Tag Archives: Kent District Library

KDL receives national award for being a great employer to work for

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KDL Executive Director Lance Werner in the new KDL Bookmobile. (Photo by WKTV/Joanne Bailey-Boorsma)



By Katie Zuidema
Kent District Library

Kent District Library has been recognized on the national level as a Best and Brightest Company to Work For by the National Association for Business Resources. This award follows being named one of West Michigan’s Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in 2019.


The recognition is based upon ratings provided by KDL staff members of workplace culture, benefits and working conditions. These staff ratings were compared with over 5,000 other nominated organizations throughout the United States. Of those, the 540 with the highest scored were honored as national winners. 

The competition identifies and honors organizations that display a commitment to excellence in their human resource practices and employee enrichment. Organizations are assessed based on categories such as communication, work-life balance, employee education, diversity, recognition, retention and more.

“The ratings provided by our staff in the Best and Brightest survey and national ranking confirms that we’re onto something special,” explains Brian Mortimore, Director of Human Resources and Organizational Development. “When people come to KDL from other organizations, they’re often surprised at our benefits, workplace culture, and often expressing their desire to stay with us for their full career. Ultimately, it’s our goal to have a positive impact on our community, and a positive culture gives rise to a passion to serve others.  This award honors the positive energy our staff bring to their work daily.”

Kent District Library offers full- and part-time staff with a wide range of benefits and matching contributions to retirement savings, telemedicine and prescription drug services, along with support for student loan repayment among workplace benefits.  KDL has been honored in the past with recognition in human resource best practices from the Grand Rapids Women’s Resource Center, Disability Advocates of West Michigan, and the Michigan Quality Council.  Social activities are planned for staff and their families annually through an employee resource group called “Team KDL” to promote appreciation and a sense of family. 

The Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® is a program of the National Association for Business Resources that provides the business community with the opportunity to gain recognition, showcase their best practices and demonstrate why they are an ideal place for employees to work. This national program celebrates those companies that are making better business, creating richer lives and building a stronger community as a whole.

As a winner, Kent District Library representatives are invited to attend the national conference for Best and Brightest, taking place in Dallas, Texas in March 2021 to share and learn of other cross-industry best in class practices.

KDL to end overdue fines at all branches on June 1

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As of June 1, overdue fines will be a thing of the past at all of the Kent District Library branches. (WKTV)

Katie Zuidema
Kent District Libray

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.

Book Talk: Two different books on the heart’s desires

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By Anna Devarenne
WKTV Intern

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.

School News Network: Library book talks are big hit with middle schoolers

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KDL youth paraprofessional Claire O’Tsuji always comes with new books in hand. (School News Network)

By Erin Albanese
School News Network

Valleywood Middle School students noshed on pizza and sipped milk while listening to synopses of popular teen reads, which they would later have the chance to check out.

Kent District Library is a proud sponsor of SNN
Kent District Library is a proud sponsor of SNN

While they sat back and listened during the monthly Literary Lunch in the school’s Collaboration Center, Kent District Library employee Claire O’Tsuji presented on “How Train Your Dragon,” by Cressida Cowell.

“Hiccup is the smallest viking on the island, and his dad is the strong bearded muscle-y viking, and really wants Hiccup to grow up and become a big, strong viking like himself,” O’Tsuji said. “But Hiccup is Hiccup, and they have to find and train a dragon.”

Seventh-grader Elizabeth King has a slice while learning about books. (School News Network)

The Gaines Township Branch youth paraprofessional also presented on “Moo” by Sharon-Creech and “Ghost” by Jason Reynolds. Literary Lunch, a partnership with KDL, has drawn students in for books sessions during lunch for the past two years so they can learn about titles and check them out.

“I usually bring a lot of new books and graphic books, ones that the schools don’t have readily accessible in big volumes,” she said. “It gives students a break from the school day, and if I can introduce new and exciting books that might not be what they usually read… it’s always a strong way to create good readers.”

Seventh-grader Byron Buter chooses two new KDL books to check out. (School News Network)

She also does a 10-minute read-aloud and has encouraged students to sign up for library cards, which nearly all students now have, thanks to the library partnership.

“I can only stock so many books, so it opens up another entire world of availability that I can necessarily provide,” added Dani Rieker, Valleywood  media clerk. “Being able to partner with KDL has been fantastic.”

Seventh-grader Byron Buter settled down to read from KDL books he was checking out. “We get to pick from a whole bunch of different books and hope we find something that’s interesting,” he said.

Popular KDL adult reading program returns in January

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Time to start checking out books for the KDL Let It Snow adult reading program.

BY WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org

The Kent District Library’s “Let It Snow” reading program for adults returns in January.

Adults (18 and older) who participate and read a minimum of six books in different categories between Wednesday, Jan. 2, and Sunday, March 31, will receive a Let It Snow coffee mug. Participants who finish an additional four titles are entered into a drawing to win either an iPad or a one-year Costco membership.

“Let it Snow is a fun and engaging program for adults to participate in during the dreary winter months,” said former Byron Township Youth Library Barb DeYoung. “With the book lists provided, readers can find new authors or select books they normally wouldn’t pick out. Cozying up with a good book is the perfect cure for those winter blahs!”

While the program doesn’t kick off util early January, those interested in participating can check out some of the recommended reads for Let It Snow.

For more on the Let It Snow program, visit kdl.org.

Snapshots: Wyoming, Kentwood news you need to know

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By WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

Quote

I’m a frustrated actor. My…goal is to beat Alfred Hitchcock in the number of cameos. I’m going to try to break his record.

- Stan Lee

Books and the Bus

Now available on The Rapids: Books.


If you are taking The Rapid anywhere, you will now be able to grab something to read. The Rapid and the Kent District Library have partnered up for the program Books on the Bus. The program provides a collection of books for all ages that are conveniently placed on buses for riders to enjoy.

Our Favorite Toys 

Lincoln Logs were created by John Lloyd Wright, the son of fame architect Frank Lloyd Wright.


As an experiment, imagine six to seven people gathered at a holiday social event people who don’t know each other and from the forced, polite conversation you could probably tell each of them would rather be someplace else. Now, in this polite conversation, introduce the subject of toys and in particular, favorite toys and within 60 seconds you would sense the atmosphere around this group changing.



