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Johnson County Library is excited to have begun the design process for the new Library in Merriam. And we want to hear from YOU!

The current Antioch Library has been a fixture in the Merriam community for over 60 years; staff and patrons alike have many fond memories of the building – some having visited Antioch their entire lives.

The new building will be located just a few blocks away on the campus of the Merriam Community Center. This summer we are developing the design for the replacement Library with an eye toward the future, ensuring we are able to meet the changing needs of the community over time. 

The first public input session will be held online Wednesday, May 19, from 6 – 7:30 p.m.

Additional dates for public input sessions will be announced on jocolibrary.org/AntiochReplacement and @jocolibrary on social media. Construction is anticipated to occur after the design is finalized with completion in 2023.

We are excited to hear how we can continue to serve the community for years to come.

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

Poetry Reading with Traci Brimhall – Tuesday, May 11, 6:30 – 7:30 PM

Traci Brimhall’s fourth collection Come the Slumberless to the Land of Nod weaves between essays and poems to explore becoming a new mother during the trial for her friend's murder. She will read both nonfiction and poetry that came from this time in her life and talk about the ways love and grief are related in poems. She will also discuss the writing process for both nonfiction and poetry, and the ways they inform each other and diverge.

Craft Talk with Traci Brimhall– Wednesday, May 12, 6:30 – 7:30 PM

Love is more than the ecstatic--it is in the daily actions and affections. Grief happens far beyond the focal point of a funeral. Two of our major experiences as humans happen to us again and again, yet so often poems focus on the falling in love or the moment of loss rather than how those we love and lose endure across so many moments in a single day. In this lecture, we will examine poetry that uses repetition for both love poems and elegies.

Walk and Read – Thursday, May 13, All Day

“Take a walk and read a book.” Not normally sound advice, but that is exactly what Johnson County Library is suggesting families do this week at Antioch Park, 6501 Antioch Rd.  Walk and Read creates a family reading experience in the great outdoors! Families who participate will read two stories posted around the path, one going each direction. When you finish one story, you can flip around to the other side of the sign and begin the next story, which will lead you back around the path. 

One-On-One Genealogy Help – Friday, May 14, 9 AM – 1 PM

Basic Genealogy and DNA one-on-one help are now being held online via Zoom specific to your questions and research. Visit Johnson County Genealogical Society to schedule an appointment. A volunteer will email a personal Zoom meeting link to you prior to the scheduled date.

We are so excited to welcome award-winning poet, essayist, and children's book author Traci Brimhall to Johnson County Library for three virtual events next week! Join us for one or all of the following:

• May 11th at 6:30 pm: Poetry Reading: Eros and Thanatos: A Conversation on Love and Elegy in Poems
• May 12th at 6:30 pm: They Come Back: Memory in the Love Poem and Elegy
• May 15th at 9 am: Workshop: They Come Back: Memory in the Love Poem and Elegy

See more detailed descriptions and register »

"Take a walk and read a book." Not normally sound advice, but that is exactly what Johnson County Library is suggesting families do at various locations throughout Johnson County.  

Walk and Read creates a family reading experience in the great outdoors! Families who participate will read two stories posted around the path, one going each direction. When you finish one story, you can flip around to the other side of the sign and begin the next story, which will lead you back around the path.

Walk and Read is a program encouraging physical activity, literacy and family time, while allowing for social distancing. The paths are stroller and wheelchair friendly, allowing for members of all ages to join in the fun! Dates are subject to adjustment due to weather conditions.