150th birthday by watching the Wizard of Oz! Join us, for a special interactive screening of The Wizard of Oz, Saturday, Jan 29, at 2:00 pm, in the Clymer room. Sing along with Judy Garland, the Tin Man, Scarecrow and Cowardly Lion. Blow bubbles for Glenda the Good Witch, boo and hiss at the Wicked Witch of the West.


Experience this classic movie as you never have before! All ages are welcome.

The more the merrier!

Preschool Story Time Returns

Preschool Story Time Spring Session begins tomorrow! For 3-5 year olds, but everyone is welcome! We meet in the Clymer room for 30 minutes of stories, songs, and crafts. See you there! Yay!

It's all in the numbers...

This year we have: 1/1/11, 1/11/11, 11/1/11, & 11/11/11. Take the last two digits of the year you were born and how old you will be this year.. add them...

Despicable Me -- showing today!

Come in today at 4:00 pm and see the movie, Despicable Me, in the Clymer Room, on the really big screen! All ages welcome.
 Children under the age of seven must be accompanied by an adult while in the library.
95 minutes, rated PG

Pumpkin Story Time in the News!

Preschool Story Time is on the front page and in COLOR! The Monday, November 1, issue of the El Dorado Times features pictures of the October 28 Preschool Story Time that was all about pumpkins!

Please plan to join us this week, Thursday, November 4, at 10:00 for a llama story time!

We are on Facebook!!

The Bradford Memorial Library has a Facebook page! Come on over and "like" us.

MOVIE TODAY !!!!!

Come in at 4:00 PM to see "Marmaduke" !! Anyone can come. The movie will be in the Clymer room on the really BIG screen.  See you there!

WIN A CLOCK!!!!

October is National Clock Month!! In honor of this, we are giving away a clock here in the Children's Department. Each time you visit the Children's Department, you can enter for a chance to win a Mother Goose Clock. It also comes with a book! Two prizes in one!!

The winner will be announced Wednesday, October 27, 2010. Come in anytime between now and then to enter!!

Front Page News!

Preschool Story Time is on the front page and in COLOR! The Friday, September 10, 2010 issue of the El Dorado Times tells all about it! See the paper or follow the link for  photos!


 

Programming to Resume in September

Preschool Story Time Fall Session begins Thursday, September 2 at 10:00 am.  Brianne's elementary programming starts Tuesday, September 14, at 4:00 pm. 

On Tuesday, September 21, Brianne will be showing the movie, "The Diary of a Wimpy Kid"!

See you at the library!

The Pictures are in the Paper!!

The Summer Reading Program pictures are in the Thursday, August 19, 2010 edition of the El Dorado Times.  You can buy copies for  seventy-five cents each, at the Times office, 114 N. Vine, in El Dorado. This year's readers did such an awesome job. Congratulations!

Dan Dan the MAGIC MAN!!

Dan Dan the Magic Man will be performing tomorrow, Tuesday, July 20, at 6:30 pm in the Clymer room.  This is a program for all ages, and it is FREE!!

There are two more weeks left in the Summer Reading Program. You can still sign up and get a cool bag for your books. 

See our calendar of events on the Library Kids page. 

See you at the library!

Bubble Man Program Today

We are keeping a close eye on the weather, and so far, it looks like we will need to move the program to the Victory Christian Academy gymnasium. We are supposed to have rain this evening and wind. The Victory Christian Academy is located at 115 S. Star in El Dorado, across the street from the courthouse and south of the old Carnegie Library. There is an entrance off the parking lot.


There is NO air conditioning in the gym.

We will post the final location later today. You can also call the library, 316-321-3363, this afternoon after 4 to find out. We are really hoping to have the program at the library, but the chances seem slim. The weather is just not cooperating.

Directions from Google Maps here.

2010 Summer Reading Program Begins

The 2010 Summer Reading Program, "Make a Splash-READ!" is officially open for business!! Join in the fun! Follow the link to the SUMMER 2010 page for all the information.

After you have signed up, come to the library to get your acount activated. You can pick up your 2010 SRP Make a Splash- READ book bag and add a fish to the “Window on the Sea”.

Programming begins next week. Check out the event calendar for details.

See you at the library!

2010 Summer Reading Program is almost here!

Gearing up for 2010 Sumer Reading Program!
Get your info here.   

