May Happenings

‌

Greetings! The month may be starting with rain, but don't let that stop you from enjoying all the fresh, bright greenery that's making its return. If you're taking advantage of some dry weather at the Barrett Township Community Park at Ice Lake, take a stroll down the path below the pavilion and check out the Library's Tale on the Trail StoryWalk! Stop at each station to read the next pages of a picture book as you walk along. This month's story is Wonder Walkers by Micha Archer. Nature and reading--what a great combination!

There's still time to take part in some of the activities we offered during National Library Week (April 23-29). The following will be available through Sat, May 6: a book hunt and a comic contest for kids; write a brief note about what the Library means to you (to be entered in a prize drawing); and take a guess at How Many Candies in the Container (all ages).

Reminder: The Library is a Ballot Drop Box location for elections. The box is located inside the Library near the front desk. There is a handicap entrance at the rear of the building. Election Day is Tuesday, May 16; the Library closes at 5pm that day so be sure to drop off your ballot before that time. Get all the election info you need on vote.pa.gov and Monroe County's voting information page.

Starting this month State Representative Maureen Madden will offer satellite office hours at the Library. May dates are Wed & Thu, May 3 & 4, and Mon & Wed, May 15 & 17, 10am-3pm. For questions about services, please call 570-894-7905 or visit her website.

Local Author Meet & Greet! Saturday, May 20, 1:00pm - 4:00pm. Stop by the Weiler Family Community Room for an opportunity to chat with several local authors in an informal setting! These talented writers will be available all afternoon to discuss their books and answer your questions. Most will have copies of their books for sale. Our line up of authors includes John Abel, John Cafarella, Danny Marvin, Suzanne McCool, Mary Anne Moore, and Jackie & Darryl Speicher. Their writings cover fiction and non-fiction in a variety of genres & topics such as realistic, historical, adventure, paranormal, avian, and more! Search their names in our online catalog to view info about their books.

Our Library has been asked to help find a few people to participate in the following research project:

Do you own a small business? Are you planning to start your own small business? Are you looking for a job? Are you a representative for your local community-based organization? If you answer yes to any of these questions and you are an adult, you may be eligible to participate in a small focus group funded by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania that could improve library resources, programs, and services for you. The interview will be approx. one to two hours long and will be audio recorded. Each participant will be compensated with a $40 Amazon Gift Card. For more information, please contact Principal Investigator, Xiaofeng Li, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Library and Information Science, Pennsylvania Western University, 814-393-2447, xli@pennwest.edu

The Barrett Township Historical Society invites you to tour the southwest through Native American art on display at the Library. Come see pottery, rugs, Kachina dolls, fetishes, and jewelry. All was handcreated by the tribes of Zuni, Hopi, Dine (Navajo), Acoma, Santa Clara, and San Ildefonso, from Arizona and New Mexico. These beautiful items will be on display through June.

There are always new sparkling bargains to be found on our costume jewelry sale table. Get more bling for your buck! Then check out our Book Sale Corner. We have an abundance of items that have been trimmed from the collection and we will continue adding more as we work our way through the Library! Bag Sale: All items (books, audiobooks, DVDs) $5 a bag. Need a sturdy bag for all your purchases? Or for a gift? We have tote bags for sale, too (scroll to see photos below).

Visit our website for updates and digital resources: www.barrettlibrary.org.

Read often and love your library!

Mary Ann Lewis

Library Director

Currently reading Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear, this month's Afternoon Book Club selection

Library Hours:

Mon, Wed: 10am – 8pm
Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat: 10am – 5pm

Computer Use

Call the Library to request an appointment to use a computer: 570-595-7171. Walk-ins are welcome as space allows.
Sessions are limited to 2 hours but can be extended if space allows.
Prints and copies: $0.25 per page for black & white; $0.50 per page for color.

Online library card sign up!

You can now register for a library card on our catalog home page. Scroll to the botttom and click Request Library Card. Or feel free to call the Library or stop in to register for a card.

Also, if you have a library card but the number starts with "P," you can request a new 14-digit card using this form, or call/stop in to update.

