Looking for an exciting way to enhance your summer, learn something new and qualify for prizes in the process?
Look no further, as Kent District Library presents its popular Summer Reading program with a wide range of books, programs and activities for children and adults. In 2018, over 18,000 people completed the program.
This year’s annual program kicks off Monday, June 3 and extends through Saturday, August 10. You can sign up at kdl.READsquared.com, or just stop into any KDL branch for details.
“We love offering great programs for all ages every summer,” said Kip Odell, programming manager. “This summer we are presenting a lot of new and exciting performers that are coming to West Michigan for the first time. Our goal is to keep reading fun all summer long!”
Those who register for Summer Reading at KDL can qualify for prizes by tallying the number of books they read, or tracking the points they accumulate by completing activities.
But perhaps the best gain – especially for students – is how reading throughout the vacation months helps forestall the “summer slide” that negatively affects learning between the end and start of the traditional school year.
Extensive research shows that children involved in summertime reading programs sponsored by public libraries are more likely to maintain their academic skills, and in many cases do better on standardized tests.
This summer’s program lineup will include appearances by 1,2,3 Andrés, Magician Tom Plunkard, Audacious Hoops and many more. Visit kdl.readsquared.com for details.
Fines for overdue items will become a thing of the past for Kent District Library patrons beginning June 1. This change removes a barrier for people who cannot afford their fines and wish to use the library.
The elimination of late fines is expected to spark an increase in circulation of library materials and encourage inactive patrons to return to the library.
“Each year, hundreds of patrons stop using library services entirely because they are deterred by late fines,” explains Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, Director of Programming, Outreach and Collection Services for KDL. “There’s a ‘shame’ element to late fines that does more harm than good. Eliminating the shame and late fines will make library resources more accessible and create a more encouraging experience for more people.”
Years ago, revenue from late fines was fairly significant, but the advent of automatic renewals for checked-out materials has reduced it significantly. Currently, revenue from late fines is almost completely offset by the cost of administrating and collecting the fines.
“The time that staff typically devotes to managing late fines will now be spent on library services, which is a better service and value for tax payers,” said Boisvenue-Fox.
Last year, KDL eliminated late fines for patrons who are active military or veterans. Around the same time, KDL leadership considered eliminating late fines for students. Upon discussing the idea with front-line staff in the branches, it was decided that becoming a fine-free library system for all patrons would be simpler and provide a greater benefit for everyone involved. The proposal was presented to the Board of Trustees at the March 21 meeting and was unanimously approved.
Other libraries around the country, such as the Salt Lake City Public Library, have eliminated late fines and shared positive results.
As of June 1, all unpaid fines for overdue materials will be forgiven. Card-holders who were prohibited from checking out materials due to unpaid late fines will once again be able to check out materials. Patrons will continue to receive notifications of due dates and past-due items. Items that are more than 35 days past due will be considered ‘lost’ and charged to the patron. The library will also continue to charge patrons for damaged items.
The elimination of late fines coincides with the kick off of KDL’s Summer Reading program, which fosters reading and event participation for all ages.
The featured KDL books for this month focus on two teenagers both bent on getting what they want — one seeks revenge while the other seeks a boyfriend.
Award winning young adult author, Jason Reynolds, writes “Long Way Down”–a compelling novel of free verse poetry.
The story follows the life of 15-year-old Will and his inner turmoil when dealing with the recent death of his brother, who was recently shot in their neighborhood streets.
As the story begins to unfold, Will heads down the seven floors of his apartment building, on his way to seek revenge for his brother’s murder.
He is then joined by ghosts of his past at each floor the elevator stops at. As the elevator travels downward, the ghosts help Will to realize that his plan for revenge may not be as clear a picture as he assumed it would be.
Reynold’s novel addresses gun violence in a chilling yet powerful way. In a 2017 interview with NPR, he remarked that “it’s about us, a community, thinking about those of our family members and our friends who we’ve already lost to this thing, and allow their haunting to be the thing that creates our psyche and our conscience.”
Another absorbing Young Adult novel that KDL Youth Librarian Courtnei Moyses suggests is “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” by Maurene Goo.
The story follows the lovable protagonist, Desi Lee, and her journey as a high school senior.
After many attempts at flirting that turn into failures, adorably awkward Desi turns to the Korean Dramas on TV that she watches with her dad. She realizes that all K-Dramas have a special equation that they follow that consistently results in the boy falling in love with the girl.
Desi decides to implement these steps when she meets the artistic, mysterious, new boy at school named Luca. This plan to get a boyfriend works for a while, but soon things begin to go wrong.
Both of Goo’s most popular novels, “I Believe in a Thing Called Love” and “The Way You Make Me Feel,” feature strong father daughter relationships, which is appealing yet hard to find in most Young Adult fiction. As a Korean woman herself, Goo also features strong Asian girls as the protagonists in her novels.
For more great reads and other suggestions, visits your local KDL branch or visit kdl.org.
The Kent District Library has partner with The Rapid to offer the Books on the Bus program. (KDL)
Kent District Library is pleased to partner with The Rapid to offer the Books on the Bus program on buses traveling throughout the Greater Grand Rapids area. The program provides a collection of books for all ages that are conveniently placed on buses for riders to enjoy. With a book selection that will rotate consistently, riders will always have new books available.
