Happy New Year from all of us here at NKCPL!
Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy 2021.
NKCPL earns top rating in Journal's 2020 Index
We did it again, friends! NKCPL has earned 5 stars, a top rating, in Library Journal's 2020 Index of Library Service and Star Library Ratings. This is the 10th year in a row that the Library has earned a star ranking, and NKCPL is one of only seven libraries in Missouri to earn a ranking this year.

To create its Index, the Journal looks at a number of per-capita criteria, including circulation of print and digital items, library visits, program attendance, computer and wifi use, and electronic info retrieval (so database usage, say, versus digital book or magazine checkouts). Eligible libraries are grouped by operating budget and rated based on their differences from the average in the seven categories above. Among its spending peers, NKCPL ranked 7th nationwide and was one of just ten libraries in its category to earn a 5-star rating. Among the total number of libraries across spending categories who received a ranking this year (only 262 out of more than 5,600 libraries eligible for consideration), NKCPL ranked 21st. NKCPL was one of only two Missouri libraries to receive a 5-star rating in this year’s Index.

This year's rankings are based on FY 2018 data from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Public Library Survey (PLS), and do not reflect the impact of the coronavirus.

Thank you, NKCPL community, for allowing us to serve you, this year and every year. Your presence and patronage (both online and Curbside in an unprecedented 2020) continues to make NKCPL a vibrant place. We're grateful to and for you!
Check out our Book Walk for some January fun!
Have littles? Looking for a quick and simple fresh-air outing? Bundle up and check out the wintertime Book Walk around the Library parking lot's perimeter! For this chilly time of year, we've picked a classic: The Snowy Day, by Ezra Jack Keats. Grab your mittens and hat! You can stroll and read all month long. :)
Get tailored book suggestions via NextReads
Looking for a heads up on interesting new titles? Nextreads is a Library service that sends you new book recommendations in your designated areas of interest. For example, if you enjoy cooking and gardening, then you can opt to receive emails about new Library acquisitions in those categories. To explore and sign up, go to nkcpl.org. You'll find NextReads under the Online Resources > Reading Suggestions tab, or via the button on the main page.
Curbside & Chill, NKCPL's weekly raffle series, continues! Click here to register and start logging the Library items you're borrowing, along with the secret codes on your Library checkout receipts. Each item you log earns you a point; each secret code earns you TEN points. The more points you log, the more raffle chances you earn! We're drawing new *mystery prize* winners each week. Questions? Let us know! And Happy New Year!
Don’t get bored this winter! Instead, get the goods for at-home fun via NKCPL. The Library has tons of items to help make your indoor time fly, including (more than 3 million!) books, audiobooks, DVDs, and puzzles. Browse online or in-app, then pick up your selections via Curbside!
And speaking of NKCPL's Curbside Service...
Curbside Pickup is available Monday-Saturday — and it’s so easy to use! Just call or go online to place your Library holds, or use our new catalog app. Once you’re notified via email that your items are in, call the Library to schedule a pickup time in our designated parking lot pickup area. When you arrive at the Library, just call or text the number on your parking spot’s sign to let us know you’re here. Winter Curbside Pickup hours are Mon 9:30-5; Tues, Wed, and Thurs 9:30-7; Fri 9:30-5, and Sat 9:30-4.
Just a quick reminder that Overdrive has magazines! You can find them via your Overdrive or Libby app(s), or via desktop: nkcpl.org > Mo Libraries 2 Go > magazines. You'll find more than 1,300 titles across a ton of interests. What's especially nice is the quality of the reading experience. These mags are super easy to navigate, just like Overdrive's digital book collection. (No clunky pdfs here!) And everything's full-color. So feast your eyes. :)

This month, check out Pip, a thoughtfully crafted homesteading and permaculture title from Down Under. Pip is just one of the many engaging international mags you'll find in Overdrive's collection now. Lots to explore, needless to say. Check out Overdrive today for this and other great book and magazine content!
And don't forget. We've got puzzles! You can use your NKCPL card to check out high-quality jigsaw puzzles (many of them brand new). Give us a call at 816.221.3360, and we'll set one aside for you. You can pick it up via Curbside!
Connect with others via an NKCPL event!
There's a lot going on virtually via the Library this month! From near-weekly yoga (we've got both mat and chair options), to opportunities to connect with others over coloring (we supply the supplies!) and crafting, to a New Year/New You Nutrition series with MU Extension, we've got some fun and nourishing events on the docket. Turning 65? You can get the lowdown on Medicare at one of our helpful info sessions. We've got a Padlet group for food lovers, too. Stop by and say hello, if you're inclined. We'd love to swap recipes with you!

For more info about these January events (including dates and times), and to register for a class, go to nkcpl.org. Once you sign up for a session, keep your eyes peeled! We'll email each class's Zoom link prior to the event.
Keep calm and craft on, January 2021 ed.
Feeling crafty these deep-winter days? We've got fun and easy kits for littles, available by request, plus a number of kits and activities for older kiddos and/or adults. Projects change often, and are available while supplies last. Call for info or to reserve a kit or kits. Happy crafting in 2021!