Saline County Library Rewriting Tradition April 2022

Saline County Library Rewriting Tradition April 2022

Stacks April 2022

Beyondthe Discover more than what’s on the shelves at the Saline County Library.

In this month’s issue: • Learn about CAMCAC’s Child Abuse Awareness Rally • Find out how you can celebrate National

Library Week • April events

BLAST OFF! Our little library patron, Jared, had a great time exploring and playing in our space-themed play area. We change out our play area every few months, so be sure to check it out next time you visit!

Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library 1800 Smithers Drive Benton, AR 72015 (501) 778-4766

Mabel Boswell Memorial Library 201 Prickett Road Bryant, AR 72022 (501) 847-2166

SALINE COUNTY LIBRARY Rewrite tradition. www.SalineCountyLibrary.org

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Letter from the Director I’m not much of a gambler, but I’d be willing to bet that most people that use the library know about only a tiny fraction of the services we offer. · Check out books · Check out movies · Check out eBooks/eAudiobooks · Have programs But that’s not all we offer by a long shot. We have streaming movies, tv shows, music, and online comics. We have a Library of Things to check out that includes knitting kits, hot spots, cake pans, fishing poles, board games, early literacy kits, and more. We have resources for research and training that can teach you everything from how to code to how to play the ukulele. We have homework help for kids that includes free live tutoring. We have test prep for the SAT, ACT, College Placement Tests, and much more. We have hundreds of newspapers accessible online. We can even notarize and help you apply for a passport! - Patty

Thank you for being a friend!

The Friends of the Library are a dedicated group of volunteers who raise money to donate to the library. In February 2019, they opened a Used Book Store at the Benton branch which is open any time the library is open, and closes 30 minutes before the library closes. Visitors can browse the Used Book Store and bring their items upstairs to pay. You can also browse the Bryant Used Book Store section for a variety of materials. The Friends of the Library are always taking applications for new Friends! Fill out a form online or visit either branch to fill out a form in person. They also take donations of gently-used books, DVDs, video games, and more at both branches. Visit our website for information on donations they do not accept.

Meet the Staff Ashlyn, Youth Services Programmer: Makerspace What was your favorite toy as a kid? I had one of the classic, primary-colored Fisher Price tape players that I could be found either listening intently to one of my Big Comfy Couch or Disney storyteller cassette tapes or lugging it around as I belted “Man, I Feel Like a Woman” into the microphone with all the sass my ginger-haired toddler self could muster. If you could be in the movie/book of your choice, what would you choose and what character would you play? The Pages & Co. series, Thursday Next series, Strange Worlds Travel Agency series, any book where portal travel is a thing. If I ever find out that traveling in and out of books is real and nobody told me, I’m going to be very, very upset. What are three things still left on your bucket list? Traveling to China and meeting my sweet students in person because half of my heart 100% resides in Beijing. Becoming fluent in American Sign Language and at least one other language, probably Chinese or French. Seeing Paramore in concert… again. What fictional place would you like to visit? Maybe it’s a redhead thing, but Avonlea.

Ashlyn is the Youth Services Programmer: Makerspace and is the creative mind behind both Makerspace and Library of Things and a member of the Youth Services team at Saline County Library. Best recognized as the “orange-haired friend” behind the Benton Youth Services desk, she can also be found sharing her love for the arts and all things crafty by creating kits and teaching classes for all ages — from calligraphy and bullet journaling to homeschool music. Though only having been at SCL since April 2021, she has truly found her dream job and home here (at her childhood library!), surrounded daily by books and a freedom for creative expression.

Child Abuse Awareness Rally Friday, April 8 | Benton, AR Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center invites you to join the annual Child Abuse Awareness Rally. The Rally will raise awareness for Child Abuse Prevention Month, held annually in April, and honor those who faithfully serve children and families in our community who have been affected by abuse. Funds raised at the 2022 Rally will go toward supporting current programs at the Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center and expanding the prevention program. The Cooper-Anthony Mercy Child Advocacy Center’s mission is to utilize a multidisciplinary team approach to providing a safe, child-friendly and caring place where children are assessed when allegations of child abuse arise . The CAMCAC offers a safe, child-friendly environment, where a comprehensive and coordinated approach is taken in response to allegations of child abuse. The CAMCAC is one of 14 advocacy centers in the state of Arkansas and has the unique distinction of being the only hospital-based child advocacy center in the state. The CAMCAC serves approximately 600 clients annually and has offices located in Benton, Hot Springs, and Mena. The CAMCAC provides essential services to Arkansas’ youngest victims of abuse ranging from birth to 18 years of age. These services include forensic interviews, child advocacy, medical exams, and mental health therapy. The CAMCAC also provides education and training regarding child abuse in the communities we serve, including a child abuse prevention and body safety program for children. The CAMCAC utilizes a multidisciplinary team approach to reduce trauma placed on children during child abuse investigations, while offering a neutral child-friendly environment. The CAMCAC’s services are individualized to meet the needs of each specific child and family while still meeting the needs of the multidisciplinary team.

