Wii Bowling, next Tuesday

This coming Tuesday, February 3rd, we'll fire up the Wii's for another CRDL Teen Night at the Veterans Memorial Library branch of the Chippewa River District Library system. Our Teen Wii Bowling Tournament will start at 6pm in the CRDL Annex Meeting Room. Space in the tournament is limited, so pre-registration is required. Teens in grades 7-12 can register at the VML Children's Desk or call 989.773.3242 ext. 13 to register.

If you don't want to compete in the tournament we'll have other game systems set up that you can play just for fun.

Why does your library ofer video gaming?

Read A Revolution in Library Service - Gaming is more than just a lure into the library by Kelly Czarnecki -- School Library Journal

Read Gaming the Way to Literacy by Betha Gutsche

Read New ways librarians can support learning and literacy by Kit Ward-Crixell -- School Library Journal

If you need more information or have questions, just call 989.773.3242 and tell them you want more info on CRDL Teen Nights.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime tomorrow

Put a hat and mittens on the kids and trudge over to the Veterans Memorial Library branch of the Chippewa River District Library system tomorrow (Wednesday, January 28th) for CRDL Lapsit Storytime.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime is designed for children from birth to 24 months of age. Exposure to the rhythms of language and music can help introduce very young children to books and reading. Traditional rhymes, basic finger plays, bounces, and activity songs, as well as circle activities that utilize both large and small motor skills are incorporated in the Lapsit program. In addition, caregivers work with their children to help build the bond between them.

Early literacy is what children know about reading before they can actually read and write. Research shows that children get ready to read years before they start school. Developing important skills now will help children become great readers.

There are six pre-reading skills children can start learning from birth, they are:

Narrative skills – Being able to describe things and events and tell stories

Print motivation – Being interested in and enjoying books

Vocabulary – Knowing the names of things

Phonological awareness – Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words

Letter knowledge – Knowing letters are different from each other, knowing their names and sounds and recognizing letters everywhere

Print awareness - Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book and knowing how to follow the words on a page

During CRDL Lapsit Storytime, we pick one or two of the “six pre-reading skills” and put together a series of stories, music and activities designed to develop those particular skills. While we can’t focus on all six skills at once, we make it a priority to spotlight at least one or two of the skills at each CRDL Lapsit Storytime and then give parents ideas of how to work on developing those skills at home.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime is free, open to the public, and happens the last Wednesday of each month. For more information about CRDL Lapsit Storytime, or more information about events and activities happening at your CRDL call 989.773.3242 or click http://www.crdl.org/.

CRDL Food For Fines

Starting Monday, January 26th, we're teaming up with Today's Best Music 95.3 CFX and their CFX Caravan of Care. All week long CFX will be gathering items and food to benefit the Isabella County Red Cross Food Pantry, the Salvation Army, and the Isabella Community Soup Kitchen. To help CFX and to help you, all next week we'll be offering CRDL Food for Fines. Bring your canned goods to any CRDL branch. For each can you drop off we'll deduct $1 off your overdue fines. The best part of the deal is that all the food donated will be given to the CFX Caravan of Care to benefit those in our community who need a little extra help in these tough economic times.

You can drop off canned goods at any CRDL branch Monday through Friday (January 26th - January 30th).

CRDL Lapsit Storytime, next Wednesday

Bundle the kids up, buckle them into their carseats, and spend some quality time with them at CRDL Lapsit Storytime next Wednesday, January 28th, at 10:15am at the Veterans Memorial Library branch of the CRDL.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime is designed for children from birth to 24 months of age. Exposure to the rhythms of language and music can help introduce very young children to books and reading. Traditional rhymes, basic finger plays, bounces, and activity songs, as well as circle activities that utilize both large and small motor skills are incorporated in the Lapsit program. In addition, caregivers work with their children to help build the bond between them.

Early literacy is what children know about reading before they can actually read and write. Research shows that children get ready to read years before they start school. Developing important skills now will help children become great readers.