The average bus rider commutes 25 minutes each day. This provides the perfect opportunity to do some reading or to pick up a book to enjoy later.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to make riding The Rapid an even more enjoyable experience,” said The Rapid’s CEO Andrew Johnson. “We are proud to partner with KDL to make connecting to reading even more convenient.”
Books are currently housed on 13 Rapid buses, with plans to increase that number to 16. These buses are used on different routes every day, which offers riders a chance to access books throughout The Rapid’s service area. The collection includes gently used books, many which are new and bestsellers.
A variety of books will be available to those riding The Rapid bus.
Kent District Library is also pleased to offer a Little Free Library in the Rapid Central Station. The structure will house around 50 books, including youth, teen and adult fiction and nonfiction materials. People are encouraged to take a book or leave and book.
“This is just another exciting way we are making books accessible to people wherever they might be,” said Sara Proano, manager of community engagement for KDL.
Forest Hills Transition Center is partnering with KDL to provide the volunteers to re-stock the shelves at The Rapid for the Books on the Bus project.
Groups of excited students from Godfrey Elementary recently visited Kent District Library’s newest branch, peeking at the collection and meeting librarian Kelaine Mish. A few hours later, the branch zoomed away.
The Bookmobile
After four years of visioning and planning, Kent District Library’s Bookmobile is up and running.
“This has been a dream come true,” said Mish, who has been a librarian at KDL for the past 18 years. “Just being able to come to the people, we can bring more tailored materials and offer focused story times. We’re so excited about being able to have that engagement, find out what people need, and bring that to them.”
The $350,000 mobile library has a biweekly schedule that alternates between schools, community centers, and underserved communities. There’s an exception to the biweekly nature of the schedule, however: for students and neighbors in the Godfrey-Lee School District, the Bookmobile will come every Tuesday, starting at the elementary school and then moving around the corner at the Early Childhood Center.
Godfrey Elementary student Serenity Reece boards the Bookmobile
This arrangement was made through the collaboration of KDL and Sydney Hanlon, Kent School Services Network’s community school coordinator at Godfrey Elementary. KDL was looking for schools to partner with, and Hanlon jumped at the chance.
“KDL has said this is our Bookmobile and we can use it how we want,” said Hanlon. “We can pair it with the Feeding America food truck (that visits Lee High School) or use it in the summer to help stave off learning loss.”
Hanlon said she is grateful for KDL’s willingness to tailor its inventory and use to the unique needs of the district, which has a population that’s roughly 75 percent Hispanic and 50 percent English-language learners.
Some of the rotating collection on the Bookmobile
You already belong here
Sara Proaño, community engagement manager for KDL, said the Bookmobile has been four years in the making and was made possible with financial support from several community partners. KDL had a red bookmobile bus in the mid-1980s called the “Bookie.” She’s excited to see a mobile library hit the road once again.
“When we started thinking about the underserved, we started thinking about this project,” said Proaño, “This is at the center of our efforts to increase reading for the third-grade reading law.”
KDL will partner with schools to support their needs and wishes, said Proaño, and will offer multilingual selections. Every student in Kent County will receive a library card, and there will be no fees associated with that card. Cards can be used in all branches, including the Bookmobile.
Godfrey Elementary student Serenity Reece browses books on the Bookmobile
“This is a place where nobody’s going to ask you where you are from or what you’re here for. You can come and go as you wish. Everybody’s welcome. You don’t have to do anything to belong here. You already belong here,” said Proaño.
Harry Coffill, library and media specialist for Godfrey-Lee Public Schools, said the district is excited about this new asset to the school and community.
“I think cooperating with KDL to get books in kids’ hands is so important,” he said. “We do what we can as a public school library, but to have a Bookmobile that’s going to visit the neighborhoods and provide a tailored reading collection is really important.”
“And it begins, as so many stories do, with a dead girl.” – The opening of “Sadie.”
Nineteen-year-old Sadie Hunter lives in one of those small, decaying little towns. Life has not been easy for her as she tries a normal life for her 13-year-old sister Mattie. However, when Mattie is found dead, Sadie’s world begins to crumble and she sets out to bring Mattie’s killer to justice and disappears.
When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie’s story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl, starting a podcast to track the Sadie.
“Part of the book is told like a script from a podcast, like you are reading his narration and his interviews with the people Sadie has come in contact with, with his news producer, and things like that,” said KDL Youth Library Courtnei Moyses. “The other chapters are Sadie, what is actually happening in Sadie’s life.
“This was a book that I just couldn’t but down because it was written so well and it was such a thriller it kept me turning the page.”
Warning: the book does deal with very adult topics including sexual abuse and drugs.
Trees will be the focus of the KDL Kelloggsville branch’s first-ever book talk Nov. 8 as the Wyoming Tree Commission will help lead the discussion on Peter Wohlleben’s groundbreaking book “The Hidden Life of Trees.”
“As we worked on increasing the tree cover in Wyoming, I came across this book and it is an amazing book,” said Tree Commissioner Jim Ward who will be leading the talk with KDL Kelloggsville’s Mike Zurgable.
