East Central Regional Library Events
Summer Learning Fun at the library
The 2020 Summer Learning Program at East Central Regional Library has begun, and will run through Aug. 15. This year’s theme is Dig Deeper: Read, Investigate, Discover, supporting the idea that reading opens doors to learning and fun! The library encourages everyone from across the region to participate this summer!

For 2020, readers of all ages can participate entirely online. To get started you can either register for our online program , pickup starting materials from your local branch via curbside pickup or print your own copy at home .

Programs are designed for the following ages:

Age ranges are just a recommendation and they overlap for younger readers. We encourage caregivers and readers to decide which program is best for them. The online program differs from the printed materials in that you can only track hours of reading or number of books read but the amount of time/effort required should be similar for the online option and paper option.
Kids and Teen Virtual Events
June Events for the Kids

East Central Regional Library is happy to offer virtual events for kids. The following is a rundown of events this month that youngsters and their families won't want to miss!

VIRTUAL STORYTIME
 
Join us for Virtual Storytime every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 10:30 AM – 11:00 AM all summer long. Together we will have fun, sing songs, read books & learn! Watch on our  East Central Regional Library Facebook page .

  • Erica is our Librarian on Tuesdays
  • Amelia is our Librarian on Wednesdays
  • Kirsten is our Librarian on Thursdays

Each week we will spend 20-30 minutes working on our early literacy skills. Video will be accessible for a week so you can watch at your convenience if you miss the live event at10:30 a.m.

*CAMPING WITH KATHERINE

Join us every Saturday for a special camping themed Virtual Storytime lead by Branch Librarian Katherine! Each week we will meet on the Zoom platform to read stories about nature, sing campfire songs, do crafts, and earn nature badges!

This is a six-week program series, and each week we will have a new nature theme. Join us for any or all of them - each one is a separate event and doesn't require participation from a previous week. Craft supplies will be provided during your branch’s curbside pick-up hours at all of our locations. Please indicate in the registration if you would like to receive a prepackaged snack for your child. Please register each child individually so we can be sure we have enough supplies.

Recommended for preschool aged children. Registration is required . There will be two sessions each Saturday; please only register for one session each week:


Never used Zoom before? It’s easy! All you need is internet access and a computer or smartphone with audio and video capabilities. This is a great way to see friends face-to-face and meet new friends while maintaining social distancing. Don’t have Wi-Fi? You can also call in to the meeting!

If you are interested in attending, please register for the event and Katherine will reach out to you with further instructions.

FOOD ALLERGY DISCLAIMER: East Central Regional Library is not responsible for adverse reactions to foods consumed or items one may come in contact with while participating in this event. Those concerned with food allergies should participate at their own risk.

*SCIENCE TELLERS - DRAGONS: RETURN OF THE ICE SORCERESS

Registration is open for 3 different times on Tuesday, June 23!


Get ready for the return of Science Tellers, this time with an amazing interactive, virtual appearance!

A long time ago in a faraway world….

Two brave villagers go on a daring journey to release dragons and save the kingdom from the Evil Ice Sorceress! But when things don’t go as planned, they might need to look to themselves (and science!) for the answer. Throughout this fantasy story, online participants will witness experiments using dry ice, fog, bubbles, flying rockets and more. Opportunities are included to make hypotheses, and then see if your guess is right as it’s tested on-camera! Vote for what you think characters should do next, and see what happens! There will even be a bonus science experiment you can do right along with Science Tellers, using common household items.

Recommended for kids of school age, and registration is required on the  events calendar . Registrants will receive a zoom link via email prior to the event.

A special thanks to our Rush City, Sandstone and Pine City locations for their sponsorship of these programs and to those in their community who help make these events possible.

* = Registration required on our events calendar
June Teen Virtual Events and Resources
High school and middle school students, join us this summer for Teen Virtual Book Club, challenges and other fun events relating to the books we read. Each month of the summer, we will pick a book and offer a variety of activities and resources for you to enjoy.