Shoot, Score

East Kentwood High School’s girls basketball team in action game at Wyoming last season. (WKTV)

WKTV has also started early to bring local audiences a full slate of games began with the final varsity game to be played at South Christian High School’s current location when the Lady Sailors entertained Hamilton on Dec. 4. But we will also showcase the new location on Kalamazoo Avenue just north of 84th Street, as WKTV will bring the opening night games as both the boys and girls initiate the new gymnasium when they host Unity Christian on Friday, Dec. 21.


35 Film Appearances

That is how many cameos Stan Lee made in the Marvel films before his death. It does not technically beat Alfred Hitchcock’s 39 cameo appearances, however; if you add in all the non-Marvel appearances and his animation work, Lee definitely beat Hitchcock. Also, posthumously, Lee will make cameos in Captain Marvel and Avengers: Endgame, both set to be released in 2019.

Kent District Library and The Rapid launch Books on the Bus

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By Katie Zuidema

Kent District Library

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.

School News Network: Tuesdays with more reads

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Librarian Kelaine Mish talks to Godfrey Elementary students aboard the Bookmobile

By Bridie Bereza

School News Network

 

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.”

 

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KDL Book Talks: Courtney Summers’ ‘Sadie’ is a real page-turner

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“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.

 

For more great reads, visit kdl.org.

 

Kent District Library goes mobile to reach underserved areas, improve reading proficiency

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.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.

 

Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood news you want to know

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WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

Quote of the Day

"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.

 

For more on the Bookmobile, click here.

 

 

Go Blue!

 

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).

 

For more on the event, click here.

 

 

Fun Fact:

maestra

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.

Snapshots: Wyoming and Kentwood news you need to know

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, City of Kentwood, City of Wyoming, , , , , ,

WKTV Staff

joanne@wktv.org

 

 

Quote of the Day

"I would travel only by horse, if I had a choice."- Linda McCartney

 

 

Come One, Come All

 

Patrons visit the GRAM for free during ArtPrize.

The Grand Rapids Art Museum recently announced it would be part of the Museums for All programs, providing free admission, for up to four people, with the presentation of a SNAP Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card; commonly known as the Michigan Bridge Card. The GRAM joins the Grand Rapids Children Museum and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in offering free and reduce admission. The Grand Rapids Symphony has the Symphony Scorecard program, which provides up to four free tickets to those receiving financial assistance from the State of Michigan and/or are active, reserve or guard military families.

 

 

A horse is a horse, of course, of course…

 

Bill catches up with an old friend at Lee’s Summit Equestrian.

WKTV volunteers Bill and Charlotte Rinderknecht have hit the road in search of stories about horses and the people who work with them for their documentary series “Horses and Their People.” Follow the couple as they journey through the United States, visiting ranches and exploring the local culture of the communities they visit.

 

Feeding the Mind and the Body

 

Snatching up the snacks

During the summer, Kent District Library’s newest branch, the Kelloggsville branch, has been participating in The Meet Up and Eat Up program. Sponsored by the state, the program is designed to bring nutritious meals to lower income areas. Set to wrap up this week on Aug. 17, the KDL Kelloggsville Meet Up and Eat Up served students living near the high school, where the facility is located. As KDL Executive Director stated “Feeding the minds, imaginations and spirits is something that we have always done at KDL, but now we are literally feeding hungry people.”

 

 

 

Murder She Wrote

 

The cast of the upcoming production of “And Then There Were None”

At first, no one wanted to produce the play version of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” because they insisted that the storyline wouldn’t work on stage and that people would laugh at it. In 2015, it was voted the World’s Favorite Christie having been made into several movies with such groups as the Superman comics and “Family Guy” making parodies of it. This weekend you can catch several local residents as they perform the murder mystery at the Jenison Theater of the Arts, which has productions running Aug. 17-19 and 24-26. If you can’t make that production, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre will be offering a production in January. In between the two productions, you can always read the book.

 

Fun Fact:

17 hours

That is how long it took to make all the costumes and puppets for the Broadway production of Disney's The Lion King. It took 750 pounds of silicone rubber with the tallest animal being the 18-foot giraffes and the smallest being a five-inch trick mouse on Scar's cane. You can see it all next year as Broadway Grand Rapids recently announced that Disney's The Lion King will be part of its 2019-2020 season.

School News Network: Deeply rooted in community, retiree helps plant trees and love of reading

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Jim Ward puts books — and trees — into the hands of Kelloggsville students

By Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

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

KDL poetry slam gives area students a voice in what they are facing

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

If you would like to get some insight as to what area teenagers are facing today, then you might want tot head to the Kent District Library’s Teen Poetry Slam set for Thursday, April 26.

 

The third year for the event, which is at the KDL Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch, the students use the written word to cover an array of topics, according to KDL Teen Paraprofessional Greg Lewis.

 

“It’s a gamut of subject matter,” Lewis said. “It’s from walks in beautiful nature to sharing their story and what struggles they are going through.”

 

Oh, and there is aways a couple poems on broken hearts, he said.

 

“We are just glad that they are sharing,” Lewis said.

 

The purpose of the Find Your Voice poetry slam — as the name implies — is to give area teenagers an opportunity to share their voice. The event is hosted by The Diatribe, a non-profit organization that uses poetry as a catalyst to empower youth, combat bullying, inspire students to speak up for each other, strengthen public speaking skills and open their eyes to the struggles of their peers.

 

Marcel ‘Fable’ Price, a member of the Diatribe, looks forward to the Poetry Slam every year. “It’s not the competition part of it, but the part where kids from all over the county stand on stage cheering each other on. Students from different backgrounds, experiences and of all different ethnicities lifting each other up — listening to the stories of their peers. Seeing the looks of accomplishment, joy and pride on these students’ faces is what we absolutely enjoy the most.”

 

To be part of the slam, students had to have submitted a poem in the KDL’s 15th annual poetry contest earlier this year. The contest had more than 300 poems entered by more than 200 students from all over the county. All who submitted were invited to participate in the slam. New this year, the slam will be divided into two categories — 6th-8th grade students will go first, followed by students in grades 9-12. Local poets and dignitaries will serve as judges and winners will receive a gift card to Meijer. 

