A new year and a full January

You’ve probably heard this several times already, but here it is from the Library – HAPPY NEW YEAR! We wish you a year full of new memories, happy times, and of course, spending time with us.

There are a lot of things happening at the Library in January to highlight, so without further ado, here goes! This is a snapshot – there’s more listed in our Programs and Events calendar.

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Graphic Novel Book Club

Next meeting on January 6

Join us for an interesting conversation about favourite graphic novels and comics. The book club will discuss a new graphic novel each month. Session runs to May.

Register online

Looking for graphic novels? Get started here.

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All Things Yarn Club

Next meeting on January 11

Come and join a group of people who love creating things from yarn! Whether you are seasoned in yarn crafts, are starting out, or are just curious about knitting, etc., you will find like-minded crafters here. Share ideas, techniques, and get inspired by books and conversation. Just bring your creativity and the materials you need to join the fun.

Register online

Looking for knitting books? Get started here.

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Tales at Night

Happening on January 17

Tales are on tap at our storytime for adults! Feel like a kid again by listening to some fun tales read aloud by your local librarians at the Good Will Social Club, 625 Portage Ave.

Get the details

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Make Your Own Podcast

Happening on January 20

Interested in making your own podcast? Join us as we discuss what it takes to create and share a podcast. We’ll talk about planning your show, getting it made, and getting your podcast online.

Register online

Connect with fiction and non-fiction reads about podcasting.

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Everything You Wanted to Know About Winter Cycling (online)

Happening on January 22

Are you ready to try winter cycling? Or extend your cycling season? Learn the ins and outs about what to wear, cold weather gear for your bike, and riding tips for snow and ice. Presented in partnership with the Green Action Centre.

Register online

Connect with our Green Choices Information Guide for more ways to reduce your environmental impact.

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Brain Health

Happening on January 24

Join the WRHA Healthy Aging Resource Team during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month to talk about brain health. Topics include the normal aging of the brain, threats to brain health, and tips for reducing risks and keeping your brain healthy.

Register online

Connect with reads about brain health.

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eMedia HELP One-on-One Appointments

Being offered on four days at four library branches throughout January through March.

Book a 45-minute one-on-one help appointment with Library staff and get help with Digital Library services: eBooks, audiobooks, emagazines, enewspapers, streaming music and video, and databases.

Make an appointment

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We look forward to seeing you at the Library in 2024!

~Reegan

Spring break programs especially for Teens

Spring break definitely means no school and can also mean outdoor adventures, hanging out with family and friends, sleeping in, heading to the mall, catching a movie, and maybe even travel!

If spring break has you staying in Winnipeg this year, there are some programs that we’re offering especially for the teens (grades 7-12). We’ve made sure that most of them start a little later so you can catch those extra zzz’s.

Monday: Learn about DNA detection

2 – 3 pm at the Pembina Trail Library

Learn about what determines the identity of each cell: DNA. Then try extracting real DNA.

Register online

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Tuesday: Write lyrics for rap music

2 – 4 pm at the ideaMILL, Millennium Library

In this interactive workshop, learn about RAP (rhythm and poetry) music and its influence on contemporary music. Through video, library resources, and a specific method that Osani will teach you, you’ll be breaking down syllables, writing lyrics, and matching them with rap beats. Connect with a tool that you can use to help you with making your rap flow. One-to-one help will be provided throughout as you write your lyrics.  

Register online

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Tuesday: Create hidden poetry

4 – 5 pm at the Transcona Library

Creating “hidden” poetry involves blacking out most of the words on a page of a book, magazine or newspaper so that the remaining words become your poem. All supplies provided – just bring your creativity!

Register online

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Wednesday: Get painting!

2 – 3:30 pm at the West Kildonan Library

Learn basic painting techniques to express your creativity on a small canvas with a jellyfish-themed project.

Register online

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Friday: Learn about H2O science

10:30 – 11:45 am at the Bill and Helen Norrie Library

Learn about different water sources and issues affecting water quality. Then become water treatment specialists by purifying and testing water samples using real-life techniques, like filtration, pH testing and UV disinfection.

Register online

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We wish you a wonderful spring break, and hope to see you at the Library!

~ Youth Services

Never Too Early – Early Literacy Programs

“We have an obligation to read aloud to our children.” Neil Gaiman

In a time that doesn’t feel so long ago, but in fact was couple of decades in the past, I used to be known as Auntie Book. Whatever the occasion, if I was hanging out with friends or family members with small children I had a bag o’ books with me, ready to share. Times change; the little ones I used to read with have now grown up, and in some cases have little ones of their own. One thing that hasn’t changed is my firm belief that it’s never too early in life to have someone read with you.

Baby Rhyme Time introduces babies to the sounds of language through rhymes, songs and simple stories. For babies newborn to 18 months and a caregiver.

Toddler Time helps toddlers learn about letters, numbers, colours, shapes and more by sharing books, songs and rhymes. For children 19-36 months and a caregiver.

Family Story Time helps build pre-reading skills by sharing stories, singing and having fun together. For children up to 5 years and a caregiver, but siblings of all ages are welcome.

During Sensory Story Time we share books, songs and movement activities in an input-sensitive environment that is supportive of neurodiversity. For children 3 years and up and a caregiver, but siblings of all ages are welcome.

All of these programs are free, and registration is required. Check out our Programs and Events calendar to find out the dates, times and locations for these great programs. In the meantime, please remember to take some time to talk, read, sing, write and play every day.

~Lori

Climate This Too

We are very happy to report that there is a lot of interest in our new Green It. Mean It. series of programs! It appears that our community is interested in learning how to decrease their carbon emissions, save water, and lower their waste. A written comment from an attendee stated that the Electric Vehicle program was “Very Worthwhile”. And a potential Zero Waster said the program was “Fun and useful. (The) presenter was very charming and engaging.”