Six pre-reading skills children can start learning from birth are:
Narrative skills – Being able to describe things and events and tell stories
Print motivation – Being interested in and enjoying books
Vocabulary – Knowing the names of things
Phonological awareness – Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words
Letter knowledge – Knowing letters are different from each other, knowing their names and sounds and recognizing letters everywhere
Print awareness - Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book and knowing how to follow the words on a page

During CRDL Lapsit Storytime, we pick one or two of the “six pre-reading skills” and put together a series of stories, music and activities designed to develop those particular skills. While we can’t focus on all six skills at once, we make it a priority to spotlight at least one or two of the skills at each CRDL Lapsit Storytime and then give parents ideas of how to work on developing those skills at home.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime is free, open to the public, and happens the last Wednesday of each month. For more information about CRDL Lapsit Storytime, or more information about events and activities happening at your CRDL call 989.773.3242 or click www.crdl.org.

CRDL Dinner & Discussion, next Tuesday

Gregor the Overlander is our book for this coming Tuesday, January 27th. CRDL Dinner and Discussion is a book discussion group for children in grades 5-7. This month we're discussing Gregor the Overlander. If you haven't registered yet, you still have time. You can register and get your copy of this months book. Register at the Children's Desk at Veterans Memorial Library or call 989.773.3242 ext. 13.

Children and teens who actively participate in discussions about books they find interesting develop into critical and careful readers. They learn how to express their opinions in a group setting while developing the skills needed to articulate their own ideas about a variety of subjects.

Children’s and teen book discussion groups offer the opportunity to share and consider differing
viewpoints and develop comprehensive and empathetic thinking skills in a relaxed setting.

Participating in book discussion groups at and early age develops today’s readers into omorrow’s leaders.

CRDL Pizza and Pages

Teens, bring your favorite book tonight. We're discussing our favorites while we munch of free pizza tonight during CRDL Pizza and Pages at the Veterans Memorial Library branch of the Chippewa River District Library.

CRDL Pizza and Pages is a book discussion group for teens (we throw in the free pizza because everybody loves pizza).

Children and teens who actively participate in discussions about books they find interesting develop into critical and careful readers. They learn how to express their opinions in a group setting while developing the skills needed to articulate their own ideas about a variety of subjects.

Teen book discussion groups offer teens the opportunity to share and consider differing viewpoints and develop comprehensive and empathetic thinking skills in a relaxed setting.

Participating in book discussion groups at and early age develops today’s readers into tomorrow’s leaders.

The fun continues

Jim Gill's show on Saturday was amazing. If you had a chance to join us, I hope you had as great a time as I did. It's always wonderful to see not only the kids laughing and having fun, but their parents joining in right along side.

Just because Jim's show is over, doesn't mean the fun is over. We're still in the middle of Build Time for our 1st ever CRDL LEGO Contest. Rules and entry form can still be picked up at any CRDL branch or downloaded from the crdl.org website.

You can still take our CRDL Diary of a Wimpy Kid Quiz at the Veterans Memorial Library Children's Desk. Someone is going to win their own copy of the newest book in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Last Straw.

This coming Tuesday, January 20th, the teens are in for a treat. CRDL Pizza and Pages starts at 6pm at Veterans Memorial Library. This month we'll discuss our favorite books while munching on free pizza. If you haven't done it yet, you can register at the Children's Desk at Veterans Memorial Library or call 989.773.3242 ext 13 (by registering before the program, we know how much pizza to get).

As always you can click EVENTS at crdl.org to see a complete list of events and activities happening at your Chippewa River District Library.

Children's Performer Jim Gill This Saturday

This Saturday, January 17th, we're welcoming children's performer Jim Gill to the Veterans Memorial Library branch of your Chippewa River District Library system. Jim is known as a musician and author, but he is also, by training, a child development specialist whose goal has always been to promote active play between adults andchildren with his music. Rather than perform for the children and parents, Jim leads them to sing and play together.b In concert, Jim bangs out energetic rhythms on his banjo while everyone claps, jumps, dances and even sneezes along.