Released in 2016, “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, Discoveries from a Secret World” is the first book in The Mysteries of Nature Trilogy by Wohlleben, a German forest ranger. The second book, “The Inner Life of Animals” was released last year and the third book, “The Secret Wisdom of Nature” has just been released.
In “Hidden Life of Trees,” Wohlleben shares his love of the woods and forests, discussing the process of life and death. He gives the trees human qualities as parents with children, communicating to each other, and supporting each other. Wohlleben draws from new discoveries, presenting the science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their communication abilities.
“He talks about things about the trees that no one ever knew,” Ward said. “How the trees take care of each other. That they actually make noises and they actually make a smell to identify who they are to other trees and to defend themselves against critters chewing or invading them.”
So impressed with Wohlleben’s book that when approached about hosting a book talk at the KDL Kelloggsvile branch, it was the book on the top of Ward’s list.
“We are so honored to be able to participate in the book talk,” Ward said. “It is an opportunity for us to promote what we are doing in the City of Wyoming and our efforts to increase the tree canopy.”
Ward said the talk will generate discussion on the value of trees and what they offer a city beyond just beautifying it, serving as a launch pad in the city’s continuing efforts of being a Tree City U.S.A.
Copies of “The Hidden Life of Trees” are available at the KDL Kelloggsville branch, located in the Kelloggsville High School, 4787 S. Division Ave.The book discussion will be from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at the KDL Kelloggsvile branch.
For more on the Tree Commission activities, click here. For more on KDL programs, visit kdl.org.
In Kent County, about 50 percent of the third grade students are at a grade level reading proficiency, and 50 percent are not. It is odds that the Kent District Library hopes to improve upon with the launch of its new bookmobile.
“There are several studies that have shown that if [students] hadn’t hit reading level proficiency by third grade they have a deficit that actually kind of hobbles their ability to be successful in further schooling efforts especially after they get done with high school,” said KDL Executive Director Lance Werner. “They face a struggle pretty much for the rest of their lives.”
However, by getting reading materials to students before or as they enter third grade, KDL hopes to help make a dent in the area’s third grade reading issues. To help with that, KDL decided to turn to an old program it offered about 30 years ago — a bookmobile.
KDL Executive Director Lance Werner in the new KDL Bookmobile.
“A lot of people say, why not just use technology, and the honest God truth is not everybody has access to technology and sometimes taking a low tech solution makes sense,” said Werner during a recent unveiling of the bookmobile at Steelcase. “We want to make sure people have access to physical materials and actual books as well as technology.
“That’s the whole purpose of the bookmobile. It is literally a library on wheels.”
The bookmobile was made possible through a $208,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation with a Frey Foundation grant covering the bookmobile’s materials and J&H Family Stores covering a full year of fuel.
The bookmobile is 36 feet long, 11 feet tall and 8.5 feet wide. It weighs about 22,000 pounds with the collection inside. That collection includes books, DVDs, audiobooks, magazines, and video games. The bookmobile itself is a hotspot and will also have hotspots available for checkout as well as iPads and computers. Additional, from April to October, the bookmobile will have two bicycles available for checkout.
The white, green and blue vehicle has a TV screen on the outside to allow for movie presentations. There is also a lift on the back of the bookmobile, so it is handicap accessible.
The new KDL Bookmobile was unveiled at a special event at Steelcase. The Steelcase Foundation helped to launch the project with a $208,000 grant.
The bookmobile will be visiting a number of locations from area schools to retirement centers. KDL Community Engagement Manager Sara Proano said materials can be tailored to a specific location. So if the stop is at a school, age appropriate items will be available, and if the stop is a retirement center, materials, such as large print books, will be geared more towards that age range.
Werner said the biggest focus is the areas that are underserved because they are rural and/or there are not libraries available.
“There are a lot of areas of Kent County that are underserved and we want to make sure we are able to reach people where they are at,” Werner said, adding that the bookmobile will be visiting schools in the Wyoming and Kentwood areas.
“We aim to be a part of the campus and have stops on their campuses to make sure that kids not only have excellent services from their media centers in the school, but excellent services from the Kent District Library and a lot of times school kids have the biggest transportation issues out of all of us and really for some of those kids the only chance they will get to visit the library will be to visit the bookmobile when it comes to their school.”
The bookmobile will run Mondays through Thursdays plus Saturdays. Fridays are reserved for special events and maintenance. The bookmobile will return to locations so that people have time to return materials, Werner said, adding that materials can be returned to any KDL branch.
For the bookmobile schedule visit kdl.org and go to events, clicking bookmobile under branches or go to kdl.org/bookmobile where people can request a visit from the bookmobile.
"Let us remember: One book, one pen, one child, and one teacher can change the world."
-Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate
‘Book’ on over
The new KDL Bookmobile was unveiled at a special event at Steelcase. The Steelcase Foundation helped to launch the project with a $208,000 grant.
This week the Kent District Library unveiled its new Bookmobile, or as KDL Executive Director Lance Werner called it, “a library on wheels.” The Bookmobile, loaded with books and materials, will be heading out to service underserved areas and places where there is not a library readily available.