 

“Last year, the house was full and there wasn’t an empty seat in the place,” Lewis said. In the end, it isn’t about winning, Lewis said, adding it is like Marcel said, seeing the students support each other and cheer each other on.

 

The Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch of Kent District Library presents its third annual Teen Poetry Slam at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 26. Recent submitters to KDL’s Teen Poetry Contest will share their poems. The library is located at 4950 Breton Ave. SE.

Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is back for fifth year, call for makers is now open

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By Christie Bender

Grand Rapids Public Museum

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum just announced the 2018 Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire dates for its fifth annual event, as well as the registration for makers is now open. This year’s Grand Rapids Maker Faire will take place August 18 and 19.

 

Maker Faire celebrates community members who are making or creating things by inviting them to share with the public what they have made. Everyone is a maker, and unfinished products are also encouraged.

 

Individuals and groups can now sign up at GrandRapids.MakerFaire.com. This year’s Maker Faire will be held at the Grand Rapids Public Museum and nearby Grand Valley State University’s Kennedy Hall of Engineering.

 

Maker Faire is looking for participants who enjoy tinkering, hacking, building and designing new technology-based inventions. Any groups or individuals interested in participating in the Maker Faire should complete the application at GrandRapids.MakerFaire.com. The Call for Makers will close on July 27.

 

Spots are first come, first serve basis with openings inside both the GRPM and GVSU as well as outside on the GRPM’s lawn. Makers participation is free for those showcasing. Makers interested in selling products at their booth require a small commercial fee.

 

Part science fair, part county fair, and part something entirely new, Maker Faire is an all-ages gathering that celebrates community members who are making things. All of these “makers” come to Maker Faire to show what they have made and to share what they have learned.

 

Featuring both established and emerging local “makers,” the Grand Rapids Maker Faire is a family-friendly celebration featuring tech enthusiasts, crafters, educators, hobbyists, engineers, artists, students and commercial exhibitors.

 

The Faire will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on August 18 and 19. Tickets will go on sale in early summer.

 

The Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is being organized by a collaborative committee that includes members from: DTE Energy, GR Makers, The Geek Group, Grand Rapids Community College, Grand Valley State University, Kent District Library, Kent Intermediate School District, Michigan Crossroads Council- Boy Scouts of America, WMCAT and the Grand Rapids Public Museum.

 

Follow the development of the Grand Rapids Maker Faire on Twitter @makerfaireGR, as well as on its Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/makerfairegr/ .

 

Grand Rapids Mini Maker Faire is independently organized and operated under license from Maker Media, Inc.

Kent District Library director named top librarian in the nation

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Lance Werner, executive director of Kent District Library

Lance Werner, executive director of Kent District Library, has been named the top librarian in the nation by Library Journal.

 

The 2018 Librarian of the Year award honors a professional librarian among nominees from across the country for outstanding achievement and accomplishments reflecting the loftiest service goals of the library profession. Werner was recognized for his strong leadership, effective legislative advocacy and championing access for his more than 200,000 patrons in Kent County.

 

Werner is the first – and only – Michigan librarian to win the Librarian of the Year award.

 

“My version of leadership is to get the best people I can, give them what they need and then get out of their way,” Werner said. “I’m one gear in a big machine where everyone is important.” Werner credits this philosophy as a cornerstone to building strong advocacy among his team, municipalities, strategic partners and patrons.

 

Under Werner’s leadership, Kent District Library:

  • Championed access for all by becoming the first public library in the state to offer e-magazines, e-movies, e-comics and streaming video games free of charge.
  • Extended the reach of technology by circulating iPads and wireless hotspots community-wide.
  • Installed a collection of Little Free Libraries around Kent County. There are currently 14, which are housed in community centers, senior centers, parks and the Gerald R. Ford International Airport.
  • Opened a branch in Kelloggsville High School, which will be a community library outside of school hours.
  • Began offering healthcare for part-time employees.
  • Partnered with other West Michigan libraries to collect 50,000 library materials for the Port Arthur Public Library, a Texas library devastated by Hurricane Harvey.
  • Launched a statewide short story contest called Write Michigan, now in its 6th year, which most recently drew more than 900 submissions from children, teens, adults and Spanish-language writers.
  • Provided books for military troops stationed in the Middle East.
  • Trained all staff members in first aid and CPR.
  • Launched adult program series highlighting beer (KDaLe), wine (KDL Uncorked) and coffee (KDL Caffeinated).
  • Partnered with The Geek Group and other local organizations to offer innovative programming, including STEM initiatives.

 

“Working with Lance is exciting,” said Michelle Boisvenue-Fox, KDL’s director of innovation and user experience. “I admire that he has respect for all of our staff and genuinely wants to do the best for our patrons and communities.  This shows in the relationships he has grown over the years and our efforts to grow our KDL family to include more and more community groups.”

 

Werner builds his life around three pillars: kindness, empathy and love.

 

“I don’t feel like I have a job, it’s more of a calling,” Werner explained. “I’m so blessed to do work that I love, with those that I love, for those that I love. I consider myself a public servant and want to add to the greater good and touch the lives of future generations.”

 

Werner has been director of Kent District Library since May 2011. He previously served as director of the Capital Area District Library in Lansing and as a library law specialist at the Library of Michigan. He earned a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of Northern Colorado, a law degree from Michigan State University and a master’s of library information systems from Wayne State University.

 

“As the 30th recipient of the LJ Librarian of the Year award, Lance exemplifies the dynamism and keen intelligence we expect in a winner,” said Rebecca T. Miller, editorial director of Library Journal and School Library Journal. “His deep understanding of the importance of building and nurturing strong relationships at all levels has resulted in improved service for his community, enhanced benefits for the Kent District Library staff, and improved the outlook for libraries across Michigan. We are very excited to name him LJ’s 2018 Librarian of the Year.”

 

Werner will receive a $1,500 cash prize and is featured in Library Journal’s January 2018 issue, available in print and online. Werner was previously a 2016 LJ Mover & Shaker and 2017 Michigan Library Association Librarian of the Year.

 

***This news release is available in electronic format for easy social media sharing here: https://www.kdl.org/blog/kent-district-library-director-named-top-librarian-nation.