June’s book is  Hatchet  by Gary Paulsen


SURVIVAL FORT PHOTO CHALLENGE

Build a wilderness survival fort — outside or inside, depending on where you live, and share it with us! You can email your photo to us at connect@ecrlib.org, and we will share it on our Facebook page. Please submit entries by June 18th. Examples of survival forts


*KNOT TYING PROGRAM

Thursday, June 18, 3:30-4:30
Location: Zoom

Knot tying is an essential skill for surviving in the wilderness. Grab some rope and join Branch Librarian Steve as he teaches a variety of ways to tie knots.


*Hatchet Trivia

Thursday, June 25, 3:30-4:30
Location: Zoom

Are you a Hatchet expert? Test your knowledge with trivia! We will be using the Kahoot platform , which you can access via  their website  or by downloading the app to smartphone or tablet.


Did you love Hatchet? Check out these titles:

1)    Pocket Guide to the Outdoors  by Jean Craighead George
2)    Making Shelter in the Wild  by Dave Mack
3)    I Survived Series  by Lauren Tarshis —  Complete list of titles
4)    My Side of the Mountain  by Jean Craighead George
5)    The Sign of the Beaver  by Elizabeth George Speare
6)    The Long Winter  by Laura Ingalls Wilder
7)    Island of the Blue Dolphins  by Scott O’Dell
8)    Julie of the Wolves  by Jean Craighead George
9)  The Swiss Family Robinson  by Johann David Wyss
10)  The Call of the Wild  by Jack London


EXPLORE MORE!

Survival Skills:

 
Maps:

 
Animals in the Wild:

 
Activities:


July's theme will be Harry Potter so stay tuned for more information.
           
* = Registration required on our events calendar
One Book One Minnesota Summer 2020
Just Announced: One Book Second Chapter | Summer 2020:

The featured book for Summer 2020 is A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota , edited by Sun Yung Shin (Minnesota Historical Society Press), featuring a series of essays by Native writers and writers of color in Minnesota. EBbooks and resources will be available soon. Through their local libraries, Minnesotans will be invited to read the featured book selection and will have access to author videos, reading guides, and virtual book club discussions. All Minnesotans will be invited to participate in a statewide virtual discussion with the author.

Books will be available on multiple platforms. Readers can access the digital book for free on Ebooks Minnesota for ten weeks. Hard copies of the book will be available through Minnesota Historical Society Press.

About the book:

In A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota , sixteen of Minnesota’s best writers provide a range of perspectives on what it is like to live as a person of color in one of the whitest states in the nation. They give readers a splendid gift: the gift of touching another human being’s inner reality, behind masks and veils and politeness. They bring us generously into experiences that we must understand if we are to come together in real relationships.

The summer One Book author event will be held in August.
Details to come in July.

One Book | One Minnesota is presented by The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, as the Minnesota Center for the Book, in partnership with State Library Services. Program partners also include Council of Regional Public Library System Administrators, Minitex (a joint program of the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota Office of Higher Education), and the Minnesota Department of Education. This program is made possible in part by the State of Minnesota through a grant to the Minnesota Center for the Book through the Minnesota Department of Education.
Wi-Fi Hotspot Lending - Regionwide!
Wi-Fi hotspot lending is now available to all East Central Regional Library members! Providing free Wi-Fi on the go, these hotspots can be used anywhere within the library’s coverage area via connection with your phone, tablet, laptop or any other Wi-Fi-enabled device.

These devices can be found in the library catalog, where you can place your hold as well as find a link to the coverage map to check if you’re within the coverage boundaries. They run on the Verizon network, capable of speeds up to 4G, and can be checked out for two weeks.

Wi-Fi hotspot devices are available for pick-up regionwide using the library’s contact-free curbside pick-up. Due to their size, devices must be returned during curbside pick-up hours. Check here for the Curbside hours at your location . If you have questions, give us a call Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. These devices are available for check out to adult cardholders.

If you don’t have a library card you can now request library cards online
All library events are made available at no cost and are open to the public.