The program is free and open to the public but space is limited so get there early.

Your Imagination is Calling...

The first of the year marks the beginning of our first ever CRDL LEGO Competition. Now I could go on for pages reciting a bunch of medical jargon, full of six and eight syllable words that explain how building with LEGO is good for one's mind. I could tell you how it develops fine motor skills in young children, stimulates learning through imagination, strengthens hand-eye coordination and spatial relations, but the real reason we're doing this….it's fun. I can't think of one parent I know that doesn't have a tub of LEGOS tucked away somewhere. In fact, I can think of quite a few people I know who don't have kids, that still have a tub of LEGOS tucked away somewhere.

So crack open your LEGOS, crack open your imagination, and start building. The competition has six different age groups: Preschool, K-2nd grade, 3rd-5th grade, 6th-8th grade, 9th-12th grade, and over 18. You can build on your own, build as a team, even build as a family; what a great way to spend some quality time with your children. Turn off the TV, put down the cell phones and Nintendo DS's, shut down the computer and build together. There are really only two things we ask of you. One, keep it within the size limitations, and two, it has to be your own, original creation, no directions from kits or the Internet. You can pick up entry forms and rules at any CRDL branch location or print them from http://www.crdl.org/. On Wednesday, Feb. 25, our guest judges will be on hand to select winners in each age group; however we still need your help selecting the CRDL People's Choice Award. All the LEGO creations will be available for public viewing starting at 5 p.m. Feb. 25 at Veterans Memorial Library so that you can cast your vote. Good luck and good building!

Of course LEGO isn't the only thing happening at your Chippewa River District Library this new year. We wrapped up 2008 with a packed house performance by the Boogie Woogie Babies and we plan on making 2009 even more brilliant. All your favorites are still happening: CRDL Storytime each Monday and Thursday at Veterans Memorial Library and Wednesday at Faith Johnston Memorial Library, CRDL Music & Movement and CRDL Lapsit Storytime at the beginning and end of each month, CRDL Teen Nights, your CRDL Brown Bag Book Discussion Group, CRDL Faith's Book Sense, CRDL Pizza and Pages for the teens and CRDL Dinner & Discussion for those that aren't quite teens. We still have CRDL Cook n' Book, CRDL Create, Make & Take and, as you know, the best way to find out about everything happening at your Chippewa River District Library is to either click, sign-up, or just stop in. You can click "Events" at http://www.crdl.org/ to see what's happening. You can sign up for the CRDL Library Pages e-newsletter to find out what's happening. Or, you can just stop in and pick up a list of this month's events and activities.

Another date to circle on your calendar is this Saturday. Children's performer Jim Gill is stopping by the Veterans Memorial Library for some free family fun. Trained as a child development specialist, Jim takes his goal of promoting active play between adults and their children one step further. Instead of singing and dancing for you, he'll lead you to sing, dance, clap, jump, and even sneeze with your child. Jim's remarkable performance starts at 10 a.m. on Saturday and is free, but space is limited. As always we invite you to visit any CRDL branch or visit us online at http://www.crdl.org/ and see why everybody is saying "I Love My Library."

CRDL Lapsit Storytime tomorrow

Put a hat and mittens on the kids and trudge over to the Veterans Memorial Library branch of the Chippewa River District Library system tomorrow (Wednesday, January 14th) for CRDL Lapsit Storytime.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime is designed for children from birth to 24 months of age. Exposure to the rhythms of language and music can help introduce very young children to books and reading. Traditional rhymes, basic finger plays, bounces, and activity songs, as well as circle activities that utilize both large and small motor skills are incorporated in the Lapsit program. In addition, caregivers work with their children to help build the bond between them.

Early literacy is what children know about reading before they can actually read and write. Research shows that children get ready to read years before they start school. Developing important skills now will help children become great readers.

