Friends Winter 2025 Newsletter

Children’s and Young Adult News, Spring Adult Programming Opportunities

Join us for the Friends of Decorah Public Library Annual Meeting on Monday, April 21st, at 6 pm at The Landing Market (211 College Dr.) in Decorah!

Link to downloadable PDF version of Friends Winter 2025 Newsletter. Text only version below.

We are excited to welcome Sam Helmick, President-Elect of the American Library Association, as our guest speaker. Sam will share expert insights on advocating for your local library, focusing on how to engage effectively at both the local and state levels. With a strong background in legislative work and communications for the Iowa library community, Sam brings invaluable knowledge on strengthening and supporting libraries.

Come at 6 pm for a social hour with light

refreshments and cash bar, before the presentation at 7 pm. This is a great opportunity to connect with fellow library supporters and learn how to make a difference.

Don’t miss this inspiring evening, see you there!

Bio: Sam Helmick grew up in Burlington, IA, where they held their first library position at the local public library. They earned their BS from Iowa Wesleyan University in Human Services and was awarded their MS in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois School of Information Sciences in 2012.

Sam Helmick has served on the American Library Association Executive Board. Helmick was president of the Iowa Library Association and chair of the Iowa Governor’s Commission on Libraries. When they aren’t advocating for libraries and library users, Helmick likes to run themed 5Ks, read, convert card catalogs into wine racks, travel, and assemble LEGO.

 

WHAT’S NEW IN THE CHILDREN’S & YOUNG ADULTS DEPARTMENT?

We have been busy, as always, in the CYA department! Our Winter Break Reading Challenge provided free hot cocoa, DPL merch, and a

cookie-decorating party to a few lucky

super-readers! Now that we are heading toward springtime, it’s school visits, outdoor programming, and the 2025 Summer Reading Program to look forward to! Here is a preview of the next few months in Children’s Programming.

We have a few large family programs lined up for the spring, including a visit from the Blank Park Zoo in March, a concert with Chad Elliott in April, and of course our Summer Reading Kickoff Party in May! Registration for these events will be live one month before the program runs.

Our Spring programming includes a Graphic Novel Class at ArtHaus, where kids will work with instructors to design characters and build worlds in their own graphic novels. We will explore the work of graphic novelists and comic artists, and practice writing our own stories. We also plan to bring back our Biking Field Trips, in collaboration with UpperExplorerland. These programs are always so much fun, and a great way to get outside as the weather (finally) warms up. Additionally, we’ll continue our weekly baby programs like Storytime, CircleSong, Stay & Play, and Wiggles & Giggles.

We have also been enjoying our partnership with

the new Sunflower daycare center, and plan to continue that collaboration with Open Gyms and Discovery Center visits.

And finally, we are scheduling a summer of fun for our Summer Reading Program this year! We will have incentives to keep little ones reading all summer, new and returning performers, crafts, and lots of fun in the sun! Stay tuned for Summer Reading announcements as the months draw closer.

That’s all from our corner of the library. Thanks to the Friends for supporting all our fun programs. Your time and efforts make all the difference!

 

THE SPRING ADULT PROGRAMMING CALENDAR AT DPL IS FULL OF EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR BUILDING MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS AND EXPLORING NEW IDEAS!

Coffee and Creativity – If you’re looking for a chance to learn a new simple handcraft while chatting with new friends and neighbors, come to Coffee and Creativity. This program is a partnership with ArtHaus and happens in the library’s mezzanine on the first and third Tuesdays of the month from 10-11:30 AM.

Book Groups – If reading is your thing, join one of DPL’s four monthly book groups.

  • Happy Hour Book Group focuses on contemporary literary fiction on the second Wednesday of the month at 5:15 PM at Pulpit Rock Brewing Company.
  • History Book Group digs into the past in the library’s Mezzanine on the third Thursday of the month at 3 PM
  • Friday Book Group reads a wide range of books and meets in the library’s mezzanine on the third Friday of the month at 2 PM
  • Speculative Fiction explores new worlds in a virtual meeting on the fourth Wednesday of the month at 6 PM

Word Salad – Every other month, come to Pulpit Rock Brewing Company for a literary open mic night. Read your own work or listen to others share their writing around a theme. Word Salad runs from 7–8 PM on the third Tuesdays of even months.

Boards & Brews – Meet new friends while playing fun new board games in this collaboration with Pulpit Rock. The whole goal is to provide opportunities to build connections, so come ready to play and make new friends from 7–9 PM on the fourth Wednesdays of the month.

Annihilation Book Group – Internationally acclaimed author Jeff VanderMeer is coming to Luther in April, so join this special one-off book group led by Luther English Professor Andy Hageman to read the book that put VanderMeer on the map in advance of his visit.

Monthly Tech Programs – Thanks to a generous grant from AT&T and the Public Library Association, DPL is  offering twice monthly tech programs. Learn how to beef up your cybersecurity chops, gain skills for using the internet, and learn how to use your iPhone or Android devices at these engaging workshops. Typically held on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 10 AM in the library’s lower-level meeting room.

We’re always adding new things to the calendar, so be sure to keep an eye on the DPL website, social media sites, and newsletter.

 


Posted: February 17, 2025