It all begins June 1. 

MAKE A SPLASH--READ!

8 Wonders of Butler County Customs Contest

It is official! Our Preschool Story Time is a finalist in the 8 Wonders of Butler County Customs contest! You can vote for us at 360ElDorado.com. You can vote up to three times per email address.

Twenty finalists have been posted to the 8 Wonders page of 360ElDorado.com. All finalists are featured in the three slideshows on the page. To vote, click on the “Vote” section on the left side of the page and follow the directions.

The 8 Wonders contests are sponsored by Tour Butler, the El Dorado Times and the Augusta Gazette.

Every vote counts! Thanks!

Favorite President of All Time Poll Results

Abraham Lincoln won with nearly half of the votes! There was a 5-way tie for second place with, Carter, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Obama, and Washington.  John Adams got one vote!
Thanks to everyone who voted!

Vote for Your Favorite President

Come to the Children's department and vote for your favorite president of all time. Anyone can vote! Vote more than once! On Presidents' Day, February 15, we will post the results. I can tell you right now, Lincoln, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Carter are in a tie!

Coming Attractions

Tomorrow, February 4, at Preschool Story Time our theme is stars.

Next week on Tuesday, February 9, at 4PM, Brianne is doing a program for grades K-5 all about chocolate, with stories, games and activities. Chocloate will be served, so be aware if you have food allergies.

On Monday, February 13, at 2pm, Brianne is showing the movie, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, with Johnny Depp. This will be in the Clymer room on the really BIG screen. There is no charge and it is open to ALL ages.

Tuesday, February 23, is Wii gaming at 4pm. This is for grades K-5.
Don't forget, children under the age of seven must be accompanied by an adult while in the library.

For more activities, check our events calendar at the children's department webpage, Library Kids.

Story Time in the News!

What a wonderful story and pictures in the Tuesday, February 2, 2010 edition of the El Dorado Times! Groundhog Day at Preschool Story Time. We are on the front page, page 2 and page 3. WOW! Great for your scrapbook!

Thanks to Julie and Robin for their generous suport of our programs.

Up and Running

The Library Kids website is up and running again. Most of the missing images have been replaced. So, yay!

Don't forget, Preschool Story Time begins tomorrow at 10:00 a.m.

The Official Word is- WAIT

Got the word this afternoon on the Library Kids website. I am to wait until next week to try and fix things. So, for now things will stay as they are. Thanks for you patience.

No Images For Now

Still having problems with the Library Kids website. It may be quite awhile before it is back to its former glory.
Weather and websites, both beyond our control.

Movie today @ 2:00. G-Force. Come one, come all.

Still not back to normal

The Library Kids website is trying to come back, but there are still problems. All of the images are gone, for one. They are working on fixing things, but it will take some time. In the meantime, don't forget, we are showing the movie "G-Force" in the Clymer room on our BIG screen. The show starts at 2:00 pm and is open to all ages. As usual, children under seven years of age, must be accompanied by an adult while in the library.

Holiday Hours

We will close at 5:00 pm tomorrow, December 31, 2009. We will be closed all day Friday, January 1, 2010. We will reopen at 9:00 am Saturday, January 2. Happy New Year, everyone!!

Website Down

Our Library Kids website is down. Not sure when it will be up. Seems to be a problem with the server and beyond our control.
In the meantime, check here for news!

CONTESTS

There are two new contests to enter if you fancy yourself an artist or author. Visit our Library Kids website for details.

OVER 1,000 !!

The paper chain is officially over 1,000 links long! Thanks to our fabulous readers, the chain is now 1,011 links long. Each link represents a book that has been read. It is beautiful and fun! It is worth a trip to the library just to see it. How many times have you seen a paper chain that is over 1,000 links long? I will get pictures posted, but they don't do it justice. Speaking of pictures, the Children's Department has a Flickr page now. Visit and see the crafts the kids have made.

Mr. Boo it is!

Sorry I didn't get the announcement posted sooner. I have no excuse. I posted it to our webpage, Library Kids, and to our Twitter page, but I just plain forgot to post it here on the blog. I am so sorry! The library staff voted and the winner, by a landslide, was Mr. Boo. The winning name was submitted by Sterling Schurr. Mr. Boo is delighted with his name, although in the picture it doesn't look like it, I assure you, he is smiling.

