Library changing its hours to be open longer

In an effort to serve the public more effectively, Rolling Hills Library is changing the hours its Belt Branch and Savannah Branch will be open, beginning Thursday, Jan. 2. With the change, the branches will be open two hours longer each week and will be open on some federal holidays.

The Belt Branch is currently open 1-5 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The new hours will be noon-6 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

The Savannah Branch is now open 1-5 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. The new hours will be noon-5 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

Both branches also will be open on Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day and Veterans Day.

“We are aligning our hours closer to the demand we see from users, based on foot traffic statistics and requests from users,” Library Director Michelle Mears said. “These changes add 292 hours to library availability per year.”

The library will continue to honor the origins and reasons for the four holidays by serving the public on those days and having programs related to the holidays, Mears said.

Fairy tales are the topic of children's exhibit coming to Upper Story

For children, fairy tales are fun stories with talking animals, giants and elves. For adults, they can be links to their own childhoods while being recognized as the basis of modern books and movies.

The history, meaning and significance of fairy tales is the subject of the colorful children’s exhibit Once Upon a Time … Exploring the World of Fairy Tales on display from Friday, Sept. 20, to Sunday, Jan. 5, 2020 at the Belt Branch Upper Story.

The exhibit will be open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and 1-5 p.m. Sundays. School and group visits can be arranged by calling 816-205-7101.

Visitors will step into seven stories from around the globe, including Anansi and the Talking Melon, Beauty and the Beast, Jack and the Beanstalk, Cinderella, Thumbelina, the Shoemaker and the Elves, and Lon Po Po. The large-scale settings feature art from children’s books and have interactive components, including computers, costumes to wear, a dinner table with play food and a cobbler’s shop to make shoes.

The traveling exhibit was produced by The Magic House, St. Louis Children’s Museum and the St. Louis Public Library and is made possible by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Friends of the Rolling Hills Library provided the funding to bring the exhibit to St. Joseph.

It’s the third large-scale children’s exhibit the library has sponsored in three years in a continued effort to provide a big-city experience for families to enjoy for free.

“We know of parents and caregivers who bring their kids to these exhibits multiple times because they find something different every time,” Library Director Michelle Mears said. “With these exhibits, you can come as many times as you want in the 14 weeks they’re here because it’s free. It’s not like going to Kansas City and seeing something only once because it costs too much to do.”

Newest educational tablets not just for kids

     Earlier this year, the library began checking out computer tablets loaded with children’s educational games. Families could use them at home, on car trips or while waiting at the doctor’s office. Based on the popularity of those LiteracyGo tablets, the library has added 15 new tablets and plans to add 12 more on a quarterly basis. But these tablets aren’t just for kids.

     The new Playaway Launchpads are 7-inch tablets that contain educational games, puzzles and activities for youths and teens and brain games for adults. They cover math, geography, spelling and language skills while also helping stimulate memory and creativity. The tablets come with a charger and cable and have a rubber wrapping that is soft to hold and protects the tablets if dropped. Each one has a different theme and is geared for a certain age group.

     A list of the Launchpads can be found in the library’s online catalog at rhcl.org by selecting the Booklists tab under the What’s Hot heading. Families can have two Launchpads checked out at a time and should ask for them at the Service Desks. The tablets check out for three weeks and are available at the Belt Branch, Savannah Branch and Bookmobile.

     Library Director Michelle Mears said the library purchased the Launchpads because they come in a variety of age ranges, have a wider variety of activities and include popular children’s characters, including My Little Pony, Transformers, Littlest Pet Shop, Berenstain Bears, Caillou, Peanuts and the Smurfs.

     The library’s first LiteracyGo tablets are still available to be checked out.

Free flu shot clinic coming to Belt Branch

The St. Joseph Health Department will have a free, flu-shot clinic for uninsured and under-insured residents from 1-3 p.m. Monday, Oct. 28, in the Belt Branch Community Room.

The clinic is for adults ages 19 and older who do not have insurance or whose insurance does not cover flu shots. Pregnant women will need to bring a note from their doctor. No appointments are necessary.

