Tag Archive for: #perrymemoriallibrary

Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library

So far, Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters has resisted the urge to get the library festooned in red and green for that big December holiday – she said she wants Thanksgiving and Native Peoples Month to have their moments to shine, too.

In fact, next Tuesday afternoon’s activity will feature a story celebrating Native Peoples Month. Participants will surely enjoy the associated craft activity – making “corn” using pipe cleaners and beads.

Once Thanksgiving has come and gone, the library will surely shift its attention to December when thoughts turn to snowflakes and gingerbread men and Christmas decorations.

Peters invites folks of all ages to come out on the first official day of winter to the library’s “Winter Celebration” on Saturday, Dec. 21. Activities will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and include make-and-take crafts for all ages, from kiddos and teens to adults.

And bring your photo-taking device to snap some family selfies in front of a beautiful holiday backdrop, she said.

There are plenty of activities before Dec. 21 to enjoy, too, Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

For starters, there’s Pajama Story Time on Tuesday, Dec. 3 from 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Then on Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., bring the family to watch the film Polar Express while sipping hot chocolate and nibbling sweet treats.

Youngsters will enjoy hunting for hidden gingerbread people cookies around the library. No, they’re not edible – these are made of felt – but Peters said the children enjoyed looking for them hidden throughout the library.

Sometimes, you’ll find Peters or other library staff out in the community, too.

Visit the Vance County Regional Farmers Market on Saturday, Dec. 7 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. for a special Market Story Time, which may include decorating some gingerbread cookies that ARE edible, Peters said.

And then later that afternoon, the library will have a float commemorating its 100 year-anniversary in the Henderson Christmas Parade, which begins at 3 p.m.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn about all the programs and services the library offers.

 

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library For November

It’s DiNo-vember at Perry Memorial Library and Youth Services Director Melody Peters said this month’s activities will embrace all things dinosaurs.

“We’ve got some great activities,” Peters said – who doesn’t love a good dinosaur? From the ferocious T-Rex and raptors with razor-sharp teeth to the mild-mannered stegosaurus, dinosaurs fuel children’s imaginations.

Peters said it’s the first time since she’s been here that she’s used the theme.

Thursday’s Mother Goose story time at 11 a.m. will have a dino theme this month, and the Story Walk outside the library will, too.

Then there’s Pajama Story Time at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12 and Family Story Time on Sunday, Nov. 17 at 3:30 p.m.

But wait! There’s more!

Peters said she’s excited to announce that children can participate in a special “adopt a dino” activity. What’s the catch? Well, you have to read a book to the stuffed dinosaur (non-readers can get some help from a family member) and then that plush animal can find its way home with you, she said.

Peters said she must give credit where credit is due for the idea of “DiNo”-vember. The idea originated, she said, from some very creative parents whose young child was not sleeping at night. They created lifelike dinosaur scenes throughout the house, which gave the children something to do and distract them long enough for them to settle down and get back to sleep.

“It just shows you what families with young kids (do), get creative to solve problems,” Peters said.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/home to learn about all the programs and services the library offers.

 

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Perry Memorial Library

TownTalk: Perry Memorial Library Events Going on in October

Ask Perry Memorial Library’s Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters what her favorite time of year is, and you’ll get an energetic, enthusiastic “Fall!” every time.

Peters is pulling out all the stops for events and programs for October, from tried-and-true favorites to new activities designed for on-the-go families.

This Friday, the library will begin its “First Fridays STEM Club” geared for preschoolers. The half-hour program runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the theme is Sounds. Participants will make egg shakers using rice, and they’ll make a kazoo with cardboard tubes, wax paper and a rubber band.

She’ll do a repeat of that program later in the day for homeschool groups and families to take part in. That session will begin at 1 p.m., she said. Adding a session for homeschool groups is just another way the library is helping to meet the needs of the community, Peters noted.

Now in her third year as Youth Services Librarian, Peters said she often hears that busy families simply can’t make it to daytime programs at the library.

So, she’s planning an evening Pajama Story Time for Tuesday, Oct. 8 to accommodate those folks. The story time, which lasts about 30 minutes, begins at 6:30 p.m.

“It’s been offered in the past, but this is the first time I’ve offered it,” Peters said.

The library will host a fall festival again this year, and Peters said participation has grown over the course of her time with the library. Families are invited to take part in all the carnival-style games – there will be something for everyone, she said. The festival will be on Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

And stick around from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., because they’re planning a Trunk or Treat in the parking lot for kids to experience on their way from the festival back to their cars.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library

 

The Perry Memorial Library is doing its part in the city’s recently launched anti-litter campaign. Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters said upcoming Storytime programs will have an anti-litter theme, and while there might be a little talk about trash, there will be no trash talking.

