Trouble viewing the email? Click here to see the online version

Summer reading 2020 update

Since we can’t be together as we normally would, we have a developed a fabulous and innovative Summer Reading Program! Derby Public Library’s Youth Services department has created ways to bring the programs our patrons love into their homes, while also coming up with new programs to keep them busy and entertained. Whether you have a newborn or an 18-year-old at your house, we have developed programs that will tickle their funny bones and engage their imaginations.

This will be our first summer using Beanstack, a free app that patrons will use to track their reading and earn prizes. Every child who finishes the reading challenge will win a prize package that includes a new book.

Finishers will also be entered into their age group's grand prize drawing:

Tiny Tales: Baby’s first library: $200 gift card to Watermark Books and personal bookshelf
School Age: Nintendo Switch Bundle
Teen: Beats Headphones and Wireless Speaker

Patrons will be able to tune into our website, Facebook, and Instagram for interactive programs for all ages. Some of the programming is listed below. You can also find up-to-the-minute details on the summer reading page of our website by clicking the red button below.

Summer reading begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 25, and all reading logs must be completed and submitted by 5 p.m. July 26. Set your Beanstack account up now, and you'll be ready when summer reading starts!

Summer reading programming —
socially distant style!

Tiny Tales:
     *Family Fun Challenges on Facebook with the change to win a Family Fun Party Pack
     *Imagine It Performances on Facebook Live: musicians, puppet shows and more!
     *Once Upon a Time Storytime on Facebook Live
     *StoryWalk @ the Library

Once Upon a Time School Age:
     *Adventures Plus! To-go Craft Kits, Facebook Live Steam shows and more!
     *Imagine a Tale Short Story Writing Challenge
     *Once Upon a Yoga on Facebook LIVE
     *Tween Chapter a Day Club on Facebook LIVE

Teens, Imagine Your Story:
     *Mirror Mirror on the Wall: A Fairytale Teen Art Show
     *Murder of the Monster Slayer: An Online Murder Mystery
     *Mythical Moviecraft Online Course
     *Once Upon a Writer Writing Challenge
     *Virtual Teen Tuesday including to-go craft kids, Facebook live and more!

Looking for someplace to discuss books?
We've got you covered!

We have three active book groups here at the library that are open to everyone. If you love to read and talk about the books you read, pop in to one or more of the book groups!

Bemused Bibliophiles meets during the day and reads popular books that have been on the bestseller list. Hauntingly Good Reads meets in the evening and explores all kinds of books that have a supernatural/magical/unexplainable kind of bent—we look far beyond the traditional vampires, ghosts and witches.

Joyful Page Turners is the most enduring book club at the library—it's been meeting regularly since May 2000! Books selected for this book club include just about everything: classics, modern bestsellers, non-fiction, and more.

Click on the book titles below to see them in the library catalog. Sign in to your library account on the catalog and you can place a title on hold.

Bemused Bibliophiles — meets at 1 p.m. May 6. The title for May is The Feather Thief by Kirk Johnson. *This book club discussion will be held via Zoom. Meeting information can be found in the Bemused Bibliophiles group on the library's Facebook page.
Hauntingly Good Reads — meets at 7 p.m. May 11. The title for May is Necronomicon by H.P. Lovecraft. *This book club discussion will be held via Zoom. If you would like to join this Zoom book discussion, please email Cori at cori@derbylibrary.com
Joyful Page Turners — meets at 6:45 p.m. May 28. The title for January is The Chelsea Girls by Fiona Davis.

Grab your sidewalk chalk and make some art to share

Join the Derby Arts Council in a community art project. Get out those sidewalk chalks and create a work of art on your driveway or sidewalk, then share a photo of it in the event on the Derby Arts Council's Facebook page.

We invite individuals, businesses, churches, and any other organization in Derby to participate. If you are a business, church or other organization that would like to participate, you are especially invited.

If businesses or organizations would like to create their art on a public sidewalk, the City of Derby has waived the requirement for a permit. Just be sure that if your art hasn't been rained or washed away by the end of the day May 31, that you remove it.

If you create your art on the premises of your business/church/organization, you can leave the art as long as you like.

Please be sure to post pictures of your art in the Facebook event, and contact Tami English at tami@derbylibrary.com so she can arrange for photos to be taken and share with the Derby Informer. Questions? Please email Tami. We can't wait to see your art!

Favorites from Amelia's personal collection

Since the library is temporarily closed, we have read books from Amelia's personal collection. At her baby shower, we asked that instead of a card, they give a book with a personal message instead. We got so many that Amelia loves to read. Here are a few of her favorites recently:

Peek-a-who by Nina Laden (library has a copy)
Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do you see? by Bill Martin Jr & Eric Carle (Library has a copy)
Skippyjon Jones 1-2-3 by Judy Schachner (library has a copy)
Baby Touch and Feel Animals by Dawn Sirett (Library has similar books)

A Good Girl's Guide
to Murder
by Holly Jackson

First line: Pip knew where they lived.

Summary: Five years ago Andie Bell was killed by her boyfriend who then later committed suicide. It is a story that everyone was talking about. Now Pip, a high school senior, decides to dig into the case for a project. She does not believe the story and as she digs further she finds that many in the town do not want her discover their secrets.

My thoughts: I have been really impressed with YA authors who are writing thrillers that are just as good as their adult counterparts. There is suspense and twists that are just as engaging. This was a lot of fun and a great start for a new author. It has an interesting layout that includes transcripts of interviews, notes for her project and other pieces of evidence. This reminded me a lot of Karen McManus’ One of Us Is Lying and Courtney Summers’ Sadie.

Release date: Feb. 4, 2020

Ashley's rating:

You Never Forget Your First
by Alexis Coe

First line: All of the Founding Fathers have problems.

Summary: A simpler and humorous look into the life of the United States’ first president. It covers his remarkable life but does not sugar coat it. We get a look at the real man rather than the image he has been remembered as.

My thoughts: The first thing that caught my attention was the title and the cover. Hilarious! I liked how the author covered so much but did not make it a long book filled with long descriptions. She provided charts and lists of things from his favorite foods to jobs to his frenemies. The myths surrounding him are debunked. It is a simple look at a complex man. Very interesting and informative for people that want some history but not a massive book.

Release date: Feb. 4, 2020

Ashley's rating:

Attention photgraphers!

The City of Derby is holding a photo contest asking residents, visitors, and locals to send in their best photographs. Showcase your work and show us why you are “Derby Proud.

While we encourage you to get outside and explore Derby, please be sure to follow recommendations for social distancing.

For complete rules and a list of prizes, please visit DerbyKS.com/photo.

We are so excited to be offer hold pickups at the drive-thru window!

As the community looks forward to a gradual re-opening of businesses and services, we at the library look forward to welcoming patrons. The library implemented Phase One of the plan for re-opening, offering limited service at the drive-thru window only, on Monday, May 4.

To use the drive-thru service, please place the items you'd like to check out on hold. You can access the library catalog through the library's website. Your login is your library card number with no spaces and your password is the last four digits of the phone number on your account.You may also call the library to place items on hold.

Drive-thru hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday.

As a reminder, we ask that if you are sick or experiencing any symptoms of illness to please stay home. Also, once we are able to open the building to the public, we ask that you maintain social distancing whenever possible.

View the three-phase plan for re-opening on the library website.

Summer reading 2020 update

Summer reading programming — socially distant style!

Looking for someplace to discuss books? We've got you covered!