Costume Jewelry Donations

Cleaning and organizing? If you come across old or unused costume jewelry please consider donating it to the Library. The jewelry will be put out for sale at the Library. All proceeds support Library programs and services. We appreciate your support!

Searchable History Project

Interested in local history? Our Searchable History Project is in the process of digitizing materials in three local history collections, beginning with items from the Buck Hill Falls community. The items that have been digitized are now available online, so you can view and explore the collection. So far, there are over 200 images from the early 1900s (many of the Cottages) and Buck Hill Breeze issues from the 1920s, ‘30s, and ‘40s. The archives web site and the project are a work in progress; come back often to see what's been added. You can go directly to the site at https://barrettlibrary.catalogaccess.com, or look for the Searchable History link on the Library’s main web site: www.barrettlibrary.org.

Brainfuse

Brainfuse provides support for learners of all ages, with an emphasis on assisting students in grades K-12. The Homework HelpNow service is staffed by professional tutors with expertise in all K-12 subjects. Online tutoring is available from 2 pm to 10 pm, seven days a week, to anyone with a library card. A Writers Lab allows students to receive live support with writing, or upload documents and receive feedback from experienced tutors. The platform also features: Practice tests and preparation for exams, including the SAT, ACT, ASVAB, GRE, GMAT and others; a 24/7 Question Center – students submit questions that are answered within 24 hours; support for students studying a foreign language; and more! Brainfuse also has support for adult learning, including preparing for the GED, career based exams, and help with writing resumes and preparing for interviews.

Hoopla!

Download ebooks, audiobooks, movies, and music! You can borrow six items per month. If you haven't made an account with Hoopla yet, here's how (you will need your 14-digit library card number to create an account):

Go to www.hoopladigital.com.
Click on “Get Started Today,” located at the upper middle of the page to set up your account.
Follow the prompts to register.
After registering, download app onto your smart device and log in with new account information (You can also set up an account through the app).

OverDrive e-books, Audio-books, & Digital Magazines

LIbby/OverDrive e-books: Download and enjoy e-books on your computer or portable device. The collection includes fiction and nonfiction e-books for all ages. Libby also offers audio-books and magazines. Click here or look for the link on the Library’s web page (www.barrettlibrary.org). This will take you to the Easton Library District Libby/Overdrive page. Search for titles or browse the collections. Click “Borrow” on a title, then select Barrett Paradise Friendly Library from the drop-down menu. Then enter your library card number (14-digit barcode with no spaces or dashes) and your PIN* (same PIN you use for our online catalog, the last 4 digits of your phone number, unless you changed it). Next, select Download (choose format) or Read (in your browser) and follow the prompts. If you use a mobile device (smart phone, tablet), OverDrive will prompt you to download the Libby app. If you already use Libby, you can add your Barrett Paradise Friendly Library account.

Free Library of Philadelphia

Any resident of Pennsylvania can get a library card from the Free Library of Philadelphia! With your new library card number, you can access their many digital media platforms, including OverDrive. To get your library card, go to https://catalog.freelibrary.org/MyResearch/register. Click "Online" under "How to get a card?" and follow the instructions. Then browse all the digital media databases Free Library of Philadelphia has to offer! There are tens of thousands e-books, audiobooks, and more!

Name a Shelf at

Barrett Paradise Friendly Library

Something to think about: Name a Shelf at the Barrett Paradise Friendly Library! Please consider "buying" a shelf to honor an individual or an event. Your gift of $100 buys a nameplate attached to a small shelf in the Library. A gift of $1000 buys an entire section of shelves (3-6 shelves). Stop by the Library to fill out a form, or follow this link to submit a form online.

Curbside Pickup Service!

Yes, we still offer Curbside Pickup Service! Just call the library and let us know which books, audiobooks, magazines, and DVDs you want. We’ll arrange a time for you to come to the library and deliver them right to your car. Not sure what you want? Browse our online catalog (https://bpfl.sparkpa.org) or let us know what you like and we’ll make some suggestions.

The Board of Trustees of the Barrett Paradise Friendly Library meets on the 4th Monday of the month at 5:30 pm at the Library. The Board meets every month except December. Board meetings are open to the public.