There were lots of good names to pick from. Thank you to everyone who entered the contest.

Name that Ghost!

Our ghost is in search of a name. Enter the "Name Our Ghost" contest and win a book! To enter, come to the Children's Department and write your suggestion for a name on the official entry form. You must be under 18 years old to enter and you can enter as many times as you wish! Entries must be in by October 29th. The winner will be announced on October 30.

THE SUMMER READING PROGRAM PICTURES ARE IN THE PAPER!!!

The 2009 Summer Reading Program pictures are in the Friday, August 21, issue of the El Dorado Times.
They look great! Copies of the paper are available for 75 cents each, at the El Dorado Times office, 114 N. Vine, here in El Dorado. I will try to get a few copies at the library as well.
Thank you, Julie, and the El Dorado Times, for making it possible to get the pictures of these fabulous readers in the paper. We appreciate your generous support of our summer reading program.
Thank you, too, to the parents and teachers of these readers. Without your support the reading program would not be possible.
More thanks to come on Monday. I am writing this from home, and don't have the information I need to thank everyone who helped us this year. I mainly wanted to get the word out that the pictures are in the paper!

Successful Summer

The 2009 Summer Reading program is a success! Our readers read a total of 11,192 books. Those keeping track of time spent reading recorded 2,648 hours. Fabulous! Thanks to the readers, and thank you to the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and teachers who helped make the summer a success.

If you earned the prize of your picture in the paper, today and next Monday, Aug 10, are the picture days. Just come to the library and we will take your photograph.

If you earned the prize of the swim party, be sure you have picked up your invitation. It is required for admission. It will get your whole family in to the pool.

You can still glue a lid on the art project and add to the paper chain, if you want to. The chain is up to 826 links! It looks great.

Time is Runing Out !

Friday, July 31st at 5 PM is the last day to record your reading !

STORYTIME ART ON FLICKR

The paper strip sculptures created by the preschool storytime groups are now on Flickr.
They are so much fun and amazingly intricate, just paper and glue. Circle Gallery & Frame Shop here in El Dorado donated the matboard for the bases. Thanks, Jeanne!

Stay tuned for more preschool art from the fall session, which begins September 3.

TWO PROGRAMS TODAY!

This afternoon at 2:00 the K-5th program will be all about the drama! There will be a reader's theater presentation of "The Boy Who Wanted the Willies!" Brianne will also have games, stories and a craft.
At 6:30 Magic Melton the Magician will dazzle us with mystifying feats of magic! This is the last of our special program for the 2009 Summer Reading Program. Everyone is invited to come in and help us finish with a bang!

Business as Usual

Programming resumes next week. Tuesday,July 7, at 2, K-5th program with Miss Brianne.





Also on July 7th, 6:30 P.M., Teresa Bachman, local, award winning folk muscian, will entertain us with her music, in the Clymer room. She plays banjo and dulcimer. This program is for all ages and it's free. Great for the whole family!

Teresa is also the director of the Kansas Oil Museum and Butler County Historical Museum. If you haven't been there, you should go. It is a fascinating window on El Dorado's past.

On Thurdsay, Preschool Story Time resumes, with stories about the beach! This is for ages 3-5, but everyone is welcome. We meet at 10:00 and 11:00, in the Clymer room for stories, songs, and crafts.

Grandview School

Had a great visit at Grandview school this morning. They invited me to tell them about the Summer Reading Program. I got to speak to about 120 kids and they were a great audience!
Thanks for the invitation and thanks for adding to our paper chain!
See you at the library!

Trail Mix Today

2PM today! Barbara Roths, Butler County Extension agent and our own Miss Brianne will present a Trail Mix extravaganza. Stories, games, and mixing of trail mix.
If you have food allergies, let us know!
Trail mix ingredients:
Cheerios, whole grain Goldfish Crackers, Craisins, M&M's.
There is no heat wave at the library! Come to the library and be cool!
See you there!

Bongo Barry Show a Rousing Success!

Bongo Barry was so much fun! Many thanks go out to the El Dorado Evening Kiwanis for making the show possible. We had a capacity crowd, babies to grandparents. Bongo Barry worked his musical magic on the crowd at one point and turned them and himself into human kazoos, with nothing more than a piece of waxed paper! I am not kidding!

He is posting a recording of the event on his website. Select the "Download Summer Shows" link . Or go here. User name: summer 09. Password:bongob.