The goal is to help improve reading proficiency with students, Werner said, adding that the target age is third grade as students who are not at a reading proficiency by third grade could face more problems as they get older. The bookmobile has a rotating collection that can be curated for the places it visits whether it be a school or a senior center.
The KDL Bookmobile is scheduled to come to the KDL Kelloggsville Branch, located at the Kelloggsville High School, 4787 Division Ave. on Nov. 17 and to the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, 4950 Breton Ave. SE, Nov. 24. For a list of locations, visit kdl.org/bookmobile.
Godwin Heights will face off against Wyoming Lee this Friday in hopes of getting its sixth win and securing a place in the playoffs. And of course, WKTV will be there to cover all the action.
The playoff schedules will be announced on Sunday, Oct. 21 with Pre-District games kicking off the following weekend. All games, as well as other high school sports and community events covered by WKTV, are available on-demand within a week of play at wktvondemand.com.
By the Meter
Ada Limon
Two award-winning poets will be heading to Grand Valley State University Thursday, Oct. 18, to discuss their work.
Part of GVSU’s Fall Arts Celebration, poets Ada Limón and Carl Phillips will begin the discussion at 7:30 p.m. at GVSU’s Eberdhard Center in downtown Grand Rapids. Limón is the author of five books of poetry, including her new book The Carrying (2018). Phillips is the author of 14 books of poetry, including his most recent works, Wild Is the Wind (2018) and Reconnaissance (2015).
The Spanish work for a person who teaches music, usually referring to a woman. (Maestro is the male word.) This month, St. Cecilia Music Center announced its new Grand Band conductor Robin Connell. For more, click here.
Students visiting the KDL Kelloggsville Branch this summer did not only have the opportunity to feed their minds, but their stomachs as well.
The library, which is located in the Kelloggsivlle High School, 4787 S. Division Ave, partnered with Feeding America and the Kelloggsvile Public Schools to offer the Meet Up and Eat Up. The summer food program is a statewide-effort to provide nutritious meals to lower-income areas during the summer months when students do not have access to the National School Lunch or School Breakfast programs.
“The discussion came about through an informal meeting about the KDL Kelloggsville branch, said Michael Zurgable, a librarian at the KDL Kelloggsville branch. “Kelloggsville Assistant Superintendent Tammy Savage mentioned that 85 percent of the students in the district receive free and reduce lunches.”
Through that discussion, KDL Executive Director Lance Warner through the Kelloggsville branch would be a good site for the Meet Up and Eat Up program. The program already was in several of the Kelloggsville schools, but not at the high school, Zurgable said.
Snatching up the snacks
Through Aug. 17, the library offers breakfast and snack three days a week. Breakfast is served from 9:30 – 10: 30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and snack is served from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as well.
Since the library needed to have mostly non-perishable items, breakfast offerings are usually cereal, milk, apple juice and a snack item. The snack offerings are usually granola, a granola bar, crackers with cheese, beef stick, fruit snacks, and water. There is a table for students to place unwanted, unopened items for others to take.
Anyone 18 years old and younger is eligibly to come and eat, as well as people up to age 26 who are enrolled in an education program for the mentally or physically disabled. Up to 100 students will be served per meal.
Zurgable said the library, which officially opened in January of this year, has not hit the 100 mark at any meal as residents are still learning about the facility. Located in the high school, KDL has been working to educate residents, especially those who live near the high school, about the school district and KDL partnership. KDL operates the facility during the summer and after school during the school year so as area residents may utilize the KDL collection.
A Kelloggsville student grabs a snack before heading off to practice.
Throughout the summer, staff has seen numbers grow through various programs. The Meet Up and Eat Up program also has grown.
“It’s nice knowing that students have someplace to go so they don’t have to go hungry for the entire summer,” said KDL intern Diego Ulloa, who helps set up the program and distributes the food. Ulloa is a a graduate of East Kentwood High School and is currently attending Northern Michigan University.
Ulloa said in the afternoon, most of the students who stop are those heading to or from practice at the school. In fact, within the first 20 minutes of opening, he had distributed about 30 snacks with the students sharing their appreciation.
Residents are getting accustomed to the library being open and programs like Meet Up and Eat Up helps build that connection to the community the KDL Kellloggsviill branch serves, Zurgable said.
“For many of the families, it is kind of a bonus for coming in,” Zurgable said. “Get out of the heat, come to the library, read a few books and get a snack. It makes for a fun afternoon.”
Seated on comfy new furniture inside the Kent District Library-Kelloggsville Branch, community member Jim Ward said getting books into children’s hand has always been his passion. Now he’s helped make books and other library resources even more accessible to families in the neighborhood where he lives and raised his daughters.
Ward, who is retired, was instrumental in planning the library, which opened this winterinside Kelloggsville High School. A Forest Hills Public Schools media specialist for 38 years, he had a strong interest in the concept of public libraries operating within schools, and worked with administrators, who tapped into his knowledge to make that happen.
im Ward, a longtime media specialist, has remained involved with Kelloggsville for 26 years, recently offering his library science expertise
He especially likes the idea of reaching underserved communities like Kelloggsville, a low-income district where many students can’t easily get to a library miles away. Before working for Forest Hills, Ward worked at Grand Rapids Public Library for five years in an elementary outreach program and summer reading program.
