Portage District Library 01 Blog

Breakfast with Santa Tickets Available

2009-11-20T19:33:15Z

This is a wonderful way for your young children to visit with Santa! Come dressed in your holiday best and have a visit with Santa Claus by the fireplace at the Moors Grille Room. After children hand Santa their list, they can enjoy some delicious pancakes and sausage. Parents, bring your camera for this one! Registration is limited. All children in attendance (including attending infants) will need to pay registration. Only the children will be served breakfast, but coffee is available for adults. Cost: $5.00 per child. Registration is limited to 3 children or 1 family. Registration must be done in person at the Portage District Library Youth Desk and payment is due upon registration. Event dates are December 1, 3, and 9 and time slots are 9am, 10am, and 11am. Join us to start your Holidays off right!

November Teen Night: Decoupage and Improv

2009-11-13T13:26:11Z

November 19: If you have been to Second City, seen the show “Whose Line is it Anyway?”, or thought improv sounded interesting…join us for this workshop on improvisational theatre with Scott Fuce from The Improv(e)ment Group, or try decoupage, a fun way to decorate any surface or turn ordinary objects into art. (Middle School — 6:00-7:00, High School — 7:30-9:00). No registration required.

New: Teacher’s Headquarters provides online help for Portage teachers and Media Specialists

2009-11-12T20:19:53Z

Ever wonder what the library provides free of charge for teachers? We have gathered resources, tips, and contacts together for you in one place. Try our Teacher’s Headquarters section on the library site. The Headquarters can be found in the “Parents and Kids” section of the website. It contains booklists, hints for getting curriculum backup from the librarians, and suggestions for instructors for all age groups, preschool to high school.

Homegrown Writer Reads for PDL

2009-10-30T14:39:26Z

And on November 2nd, the Day of the Dead, homegrown writer Joe Schreiber comes to visit. Author of the suspense tale “No Doors, No Windows” and the upcoming Star Wars/zombie horror novel “Death Troopers,” Joe will read from “No Doors” and talk about the art and practice of writing. In addition, members of the 501st Legion: Vader’s Fist will be there to show off Star Wars costumes.

Halloween Teen Event Cancelled

2009-10-28T14:04:35Z

I have cancelled the teen event, The Dark Side of Science, scheduled for Halloween 11am-1pm. We will reschedule this event in the Spring. I’m sorry for any inconvenience!
Laura Wright, Teen Librarian

Tacos with Joe Schreiber

2009-10-28T13:40:50Z

Feel like some horror with your tacos? Join us for Qdoba with author Joe Shreiber on Monday, November 2 at 5:30 pm, and stay for his reading at 6:30 pm if you like. Shreiber has recently released two books, No Doors and No Windows (horror/suspense), and Death Troopers (a Star Wars/Zombie read). Come for a meal and get a chance to talk with an interesting local author. Open to any young adults (ages 18-25). Call 269/329-4542 ×723 for more information.

Book Review: Going Postal by Terry Pratchett

2009-10-26T13:31:31Z

How can you go wrong with a hero who’s a lifetime swindler named Moist von Lipwig? Moist is given a reprieve from his death sentence provided he becomes the Postmaster of Ankh-Morpork. He’s got a golem watching him in case he decides to bolt, and at first that’s all that keeps him in line. However, after hearing the letters speak to him, experiencing a little time travel, saving a cat from a burning building, escaping a hired banshee, and becoming attached to his assistants (one a pin collector and the other flammable self-medicator), Moist finds himself on the side of the good guys in spite of himself. If you like a little fantasy and a lot of humor, Terry Pratchett’s writing is fantastic. Give this and his other reads a try.

Food for Fines 2009 was a Succesful Campaign!

2009-10-23T14:36:30Z

Congratulations & thanks to all the citizens of Portage who helped make Portage District Library’s 9th Annual Food for Fines Campaign (August 17th – 29th, 2009) a success. Food for Fines is a way for library patrons to reduce or eliminate their overdue charges in return for donating canned or boxed non-perishable food items.

We are happy to say that there were 6,879 food items collected and donated to the Portage Community Center’s Food Pantry, surpassing our record number of 6,487 food items collected in a previous year. Given the current struggling economy and the number of people in need, the Portage Community Center staff and volunteers were most appreciative of this gift of food presented to them on behalf of our community of library users.

League of Women Voters Guide

2009-10-20T13:03:29Z

is here. You can pick up print copies at the library (supplies limited), or go to their website to download an e copy.

The Parking Lot is Done!

2009-10-16T15:33:29Z

All in all, this project went very well and we were able to do everything that needed to be done without closing the library!