For those of you who haven’t had the opportunity to attend yet, we have more programs this Fall. Here’s the list:

• Low Waste Living takes place at Munroe library on Monday, September 30^th at 6:30.
• Everything You Need to Know about Electric Vehicles will take place at Westwood library on Thursday, October 3^rd at 6:30pm.
• All About Solar at Pembina Trail and Henderson Libraries on Saturday, October 19^th and Saturday, October 26^th from 2-3pm respectively. Join us and learn if you can utilize this renewable resource in your life.

If you have an avid interest in solar power then “Taming the Sun” by Varun Sivaram needs to be on your reading list. It is a fascinating new book that discusses the past, present and potential future of solar power energy.  

Here’s another new arrival that you’ll find inspiring: Unprecedented Crime: Climate Science Denial and Game Changers for Survival by Dr. Peter Carter and Elizabeth Woodworth. These climate activists discuss human rights based legal challenges that support climate action. They highlight game changers in technology and innovation. And they end with a call for a massive civil organization to fight climate change.

And for those of you who still get caught up in arguments about how real the climate challenge is, I recommend “The Madhouse Effect” by Michael E. Mann and Tom Toles. It is a relatively easy read but with fabulous citations for the disbeliever. And here is another good one on that topic.

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We hope to see you at one of our Fall programs!

The Green It. Mean It. Team  – Nadine, Reegan, Stephanie, and Andrew

In the Spotlight: Osborne Library, Millennium Library – Youth Services, Harvey Smith Library

In the Spotlight – where we share what’s happening at your library branches! This In the Spotlight focuses on the Osborne, Millennium, and Harvey Smith Libraries.

Osborne Seed Library at the Osborne Library 

The second year of the Osborne Seed Library is coming to a close, with approximately 300 packs of seeds having been “checked out” so far. The Seed Library is a free program to encourage gardening and local food production. By saving seeds we are preserving heirloom varieties and protecting biodiversity in our food crops. Just like the books you borrow from us, seeds also have a story to tell – from new immigrants bringing seeds from their home countries to re-discovering ancient squash seeds, like this huge Gete-Okosomin squash, grown in the People Garden this summer.

Carole, Branch Head of the Osborne Library, holding a Gete-Okosomin squash! This squash can grow to be 18 pounds. It’s a delicious squash too – sweet with hints of melon.

 

Every gardener we know loves to talk about their garden and what they are planting, and each season is filled with new discoveries. Winnipeg Public Library is also offering several gardening programs throughout March and April to help get you growing. Check out page 6 of the March/April At The Library Guide.

Thanks to all the gardeners who contributed seeds back in November. We hope you have great success with the seeds from our library, and don’t forget to set a few aside for us again in the fall!

Thanks to everyone who donated seeds for this year’s Seed Library. Don’t forget about us this fall when harvesting your seeds. We’ll be accepting donations!

You still have a few days to pick up some seeds –  we still have tomato, lettuce, squash (including the Gete-Okosomin), pumpkin, bean and cilantro seeds available.

 

Millennium Library – Youth Services

The Youth Services department is made up of 8 staff who are passionate about providing quality programming. You can find many of us running Baby Rhyme Time, Time for Twos, or Family Story Time on any given day in the program room. Plus, we love to get creative! When you visit our section on the main floor of Millennium Library be sure to look around at the myriad of displays that celebrate literature and community!

Prairie Sky getting everything started by introducing the readers.

One of our newer programs is called Read by Queens. This story time has  invited guest readers from the Sunshine Bunch of local organization Sunshine House. This year it was a part of the very popular Take Your Child to the Library Day and we went ALL OUT with glitter beards, unicorn masks and drag queen colouring sheets, decorative scarves, and a puppet theatre.

With the help of some librarians the royalty thoughtfully selected these stories to read:

• Don’t Let the Penguin Drive the Bus
• Julian Is a Mermaid
• Just a Walk
• You Hold Me Up

Kate, a Youth Advisory Council volunteer, helped everyone making a glitter beard.

Queens Starra, Feather and Moxie.

If you and your family want to attend this program you can look for it in the spring where we will be back with new stories. In the meantime, come visit us at the Youth Services section on the main floor of Millennium Library.

 

The WELL Program at Harvey Smith Library

Tucked in the Harvey Smith Library is a bright and inviting little classroom that houses the WELL program. A passerby can’t help but notice the activity – books, binders and laptops mix with papers, mugs of coffee… and laughter. There’s always a good time to be had in learning.

The WELL (West End Literacy and Learning) program is a certified adult literacy program funded in part by the Government of Manitoba. Up to 12 adult learners at a time are in the program, improving their basic writing, reading, numeracy and other skills. Some are preparing to enter mature student diploma programs. Others are working towards skills for employment. “I want to get better with my reading and writing to go to a higher program in the future”, says one student. “I like coming here because it’s welcoming”, says another. “We learn about Canadian history, math, spelling and we also learn about our nouns.”

Volunteer tutors provide one-on-one help under the lead of the instructor, Shannon. Classroom shelves are stocked with level-appropriate readers, dictionaries and numeracy games. Every day starts with journaling – Shannon then makes corrections and writes back to the learners after class. On Mondays, extra time is given to math. The laptops come out on Tuesdays and Wednesdays for online spelling and vocabulary – as well as writing short presentations and letters. Thursdays are a mix of activities and catching up on the week’s work.

Shannon with students in the WELL Program.

The program welcomes new learners year-round with continuous enrollment. Learn more about the WELL Program including volunteers or scheduling an intake interview!