We're Hiring!

The Brooks Public Library is now accepting resumes for a part-time Library Assistant position.

Duties include assisting patrons, processing books and materials at the circulation desk, shelving, general upkeep of the collection, and assisting with programming. Successful candidates must be motivated to provide excellent customer service, have good computer skills, be physically able to stand and walk for long periods, and lift or push moderately heavy items. Approximately 10-20 hours per week, evening and weekend work required.

Submit resumes by 12:00pm on Monday September 26, 2011 to: Shannon Vossepoel, Brooks Public Library, Box 1149, Brooks, AB, T1R 1B9. Fax: 403-362-8111. Email: shannon@shortgrass.ca

The Gallery

In cooperation with the Alberta Foundation for the Arts and the Esplanade Arts and Heritage Centre in Medicine Hat, the Brooks Public Library is proud to present The Gallery, a series of rotating collections of art that will be displayed in the library and are available for public viewing. This month the Brooks Public Library is proud to present David Thompson - Highway. Named in honour of one of North America's great explorers and map maker, the David Thompson Highway (highway 11) stretches from just east of Red Deer, Alberta to the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93). Contributors to the David Thompson Highway exhibition are artists Margreet Beekman of Rimbey, Sandra Bingeman of Ponoka, Cindy Brown of Calgary, Colleen Mcginnis of Wetaskiwin, Dee Poisson of Didsbury, and Sonja Zacharias of Clive. The Gallery is open every day, so come in and check it out!

Millennium: the story

Watch free movies at the Library! Showing this Saturday, June 18th, is Millennium: The Story from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Stieg Larsson is one of the literary phenomenon of the last decade, with 15 million books sold worldwide. This documentary reveals the story of an outstanding author who died from a sudden heart attack before his first novel was published. This planetary triumph is analyzed by Larsson’s close friends and relatives, his publisher, and his journalist colleagues. This is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend.

Definitely Not Plato Book Club

Have you read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? Join us on June 22nd from 7:00pm to 9:00pm for the Definitely Not Plato Book Club videoconference. We will be discussing this month’s books - The Millennium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest.) This videoconference book club is FREE and everyone is welcome!

Splash! Celebrate Summer

This summer it is all about water and summer fun with our Splash! inspired Summer Reading Program. Kids ages 7 to 12 (or kids who have completed grade one) are invited to join us for:

Session 1: Sploosh! - July 5 - 7, 12 - 14, 10:15 am to 11:45 am
Session 2: Beach, Beach, Beach - July 5 - 7, 12 - 14, 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Session 3: Under Water - July 19 - 21, 26 - 28, 10:15 am to 11:45 am
Session 4: Class of the Titans - July 19 - 21, 26 - 28, 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm
Session 5: Mud! - August 2 - 4, 9 - 11, 10:15 am to 11:45 am
Session 6: Pirates - August 2 - 4, 9 - 11, 1:30 pm to 3:00 pm

The cost is $10.00 per session with a library membership, and parents can register at the Library. If you don’t have a membership please come into the library to sign up for one or more of these great sessions. These programs fill up quickly, so be sure to register early!

The Girl with Dragon Tattoo Trailer (2011)

Celebrate Stieg Larsson this June @ BPL! Have you seen the trailer for the US version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo? The film starring Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, and Christopher Plummer is slated to open December 21, 2011.



Of course, if you can't wait until December you can always rent the Swedish version of the trilogy. How excited are you to see this film?

Learn to Speak Pirate!

Ahoy! I'll let you in on a little secret - the Brooks Public Library and the Shortgrass Library System will once again will be offering a free language learning program through our databases called Mango Languages. Mango teaches practical conversation and cultural awareness for the world’s most popular languages.

In celebration of Mango, I wanted to share with you one of the coolest languages that you can learn from Mango: Pirate! Aye me hearties, you too can learn to parley with any and all the gentlemen o' fortune that you meet. (Note: "Gentlemen of Fortune" Pirate for "Pirate". Arr, isn't learning fun?)