Bongo Barry said the crowd was fantastic. I hope you were there!

Tomorrow, Preschool Story Time at 10 and 11.

Next Tuesday, June 23, at 2PM, Trail Mix Adventures, for K- 5th grade.

There is plenty of time left to register for the Summer Reading Program and earn prizes.

See you there!

Still so much fun to be had at the library!

Donate to the Library!

We are now officially on Goodsearch.com. Put Bradford Memorial Library in as your charity, do your search from there and they will donate money to the library! If you shop from any of the businesses on the site, a portion of the purchase also goes to the library! So easy!

If you go to the Pizza Hut at 2423 West Central, in El Dorado, on the 2nd & 4th Tuesdays after 4:00 PM, 20% of your purchases go towards the library! Stop by the library and pick up a coupon to take to the West Central Pizza Hut ONLY. Call Pizza Hut at 316-321-2340 for details. Thank you patrons! Thank you Pizza Hut!

WEEK TWO

We have two programs today. At 2:00 PM, the K-5th program. The theme today is music. The craft is musical instruments. Brianne is a little under the weather, so Kacee is filling in. Great stories, games and crafts await you!

Then, at 6:30 is the Mad Science program with Cosmic Chris! Mad kitchen science is the theme.
This program is for all ages, but is geared toward the K-5th crowd.

As usual, children under the age of seven must be accompanied by and actively supervised by an adult while in the library.

Enrollment in the Summer Reading Program is steadily growing, 271 have signed up and have read 891 books! Well Done!

PROGRESS-- WEEK ONE

The first four days have been a whirlwind of activity. The technical problems have been resolved and things are working like they should. 248 have signed up for the Summer Reading Program, and have already read 703 books! Art project is evolving and paper chain is growing!

We are showing the movie, "Bedtime Stories" tomorrow, June 6 at 2PM. in the Clymer room. It is rated PG.

Regular programming begins next week with the K-5th program at 2PM on Tuesday, June 9.
Thursday Preschool Story Time begins at 10 and 11 AM in the Clymer room. This is for 3-5 year-olds, but everyone is welcome.

Children under age 7 must be accompanied by an adult when in the library.

Tuesday evening at 6:30 Mad Science from Wichita will be here with creative kitchen science.
This is appropriate for elementary age kids, but everyone is welcome!

See you at the library!

DAY ONE IS DONE!

Thanks to everyone who got signed up for the Summer Reading Program, 154 on the first day! What a great start. We also had a really fun first program with "Meet the Instruments" 45 people turned out and we made lots of NOISE.
Thanks to all the musicians who donated their time and talent to make this event a success.

Thanks to Robin from the El Dorado Times for covering the event. We will be watching for the story in the paper. I hope there are lots of pictures. I forgot to bring my camera!

Up next is the movie "Bedtime Stories", rated PG, on Saturday at 2:00 pm., in the Clymer room. Everyone is invited!

READY...SET...GO!!

In spite of starting the day with technical problems, we are off and running . The reading program website can be accessed from the Library Kids webpage, "Technical Problems" post, or the "SUMMER 2009" tab at the top of the page.

We have been really busy today and lots of kids are already registered and have their accounts activated. As of right this minute, 125 have signed up! The art project is well on its way and the paper chain is growing.

We are getting ready for the first program tonight at 6:30, "Meet the Instruments".
Come on down to the Clymer room and make some NOISE!

TOMORROW IT BEGINS!!

2009 Summer Reading Program, Be Creative @ Your Library, officially begins tomorrow, June 1st! Registration for the reading program, the art project, the paper chain, and special programs, starting with "Meet the Instruments" at 6:30 pm in the Clymer room.
I'll see you at the library!
It's time to READ!!!

SUMMER READING PROGRAM

We are counting down to the beginning of the 2009 Summer Reading Program, "Be Creative @ Your Library". It is for ages birth through those who have finished 5th grade. Registration starts June 1. It will be online again this year. Go to our children's department webpage, "Library Kids" for more details and for a complete schedule of events.

The link to register will be on the Bradford Memorial Library webpage, same as last year.

We have lots of fun activities planned and some really great entertainment.

Kids who have finished 6th grade will be in the teen program. There is also an adult program. Call the library 316-321-3363 for more information on those programs.