The programs will be held at the library on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 4:15 p.m. and on Friday, Sept. 27 at 10:30 a.m. Although geared for preschool and elementary-school aged children, Peters said all are welcome. There will be a craft activity and some giveaways with an anti-litter theme.

After attending last week’s kickoff, “I wanted to add a special story time,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! As part of the NC Litter Sweep program, which runs Sept. 14- Sept. 28, participants will get a chance to clean up around the outside of the library, too.

As fall programming continues to crank up, Peters said the monthly Survival Skills series for young people in grades 6-12 resumes beginning today at 4:30 p.m. The focus will be on quilting, she said. Once the crafters create their quilt top, it will be made into a pillow. Register by emailing mpeters@perrylibrary.org. Subsequent dates will be Tuesday, Oct. 15 and Tuesday, Nov. 19.

The Kids Connect program for children in grades K-5, comes back on Tuesdays beginning Sept. 24 from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The kickoff session will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and will include arts and crafts activities like weaving and flower-making.

Learn more at https://www.perrylibrary.org/.

 

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Rebuild Communities NC, AARP Team Up To Offer Technology Classes For Senior Adults

Information courtesy of Edythe Thompson, Rebuild Communities NC

Rebuild Communities NC has partnered with Senior Planet from AARP to help people over 50 learn new online skills. When you sign up for the Digital Skills Ready@50+ program, you’ll gain the essential skills you need to navigate an increasingly digital world.

Whether you’re hoping to stay connected with family and friends, interested in learning new technology, exploring entrepreneurship, or looking for a job, the Digital Skills Ready@50+ lectures and workshops offer training on a wide range of technologies, from video conferencing and online job search tools to office productivity software.

To sign up for the classes, call Edythe Thompson at 252.915.1840 or email Deborah Hall-Robinson at dhallrobinson@gmail.com.

Classes will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Perry Memorial Library’s Farm Bureau Room from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

The first session was held Tuesday, Sept. 10 and gave an overview of Smartphones.

Additional sessions include:

Thursday, Sept. 12: Finding information online

Tuesday, Sept. 17: Google Workspace

Thursday, Sept. 19: Google Maps

Tuesday, Sept. 24: Gmail Tips & Tricks

Thursday, Sept. 26: Staying Safe Online Workshop

Stay tuned for the October schedule, coming soon!

 

Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! 100 Years Of Perry Memorial Library

 

One hundred years ago, the very first librarian at the brand-new library in Henderson probably couldn’t have imagined all the events and programs that take place under the roof of today’s library.

That librarian would probably have been too busy shushing patrons and peering over reading glasses perched low on her nose.

When Perry Memorial Library’s Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters imagines the library of the future, she paints a picture that includes outdoor benches outfitted with solar power to recharge devices and envisions the library as a community hub – a place where people can find information, from books or by other means.

The future is not that far away, in fact.

Peters has priced those benches – about $10,000 each – and the community college has its own booth inside the library where prospective students can learn about the enrollment process and more.

Come celebrate 100 years of the library on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Peters said there will be food trucks, carnival games and much more to mark the first hundred years of the public library in Henderson.

“At the time, it was the largest gift given in North Carolina to fund a library,” Peters said. The land was given first, then came the money to build the library.

Libraries of the future may incorporate more virtual events, e-books and more non-traditional forms of getting information, but Peters said nothing can replace walking into an actual library and holding an actual book.

She’s witnessed grandparents bringing grandchildren in to the library and reminiscing about library visits when they themselves were children.

“I don’t want kids to hit 18 and never have come to the library,” Peters said. “This community loves and supports its library…it’s a beautiful gift (and) we’ve kept it going for 100 years.”

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more.

 

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Perry Memorial Library

Perry Library To Celebrate 100th Birthday

Perry Library has had several locations during its 99 years and 11 months of providing book-lending services to the area. And now, as library staff and the community prepare to celebrate 100 years, Youth Services Director Melody Peters says she’s weaving a birthday theme into a number of programs leading up to a very special celebration.

Some residents may remember visiting H. Leslie Perry Library when it occupied the columned building across from the old courthouse; others may have gone to the library when it was on Rose Avenue. But 205 Breckenridge Street has been the home of Perry Memorial Library since 2006, and Peters said it will be the site of a 100th birthday party on Saturday, Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

There will be a bounce house, circus performers, food trucks, and a DJ and live music. The community is invited to come out to celebrate a century of having a library to enjoy, she said.