Kelloggsville, KDL join together to open high school library to the entire community

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By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

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.

 

For more information on programs and hours at the new KDL Kelloggsvile Branch, visit the branch’s page at kdl.org/locations/kelloggsville-branch.

 

WKTV Journal: Kelloggsville and KDL form a partnership, Mark Wood visits Kentwood Public Schools

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In the recent WKTV Journal newscast, we talk to officials from Kelloggsville Public School and the Kent District Library about the new collaborative project to make the Kelloggsville High School library open to everyone in the community. We also visit the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park for a look at its 23rd annual Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the Word exhibition. Lastly, renowned musician and original member of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra Mark Woods visits Kentwood Public Schools for a concert that was electrifying and had everyone dancing, especially the musicians.

Kent District Library kicks off library card challenge with Godwin Heights

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Kent District Library announced the launch of the Library Card Challenge, giving 2,000 students at Godwin Heights Public Schools their very own library card.

 

The first program of its kind in Kent County, the Library Card Challenge will incorporate the library’s resources into every student’s learning experience. Library card-holding students will receive access to Kent District Library’s online research databases, materials from all 18 branches as well as computer and Internet access.

 

Teachers will be able to participate in the library’s education-based programming to enhance learning in the classroom, such as Leap into Reading, Lit Lunch and Storytime. Additionally, when school isn’t in session, students can still participate in KDL’s many summer offerings, including its popular summer reading program.

 

“Godwin Heights has been a wonderful partner as we launch the Library Card Challenge program,” said Lance Werner, Kent District Library executive director. “Our mutual goal of advancing literacy and lifelong learning has inspired us to join this national movement with a local collaboration.

 

“Our goal is to make sure that every public school student, from kindergarteners to high school seniors, in our county has a library card – and with it, the keys to unlock learning.”

 

The Library Card Challenge is part of a national effort to ensure every child enrolled in school has access to the valuable learning resources available at public libraries. Launched in 2015, the Library Card Challenge includes more than 100 communities nationwide dedicated to improving education outcomes, close achievement gaps and create a framework for an integrated approach to education.

 

“Providing our school community access to a full range of KDL educational databases and resources enhances our ability to meet 21st century learning goals,” said William Fetterhoff, Godwin Heights Public Schools superintendent. “The Godwin Heights teaching community will have access to high-quality resources to plan and deliver engaging lessons which will enable our students to extend and deepen their knowledge of content through exposure to non-fiction/informational material.

 

“The end goal culminates in allowing today’s student to be a successful, self-directed problem solver, better prepared for career and college readiness.”

 

Encouraging early childhood literacy has long been an objective of Kent District Library. In Kent County, third grade literacy rates remain low with, only 48.6 percent of students reading at the proficient level, according to KConnect, a network of organizations focused on ensuring all children in Kent County have a clear path to economic prosperity.

 

“Our community takes responsibility for ensuring our students have the skills they need to succeed in life,” said City of Wyoming Mayor Jack Poll. “The Library Card Challenge is an excellent way to provide open access of information to all students in our community.

 

“We are appreciative of our partnership with KDL and its commitment to the Wyoming community. As a municipality, we are continuously looking for ways to collaborate with our partners to enhance services and opportunities for our residents.”

 

Kent District Library is committed to increasing library card holders and granting access to valuable learning resources to every child. This first-of-its-kind partnership in Kent County highlights the local network of committed leaders and educators working to make library resources accessible for all.

 

KDL hopes to roll out the Library Card Challenge to the more than 120,000 students in Kent County over the upcoming years.

 

“This is a big undertaking, but we are ready for the challenge,” Werner said. “Literacy starts at the library, and we’re proud to be with students and families as children take the first exciting steps into a lifelong love of reading and learning.

 

“We have a wonderful community in Kent County and want to ensure that each student has the tools he or she needs to excel.”

Muskegon State Park to host ‘beer trail’ as part of events at winter sports complex

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The Public Museum’s Beer Explorers program will again team with Brewery Vivant to offer a class on how and why beer tastes so darn good. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The Muskegon Oktoberfest 2-day fundraiser for Muskegon Winter Sports Complex  is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 6-7, will include a “beer trail” event Saturday from 5-9 p.m. and features specially brewed beers from Pigeon Hill Brewing Company, Unruly Brewing Co., Fetch Brewing Co., and Grand Armory Brewing Company.

 

Beers from several other craft breweries, hard ciders and wine will be available. (Domestic beer will also be available, but not sure why.) Five biergartens throughout the trail will feature live musical acts, with the Oktoberfest main stage featuring headlining act Westside Soul Surfers from 7-1 p.m.

 

The fun begins Friday with a “tapping of the kegs” ceremony and a 5K Fun Trail Run under the lights at Muskegon State Park. Saturday, from 3-9 p.m., family events are planned with kid’s activities including a wheel luge track, archery, a pumpkin roll down the luge track and more. Music from traditional German band Ein Prosit will begins at 3:30 p.m.

 

Free shuttle service will be available to transport guests due to limited parking at the Winter Sports Complex. Shuttle service will run Friday, 6-11:30 p.m., and Saturday, 5-11:30 p.m., with pick up at the state park beach parking lot and the Block House. Guests are encouraged to use the shuttle system to alleviate parking and traffic congestion around the sports complex.

 

For more information visit msports.org .

 

KDL Uncorked program continues with tours, ‘Ladies Night’

 

The Kent District Library’s Uncorked program will continue with three programs this month, starting Wednesday, Oct. 4, at 7 p.m. with a tour and talk at Gray Skies Distillery, and including later in the month a mead tour at Arktos Meadery, a ladies night wine tasting, and “Geeks Who Drink” quiz night.

 

The tour at Grey Skies, located at 700 Ottawa NW, Grand Rapids, includes a tasting and behind the scenes look at the process of creating spirits.

 

The tour of Arktos Meadery, 251 Center Ave. SW, Grand Rapids, will be Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 5 p.m. This tour — which requires pre-registration — will look at how mead is made and have a tasting event.