Our first program is June 1st at 6:30, "Meet the Instruments". Local musicians will be here in the Clymer room with musical instruments to visit with the kids. Kids can hear how the instruments sound and ask the musicians questions. They will even get to try playing some of the instruments! We will begin with a short cartoon about musical instruments. After the cartoon, the kids and musicians can visit.

Don't forget, we Twitter!

READ ON.

Something new has been added!

We are up and tweeting and now, we are also communicating through cyberspace via "Bradford Kids" our new Children's Department webpage! You can go there and download Summer Reading Program information and event calendar We have a Parent/Teacher feature as well. The page will be growing and changing. We welcome comments from you. Please look us up and tell us what you think! And don't forget Twitter!

Read on!

Tweeting

We are all a twitter in Youth Services. You can now follow our tweets on Twitter!

Spring Session Almost Over

Thursday, April 30th, is the last day of the Spring 2009 session of Preschool Story Time. We will resume on Thursday, June 11. For the summer session, we will meet at 10:00 and 11:00, on Thurdsays, in the Clymer room.

We had a great time this morning with the firefighters, Tony and Derrick. Derrick put on his gear, boots, pants, coat, red hat and all! They each read a book to the group, and answered questions. They even stayed while the kids made their crafts, a dalmation dog stick puppet and a firefighter's badge.
Thank you to Tony and Derrick and the El Dorado Fire Department for making this morning's story time so special. Robin, from the El Dorado Times newspaper was also at story time, so be watching the papers for pictures!

Next week we will have stories about flowers.

For the month of May, Brianne and I will be busy getting ready for the 2009 Summer Reading program. The theme this year is "Be Creative @ Your Library." More news coming soon!

We have a new children's department website in the works. It will have information for kids and parents. Stay tuned for updates!

Read on!

APRIL - A BUSY MONTH AT THE LIBRARY!

Come in and see our fabulous art show! In honor of the “Week of the Young Child” April 19- 25th, we have art, created by preschool age children, on display in the Children’s Department of the library for the whole month of April. There are over 300 pieces! The work was created by children from First Baptist Day Care, First Baptist Preschool, Educare, 4-year old program and Early Education at Skelly school, El Dorado Headstart, Flinthills Headstart, and our own Preschool Storytime.


To kick off the week, on Sunday April 19th at 2:00 pm, is Colin O’Brien. He plays banjo, fiddle, guitar, sings and dances! He puts on an energetic, interactive show. It is for kids of all ages! Saturday night, April 18th, he will be performing at the Iron Horse Concert Hall, here in El Dorado.



April 20th, there will be a balloon launch from the park behind the library at 9:30. Mr. Dale (Dale Tower)will be there to add music to the fun.

Later that day, Brianne is showing the movie “BOLT” on our BIG screen in the Clymer room. It is free and open to everyone.

On the 22nd Brianne is presenting a “Go Green” program for Earth Day, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm. This program is for K – 5th grade.

Thursday, April 23rd, is a special Preschool Story time. Local firefighters will be our special guests!

Preschool story time is winding down the spring session. We will meet April 9, 16, 23 and 30th. Then, we take the month of May off so we can get ready for summer.

We have had great coverage this spring of our story times by our local paper, The El Dorado Times. Thank you to Robin and Julie. It has been so much fun to read about our story times and see the pictures.

To celebrate National Library Week, April 12-18, it is time for FOOD FOR FINES! Bring a non-perishable item for $1.00 of your current library fines. There is no limit to how much you can bring in. Call for more information 316-321-3363

William Allen White

It is now possible to vote for your favorite William Allen White book at the library! If you have read at least two of the books from this year's reading list, you can vote. Come to the Children's Department and cast your vote. Voting ends April 14th.

Read on!

Holiday Movie Marathon

During the month of December the library is hosting 6 different movie days. We have shown 2 so far, with a third playing today. The Miracle on 34th Street is showing at 4 pm today. On next Tuesday The Muppet Christmas Carol will be playing at 4pm. I hope to see you there.

An Afternoon At The Movies

Wednesday, September 24 (an early release day for El Dorado) @ 2 pm the Library is hosting an all ages movie day. Those in attendance will chose to watch either Alvin and the Chipmunks or Good Boy. Both are rated PG. The movie will be shown on the Library's Big Screen. Hope to see you there.

