By Trecia Schell
The library has tons of great activities all month long, for all ages, to celebrate the season – from making holiday decorations, to upcycled (handmade) crafts, and visits from Santa too.
The New Glasgow Library is hosting a Holiday Party from 10:30 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Dec. 7. The River John Library is celebrating with Christmas Cookie Decorating for kids, also on Dec. 7 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Stellarton library has Christmas Elves hiding on book shelves from Dec. 10 to 21. The Trenton library is having Snowman Scavenger Hunts from Dec. 10 until Dec. 14. Santa will be visiting the Pictou Library on Saturday, Dec. 14, at 10:30 a.m., and the Westville Library on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 6 p.m. All are welcome to drop by, and celebrate the magic of the season. For all events and program details, drop by your local library, and visit our PARLevents calendar online. We have over 100+ free programs, every month – all you need is your library card, and that’s free too.
Looking to stretch the budget a bit further these days, and be active? With your local library card, you can borrow a Fun Fit Pass to visit the Pictou County YMCA or Pictou Fisheries Pool. And available soon at the library will be the snowshoe lending program with Active Pictou County. With your library card, you can borrow a set or two of snowshoes (all sizes). Also available for borrowing are sets of Nordic Walking Poles (with picks), and Adventure Day Packs (great for hiking).
And did you know, with your local library card you can also borrow an Arts are for Everyone pass for the deCoste Performing Arts Centre in Pictou? In December there are three performances offered in the program - A Christmas Dollhouse: A Family Musical (Dec. 8), Maritime Marionettes: The Bremen Town Musicians and the Nativity (Dec. 14), and A Classic Country Christmas with Georgette Jones and Brian Mallery (Dec. 15). Stay tuned for more details soon with the list of the Winter 2020 performances with the Arts are for Everyone program.
Looking for some great holiday gift ideas for the book lovers and movie fans on your list? We have those too! Give the gift of reading this holiday season, with the library’s annual fundraising Gift-a-Book campaign. By sponsoring a book or DVD for the library, you can receive an income tax receipt, a gift card, a bookplate and the opportunity to read (or watch) it first! It’s a gift that keeps on giving, in your community. Another great stocking stuffer idea – tickets for our 2020 Dining in the Stacks fundraiser (Sunday, March 8 at the New Glasgow library) will be available for purchase at all of our library locations later this week.
And a reminder, the regional library will close early on Christmas Eve at noon on Dec. 24, but before we do, we invite parents and caregivers to drop by the library and pick up free children’s book or two from Adopt-a-Library Literacy Program for under a Christmas tree near you.
For more information on all our upcoming library programs and services, call or drop by your local library, follow us on Twitter, find us on Facebook, or visit us online at www.parl.ns.ca .
Trecia Schell is community services librarian and branch librarian for Books-by-Mail, River John, Stellarton and Trenton public libraries.