A big “THANK YOU” is extended to all library patrons who tolerated the inconveniences during this project. We hope you will agree that it was worth it because:

1. We now have a wonderful, safe, well constructed, ADA compliant library parking lot with optimal traffic flow within the constraints of city fire codes, accommodating existing structures and land boundaries, and meeting the parking space needs for our busy library.
2. The new library parking lot has the following special features:

• Handicapped Parking Spots (6) all located close to the front of the library building on the northwest side of the front lot, with gradually sloping sidewalk and larger adjacent spaces for easier in/out access – especially wheelchair or motorized cart friendly.
• Drop Off (Five-Minute Only) Parking Spots (3) immediately in front of the library building for patron convenience.
• Better traffic flow with painted sections on parking lot surface and other directional signage.
• Large “Book Drop” sign (to be mounted soon above the concrete wall at the south end of building).
• Relocation of our outdoor storage shed; recycle receptacle and waste bin to a concrete slab at the north end of our back parking lot with reinforced sections for heavy trucks.
• Painted designated loading/receiving area at back door of library.

Teen Night October

2009-10-12T22:47:02Z

Join us this teen night for pumpkin painting (bring your own pumpkin if you can), Wii, old fashioned bingo, and cupcakes! No registration required. Middle schoolers from 6:00-7:00pm, high schoolers from 7:30-9:00pm.

An artist and their roots.

2009-10-09T15:29:18Z

With the knowledge that art has the power to heighten awareness, awaken the senses and enhance understanding between cultures, Portage District Library and the Association of Latinoamerican Professionals are hosting a group exhibit of Latino artists from September 28 – October 31. The artists include: Erick Pichardo, Manuel Amaya, Roberto Flachier, Ana Light, Ricardo Zuniga and Sonia de la Torre.

This exhibit brings to life the colors, shapes, movement and ambience of the Caribbean and South America. To help guide us through the rhythms, poetry and soul of Caribbean art, Erick Pichardo, artist, musician, poet, and performing artist, will offer a presentation on Sunday, October 11 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm.

You can meet these local artists, experience their work and hear jazz and classic guitarist David Martin at a reception on Sunday, October 11 from 2:00-3:00 pm.

2 Fun Indoor Games for Families

2009-10-06T16:47:01Z

Both of these games are great for different ages, and small or large groups.
One-Handed Race — Players either work alone or in pairs. Using 1 hand each, they must complete tasks in the fastest time. Possible tasks are writing your name, tearing the paper into 4 pieces, putting pennies in a ziploc bag and closing it, tying and lacing a shoe… options are endless! Increase the difficulty for older children by telling them to use their non-dominant hand.

What Am I? Play 20 questions, but put the name the animal, character, food, etc. on a piece of paper and tape it to the questioner’s forehead. Have them guess what they are.

2 Changes for Reciprocal Borrowers

2009-09-29T13:25:37Z

Reciprocal Borrowing Service Change
Effective September 15, 2009

1. Portage District Library, Kalamazoo Public Library, and Willard Public Library will limit the number of items that can be reserved by reciprocal borrowers to a total of three, beginning September 15, 2009.
2. Interlibrary Loan is also being scheduled for termination as a service for reciprocal borrowers at Portage District Library, as it is available at and should be provided through your home library district.

Many other libraries in the Kalamazoo area that have reciprocal agreements with Portage District Library either already have or may soon establish similar limits and restrictions. If you are a regular user of reciprocal borrowing services at other libraries, please be aware that some aspects of your service may be changing as well.

As library usage has increased dramatically and the current economic crisis continues to impact library funding across our community, there may be other types of limits set to allow each library to improve access to new books, movies, or other high demand items for taxpayers in their service area.

While reciprocal borrowing was established to provide more direct access to library materials, each institution is responsible for setting polices that best serve the needs of their taxpaying constituents.
We appreciate your understanding as we continue to strive to balance the needs of Portage District Library taxpayers with our mission to provide access to information for all public library users.

Book Review: Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer

2009-09-29T13:07:31Z

This is the story of a group of people who grow to know each other following the 2nd World War after a stray used book connects them. Author Juliet Ashton is living in London and suffering from writer’s block when she receives a letter from Dawsey Adams, a farmer in Guernsey. Soon, she and his fellow islanders are corresponding. Eventually, Juliet’s curiosity brings her to the island and she finally meets everyone she is growing to love. The letters are funny, tragic, and intimate. They depict a group of people trying to redefine themselves after the war. Written mostly in letters, the format allows the reader to know the many characters in a unique way, to hear their stories as if the reader is a trusted friend. It was the kind of book I hoped would continue past the last page.