“The connection with Kelloggsville was I thought, ‘Gee, we should really go with that (concept), because these kids in a more urban setting don’t have the mobility they have in Forest Hills,’” Ward said. “It’s difficult for them to get somewhere else for a library.
“As far as I know this is the only (school-public library) in an urban setting,” he added. “That’s what really motivated me. These kids deserve good services and access to stuff.”
The 6,000 square-foot, two-story library offers an 8,000-item collection, children’s section and materials for all ages. It fills an acute need in the district, which is located some 4 1/2 miles from the Kentwood KDL branch and 3 1/2 miles from the Wyoming branch.
Ward and administrators planned the library design, funded by a $250,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation, to incorporate technology like interactive whiteboards, projectors, computers and many outlets, increasing access to digital library services as well as print.
Trees are flourishing in Kelloggsville, thanks to Jim Ward
Longtime Kelloggsville Advocate
Helping plan the library is one of many ways Ward has helped shape the district over the past 26 years as he has remained rooted in the community.
The Wyoming native and Godwin Heights High School graduate actively campaigned to build a new Kelloggsville Middle School in the early 1990s. He has remained involved ever since, most recently helping campaign for the Kent ISD Enhancement Millage, which passed last year, and the district’s bond campaign to renovate the high school, especially in planning the library.
He is the father of Kelloggsville graduates Emma, Abby and Rachael. His wife, Jane Ward, has served on the Kelloggsville Board of Education for 22 years. A member of the City of Wyoming Tree Commission, Ward has also included Kelloggsville students in tree-planting, last year passing out saplings to Southeast Elementary fourth-graders.
“Jim has always cared about educating kids. His interest in library science stems from his desire to help students gain all the knowledge they need,” said his wife, Jane Ward, noting that Jim was a enthusiastic supporter of their daughters’ many extra-curricular activities in Kelloggsville. “And he maintains an interest in supporting Kelloggsville programs both academic and extracurricular. We both seek to have the the most opportunities as possible for all students.”
Assistant Superintendent Tammy Savage said Ward is a cherished voice in the district and a person they can always turn to.
“When you have a heart for a community such as Jim has for Kelloggsville, the district benefits by his consistent involvement,” she said. “Jim is a community member who understands and can communicate needs to others when the district goes to the community for support on bonds, millages and projects.
“Jim’s experience, passion and expertise as a library media specialist was a key component in shaping the vision of a ‘future forward’ Kelloggsville.”
Jane and Jim Ward meet the KDL elephant, Katie L
Passing Down Book Love
Jim and Jane, who is a retired teacher, inspired their daughter Emma Fogg to become a teacher in the district. She is Young Fives teacher at Kelloggsville, where she runs her own little library.
“I have so many books of my own that I had to start a lending library in my own classroom, so that students can bring home more books each week to read with their parents, as my parents read to me when I was their age,” Fogg said. “My dad and mom inspired in me a love of reading and books that I want to share with my students each year, in the hopes that it will inspire them to love reading and books as well.”
For Jim, Kelloggsville is home, a close-knit community where teachers and students have always cared for each other and worked hard to bring great programs and instruction to students.
He’s been steadfast in doing his part – lending a hand, or a book.
Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.
From left, fifth-grader Benjamin, third-grader Brieseida and Daniel, 4, play with jumbo chess pieces while mom Cecilia Pumay watches
The new library is scheduled to open Jan. 9 with an official open house as part of the Jan. 17 Kelloggsville Rocket Family Night. The event is from 5:30-7 p.m. at the high school, 4787 S. Division Ave.
The state-of-the-art library was part of a $33.9 million bond proposal passed by Kelloggsville voters in February 2015. About $29 million of the bond proposal was dedicated to the high school with major changes that included a redesigned entrance on Division Avenue along with a new gym and an indoor track facility. The goal, according to Kelloggsville Director of Curriculum Tammy Savage, was to have all these facilities open to the public.
A room with a view: the new state-of-the-art library at Kelloggsville High School.
“Our community members don’ have access to a library in walking distance,” Savage said of the decision to have the library open to the community. “It is over four miles to the Wyoming branch and over five miles to the Kentwood branch.”
Kelloggsvile officials approached KDL and brought library representatives in for a tour of the new library facility.
“At KDL, we are always looking for ways to make library services easier and more convenient for the residents of Kent County and we know that transportation can be a barrier for the folks in Kelloggsville, especially the young children who have parents who work all day,” said KDL Director of Branch Services and Operations Lindsey Dorfman. “So we are really happy to bring KDL services right to their backyard.”
KDL has 18 partnerships with various local municipalities including the cities of Kentwood and Wyoming. The partnership with Kelloggsville will be similar in that Kelloggsville owns the building and will be responsible for the care and maintenance of the facility just like Wyoming and Kentwood. KDL operates the library services within the buildings such as the staffing, collections and technology. Dorfman said the unique element to the Kelloggsville/KDL partnership is that the staffing with a be a team effort between the two organizations.
There are a lots of places for students to study and collaborate.
