July 2020

Watauga County Public Library

Dear Readers, I hope this message finds you and your families well. In alignment with the Governor's Executive Order no. 147 that began last Friday, June 26, a mask is now required for those age 11 and up who enter the building. We appreciate the cooperation of our community! We have disposable and cloth masks available while supplies last, thanks to our mask makers Ala Sue Moretz, library board member, and her mother Della Jones Pruitt, Nancy Moretz and Pam McElreath of the Western Watauga Branch's Dementia Caregiver Support Group. Sandra Basel, local board member, has also donated disposable masks. Thanks to these women, we had 293 cloth masks to give out. We still have a fair number of cloth masks as of this writing and just received more children's masks. Wearing a mask protects everyone inside including our staff, which in turn can help us stay healthy and open for you! Monica Caruso County Librarian

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Adult Services Adapts Things are a bit different in our Adult Services Department, but we are still here for you. First, here is a quick rundown of what we cannot offer right now. Since we are asking patrons to limit their visits to 15-20 minutes, we cannot offer seating or study rooms. Also, due to needing to limit the time people spend in the building, we are unable to open our genealogy section for research. Now for the good news! We do provide access to computers, and we can fax, copy, and scan for you. We can also assist you by phone with questions about logging into your account or accessing Ebooks or any of our other excellent electronic resources. Using the computers Computers are available for one hour appointments per patron each day. Appointments can be made by calling us at 828 264 8784 extension 2. We also take walk in appointments as space allows. We do have fewer computers available because we have spaced them six feet apart to allow for social distancing. If you need assistance on the computer, we can provide remote computer assistance and chat during your computer session. Although sometimes it is easy to forget, we do ask that everyone keep masks fully on while using the computers. Copy, Fax, And Scanning Copy, fax, and scanning services are no longer self-serve, but we are happy to complete these tasks for you. If you have a brief task, we can probably get right to it. If you need a fax or multiple copies or scans, please come to the desk and fill out a form with your request and leave us a phone number to contact you. We provide envelopes for confidentiality.  Another option is to email us documents which you need printed to wataugareference@arlibrary.org   As an extension of our curbside service, we will print these out and bring them to the table out front. Please remember to email us your phone number too so we can call you when we have your prints ready. Let us know how we may be assistance to you, and stay healthy! All the best, Deborah, Ingrid, And Sai

Grow with Google Use Google Tools to Help You Land Your Next Job Online program Wednesday, July 22 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm To register, click here .

Computer Books Thank you to the Adult Services Coalition for the addition of 22 books to the collection. These books include topics related to Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Social Media, and online privacy.

Overdrive Titles: Black Lives Matter Black Lives Matter: Community Read The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander, is available as an audiobook through July 15, 2020. Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad, is available as an ebook starting today, June 22, through July 12, 2020.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, is available as an ebook and audiobook starting today, June 22, through July 19, 2020. So You Want to Talk about Race by Ijeoma Oluo , will be available as an audiobook from June 29 through July 26, 2020 .

Boone Downtown Storywalk As part of the Summer Reading program, the Watauga County Public Library has partnered with the DBDA to offer a StoryWalk in downtown Boone until the end of July. The featured book title is A Isn’t for Fox: An Isn’t Alphabet by Wendy Ulmer. Walk along King Street and Depot Street to see if you can find all 26 letters of the alphabet on the book pages that are posted in the windows of downtown businesses. Take a picture of your child with one of the StoryWalk pages and include it in a comment on the Youth Services at Watauga County Library Facebook post about the StoryWalk, or tag Youth Services at Watauga County Library Instagram account, or email a picture to lflanigan@arlibrary.org and you could receive an ABC book (while supplies last).

Summer Reading

Week of July 6 Timeless Tales Take & Make: Circle Weavers Fossils with Martha Frisk and the NC Museum of Natural Sciences July 9 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm Online program on Facebook Please call (828) 264-8784 ext. 3 to make a reservation. Take and Make Fossil Bags and Books Fairy Day at Daniel Boone Native Gardens Our most popular summer event aimed for families! Bring your picnic and enjoy festivities. Free! Come and meet the wandering “fairy lady,” enjoy face painting, learn about the life cycle of live butterflies. Certain options available for a nominal fee. The Children’s Playhouse and the The Watauga County Library will also offer activities for children. Make a fairy garden with natural materials. July 11 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Week of July 13 Witches or Wizards Take & Make: Magic Wands Virtual Escape Room: Harry Potter EcoExplore with Libbie Online program on Facebook July 15 11:00 am to 12:00 pm

Week of July 20 Magical Journeys Take & Make: Potion Bags Gem Mining with Schiele Museum Tuesday, July 21 1:00 pm, 1:30 pm, 2:00 pm (Outside program) Please register either in person or call (828) 264-8784 ext. 3.

Week of July 27 Enchanted Forest Take & Make: Owl Craft

Virtual Tinkering Thursdays Pick up supplies at the library, and follow the directions on Facebook. Scavenger Hunt Enjoy a scavenger hunt each week. The new locations and clues appear on Facebook or in the library.

Create Your Own Story Writing Contest Entries due by July 18 3 Age Groups (6-8 years, 9-12 years, 13-18 years) All participants receive a free cookie from Stick Boy Bread Company. For more information, click here .

For additional programs, like us on Facebook !

Western Watauga Library

July at the Western Watauga Library Gem Mining with Schiele Museum- (OUTSIDE PROGRAM)- July 21 @ 10:00am (Must call to register- limited number of participants.)

Summer Reading Guidelines

KIDS & TEENS: Return your reading log to the Youth Services Department or in the book drop. For More Info Call the Youth Department at 828- 264-8784 ext. 3

June 15 to August 1 Read or listen to any books that interest you. The materials can be from any library or your own collection. When you complete 100 minutes you get a prize. When you turn in your finished log you’ll be entered into a raffle for the chance to win a grand prize, so please return your log. The first day to pick up a prize is June 19th. The summer reading program ends August 1st.

Shred Truck Saturday, August 15 from 10-1. Thank you to the Friends of the Watauga County Public Library and Western Watauga Branch. Limit of 2 document boxes or 75 lbs of paper per attendee. Covid- 19 safety measures will be used. Ancestry Library has been extended until Thursday, July 31.

Thank you to the following: Watauga County Historical Society for funding Summer Interns to work with the Digital Watauga Project. Appalachian State University's Dr. Tracie Salinas and Leah McManus from the Math and Science Department and Jeff Goodman of the Education Department who have partnered with our Youth Services staff by purchasing $500 worth of STEM books and supplies, contributing Science take it-make it kits for children which will be distributed and creating related virtual programs that we will host on Facebook.

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