Fall Preschool Story Times have begun again! This week we all made quilt blocks for our 2008 Preschool Story Time Friendship Quilt. The kids each made two blocks, one to take home and one to put in the quilt. They are beautiful. I am excited to get the blocks put together. The quilt will be on display in the Clymer Room. I will post a picture of it when it is done.

Next week we will not have story time so the Friends of the Library can set up for their Fall Book Sale. It is a GREAT opportunity to buy used books. The regular books are priced at $5.00 a bag. If you join the Friends of the Library at the sale, you will get a nice canvas bag filled with books of your choice, and your Friends membership, all for $20.00. Some other books are individually priced. There are also old videos available. They will be setting up for the sale on Thursday. The sale will be open for business Friday, Sept. 19 and Saturday, Sept. 20, in the Clymer Room, during regular library hours.

The following week, September 25, Preschool Story Time will resume with stories about autumn.

BY THE WAY---If you had your picture taken for the El Dorado Times as a winner of the Summer Reading Program, they were published Friday, August, 29th. We have a few copies for sale at the library at the children's desk, or you can get one at the El Dorado Times office.

We will have a very special guest reader on October 9. More on that later…

In the meantime, READ ON!

No Programs This Week

Since this is a holiday week there are no programs. We'll be back next week with our regular programming. There is also a Special Program on Wed the 11th @ 6:30 pm. Singer/Songwriter Thad Beach will be preforming. Everyone have a safe Fourth of July.

School's Out For The Summer!!!!!

So that means the 2008 Bradford Memorial Library Summer Reading Program is about to start. You can begin signing up Monday, June 2nd. We are doing online registration again this year. Once again there will be computers available at the library for signing up and adding books/hours. There will be weekly programs for different age groups starting Tuesday, June 10 as well as special family programs through out the summer. New this year will be three family movie days. We will show a bug themed movie on our BIG screen. Be sure to stop by or call the library with any questions. I hope everyone has a great summer.

We're off the see the Wizard ...

... the Wonderful Wizard of Oz. That's right the Library has a brand new set of L. Frank Baum's series of books that made Kansas famous. Come on in and check them out. We also have the Judy Garland movie of course as well as other books that are Oz spin offs.

High School Musical Books have come to the Library

Come in and check out the High School Musical book series Stories From East High. Books number 1 through 6 are already on the shelves and ready to take home. Books number 7 and 8 will be ready soon.

Hannah Montana Books @ The Library

Come check out the new chapter books based on the hit show Hannah Montana. The Library also has a few Hannah Montana graphic novels, DVDs, and music CDs available for check out. While your here be sure to take a look at the other newest editions to the Library's collection. Happy Reading.

APRIL FUN

Spring has sprung!
April is the final month of the Spring session of Preschool Storytime.

April 3 there will be no storytime due to the Scholastic book sale in the Clymer room.

April 10 -- Spring

April 17-- Earth Day

April 24-- Flowers

May will be spent planning for the summer activites.

Read On!
Teresa

Dinosaurs

This is the theme for Elementary Story Time this month. K-2nd is on Tuesday, April 8th @ 4 pm and 3rd-5th is on Tuesday, April 15th @ 4 pm. I have some fun books to read, we will play musical chairs to a song about dinosaurs, and we will make fossils. It should be a lot fun. I hope to see a bunch of you there.

More Fun Programs This Month

Tomorrow (Tuesday, March 11) the K-2nd grade program will have stories and crafts about the mouse in If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. We will also have S'mores as a snack after we read The Best Mouse Cookie.

On Tuesday, March 18th grades 3rd-5th's program will be about the adventures of Ralph in The Mouse And The Motorcycle trilogy of books. Since Ralph goes to camp in Runaway Ralph this group will also get to have S'mores as a snack.

Also this month there will be a movie afternoon during Spring Break. It will be held of Wednesday, March 19th. We will pick from Meet the Robinsons and Ratatouille. There will NOT be snacks for this one. The movie is open to all ages.

I hope to see lots of you there.

Brianne

Watch it at the Library!!

Is animation your fave?

Come in and check out the new DVD's we've added to the collection, like Academy Award winner "Ratatouille". "Shrek the Third" and "Cinderella III" have also arrived. If classic or vintage is your thing, the "Classic Looney Toons Collection" is perfection with the voices of Mel Blanc in 59 classic Looney Tunes. The vintage, animated , "Bugville" (1941), from the master Max Fleischer, is a recent arrival, too. It includes a Max Fleischer bio and Legend films trailers.

