October 2023: Volume 2, Issue 2

We're kicking off October with Banned Books Week and the theme this year is "Let Freedom Read". Now is the time to celebrate your freedom of expression, your intellectual freedom and to voice censorship concerns.

Even if book banning hasn't been a concern for you here in Central Pennsylvania, it has been getting increased press and governmental attention in the past year. Now is a great time to learn more about what has been going on around the country and why it is important to protect everyone's freedom to read! Check out the recent U.S. Senate Hearing on Book Banning here.

Are you and your family and friends anxious to read some banned books during Banned Books Week? Check out one of our banned book kits! Each kit contains 8 books for you and your group to read together and discuss. There is no better way to celebrate banned book week than to read banned books as a group. Discuss with your group the reasons you believe the book was banned, but also the value it adds to the community of readers. Check out our holdings and what books are offered here.

Do you live near Bellefonte, PA or have ancestors from Central Pennsylvania? In the words of Judy Dombrowski, Co-Branch Manager of the Pennsylvania Room and Historical Museum:

You just have to come in to experience [the PA Room at the Miles-Humes House]. The resources it has extend beyond Centre County, PA to neighboring counties. It contains books, documents, and photographs about all of Pennsylvania, especially around the areas of Centre, Clinton, and Clearfield counties.

When visiting the PA Room, it is important to give yourself time to explore, because that is how you find the most interesting information. Our librarians will help you to find the relevant books and documents about your family (or family of interest) and the place where the family lived. Ms. Dombrowski explained how her own family history experience happened at the PA Room:

I looked up my mother's maiden name because I knew her side of the family lived in PA since before the Revolutionary War - and especially in central PA but not in Centre County. I found a lot of citations about the family. In particular, without much trouble, I found a record in an index that led me to a newspaper article telling about how my grandfather's relative died in a coal mine accident in the 1930s! It was not part of my family's knowledge base so I was shocked and very glad to know this. Knowing how this family survived makes me appreciate my relatively easy life today.

You can visit the PA Room anytime from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM Monday-Friday. Learn more about the PA Room on our website here.

Do you like trying new authors and getting reading recommendations from librarians? Are you looking for a way to get inspired again about reading?

Let our librarians help you choose your next book with our Book Bundles. Each bundle is an individually wrapped group of 3 or 4 books picked according to your interests by our librarians.

You can request Book Bundles to be made for you or your children at any of our branches. Just click the graphic or the link below to learn more and fill out a quick request form.

Book Bundle Sign-ups

Join us virtually or at one of our locations for any of our book clubs! We even have a book club for book lovers who prefer talking about books in general rather than a specific book.

Wednesday, October 4th, 1 PM: The Wednesday Book Club at Holt Memorial Library is looking for new members! It is an adult book club run by Philipsburg community members that meets at the library! This month, the group is discussing the book, "The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry" by Gabrielle Zevin. Just drop by and join in the fun, no registration necessary.

Thursday, October 12th, 6 PM: The Centre Hall Mystery Book Club is discussing the novel, "Sworn to Silence" by Linda Castillo for the October meeting. Call 814-364-2580 or stop by the Centre Hall Branch Library to sign up to attend.

Saturday, October 14th, 10 AM: Book Lovers Coffee Hour. Come discuss what you are reading with other book lovers! Please register to attend by clicking the link below and receive a Zoom link via email!

Book Lovers Registration

Wednesday, October 18th, 6:30 PM: The virtual Evening Book Discussion Group will be discussing the novel, "Rebecca" by Daphne Du Maurier this month. Please register to attend by clicking the link below and receive a Zoom link via email!

Evening Book Club Registration

Thursday, October 26th, 6:00 PM: Join "Booked for Murder", a new book club that meets monthly to discuss Mystery books at the Centre County Library - Bellefonte. For its 4th meeting, we will be discussing the novel, "The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle," by Stuart Turton. Click the link below to be added to our text message reminder group for the program.

Booked for Murder Text Reminders

Storytime is a very special time for your child. It is a time for them to grow their imagination, practice their social skills, and develop a love of reading and the library. We offer storytimes at all of our locations and for all ages of children. Give your child the gift of storytime and yourself the gift of time at the library! Plan when you and your child can come to storytime today!

This month on Oct. 4th, the typical 10:30 AM Preschool Storytime at Holt Memorial Library will be replaced with a Fire Prevention Program. Please look below for more information.

Firefighters from the Hope Fire Company will teach us how to escape from a fire and stay safe! This event will occur on Wednesday, Oct. 4th at 10:30 AM in place of Preschool Storytime and is appropriate for ages 3 and up. Make sure your child knows what to do in the case of a fire and sign them up to attend below:

Fire Prevention Program Sign-Up

Does your child love to write? Bring them to the Centre Hall Branch Library for either Elementary Storyteller's Club or Young Novelist's Club. Each club offers a space for growing writers to meet with their peers and create stories.

Tuesday, October 10th, 3 PM: Have your elementary aged writers join us for Elementary Storyteller's Club! No registration is necessary.

Saturday, October 21st, 1 PM: Teens are invited to sign up for Young Novelist's Club. This club meets once a month to work on writing projects together. Click the link below to register to attend:

Young Novelist's Club Registration

Join us for our Youth Halloween themed festivities at Centre County Library - Bellefonte during October!

Thursday, October 12th, 4:30 PM: Kids ages 8-12 are invited to join us at the library for our annual "Franken-Toy" event! We will take apart old toys and reconstruct them into "franken-toys". The new creations can be as cute or monstrous as you wish. Supplies and space are limited, so please register to attend below:

Franken-toy Registration

Friday, October 27th, 10 AM: Toddlers and their adults are invited to join us right before Halloween for a Toddler Dance Party! Time to break out your costumes and do the monster mash! No registration is necessary.

Kids Connect, a specially designed program for elementary and middle school youth, takes place on Thursday evenings from 6-7pm. Each week will feature a different activity: STEM, games, art, and more. Space and supplies are limited, so you must register to attend. Click the link below to register to attend any of the events.

October 5th, 6 PM: Spooky Shadow Art (ages 5-13). Join us as we highlight spooky shadow with pastels!

October 12th, 6 PM: Jack-O-Lantern Art (ages 5-13). Join us as we make a jack-o-lantern craft using positive and negative art.

October 19th, 6 PM: 3-D Spider Art (ages 5-13). Use your creepy crawly craft skills for this fun art project!

October 26th, 6 PM: Kids in the Kitchen: Spider Crackers (ages 5-13): Join us as we make spider crackers with peanut butter and cream cheese!

Kids Connect Registration

Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 3rd at 11 AM at the Holt Memorial Library for Managing Your Privacy Online. The class sill be presented by the Mid-State Literacy Council. Please register to attend as space is limited. Email agiedroc@mid-stateliteracycouncil.org to register.

Join us on Saturday, October 21st at 11 AM for our monthly Teen & Adult Book Bingo at Holt Memorial Library! To sign up, please stop in, click the link below, or call (814) 342-1987.

Teen & Adult Book Bingo Registration

Mission

Centre County Library & Historical Museum is a free community destination providing books, information, Internet access, and technology resources to preserve our heritage and promote a lifetime of reading and learning.

Vision

Centre County Library & Historical Museum will be an inviting and vital part of our community by providing access to current technology and services to foster education and to enhance our community’s quality of life.

We are a PA Forward Library

PA Forward is an initiative of the Pennsylvania Library Association designed to increase awareness of the vital role libraries play in the well-being of their communities.

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