- Mercy.Net/Practice/Cooper-Anthony-Mercy-Child-Advocacy-Center-Hot-Springs

Youth Events Children Connect & Create - Homeschool Art Zoom Thursdays | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Zoom

Preschool Storytime* Mondays | 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM | Bryant Join Ms. Becca for a traditional storytime full of books, songs, and rhymes! Alphabet Soup Storytime* Tuesdays | 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM | Bryant Join Ms. Becca for literacy based storytime! Kids will practice early reading skills with exciting stories, fun games, songs and activities. Toddler Storytime* Tuesdays | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Benton Join Ms. Wendy for a weekly storytime designed for toddlers that features songs, a flannel story, board books, rhymes, and fun with egg shakers. This storytime is designed for children 1-3 years old. Master Builders* Tuesdays | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Benton Come build with Ms. Dana every Tuesday afternoon in April! We have LEGOs, MEGA Bloks, Magna-Tiles, and more. Come show off your Master Builder skills! Grades K-3 Preschool Storytime* Thursdays | 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM | Benton Join Ms. Jordan every Thursday morning at 10:30 for our Preschool Storytime. This storytime is suggested for children ages 3-5. We’ll sing songs, read stories, and have a fun activity each week that focuses on early literacy skills. We look forward to seeing you! Fun Day Friday* Fridays | 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Benton Join Ms. Dana for Fun Day Fridays. Each week will be a different activity! The first Friday of the month will be yoga themed, the second Friday will be ninja themed, the third Friday will be gross motor skills, and the fourth Friday will be a dance party. Come prepared to wiggle and move! Baby Prom* April 29 | 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM | Benton Fun Day Friday with Ms. Dana- Baby Prom edition! Wear your fanciest outfits and come dance with your little one.

Join Ms. Ashlyn for a weekly virtual art lesson. Each week will focus on a new artist, technique, or style of art -- learning together and creating our own masterpieces at home! Since we are creating from home, we will provide most of the supplies needed for this program! A limited number of supply kits will be available for pickup from either SCL branch. Rising Star Players* Fridays | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Benton The new semester of The Rising Star Players will begin on Sept. 3rd and will go through May. We will teach you acting basics and do scene studies. At the end of the semester, we will perform a show in front of an audience.

Creation Station Makerspace Hour* Tuesdays | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Benton Tweens & Teens

Join Ms. Ashlyn and Ms. Jordan every Tuesday after school for some creative fun with a new arts & crafts project that you can take home! Sometimes we may accidentally end up wearing a bit of our art, so be sure to wear clothes that you don’t mind getting messy. Homeschool S.T.E.A.M.* Wednesdays | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Benton Each week we will have a different STEAM-themed activity. Join Ms. Jenn and Ms. Jordan as we work on STEAM* skills, critical thinking, communication, and problem solving. Ages 10 and up are welcome. Builders’ Club* Thursdays | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Bryant Join Ms. Tamantha for exciting building challenges. Each week we will use different materials from LEGOs to cardboard. Test out your engineering skills! Create with Me* April 9 | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Benton Together you and your teen/tween will use your imaginations, create ART, and learn basic art skills. This one-on-one class is for parents and their children. Parents, please register your teen/tween, ages 8 and up, and mark yourself as the guest. Mini Game Monday Mondays | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Benton Join us Monday afternoons for silly card games and fun. All teens (13-18) are welcome. Totally Minecraft Tuesday Tuesdays | 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM | Minecraft/Discord Teens ages 13-18, join us on our Minecraft Bedrock Realm! Will you join the peaceful community or will you start your own kingdom and go to war? It’s always a fun adventure. We will also hang out in the voice chat on Discord so we can talk together. Library Prom* April 9 | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Benton Hey Teens, ages 13-18, it’s time to dance the night away in style at Library Prom 2022! Get dressed up in your fancy clothes and enjoy snacks, music, amazing dance moves and pictures! We’ll have a photo booth set up so you can take as many fun pictures as you want. Need help with your fancy clothes? Drop by the Benton library and shop our free prom dresses. Important! Contracts are required to attend this event. Pick up a contract at the Benton or Bryant library and return it by Monday, April 4th. Teens

American Girl Club* Saturday, April 2 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Bryant Children & Tweens

Kids ages 7-12 can bring their favorite doll as we explore different time periods & places inspired by American Girl through crafts, games, and treats!

