Ness City Public Library

Posted By librarian on September 23, 2011

Hats, hats, and more hats!  There are all kinds of helmets, caps, top hats, stocking caps, berets, fedoras, bonnets, crowns, and many other kinds of hats.  Who wears all these hats?  We plan to find out, as ‘hats’ will be the theme of our fall story time sessions beginning October 4^th and 5^th for children ages 4 years though kindergarten here the Ness City Public Library.

Parents need to come by the library and fill out an enrollment form for their child/children by September 30th.  Parents may choose one of our two sessions each week, one on Tuesday evening from 7 to 7:45 p.m. and the other on Wednesday afternoon from 4 to 4:45 p.m.  Enrollment is based on a first come basis due to limited space.  This story time runs for six weeks and will end on November 8^th (Tues.) and 9^th (Wed.).

Remember we also have a Lap-Sit Story Time on the second and fourth Thursday mornings at 10:30 to 11 a.m. for children birth to four years old.   A parent or caretaker must stay with the child during this story time.

If you have questions about either program, call the library at 785-798-3415.

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on July 12, 2011

Nineteen summer readers joined us at the Ness City Swiming Pool on Saturday morning to celebrate the end of a very successful summer reading program!

We played several relay water games, and had fun ‘trashing our neighbors back yards.’ Then spend some free time just enjoyed cooling off in the pool.  Following swim time, we held a drawing for some prizes and had a cool pop and donuts.  One young man said, “Boy that was fun!  It was just like Christmas!”

Thanks to the City Council for letting us use the pool. to Susie Schlegel for staying and helping us with the games, to Kyle and Ashleigh for getting up early on a Saturday morning to lifeguard and help us carry all our stuff back and forth to the vehicles.  A great big thanks to all of the kids who took part in our summer reading program!  Even though summer reading is over, we hope you will still come to the library and read, read, read!

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on July 12, 2011

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on July 5, 2011

Fifth through Eighth Grade Summer Readers took a trip “down-under” – yes, to Australia, the only country that is also a continent.  We began with a short fact finding session about our very interesting neighbors who live in the Southern Hemisphere of our world, their country and some very unusual animals who share the “bush” and “outback” regions of Australia with them.

The kids enjoyed painting wooden lizards.  Wow, were they colorful!  I’m not sure if this specie would really roam the wild of any continent, but they were really very unique
and the kids enjoyed painting them!  Next each participant designed their own boomerang.  We took the boomerangs outside for some test flights and discovered this sport is much harder to master than we had time for.

Back inside where it was cool we made ‘fairy bread’ an ‘Aussie treat’ which was enjoyed with mangos, papaya, pineapple, grapes, bananas and some ice cold juice.  Sitting at each place at the table were wild animal skin boxes that held a treat of animal crackers of course!  Everyone received a sack of goodies to take home (binoculars, bracelets, pencil and note pad, animal print fans and a few more treasures).

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on July 5, 2011

The “One World, Many Stories”summer readers gathered at the United Methodist Church for their “Stories & Fun From Around the World” program.  Thirty-one children and fourteen adults welcomed our guest speaker, Ann Fitzgerald, who took us on a trip to Morocco a small country in northwestern Africa.  Ann shared stories and items her and her husband, Joel, brought back from one of their trip to Morocco.

We began our trip deciding what to pack in our suitcases based on the very hot weather in Morocco.   When we arrived in Morocco, the first thing the hosts did was to feed us, so everyone was served almond and dates.  She then showed us a number of beautifully crafted items, telling a little about each. Many of the items were made of came bone – a doll, a small ornate box and a very small spoon.  She also had a pair of shoes made from very soft leather that  the women of Morocco wear (their feet must be smaller than those of us in the U.S. as the shoe sizes ran at lease 2 sizes smaller).  She said the women wear very ornate and colorful garments with sequins and fringe sewn on them – even when they are working in their gardens!

Ann demonstrated how to board a camel for our ride to the sand dunes.  She share several other interesting and humorous stories about this faraway country and its’ people.

Mrs. Fitzgerald invited four of the kids come up and help her.  She asked each of them to smell what was in a plastic bag and write down what they thought it was.  When they were finished
deciding what was in each bag, she told the audience about the dogs who sniff out your luggage as you go through customs.  The dog was asked by his trainer ‘which bag’ and he put his foot on Ann’s carry-on bag.   It is against the law to bring and fruits and vegetables into the U.S. from other countries.  The attendant at the customs gate asked if she had any fruits or vegetables in her case and she said, “No.”  Now remember the bags the kids tried to identify by smell?  They contained an orange in one, an onion in another, cinnamon in one and almonds in the last one.  None of the children identified the sack with almond nuts in it.  When the man at the customs gate opened Mrs. Fitzgerald’s suite case, they found some almonds!  They let her go ahead and take the nuts with her as they were not on the list of illegal food items.   However, the dog had such a sensitive sense of smell he could tell there was something in her carry-on case that perhaps should not be in there.

Thanks so much Ann for coming and sharing with us about our neighbors in Morocco.

We still  had a little time left so we had a chop-stick and cotton ball relay and put together a floor puzzle of the United States.  Ms. Jean told a folk tale from Australia called “Why the Platypus is such a Special Creature.”  Thanks everyone for coming and making our summer reading program so much fun!