Other children’s programs leading up to that centennial celebration, however, will include a birthday theme.

Pre-school aged children will get to make pom pom launchers at the kickoff event of a STEM program geared toward kids not yet in school. Participants also will be decorating Play-Doh cupcakes at the first of a monthly gathering that includes hands-on activities for youngsters, Peters said.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn about its programs and services and to view a calendar of events.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library

Summertime is all about taking a little break from routines and schedules and doing something a little bit out of the ordinary – shake things up a bit.

But not too much.

With that in mind, Perry Memorial Library Youth Services Director Melody Peters has a little something for everyone, which includes regularly scheduled events like Lego Fun Club and Mother Goose Story Time, with a few off-site events thrown in for good measure.

On Wednesday, Aug. 7, Story Time will be held for the first time at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

The month of August is when activities at the library take a hiatus, giving staff a chance to continue planning for fall.

“We’re using that opportunity so we can go out into the community,” Peters said.

The Story Time coincides with National Farmers Market Week, so naturally the theme is going to be Fruits and Vegetables. Story Time starts at 10 a.m.

But that’s not the only off-site event that library staff have planned. On Thursday, Aug. 1, bring the kids out to Satterwhite Point for a special Story Time, complete with popsicles! Park rangers will be on hand to talk about their jobs and to share details about the park’s wildlife. This event begins at 11 a.m.

“We’re hoping to do it outside like we did last year,” Peters said, but the Glass House will be the Plan B in case of rain. The park is located at 6254 Satterwhite Point Rd.

Visit www.perrylibrary.org to learn about all the programs this summer at Perry Memorial Library.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Memorial Library

If you grew up in Henderson and you’re of a certain age, you may have fond memories of spending summer afternoons in the children’s section of the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library. The children’s section was in the basement, and you could either go in at ground level or climb those impressive front steps and then head down the metal stairs just beyond the main Circulation Desk.

Either way, you ended up in a cool, quiet spot and peruse books to your heart’s content.

“Cool” is about the only similarity between the old library and the new Perry Memorial Library, however.

There are still plenty of books to choose from, and the AC is a welcome relief from the recent early-summer heat, to be sure.

But chances are good that there was NEVER an obstacle course set up for children to enjoy at the old library. It’s just one of the activities that Youth Services Director Melody Peters and team have planned, all in the name of summer fun.

The obstacle course, “Adventures in Imagination,” kicked off at 4 p.m. today, and Peters said she wanted to tap into children’s different learning styles. Some kids are tactile learners and like to touch and feel things to help them learn. Kinesthetic learners are active, so there’s a place for them to crawl and jump around as they progress along the obstacle course, picking their way across a river filled with crocodiles. This is where Peters stresses the word ‘imagination’ – the crocodiles, rocks and river are made of paper, she said.

The topic moves from imagination to science for the next couple of weeks, when participants will get to do some STEM activities with N.C. Cooperative Extension staff on Tuesday, July 9 and then on July 16 a geologist from the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences is going to come talk about rocks. There will be some geodes to crack, so if your kids have never done that before, bring them to the library that day.

Family Story Time takes place on Sunday, July 28 and Peters has planned a special version of the Olympic Games for that afternoon event, complete with edible medals – think Oreos and Twizzler ropes.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn about all the programs and services available at your local library.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Events At Perry Library

Perry Memorial Library’s Youth Services Director Melody Peters took a few minutes Tuesday from tending to last-minute summer reading program details to talk about upcoming events that will be taking place soon at the library.

There’s a lot going on at the library, but Peters said she’s especially excited about the summer reading program kickoff. “I am expecting a big crowd – I really am!” she exclaimed on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Readers of all ages and abilities can complete reading journals and turn them in during the summer in exchange for cool prizes.

“Cool” is the name of the game today – the first 200 participants were going to get Pelican Sno Balls.

Library patrons can enjoy a musical performance at the library as part of “Make Music Day” throughout the city and county.

Clarinetist Tristan Beradi, a student at N.C. A&T State University, will perform in the gallery from 12 noon to 1 p.m.

Then, on Sunday afternoon, gather the family and head over to the library for Family Story Time. Peters said she listened to comments from busy parents who just can’t swing a library program during the week. And with sports activities on Saturdays, the only day left is Sunday.

So Peters said she’ll be curious to see how many folks turn out.

“We’re trying it out and hope people come,” she said.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/ to learn more about all the programs at Perry Memorial Library.

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