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Maintain Your Ride

DIY bike maintenance made simple! Learn to keep your bike in tip-top shape with this free virtual class from Johnson County Library and BikeWalkKC, focused on basic tools and practical know-how.

Maintain Your Ride 
Thursday, Nov. 18
12 – 1:30 p.m. 
Register now »

 

El Día de los Muertos

El Día de los Muertos is a beautiful Mexican holiday celebrating the memories of the people we have lost. This tradition of honoring the dead is believed to keep them with us in spirit and this holiday is becoming widely popular in the United States. We invite all our patrons to join in this celebration.  

Open to patrons of all ages, we invite you to honor those you love who have passed away. You can create and photograph your own ofrenda, make artwork inspired by this tradition, send us a photo or a poem or a written memory of your loved one. Submit your creation to us for us to share on the Johnson County Library website and social media platforms.  

  1. Create! Make an ofrenda in your home or school, write a poem or a memory, or select a photo in honor of someone that has passed away.   
  2. Submit your photo or word document by sending it as an attachment to an email to JCLEducators@jocogov.org. We will accept submissions through Monday, Nov. 15.
  3. Watch Johnson County Library’s Website, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts to see and read the memories shared by our whole community.  

El día de los muertos es una bella tradición mexicana que celebra la memoria de las personas que hemos perdido. En esta tradición para honrar a los muertos, se cree que los espíritus de las personas que han fallecido vienen a visitarnos. Esta celebración se está convirtiendo en una festividad muy popular en los Estados Unidos. Queremos invitar a todos nuestros usuarios a que nos acompañen en este evento. 

Todos pueden participar, este programa está abierto para los usuarios de cualquier edad, los invitamos a honrar a esas personas queridas que han fallecido. Pueden crear y fotografiar sus propias ofrendas, elaborar un arte inspirado por esta tradición, mandarnos una fotografía, o poema, o una memoria escrita de su persona querida que ha fallecido. Envíe sus creaciones para compartir en nuestro sitio de web de la biblioteca Johnson County y en nuestras plataformas sociales. 

  1. Creen una ofrenda en su casa, escriban un poema o una memoria, o seleccione una foto en honor de alguna persona que ha fallecido. 
  2. Mande su fotografía o documento de Word aquí  JCLEducators@jocogov.org
  3. Visite los sitios web de la biblioteca de Johnson County en Instagram, Facebook y Twitter para ver y leer las memorias compartidas por la comunidad.

     

    This Week at the Library

    Table Top Recommendation Party – Tuesday, Nov 9 , 6 – 7:15 p.m.  

    With so many different board game options, it can be difficult to choose. Celebrate International Games Week with us: Join local board game experts to hear their favorite recommendations, find out what games are popular, and learn about board game styles. There will be board game giveaways!

    The Past is Prologue: Japanese Internment Camps – Tuesday, Nov 9 , 7 – 8 p.m.  

    Join Sam Mihara to hear about his experience with Japanese Internment camps and this dark time in our history.
    When Sam Mihara was 9 years old, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entered World War II. Shortly after, Sam and his family were forced from their San Francisco home by armed military guards and sent to the Heart Mountain prison camp in Wyoming. They would live crowded into a single 20 x 20 square foot room for the next 3 years. 

    Español a la carta – Thursday, Nov 11, 6:30 – 8 p.m.  

    For Spanish-language learners: this is an online class for intermediate and advanced students of this beautiful language. In this class, we will talk about Latin American countries, culture, history, literature and much more. We will discuss articles together with helpful native speakers and advanced students. In addition, we will have some grammar tips that will enhance our skills to be more confident in a conversation using Spanish. Third quarter 2021/Semester.

    City Center Live: The Wires – Saturday, Nov 13, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.  

    The Wires are an alternative exploration in string sound. Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, The Wires compose and perform original music for violin and cello. Inspired by a myriad of genres and eclectic sounds, The Wires are not your typical strings group. The project encompasses a blend of wide-ranging styles, from tango and jazz to rock, and is infused with the precision of classical form. Created, composed and performed by Laurel Morgan (violin) and Sascha Groschang (cello). Bring the whole family and enjoy a free, live performance at the Community Forum auditorium located in Lenexa City Hall. 

    And much more happening this week »

    Also, check out our always-available programs OnDemand.

    The Past is Prologue: Japanese Internment Camps

    Join Sam Mihara to hear about his experience with Japanese Internment camps and this dark time in our history.

    The Past is Prologue: Japanese Internment Camps
    Virtual program on Tuesday, Nov. 9 at 7 - 8 p.m. 
    Register online for this program or call 913.826.4600.

    When Sam Mihara was 9 years old, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entered World War II. Shortly after, Sam and his family were forced from their San Francisco home by armed military guards and sent to the Heart Mountain prison camp in Wyoming. They would live crowded into a single 20 x 20 square foot room for the next 3 years. 

