The Metropolitan Library System sends this information as posted below:
National Library Week is from April 7 to 13. Metro locations are celebrating with a range of events and crafts in addition to the Literary Voices® series. Throughout the week, libraries offer diverse activities such as storytimes, scavenger hunts, book clubs, crafting sessions, poetry events, and skill-testing challenges like guessing games and raffles. Several of our libraries will be hosting library-themed displays at their locations throughout April. These displays will feature a delightful array of children’s books centered around libraries and reading, as well as exhibits showcasing why our guests cherish their library experience. Participating libraries include Edmond Library, The Village Library, Bethany Library, Del City Library, and Midwest City Library. In addition to our library-specific events, you can join us for Read Across Oklahoma at the Oklahoma City Zoo on April 9! We hope you can make time to celebrate National Library Week at your local library this month.
Take-Home Kits and Passive Programs at your Local Library
• StoryWalk “A Library” by Nikki Giovanni and Library Cards Throughout Metro’s History at Bethany Library – throughout April
• Scavenger Hunts at Edmond Library, Southern Oaks Library, Belle Isle Library, Bethany Library, and Midwest City Library– throughout April
• Book-to-Movie Madness Bracket at Almonte Library – throughout April
• Library Staff Book Picks at Belle Isle Library – throughout April
• Decorate a Book Cover at Northwest Library – throughout April
• A Poem a Day at Ralph Ellison Library – throughout April
• Library Welcome Bags for New Cards Issued at Capitol Hill Library – Available while supplies last starting April 1
• Recycled Book Pages Craft at Midwest City Library – April 1 to April 13
• Take-Home Tuesday: Learn Sign Language with Library Resources at Del City Library – April 2, first come, first served for adults.
• Guess How Many Books are in the Library at Ralph Ellison Library and Del City Library – April 7 to April 13
• Guess How Many Books are in the Midwest City YA Section/Children’s Section at Midwest City Library – April 7 to April 13
• Test Your Library Skills During National Library Week and Win a Prize at Warr Acres Library – April 7 to April 13. Prizes given away after completion.
• Library Week Raffle at Community Libraries (Choctaw, Harrah, Jones, Luther, and Nicoma Park libraries) – April 7 to April 13. Winners announced after.
• Library Card Holder Necklace at Edmond Library – April 8 to April 14
• Make a Bookmark Take & Make Kit at Midwest City Library – April 8 to April 14, while supplies last.
In-Person Programs at your Library –
• ebook Club: “Crazy Rich Asians” at Southern Oaks Library – April 1 at 2:00pm/ Explore Literary Voices author Kevin Kwan’s “Crazy Rich Asians.”
• Finding Your Voice: A Poet’s Journey to Self-Expression at Northwest Library – April 1 from 6:00pm-8:00pm
• Nonfiction Book Club at Del City Library – April 6 at 2:00pm
• Guided Acrylic Painting: Library Scene at Midwest City Library – April 6 at 2:00pm
• Library Storytimes at Midwest City Library April 8 at 10:00am & 11:00am, Bethany Library April 9 at 10:00am, Village Library April 9 at 10:00am, and Belle Isle Library April 13 at 10:30am
• Cardboard Car Construction at Almonte Library – April 12 at 4:30pm. For Teens.
• Wood Burning: Personalized Bookmarks at Midwest City Library – April 13 at 11:00am & 1:00pm
• Library Adventure Day: Choose Your Own Adventure at Downtown Library – April 13, from 11:00pm-4:00pm. Embark on an exciting journey at Library Adventure Day! This event promises excitement for every guest. Enjoy crafts, a dance performance, an engaging insect presentation, a Lego lounge, puzzle swap, zine creation, an earthworm workshop, a bug zoo, and a screening of “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On,” among other thrilling adventures!
• Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.) Day Celebration at Northwest Library – April 14 from 2:00pm-4:00pm
• DIY Bookbinding and Personalized Bookplate at Belle Isle Library – April 16 at 6:30pm
• Village Library Book Club reads “The Giver of Stars” by JoJo Moyes – April 25 at 3:00pm
Literary Voices
The Literary Voices® 2024 event series, presented by the Library Endowment Trust, will feature three distinguished authors and support early childhood literacy programs. Proceeds will contribute to the Library Endowment Trust and the Friends of the Library’s initiative to establish funds for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library book gifting program in Oklahoma County.
• Literary Voices® 2024 featuring Kwame Alexander, April 7th from 1:00pm to 2:00pm at Douglass High School – 900 N Martin Luther King Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73117. Price – Free. – The first event, featuring Kwame Alexander, will take place at Frederick Douglass High School in Oklahoma City on April 7th at 1:00 pm. The renowned author will headline this free public event, with sponsors invited to a special luncheon in the school library at 12:00 pm. Space is limited, so guests are encouraged to register at literaryvoices.org. Following the event, Kwame Alexander will sign books for 45 minutes on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information or to secure your spot, visit literaryvoices.org, email development@metrolibrary.org, or call 405-606-3760.
• Literary Voices® 2024 featuring James Patterson, April 9th from 7:00-8:00pm, Hudiburg Center at Rose State College – 6000 S Prosper Blvd, Midwest City, OK 73110. Price – $60-518. – The second of three events is James Patterson at the Hudiburg Center at Rose State College – April 9th at 7:00 pm. On Tuesday, April 9th, at 7:00 pm, experience an engaging evening with bestselling author James Patterson at the Hudiburg Center Rose State College in Midwest City. Patterson, known for an extensive body of work spanning various genres, will be the focal point of this event. VIP sponsors can enjoy an exclusive backstage reception starting at 6:00 pm, while all attendees can relish a conversation moderated by local attorney Roberta Fields. Ticket holders at the $100 level or above will receive a copy of Patterson’s latest book, “The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians,” released one day before the event. Tickets are available for purchase at okcciviccenter.com. While there won’t be a public book signing, Full Circle Bookstore will have books available for purchase at the event.
• Literary Voices® 2024 featuring Kevin Kwan, April 11 at 7:00pm to 9:00pm – Oklahoma Golf and Country Club – 7000 NW Grand Blvd, Nichols Hills, OK 73116. Tickets – $175. The Literary Voices® series is thrilled to host Singapore-born American novelist Kevin Kwan at the Oklahoma Golf & Country Club in Nichols Hills on Thursday, April 11th, at 7:00 pm. Known for his satirical novels, including the best selling “Crazy Rich Asians” trilogy, Kwan promises a night of sharp wit and keen observations. Guests may attend as a Sponsor/guest of a Sponsor or indulge in a VIP experience, including the exclusive VIP reception starting at 6:00 pm. Dress in your finest business or cocktail attire for an unforgettable night. Books are available for purchase through Full Circle Bookstore, with a book-signing afterward. The evening begins at 7:00 pm with a reading and conversation moderated by Jacqueline Sit, an Oklahoma City public relations executive. The event also features the presentation of the Lee B. Brawner Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing outstanding contributors to libraries and literacy in Oklahoma. Individual tickets are priced at $175, with $100 of the purchase serving as a receipted gift in compliance with IRS regulations.
About Metropolitan Library System: The Metropolitan Library System provides library services for more than 800,000 residents of Oklahoma County. We have 19 physical locations as well as 24/7 access to our digital resources as metrolibrary.org.
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