November at the library

With the weather getting chillier outside, check out all of the things being offered at the Osceola Public Library this November to keep you warm inside.

NEW this month

Recipe swap and tasting: Held from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, bring a copy of your favorite recipe to share. A tasting event will also be held.

Junk journaling class: Join former children’s librarian Krista for a class of creativity that will see all sorts of items turned into art from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6. Materials will be provided or you can bring your own. Ages 8 and older are best suited for this class, and pre-registration is appreciated.

Garden planning and fall/winter pruning: Starting at 5:45 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, learn tips and tricks to prepare your gardens and outdoor plants for the coming winter months.

Stacked book craft: Designed for ages 12 and up, this class will be making stacked decor pieces that can fit any holiday or theme. The ones being demonstrated at the class will be Thanksgiving, fall, Christmas or winter. The class runs from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13.

Homeschool meet-up: Open to any homeschool families from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, families can come and go during this time to connect with other homeschoolers. If you have materials you want to swap with others, the library will also have some available for swap or donation. Make sure to check out the library’s homeschool center and offer your tips to make the area even better.

Budgeting 101 and financial planning class: Presented by James Rutherford, CFP financial advisor, the hour-long class begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20.

MONTHLY events

Toddler Activity Hour: Mondays at 10 a.m. for ages 18 months to 5 years of age with a caregiver. Read a story or two, do activities, sing songs and make a craft. The hour is designed to help prepare little ones for school by incorporating activities and active play.

LEGO Club: A monthly club for kids ages 6 and older to come and create LEGO creations. November’s Club will meet from 4 to 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10, and pre-registration each month is required.

Hooks and Needles: Open to all ages, this twice monthly event is for those who enjoy or want to learn about the art of crochet, with each meeting highlighting different projects. Some materials are provided or you can bring your own. The come-and-go meeting will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 29.

Social Friday: Adults 18 and older are invited to join others at the library from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. every Friday morning for coffee or tea and fellowship.

Spanish/bilingual story hour: November will be the last meeting of this monthly event for a while. It will begin at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. Join others for stories, songs, crafts and games. Family-friendly and open to all ages.

Little Learner’s Club: This once monthly event is catered for children from ages 2 to 6, where they can participate and learn via STEAM, stories, crafts, LEGOS and more. November’s will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday the 15th. Pre-registration to this event is appreciated.

STEAM activities: With a different focus each month on science, technology, engineering, art and math, ages 7 and up can stretch their imaginations in a variety of ways. Make sure to pre-register for the 4 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 20 class.

Kids’ Book Club: Kids aged 7 to 12 can join Miss Tori to discuss October’s book - “Pippi Longstocking” - and dive into November’s book, “Escape from Mr. Limoncello’s Library” by Chris Grabenstein.

“When Kyle Keeley learns that the world’s most famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, has designed the town’s new library and is having an invitation-only lock-in on opening night, he’s determined to be there! But the tricky part isn’t getting into the library—it’s getting out. Because when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must catch every clue and solve every puzzle to find the hidden escape route!”

November’s kids’ book club will be held from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 19 and pre-registration is required.

Adult Book Club: Lonna McDonough’s November book discussion will be “Arrowood” by Laura McHugh.

“Arrowood is the most ornate and grand of the historical houses that line the Mississippi River in southern Iowa. But the house has a mystery it has never revealed: It’s where Arden Arrowood’s younger twin sisters vanished on her watch twenty years ago—never to be seen again. After the twins’ disappearance, Arden’s parents divorced and the Arrowoods left the big house that had been in their family for generations. And Arden’s own life has fallen apart: She can’t finish her master’s thesis, and a misguided love affair has ended badly. She has held on to the hope that her sisters are still alive, and it seems she can’t move forward until she finds them. When her father dies and she inherits Arrowood, Arden returns to her childhood home determined to discover what really happened to her sisters that traumatic summer.

Arden’s return to the town of Keokuk—and the now infamous house that bears her name—is greeted with curiosity. But she is welcomed back by her old neighbor and first love, Ben Ferris, whose family, she slowly learns, knows more about the Arrowoods’ secrets and their small, closed community than she ever realized. With the help of a young amateur investigator, Arden tracks down the man who was the prime suspect in the kidnapping. But the house and the surrounding town hold their secrets close—and the truth, when Arden finds it, is more devastating than she ever could have imagined.”

The discussion will be held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, and can be attended either in-person or via Zoom. Pre-registration is required, and the library has copies of the book.

Ukulele Class: Join library director Francis Acland as he leads all ages in ukulele lessons. There is limited space, so pre-registration is strongly encouraged. The library has some ukes available to check out, but you are encouraged to bring one if you have one. November’s class will be from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24.

Closures

The library will be closed Nov. 11, 27 and 28.

*Events are subject to change, make sure to follow the library on Facebook for up-to-date information.