“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.”
― Dr. Seuss
Librarian's Corner
One year ago, on March 15th, the Covid-19 pandemic forced us to close our doors. It has been a year filled with uncertainty about the future and we never imagined that remote operations would last for as long as they have. Finding ways to forge ahead and adapt our programs to best serve our community continues to be a rewarding challenge for the library staff and myself. And we greatly appreciate the support and patience that we receive on a daily basis from so many of our members.

When we pause to reflect on what is working well in our revised operations, perhaps the most striking aspect is the popularity of the tangible services such as curbside-pick-up, Take-and-Make craft kits, Boredom Buster kits for adults, seeds from the seed library, and the extended wi-fi now available on the library grounds. Our virtual programs have expanded the audience for the Historical Society. Its weekly posts on social media get thousands of views and many appreciative comments. Storytime Online has provided hundreds of families the opportunity to participate in Early Childhood programs at home and at their personal convenience.

This extraordinary year of firsts has once again brought to light the importance of our library as a center for enriching lives and sustaining community. We look forward to the day when we open our doors and can see your friendly faces again! We are hopeful that day is just around the corner. We can begin with phased reopening procedures once we return to the Red Tier.
We are all Covid-weary. But with continuing commitment by everyone to mask up, wash up and keep themselves and others safe — we will turn the tide so we can return to normalcy soon.
~ Sarah Comstock
Community Engagement Librarian
2020 Income Tax Preparation Resource Updates

Please Note: The AARP TAX AIDE program has cancelled its remote income tax preparation services for the 2020 tax year.

IRS Free File provides free online tax preparation for taxpayers with income less than $69,000 a year. You can file at an IRS partner site with the IRS Free File Program or use Free File Fillable Forms.

Spring Seeds are Available for Curbside Pickup!
Online Workshops!
From Bambi to Thumper
Learn how to use Integrated Pest Management to identify and control garden damage from squirrels, gophers, deer, and other pests.

ZOOM LINK:


Passcode: garden
Placer County is the perfect place to grow your own citrus. This workshop will describe the basics of selecting a tree, planting, irrigating, fertilizing, and pruning.

ZOOM LINK:

Passcode: garden
Page Turners
Anything Goes Book Club!
What are you reading now? Have you discovered a new author or are you loving the latest best seller? We will share our thoughts on whatever we are reading now. Please join us!

Tues. Mar 23, 5:30-6:30 pm

ZOOM LINK:

Meeting ID: 831 0689 7553
Crafter's Corner
Gather up your craft supplies and join us for an hour of crafting and conversation. Whatever your craft - we want to know what keeps you working and interested in your projects.

Wed. Mar 24, 1-2 pm

ZOOM LINK:

Meeting ID: 870 2425 7545
Staff Picks for March

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
Suzanne Collins’ prequel to her Hunger Games trilogy is an interesting if at times brutal and ambiguous look at postwar Panem, the Capital before it has regained much of its prewar splendor, and the early development of the Hunger Game competitions. The prequel follows the young Coriolanus Snow long before he is Panem’s President Snow. As in the Hunger Games books, Collins works to uncover and, to some degree perhaps, explain what war and oppressive state mechanisms do to both those in power and those who are virtually powerless, the winners and the losers.
The decadence of the trilogy’s Capital is replaced with a wrecked, postwar cityscape where food and other basic amenities are scarce, many of the residents are severely traumatized, appearances are paramount, and the black market is thriving. What the book does best is show us the Capital before the gaudy extravagance of Katniss’ games and District 12 in a more thoughtful way. However, even using the device of the reader hearing much of Snows’ internal dialogue and reasoning, the book comes up short in showing the connection between his wartime childhood losses and fears and the conflicting decisions he makes and the shifting allegiances he displays and forms by the end of the book. Perhaps, in the end, there is no profound lesson to be learned and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes is, essentially, an oligarch’s coming of age story. Reserve it today for curbside pick-up and see what you think!
~Susan A. George, Ph.D.
Technical Services Library Assistant

Community Corner - real reviews from real people!

Have you read something that you want to tell the world about? Have you fallen in love with a book or a new author? Have you discovered an overlooked subject or genre? We want to hear from you! Send reviews to collection@loomislibrary.org. We will include selected reviews in our community corner. We want to thank B. Ireland for sending us this review:
I loved this book! It talked about the traditions of an immigrant Chinese family living in present day New York City and Europe. It focuses on two sisters and the unraveling of a dark family secret. It is a page turner!
Let the library come to you 24/7 with a HOOPLA Digital account. Go to HooplaDigital.com and look for the Loomis Library. You will need a Loomis Library card to sign up for an account.
Don't have a card?
You can get one here.
March Highlights!
Free | Confidential | Multilingual
Available 24/7
Connect to resources for housing, food, transportation, healthcare, and more. Your source for non-emergency disaster information.
  • Dial 2-1-1 or 1-833-DIAL211 | TTY: 1-844-521-6697
  • Text your zip code to 898211. Your text plan's rates will apply.
  • Online 211Placer.org
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Reading Challenge!
Enjoy reading 1,000 books with your little ones! Log reading, earn badges, and unlock prizes along the way. Reading and storytelling with your child promotes brain development and imagination, teaches your child about language and emotions, and strengthens your relationship. Anytime is a good time for a book or story! Try to share at least one book or story each day.

Here’s how it works:


  • Read to your child and log the books that you read. You can read anything you'd like, including books you have at home, from the library using curbside delivery, or that you find online. You can borrow eBooks and downloadable audio books from our Hoopla site too!

  • Earn badges for reading and logging the books you read. Prizes will be awarded at every 100 book milestone up to 1,000.

  • Prizes can be picked up using curbside delivery by appointment!

Ready, set, take the challenge! If you have questions about the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Challenge, please email us: collection@loomislibrary.org.
Become a Member of the Friends of the Loomis Library!
Your Membership Contribution Supports Library Programs, Events, the Summer Reading Challenges, Book and Material Purchases, plus all the Little Extras that Mean so much!

Basic membership is only $15 a year or $25 for your whole family.
Higher levels are always welcome. All memberships are tax deductible per IRS 501(c)3 charitable rules.

Donations can be mailed to:
Friends of the Loomis Library
PO Box 610
Loomis, CA 95650

Thanks in advance! You are helping to support the library and our community for today and the future.
Shop Amazon Smile and Support the Library - at no cost to you!
When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you'll find the exact same low prices, vast selection, and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization- That's US!

Simply go to:https://smile.amazon.com and select Friends of the Library Loomis as your recipient and then shop as you normally would!