Tweens

Musication Monday* Mondays | 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM | Benton

Join Ms. Ashlyn, an experienced K-12 music educator, as she brings music class to our library. We will have a blast singing, moving, and jamming along as we explore the various elements of music together. Island Time Mondays | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Nintendo Switch Online Welcome to Island Time! Join us in Animal Crossing: New Horizons on the island of Bookington. Come help Ms. Jordan turn our library island into a true luxury get- away. Email Ms. Jordan at [email protected] to join. Afterschool Tween Book Cafe* Thursdays | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Benton Come expand your book palette with Ms. Jordan through this restaurant-themed program. We will take a glance at our menu, sample a book together, and finish our three course “meal” with a sweet craft or activity. The only thing you’ll need to bring is your curiosity and your appetite for reading.

All Ages

Tie-Dye Tuesday April 5 | 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Benton & Bryant

Children, Tweens, & Teens

You can bring anything from shirts to socks to towels and more! Dye to your heart’s content! Wear some of your favorite tie dye pieces to be entered in a drawing for Sonic gift cards! Earth Day Celebration* April 21 | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Bryant Come celebrate our amazing planet by learning about seeds and making a sprout house! Browse our seed library and get your garden started by selecting from dozens of seeds you can take home for free.

Build-A-Book* Wednesdays | 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM | Benton

Have you ever dreamed of publishing your own book? Ms. Jenn and Ms. Jordan will be facilitating our very own Build-A-Book program, where you do the writing and the library does the publishing!

Adult Events

Adults April Fools’ Day Stand-Up Comedy Night April 1 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Benton

Make Your Vote Count! April 11 | 6:00 PM | Facebook LIVE

Wondering about what issues will be on the ballot? Nervous about the 2022 midterms? Election season can be confusing. We want to help you to make your voice heard in 2022. Suzy Velez, nonpartisan voting registration volunteer, will answer many frequently asked questions like: Where can I check to see that my registration is current? I’m 17, but will turn 18 before the next election - what should I do? My address has changed. My name has changed. How do I make sure I can vote? I was convicted of a felony - am I forever banned from voting? SCL Bingo April 12 | 7:30 PM | Facebook LIVE On the second Tuesday of every month, SCL would love for you to join us as we play our monthly game of bingo. You may even win a prize. Table Talk with Kari Friday, April 15 | 8:30 PM - 9:00 PM | Facebook LIVE Join Kari and special guests for games and adult conversation! SCL Trivia Night - The Office April 19 | 7:30 PM | If you think you know everything about Michael, Dwight, Pam, Jim, and all of the other zany characters of the Office, the Saline County Library has an event for you. We will be hosting an in-person trivia night featuring 20 questions about The Office. If you get the most correct, you will win an Office-themed prize. Registration is required for this event. The Art of Nature Journaling* April 20 | 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM | Benton Rob Beadel, Director of Forestry Education for the Arkansas Forestry Education Foundation, will present a free, hands-on workshop on the basic skills of nature journaling. Nature journaling is a fantastic way to get away from the everyday hustle, bustle, and rush; and practice patience, observational skills, and creative expression. Participants will make their own field journal, use their senses to explore our environment, practice basic sketching techniques, and create a unique nature poem. No art skills needed! Materials, supplies, resources, and door prizes provided. For adults; registration required. Adult D&D Night* April 20 | 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Benton Do you love playing D&D? We’ll be hosting an adult D&D night. Come out and play a one-off game with us. Registration is required for this event. DIY Bath Bombs* Bath bombs are fun, but they’re also pricey. We’ll show you how to make your own bath bombs, so you can relax and save money! Participants will make 2 bath bombs to take home. For adults only. All materials provided. Ask a Lawyer April 22 | 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM | Benton Center for AR Legal Services is giving you an opportunity to have a sit-down with a lawyer for an introductory session. Family law, housing and rental issues, and life planning can be discussed. SCL Game Show April 26 | 7:30 PM | Facebook LIVE April 21 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Benton April 28 | 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM | Bryant Every fourth Tuesday of the month, we want to test your knowledge on a wide range of topics. Join us for our SCL Game Show. You may even win a prize. Poetry Slam April 28 | 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM | Benton If you have ever written a poem and you want to share it with the world, or at least Central Arkansas, the Saline County Library may have the event for you. We are hosting a poetry slam where you can come share your favorite poem that you wrote or one by someone else. We are also looking for audience members, so when you register, you can register as either an audience member or a poetry reader.

