“Spring gives the world a makeover. And it’s the perfect time to do the same for yourself. Refresh your mind with something new from the library!

Librarian's Corner

Hello April!

For many, spring is a time of hope, as the days begin to get longer, the weather gets nicer, and beautiful flowers begin to bloom. It’s also time to start fresh and set new goals.

One goal that we have had at the library is to create a demonstration garden and we are one step closer now towards achieving that goal.The UC Master Gardeners of Placer County have recently published their plans to create a water-wise garden and outdoor classroom space. This garden will showcase California natives, pollinators, and edible plants. The UC Master Gardeners will also maintain the gardens and hold free classes on a monthly basis. Copies of the plans are available at the seed library. Please stop by and pick one up.

Spring is also a time for cleaning and reorganizing. The Friends of the Library have gathered together all of the book donations and have organized a "ginormous" book sale for the end of April. Further details are provided below. be sure to mark your calendars accordingly.

April is filled with many springtime celebrations and, in turn, the library is going to be a busy place!

We are looking forward to the Earth Day celebration on Saturday, April 22nd, from 11 am - 1 pm and, weather permitting, we will be outdoors so you can take a leisurely stroll through the book "We Planted a Tree" by Diane Muldrow. Afterwards, we will have sunflower plants for children to take home, crafts, and other fun activities to participate in. We'll also distribute the 32 trees that were pre-ordered from the Neighborhood Forest project. Please join us!

We have many more programs to offer throughout the month and we hope you'll make a visit to the library to find out what's new!

Here's a summary of library events:

• AARP Free Tax Preparation through April 12th
• Placer County Genealogy Society Presentation
• UC Master Gardeners of Placer County Presents: Firescaping—Get Ahead and Slow the Spread!
• Lego Challenge: What Floats Your Boat?
• Manga Club for Teens and Tweens
• Earth Day Celebration
• Read-to-a-Dog
• Japanese Storytime
• Preschool Storytime
• Friends of the Library Ginormous Booksale!

April is National Library Week and the theme is There's More to the Story.

The story of the Loomis Library & Community Learning Center is quite remarkable in our transition from a county to a town library. In our five short years, we continue to celebrate milestones in material circulation, membership, and programming and this is thanks to all our wonderful patrons who take the time to visit, spend time at, and share their experiences at the Library with their friends.

Here is what one patron had to say about our library:

"As a lifelong frequent library user myself, it is important to me for my own kids to love the library as well. My kids are currently 1 and 3 and love to come to the Loomis library. At their age, their attention span is short, so having puzzles, the train table, the lego table, and the craft table help them to stay engaged during our time there. We always check out a whole bag of books and the kids are excited to bring them back to Ms. Debora and to get new ones. My 3-year old loves the scavenger hunt at the front. Next time, I plan on having her help me pick out some seeds from your seed catalog to plant in our garden this spring. Thank you for creating a space my kids and I are comfortable in and that helps them build their love of reading!"

J.C.

Check out the New Community Cupboard!

"Hello. My name is Ryan Terry and I'm an 8th grader and an International Baccalaureate student at Loomis Basin Charter School. For my 8th grade project, I was asked to identify a need and take positive action to help make a positive impact in our community. I chose to research the topic of food insecurity and how inflation and the high cost of food has contributed to a higher cost of living in Placer County, creating a greater need for those who struggle to provide food for their families.

Food waste and food insecurity are topics that have been important to me since 5th grade. In thinking about ways to help those in our community that may struggle to afford groceries and other necessities such as toiletries and baby supplies, I came up with the idea of creating a free food pantry. With my Grandfather's help, I designed and built this "Community Cupboard" . The Community Cupboard is meant to serve those who would benefit from free canned goods and personal necessities. Additionally, the Community Cupboard provides those who are fortunate to have extra food, a place to share their donation with others.

I would like to thank the Loomis Library & Community Learning Center for supporting my project by providing space at the library to house the Community Cupboard. Thank you for helping me to take action and make a positive impact in our community."

Ryan—we are so proud to support your project and wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors. Our community is truly a more compassionate place with your contribution.

The Results of Our Last Lego Master Builders Challenge

Last month,the Master Builders Challenge was a lot of fun as we took the challenge to build the town of "Little Loomis" with Lego blocks.

We started by discussing what makes a functioning and successful town - such as housing, public services and utilities, and food and retail space. Our Master Builders then got busy building "Little Loomis" by making houses, a park, a police station and even a city hall with the keys to the city safely inside. Afterwards, we held an election to see which Lego person would be the Mayor.

April Events

Saturday, April 8th, 10:30-11:30 am

There IS a way to organize your landscape and maintain your garden that will help create defensible space around your home. We’ll discuss what the research is telling us about the best practices we can implement in our landscapes to slow the spread of fire while still being able to enjoy a beautiful garden. With so many Placer County residents living amongst the wild-land interface, the time is NOW to make a plan for your house and yard to create a firewise landscape.

Please RSVP to reserve your place by calling (916) 824-2905.

Hoopla/Libby Digital Library Info Hour

Thursday, April 13th, 10:30 - 12:00 pm

Instantly read, listen, and watch, all of your favorite eBooks, audiobooks, music, and movies, using the Libby and Hoopla digital libraries. Supercharge your library card and access these resources 24/7 via Apple, Google Play, Roku, Amazon Prime, and Chromecast.

