Closing Announcement

South Branch Library will be closed Friday, December 6, for utility work. 

Upcoming Events

This event is in the "Teens" group.

ACT Practice Test

9:00am - 12:30pm
Teens
Main Library
Registration Closed
Registration
Library Branch: Main Library
Room: 1st Floor Program Room - Main Library
Age Group: Teens
Program Type: Developing Skills, School & Homeschool
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 0
Event Details:

High school students are invited to register for a full-length practice ACT test.
Students will experience the testing environment as well as the types of questions they'll find on a real ACT test.

Disclaimer(s)

Library programs, events, and classes are photographed or videotaped for promotional purposes or to document library activities.  Notify library staff if you prefer not to be photographed. 

Los programas de la biblioteca, eventos y clases son fotografiados o filmados con fines promocionales o para documentar las actividades de la biblioteca. Notificar al personal de la biblioteca si prefiere no ser fotografiado.

 

This event is in the "Children" group.

Family Storytime

11:00am - 11:30am
Children
Main Library
Library Branch: Main Library
Room: Craft Room - Main Library
Age Group: Children
Program Type: Developing Skills, Storytime
Event Details:

Families are invited to join us for fun, interactive storytimes every Saturday morning. This special storytime will include singing, dancing, and some great books! This storytime is geared towards guests over the age of 2 and their families.

Disclaimer(s)

Library programs, events, and classes are photographed or videotaped for promotional purposes or to document library activities.  Notify library staff if you prefer not to be photographed. 

Los programas de la biblioteca, eventos y clases son fotografiados o filmados con fines promocionales o para documentar las actividades de la biblioteca. Notificar al personal de la biblioteca si prefiere no ser fotografiado.

 

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Teens" group.
This event is in the "Adults" group.

Programa de Folklorico

11:00am - 12:00pm
Children, Teens, Adults
South Branch Library
Library Branch: South Branch Library
Room: Conference Room A - South Branch Library
Age Group: Children, Teens, Adults
Program Type: Entertainment & Culture, Cultural, Additional Program Format, Spanish
Event Details:

Taller de Danza Folklórica abrirá la oprotunidad  a los alumnos la posibilidad de expresarse y comunicarse a través del lenguaje de sus propios movimientos.

Disclaimer(s)

Library programs, events, and classes are photographed or videotaped for promotional purposes or to document library activities.  Notify library staff if you prefer not to be photographed. 

Los programas de la biblioteca, eventos y clases son fotografiados o filmados con fines promocionales o para documentar las actividades de la biblioteca. Notificar al personal de la biblioteca si prefiere no ser fotografiado.

 

This event is in the "Adults" group.

Creative Release and Renewal For 2025 Art Workshop

11:00am - 12:30pm
Adults
Turner Community Library
Registration Closed
Registration
Library Branch: Turner Community Library
Room: Bear's Den - Turner Community Library
Age Group: Adults
Program Type: Entertainment & Culture, Crafts & Hobbies, Special Events, Speakers
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 0
Event Details:

Creative Release and Renewal For 2025

Disclaimer(s)

Library programs, events, and classes are photographed or videotaped for promotional purposes or to document library activities.  Notify library staff if you prefer not to be photographed. 

Los programas de la biblioteca, eventos y clases son fotografiados o filmados con fines promocionales o para documentar las actividades de la biblioteca. Notificar al personal de la biblioteca si prefiere no ser fotografiado.

 

This event is in the "Teens" group.
This event is in the "Adults" group.

Winter Wreath

1:00pm - 3:00pm
Teens, Adults
South Branch Library
Seats Available
Registration
Library Branch: South Branch Library
Room: Storytime Room - South Branch Library
Age Group: Teens, Adults
Program Type: Home & Garden, Entertainment & Culture, Crafts & Hobbies, Holiday, Developing Skills
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 19
Event Details:

Using a blank foam wreath form as your canvas, you will be able to create a uniquely customized wreath perfect for the season!

Disclaimer(s)

Library programs, events, and classes are photographed or videotaped for promotional purposes or to document library activities.  Notify library staff if you prefer not to be photographed. 

Los programas de la biblioteca, eventos y clases son fotografiados o filmados con fines promocionales o para documentar las actividades de la biblioteca. Notificar al personal de la biblioteca si prefiere no ser fotografiado.

 

This event is in the "Children" group.
This event is in the "Teens" group.

Book Inspired Ornaments

2:00pm - 3:00pm
Children, Teens
Main Library
Seats Available
Registration
Library Branch: Main Library
Room: Craft Room - Main Library
Age Group: Children, Teens
Program Type: Crafts & Hobbies, Holiday, Entertainment & Culture
Registration Required
Seats Remaining: 25
Event Details:

Come have some holiday fun and use old book pages to make these adorable one-of-a-kind ornaments!  Children and teens 18 years and younger are welcome.  Adult presence is required for children 8 and younger.

Disclaimer(s)

Library programs, events, and classes are photographed or videotaped for promotional purposes or to document library activities.  Notify library staff if you prefer not to be photographed. 

Los programas de la biblioteca, eventos y clases son fotografiados o filmados con fines promocionales o para documentar las actividades de la biblioteca. Notificar al personal de la biblioteca si prefiere no ser fotografiado.

 

New & Noteworthy

The Kansas Collection

The Kansas Room is open on Tuesdays from 9am-noon and on Thursdays from 1-4pm.

View the Collection

Collage of historic photos and documents from the Kansas Collection

Staff Picks: Holiday Entertaining

Image for "Friendsgiving"

Friendsgiving

Throw a stress-free, festive holiday gathering for your family of friends! This unique and beautifully packaged Friendsgiving guide is filled with inspired menus, twenty-five creative recipes, tips, and more.

Friendsgiving is everything you love about Thanksgiving-- think memorable Turkey Day feast-- without the things you dread, like nagging family members and awkward conversations.

This epic Friendsgiving guide includes everything you need to throw a memorable occasion-- minus the tension and stress. In Friendsgiving, you'll find:

  • Handy timelines, shopping tips, and advice for planning ahead
  • Leftovers strategies, wine pairings, and music suggestions
  • Twenty-five easy, delicious recipes, such as Stuffing with Italian Sausage and Caramelized Fennel, Southern Tomato Pudding, and Roasted Cauliflower Steaks with Arugula-Walnut Pesto
  • Convenient options for variations, as well as suggestions for what to make and what to ask guests to bring-- because good friends want to pitch in too!

You won't need to be a perfect host or slave over a stove for days. Instead, Friendsgiving will give you the insight and advice for creating a fun, unforgettable occasion to eat and drink with friends. Tap into your own creativity with an offering of diverse menus, including a Southern Feast, Cuban Fiesta, and a Modern vegan, gluten-free menu.

While Thanksgiving is a time to be grateful for family, Friendsgiving gives us an opportunity to be thankful for friends. Whether you want to catch up before the holiday craze, throw a rager with old college buddies, or just get together with those closest to you, this practical and essential handbook will provide you with the tools you need to start an annual Friendsgiving tradition.

 

Image for "How to Celebrate Everything"

How to Celebrate Everything

A New York Times Best Cookbook of Fall 2016 • A warm and inviting guide to turning birthdays, holidays, and everyday occasions into cherished traditions, with more than 100 time-tested recipes—from the creator of the popular blog and book Dinner: A Love Story and author of the New York Times bestseller Dinner: The Playbook
 
“Families crave rituals,” says Jenny Rosenstrach, and by rituals she means not just the big celebrations—Valentine’s Day dinners, Mother’s Day brunches, Halloween send-offs, Thanksgiving feasts, holiday cocktail parties—but the little ones we may not even realize are rituals: a platter of deluxe nachos on Super Bowl Sunday, or a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes after every braces-tightening session. Whether simple or elaborate, daily or annual, these rituals all serve the same purpose for Rosenstrach: to bring comfort, connection, and meaning to every day. 
 
100+ recipes, including:
• popovers, apple fritters, and golden pancakes, perfect for sleepover mornings or birthday breakfasts
• “Interfaith Sliders”: one version with ham and another with brisket
• Rosenstrach’s legendary chocolate Mud Cake—plus an entire section on birthdays, including a one-size-fits-all party planner that does not rely on pizza
• complete menus for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve
• and, of course, dozens of Rosenstrach’s signature family dinners: Grilled Soy-Glazed Pork Chops, Harissa Roasted Chicken, Crispy Chickpeas with Yogurt Sauce and Naan, Grilled Spicy Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Butter and Summer Cabbage, and more
 
In this digital, overscheduled age, How to Celebrate Everything helps families slow down, capture the moments that matter—and eat well while doing it.