Do you ever watch stand-up comedians and think “I am funnier than these guys” or, “ I bet I could do that too?” Now is your chance to find out. The Saline County Library is hosting a stand-up comedy night! Registration is required for this event and you can either register as a comedian or an audience member; we will need audience members! This event will be sure to tickle your funny bone. True Crime Book Club April 2 | 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Bryant Come meet Denise White Parkinson and discuss the March True Crime Book Club selection, Daughter of the White River! 19-year-old Helen Spence saw her daddy killed on a houseboat on the White River in 1931. She attended the trial and decided to take her own form of ‘River Justice,’ shooting her father’s killer six times in a DeWitt County courtroom. Monday Afternoon Book Club April 4 | 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM | Benton Chamber The Monday Afternoon Book Club meets the first Monday of the month at 1:00 PM at the Benton Chamber of Commerce. If that Monday is a holiday, they meet on the second Monday. The subjects and genres of books vary widely. If you are interested in joining the Monday Afternoon Book Club, email Brad at [email protected]. Award-winning author and journalist Mara Leveritt and cofounder & Deputy Director of Proclaim Justice Jason Baldwin will discuss their book Dark Spell: Surviving the Sentence, and talk about the most recent developments in the West Memphis murder case that garnered national attention. Leveritt, author of Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three, will be joined on stage by Baldwin, who survived eighteen years on death row before being released as part of a plea deal in 2011. DIY Adventures: Scented Soy Candle April 6 | 2:00 PM | Facebook Dark Spell: LIVE with Mara Leveritt and Jason Baldwin April 5 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Benton Event Center April is Earth Month, and we’re kicking it off with an Earth-friendly upcycling project for our DIY Adventures kits! This month, adult patrons will upcycle an empty glass yogurt jar into a scented soy candle. Kit pick-up will be available in Benton and Bryant starting Wednesday, April 6, 2022. Kits are available on a first come, first served basis, while supplies last. An instructional video for the project will be available on the Saline County Library’s Facebook page and on Niche Academy. Tai Chi for Beginners* April 8 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM | Benton Jo Tabor, a Certified Personal Trainer and fitness coach, will teach participants the basics of Tai Chi. This is a program for beginning practitioners, but all skill levels welcome. A few yoga mats will be available, although participants are encouraged to bring their own. Dress comfortably for movement. For adults 18+. Jackbox Game Night April 8 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Pasta J Benton We’re hosting a Jackbox Game Night! Jackbox games are a fun and innovative way to have fun and play games online. The event will be at Pasta J in Benton in the party room! Spring Photography with Lisa April 9 | 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Benton Do your family photos look like a conga line? Do your landscapes look NOTHING like what you saw with the naked eye? Lisa can help! Lisa Putman has always had an eye for composition. Her photos have been featured in calendars, magazines, and advertising. Come learn the tips and tricks like the ‘Rule of Thirds’ that will make your photos come to life!

What We’ve Been Reading Dead Silence by S.A. Barnes | Reviewed by Collections Assistant, Taylor Claire Kovalik works in the farthest reaches of explored space with her beacon repair crew. They travel from outpost to outpost, making sure that the technology that makes interstellar communications possible is in working

order. Advances in technology are about to make this job obsolete however, and Claire and her team are doing one last job before they all become unemployed. On their last mission, the crew picks up a strange distress signal and they decide to investigate. What they find at the other end of this decades-long signal is a complete shock: the Aurora, a luxury space-liner, the first of its kind and most famously known for mysteriously disappearing on its maiden voyage of the solar system more than twenty years ago. A discovery like this could set Claire and her crew up for life, and they quickly decide to mount an expedition onto the ship. But as soon as they step onto the ship, they realize something terrible happened before the ship disappeared. The crew finds cryptic messages scrawled in blood on the walls, mutilated bodies, and a missing ship’s log and black box. Soon the crew begins hearing whispers in the dark and starts seeing flickers of movement from the corners of their eyes. Claire must fight to hold onto her sanity and find out what really happened on the Aurora before she and her crew meet the same ghastly fate. I love haunted house stories, and Dead Silence reads like a haunted house story in space. Claire is an unreliable narrator, and at times you’ll wonder if the ghostly apparitions throughout this book are physical or psychological. She’s a protagonist that you can’t help but root for, and the horrors that Claire and her team face are all the scarier because you want them to survive against all odds. If you enjoy space thrillers or found footage horror movies, you’ll love the setting and horror elements of this book. I can’t wait to see what this author writes next!

