February is the shortest month of the year, and the Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library has events and programs to make the most out of the 28 days.
Every February, Canadians are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, past and present.
On Tuesday, February 9 at 7 p.m., the library welcomes Britta B, a Kingston-born, Toronto-based, poet, spoken word performer, emcee, and teaching artist. Britta B, who will be performing via Zoom, will speak about her journey to becoming an artist and also discuss the people who have influenced and supported her along the way.
This program is free and registration is required. Contact Kate Scheiers, Coordinator of Community Engagement, at [email protected] or call 905-642-7323 ext. 5237 to register.
The library also offers a diverse range of books written by Black authors. A selection of these books and other resources can be found on the library’s website at www.wsplibrary.ca. There are also curated Ebook and Eaudio bookshelves in Cloud Library regarding Anti-Racism and Black Lives Matter.
This year, Chinese New Year falls on February 12 and the library celebrates the occasion with two programs.
First, they begin with a Chinese New Year-themed storytime on Saturday, February 9 at 10:30 a.m. This free storytime is pre-recorded and prepared for ages 2-6 but all are welcome. The storytime will be presented via the library’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/WSPLibrary.
Second, the library team will offer a Chinese New Year craft on Friday, February 12 at 1:30 p.m. This free craft is pre-recorded and is for children aged 4 and up. Interested participants can contact the library at 905-642-7323 for instructions on how to pick up the craft.
Cold winter days are a perfect opportunity to stay warm inside and relax with a book. The library’s reading club provides some encouragement for young readers to track their reading progress. The “Where the Wild Books Are” Reading Club for children ages 3-12 runs until March 31, so it’s not too late to join the fun.
This reading club, based on the beloved picture book by Maurice Sendak, challenges children to read and let their imaginations run wild through the winter months. The program will use the Beanstack App to track reading progress. Prize incentives will be given to children to encourage their reading.
To login or register with the Beanstack App, customers can download the app for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. You can also link to the Beanstack App through the library’s website at www.wsplibrary.ca.
If you have not stopped by the library to check out the new Fast Reads collection, now is the time to do so. The Fast Reads collection comprises the new, hot titles that the library staff know our community wants to read.
New Fast Reads titles include A Promised Land by Barack Obama, Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey, and All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny.
These titles can be checked out for only seven days per reader, so make sure to pick up your copy when you have ample time to sit down and read for a few days.
If you are looking for assistance with your device or computer or are curious about the library’s digital collections, you can book a virtual tech help session via Zoom. Virtual tech help sessions will be offered on Tuesdays from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Contact Jeff Bennett, Coordinator of Digital Services, at [email protected] or call 905-642-7323 ext. 5234 to book your appointment.