With the focus being on equity of service, according to Dorfman, the collection at the new Kelloggsville branch will be similar to what other KDL branches offer. It will have a range of books from preschool to adult along with the Beyond Books Collection that includes iPads, Go Pro cameras and even ukuleles. Also KDL programming such as KDLville Play and KDL Lab Spaces will be available. Both students and community members also will be able to reserve materials from other KDL branches that can be delivered to the Kelloggsville branch along with access to the Michigan Electronic Library (MEL), which allows patrons to order books from all over the state and have them delivered to their neighborhood library.
Savage said the Steelcase Foundation gave the district a $250,000 grant for seed money to get the community library project started. And while the library has not officially opened, response to the remodeled high school and the library facility has been overwhelmingly positive, Savage said.
“We had an open house in early October and we had over 200 people here for the open house at the high school and people were very excited about what they saw here,” Savage said. “Again, this is a fabulous space that [has been] renovated and then to have things like this, a 6,500-square-foot media center be here and know it is going to be open to the community…our community is very impressed and very happy about this.”
The KDL collection will include materials for all ages, pre-school to adult.
The Kelloggsville Library, which has its own entrance on the north side of the high school or to the right of the high school’s main entrance, will have community hours that will include three evenings, 3-8 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and every other Saturday from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Additional hours will be added during the summertime.
Kent District Library and Schuler Books & Music announce the Sixth annual Write Michigan Short Story Contest, which drew nearly 600 Michigan writers last year.
Writers of all ages are encouraged to enter, with separate categories for youth, teens and adults. Returning this year is an all-ages category for Spanish entries. Winning entries will be published and receive cash prizes.
“Write Michigan is a wonderful opportunity for authors of all ages to get published and win cash prizes,” said KDL Director of Innovation and User Experience Michelle Boisvenue Fox. “We continue to be amazed at the caliber of writers we have enter this exciting competition and are honored to be a vehicle in showcasing Michigan talent. Writers won’t want to miss this chance to share their talent in such a big way!”
Stories can be submitted at www.writemichigan.org through Thursday, Nov. 30. Details include a 3,000-word maximum length; $10 entry fee for ages 18 and above, free for 17 and under; current Michigan residents only; all entries must be submitted online.
Winners are chosen by public vote for the Readers’ Choice award and by a panel of judges for the Judges’ Choice award. Voters and judges choose winners from the top ten semi-finalists. The top honor in each category receives a $250 cash prize and a Judges’ Choice runner-up in each category will receive a $100 prize. Winning entries will also be published by Chapbook Press.
Winners will be honored during an awards ceremony in March.
Looking for an exciting way to enhance your summer, learn something new and qualify for prizes in the process?
Look no further, as Kent District Library is again poised to offer its popular Summer Reading at KDL that last year attracted more than 27,000 children and adults to its wide range of books, programs and activities.
This year’s annual program, sponsored by Consumers Energy, kicks off Monday, June 5 and extends through mid-August. You can sign up at kdl.READsquared.com, or just stop into any KDL branch.
“Summer is our favorite – and busiest – time of the year,” says Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, director of innovation and user experience at KDL. “We love offering free programs to get people excited about reading and summer. And rewarding people for reading with prizes has been a longtime tradition for libraries. We want to keep kids reading in the summer months.”
Those who register for Summer Reading at KDL can qualify for prizes by tallying the number of books they read, or tracking the points they accumulate by attending activities.
But perhaps the best gain – especially for students – is how reading throughout the vacation months helps forestall the “summer slide” that negatively affects learning between the end and start of the traditional school year.
Extensive research shows that children involved in summertime reading programs sponsored by public libraries are more likely to retain their edge come the start of school, and in many cases do better on standardized tests offered at the beginning of the academic year.
This summer’s program lineup will include appearances by magician Tom Plunkard, The Village Puppeteers, Audacious Hoops and many more.
Tonight, the City of Wyoming will host a second meeting to discuss the upcoming request to open up its library maintenance millage for park improvements.
The meeting is set for 7 p.m. tonight at the Gezon Fire Station located at 2300 Gezon Parkway SW. On the May 2 ballot, the city is requesting that .16 of the .39 library maintenance levy be used to help with park improvements. The nearly $800,000 per year raised would be use to pay a 15-year bond of $4.4 million. The bond money would be dedicated for park improvements at Ideal, Jackson, Ferrand, and Gezon.
According to Wyoming’s Director of Community Services Rebecca Rynbrandt, the mill levy for the average Wyoming homeowner would be less than $12 a year.
For the past several years, the City of Wyoming has made facility improvements to the library which has included the revamping of the former library cafe into a public meeting space. “Over the course of the years, the city council has only actually levied that which is necessary to maintain the library,” Rynbrandt said, adding that as city officials looked ahead, they realized for the next 10 years, the library facility would not need any major renovations.
“So here we are not at the point where we can say we don’t need to make those significant investments in library maintenance in the next 10 years,” Rynbrandt said. “So we have a choice: can we ask the voters to recognize the maintenance needs in the park system and would they allow us the flexibility to use some of those library maintenance funds on park capital.”
The question before voters on May 2 is whether the city can use some of the library maintenance funds for park improvements.
This would not have any impact on the overall operation of the library which falls under the Kent District Library system. Operation, including materials, is covered through a KDL millage which is separate from the city’s library maintenance millage.
