Sharing Our Stories

 Remember KidBooWriMo? The Kid's Book Writing Month we sponsored last month? Well, two participants shared their fun and imaginative stories with us. Instead of retyping the entire stories, we're sharing some excerpts and a brief review.

If you wrote a story and want to share it on the blog, check the instructions in your storyseed packet. And if you didn't pick up a storyseed pack - there might be a few extra at the library. 

Without further ado, stories of imagination and adventure!

From: The Missing Princess and the Thief

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away there lived a beautiful princess named Bethany. She lived – not in a castle – but in a homeless shelter. She didn’t even know who she was.

 She couldn’t remember her name…. and always wondered who she was and why she had a tiara. She couldn’t possibly be a princess because her dress was so messy and torn and her hair was messy.

So, as the story continues, she does what any amnesiac homeless princess would do: she looks for a job. And this is how she meets the thief. But, as you can expect, when she reports him to the authorities, they take one look at her, roll their eyes, and ignore her. Except for one of the castle guards who decided to follow up on the tip. And furthermore, restores the princess to her family. A good, wholesome ending that is happily-ever-after without the need of a princess getting married.

From: The Clue of the Nameless Criminal (a Musical Girls mystery)

The Musical Girls is a group of seven friends who play instruments. When this story takes place, there’s a Wanted Criminal with no name. The action begins when Lydia is looking for her violin…

 “Oh wait!” Lydia said. “I just remembered where my violin is!”

“Where, where?” the others ask.

“I left it at the church on Sunday,” Lydia said.

“Oh come on!” Italy complained. “We just spent two hours looking for something that isn’t even here?”

…

Suddenly they hear a burglar alarm go off at the bank across the street. They hid in the bushes as the police pulled in the bank driveway. [The robber escapes but the girls tell the police they saw him and they can identify him] So the police took the down to the station to get a sketch of the man.

“Yeah, that looks like him,” Sara exclaimed… Two of the police officers looked at each other and sighed.

“It’s him again,” said Mike…

 The story continues as the police pick up the nameless criminal and bring him to the station. A couple days later, the bank robber passes a note to the girls. It’s a piece of sheet music with clues embedded in the lyrics and the notes. With some help from their instruments, they play (and spell out) the robber’s name. All’s well that ends well, and the girls even get a reward.

 

Kid's Writing & Illustrating Un-Workshop this November

About a year ago (plus a month) we hosted a fun Writing & Illustrating Workshop for kids. We had planned to host another this summer but... things are not normal this year. So during the month of November we are hosting a month-long writing and illustrating UN-Workshop. We're calling  it  

KidBooWriMo

That’s short for Kids’ Book Writing Month. And we're inviting all kids in 4th grade through high school who tell stories, draw comics, and write novels! 

Instead of meeting at the library, participants get a take-away unworkshop kit. Inside each KidBooWriMo kit is almost everything you need to write and illustrate a book:

• a packet of Story Seeds (just add imagination)
• a month’s worth of writing and illustrating ideas
• templates for creating a graphic novel
• a pencil good for a few thousand words

KidBooWriMo kits are free. Starting Monday, October 26 you may drop by and pick one up. Or, if you can't get to the library, call the library at 607-659-7258 and reserve a KidBooWriMo kit.

This program is made possible by a grant from the Bernard Carl and Shirley Rosen Library Fund of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County.

New Books on the Shelves!

 Rage, by Woodward isn't the only new book at our library. Come on in and check out what's on the shelves. 

for children:
The farm that feeds us : a year in the life of an organic farm, by Nancy Castaldo; illustrated by Ginnie Hsu.

“Hurrah for farms that supply us with the food we eat!” While some farms grow crops and some farms raise animals, the farm in this book does both. Divided into sections by season, The Farm That Feeds Us features a modern organic farm that provides food all year long. 

Want to know about chickens? Then it’s off to the coop where you’ll find out what chickens eat, how they lay eggs, and meet a handful of common types of hens. If you’re interested in farm machinery, check out the tractors and mowers, tillers and planters. You’ll find fruits and behives in the orchards, and a diversity of pollinators, from butterflies and moths to bumble bees and hoverflies. At the end you’ll find out what you can do to support the farmers who pick our carrots and raise the cows for our milk. 

The finders : a Mace Reid K-9 mystery, by Jeffrey B. Burton.

