Sure, a good portion of our programs are for families, kids and teens, but we didn’t want you grown-ups to miss out on all the library fun! We have an exciting line-up of programs for adults taking place at our branches this summer. These programs will help you learn a new skill, plan a vacation or even determine if someone is trying to deceive you! Click on each event title for dates, times, locations and the event description. Don’t let the kids have all the fun!

• Book Sales
• Computer Classes and Technology Programs
• Sit-N-Stitch
• Midwest Travels with Steve Ellis
• Zen Design
• Cascade Writer’s Group
• Music on the Deck
• Beneath the Surface: Earth Shelter Project Michigan
• Digging for the Truth Using Linguistic Statement Analysis
• Author Visit: Scott Bitely
• Crossroads: Exploring Business Ownership Options

A couple weeks ago I told you we were a finalist for the Excellence in Business EPIC Award from the Grand Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. I’m thrilled to announce that we won the award last night at an event at the Frederik Meijer Gardens! The other finalists for the award were Elzinga & Volkers and Cascade Engineering.

If you want to read about the designation, you’ll find that background in my previous post. In a nutshell, this means the West Michigan-area business community recognizes that KDL is not only a leading governmental entity, but that we understand that successful governmental entities place as much importance as their business counterparts on their fiscal health, service innovation, customer and employee satisfaction and civic responsibility.

This isn’t Lance Werner’s award, or even KDL’s award alone. It’s recognition of all the parts that make up this whole: the nearly 300 KDL staffers who make your library experience great every time; your communities, which recognize how crucial a healthy library system is to its overall health; and to you, our cardholders and taxpayers who support us in all we do. Thank you.

Word Wise, KDL’s annual teen poetry contest, celebrated its tenth year and it once again was a huge success thanks to all the great teen poets out there. This year, nearly 200 poems were submitted. Library staff reviewed the poems and narrowed down the entries, submitting them to Grand Rapids Poet Laureate, David Cope, for final analysis. Ten winners were chosen and a PDF of the winning poems is available for your reading pleasure.

Congratulations to the winning poets!

A Day’s Worth of Broken Haiku by Alex Courtade

A Ghazal in a Shadow by Alistair Poole

The Script of the Lost by Stephanie Sutherland

Unseen Actors by Karina Bursch

Stars by Makenzie Hutchings

Opening the Worn Cigar Box in the Basement by Hannah Fleming

The Perfect Kiss by Emily Anderson

That Sweet Aroma by Kate Ruehrdanz

The Broken Poet by Paige Jackson

Watching the Stars by Bethany Garvon

The school year is winding down, and that means we are gearing up for Summer Reading @ KDL. With programs for kids, teens and adults, we are inviting the whole family to get Grounded in Happiness @ KDL. And if discovering some great books isn’t enough of an incentive to participate, we have also got some awesome prizes up for grabs, including gift cards to nearly 20 different stores, John Ball Zoo memberships, iPods, NOOK eReaders and more!

Summer Reading @ KDL kicks off on Saturday, June 1. Stop by your local branch to sign up, and don’t forget to pick up a program guide while you’re there. Our summer line-up includes dinosaurs, magic, animals, food and music, just to name a few! Watch this video to amp up your excitement!

KDL is a proud ticket sponsor of the WGVU Real Oldies Concert at the Ball Park! This free event will be held on Saturday, June 1 at 6:00 PM at Fifth Third Ball Park in Comstock Park. Featured bands are The Grass Roots, The Eschelons and The Westside Soul Surfers.

You do not have to have a KDL library card to get a free concert ticket. Watch the video below for full event details, go to Freegal and use your KDL card to download some of the artists’ music (on us!), then pick up your tickets today at any one of our 18 branches!

As part of this fundraiser to help support WGVU Real Oldies and the West Michigan Whitecaps Inner City Youth Baseball/Softball program, a classic car show in the parking lot starts at 3:00 PM.