 

Also on Wednesday, Oct. 11, from 6-8 p.m., KDL will continue its “KDL Uncorked: Ladies Night”, this time at the East Grand Rapids branch, 746 Lakeside Dr. SE. Wine tasting will be provided by The Crushed Grape, and chocolate and cheese tastings will be provided by The Cheese Lady. During the program, participants will learn about wine pairings and how to create their own.

 

Finally, on Thursday, Oct. 26, from 7-9 p.m., a special event “Geeks Who Drink” quiz night will be held at the Atwater Brewery, 201 Michigan St. NW, in Grand Rapids. According to supplied material: “If you possess encyclopedic knowledge about “Seinfeld,” can recite Sonic Youth’s entire discography in chronological order, or you want to impress your friend by showing off your otherwise useless knowledge, then this event is for you.”

 

All programs are for adults, age 21 and older. For more information on any of the events visit kdl.org .

 

GRAM’s Beer Explorers teams with Brewery Vivant, GRCC

 

The Grand Rapids Public Museum, in partnership with Brewery Vivant and Grand Rapids Community College, will present a Beer Explorers class examining the science of tasting, on Thursday, Oct. 12.

 

Brewery Vivant’s Ryan Engeman and GRCC brewery students will host three interactive beer stations, each related to a different sense. According to supplied information, participants will learn how our brains process flavor profiles, and learn about aroma, color, feel and taste of beer.

 

The Class begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be held on the first floor of GRPM. Admission to class includes three beer samples, as well as access to the Museum’s first two floors to explore, and a cash bar will be available. Participants must be 21 and older. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $20 for non-members and can be purchased at grpm.org/calendar.

 

KDL announces sixth annual Write Michigan Short Story Contest

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By Katie Zuidema

Kent District Library

 

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.

 

For more information on the event, visit  www.writemichigan.org. For Write Michigan media kit, including logo, poster and additional graphics, please visit www.writemichigan.org/media.html.

Summer Reading returns to the Kent District Library

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Alesha (left) and Melissa Steele stay active during Summer Reading Month

By Katie Zuidema

Kent District Library

 

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.

Grant from Steelcase Foundation allows Kent District Library to bring back the Bookmobile

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Kent District Library is pleased to announce that it has received a $208,000 grant from the Steelcase Foundation to design and offer a bookmobile to the KDL community.

 

This mobile library will enable KDL to bring its services and programming to Kent County residents who can’t travel to one of its 18 branches on a regular basis. When it hits the streets in winter 2018, it will be equipped with a vast assortment of collection materials for both children and adults.

 

The bookmobile, which will take 6-9 months to craft, will be outfitted with Wi-Fi, a video screen, a computer, printer, and modular shelves. The vehicle will also be handicapped accessible and will offer security features

 

“The Steelcase Foundation chose to support the new KDL bookmobile because of its alignment with the Foundation’s mission of empowering people to reach their full potential by encouraging early learning experiences, family literacy and improving access to books, programs and computer learning throughout Kent County,” said Steelcase Foundation President Julie Ridenour. “While not a new concept, the bookmobile will take these opportunities to the communities where they are most needed. The Steelcase Foundation hopes there will be a future time when today’s young and new readers will share their bookmobile experiences with their own families.”

 

The bookmobile will allow Kent District Library to share its programs and collection with patrons, particularly students, beyond the walls of the branch library. KDL will partner with Kent School Services Network, or KSSN, to bring the bookmobile to seven elementary schools each week. The bookmobile will also bring the library to senior centers, rural centers, summer day care programs and a variety of other locations.

 

“KDL is thrilled to offer library services and programs that can help improve our students’ reading ability through this partnership with KSSN,” said Linda Krombeen, development manager for Kent District Library. “We are extremely grateful to the Steelcase Foundation for its generosity in making this effort a reality.”

 

One of KDL’s goals in offering the bookmobile is to increase reading proficiency in third grade students. In 2016, 50 percent of Kent County third graders were not proficient in English language arts.

 

“The Kent School Services Network is very excited to partner with the KDL on the Bookmobile grant,” said Carol Paine-McGovern, executive director of KSSN. “Bringing access to library programs and collections to schools is a community school strategy that will have a positive impact on early literacy and parent engagement.”

 

Kent District Library will seek donations to fill the bookmobile with books and other materials.

Wyoming hosts last meeting on millage, KDL leader states he is comfortable with request

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On Saturday, April 29, the City of Wyoming will host the last of its three public information sessions on its request to open the city’s library maintenance fund for park improvements.

 

The meeting is at 10 a.m. at the KDL Wyoming Branch located at 3350 Michael Ave. SW. The discussion will center on the May 2 ballot proposal where voters are being asked to allow the city to utilize .16 of its .39 library maintenance millage to put toward some of the $23 million in park needs. 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.

 

The library maintenance millage is only to maintain the actually facility, Rynbrandt said, adding that what many people do not realize is that the library building is owned by the City of Wyoming. Kent District Library operates the library services and owns the collection. Operations of the library and the collection are funded through a Kent District Library millage, which is a 1.28 mill levy, which covers all 18 branches within the KDL system.

 

The Kent District Library and the Kent District Library Board are neutral on the subject of Wyoming’s request to transfer some of its library maintenance millage for park improvements, however; KDL Director Lance M. Werner said he and Wyoming Branch Manager Lori Holland have had multiple talks with the city about the proposal and impact to the library.

 

“We have been repeatedly assured by the City that the Branch will be held harmless and will be supported at the same level it currently is in the future,” Werner said.

 

The city recently completed more than $650,000 in renovations to the library facility that includes a new roof and the revamping of the former cafe to a public space. Upon review, city staff determined that there would be no major renovation projects needed for the library facility within the next 10 years, Rynbrandt said.

 

Every five years, the City of Wyoming meets with residents and city staff to review needs at its parks. Through that process, the city has recognized more than $23 million in park improvements. In 1994, Wyoming residents did grant a park millage which for the past 20 years the city has been able to invest and maintain the parks without an increase, Rynbrandt said.

 

However, within four years the city has had several natural disasters — a 2013 flood, and 2014 and 2016 tornados — which has created a greater need, Rynbrandt said. Highlighting some of those needs is Ideal Park, one of the four parks that would receive funding through the millage proposal. Ideal Park was severally impacted from the 2014 tornado with its playground equipment destroyed. The city was able to remove much of the debris and get the park reopened only to have the 2016 tornado cause more damage.