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on June 30, 2011

On Friday, June 24^th, seven third and fourth grade kids shared some of their knowledge of Japan and it culture as we began our summer reading activity session with facts about the small cluster of islands in Eastern Asia – Japan.

Our two Ms. Nancy librarians guided the children in crafting some colorful dragon wands. Then Ms. Jean shared the draw and tell story of “The Emperor’s Dragon” by Dianne de Las Casas. As the children drew along with her, they soon discovered several more dragons had arrived at the library, eight to be exact. Next Jean told the story of “The Girl Who Used Her Wits” also written by Ms. Las Casas; this was a cut and tell story and in the end we had created beautiful Japanese lanterns and fans.

Refreshment of bananas, grapes, pineapple, mangos, ‘Panda’ bites (peanut butter cereal balls) and juice were served. Of course everyone had to eat with chopsticks! Snack time ended with fortune cookies. Now we wait and see just who fortune becomes a reality!

As they left, each child was given a ‘goody bag’ with pencils, note pads, erasers, bookmarks, fun bands, a Japanese fan and other items.  Just two more weeks to enjoy learning about our friends around the world.

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on June 21, 2011

Thirteen first and second graders attended the “One World, Many Stories” summer reading activity day on June 17^th here at the library.

We started out making monkey surfer, which was a little challenging as the glue just didn’t want to dry!  The monkeys were really cute when everyone got theirs assembled and they quit falling apart!

Ms. Jean shared some facts about Mexico and we were excited to learn more about our neighbors to the south.    Jean then told the story “Papa’s Teepee” by Dianne de Las Casas as everyone built a teepee by folding and cutting paper.  At the end of the story when the winter snows began, you unfolded your teepee, you had a beautiful snowflake.  Everyone tossed their snowflakes into the air and for just a few seconds you could image that it was not 90 degrees outside.

Everyone went outside where each child took turns seeing if they could break the donkey piñata!  We ended up having to club it on the ground as our hook broke off, but the goodies inside were still hidden from us.  With a little pulling and tearing, the children finally were able to get to the treasures inside!

We returned to the library to find the table set with festive plates, napkins and a maraca at each child’s place.  Refreshment of red, white and blue tortilla chips with salsa, Mexican wedding cakes, gummy chili peppers and juice were served.  Each child received a goody bag full of, pencils, note pads, erasers, bookmarks, fun bands and several other items.

Time slipped away from us, so we were unable to do our “Mexican Hat Dance,”  but  while the kids ate Ms. Jean showed them three different sombreros and they talked about who might wear each one.   There was a straw sombrero that would be worn for everyday, perhaps in the field or just working outside in the heat.  The very ornate black and silver and the grey and blue ones would be worn by musician, dancers or to a fiesta.  Thanks to Veronica Ponce and El Dos de Oros Mexican Restaurant for letting us borrow one of the sombreros; and to Tammy Wallace and her friend for getting the other two for us to use during our “Away We Go – Maybe to Mexico” program!

See for yourself  just how much fun we had visiting Mexico our ‘Photos Shots Page”

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on June 14, 2011

 Fifty-two children and twenty-two adults attended the Richard Renner/Vodvill Klown program sponsored by the library and held at the United Methodist Church on June 9th. 

The audience laughed, hooted and hollered as Richard portrayed an ‘Ace’ pilot, a bumbling scientist, a master of the Kazoo language, an accordion playing musician and a ‘mad lib’ story teller.  Mr. Renner shared his skills of balancing, juggling, and some all around old fashion ‘vodvill’ comedy.  Of course, he needed assistance from various members of the audience to help him with his feats.  Richard also encouraged the kids to read books so they, too, could learn to be a master of any endeavor they might choose to undertake.

As a partner in promoting literacy, each child was presented a book from the Ness City Public Library.

Thanks to the Ness City United Methodist Church for letting us use the basement for this program.  And thanks to everyone who attended this event, which was a part of our “One World, Many Stories” summer reading program.  More pictures can be viewed on our Face Book page.

First and second grade boys and girls enrolled in summer reading, don’t forget to come on Friday for your “Away We Go – Maybe to Mexico!”  activity day!

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on June 8, 2011

We kicked off our “One World, Many Stories” summer reading program with a post card contest.  Twenty  summer readers of all ages designed  post card pictures using the theme “Where in the world would you like to visit and why?”  The pictures were transformed into post cards and these cards are being sent to about 40 libraries throughout the state (and one in Virginia).  Thanks to Stacey Strickland of Stevens County Library in Hugoton for the wonderful idea of a post card exchange and for coordinating the addresses!

Each of our participants received a coupon for a FREE ice cream cone from the Frigid Creme, compliments of Susan Crosswhite, and a copy of their postcard.  Thanks so much for donating the ice cream cones, Susan!  They will certainly be enjoyed on a hot summer’s day! 

Anyone may stop by the library and see the great collection of post cards; those made by our summer readers and the ones we have received from other Kansas Libraries.

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags:

Posted By librarian on June 8, 2011

The Ness City Public Library will host, Richard Renner, The Vodvill Klown, on Thursday, June 9th at the United Methodist Church basement at 2 p.m.  This program is for everyone enrolled in our summer reading program, “One World, Many Stories.” 

Mr. Renner entertains with his skills of juggeling, acrobatics, and comedy.  Children younger that first grade, must have an adult or sitter with them.  If your child is attending, please call the library at 785-798-3415 to be sure we have a seat for everyone!

Category: Library News | No Comments »
Tags: