Ferndale Area District Library

By Jeff Milosevich

THERE ARE SO MANY EVENTS COMINGUP AT THEFERNDALE LIBRARY this Summer I’m not sure it can be contained in one column!

But let’s start with some music! Our ever-popular Summer Concert Series is coming back: These free musical performances for all ages are hosted outdoors in our courtyard, made possible by the Friends of the Ferndale Library. This year’s lineup brings a mix of jazz and world music sweetened by an array of eclectic instrumentation.

CONCERT SERIES

OUR SUMMER CONCERTS ARE SCHEDULED ON TUESDAY EVENINGS, each performance beginning at 6:30 P.M. Klezundheit (August 9) is a 10 piece ensemble group performing traditional and modern klezmer, gypsy, Balkan, and jazz music, featuring a mix of accordion, trombone, tuba, flute, and soprano saxophone.

SUMMER READING

THIS YEAR’S THEME FOR OUR SUMMER READING CHALLENGE is so you can anticipate a range of water-themed events (and prizes) for all ages. When you sign up for Summer Reading, you (and your family) can create an account with the Beanstack app to track your reading throughout the season. Starting as early as June 11 and continuing until August 31, adults will be challenged to read four books, teens will be challenged to read three books, and kids will be challenged to read for five full hours. As you read, you can earn digital badges and raffle tickets through Beanstack: the more tickets you earn, the more you can submit for our range of prizes.

LIBRARY OF THINGS & OTHER UPDATES

WHILE WE’RE HIGHLY ENCOURAGING EVERYONE TO TAKE our summer reading challenge, you can certainly use your library card for more than just reading. We were particularly excited, at the start of spring, to unveil our “Library of Things.” This special collection features tools, gadgets, instruments, and more, anything from a thermal leak detector to a sewing machine or even a ukulele. Ferndale Library cardholders can check out items from the collection of “Things” for up to two weeks. For a full list of these unique items, visit: www.fadl.org/things.

The Library of Things is just one facet of some of our recent updates. You might have already noticed our new signage facing along the north, west, and south-facing sides of our building, but there are a few updates inside that you should check out! We’ve added an accessible laptop bar that stretches across the windows of our atrium, along with several new (and rather comfy) chairs along the windows and near our quiet reading room. Parents and caregivers will also find new furniture, new carpeting, and many new shelves inside our Kids Corner. We’ve also added new resources and materials, including a restocked seed library, an Adobe Suite computer station, and a set of telescopes available in our Kids Corner.

IN OTHER NEWS:

• Our Youth Librarians hosts walk-in/drop-in sessions for Reading With Dogs (ages 4-17), continuing every Monday evening from 5:00 P.M. - 6:00 P.M. Meanwhile, there are plans for a hosted monthly on the last Wednesday of each month. There is no registration available for the kids’ drop-in sessions, but you can sign-up for our adult sessions online: fadl.org/dogs (space is limited!)

• Local artist Loralee Grace will be showing some of her amazing artwork here throughout the summer, with dazzling paintings celebrating our rich environmental and cultural diversity. Check our website for information on a Reception and Artist Talk (set for June 30).

Finally: don’t forget to try out our online resources! We have databases, craft tutorials, streaming movies, and an odyssey of eBooks and audiobooks, all of which you can access with your Ferndale Library card.

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Visit www.fadl.org for more information