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.