Library Jobs in Savannah

There are two jobs open right now at our Savannah Branch.  Go to https://rhcl.org/jobs for more information on each position and how to apply.

SRP numbers were out of this world!

The final numbers are in, and 2019 was another stellar year for the Summer Reading Program at Rolling Hills Library, with our theme being a Universe of Stories.

We had 2,794 people register for the summer program, and 1,447 of them (or 51.8 percent) met or exceeded their reading goals. That’s an increase of 139 over the 2018 success rate, when just 43.5 percent of participants met their goal.

Participants can select how to keep track of their reading in our program, choosing the number of books read, minutes read or pages read. This year, our participants read 23,317 books, 56,151 minutes and 127,844 pages, exceeding goals in each category (with pages read seeing a 42.7 percent increase over 2018 pages read).

We also put on 140 summer classes and events at the Belt and Savannah branches, drawing 3,764 participants.

Cake pans added to library's recipe of materials to check out

Fishing poles, ukuleles, folding tables and wi-fi hotspots are just some of the less traditional items available to check out from the library. Add cake pans to that list now.

More than 25 different pans can be checked out for up to three weeks, just like most other library materials. The majority of the pans were donated by library member Sandy Mastrangelo, who used to have a small cake decorating business but is now retired.

The idea to give the pans to the library came from a friend who saw a similar collection at an Iowa library. She took a picture and sent it to Mastrangelo.

“I hope this generates some new life for the pans,” she said. “To me, it’s a dying profession because now everyone wants cupcakes.”

The pans are in the shapes of animals, a flower, toy soldier and Disney, Sesame Street and cartoon characters. They can be viewed online at the library website, rhcl.org. Look for the Library Catalog tab under the Technology drop-down menu. Then choose Booklists under the What’s Hot listing of items. The pans are stored at the Belt Branch but are available to all library members.

Mastrangelo will discuss how to use the pans and how to decorate cakes in a program at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22, at the Belt Branch.

The pans are another out-of-the ordinary item to provide patrons who might need something for a limited time but don’t want to purchase them.

“If you were going to have a garage sale, you probably wouldn’t go out and buy a 6-foot-long table and use it just once. You can check those out from us,” said Library Director Michelle Mears. “And how many Fred Flintstone cakes will you need to make in your life? Probably just one.”

The library also checks out some technology items. Wi-fi hotspots provide internet connections for people who don't have internet service at home or when they travel. Families can check out computer tablets loaded with educational games for preschoolers. And Wonder Bibles are audio players loaded with the Old and New Testaments.

Adults who want to obtain a high school diploma can check out Hiset prep kits that contain a laptop computer and mobile wi-fi hotspot for extended checkout times. The kits work in conjunction with the MOLearns.com program from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and are free to check out. Information about the kits can be found online at rhcl.org/high-school.

Belt Branch to open early Aug. 10 for special needs families

The stereotype of a library is that of a quiet place where people can concentrate on their reading and work. In reality, libraries can be busy, noisy places that can be upsetting to some people.

On Saturday, Aug. 10, the Belt Branch will open early from 8-9 a.m. for youths and adults who are on the autism spectrum or have sensory issues. Known as an Accessible Browsing Hour, the time will provide a quieter setting without a crowd. No registration is needed to attend.

“This is an opportunity for those who find the library too noisy or too overwhelming to visit for a program or to check out materials to have their own time in the library,” said Sarah Sieg, Belt Branch youth services librarian.

The hour also will give caregivers and families a chance to use the library without worrying about how their special needs members might be viewed by others if they act out in surprising manners or make unexpected noises.

Sieg hopes to make the special browsing hour a regular event if the August event proves to be popular.

The Quasi Brothers to perform at Rolling Hills Library

The history of the banjo and how it helped lead to bluegrass music will be the subject of a musical program at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 27, when the duo The Quasi Brothers present a Classy Seniors program in the Belt Branch Community Room.

The duo consists of Jesse Graber of Kansas City, Kan., and Steve Goeke of Kearney, Mo., and plays a version of old-time music that includes fiddle tunes on banjo and fiddle and brother-style duets on guitar and mandolin.

