PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
31 August 2020
For more information, contact Director Dan Hutchins, 269.423.4771, ext. 4103
VBDL UNVEILS FALL ONLINE PROGRAM SCHEDULE
DECATUR, MICHIGAN – – – – According to American industrialist Henry Ford, “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
In the case of Van Buren District Library, the winds of 2020 may have eliminated in-person programs, but the District continues to find ways to rise above the challenge. The seven-facility library system is offering a full schedule of online programming this fall for all ages.
Children’s Story Time and crafts, currently in preproduction, begin airing on Facebook and VBDL’s YouTube Channel the week of September 21. Story Time premieres at 7:30pm, September 22, and Kids’ Crafts premieres Thursday, September 24, at 10:00am. EXPLORE with Mr. Jeff is featured every other Saturday at 10:00am, beginning September 26, while Kitchen Science is offered Saturdays at 10:00am, beginning October 3.
Activity Bags for all craft sessions, except Kitchen Science, are available for pick-up beginning the week of September 14. The bags contain a month’s worth of craft supplies so children can follow along with the craft classes in making their own creations. The bags also contain activities to complement the books featured during Story Time.
Monday evenings on Facebook and YouTube are reserved for adults. VBDL Bloomingdale Branch Librarian Cheryl Bull kicks off the fall season Monday, September 28, at 7:00pm, with instructions for making No-Sew Felt Fox Cozies. Subsequent programs include a watercolor class, art appreciation, yarn pumpkins, wine cork pumpkins, faux leather tassel keychains, and more. Supply bags for adult activities are also available beginning September 14.
VBDL highlights the Toni I. Benson Room for Local History and Genealogy each Wednesday at 5:00pm. The popular summer program #WayBackWednesday has been reformatted for fall as “Your Moment of When.” Local History Librarian Amy Druskovich offers glimpses into the past through materials and services available to the public in the Benson Room, located in Webster Memorial Library, Decatur.
Of course, as VBDL likes to promote the hashtag #LibrariansareFun, what would the fall be without a bit of whimsy. VBDL’s #FridayDanceParty is a weekly Facebook contest to see who can be the first to name that tune. The mystery tune is performed – on a Kazoo – by a VBDL staff member every Friday at 7:30am, beginning September 4. The first person who correctly identifies the tune on each of the branches’ Facebook page will be entered into a monthly drawing for a $25 Barnes and Noble gift card.
VBDL’s online book groups are conducted on ZOOM the second and third Wednesday of each month at 7:00pm, and the third Monday, also at 7:00pm.
For more information, contact the nearest VBDL location, phone 269.423.4771, or email info@vbdl.org. Van Buren District Library is headquartered in Decatur with branches in Bangor, Bloomingdale, Covert, Gobles, Lawrence and Mattawan.
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