This morning, KDL Director Lance Werner was interviewed on FOX 17.  Lance promoted all the great programs taking place at our branches over spring break. If you didn’t take a trip to the sunny south, make sure to pay us a visit and enjoy some free family fun!

Staying in town for spring break? We can help keep your kids happy, busy and entertained… and we may even sneak in a little education (but they will never know)! Between Family Building Brick Parties, Garden Fun Storytimes, Minecrafting, Chess, Bayblade Battles, Science in the Stacks and much more, there won’t be any time for boredom. Click here for a complete list of our programs taking place March 29 – April 7.

And if you are heading to the sunny south for break, make sure to stop in your local branch and stock up on some great vacation reads. Pick up some audiobooks to make a long car ride more bearable.

Wishing everyone a safe and fun spring vacation!

Looking for some new music that will get your kids moving, singing and laughing? Check out musician and author Jim Gill. His background as a child development specialist with a special emphasis on the study of play has made his music a combination of silly, fun and enriching. His music encourages participation through movement and singing with interactive instruction that has helped make him a favorite of teachers, librarians and parents alike. Check our catalog to borrow one of his albums today.

This article originally appeared in our Early Lit Bits eNewsletter. Read the most recent issue online or sign up to receive this monthly update highlighting early literacy tips and resources for parents and caregivers.

Join in at your local library for the opportunity to build the best of your imagination!  It will be a time to build creativity, family time and bonding in many of your local libraries during the Family Building Bricks Party. To enjoy the event you might want to read up on building ideas by using several of these titles, or better yet, follow a YouTube demonstration:

And for those who enjoyed hearing the line from the classic baseball film, “Build it, and they will come,” Field of Dreams would be a good warm-up for baseball’s opening day! As fans eagerly approach the nostalgia of baseball games throughout cool spring days and lazy days of summer, a few titles to bring on the game could always be enjoyed. Furthermore, the history of the game could be followed quite easily by browsing the variety of media available.

So, if building with bricks, imagination or sports is your favorite pastime, join us at your KDL library to take a swing!

Kent District Library has a great selection of picture books for you to browse at your local branch, but sometimes it’s nice to have some recommendations. Check out the PLAY-GROW-READ! section of the KDL website (found under the “Parents & Kids” tab).

Reader’s advisory lists for our pint-sized patrons can be found under the heading “Books for Early Literacy.” There are a variety of lists found here, from “Funny Stories” to “Numbers & Counting” to “Books for Bedtime.” There’s also a list that focuses on each of the Early Literacy Practices. Conveniently, the books on the these lists link directly to our catalog. You can immediately see where they are on the shelf and place a hold to have a title sent to your home library.

Free books. Free movies. Free video games. Free eBooks and eAudiobooks. Free music (including downloads). Free programs. Free research databases. Free magazines (including downloads). The list could go on and on!

All this, plus a chance to win a slew of amazing prizes… sign up for a library card today! Our Find Your Happiness library card campaign runs until the end of March, so there is still time to get in on the fun! Those of you reading this probably already have a library card, so make sure to spread the word to your family and friends. They will thank you, I’m sure!

Just in case you’re wondering, the prizes for the campaign include an overnight stay at the JW Marriott, a three-month family membership at the YMCA, movie passes and free popcorn at Celebration! Cinema, gift cards for Schuler Books & Music, Meijer and Family Fare, a free birthday party at the Kentwood Fun Spot and so much more!

Kent District Library really is Your Place for Happiness!

Looking for something local to do this spring break? Explore Michigan with travel books from KDL. From the scenic Grand River in our own backyard, to wild destinations for family adventure, have fun discovering everything Michigan has to offer!

Click on the link to this week’s Top Ten List to view 10 of the most popular Michigan Travel titles at KDL!

Do you have a favorite nearby destination for family fun?  Please share your ideas below!

 As the cold and flu season lingers on, it might be worthwhile to just start singing!

A study that began in 2009 concluded that singing can create a positive effect on people’s health. The study found that singing can improve lung capacity, improve mood, reduce stress, influence the immune system and create a positive perception in socializing. With that in mind, it might be worthwhile to look at KDL’s Freegal database – where you can download three titles a week – and begin singing along with your favorite artists. You can also watch target=”_blank”>YouTube videos that can create smiles and laughter with the smallest of voices!

Another action to “just feel good” would be to share singing with others. As the month of March has been labeled “Sing to your Child Month,” any type of silly songs would be sure to amuse youngsters.  With a variety of silly CDs available, singing in March could really blow the blues away! And if you think you might need extra coaching, try some new reading material, such as “The Music Instinct.”

With the benefits of laughing, making noise, interacting with the young and enjoying the whispers of spring air, singing can really hit the right notes with you!

Check out this great segment from WOOD TV’s eightWest! Anjie Gleisner, youth librarian at the Walker branch, shares some of the exciting programs taking place at the library, including our Find Your Happiness Library Card Campaign. Enjoy!

Those of you who download eBooks and eAudiobooks from KDL have probably noticed that our eBook website recently underwent a makeover as OverDrive upgraded it to their new “Next Generation experience.”

Now that you’ve had a chance to use the site for a while, OverDrive wants to know what you think. Share your thoughts by taking their survey, and they will reward one lucky winner with an iPad!

The survey runs through April 30, and the data will be used to enhance library services in the future.

Good luck!