If you love dog stories and mysteries, this book combines the best of both. Vira, a golden retriever, is a cadaver dog who works with Mason Reid. Mason "Mace" Reid lives on the outskirts of Chicago and trains dogs to hunt for the dead. He adopts Vira, a rescue dog with a mysterious past, and discovers just how special the newest addition to his family truly is – especially when they are thrust into a serial murder case in which the next victim is Mace.

The library of lost and found, by Phaedra Patrick.
This is a story of a book ~ and Martha, the shy librarian who unravels the mystery. Martha would rather deal with books than people. But when a mysterious book of fairy tales ends up in her hands, she has to reach out to people to help her uncover how the book came into being. The stories are from her past, transcribed by the beloved grandmother Martha believed dead for many years. When Martha uncovers a clue that her grandmother may still be alive, she is determined to uncover the truth – even if it means exposing a family secret.

The imperfects, by Amy Meyerson
If any family personifies imperfection, it’s the Millers. When their grandmother, Helen dies, estranged siblings Beck, Ashley and Jake find themselves under the same roof for the first time in years. In addition to grief, they now must confront old resentments and betrayals. When they find a secret inheritance hidden among her possessions – a huge diamond that went missing from the Austrian Empire a century ago – they all have reason to want to sell it. It’s only when they begin investigating Helen’s past that they realize how little they know about their brave, resilient grandmother. And, in the process, begin to heal their own relationships.

Back to Regular Hours!

So far, the re-opening is going well and so the library is going back to our "Regular Hours":
Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons from 2-5 pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays 10 am-noon; 2-5 pm; and 6-8 pm
Saturday mornings 10-noon and afternoons 2-4 pm

We all would like to see the library resume its normal programming. So here's a reminder about the Library Rules as we go into the fall:

• Masks are required
• Please observe social distancing
• Use hand sanitizer before handling materials.
• If you look at an item and decide you don’t want to borrow it, please put it in a large wicker basket to be cleaned

Got Questions? Give us a call at 659-7258 or email director@candorfreelibrary.org

Yes – you can now come inside and browse. We are keeping our shortened hours Mon-Fri 3-6, Sat 10-12 for the time being.

If you want to come into the library:

• Masks are required
• Please observe social distancing
• Use hand sanitizer before handling materials.
• If you look at an item and decide you don’t want to borrow it, please put it in a large wicker basket to be cleaned.

Also, this is the last week of summer reading. Readers of all ages can turn in reading slips and other contest entries till the end of the month.

Got Questions? Give us a call at 659-7258 or email director@candorfreelibrary.org

Inter-library Delivery, Summer Reading, and MORE!

Good News ~ Inter-library loans and book deliveries are back at last!  You can now place holds for books at different libraries, and have them delivered to Candor. Our delivery day will be Tuesdays, with first delivery on July 28th.

Even though the building isn't open (yet) - the lobby is, and we've got tons of SUMMER STUFF happening. Please check our Summer 2020 page for more details, and of course we'll be posting events on our FB page.

Summer Reading goes through August 22. You’ll find a sign-up sheet in the lobby. Grab a reading log from the folder, pick up a free book, and take one of the weekly prizes. There will be a prize-drawing at the end of summer.

If you want to join the Summer Book Club, there are still books available. The club is for incoming or exiting 4th- through 6th-graders (ages 9-12), and the book is The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair, by Amy Makechnie. There will be two Zoom meetings: July 29 and Aug 29. Please contact the library to join the book club and arrange a book pick-up.

Drop by each week to pick up a STEAM Grab-and-Go project in the lobby. The projects are provided by 4H and activities include constructing an FPG-9 Glider and building a marshmallow bridge.

Page Turner Adventures begin Monday, July 13 and you may join any time. Think: circus + story + larger-than-life props in a mad alchemy of storytelling and imagination. The audience becomes the HERO in the story, interacting directly with the actors on stage. There are adventures five days a week for 6 weeks. Each adventure lasts 30 – 45 minutes. To participate, you will need to join the facebook group Page Turner Adventures at Candor Free Library’s facebook page. More info on our Summer 2020 page.

Wed. July 15 ~ Didgeridoo Down Under, at 6:30 pm. Didgeridoo Down Under is a high-energy, Australia-themed show that combines music, culture, comedy, character building, storytelling and audience participation.You can find the link on Candor Library’s facebook page, or you can email the library for a link.