    City Center Live: The Wires

    Join Johnson County Library and Lenexa Arts Council for City Center Live: The Wires. City Center Live is a performing art series partnership between the Johnson County Library and Lenexa Arts Council.

    Saturday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m.
    Lenexa City Hall Community Forum
    17101 West 87th St. Pkwy.
    Lenexa, KS 66219

    The Wires are an alternative exploration in string sound, with music created, composed and performed by Laurel Morgan (violin) and Sascha Groschang (cello). Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, The Wires are not your typical strings group—they are inspired by a myriad of genres and eclectic sounds. The project encompasses a blend of wide-ranging styles, from tango and jazz to rock, and is infused with the precision of classical form.

    Following their debut album in 2012, their second album “Wilder” (May 2019) is an imagined journey that includes depths of the oceanic world, the vast expanse of Celtic hills, the coldness of frozen tundra and a discovery of the cosmos. Their third album, “Winter” (December 2020) is a collection of reimagined holiday favorites with a cinematic, yet an intimate timbre. The album also includes an original song, “Campbell Street.”

    The Wires are also the hosts and curators of “Sound Currents” on 91.9 Classical KC – a weekly radio program that explores and discovers a broad range of new music. Their online school, “Fiddle Life,” teaches adults traditional styles at beginner and intermediate levels. The duo performs at festivals, concert halls, and music venues across the country.

    This performance will be indoors and admission is free.

    TBT. There be turkey!

    It's turkey time! Well, for some. If you prefer tofurkey or some other vegan alternative, that's great too. Whatever you choose to overeat, you probably will be sitting in a chair uncomfortably full and perhaps unable to move. That is an excellent time to browse through all of the great Thanksgiving photos at jocohistory.org

    We just had to share this 1966 photo from the Wasiner family Thanksgiving. One child keeps her eyes on the bird. Another keeps her eye on the birdwatcher. The others? Eyes forward for this wonderful photograph. Everyone has their priorities.

    For even more history be sure to follow our hashtag on Twitter.

    Discover Your Library: Events

    We have arrived at part seven of our eight-part Discover your Library series. In this Did you hear? episode, we give you a behind the scenes look at our Events. Programs and Events Coordinator Joseph Keehn talks about what led him to Johnson County Library and how his job has changed over the years—including adapting to the challenge of programming during COVID. Several Librarians call in to share memories of their favorite Johnson County Library event. Author and panel presenter from our largest event, the annual Writers Conference, Nick Lopez, shares an original written work that won our 2020 Imagine Your Story Writing Contest. Dave’s a serpent and Charles is Mongoose. We get a new lead in the In Search of Paul Rudd segment. So, what are you waiting for?

    Kansas Reads to Preschoolers this November

    It's November again, which means time for Kansas Reads to Preschoolers!

    The title for 2021 is “Grumpy Bird,” by Jeremy Tankard. This picture book story will appeal to young readers, with a focus on the 2-5 years old age group. 

    This is a great opportunity to incorporate the 6 by 6: Ready to Read early literacy skills designed to be applicable and approachable for everyone. The 6 by 6 program focuses on six pre-reading skills by age six to help kids get ready for formal education. Here are some suggestions on how you can incorporate these 6 by 6 skills with “Grumpy Bird.”

    Have Fun with Books

    • Have them repeat phrases in the book like “he was grumpy, he was too grumpy” and “I’m walking”
    • They can create a book about a feeling, instead of Grumpy Bird, it could be Happy Bird, Sad Bird, Mad Bird, Joyful Bird or even Happy ME, Sad ME, etc. and what he is doing with friends

    Look for Letters Everywhere

    • Make a letter collage for the letter B, using magazine pictures
    • Make a shape collage

    Notice Print All Around You

    • Make paper plate faces and cut them into puzzle pieces and have them match faces/emotions
    • Look for signs that make you happy, sad, etc.

    Take Time to Rhyme

    • Talk about rhyming words such as “day” and “play”
    • Sing songs about walking, playing, following the leader

    Talk, Talk, Talk

    • Feelings and Emotions dough mats, look at picture, then use play dough to make face of how they feel
    • Talk about how bird feels when his friends join him on the walk, then how he feels at the end of the book

    Tell Stories About Everything

    • Sequencing—talk about the order of the animals who joined him
    • Retell the story, but instead of grumpy bird, pick another animal and who could join him

    You’ll have a great time reading this book aloud while also helping your preschooler develop important early literacy skills. Place your hold on “Grumpy Bird” today and join others across Kansas reading to their preschoolers. For more information and additional resources, visit the State Library of Kansas website.

    Kansas Reads to Preschoolers is an annual event that promotes reading to all Kansas children from birth through age five. Through the statewide program, parents, librarians and caregivers are encouraged to read the chosen title during a selected month. The program is sponsored by the State Library of Kansas, and the title is selected by State Librarian Eric Norris, along with the Kansas Reads to Preschoolers committee.