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August Back-to-School Edition
“The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty
of their dreams."
–Eleanor Roosevelt
Librarian's Corner
School will begin for many students and getting back into the classroom creates a need for access to reliable, up-to-date, and diverse information. Many families are still weighing multiple learning alternatives for their children as online and in-person options continue to evolve, while others are opting to home school. Fortunately, the library offers resources to help students and parents alike get ready for this new school year. Here are just a few of the resources available to learners of all ages:

  • Chrome Books are available for checkout.

  • Hot spots will be available for check out starting Aug 31.

  • We have expanded the electronic resources section of the library catalog with up-to-date databases for all types of research and learning.

  • NEW Game Backpacks: Board games, card games, and cooperative games are now available in backpacks for easy checkout and storage. The backpacks fit in the 24-hour drop box for easy return. Search for games in the library catalog to see the entire collection.

We are slowly phasing in new programs and events and continue to monitor the Covid-19 state, county, and ALA health and safety guidelines.

At this time, face masks are required for indoor events and program participation. For browsing purposes, face masks are not required for those who have been vaccinated. We do require face masks for those who have not been vaccinated.

Curbside and online services are available to those who prefer to pick up materials outside the library. Please call to arrange pick up times at the following number: (916) 824-2905.


As the weather heats up, the library continues to be a cool place for learning!
Other news:
Summer Reading Summary:

The Summer Reading Challenges for toddlers, kids, teen, and adults were very successful. Here are some of the highlights:

  • 298 participants logged over 76,000 minutes of reading time.
  • We offered 54 activities. Participants earned activity points in addition to logging reading minutes.
  • We passed out 750 take-and-make STEM and STEAM kits.
  • The I Spy challenge and the library scavenger hunts were especially popular with the kids.
  • The virtual escape rooms were popular with teens.
  • The adult Spice Club was very well attended. We will continue with Spice Club 2.0 in September and hope to see even more people join this group.

Fine Free:

We are officially FINE FREE. That means no more late fees for items returned to us in good condition within 30 days of their original due date. Materials that are overdue 30 days or more will be considered lost and will be subject to a replacement fee.

Have an outstanding overdue fine on your account? Good news! Those have been forgiven as well!

Book Donations:

Book donations are pouring in! We are accepting donations of gently used books and current periodicals. Please observe all donation policies.

  • We accept one box or bag of books at a time.
  • Book donations can be made during regular library hours. Do not leave donations outside the library.
  • Please note: textbooks, trade journals, encyclopedias, VHS and cassette tapes are not accepted.

Mark your calendars! The next Friends of the Library book sale will be October 20-23, 2021.

Hours of operation:

  • Tue: 1-7
  • Wed: 10-5
  • Thu: Curbside appointments only.
  • Fri: 10-5
  • Sat: 10-5

Our doors are closed on Thursdays to allow the staff to get "caught up" with technical services and program planning; however, curbside services are available by appointment. Please contact us at (916)824-2905 to arrange a time.
New Database: AtoZ World Food!
Explore the world of food and culture via the library catalog under Electronic Resources. AtoZ World food is the only food database that contains traditional recipes for international cuisine from 174 different countries! In addition to recipes and articles about unique ingredients, the database covers food culture in six different categories: National Cuisine, Regional Cuisine, Daily Meals, Dining Etiquette, Special Occasion Foods, and Food Trivia.
Preschool Storytime, Fridays 10:30 am
Join us for Preschool Storytime every Friday at 10:30 am. We will meet outdoors under the oaks. Bring a blanket and enjoy stories, singing, movement, finger plays, and more. Social distancing guidelines will be followed. Browse the library after storytime and bring home a take-and-make craft kit to extend storytime fun at home!
We look forward to seeing you!
~ Sarah Comstock
Community Engagement Librarian


August Staff Picks

by Debora Crosby
Britt -Marie Was Here
by Fredrick Backman
Anxious People
by Emma Donoghue
Back-to-Back Frederick Backman

Best selling Swedish author Frederick Backman creates heartwarming stories about people whose imperfections are a catalyst for great storytelling. His writing style is witty and filled with insight into human nature. His characters are "average" people who define themselves by societal norms, yet find themselves in circumstance that are anything but normal.

In Britt-Marie Was Here, 63-year-old Britt-Marie, who loves order and considers an unorganized cutlery drawer of the utmost sins, must reinvent herself and her life. After 40-years of an empty marriage, she leaves her cheating husband, her tidy home, and her beloved balcony. Her greatest fear is to die alone and unnoticed–yet finds the path to a new life is anything but orderly.

She lands a job in a dead end town as a temporary caretaker at a soon-to-be-demolished recreation center. The town is with filled with misfits, drunkards, and other nefarious characters. She befriends a rat whom she dutifully feeds Snickers bars at precisely 6 pm each evening. When she is given the impossible task of coaching a rag-tag group of kids in a soccer tournament, will she find a place where she truly belongs? This charming and witty story will make you laugh, make you cry, and is definitely worthy of a summer read.

Anxious People. Frederick Backman's latest novel is perhaps his best to date.

"This novel is about a crime that never took place, a would-be bank robber who disappears into thin air, and eight extremely anxious strangers who find they have more in common than they ever imagined. An apartment open house becomes a hostage situation when a failed bank robber bursts in and takes a group of strangers at gunpoint. The captives include a recently retired couple who relentlessly hunt down fixer-uppers to avoid the painful truth that they can't fix their own marriage. A wealthy bank director who has been too busy to care about anyone else. A young couple who are about to have their first child but can't seem to agree on anything, from where they want to live to how they met in the first place. Add to the mix an eighty-seven-year-old woman who has lived long enough not to be afraid of someone waving a gun in her face, a flustered but still-ready-to-make-a-deal real estate agent, and a mystery man who has locked himself in the apartment's only bathroom, and you've got the worst group of hostages in the world. Each of them carries a lifetime of grievances, hurts, secrets, and passions that are ready to boil over. None of them is entirely who they appear to be. And all of them--the bank robber included--desperately crave some sort of rescue. Rich with dialogue and an unparalleled understanding of human nature" (Shelf Awareness ), Anxious People is an ingeniously constructed story about the enduring power of friendship, forgiveness, and hope–the things that save us, even in the most anxious times." –Amazon Review
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.
August Highlights!
Although school is starting for many, summer is not over yet. Enjoy these Hot Summer Reads during the Dog Days of Summer!
Patrons of all reading tastes will find something to enjoy in Hoopla's extensive collection of audiobooks, eBooks, and comics. When it's time for a break from reading, kick back with some tunes!
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 plan's text 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: Smile Amazon and select Friends of the Library Loomis as your recipient and then shop as you normally would!