By KATHY McGILBERRY
With two-thirds of the month left and your correspondent back at work after some vacation time, let’s examine the activities available to you at McAlester Public Library in September. We have the usual array of regular programming, plus a big celebration Sept. 25. And we have 10,000 reasons for you to attend.Children’s programs are back full-steam, with Lap Sit story times every Tuesday at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. and Movie Time at 4 p.m. Story Times for children age three and over happen every Wednesday at 10 a.m. Check Miss Anita’s calendar at the front desk for details of these and other programs.
Among the teen activities this month are a Mario Cart Tournament, Game Times, book club, and a cooking class featuring Tortilla Rollups. Pick up a teen calendar at the front desk or check the website, http://www.mcalesterlibrary.net, for details.
There will be something for everyone–children, teens and adults—when we gather in the lower parking lot from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25 for a huge celebration of a milestone Head Librarian Christine Sauro has been working toward for a while now.
She set for herself a goal of 10,000 library card registrations—perhaps you noticed the big banner at the library entrance with her little red car tootling its way along the “Road to 10,000.” We’re happy to report that by the end of summer programming this year, the little red car reached its destination.
With 10,000 customers holding library cards from McAlester Public Library, what else could we do but schedule an afternoon of fun for the whole family? Join us for cake, punch and lots of activities. Already scheduled are: bouncy houses, a fire truck from McAlester Fire Department, a cupcake walk for children, a drug dog demonstration and a face painting booth. We’ll be adding even more activities as the month progresses. You won’t want to miss this one, folks!
Plus, we’ll be giving away another free Kindle. Stop by the library all month long to register.
Now, for the rest of September’s adult and family activities:
*Wednesday, Sept. 12—The monthly free crafts workshop will meet from 1-3 p.m. to make beautiful autumn wreaths.
*Thursday, Sept. 13—The Night Readers book club chose an Agatha Christie mystery for the month, and movie fans in the group decided they wanted to see the film too. So join us at 6 p.m. in the Whiteacre Room to see Barry Fitzgerald and Walter Huston in the 1945 film version of Christie’s first mystery. You don’t have to be in the book club to attend the film, and we’ll have plenty of free popcorn, as always.
*Friday, Sept. 14—Computer Tech Anthony Smart will teach the second of four computer classes in the Whiteacre Room. This Photo Editing class will run from 3-5 p.m. You must be registered to attend. As of this writing, there are still a few spaces left, so hurry! Call us at 918-426-0930 to get signed up.
*Monday, Sept. 17—The Light Readers will meet with leader Ellen Barlow at 6 p.m. in the Conference Room to discuss “Ransomed Dreams” by Sally John. You’ll find a table of lovely refreshments at this and other book club meetings, and a roomful of new friends. Join us!
*Tuesday, Sept. 18—The Friends of the Library resume their monthly meetings after a summer break, with a noon luncheon. Featured speaker will be Heather Para. Everyone is welcome to attend. Then at 6:30 p.m. in the Conference Room, the Night Readers will gather to discuss “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie.
*Wednesday, Sept. 19–Local resident (and author) Frances Mills Walker has generously volunteered her time to teach a six-week “Knitting for Fun” class beginning on this day. The group (which filled up fast!) will meet at 11 a.m. in the Conference Room. If you’re on the waiting list, we’ll let you know if there are openings, or if another class is formed. If you are registered, remember to bring a Size 8 or 9 set of knitting needles to the first class. We’ll clue you in about supplies at the first class—the library will provide one skein of yarn for a small project, but you may want to tackle something bigger. We’ll talk about that when we meet.
*Friday, Sept. 21—It’s an “Ask Anything!” session of computer class from 3-4 p.m. in the Whiteacre Room. Call ahead to register.
*Saturday, Sept. 22—Documentary Matinee at 2 p.m. in the Whiteacre Room will feature the newly-released look at the on- and off-stage life of Katy Perry. Join us for free popcorn and a colorful, family-friendly flick.
*Monday, Sept. 24—The Film Movement independent film of the month is “Hospitalite,” an absurdist comedy from Japan. This unrated movie, with English subtitles, tells the story of Mikio Kobayashi, who lives quietly with his wife, daughter, and divorced sister in downtown Tokyo. Xenophobic neighbors insist they attend community watch meetings, and the only recent excitement is the disappearance of a pet parrot. One day Kagawa appears, claiming to be the son of a financier who once helped Kobayashi’s company. Kagawa soon ingratiates himself as a live-in employee and proceeds to comically turn the Kobayashi’s monotonous life upside down with his odd behavior, unexpected visitors, and bizarre schemes. Join us each final Monday of the month for a new, often foreign, independent film. Free popcorn, as always.
*Tuesday, Sept. 25—Last month the Socrates Café group discussed the question “Does the end justify the means?”. You can pose your own questions, and join the conversation by attending this monthly gathering at 10 a.m. We meet for brunch and philosophical discussion the final Tuesday of every month in the Conference room. It’s a lively gathering, and you’re sure to hear something unexpected.
Then at 4 p.m., join us in the lower parking lot, just off Second St. as we celebrate reaching the 10,000 cardholders goal! Look for more details as the month progresses.
*Wednesday, Sept. 26—The second class of the six-week “Knitting for Fun” course meets at 11 a.m. in the Conference Room.
*Thursday, Sept. 27—There are still three sets of books available for this Fall’s “Let’s Talk About It, Oklahoma” reading and discussion series. Hurry! The theme is a foodie’s dream: “Much Depends on Dinner.” We open Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. with Dr. Trisha Yarbrough presenting “The Last Chinese Chef” by Nicole Mones. Early bird readers tell me this is a most enjoyable novel, plus we’ll have scads of great refreshments and door prizes for this series. So don’t miss it. But first, we open with a movie.
See director Ang Lee’s story about a Chinese chef and his three daughters, with mouthwatering cinematography and a plot so tasty it was remade as “Tortilla Soup.” This PG-13 film, with English subtitles, will whet your appetite for all the books and movies to come.
*Friday, Sept. 28—Looking for work? You won’t want to miss the computer class “Job Search: Online Resources” with Anthony Smart. Register today.
We have all this, and more, at your local library. Check us out on Facebook and Twitter, visit our website at http://www.mcalesterlibrary.net or just stop by and say hello. Hope to see you at the library!
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