Come to our workshop and learn how to make the most of these free subscriptions. We will help you set up your accounts and guide you through the basic steps. You will need to bring your phones and tablets and know your app store passwords to set up an account.

Please RSVP to reserve your place by calling (916) 824-2905.

Supporting Honeybee Health with Dr. Elina Niño

Tuesday, April 18th, 6-7 pm

This FREE talk is for beekeepers, gardeners, 4-H groups, FFA members, and anyone who is concerned about the health and well-being of bees.

Leading apiarist Dr. Elina L. Niño, looks at the gentle, often misunderstood bee's important place in nature and the mystery behind its alarming disappearance. She will outline approaches to understanding and improving honey bee health and particularly honey bee queen health. She will provide concrete examples of what we can all do to support honey bees and other pollinators.

About our Speaker:

Elina L. Niño is an Associate Extension Specialist for Apiculture with UC ANR UCCE located in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at UC Davis. Through her extension activities, Dr. Niño works to support beekeepers and the beekeeping industry. She serves as the research liaison on stakeholder boards. Her lab also offers a variety of beekeeping courses and educational opportunities for beekeepers, future beekeepers, other agricultural professionals and general public. Most recently, her lab has implemented the first California Master Beekeeper Program. Dr. Niño’s research interests encompass basic and applied approaches to understanding and improving honey bee health. Ongoing research projects include understanding queen mating and reproductive processes, testing novel biopesticides for efficacy against varroa mites, benefits of nutritional supplements such as probiotics and phytochemicals, and evaluating almond orchard management practices with a goal of improving honey bee health. To learn more about the E. L. Niño Bee Lab you can visit elninobeelab.ucdavis.edu/ and https://cambp.ucdavis.edu/

Please RSVP to reserve your place by calling (916) 824-2905.

Master Builders Challenge:

What Floats Your Boat?

Saturday, April 15, 10:30 am-12 pm



For this challenge, kids must build a boat that can hold weight WITHOUT capsizing. We will design boats that should float, test them on the high seas (aka a tub of water), and add weights to the boats to see if the design will stay afloat— will it sink or tip over? We will tweak our designs until we achieve success!

This is a family friendly activity so parents with children ages 4+ are welcome to join in the fun. All building materials will be supplied.

Please RSVP to reserve your place by calling (916) 824-2905.

Earth Day Celebration!

Saturday, April 22nd, 11 am - 1 pm

Let's celebrate our Mother Earth!

Please join us outside and walk through a book: "We Planted a Tree" by Diane Muldrow. At the end of the story, we will have stations to make Earth Day crafts and plant some seeds to create a pollinator garden! This is family focused fun for all ages.

Families who ordered free trees through the Neighborhood Forest project can pick up their trees at this celebration. 

Spice Club

Tuesday, April 25th, 6-6:45 pm

In the Philippines, lemongrass is known as tanglad. It has a variety of uses in food preparation including being used in soups and stews for flavoring, and boiled to make a tea. Lemongrass can impart a citrus flavor and aroma to your foods without the need for zesting and juicing lemons. This class will provide botanical information with tips for how to grow and harvest lemongrass at home. We will sample Filipino recipes featuring this versatile herb.

What is Spice Club?

Each month, we explore a different region of the world through the lens of spices, spice blends and ancient grains–learning how individual spices and ancient grains have shaped the culture and cuisine for the region.

We will provide recipes, edible samples and spice packets.

Spice up your learning and your life by joining the Spice Club!

Reservations are required and space is limited.

Please click the link below or call the library at (916)824-2905.

Manga Club!

Saturday, April 8, 1-3 pm

Saturday, April 22, 2-4 pm

If you love anime and manga books, then this club is for you!

Each month, we talk about our favorite manga books and learn about the latest trends in this genre. We play games, watch anime movies, make art, and definitely laugh a lot!

Join us and bring a friend - the more the merrier. Snacks are provided.

Ages 11-15



Please RSVP to reserve your place by calling (916) 824-2905.

Lend a Hand, Lend a Heart, Read to a Dog!

Saturday, April 22nd, 10:30-11:30 am

Why read to a dog?

• Reading to a dog builds confidence in emerging readers.
• Reading to a dog builds public speaking skills.
• Reading to a dog reduces stress.

And it's downright fun! Our furry friends love to hear stories and don't make judgments if any mistakes are made. Bring a favorite book from home or select one from our collection and join us for an hour of reading fun!



Reservations are not required. Drop-In OK

Japanese Storytime with Malie-San

Wednesdays, 10:30 am

Please join our guest reader Malie-san for stories, songs, games, and fun! This session is aimed for children 2-5, and all are welcome. After the story, there will be time for children to craft and play. Please arrive 10-15 minutes early to get yourself settled before the story starts.

Reservations are not required. Drop-in OK.

ルーミス図書館にて日本語ストーリータイムが開催されます。

みなさんにお会い出来るのを楽しみにしています！

Preschool Storytime, Fridays, 10:30 am

Join us for Preschool Storytime every Friday at 10:30 am.We sing, dance, recite fingerplays, and listen to stories! Stay after for craft and free playtime and time to talk with other parents, grandparents, and caregivers. Please arrive 10-minutes early to get yourself settled before the story starts.

Browse the library after storytime and bring home a take-and-make craft kit to extend the fun at home.

Reservations are not required. Drop-in OK.

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.

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