December 2016 Newsletter

Columbia Public Library Newsletter – December 2016

 

At this exceptionally busy time of year, be sure to take some time for yourself and enjoy some of our new books coming out in December:

Island of Glass by Nora Roberts

The Midnight Bell by Jack Higgins

The Seventh Plague by James Rollins

Private: the Royals by James Patterson

Expecting to Die by Lisa Jackson

True Faith and Allegiance (a Jack Ryan / Tom Clancy novel) by Mark Greaney

New DVDs coming in December:

“Suicide Squad”

“Florence Foster Jenkins”

“Ben-Hur” (2016)

“Sully”

 

One of our most exciting events this month is hosting Santa Claus on December 10!  Santa has been going to the Vigilant Fire Company for his annual visit for several years now, but this year the Columbia Q.R.S. asked if the library would like to host Santa and his helpers.  Santa will begin his parade as usual from the fire station on Union Street – he will come across Fourth Street and up Locust to arrive at the library at about 11 AM.  Visitors with Santa will enter from our rear door next to the conference room.  This door is usually locked, but it will be opened to permit Santa’s line of visitors.  After visiting with Santa in our reference room and receiving a gift from him, children will either browse for books in the Children’s room or exit out our front doors.  This is our first experience doing this and we are hoping it goes smoothly.  Santa will be at the library between 11 AM and 3 PM on Saturday, December 10.  Special thanks goes to Steven Henry, Jr. for his assistance in preparing for and coordinating Santa’s visit.

 

We need to thank all of our very generous donors who made the Extra-Ordinary Give such a success for the Columbia Public Library!  This year we raised over $2,330 – more than last year!  We appreciate all of our donors: whether it is money, time, or materials – all of you make our library and community special!  Thank you also to those who stopped by Perfect Settings on Friday evening, November 18, to chat and enjoy our presentation.

 

Webmaster Sam Edmond is still busy even before tax season arrives!  Two popular applications he is assisting people with right now:  LIHEAP and Pennsylvania Medicaid insurance coverage.  It is best to call 717-686-7096 to set up an appointment with Sam.  Please indicate which application you need help with.  LIHEAP applicants will need to know the name of their heat supplier and their account number.  If you received a card in the mail from LIHEAP, please bring it with you.  Pennsylvania Medicaid applicants will need to know their Social Security number; documents required will vary as the application does not list them until it is completed for each individual.  Affordable Care Act applicants:  If you have had a lifestyle change (marriage or having a child), want to change your coverage, if your plan was discontinued, or if you need to sign up for initial insurance coverage, please call Sam for an individual appointment.

Once again, it is time for our annual Mitten Tree!  This year’s campaign began on Monday, November 21 and continues through Friday, December 16.  We welcome donations of mittens, scarves, hats, gloves, and socks.  Items can be store-bought or, if you’re handy, can be hand knitted or crocheted.  Some folks work throughout the year preparing items for this community service activity.  All donations stay here in Columbia: they are taken to the Columbia Clothing Bank (which, in turn, supplies the winter shelters.)  Our community always responds with great kindness to this campaign – each year, our library is near the top of the list for total items donated.  Special thanks to Mitzi Sanchez and her dedicated band of crocheters who meet here every other Tuesday night – we appreciate all of their donations for the community.

Dates for December’s “Crocheting with Mitzi” are Tuesday, December 13 and Tuesday, December 27.  Start time is 6 PM.  New crocheters are always welcome..all you need to bring is yourself!  We have donated yarn and Mitzi has crochet hooks you can use until you determine which size(s) are right for you.

Even Santa likes to relax with a good book after his busy night!  If there are book-lovers of any age on your Christmas list, we have books in next to new condition priced between $1 and $3 in our Book Nook downstairs!  Many have been published in 2016 and are duplicate copies of books we already own.  Books are available to purchase at the library every day during our regular hours.  We have both adult and children’s books in great condition for gift-giving!

“Preschool Pals” story and craft time continues on Mondays at 10:30 AM.  Preschoolers are welcome to bring their favorite grown-up and enjoy stories with Miss Susan and a simple holiday craft.  Pre-registration is not needed.  December’s Schedule is:

Monday, December 5: “Jolly Old Saint Nick”

Monday, December 12: “Visions of Sugarplums”

Monday, December 19: “Up On the Housetop”

Monday, December 26: no story time

 

Join us on Wednesday, December 14, for Family Fun Night, where we will be making a “Gift for Someone Special” at   6:00 PM.  We will provide everything you need to make a holiday gift for an important person in your life.  Limit of 20 children, Ages 5 to 12.  You must  register by Tuesday, December 13–call 684-2255 or email greybill@columbia.lib.pa.us.

Also coming in January:  Food for Fines is back!  Details are coming soon.

Our Community Programs go on hiatus for the winter months of December, January, and February.  See you in March!  Many of our favorite presenters have already expressed interest for 2017.

Family Movie Night for December will feature “The Muppets Christmas Carol” – a retelling of the classic Charles Dickens tale as portrayed by the Muppets!  Date is Wednesday, December 28, at 6 PM in our upstairs conference room.  This is after Christmas, but was held to coincide with school vacation week

Spencer, our Reading Education Assistance Dog, is ready to celebrate the holidays  Spencer will be joining us for a public reading session the week that school is out:  Tuesday, December 27, at 10:30 AM.  Since there is no school that week, we hope that many of you come out to meet Spencer!  He is truly a “gentle giant” and we have discovered that even children who once were averse to dogs feel comfortable with him.   Spencer also does read-aloud therapy with private classes of students who visit the library.

 

The Columbia Public Library will be closed all day Saturday, December 24.  We will be open on Monday, December 26, from 12 noon to 4 PM.  Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, December 27: 10 AM to 8 PM.

 We will be open regular hours on Saturday, December 31:  9 AM to 4 PM.  On Monday, January 2, hours are also the same as usual:  10 AM to 8 PM.  Wishing all of you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year in 2017!

The Columbia Public Library is located on 24 S. 6th Street, next to Park Elementary School. (Cattycorner to CVS Pharmacy and across the street from St. John’s Lutheran Church) Phone number is 684-2255 and web address is www.columbia.lib.pa.us.  Find us on Facebook!  Please stop by and visit often!