It's Winter Break!

Stop by and pick up one of our Winter Break Happenings Brochures during your next visit to any of our 21 libraries. Every brochure highlights Children's and Teen programs, crafts, contests, and includes a suggested circus reading list. 

Speaking of the circus, kids can earn a FREE ticket to the circus by reading five books and letting their local library know. For more details call 630-BOOK or stop by your local library.

Have any fond memories of the circus? Let us know in the comments below :o).

Snowmen in Florida

Early release crafts are back and we brought snowmen to Florida.

Check them out!

Have any winter/Christmas/Chanukah crafts or memories you would like to share? Post them in the comments below :o).

Holiday Time!

It's the holidays again! Check out some of our Christmas decorations.

And make sure to say "Hi!" to Christmas Furby while you're here!

If you have any holiday decorations you would like to share, post them in the comments below :o).

Dolls, Dolls, Dolls!

So where can you find Gypsies, the Wicked Witch of the West, a Balinese Dancer, and Christmas Joy?

You can find them at Cora Raiford's "La Belle Doll: Art Dolls" show at the library! Cora began doll making as a hobby and has since entered and won doll making competitions. In her own words:

"Casting a Spell" Courtesy of La Belle Doll

"As an illustrator for the pre-computers Florida Times-Union, I was incredibly happy. In addition to a full time job, I took on any free-lance work I could find while maintaining the wife, mommy, homemaker chores. That's just how it was in the '50's and '60's. Two years spent with a publishing company in the Bahamas made use of all my graphic art and illustrating experience. I filled a sketch book with the people and the places of the islands. Some were reproduced as prints or paintings."

"Exotic Balinese Dancer" Courtesy of La Belle Doll

From the "Exotic Balinese Dancer" description:
"[...], while teaching at the Florida Gourd Society show in Palatka, Florida , I saw a basket of potato sized gourds. "A doll's body!" I thought aloud. The seller was quick to pick up on my AH HA! moment and showed me her egg gourds then directed me to a bin of long handled dipper gourds. She was reading my mind!"

"Wicked Witch of The Wild West" Courtesy of La Belle Do

 If you would like to contact Cora about buying or creating one of her amazing dolls, you can pick up one of her business cards at the show.

The La Belle Doll show will be on display until the end of the month. See you soon!


If you have a favorite doll and you would like to share, post a picture and/or description in the comments below :o).

Be Good!

(Courtesy of crafts.kaboose.com)

We have had to cancel our October programs for preschoolers due to staffing and training.  But we have been approached by The Decorative Artists of Jacksonville (www.dajpaints.org) to provide a thumbprint bookmarks activity.  This will take place on October 6 from 2 to 4 pm.  All supplies will be provided and it is open to ages 3 and up.  We expect our preschool programs to resume in November.  Please keep an eye on our website, blog or Facebook for more info.  Thanks for your support!

No preschool programs for October as of October 1st

There will be no preschool programs for the month of October at any library location.  We apologize for any inconveniences this causes our patrons.  Programs are expected to resume in November.  Thank you for all  your support!

Fall into a good book

(courtesy of kidactivities.net)

Hello all.  It's Miss Eve once again.  I've been your blogger this last year.  To me, there is no better time to curl up with a cool book and a warm blanket.  We have been learning about fall in the Toddler Time and today, we got the chance to make leaf rubbings.  I hope everyone enjoyed it as we will be enjoying another fall storytime next week.  This time, we'll be making edible acorn treats. 

The next storytime will be a special one for me as it will be my last one here at West Regional.  I am starting at the Main Library Children's Department as of October 1st.  I have really enjoyed my time at West Regional.  Thank you for letting me share some wonderful books and times with you. 

O! My goodness, it's time for storytime!!!

Join us tomorrow as we are going to be having a hooting good time learning about Owls and the letter O.  Our toddler time will be on Tuesday morning at 10:30 and 11:00 am.  One of our activities will include the Owl Hokey Pokey.  Here's a sample:

You put your beak in,
You put your beak out,
You put your beak in
and you shake it all about.
You do the Owl Pokey
And you turn yourself around.
That's what it's all about.
Hoot, Hoot, Hoot.

Afterwards, we'll be getting the chance to make an owl of our own (4 O words in a row! : ) using a paper roll and feathers. 

In addition to our normally scheduled Toddler Time and Preschool storytime, this weekend we'll be offering (another O word : )  a Saturday Surprise.  You must be here to find out what we'll be doing.  It will begin at 3:00 pm.  We hope to see you there!

A is for Apple

September is National Apple Month and we kicked it off in style with our Apple storytime.  We got to do an apple hide and seek, an apple count and an apple craft.  We traced our hands with brown crayons and then used fingerpaint and apple half to add apples to our trees... Awesome (Yay! another A word).  How many apples do you see on this page?

One of our favorite rhymes today was called Apples and it goes like this:

Way up high in the apple tree  

 (Stretch arms in air)
Two little apples smiled at me

(Make two fists)I shook the tree as hard as I could  

 (Shake arms in air)
And down came the apples 

  (Drop fists to floor)
Mmmmm, they were good! 

  (Rub tummy)

Next week's theme will be Owls!  Whoooo knows what stories and rhymes we will do then?