Bored? Nothing to do?

Look at our new books, Quick Knits, Junk Drawer Jewelry and Wind Chimes and Whirlygigs, from the "Kids Can Do It" series.

Knit up a drawstring backpack, or a cool new hat. Don't know how to knit? Quick Knits can help you learn.

Wind Chimes and Whirlygigs shows you how to make 12 unique decorations that make music with the wind, or move when the breezes blow. Most are made of inexpensive materials, many you might have lying around the house already.

Speaking of junk lying around the house, Junk Drawer Jewelry is the guide book to 16 projects to make for yourself, friends, or your mom or dad. Jewelry is made from wire, guitar picks, buttons, craft foam, beads-- even duct tape!

Parents and grandparents, these are all great ways to spend time with the kids.

Read on!

Calling all 3-5 year-olds...

March Preschool Storytimes are coming!!

March 6 – Trains "Toot, toot"

March 13 – Sheep "Ba-a-a-a, ba-a-a-a"

March 20 – Rabbits "???!"

March 27 – Birds "Tweet, tweet"

Books, songs, crafts,
kids meeting kids,
moms meeting moms …
A great time for everyone !!

Thursdays at 10:00 a.m.

Hope to see you there!

Comming Up This Month

The Library is planning all kinds of fun elementary age programs this month.

For the monthly programs the theme is Penguins and Polar Bears. These programs are Tuesday the 12th (K-2nd) @ 4 pm and Tuesday the 19th (3rd-5th) @ 4 pm.

On Monday the 18th we are having a movie day @ 2 pm for anyone who wants to come.

At the end of February there are special programs planned to celebrate Dr Seuss' Birthday. A program for K-2nd is on Monday the 25th @ 4 pm and 3rd-5th is Tuesday the 26th @ 4 pm. A movie day, open to everyone, is scheduled for Saturday, March 1 @ 2 pm.

Be sure to give the library a call @ 316-321-3363 if you need more information about a program or if you have any questions.

Spring Programs, New and Old!

Family Storytime is now Preschool Storytime! Nothing has changed but the name. With the addition of four new storytimes, we have renamed it to clarify the target audience, which is ages 3-5. As in the past, everyone is welcome. We will meet at 10:00 a.m in the Clymer room. I will be sharing books, fingerplays, songs and crafts. Spring 2008 Session begins Thurdsay, January 24th.

Starting Monday, January 28,at 10:00 a.m., Tammy will be presenting Toddler Storytime for two-year-olds. Starting Tuesday, January 29, Tammy will present a Baby Lapsit program, also at 10:00 a.m. These storytimes are offered in sessions. Call Tammy at 316-321-3363 for more information.

Brianne has begun new elementary programming. On the second Tuesday of the month she will present programming for grades K-2, at 4:00 p.m. On the third Tuesday of the month the programs are for grades 3-5, also at 4:00 p.m.

We are also adding movie days at the library in the afternoon, on El Dorado school system early release days. Watch for special programming coming up!

All children's programs are held in the Clymer room on the lower level of the Bradford Memorial Library.

Read on!
Teresa

More Monthly Elementary Programs

The 2nd Tuesday of the month K-2nd grade will enjoy jokes, poems, stories, games, and crafts about a theme. On the 3rd Tuesday 3rd-5th grades have their day. Both programs start at 4 pm and last for around an hour. January's theme is Snow is in the Air and will be about snow and snowmen. I hope to see you there.

Children's Art on Display

The 2007 "en plein air" El Dorado Art Fair has come and gone. In spite of the rain, lots of kids participated in the children's area activities. Some of the beautiful art they created is currently on display here at the library. This is the fourth year for the art fair, which is put on by the El Dorado Mainstreet Artscape Committee. The "post art fair" exhibit has become somewhat of a tradition. Thanks to all of the the artists who generously provided their works to beautify the library for awhile. The works will be up through Friday, Nov. 16.

Read some of our great books on art and get inspired to make your own art!

Read on!

Teresa

Elementary Story Time to begin this month!