Goeke, who plays banjo and guitar, has played in many groups over the years, most recently with the Alfred Packer Memorial String Band of Lawrence, Kan. Graber plays fiddle and mandolin and has played with groups such as The Book of JEBB and The Grease Fire String Band. The duo has played for the Paul Mesner Puppet Theater in Kansas City and at the Kansas State Fiddling and Picking Championship.

Classy Seniors is the Belt Branch’s program series for ages 55 and older, but the events are open to all ages. 

Inclement weather cancels Belt Touch-a-Truck

Because of the inclement weather, the Belt Branch has called off the Touch-a-Truck festival that was originally scheduled for today (Tuesday, May 21) in the Belt parking lot.

In its place, the library will open the Bookmobile and its Belt garage for tours from 3-5 p.m. Young children will be able to do crafts and activities in the Community Room, and families also can sign up for the Summer Reading Program while at the library.

The Savannah Branch is scheduled to have its Touch-a-Truck festival from 3-5 p.m. Thursday, May 23, in its parking lot at 514 W. Main.

Rolling Hills Library to have tax levy election Aug. 6

On Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2019, Rolling Hills Library will hold an election to ask voters in Andrew County and parts of Buchanan County to continue the portion of its operating levy that is sunsetting after 20 years.

In 1999, voters approved a 15-cent increase to the library’s then-existing levy of 16 cents, raising it to $0.31 cents per $100 of assessed property valuation. Voters will decide if the levy should remain at that amount for another 20 years. If it fails, the levy would expire at the end of 2019 and cut the library’s budget in half.

The 15-cent levy has been important to the library’s growth, Library Director Michelle Mears said.

“We have improved and expanded our library branches, reinstituted bookmobile service to schools and rural communities, added to both the physical and digital collections, and provided top-notch programs and services, including traveling exhibits and becoming a passport acceptance facility,” she said.

If the levy passes, the library will continue to grow its material collection, increase its early literacy offerings, add more modern technology, and increase partnerships with local businesses and non-profits to improve the two counties, Mears said.

An election loss would mean cutbacks in library hours, staff, and materials.

“Because it is nearly half of our operating budget, we would have to reduce or eliminate programs and stop hosting our early literacy exhibits from children’s museums across the country,” Mears said.

The Rolling Hills Library district takes in all of Andrew County and the rural parts of Buchanan County outside of the 1965 St. Joseph city limits. Some areas in east, northeast, and south St. Joseph now fall within the district because of city growth after 1965. Voters who are unsure if they reside in the Rolling Hills district can consult their voter registration cards, property tax statements, or a map on the Levy Info page of the library’s website, rhcl.org, or ask at the Belt Branch, Savannah Branch, or Bookmobile.

The last day to register to vote for the Aug. 6 election is Wednesday, July 10.

Summer Reading Program to be out of this world

Parents wanting to get a jump on their kids' summer plans and anyone else looking forward to reading through the warm season can sign up beginning Monday, May 13, for the 2019 Summer Reading Program.

From June 3 through July 27, all ages – from babies to adults – can win prizes by taking part in the annual readfest. Participants will set their own goals and keep track of them on reading logs. They’ll earn prizes as they work toward their goals and be entered in a prize drawing for gift baskets and three grand prizes of $100 Walmart gift cards.

The summer’s theme is “A Universe of Stories” and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Two months of programs and events are planned for adults, teens and youths, many of which are related to space, including planetarium shows on Thursday, June 13, and Tuesday, July 16, at Missouri Western State University; astronaut training sessions for kids on Monday, July 1, and Wednesday, July 3; and a special event on Thursday, July 18, for all ages to mark the 1969 moon landing.

Getting the summer started is the decidedly earth-bound program of Touch-a-Truck. From 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, May 21, at the Belt Branch and 3-5 pm. Thursday, May 23, at the Savannah Branch, youths can get see and get inside a variety of emergency vehicles, work trucks and other industrial rides in the library parking lots.

The summer’s lineup of featured performers (who will be at the libraries on Mondays) includes local biologist Jonn Casey and his spiders, lizards, snakes and other creatures on June 3, Mad Science of Kansas City on June 10, singer-songwriter Jennifer Daniels on June 17, singer-storyteller Mike Anderson (aka Dulcimer Guy) on June 24, juggler Brian Wendling on July 8, the Mesner Puppet Theater on July 15 and reptile handler Serengeti Steve on July 22.

