Dear Readers,

I wanted to thank and congratulate our Endowment Council for raising $21,490 for our Endowment fund. We appreciate the hard work that went into making this happen as well as all those who contributed. An anonymous donor matched 100% of contributions made by December 31. To read more about the Endowment, click here.

Congratulations to Judith Winecoff, Youth Services Manager, and the Friends of the Watauga County Public Library for being awarded two grants that offer programming and add to our rich collection in the Youth Services Department.

Friends of Western Watauga Branch received a Schwab Charitable Fund grant to transform the existing back deck into usable, appealing space that will expand the current Library's footprint, creating an alternative space for outdoor programming, relaxation, or quiet reading. Changes are happening now and will continue through Spring of 2022.

The branch library is open, but for your convenience curbside service will continue. To place a hold, call

(828) 297-5515.

No in-house programming

Take it & Make It kits are available each Monday.

(Two chances to catch

the same story)

complete with songs, books, activities, and a take-and-make craft!

Check out the Appalachian Regional Library YouTube channel for virtual library story times.

Visit the library to decode a different riddle each week in February!

Lego Club

Lego Charades Games

Thursday, February 17

3:30 pm

Bilingual Spanish/ English Story Time with Iris

This story time includes books, songs and fun!

These Wednesdays at 11:00 am:

February 23

March 23

For more information, click here.

Must RSVP with Youth Services at (828) 264-8784 ext. 3.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

Fifty rocks painted with snowflakes are hidden around the outside of the Jones House for the month of February! If you find one of these rocks, bring it to the library for a small literary prize. Please limit one snowflake rock per household. Many thanks to Girl Scout Troop 13114 for painting the rocks!

Blue Ridge Electric Membership Cooperation Grant

Thank you to the Friends of Watauga Library and the Blue Ridge Electric membership for a $3,000 grant for decodable books. Stop by Youth Services for more information about these fabulous resources.

Leap into Science Mini Grant

The Watauga County Public Library received $1,000 for programs for National Leap Into Science week from February 21 to 27.

Take and Makes: Lights & Shadow kits and books will be available the week of February 21. Materials provided by the Leap into Science grant and ASU’s Mathematics & Science Education Center. Look for how to videos on Facebook. Kits available while supplies last.

Lights and Shadows Story Time

Thursday, February 24

3:30 pm

Thursday, February 24

11:00 am

Story Walk® at the Tot Lot

Look for the Story Walk®. It's one of our favorites!

EcoExplore: Birds

Tuesday, February 15

4:00 pm to 5:00 pm

(hopefully outside the Library)

Join us for an educational program with the North Carolina Arboretum to learn all about the birds that call Western North Carolina their home! Come ready to hear about the ecoEXPLORE program, discover some new bird facts, and try spotting birds living around the Watauga County Public Library.

Thank you Friends of the Library! North Carolina Zoo passes are available! Contact the Youth Services department for more information (828) 264-8784 ext. 3. NC Zoo passes are available at Western Watauga Branch too.

Adult Programs

Virtual Workshops

Supercharge Your Job Search

Resumes 101

Tuesday, February 1

2:00 pm

Interviewing

Thursday, February 10

10:00 am

To register and see more workshops, click here.

High Country Lifelong Learners

Save the Date

HCLL Speaker Series this Spring, March 15 at 11:00 am

Visit the HCLL website.

Join Appalachian State Cyber-Seniors!

Are you 50 or older? Wanting to connect with your community? Do you have technology-based questions? Join this free program. For more information, click here.

Cupid Crew: Valentine Making Event

Wednesday, February 2

2:00 pm

via Zoom

For more information and to register, click here.

Harnessing Tech to Connect: Technology and Medication Management

Tuesday, February 15

2:30 pm

via Zoom

For more information and to register, click here.

For additional programming, click here.

The Next Chapter Book Club is for adults and young adults with developmental disabilities. The discussion group provides a connection to books, friends, and community. The book we are using is Black Beauty retold from the Anna Sewell original. To attend via Zoom, please contact Adult Services at (828) 264-8784 ext. 2.

The group meets at 2:30 pm every Wednesday in February.

Book Bunch Book Club

January and February

The Only Woman in the Room by Marie Benedict

Copies of this book will be available at the Adult Services desk. Meeting date, time, and location to be determined. If you would like to receive updates about Book Bunch, email Deborah at dsluder@arlibrary.org.

Cook the Books Book Club

Join Cook the Books by clicking here to discuss One by One by Ruth Ware. The discussion continues through the end of March in Goodreads.

Appalachian State Common Reading announces Belonging by Nora Krug as the 2021- 2022 book selection. For more information, click here.

Read and share copies are available at the library.

North Carolina Legal Aid

Tuesday, February 1

Free Criminal Record Expungement Clinic

Thursday, February 3

Free Social Security Disability Clinic

For additional programs or to register, click here. All programs are at 2:30 pm via Zoom.

Get ready to participate in the 2022 Reading Challenge Part 1! The goal is to complete a reading challenge for each category on the Bingo card. Each time you win Bingo and submit a form, your name will be entered for a chance to win a prize.

Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program

(VITA)

The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program will operate

February 4 - April 9 on

Fridays 9 - 2 and

Saturdays 9 - 11.

Call or text us at 828-963-3294 to see if you are eligible for the service and to make an appointment.

VAYA Health Training at Lois E. Harrill Senior Center

Webinar: The Impact of Chronic Medical Illnesses on the Brain-WGAMHST

Tuesday, February 1

1:00 pm

For more information, click here.

EGAMHST: Depression: From Surviving to Thriving

Wednesday, February 2

10:00 am

For more information, click here.

For additional programs, click here.

NCDHHS, SAMHSA, and NAMI High Country in partnership with Watauga and Wilkes are hosting the following programs:

When Sunshine Girl Became

Non-Binary

Discussion with Nolan Gracia

Monday, February 7

6:30 pm

via Zoom

To register, click here.

For more information, click here.

Courage: Walking Out of Our Cage and Unlocking the Power Within with Donia S. Simmons

Monday, February 21

6:30 pm

via Zoom

To register, click here.

Join us for our first installment of Boone Reads Together! Read and Share copies available at the library.

Get published! How? Click here for details.

For events information, click here.

Take It and Make It

Pick up a kit while supplies last.

Members of the Digital Watauga team are working to capture history in the making.

We would like to ask the community to help write this important chapter in the story of Watauga County by sending in photos, journal entries, letters, artwork, etc. pertaining to your time in Watauga County during this pandemic. As we continue to look back and learn, help us also look forward by making history together.

Click here to submit! For more information, click here.

Thanks to federal funding, we have 4 Dell laptops available for lending.

Check with Circulation for more details on checking out a laptop!

For those using our meeting room, we have an Owl Pro, which allows for quality hybrid meetings.

Read more about this technology grant here.

Learning Libby with the Experts

View a recording of the January session here. It is available until February 20.

View as Webpage

Like our Facebook page to get the most up-to-date information.