 

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 or any the parks, visit WYParks.com.

 

World Affairs Council offers ‘Peace’ talks at KDL’s Cascade branch

3-bottom, Citizen Journalism, Education, Non-Profits, Politics,

The April 19, discussion, “The New Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities”, will be led by Dr. George Lopez, Hesburgh.

WKTV Contributor

 

The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan and the Kent District Library is holding a series of discussions titled “Give Peace a Chance” at the KDL Cascade Township Branch with the second of three discussions being Wednesday, April 19.

 

The Cascade library is located at 2870 Jack Smith Ave SE, Grand Rapids. The lectures, scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m. each day, are free, open to the public and free parking is provided.

 

The April 19, discussion, “The New Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities”, will be led by Dr. George Lopez, Hesburgh Professor of Peace Studies, Emeritus, Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame. Description: “Many pundits and professional politicians suggest that our era of global violence, and especially terrorism, makes peace a fantasy.  This presentation will challenge that claim and will illustrate the new pathways to building peace, particularly on ways in which individual citizens and larger civil society groups can play important roles in building peace in their local communities and especially in outreach to the wider world.”

 

The Thursday, April 27, discussion, “Perspectives on Peace in the New Administration”, will be led by Dr. Frederic Pearson, Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Wayne State University. Description: “With the presidential elections so recent, it is unclear what direction the new administration will take. Dr. Pearson will outline President Trump’s first 100 days in office. Given the trends in his presidential policy thus far, he’ll assess what that means for the prospects of peace worldwide.”

 

For more information visit worldmichigan.org/peace-series .

World Affairs Council offers ‘Peace’ talks at KDL’s Cascade branch

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WKTV Contributor

 

The World Affairs Council of West Michigan will be hosting a series of talks on the subject of peace in modern times. (Supplied)

The World Affairs Council of Western Michigan and the Kent District Library will hold a series of three discussions titled “Give Peace a Chance” at the KDL Cascade Township Branch starting Thursday, April 13.

 

The Cascade library is located at 2870 Jack Smith Ave SE, Grand Rapids. The lectures, scheduled from 6:30-7:30 p.m. each day, are free, open to the public and free parking is provided.

 

The April 13 discussion, “Peace in Action”, will be led by Ann-Louise Colgan, Director of Public Education for the United States Institute of Peace. The discussion, according to supplied information, is described as follows: “Today’s world poses a dizzying and often depressing array of challenges, and violent conflicts seem to dominate our international headlines.  But work for peace persists, even in the most difficult circumstances, in places like Iraq and Afghanistan and beyond. What does it mean to be a peacebuilder today? How do we pursue peace in practice? What role can everyday people, and especially young people, play in building peace in our world?”

 

The Wednesday, April 19, discussion, “The New Peacebuilding: Challenges and Opportunities”, will be led by Dr. George Lopez, Hesburgh Professor of Peace Studies, Emeritus, Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame. Description: “Many pundits and professional politicians suggest that our era of global violence, and especially terrorism, makes peace a fantasy.  This presentation will challenge that claim and will illustrate the new pathways to building peace, particularly on ways in which individual citizens and larger civil society groups can play important roles in building peace in their local communities and especially in outreach to the wider world.”

 

The Thursday, April 27, discussion, “Perspectives on Peace in the New Administration”, will be led by Dr. Frederic Pearson, Center for Peace and Conflict Studies, Wayne State University. Description: “With the presidential elections so recent, it is unclear what direction the new administration will take. Dr. Pearson will outline President Trump’s first 100 days in office. Given the trends in his presidential policy thus far, he’ll assess what that means for the prospects of peace worldwide.”

 

For more information visit worldmichigan.org/peace-series .

KDL starts accepting submissions for its annual poetry contest

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The Diatribe performs April 20 at the KDL Kentwood Branch.

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

 

Since 1996, April has been National Poetry Month and there is probably no better way to celebrate than by encouraging creativity and developing interest in poetry by hosting a teen poetry contest which is exactly what the Kent District Library will do again this year with its 14th Annal Find Your Voice: 2017 Teen Poetry Contest and Spoken Word Competition.

 

“We truly believe in giving students a place to express their creativity, and the poetry contest is just one of many offerings,” said KDL Kentwood Branch Teen Parapro Greg Lewis.

 

The poetry celebration starts to tonight with a book signing by Fable the Poet at 6:30 p.m. at the KDL Kentwood branch, 4950 Breton SE, which is hosting all of the KDL poetry competition events.

 

Fable the Poet, Kelsey May, Rachel Gleason, Shawn Moore, and G. Foster II make up the local spoken work The Diatribe which partnered with KDL last year to bring a spoken word component to the competition which was a popular addition.

 

“Since KDL’s partnership with The Diatribe began, many students who may not normally speak up, have found a safe comfortable environment in which to participate,” Lewis said. “Last year the Spoken Word competition was an enormous success, loud, raucous, and totally accepting with nearly 40 participants.”

 

The Diatribe will once again conduct workshops in area schools leading up to the event, which Lewis said he believes will help make this year’s event even more exciting.

 

The Find Your Voice: 2017 Teen Poetry Contest and Spoken Word Competition officially kicks off tomorrow when all of the KDL branches will start accepting submissions . Kent County residents in grades 6-12 have until April 30 to submit a poem. Each person may submit up to two poems.

 

All those who submit a poem are eligible to participate in the 2nd Annul Find Your Voice Teen Poetry Slam, which is May 18 at the KDL Kentwood Branch. Twenty winners, 10 in the juried contest and 10 in the spoken word contest, will each receive a $50 Meijer gift card. Juried winners will be notified prior to May 15.

 

To help get things rolling, the Spring into Poetry with The Diatribe, which features a performance by The Diatribe, will be April 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the KDL Kenwood Branch.

 

For complete guidelines for the Fine Your Voice: 2017 Teen Poetry Contest and Spoken Word Competition, click here. For information on other KDL programs, visit www.kdl.org.