All of these events are to bring readers young and old to the library and to inspire them to read while they are out of school or if they need entertainment.

 “We know that people are busy, and everyone reads at a different pace, so participants in our program get to set their own goals,” Belt Branch manager Kelly Morris said. “The goals can be as high or as low as you want, and reading can be tracked by minutes, titles or pages -- whatever method is easiest for you to keep track of. We just want people to read!”

Parents have their own important role when it comes to encouraging their kids to read.

“Studies show that when children see the adults in their lives reading, it encourages them to become readers as well,” Morris said. “Reading is especially important for children over the summer and any amount of reading can help prevent ‘summer slide’ -- kids losing skills over the summer when they’re not in school and having to relearn things in the fall.”

Library to be closed Wednesday, May 8

Both branches of the library will be closed all day Wednesday, May 8, for staff training. We will open again for regular hours on Thursday, May 9.

May Events at the Belt Branch

In May, we are busy gearing up for the Summer Reading Program (sign-up starts May 13!), but we also have some fun and informative events scheduled at the Belt Branch.  Some of them require registration, so check it out soon!  Also, if you're wondering what's in Savannah, or where the Bookmobile will be, go to https://rhcl.org/events.

Build a Chalkboard Planter (must register)
 Thursday, May 2, 4:30pm

Touch-a-Truck
 Tuesday, May 21, 3-5pm

Google Docs (must register)
 Tuesday, May 7, Storyhouse, 4pm

Summer Snacks (must register)
 Tuesday, May 7, Community Room, 5:30pm

Music & Musings
 Monday, May 13, Community Room, 7pm

Crochet Make & Take:  Stitch Sampler (must register)
 Tuesday, May 14, Community Room, 6pm

Book Club Book Swaps (bring a book to swap)
 Wednesday, May 15, Community Room, 12pm AND 6:30pm

Pixlr Editor 101 (must register)
 Thursday, May 16, Community Room, 6:30pm

Drop-In Tech Help
 Friday, May 17, Community Room, 3-5pm

Mom's Morning Out:  Summer Fun Activities for Kids (includes brunch!)
  Saturday, May 18, Community Room, 10am

Now Batting for the Mustangs... (first 25 get a free Mustangs ticket)
  Monday, May 20, Community Room, 6:30pm

Uke-Can Ukelele Club
  Monday, May 20, Upper Story, 7pm

Classy Seniors:  Run-Walk-Run Your Way to Fit!
  Thursday, May 23, Community Room, 10am

Be Smarter Than Your Smartphone
  Tuesday, May 28, Storyhouse, 4pm

Access Library Resources on Your Mobile Device

Did you know you can get e-books, audio, music, movies, and magazines on your phone or tablet?  All for FREE?

We have: OverDrive, Hoopla, Axis360, RBdigital, Qello Concerts, AcornTV, RomanceBookCloud, TumbleBooks for Kids, and more!

Links to all of our downloadables can be found here at https://rhcl.org/digital-library and more learning resources at https://rhcl.org/online-learning.  All you need is your library card number and a PIN/password.  Some sites may ask you to create an account linked to your library card.

You can also use your smart TV or Roku device to access both learning and entertainment videos at home.  Look for a way to add apps like Hoopla or AcornTV to your smart device and then log in as instructed.

New Lucky Day DVDs require no holds

Are you dreading the wait time for your name to come up on the holds list so you can check out the “A Star is Born” DVD? What about “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Favorite” or “Fantastic Beasts: Crimes of Grindelwald?”

If so, then today could be your lucky day as the library has created a special collection of new and popular DVDs that can be checked out without having to put a hold on them. The name of this group of DVDs -- the Lucky Day Collection.

The library purchases several copies of popular movies to meet the demand from members to watch them. The demand is so great for some movies that the holds list can become lengthy and take months for a DVD to get to many patiently-waiting members.