Six pre-reading skills children can start learning from birth are:
Narrative skills – Being able to describe things and events and tell stories
Print motivation – Being interested in and enjoying books
Vocabulary – Knowing the names of things
Phonological awareness – Being able to hear and play with the smaller sounds in words
Letter knowledge – Knowing letters are different from each other, knowing their names and sounds and recognizing letters everywhere
Print awareness - Noticing print, knowing how to handle a book and knowing how to follow the words on a page

During CRDL Lapsit Storytime, we pick one or two of the “six pre-reading skills” and put together a series of stories, music and activities designed to develop those particular skills. While we can’t focus on all six skills at once, we make it a priority to spotlight at least one or two of the skills at each CRDL Lapsit Storytime and then give parents ideas of how to work on developing those skills at home.

CRDL Lapsit Storytime is free, open to the public, and happens the last Wednesday of each month. For more information about CRDL Lapsit Storytime, or more information about events and activities happening at your CRDL call 989.773.3242 or click www.crdl.org.

Win the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book

You can win your very own copy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Last Straw. Ask for your CRDL Diary of a Wimpy Kid Quiz at the Children's Desk at Veterans Memorial Library. Everybody who takes the quiz will take home a Diary of a Wimpy Kid bookmark or tattoo (while supplies last) and will have a chance to win their very own copy of the newest book in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Last Straw. Quizzes must be turned into the Children's Desk at VML by Sunday, Feburary 1st. Good Luck.

Win the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid book at your Library

Want to win your own copy of the upcoming 3rd Diary of a Wimpy Kid book? Ask for your CRDL Diary of a Wimpy Kid Quiz starting Monday January 12th at the Children’s Desk inside Veterans Memorial Library. Everybody who takes the Quiz will take home a Diary of a Wimpy Kid bookmark or tattoo and will have a chance to win their very own copy of the newest book in the series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Last Straw.

Quizzes must be turned into the Children’s Desk at Veterans Memorial Library by Sunday, February 1st. Winners will be chosen randomly from all entries and contacted the week of February 2nd.

Good Luck.

Fun stuff coming up

We're pretty excited about some upcoming events at your CRDL. As part of our CRDL Health Notes series, Amy Jo Howard from Herbs Etc. will show you Natural Ways to a New You tonight at 6:30pm at Faith Johnston Memorial Library in Rosebush.

Good Company performs during CRDL Jazz and More at the Library this coming Sunday, January 11th, at 3pm at Veterans Memorial Library. Jazz and More at the Library is made possible by the Friends of the Library, the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, and Art Reach of Mid Michigan.

CRDL Music and Movement is back next Wednesday, January 14th, at 10:15am at Veterans Memorial Library.

And on Saturday January 17th, we're welcoming children's performer Jim Gill to Veterans Memorial Library. Jim Gill is known as a musician and author, but he is also, by training, a child development specialist whose goal has always been to promote active play between adults and
children with his music. Rather than perform for the children and parents, Jim leads them to sing and play together. In concert, Jim bangs out energetic rhythms on his banjo while everyone claps, jumps, dances and even sneezes along.

As always, everything is free but space is limited so get there early.

Today at your Library

We have a couple events tonight that'll get the teens out of the house.

We'll open the doors to another CRDL Teen Night: Video Game Open Play at 6pm at Veterans Memorial Library.

Then at 7pm, CRDL Knit One Chat Too will start at Faith Johnston Memorial Library in Rosebush.

None of these events would be possible without help from our CRDL Teen Advisory Board. The TAB helps decide the direction of Teen events throughout the library district. If you'd like to be part of the decision making process, there's a CRDL TAB meeting tonight at 5pm at Veterans Memorial Library. We'd love to see you there.

1st ever CRDL LEGO Contest

We're starting 2009 with something new, your first ever CRDL LEGO Contest. We invite everybody to break out your tub of LEGO pieces, start up your imagination, and create your own original LEGO creation.

Don't think it's for you? It sure is. There are 6 different age groups, and prizes will be awarded in each group.

You can pickup rules and entry forms at any CRDL branch or by clicking here.

Good luck and happy building.