Two tornados and a flood within four years caused extensive damage at Ideal Park with the park losing many of its trees and playground equipment. Jackson Park also was impacted by the tornados but also has a need for better stormwater control along with improved security and safety. Ferrand Park is a small pocket park that has not have any major improvements in a number of years and Gezon Park is surrounded by intense residential growth with the central area of the park needing to be developed.
For more information about the proposal and the four parks, visit WYParks.com. The next meeting on the parks will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 29, at the Wyoming Public Library, 3350 Michael Ave. SW.
Local spoken word group The Diatribe will be at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch April 21.
Marcel Price, better known as Fable the Poet, understands how powerful words can be. When strung together, they can be hurtful, he acknowledges, but they can also be liberating.
“Recently, I was working with students [at a local high school] and we were talking about domestic violence and this boy in the class offered to share up one of his poems,” said Fable the Poet, who is one of the founding members of the local spoken work poet group The Diatribe. The Diatribe will be at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch April 21. “I was like, ‘OK, everybody, let’s clap him up, he is going to share with us.”
As the young man stood there telling his story, and tears, about knowing and facing domestic violence, the room became quiet.
“Afterwards, students came up and gave him a hug and that in the end is what it is about,” Fable the Poet said. “It is teaching that there are a lot of issues but that many are facing the same issues and through those issues there is a feeling of unity.”
For the past several years, The Diatribe, which includes Fable the Poet, Kelsey May, Rachel Gleason, Shawn Moore and G Foster II, have been working with area high schools and students, showing them how spoken word poetry can be used as a catalyst to talk about the issues going on in a person’s life.
“We focus on trust,” Fable the Poet said about getting students to standup and openly share their poetry with a group of their peers. “We tell them that we are going to be vulnerable with them and that they need to be vulnerable with us. We make sure they understand that everything we do is transparent.”
The spoken word poetry movement has certainly taken a foothold within the United States punctuated by Sarah Kay’s “If I Should Have A Daughter” at a 2011 TEDx. The spoken word art form can include hip-hop, jazz poetry, poetry slams, traditional poetry readings, some comedy routines and prose monologues.
Because of its popularity, the Kent District Library added a spoken word component to its annual teen poetry contest. Students in grades 6 -12 can enter up to three poems by April 30. Judges will select 10 winners with all entrants eligible for the spoken word competition on May 17 at the KDL Kentwood Branch, 4950 Breton Rd. SE. Ten winners will be selected from the spoken word competition with all winners receiving a $50 gift card from Schuler Books & Music. For complete details, click here.
As part of the spoken word contest, The Diabrite has partnered up with KDL, hosting workshops in about 12 to 14 area schools which included Kentwood’s Pinewood Elementary School and Kelloggsville Discovery Alternative High School. The partnership culminates with the KDL Reads: Spring into Poetry with The Diatribe Thursday, April 21 from 7 – 8 p.m. at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) branch, 4950 Breton SE.
“This is the first time we have partnered with KDL,” Fable the Poet said, adding that the collaboration has been amazing with hopes of expanding the project to more schools next year.
For more about the KDL’s 2016 Find Your Voice Teen Poetry Contest and Spoken Word Competition, visit KDL’s website. The April 21 event with The Diatribe is free and open to the public.
Book, libraries, and especially librarians have always been a big part of my life
By: Deidre Dozema-Burkholder
I’ve had a library card since I was in kindergarten. Thinking of the library always brings back fond memories of trips with my Dad to the local book heaven to check out books. I would select a few different books for my Dad to read to me at bedtime. I still enjoy reading at night before I fall asleep. There have been more than a few times where my husband has come to bed only to find me asleep with a book in my lap or on his pillow.
Over time, my choice in books has changed as well as how I choose to read those books. For a while I strayed away from the library and opted to purchase books directly from retailers and Amazon, back when books were pretty much the only thing they offered. Then in 2007 Amazon launched a digital reading device called the Kindle.
The idea of digital books wasn’t something exactly new – a patent from 1949 shows the idea for a Mechanical Encyclopedia – and books on Tape/CD had been around for years. However, the Kindle was a game changer. It was the idea of holding something tangible in your hand and reading for enjoyment and knowledge.
The first Kindle cost $399.99 and sold out in less than 6 hours. It remained out of stock for five months. While I would have loved a Kindle, the digital experience of reading books didn’t seem worth the $400 price tag.
With that, I rediscovered the library, and soon the library discovered technology. My local library had already placed computers into their realm but now it really looks like the libraries are catching up with the technological curve. Certain libraries can checkout Kindle or iPads just as easy has checking out the latest James Patterson novel.
Libraries offer other options through technology as well. There are a handful that I highly enjoy.
The first is called Overdrive, it’s an application which you can download on to your computer or mobile device and “checkout” books from the library. You can even request a book just the same as you would before. If you prefer picking up an album or movie at the library, you should try Hoopla. Hoopla offers movies, TV shows, music, audiobooks, and comics. If you prefer browsing magazines, take a look at the application Zinio.