Elementary students are invited to join me for Story Time in the Clymer Room on the lower level of the library on the following dates:

Grades K-2: October 16, 4-4:30 pm
Grades 3-5: October 23, 4-4:30 pm

Our theme this month will be Scarecrows, and I'll be reading the delightful book The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda Williams, illustrated by Megan Lloyd. We'll enjoy songs, poetry and fun, as well as a Fall-themed craft for the children to make.

Story Time will be held monthly. Check back here this for more information about the time, place, and theme of future programs. Also watch for flyers here at Bradford Memorial Library and at your school.

Up Comming Teen Program

Help the library customize out bookcart so we can enter Overdue Media's contest. Overdue Media has a comic strip called Unshelved about library employees and things that happened in a library. This will be a two part program. October 16 @ 6 pm we will brainstorm design ideas and on October 23 @ 6 pm we will put it all together. We will also have snacks to help the creative juices flow. Be sure to come to the second program even if you couldn't come to the planning part.

Jim Clements--guest reader today!

I am so happy to announce the second in our series of guest readers for Family Storytime. Our theme today is "art" and we are very fortunate to have a wonderful artist from El Dorado as our guest. Meet Jim Clements!!

What is your job?
I am an artist.

How long have you had that job?
I’ve been drawing my whole life, and painting for about 27 years.

What do you like about your job?
I love many things about it. Since my painting subjects are primarily people, it gives me the opportunity to work with many interesting personalities. I also like creating a likeness of a person or a certain scene, starting with just a blank canvas. Looking at my subject, I react intuitively to what I see rather than rely on formulas. This lets me mix colors as I go, and observe edges, values and use a variety of brushstrokes. When it all comes together and the painting is finished, it makes whatever struggle I had getting it right all worth it.

Is there any advice you would give someone who wants to do the same job?
Draw. Draw everything. Drawing is a great way to improve your ability to observe things, and is fundamental in every form of fine art. Every problem I ever have with a painting almost certainly goes back to the drawing being off. If I take the time to get it right, the painting goes much smoother. Although inevitably, no matter how careful I am with drawing I still often find I’m off a bit as I begin to paint, so I continue drawing with paint. It never stops through the entire painting process. Don’t hesitate to correct mistakes. You’ll be happy you do and frustrated if you don’t. Do every painting to the absolute best of your ability. Also, you’ll never stop learning, and the more you learn, the more difficult the next painting becomes. This is because you know more about what works best, but it isn’t always easy to achieve.

What did you want to be when you grew up?
I was interested in so many things; I changed my mind a lot. I was never set on any one career for very long when I was a kid. But the thing that has always been with me was my love of art. It’s how God made me, and I take it much more seriously now than I did when I was younger.

Did you like to read when you were child?
Absolutely! I read constantly when I was a kid. I truly believe there is nothing – not movies, not TV, not video games – that is better for your imagination than reading. Actually, I read constantly even now.

What was a favorite book or author when you were a child?
I really liked books about animals. Two that come to mind that I read numerous times were "Midnight", about a wild horse sold to the rodeo circuit that could never be ridden. I think it was a true story. Another one was "Kavik the Wolf-Dog", about a half wolf-half dog who neither belonged in the wild or in the village. He had to survive on his own in the wild. It’s been a lot of years so I don’t remember the details, but I remember I liked it a lot. I still have both of these books; maybe I’ll read them again!

What do you like to read now?
Art books mostly. I’m always trying to educate myself to be a better painter. I also read biographies, political books, and novels.

Do you have a favorite story/author?
My favorite author is Michael Crichton.

Are you reading anything now?
I’m always reading. Right now I’m reading a book about the history of the United States. I just felt like I need a refresher course. I was occasionally coming across historical references in other books and realized I’d forgotten too much since school. It’s very interesting.

Did you ever try to write a story?
I did when I was a kid.

Would you like to write or illustrate a book someday? What would it be about?
I’m too slow a typist to write, but it might be fun to illustrate a book someday. I always thought it’d be cool to do illustrations for some bible stories. There are a lot of good ones and it’d give my imagination a workout coming up with unique ways to present them.

Do you have a library card?
Yes I do!

Awesome interview, Jim. Thank you so much. I hope to post a pic of Jim soon.
If you missed our first interview, go to 8/30/07 for a visit with our first guest reader, Jon Pic.
Stay tuned to this blog for more interviews.
Keep reading!
Teresa