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May at the Osceola Public Library offers a variety of programming as the library readies for its summer programming.
New this month
• Discover Your Library/Descubre tu Biblioteca: A bilingual open house will be held from 5 to 6 p.m. Monday, May 4. Come visit the library and see how it is more than just books - it is a place to learn, grow, create and belong.
• Toddler Activity Hour with Infinity Health: A special Toddler Hour will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 6, with a visit from a local Infinity Health dental assistant. Learn tips on how to keep your teeth healthy, and leave with a brand-new toothbrush.
• Plant exchange: If you have extra seeds, seedlings or plants you’d like to swap or exchange with others, head on over to the library from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 9. Don’t have anything to exchange? Come on in anyway. Don’t forget - you can check out seeds from the OPL Seed Library at no cost.
• From Arctic to Amazon: Read the World!: With summer break on the horizon, so is the OPL summer reading program. Registration for the various programs will be held from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, May 29. More details about the summer reading program to follow.
• Memorial Day: The library will be closed Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.
Every month
• Toddler activity: Held Mondays from 10 to 11 a.m. the toddler play time meets preschool story hour is designed for kids aged 18 months to five years of age. May 18 will be the last Toddler Time before summer break.
• STEAM: There will be no STEAM activity in May.
• Social Friday: Open to any adults aged 18+ from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Fridays.
• Golden Hour: For ages 50+, this is a chance to socialize and stay connected. Come on down to the library from 1:30 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 5 and play Bunco Dice Game.
• Lego Club: May’s club meets from 4 to 5 p.m. Monday, May 11 for kids aged 6+. Pre-registration is required monthly.
• Hooks & Needles: The come and go meeting is open to all ages who enjoy or want to learn about fiber art. There are two monthly meetings: 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 12, and 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 23.
• Ukulele Class: All ages are invited to join library director Francis Acland to receive instruction on how to play ukuleles. With limited space, pre-registration is encouraged. May’s class begins at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 26. The library has some ukuleles available to check out, or bring your own! Pre-registration is encouraged.
• Adult Book Club: Join Lonna McDonough for her monthly book club, held the third Tuesday of each month. April’s discussion will be held in-person and via Zoom starting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 19, to discuss “Jefferson’s Daughters” by Catherine Kerrison.
“Thomas Jefferson had three daughters: Martha and Maria by his wife, Martha Wayles Jefferson, and Harriet by his slave Sally Hemings. Although the three women shared a father, the similarities end there. Martha and Maria received a fine convent school education while they lived with their father during his diplomatic posting in Paris. Once they returned home, however, the sisters found their options limited by the laws and customs of early America. Harriet Hemings followed a different path. She escaped slavery — apparently with the assistance of Jefferson himself. Leaving Monticello behind, she boarded a coach and set off for a decidedly uncertain future.”
Pre-registration is required to get a copy of the book.
• 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. Come on out to the library at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 11 club. Pre-registration is required to guarantee a spot.
• Adult Non-fiction Book Club: Every six weeks, Director Francis hosts the new, non-fiction book club for adults, with the next discussion set for 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23. The book being read is “Undaunted Courage” by Stephen E. Ambrose.
“In 1803 President Thomas Jefferson selected his personal secretary, Captain Meriwether Lewis, to lead a voyage up the Missouri River to the Rockies, over the mountains, down the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean and back. Lewis and his partner, Captain William Clark, made the first map of the trans-Mississippi West, provided invaluable scientific data on the flora and fauna of the Louisiana Purchase territory, and established the American claim to Oregon, Washington and Idaho.”
Pre-register at the library now to get a copy of the book.
Year-round
• Birthday books: Kids aged newborn to 18 can sign up to receive a free book during their birthday month. The library kindly requests that only parents/guardians register their children for the program and pick out the book either for or with their kiddos.
• 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten: OPL participates in the National 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, promoting all kids to read 1,000 books before they begin school.
To sign up or register for events, call the library at 641-342-2237, email osceolapubliclibrary@gmail.com, send a message on Facebook or stop in. All events and programs are free unless otherwise stated.