I love all three of these applications because they’re so easy. I don’t have to worry about returning the item since many of these applications have auto-return. The item simply returns itself after the allowed checkout time. The one downside to auto-return happens when you’re midway through a book and the time is up. You end up having to go through the process of downloading or requesting it again the book again. However, that’s something I’m okay with because I no longer have late fees!
Of course, if you’re an avid reader it can be easy to lose track of what you have read or what you want to read. For this, I like to use the website called GoodReads. I was introduced to GoodReads several years back, and it’s something I like to keep in my back pocket to find books from authors I like.
On top of finding books from authors, GoodReads also offers the ability to check the order of your favorite book series, give notice when a favorite author is releasing a new book, and suggest other authors or books based on your reading history.
Sometimes when I’m wandering Schuler’s Book Store, I pull out the app and scan a book so I can remember the book when I’m at the library next. I also use it to check reviews from what others who have already read the book had to say about it. My reading list currently sits at 41 books and includes everything from classics like The Maltese Falcon and Gone with the Wind, to “beach reads” which will remain nameless.
I can’t write this without making note of a show way back in the day called Reading Rainbow. I watched this show growing up and would often go to my local library to find the book featured on the show. For over 23 years this show aired on PBS and featured specific books or a centered theme which was explored throughout the show.
After the show stopped airing in 2014, a Kickstarter campaign was launched to help fund an App. Within 24 hours the campaign reached $5 Million with over 100,000 thousand donors. The campaign set an all-time record for the most backed kickstarter since its inception. It seems that a lot of people still wanted to take a look in a book and see the butterflies in the sky.
If you don’t have the iconic Reading Rainbow theme song in your head by now, you should do so by clicking here.
As for me, I don’t think I will ever stop reading. While technology continues to evolve, I still enjoy picking up a book and holding it in my hands. It’s something tangible. Plus, reading an actual book is easier on the eyes than a digital screen. Trust me, your eyes need a break from the screen!
I still take the time to visit my local branch to see the same librarians that have helped me find books all my life. Their help and suggestions have helped enrich my life. Now, instead of just asking for books, I take time to talk to the librarians that mean so much to a community. They are more important than the books they recommend.
With March being National Reading Month, take a look and rediscover your local library.
Deidre owns and operates Organisum: Technology Services, a business serving the West Michigan area. In her free time she likes to hike & bike local trails with friends and family when she isn’t pinning, instagram’ing or Netflix’ing.
Youth Librarian and workshop presenter Kristen “Kris” Siegel demonstrated how to cook easy, delectable vegan comfort foods this past weekend, proving that opting for vegan does not equate a sacrifice for the palate. The spread included demos and taste samples for brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert, using a multiple-table spread spanning half the width of the Wyoming KDL community room.
“I’m a vegan for animal rights, environmental and health reasons,” said Kris, who has been vegan since 2009. She admitted to the audience that switching to vegan wasn’t easy, initially. It took practice, preparation, trials and errors and a great deal of help from her ever-growing collection of vegan cookbooks. She’s found a routine, formed her own adaptations, and she’s willing to share her tips for cooking vegan with all who seek the knowledge.
Being a taste-tester myself of each of the samples, I’d say it is absolutely time for Kris to write her own cookbook. Who knew the secret ingredient in Tofu Scramble was the sulfury-smelling black salt? Or that pulverized cashews could replace cheese for a creamy, comfort-food pasta? Or that nutritional yeast can be substituted for cheese in thousands of recipes, including Vegan Basil Pasta?
Vegan Pesto
But wait, did I mention there was dessert? A 95-calorie serving of Genius Chocolate-Chip Blondies, created with the unlikely combo of a 15-ounce can of white beans and peanut butter, among other ingredients.
After successfully entrancing us with the kind of spell only expertly prepared comfort food can induce, Kris sent us on our way with an impressive list of her favorite Vegan resources in Grand Rapids (email Kris Siegel at ksiegel@kdl.org for a copy), a brochure highlighting her favorite vegan cookbooks (circulated by KDL!) and eight pages of vegan honorable mention comfort food recipes. The recipes included her own addendums with tips on substitutions and meal leftover uses.
While the Wyoming KDL Vegan Cooking Demo left vegans, omnivores and multi-faceted dabbler like me, dazzled and impressed, Kris finds a comfort of her own in her vegan venture. “It makes me feel like I’m in alignment with my beliefs,” she said.
The workshop was not only impressive and educational, but also incredibly genuine.
Next up for Wyoming KDL: Parent and Child Yoga. Visit the KDL Events Website for more info on upcoming events.
Carrie Bistline is a freelance writer, blogger and marketer with an MFA in Creative Writing. She divides her free time amongst family, work, sports and Jane Austen, and uses what’s left to chip away at her every-growing bucket list.
The Kent District Library is looking for a Wyoming resident to fill an open position on the board. The board term will end December 31, 2017 and applicants must live in the City of Wyoming.
Any prospective board member must be able to meet monthly at District Headquarters – 814 W. River Center – in Comstock Park. Monthly meetings may also be held at other participating libraries.
In order to apply for the position, you must be a Wyoming resident and complete an online application form on the county’s website. Resumes and cover letters are encouraged and may be attached. Application deadline is this Friday, Jan. 22.
For further information, call the Board of Commissioners office at 616-632-7580.
