Tuesday, May 21, 2019

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.

Thursday, May 9, 2019

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.”

Friday, May 3, 2019

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.