Now, a few extra copies of popular movies will be set aside to check out for seven days (DVDs usually check out for three weeks) with a limit of two Lucky DVDs per account. If a movie is on the Lucky Day shelf at the Belt Branch, Savannah Branch or Bookmobile, then it’s yours to check out. 

Lucky you!

2nd Fundraiser Bee to Test Geography Knowledge, March 23rd

You may know how to spell nasturtium, but do you know the capital of West Virginia?

How much someone knows about the world and its features – and not how to spell some of those foreign names – will be challenged Saturday, March 23, when the library’s second Annual Library Fundraiser Bee turns its attention to geography.

Questions about physical geography – what’s the longest river in the world? – but not political geography – who is the president of Venezuela? – will be the subject of the adults-only event that begins at 6 p.m. in the Belt Branch Upper Story.

Up to 10 teams of four to eight adults will take questions through eight rounds. Some questions will be addressed by individuals and others will be team activities. Teams can purchase mulligans to earn and retain points if they answer a question incorrectly.

The entry fee is $10 per team member and $5 for spectators, and both teams and spectators can purchase mulligans to help teams. Because beer and wine will be sold, spectators and participants must be 21 or older.

Last year’s spelling bee was a success for both the participants and its sponsors, the Friends of the Library and the Rolling Hills Library Foundation, raising $1,200 for the Foundation’s endowment fund.

“When you do a fundraiser, you don’t want to make it feel like you’re there just for the money. You want people to have fun,” said library Director Michelle Mears, who was decked out in a bee costume at the spelling bee. “We got a lot of comments like ‘Are you going to do this next month?’ They wanted us to do a spelling bee every month!”

As part of the fundraiser, the library is selling raffle tickets for a bee-themed quilt that was pieced together by library staff members and quilted by Quilts by David. The quilt is on display at Books Revisited until the night of the bee for the public to see and purchase tickets. The winning ticket will be drawn that night.

Teams can register and pay their fees at Books Revisited. Spectator tickets also can be purchased in advance at the bookstore or at the geography bee.

If spelling is more of your thing than geography, don’t worry. Plans are for spelling to be the bee’s theme in even numbered years while geography, history and trivia rotate through the odd years.

Spell that e-x-h-i-l-a-r-a-t-i-o-n.

Adult Winter Reading Programs Celebrate Completions!

The Adult Winter Reading program has finished and both branches are planning celebrations.  Good food, great conversation, and prizes will be available for all attendees.  Please RSVP so enough food can be provided.

Belt Branch will have their party from 6-8 pm on Tuesday, March 12 in the Upper Story.

Savannah Branch has planned their celebration from 5:30 to 7 pm on Thursday, March 14 in the Meeting Room.

Patience Requested for Website Migration

We would like to thank you for your patience over the next three weeks while we work on updates to our web site, including our events calendar and room reservation system.  Please call one of the library branches or stop by any service desk if you have questions or issues.  The reward for this hiccup in services will eventually include an all-new library app and improved and fully integrated web services.

Poet, MWSU Dancers Collaborating on Event March 6th

Award-winning poet Kwame Dawes is coming to St. Joseph in March for a special performance of his works, and Rolling Hills Library is helping sponsor the event.

Dawes, an English professor at the University of Nebraska and editor-in-chief of the university’s literary journal, Prairie Schooner, will read his works while Missouri Western dancers perform choreography inspired by his poetry.

The free performance will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, in the Potter Hall Theatre at Missouri Western. A reception will follow to celebrate the 2019 edition of The Mochilla Review, Missouri Western’s literary journal.

Born in Ghana in 1962, Dawes moved with his family in 1971 to Jamaica. He graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1983 and then studied and taught at the University of New Brunswick, where he earned a doctorate in comparative literature.

From 1992 to 2012, he taught at the University of South Carolina as an English professor, poet-in-residence and was director of the South Carolina Poetry Initiative. He won the 1994 Forward Poetry Prize, Best First Collection for his “Progeny of Air” and in 2009 won an Emmy Award for a documentary project about HIV/AIDS in Jamaica that combined poetry, photography and music.

Rolling Hills is one of four sponsors of the event, including Missouri Western, the Prairie Lands Writers Project and St. Joseph Public Library.