April Seeds The following are seeds you can request for the month of April! Simply visit the Seed Library page of our website and request your desired seeds. You

may request up to five seed packets per month.

Sunflowers Zinnias Fruits: Cantaloupe Watermelon Herbs: Cilantro Dill Lavender

Swiss Chard Tomatoes Turnips Zucchini

Daisy Dephinium Dianthus Echinacea

Vegetables: Arugula Asparagus Beans-Green Beets Broccoli Cabbage Cabbage-Bok Choy/ Pak Choi Carrots

Mustard Okra Onion-Red Peas Pepper-Hot Pumpkin Radish Rutabaga Spinach Squash-Scallop

Cauliflower Collards Corn Cucumbers Eggplants Kale Kohlrabi

Forget-Me-Not Four O’Clocks Marigolds Mixed Flowers Morning Glories Nasturtium Phlox Flower Poppy Snapdragons

Flowers: Alyssum Amaranth

Bachelor Buttons Canterbury Bells

Cleome Cosmos Dahlias

Lettuce Meslun

CONNECT WITH YOUR Library NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK 2022 APRIL 3-9, 2022

Celebrate National Library Week with us by participating in our dress-up days with the chance to win a $20 gift card to a local business each day! Just take a picture and use the #SCLNLW2022. MONDAY Pajama Day! Wear your (appropriate) pajamas and come hang out at the library! We’ll also be giving out a select amount of free pajamas!

Tie-Dye Tuesday! Wear your tie-dye and join us at 4:00 PM at either branch for a tie-dye party! Bring your own clothes to tie-dye, and we’ll supply the materials!

TUESDAY

Wacky Tacky Wednesday! Mismatch your clothes to the best of your ability!

WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

Throwback Thursday! Take it way back to the decade of your choice and channel your inner disco queen or hair metal band.

Fictional Friday! Live out your fictional dreams by dressing up as your favorite character! From books and video games to movies and TV shows, the possibilities are endless!

FOOD DRIVE Our community pantry is low! We are in need of snack foods and personal hygiene items such as bar soap, shampoo, toothpaste, diapers, and feminine hygiene products. Donate this National Library Week!

Dark Spell: LIVE with Mara Leveritt and Jason Baldwin APRIL 5 | 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM | BENTON EVENT CENTER Award-winning author and journalist Mara Leveritt and cofounder & Deputy Director of Proclaim Justice Jason Baldwin will discuss their book Dark Spell: Surviving the Sentence, and talk about the most recent developments in the West Memphis murder case that garnered national attention. Leveritt, author of Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three, will be joined on stage by Baldwin, who survived eighteen years in prison before being released as part of a plea deal in 2011. Please register to attend at http://bit.ly/DarkSpellLive.

Learn more about Proclaim Justice at ProclaimJustice.org or scan the QR code:

HOW DO I GET A LIBRARY CARD? • Come by and bring us a photo ID with a current address or a photo ID plus proof of your current address. • If you do not live or own property in Saline County, make sure to bring a paystub showing you work here or a document that shows you attend school here. • Citizens of Cleveland, Dallas, Garland, Grant, and Hot Spring counties can apply for a Saline County Library card because of a special reciprocal agreement by the six library boards. • Go online to apply for a library card at www.SalineCountyLibrary.org or scan the QR code.

RESOURCE SPOTLIGHT:

You can access the NY Times for free while using the Saline County Library WiFi. Just log onto the library WiFi, then click the link to register your NY Times account. You can also access the NY Times without library WiFi for free for 24 hours here. To activate this subscription, you will need to log in or register first. https://www.salinecountylibrary. org/elibrary/all-resources/

WHAT UNIQUE ITEMS AND SERVICES ARE AVAILABLE?

Library of Things Categories: • Kitchen • Outdoors & Recreation • Health & Wellness • Board & Card Games

Services Offered: • Computer Lab • Free WiFi • Online Resources • Passport Application Assistance

• Arts & Crafts • Video Games • Learning Kits • Language Learning • Entertainment • Tools & Equipment • Hotspots • Book Club Kits

• Public Notary • Makerspace • Entertaining & Informative Programs • Music, Movie, TV Show Downloads & Streaming

Bob Herzfeld Memorial Library 1800 Smithers Drive Benton, AR 72015 (501) 778-4766

Mabel Boswell Memorial Library 201 Prickett Road Bryant, AR 72022 (501) 847-2166

SALINE COUNTY LIBRARY Rewrite tradition.

Connect:

Get the App: