Library House Tour

The Friends are once again hosting a Holiday House Tour and Tea with proceeds benefiting the Kutztown Community Library.

Join us on Sunday, December 4, 2011 from 12:30-5pm. The self-guided tour includes 5 private residences, St. John's UCC, Blair Vineyards, Christ Gallery and Studio, and the Albany Township Historical Society.

Beverages, petite sandwiches and sweet treats will be served at Jackie & Daughter Flower Shop.

Tickets are available at the library and are $15 in advance or $20 the day of the tour.

Summer Reading Has Begun!

It is time to keep track of all those books you are reading in the hammock, on the beach or at the stadium between innings. Summer Reading has officially begun at the Louisa Gonser Community Library and we have goodies for readers of all ages. Children can turn in their summer reading tickets for small prizes (or save up for t-shirts and other fun items). Teens can use their tickets to enter into drawings for an I-pod touch, a Kindle, a FlipCamera or a gift certificate of their choice. Even adults can get into the spirit, with weekly drawings for goods from local businesses.

Also, be sure to check out the great programs we are offering this summer. Every Wednesday at 10am we are holding special events for school aged children as well as preschool storytimes for the younger tykes. All of our events are listed on our website calendar at www.kutztownlibrary.org

Free Comic Book Day, Open Art Studio and Megamind

Bam! Pow! KerrrrPlop! Brush off your superhero under-roos and join in the adventure Saturday May 7th from 10-Noon. Golden Eagle Comics has again generously provided us with free comic books to give away to all interested patrons in celebration of "Free Comic Book Day." We will also hold our last Open Art Studio of the school year with supplies on hand for everyone to try their hand at making their own comic book or designing a new superhero.

The Library will be showing the film "Megamind" for its "After Hours Movie Party" at 6:30 on Friday May 6th to kick off a weekend full of superheroes and daring do!

Computer Classes begin at the Library

We will be offering computer classes at the library for the first time this month. Join us for an "Introduction to the Internet and Online Searching." The class is free, but registration is required to ensure everyone will have access to a computer.

Choose from these dates and call the library to register (610)-683-5820

Monday April 11 at 6 pm

Saturday April 23 at 10:30am

Wednesday April 27 at 6 pm

April 1st and 2nd: Two Great Programs for Families!

Don't miss two great programs for families at the library next weekend!

On Friday April 1st at 6:30 our "After Hours Movie Party" will feature Disney's latest feature film based on a classic fairytale. Art education students from KU will be on hand to help children create some masterpieces of their own before and after the film. Families should feel free to bring along a brown bag dinner. The Library will provide some snacks and drinks.

Saturday April 2nd from 10-12 the Library will have another "Open Art Studio." Come and be creative in our community room. This month, Joanne Lapic will join us with her printing press.

Bus Trip to Bucks County (New Hope/Peddler's Village)

The Friends have planned another fantastic bus trip, Thursday April 28, 2011, to beautiful and historic Bucks County. Climb aboard as we visit Parry Mansion, a circa 1784 stunning example of early blue fieldstone homes meticulously restored to its original splendor. Join us for lunch at Marsha Brown, an elegant restaurant in a 125 year-old brown stone church. Stroll through the shops of New Hope and Peddler's Village. Then enjoy a comfortable bus ride back home with your new friends and any treasures you discovered while shopping.

$85 per person includes your bus fare, snacks, driver's tip, luncheon, and all admissions. Seating is limited so stop into the library soon to purchase your spot. Proceeds benefit the Louisa Gonser Community Library

Family Place Parent Child Workshop Series begins in March

The Louisa Gonser Community Library is a part of Family Place Libraries, a national network of libraries committed to encouraging early literacy skills by connecting families and caregivers of young children to a network of resources, professionals and other local families.

The Parent Child Workshop is a series of opportunities for our local families to interact with experts in different aspects of childhood growth and development. The Workshops are informal and child friendly. We begin with a lapsit storytime comprised of songs, fingerplays and stories. Then, as the children explore and play in our community room, parents and caregivers have the opportunity to interact with a new community resource person each week.

We will be offering this series during our regularly scheduled Lapsit program held on Thursday mornings at 10am during the month of March. We will be visited by a nutritionist on March 10th, an expert in the "Ages and Stages" of early childhood development on March 17th. Sessions on movement with children, speech development and early literacy will also be announced in the coming week.

StoryRider Preschool Stories

Miss Barb brings her years of experience working with preschool aged children to our library each week with her fantastic StoryRider Storytime. Designed for children 3-5 years old, Miss Barb's 45 minute program combines songs, stories and fingerplays and incorporates simple instruments and props for an interactive early literacy experience. Each program is followed by a simple craft for the children to take home so they can share the experience with their families.

The StoryRiders travel all over Berks County visiting libraries and are employees of the Berks Public Libraries System. Out StoryRider, Miss Barb visits us for sessions in the Fall and Spring on Tuesdays at 1pm and in the Summer on Wednesdays at 10am. Call ahead or stop into the library to find out her current schedule and then join us for giggles and grins.

Winter Programs

The weather outside is less than delightful, but hanging out in the library is a great alternative on a cold winter day when you just need to get out of the house. Stop in, find some books and movies, visit with your neighbors, or just find a quiet corner to read and relax.

Our storytimes continue through the winter months, so join us at Lapsit storytime on Mondays at 11am or Thursdays at 10am or check out our new Preschool storytime on Mondays at 10am. Miss Barb will be back for StoryRider storytimes on Tuesdays at 1pm. Call or stop into the library to see her full schedule. Bedtime stories are read every 1st and 3rd Tuesday night at 6:30pm.

We will be hosting more After Hours Movie Parties on Fridays at 6:30pm:

January 21st Despicable Me

Febrary 25th Ramona and Beezus

And don't miss our special Tween movie night! Friday February 11th at 6:30 we will be showing "The Last Song" and serving pizza.