School News Network: Wyoming High students take tough topics with police

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From left, Wyoming Public Safety Department Lt. Jim Maguffee, Sgt. Brian Look and Wyoming Public Schools Resource Officer Rory Allen talk to Wyoming High School students.

Erin Albanese

School News Network

 

It was a question teenage girls of color don’t often get to ask white police officers. “What do you think of the Black Lives Matter movement?” asked Wyoming High School junior Tracy Nunez-Telemin.

 

As part of a panel of police officers visiting high school students, City of Wyoming Lt. Jim Maguffee shared his thoughts.

 

Junior Tracy Nunez-Telemin asks officers for thoughts on the Black Lives Matter movement.

“First of all I want to say that black lives matter,” Maguffee said. “That’s an important tenet to get across.” He said he doesn’t agree with everything the movement stands for because he thinks it draws incorrect conclusions about policing. Still, he sees its positives.

 

“I vehemently feel that public discourse is part of what makes America great,” he stressed. “The fact that people can come together and form a movement and call it Black Lives Matter and march in the streets and demand to be heard, man, that’s what makes us so strong. That’s not common around the world. That’s a great thing.”

 

No Subject Off Limits

 

In a country where hot-button issues have become increasingly divisive, Wyoming High School students and police officers sat down in the media center to talk about a variety of issues. Police brutality, illegal immigration and diversity on the police force were all addressed by officers queried by students. They said they have sworn to protect everyone in the community, regardless of immigration status. “We are everybody’s police,” Maguffee said.

 

Junior Tony Joliffi asks officers about experiences making quick judgment calls

The purpose of the panel was for students and officers to learn from each other, teachers said. Discussion spanned a whole school day with several groups attending hour-long sessions. Panelists included Maguffee, Sgt. Brian Look, Wyoming Public Schools Resource Officer Rory Allen and Officer Pam Keen.

 

It was part of the junior class’ annual book study, in partnership with the Kent District Library’s KDL Reads program. Students read “All American Boys,” by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely, a novel about a fictional African-American teenager who is assaulted by a white police officer. The event is witnessed by a white classmate. The repercussions that follow divide a school, community and nation.

 

For the past three years, juniors have participated in KDL Reads, and compiled essays to create their own book based on themes from the book study. This year, juniors are writing about social justice. “All American Boys” authors are scheduled to visit March 27.

 

Creating Community Dialogue

 

Including a visit from police officers in the book study was a way to offer different perspectives in a humanizing way, said English teacher Joslyn O’Dell, adding students often have negative perceptions of police.

 

“Having actual police officers come in here to create a positive interaction with them will help them move forward,” O’Dell said. “It’s so important we have open dialogue.”

 

“We wanted to open up the communication between our students and our local police so they can start to see those perspectives,” added media specialist Melissa Schneider, who helps coordinate the annual book project. “It was a hard (topic) because it’s controversial.”

 

Raul Valdez inquires about diversity on the police force

Wyoming High School has a very diverse student body and addressing racially charged issues can be difficult, she said. “That’s what we wanted to teach them, (that) there are ways to have those difficult conversations that can be meaningful versus just attacking and assuming.”

 

About Black Lives Matter, Maguffee said he hopes a result of the movement is progress in working together. “I think it’s great that they exist to the point that we can have a good conversation about how to make things better,” he said.

 

Junior Raul Valdez asked about diversity represented on the City of Wyoming Police Department. The police force is made up of a majority of white males, though there are black, Latino, female and officers of other ethnicities, officers said.

 

It’s always a drive to match the diversity of the department with the community, Allen told students. “In reality, you guys are the community and when we talk about diversity, ideally you want the police department to look like the high school here, and you’ve got a pretty diverse school.”

 

‘You Guys are Doing it Right’

 

As school liaison officer, Allen said he has to respond to very few problems at the high school where 25 countries are represented in the student body. “You guys are doing it right… For the vast majority, everybody plays nice together… It speaks a lot to you guys. Old people like us could probably take a lesson from you guys.”

 

Junior Tony Joliffi said he appreciated the officers’ visit. “It was a good experience for not only me but everyone in here to hear from police officers,” he said, noting that it reaffirmed his view of police as community protectors. “It was relieving to know that the view I wanted to have of police officers was actually true.”

 

Maguffee said he it was important for him to attend. “I have an opportunity to come in and talk to these teenagers face to face, learn each other’s names and talk about this problem. Any chance we can do that, we’ve got to seize it, because that’s what’s going to fix things eventually,”

 

Check out School News Network for more stories about students, schools, and faculty in West Michigan.

Banking on Parent Educators, Parents As Educators

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PNC Grant Helps Fund More Outreach

Ivan and mom Careni Solis get their library cards
Ivan and mom Careni Solis get their library cards

by Erin Albanese   

School News Network

 

In a room designated for storytelling at the Wyoming branch of the Kent District Library, Ethel Rodriguez spoke in Spanish with Careni and Joel Solis about ways to best help their son, Ivan, 3, and daughter, Melanie, 5 months, stay on schedule developmentally.

 

The meeting involved the whole Solis family. Rodriguez, a Kent ISD Bright Beginnings parent educator, led activities that had Ivan clapping gleefully, Melanie smiling toothlessly, mom and dad beaming with pride, and sisters Paola, a sixth-grader, and Alondra, a fourth-grader, joining the fun.

 

Rodriguez has worked with the family since September. She focuses on helping Hispanic children, from infancy to kindergarten, and their parents. At the library, she taught Careni how to give Melanie a baby massage, beneficial for bonding and emotional development, she explained. She read the family a story, and led a game focused on large-motor skill development for Ivan that had everyone hopping like frogs and galloping like horses.She named colors with Ivan, “verde, green” and counted dinosaurs in a book with him, “uno, dos, tres, quatro, cinco, seis, siete.”

 

Bright Beginnings Parent Educators are trained and certified in the Parents As Teachers evidence- and research-based curriculum, which they use to help parents learn to teach their children at home. Services include home visits, playgroups, developmental screenings and a network of resources.

 

Reaching Out to Hispanic Families

Serving Spanish-speaking families often requires going the extra mile. Rodriguez, who is from Peru and is fluent in English and Spanish, is working with 19 Hispanic families from Godfrey-Lee and Godwin Heights Public Schools, districts with a high percentage of those students. She makes twice-monthly home visits and hosts special library sessions that end with family members getting their own library cards. Rodriguez’s salary is partially funded through a $10,000 Grow Up Great grant from PNC Bank.

