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Meet cartoonist Josh Neufeld and learn the craft of cartooning! Best-selling comics journalist Neufeld will share the trajectory of his career, teach how to write for comics, and lead a workshop on how to draw a successful comic. Check out the events below to register. These events will all be held virtually on Zoom.

Meet the Cartoonist: Josh Neufeld Tuesday, April 4, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

Writing for Comics with Cartoonist Josh Neufeld Wednesday, April 5, 6:30-7:30 p.m.

How to Draw a Successful Comic with Cartoonist Josh Neufeld Saturday, April 8, 9-11 a.m.

For many years, Johnson County Library provided tabletop game nights for enthusiastic patrons, capitalizing on the growth and popularity of modern board games. 

The pandemic forced those events to go virtual. But now, these fun intergenerational events are resuming at four branches. Patrons are encouraged to explore the incredible variety and creativity of 21st century board games, dice and card games. This is not just Monopoly and Clue. Today’s games allow participants to experience imaginative worlds, artfully drawn. Tabletop games test participants’ intellectual and reasoning abilities. They require strategic thinking and can inspire both competitive and collaborative approaches. “Gaming is having a really big heyday,” notes Tami Thomas, youth information specialist at Blue Valley Library. “It’s a very popular activity.”

Josh Neff, an adult information specialist at Blue Valley, said the Library branches provide a comfortable, welcoming atmosphere for people to try out an amazing selection of games, all for free. “It’s being able to get out and do something. There are a lot of modern games now and so many different styles of games,” Neff said. “There are some that are really competitive. There are some that are really cool.”

Game nights are being offered each month from 6 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. at Blue Valley, Gardner, Monticello and Central Resource Library. The schedule through April is available on the events calendar. Patrons can try out the Library’s games with coaching from staff, or bring their own. They can come and go as they please. Light refreshments are provided. Patrons can also enter drawings for some game giveaways at the end of the spring season.

On a recent Wednesday night at Blue Valley, Neff demonstrated the collaborative game Forbidden Island. He worked with a mom and her teenaged daughter to collect treasure and then escape the island. It’s a tough game to win, but they did. Meanwhile, Thomas showed a father and young son how to create dinosaur theme parks with the game Draftosaurus. Three teen volunteers played the card games Pirate Fluxx and The Mind with a patron. Many more games were available to try, including Settlers of Catan, Wits and Wagers, and King of Tokyo.

Neff said the game nights began at Lackman in 2013. Attendance was sparse at first but he and others were confident it would take off. “We were sure there was a desire for this in the community,” he recalled. They were right. Within a year, they outgrew Lackman’s meeting room space and moved to a larger venue at Antioch. By 2019, five branches were hosting game nights year-round. “It built because of word of mouth,” Neff said. “We definitely had people talking about it, bringing friends along. We had a lot of regulars. It’s a good way to be social.”

During the pandemic, the virtual game nights also gradually grew in popularity. But Library staffers are eager to resume in-person gatherings this year. They realize it will take some rebuilding again, but believe it’s a great way to promote a sense of community. Thomas recalls watching one couple playing a game with another family and getting along well. “They ended up becoming friends and getting their kids together,” she said. It’s also a great way to learn. “Playing games actually helps you with a lot of great skills,” Thomas said, “Collaboration, problem solving, creative thinking.” She said they are geared up to have patrons back in person and connect with them through games. “Everyone is welcome at the Library,” Thomas said.

Check out our Guide from our Librarians: Explore Career Options

When choosing a career, assess first your interests, personality and skills. Then match that information with occupations. These are tools to help you do that. Get help identifying your skills and interests. Get advice on how to choose a career based on your personality. Discover what careers match your skills. 

This week at the Library, you can join us at:

Library OnDemand – Available anytime you like.

Your doorway into live and archived programs. Arts & Culture, Career & Finance, Community Matters, Writers and more!

Bilingual Storytime/ Hora de Cuentos – Monday, March 20, 10:30 – 11 a.m.

The whole family will enjoy stories, songs, fingerplays and movement activities in both English and another language. Exposure to other languages can help develop early language learning and boost pre-reading skills. Fun for the whole family.
Space is limited. Pick up a free ticket at the Questions Desk when you arrive.

Toda la familia podrá disfrutar tanto en inglés como en otros idiomas: historias, canciones, juegos de manos y dedos, y actividades para trabajar el movimiento con los niños. El contacto con otros idiomas en los niños ayuda a desarrollar el aprendizaje temprano y a mejorar las habilidades de prelectura. Habrá diversión para toda la familia.
Hay cupo limitado, al llegar a la biblioteca tome un boleto gratis en la recepción.

One-on-One Genealogy Help – Tuesday, March 21, 9 a.m. – noon

For One-on-One or DNA and Genetic help, visit the Johnson County Genealogical Society at www.jcgsks.org to schedule an appointment. A volunteer will contact you by email to set up an in-person or a Zoom session link for you prior to the scheduled date.

Tabletop Games – Tuesday, March 21, 6 – 7:45 p.m.

Join us at Monticello Library for a fun-filled evening with family members and friends, old and new, and become a part of the Johnson County tabletop gaming community. Kids, teens and adults can enjoy a variety of games together, including collaborating to escape the Forbidden Island, getting creative with a round of Dixit, or strategizing their way to victory as King of Tokyo! Discover and learn new games from our collection or bring your personal favorite to share. Come and go as you please. Refreshments are provided. Each month, our gaming librarians will feature a family-friendly game and teach you how to play it. Monticello's featured game for March is Forbidden Island.

Two Chapters Book Club – Wednesday, March 22, 4 – 5 p.m.

Come read with us at the Central Resource Library! A librarian will read aloud the first two chapters of a favorite book and you can decide to check out a copy to take home if you like it. If the chapters are short, we might sample more. We’ll have snacks and activities related to the book. Ages 7-11.

History on Tap presents: The Kansas City Monarchs and America’s National Pastime – Wednesday, March 22, 7 – 8:30 p.m.

Kick off the baseball season right with the fantastic conversation on the Kansas City Monarchs at the Shawnee Town hall! Featuring Phil Dixon, historian and co–founder of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, we will explore the impact of the Negro Leagues on America’s Favorite Pastime. The history of Negro League baseball in America mirrors the racial strife experienced by African Americans in society, and was plagued by discrimination, racism, and inequity while its athletes were celebrated for their resiliency, professionalism, and athleticism. The Kansas City Monarchs barnstormed across Kansas and the region to play more than 400 games against local towns between 1920 and 1957. Alcohol is served at this event so attendees must be 21 or over. 

This event is in partnership with Shawnee Town 1929.

And much more happening this week …