Coming Soon in September

Looking for something fun to do on those Early Release Days?  Well, head on over to the West Regional Library for an afternoon of awesome : )  Starting September 5th @ 2:30 pm, we will be offering an Early Release craft.  Each week, it will be a different craft including paper Adventuretime characters, edible crafts and more.  You'll never know what you might be crafting unless you join us on Early Release Wednesdays. 

Back to Storytimes

Begins again on Tuesday, August 21st at 10:30 and 11:00 am.  Tuesdays currently are our Toddler Times.  Thursday will also be our first Preschool Storytime.  Our first theme is "Hello, Goodbye".  Can't wait... here's one of our rhymes to hold you over : ) 

Where is Thumbkin? Hands behind back
Where is Thumbkin?
Here I am! Right hand comes out with thumb
Here I am! Left hand comes out with thumb
How are you today sir? Move right thumb as if talking
Very well I thank you. Move left thumb as if talking
Run away. Right hand behind back
Run away. Left hand behind back

(Continue with pointer, tall man, ring man, and pinky)

There is a possibility of storytime hours changing if library hours change so please follow this blog or our facebook page for updates.   To have your voice in the decisions about the library, don't forget to take the library surveys on our homepage or contact your local council person.  Here's to hoping to see you tomorrow : )

I declared this land as West Evietonia!

Okay, maybe not, but we did create some fun and yummy flags for our own countries. 

And more fun will be available tomorrow at 2 pm as we host our End of the Summer Blowout.  Join us for crafts, treats, fire guys and more : )  Hope to see you there!

Balloons anyone?

If you want to learn about ballooning from Miss Linda from Balloons R4 Twisting, just come on in tomorrow Tuesday August 7th @ 11 am.  She is going to be teaching us all about balloon twisting.  She is an amazing teacher and balloonist.  If you were here for our Star Wars Kickoff, she is the one who made all those awesome Star Wars balloons (see pic above).  We hope to see you there!!

End of Summer Blast

Crafts, super cool summer activities, treats and maybe even some special visitors... Hint below:

Join us for a summer blastic fantastic on August 15th @ 2 pm.  We will be awarding our Grand Prize for the summer reading program as well as holding raffles for all who attend the program. This event will be open to all ages and as always, we offer you a super huge thank you for supporting the library.  We hope to see you there.   

You are You...

It's going to be a fun week.: ) Join us tomorrow at 11 am as Kevin Roth entertains and delights with his brand of folk and traditional songs.  Open to all ages.   Then Wednesday at 2pm, we'll be creating some hip sand art in our next session of ReFocus: Art of the 1970.  Thursday @ 11 am will be our Stories for Families. And last but not least, Saturday and August 11th @ 3 pm, we will be creating our own country zines.

Here is a taste of what tomorrow might be like...Enjoy!

Starry, starry night... I mean library

Look at all those stars!  We have created a star wall in the children's department at West Regional.  For every one star that is posted, that means someone read 10 books.  Can you guess how many books that the children of West Regional have read so far? Or can you find your star?  

 Keep up that reading and keep reaching for the stars!

ReFocus : Art of the 1970s

Mood rings, lava lamps and disco, baby... do you know what they have in common?  They were all things that came into popularity in the 1970s.  We are continue our trip back into the seventies with our arts and crafts programs.  This Wednesday, July 11th, we will be creating some awesome art using string.  We are going to be learning two different string styles.  We'll be learning a friendship braclet knotting style as well as a braiding style.  We will be then creating either groovy braclets, keychains or such. 

Then on July 25, we'll be creating gnarly beach inspired creations with sand.  Both programs will begin at 2:00 pm in the children's department and are open to all ages. 

Guess who?

... I wonder who is going to be our special guest for tomorrow's storytime?  Hmmmm. Can you guess?  Be here at 11 am on Tuesday morning to find out. 

Dream Big at your Library

 Have you added a star yet?  Each star represents 10 books that one of our summer readers have read.  This means all of these children are now eligible for a book prize at the end of the summer.  It also means that we have logged over 180 books so far.  Keep up that reading and don't forget to pick up your prizes for this week.  Not signed up yet?  No worries!  The summer reading prize program goes on until the end of July. 

 Dream Big...Read!  is this year's theme.  So you might think these staff are slacking off....but no, they are helping us promote our program by snuggling down. 

 Goodnight Moon. Goodnight bed.  Goodnight Library.  Goodnight...yawn.....YAWN.....Zzzzzzzzzzz

 Dream Big could also be about your dreams for the future.  I don't know yet... what is your dream for the future?

 Wake up, sleepyhead!  Don't forget about two great upcoming programs.  We have our Fantastic Fourth Fest with crafts, stories and the chance to participate in our book truck parade.  This program is on June 30th @ 3 pm. 

Also coming up is Library Day with the Suns on August 5th at 6:05.  Help us cheer our team on and get the chance to win a bike.  Hope to see you soon!

Star Wars Kickoff

This was just a smidgen of the photos and fun that we had last week at the West Regional Library. Please check out our Facebook page for more.  I think it became hard to tell who was having more fun: those who attended or the staff that worked it : )  Giant wookie-sized thank you to all who participated.