Praise for How to Celebrate Everything
 
“I have been an ardent fan of Jenny Rosenstrach’s beautiful writing for years. I always know that every word of her books will be something to savor, and How to Celebrate Everything will strike a chord with anyone who enjoys family, friends, and delicious food.”—Ree Drummond, New York Times bestselling author of The Pioneer Woman Cooks

“Enjoy How to Celebrate Everything for the easy-to-follow recipes. But even more satisfying are the wonderful anecdotes of family life and [Jenny Rosenstrach’s] genial examination of the lasting role that food plays in our lives beyond the plate.”Family Circle (September “What We’re Reading” Pick)
 
“With characteristic warmth and humor, [Rosenstrach] urges readers to ritualize and celebrate the small moments in family life by sharing stories from her own. . . . Rosenstrach is a skilled storyteller and introduces each occasion with an engaging essay before offering up the much-loved recipes that inspired it. . . . A delicious and delightful ode to the ways family and food intertwine, reinforcing each other.”Booklist
 
“Featured recipes are proven kid friendly and presented with humorous mommy angst and nostalgic commentary . . . Rosenstrach inspires, reminding us that the real celebration is family itself.”Publishers Weekly
 
“This well-designed cookbook comes with a side helping of lifestyle inspiration.”Library Journal

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Thanksgiving Entertaining

Thanksgiving is perhaps the most American holiday of all, a celebration of beloved foods, and customs that evoke happy memories of good times shared with family and friends. Williams-Sonoma Thanksgiving Entertaining is a complete guide to creating those favorite traditions in your own home. Equal parts cookbook and how-to manual, it presents five menus for entertaining over the Thanksgiving weekend, including three distinctive ideas for the holiday feast.
Fot traditionalists, there is a classic New England Thanksgiving dinner featuring roasted turkey with pan gravy and all the trimmings, including an old-fashioned oyster stuffing,, cranberry relish, and buttery mashed potatoes. A contemporary California-style holiday menu showcases a butterflied turkey and light, seasonal Mediterranean-inspired accompaniments, while an elegant southern buffet offers a glorious glazed ham, spooned bread, and collard greens.
Because Thanksgiving entertaining often extends beyond the holiday meal, this book includes menus for a casual Day-After Lunch, with turkey sandwiches and snacks, and a homey weekend breakfast, with French toast, smoothies, and an irresistible Pumpkin Bread.
In addition to the nearly fifty recipes, there are step-by-step instructions for decorating your home, setting an attractive table, and making a variety of festive drinks -- all lavishly illustrated with color photographs. Detailed work plans accompany each menu, and helpful reference sections provide guidelines on tableware and glassware, setting up a buffet, pairing food and wine, and more. You'll find everything you need to know to host a memorable Thanksgiving that both you and your guests will enjoy.

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Rock Recipes Christmas

Barry Parsons's blog was named "one of the best food blogs in Canada" by the National Post and sees almost half a million visitors every month. This year his social media followers topped half a million as well. He has worked on recipe development and social-media campaigns for several national brands like Maple Leaf Foods and McCormick Spices. His work on Rock Recipes has been featured in print and on dozens of brand and broadcast media websites all over North America--from the National Post and Huff Post Canada to Food Network Canada and NBC's Today Show. (para break here) In his third book, Rock Recipes Christmas, Parsons provides everything you need to prepare for the ultimate holiday season. From the perfect turkey dinner with all the trimmings to delectable cakes, cookies, breads, and desserts--there are even recipes for gift giving--Parsons offers the blueprint for a truly delicious festive season. A New Year's menu is here too, with a mouth-watering ham and party nibbles for guests. This is old-fashioned family cooking at its very best, reminiscent of Betty Crocker's Best Christmas Cookbook. Every recipe is accompanied by a full-page colour photograph to help with the perfect presentation. With superior printing and production quality at a surprisingly affordable price, Rock Recipes Christmas serves as the ideal holiday gift. Most customers, though, will appreciate acquiring it in the Fall so they, too, can plan a picture-perfect spread of holiday delights.