According to Mango's website, in just a few minutes, you'll learn:
•A few choice names to call your lazy excuse of a crew.
•The finer points of swashbuckling.
•A bit about Pirate history, and the part it played in forming modern democracy.
•All sorts of practical Pirate lingo!


To begin Mango's Pirate Language Course click here.

Wii Game Day

Wii Game day continues on Thursdays from 3:30pm to 5:00pm until the end of June. Preteens and teens ages 7 to 18 are welcome to come in and see if they can beat the best! We supply snacks and drinks, so come out for some exciting gamer action!

And remember - Wii Game Day will be switching to Friday afternoons in July and August. Join our Summer Reading Program Coordinator Rachel for all the fun and excitement all summer long. Each we we'll select two games to face off for game day play. Vote all week long for the game you want to play on Friday. The game with the most votes wins!

6th Annual Cowboy Poetry

Ready for some Cowboy fun on Wednesday June 8th? Rustle up the family and come on down to the Brooks Public Library's 6th Annual Cowboy Poetry event. Help us to celebrate Rodeo Week with a Free BBQ Lunch starting at 11:30am and then entertainment at High Noon.

Gather 'round and enjoy performances from our featured artist, Bud Edgar the Comedy Cowboy, and special guests Mayor Martin Shields, Griffin Park School Grade 3 classes, and Holy Family Academy’s Grade 5 class. So grab your hats and boots and come on down, this is an event you won’t want to miss!

Toddler Time and Story Time

At the library, we want to do what we can to encourage younger children to start enjoying books at an early age. On Mondays we begin our next sessions of Toddler Time and Story Time. It’s a great way to start younger children headed on a path towards reading. Toddler Time is for children ages 3 and under and runs from 10:15am to 11:00am. Story Time is for the children ages 4 to 6 and runs from 2:00pm to 2:45pm. Toddler Time and Story Time run in six week sessions at a cost of only $6 per child per session. Both programs fill up quickly, so be sure to register early.

Celebrate Stieg Larsson this June @ BPL

This month we're celebrating Stieg Larsson, the international bestselling author of the Millennium Trilogy (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest). Join us this month for:

* Millennium: the story
Saturday June 18, 2:00pm to 4:00pm

The Millennium trilogy by Swedish author Stieg Larsson is THE literary phenomenon of the last decade, with 15 million books sold worldwide, 25 translations in over 40 countries, and a movie that is blasting box-office records in Scandinavia and several European countries. And the Millennium saga has only just begun. This portrait of Stieg Larsson reveals the story of an outstanding success – a worldwide phenomenon who at the age of 50, died from a sudden heart attack before his first novel was even published. This planetary triumph is analyzed by close friends and relatives of Stieg Larsson; by his publisher, his journalist colleagues and by various professionals who have worked on the Swedish film versions of the series.

*Definitely Not Plato Book Club
Wednesday June 22, 7:00pm to 9:00pm
Join us as we discuss this month’s books - The Millennium Trilogy: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson.

* Go Online
Follow us on our Facebook page ,Twitter feed, and MySpace page. We'll have daily trivia and questions about author Stieg Larsson and his books all month long.

* Read the Books
Check out the eBooks from Library to Go, or come on down to the Brooks Public Library and check out the books today.

Buying a Home

Buying your first home can be one of the largest investments you will make during your life. Prepare yourself by learning about the process of home buying and the responsibilities of homeownership at our next Living in Canada talk, Buying a Home, on Monday April 4 at 12:00 Noon. Real Estate Agent Brad Stolson from Remax Reality will be in to answer your questions about home buying, and to let you in on the information you may not already know. This is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend.

Virtual Ink!

Coming up on Saturday April 2nd at 11:00am is our great new videoconference series for all you aspiring writers out there. Join our hosts at the Canmore Public Library for the launch of Virtual Ink! In the first session entitled ‘Warmup’, Writer in Residence J. Jill Robinson will read samples of her work, talk about her approach to working with writers, and give participants an opportunity to try out a writing exercise or two. An overview of upcoming workshops and how to submit your manuscripts for a private session with the author will be provided. This virtual workshop is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend.