KDL’s inaugural Book Bash, held April 27 and 28 at our Comstock Park Service Center, was a weekend of good food, great fun and gargantuan bargains on more than 100,000 books, CDs, DVDs, games and more.

A few numbers:

• Hits to the Book Bash website – 5,544 since February
• Participants in the Facebook quilt contest – 12,753
• Attendance at Book Bash – 1,467
• Dollars raised for KDL programs – $31,797
• 93 volunteers worked 1,245 hours

Thanks to everyone who volunteered, shopped and supported the event. See you next year!

We provide FREE activities that promote early literacy while putting a smile on your face.

Subscribe to 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.

Find great early literacy activities and information on our Play-Grow-Read! website.  After all, books are for babies too!

Join one of our Babytime groups, which will delight and stimulate your baby with songs, a story and playtime. Get to know other families and help your baby develop listening and language skills.

Get out of the house and head to KDLville, early-literacy play spaces in each KDL branch.

Your Happy Pregnancy is a three-part series led by chiropractor Dr. Jessica Avery Karns. And pick up a library card for the little one while you’re there — it’s one of the best things you can do for your new baby.

Prepping Your Body to Make a Superbaby  

• Saturday, May 4, 10:30 AM – KWD
• Saturday, May 11, 2:00 PM- EGR

Congratulations, You’re Pregnant!  Let’s Make This a Great Experience!

• Saturday, May 18, 10:30 AM – KWD
  Saturday, May 25, 2:00 PM – EGR

The Bundle of Joy is Here: What to do for Baby and for Momma

• Saturday, June 1, 10:30 AM – KWD
• Saturday, June 1, 2:00 PM – EGR

Whether you’re a computer novice or looking to update your skills, KDL’s free computer classes can help you learn something new! Registration opens today for our June classes:

• Computer Basics: Mousing and More
• Computer Basics: Where’s My Stuff?
• Digging into Your Past: Online Genealogy Research
  (Bring Your Own Laptop) (pre-registration not required)
• Gadgets: B.Y.O. eReader & Tablet Users Group
  (pre-registration not required)
• Internet: Email Basics
• Internet: Getting Started on Craigslist
• Internet: Internet Basics & More
• Internet: Wikipedia, the Encyclopedia for Everyone!
• Microsoft Excel Basics I, II & III
• Microsoft PowerPoint Basics
• Microsoft Word Basics I & II
• Senior Wireless Workshop (pre-registration not required)
• Speak to a Geek (pre-registration not required)

For class descriptions and schedule, please see our brochure or search our events calendar.

Unless otherwise noted, pre-registration is required and will begin the month before the scheduled classes on the first Monday of each month for KDL cardholders and the second Monday for non-KDL cardholders (if space is still available):

• June classes: Registration begins Monday, May 6 for KDL cardholders
  (Monday, May 13 for non-KDL cardholders)
• July classes: Registration begins Monday, June 3 for KDL cardholders
  (Monday, June 10 for non-KDL cardholders)
• August classes: Registration begins Monday, July 1 for KDL cardholders
  (Monday, July 8 for non-KDL cardholders)

To register, please call 616-784-2007.

Are you already making plans for summer? Don’t forget about all the FREE programs available at the library! The Summer 2013 issue of the KDL Kaleidoscope program guide is now available online. You’ll find all you need to know about summer events and get some great information on library resources and staff recommendations. (Printed guides will also be available in the branches by mid-May.)

It’s sure to be an exciting summer at KDL, and you don’t want to miss a thing. Check out the KDL Kaleidoscope today!

Book Bash is just around the corner! Make plans to visit the KDL Service Center (814 West River Center Dr. NE in Comstock Park) on Saturday, April 27 between 8:00 AM and 5:00 PM or Sunday, April 28 between 1:00 and 4:00 PM.

Not only can you shop a giant warehouse book sale, but you can also enjoy free events for the whole family including face painting, Zumba classes, a children’s book swap, a local authors book fair and more! Proceeds will support library programs including Summer Reading @ KDL.

Find out more at www.kdlbookbash.org.