Tuesday, July 28 ~ The Dirtmeister at 7pm. This is a fun blend of science, mirth and merriment. Candor is providing this program in cooperation with three other libraries, so you may participate in any of them. Check back for links; here are the dates and times:
Candor 7/28 at 7pm
Waverly 7/29 at 10am
Coburn 7/29 at 6pm
Spencer 8/3 TBD

We're Re-opening

Huzzah! The library is re-opening on Monday, June 15. This is great news for those of us who have been chomping at the bit for some new books.

I feel like we should have some fireworks to celebrate.

Things will be a bit different for awhile. As you can see from the Hours posted above, the library will be open only in the afternoons,
Monday - Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. and on Saturday mornings from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.

Also, the main library building will not open. The only service available at the moment will be "Lobby Pick-up" - or, if you prefer, "Library take-out".

How to Get Books:

• Go to the library’s website (candorfreelibrary.org) and click on the link for PowerPAC – it’s a blue icon with a person reading a book. OR click on the Candor Library Catalog link over in the right hand column.
• Request items.
• When your materials are ready, the library will call you to come pick them up in the library lobby. 
• Wear a mask!

If you need help finding materials, call the library, at 659-7258 or e-mail to director@candorfreelibrary.org.

There is no Interlibrary Loan at this time. If you really want something from another library, then click on the "library" tab up top of the catalog. You will have to go to that library to pick up and return materials.

How to Return Materials:
 Please drop all your materials through the book return. The library has instituted a “book quarantine” so all materials will be held for 7 days* before re-shelving or checking them out to other patrons. If you have a backpack, call the library and arrange for a drop-off  in the lobby.

New Books!
At this time, Candor patrons are limited to requesting materials available in Candor Free Library’s collection. The good news is that the library ladies have just processed a selection of new children’s books and fiction, nonfiction, and mysteries for adults. And there’s a new collection of Large Type books available to patrons.

Summer Book Club
This summer we're hosting a virtual summer book club for any incoming or exiting 4th- through 6th-grader (ages 9-12). Candor Elementary library teacher, Wendy Bruttomesso is leading the club. Participants will read The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair, by Amy Makechnie. Plan on picking up your copy the week of June 29. To register: email the library at director@candorfreelibrary.org or (with a parent’s or guardian’s permission for kids) leave a private Facebook message.

*this reflects new recommendations from the North East Document Conservation Center as of 6-17-2020.

More resources for At Home Families

Looking for story time books and nature activities? Here are a few more to add to your bag of tricks:

Storyline Online~ stories to listen to

Activities, discussion guides, educational materials,videos, and more!

Science & Nature activities for Cooped up Kids ~ from Cornell Lab of Ornithology

Resources for the Stay-At-Home Family

This month every family is a homeschooling family. If you are looking for resources to help keep kids (and adults) learning and having fun, here are a few resources - check our FB page for more.

The Finger Lakes Library System has lots of electronic resources including audiobooks, ebooks, magazines, and streaming video via Hoopla. These are all available with your library account number.
Access the FLLS catalog here.
Across the top you'll see a tab for Online Databases and Digital Downloads.
Online Databases include periodicals, homework help, and MANGO language learning
Digital Downloads is where you’ll find e-books and e-magazines
Looking for Tumblebooks? click here.

STEM Activities:

STEAM Team 2020 has a list of STEM and Arts-related sites at their website.

Bedtime Math has fun math problems for all levels here.

Archimedes Notebook has weekly nature breaks and Friday book reviews and STEM activities here.

Take a walk outside. Try to work in those #1000hoursoutside by creating some outdoor BINGO sheets or scavenger hunts.
One resource with downloadable seasonal BINGO cards is Mass Audubon


Engineer and Construct and Build with Legos or blocks or toilet paper tubes, sticks, stones, mud, and other things from nature. Building things taps into the Engineering, Arts, and Math part of STEAM.


Got Legos?

You can download a 30-days of Lego Play calendar here.


Literacy Activities

Day-By-Day Literacy has activities at their website.

Virtual Field Trips here's a link to 20 virtual field trips you can take - to zoos, aquariums, and museums. Have fun!

Library Closed through April 13

Effective 3/16 through 4/13 Candor Free Library will be closed.

•  All public activities at the library are cancelled, except that the Village of Candor elections will happen as scheduled this Wednesday, March 18.
• All items currently on loan have been renewed until May 1.
• If you have any questions you may contact the library through this Facebook page or president of the board of trustees, Melvin Foster at candorite@gmail.com