Check out all the workshops in the Virtual Ink! Series:

Saturday April 2 @ 11:00am: Warmup

Saturday April 9 @ 11:00am: To Begin to Begin

Saturday April 30 @ 11:00am: Whose Story Is It

Saturday May 7 @ 11:00am: Writing Your Family

Saturday May 14 @ 11:00am: The Nuts and Bolts of Writing

Pruning Trees and Shrubs

Spring is just around the corner! For all you weekend warriors who have been stuck inside during this long winter, we’ve got a treat for you. Our new Home and Garden series begins this month and will feature speakers who are experts at home repairs, gardening, and general home maintenance. Join us for our first session, Pruning Trees and Shrubs on Tuesday March 29th at 12:00 Noon. Our guest speaker, Nigel Seymour, will discuss basic pruning procedures for trees and shrubs in the home landscape. This is a free session and everyone is welcome to attend.

Facebook for Non-Profits

Every volunteer organization faces the same problem – how do we effectively advertise our message to the public? Facebook for Non-Profits runs Monday March 28th at 12:00 Noon and will show you how to advertise to a new audience. With over 500 million users on Facebook, your organization can connect with people in your community who you may not otherwise be able to reach. Topics covered in this session will include: creating a Facebook Page, engaging your audience, and tips for spreading your message. This is a free session and everyone is welcome to attend.

Reading with Ronald

Join the Brooks Public Library for Reading with Ronald on Wednesday February 16th at 10:30am. Ronald McDonald® will be in the library for a fun filled story hour full of surprises. This is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend. This interactive learning experience is brought to you by your local Brooks McDonald’s®.

This Month in the Gallery

New in the Gallery this February is Remnants of Community. Pursuing a long-held dream, Calgary metal artist Simon Wroot embarked on an extensive tour of Alberta churches, and the result is this exhibition of fifteen artworks. Each piece is accompanied by its story; who created it, where and when, what denomination, what kind of life has it had, and where and what is it now. Simon’s miniature landscapes are created by tracing the various components of the scene on a computer, cutting these shapes with a jeweler’s saw from four different metals, and texturing the surface. The pieces are then pinned together in layers to create a low-relief view of the building and its surroundings, which is then mounted on a piece of slate. This exhibit will be up all month long so come check it out!

Around the World in 28 Days

Around the World in 28 Days continues this week. This popular noon hour program invites speakers from the community in to discuss the countries they’ve lived in or have visited. Every week we travel to a new and exciting place - it’s a great way to spend your lunch break. On Friday February 11, Tunde Adenuran will be in to talk about Nigeria. Come in and learn about the world’s eighth most populated country as Tunde takes us on a tour of this vast country and shares his insider knowledge! This is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend. Don’t forget your lunch!

Around the World in 28 Days - Singapore

February starts out with a bang at the Brooks Public Library! Our annual Around the World in 28 Days is back again. This popular noon hour program invites speakers from the community in to discuss the countries they’ve lived in or have visited. Every week we travel to a new and exciting place - it’s a great way to spend your lunch break. On Friday February 4, Lucy Newnes will be in to talk about Singapore. Come in and learn about the world’s fifth busiest port as Lucy takes us on a tour of this world city and shares her insider knowledge. This is a free event and everyone is welcome to attend. Don’t forget your lunch!

Super Saturday: Chinese New Year

The year of the Tiger coming to a close, and the rise of the Rabbit on the horizon: The Brooks Public Library is ready to celebrate! Kids ages 7 to 12 are invited to join us for Super Saturday: Chinese New Year on Saturday February 7th at 1:00pm. This fun afternoon is filled with games, stories, crafts, and yummy treats. This program is free, but pre-register at the Library today as space is limited.