 

Jan Sabin, parent educator coordinator for Bright Beginnings, said Rodriguez and other Spanish-speaking parent educators go above and beyond their job responsibilities. They translate for families, make phone calls and help with paperwork. “There are significant extra hours needed for serving families,” Sabin said.

 

Dad Joel Solis catches the baby’s attention
Dad Joel Solis catches the baby’s attention

There are many immigrant families like the Solises whose children are starting school in the U.S. According to the 2015 report Immigrant and Refugee Workers in the Early Childhood Field, by the Migration Policy Institute, “The growth of the U.S. 0-5 population is becoming increasingly diverse. Homes in the U.S. with children ages 5 and under who have at least one immigrant parent now account for all the net population growth of children in that age group in the U.S.”

 

Overall, Rodriguez’s work is helping the Solises and other Hispanic families have better access to what they need. “I think through programs like Bright Beginnings they can have the opportunity to access and accomplish their goal of why they came here,” she said. “They came here to have better opportunities.”

 

Stories, Questions and Books

Joel, who works at a packing company, and Careni, a stay-at-home mother, are emigrants from Guatemala. They said they see benefits of Bright Beginnings for their children. Melanie shows signs of crawling, Careni said, perhaps from increased time spent on her tummy. Ivan asks lots of questions, makes up stories about dinosaurs, has learned to hold a pencil correctly and loves to do the “homework” Rodriguez assigns, Joel said.

 

Melanie watches “Baby Faces” during her baby massage
Melanie watches “Baby Faces” during her baby massage

Rodriguez also puts books into children’s hands and homes. With their new library cards, the Solises can check out books whenever they want, a practice hoped to become a regular activity.”Since you have been coming to my house, I see Ivan is more interested in preschool. Now he wants to go to school,” Joel said to Rodriguez in Spanish. “He used to scribble; now he is more patient and is drawing more specific things by using his imagination.”

 

See more at: http://www.schoolnewsnetwork.org/index.php/2016-17/banking-better-parenting/#sthash.e7p1o24S.dpuf

Three local students named semi-finalists in annual writing contest

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Wyoming and Kentwood students are among the semi-finalists in the Kent District Library and Schuler Books & Music’s Write Michigan Short Story Contest.

 

More than 600 writers from across the state entered the competition with the field being narrowed down to 10 semi-finalists for each category, adult, teen, youth and Spanish. A panel of celebrity judges in each category will select the Judge’s Choice, who will receive $250, and the Judge’s Choice Runner-up Awards, each receiving $100.

 

There is also a public voting for the $250 Readers’ Choice Award. Voting runs through Jan. 31 and is at www.writemichigan.org.

 

The local semi-finalists are: Breanna Harris, a resident of Kentwood who attends Byron Center High School is in the Teen semi-finals for her piece “A Whisper.” In the youth division, Morgan VanDorp, who lives in Kentwood and attends Grand Rapids Christian Middle School, with her piece “Two Bad Ants: First Person Point of View.” From Wyoming is Yareli Paulina Gonzalez Velazquez. who attends San Juan Diego Academy. Velazquez’s piece “Cuando vine a Estados Unidos” is in the Spanish division.

 

Winners will be announced Feb. 3 and honored at an awards ceremony at 2 p.m. March 18 at KDL’s Service and Meeting Center. Mardi Jo Link, author of the memoirs “Bootstrapper: From Broke to Badass on a Northern Michigan Farm” and “The Drummond Girls: A Story of Fierce Friends Beyond Time and Chance” will be the keynote speaker.

 

The top five stories  in each age category chosen by the celebrity judges as well as the Readers’ Choice winners will be published by Chapbook Press using the Espresso Book Machine. Copies will be available in March 2017.

Wyoming’s Kitzingen Brewery to host KD aLe tour

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Wyoming’s Kitzingen Brewery will host a visit from the Kent District Library’s KD aLe program this week. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

The Kent District Library’s continuing KD aLe program will visit Wyoming’s Kitzingen Brewery on Wednesday, Jan. 11, for a brewery tour — and a little taste of Kitzingen’s speciality: German beers and German food.

 

The event beings at 7 p.m. The brewery is located at 1760 44th St SW.; Suite 8A; in the Chateau Centre strip mall. Attendees receive a discount on beer when you show your library card.

 

The beers produced by Kitzingen brewmaster Rommie Bailey include between 9 and 15 brews on tap, including an IPA, a stout and a seasonal authentic Hefeweizen, according to its website: “We’re inspired by the proud German brewing tradition but we will give it a healthy twist of the innovative American craft brewing spirit,” Bailey said.

 

For more information on Kitzingen Brewery call 616-805-5077 of visit Kitzingen-Brewery.com . For more information on the library’s KD aLe program visit KDL.org

 

Free books now available to travelers at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport

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bookprogramFree books are now available at the Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) thanks to a partnership with the Kent District Library (KDL).

 

KDL’s program “Little Free Library – Take a Book, Leave a Book” was installed today, and offers travelers a chance to pick up a book for their trip at no charge, or leave books they have finished. Shelves are located on both airport concourses, and include adult, teen, and children’s books.  Additionally, multi-language books will be available.

 

“This is a tremendous partnership for us with the Kent District Library, offering one more amenity for travelers at our airport,” said Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority Acting President & CEO Phil Johnson. “We are happy to support an educational opportunity in our airport, and our hope is that travelers utilize these books to pass the time when they are traveling.”

 

Each item will feature a “Little Free Library” sticker. Users are welcome to take a book to keep, or return it to the airport or their closest Kent District Library. Volunteers will oversee the airport shelves to ensure they are stocked, and monitor the content.

 

“We are excited to partner with the Gerald R Ford International Airport,” said Kent District Library Director of Innovation & User Experience Michelle Boisvenue-Fox.  “The idea of adding value to the traveler’s experience while coming and going from Grand Rapids by offering a free exchange library using gently used donations and second-run library materials will help anyone beat boredom while waiting.  I realize that I am a librarian but I can’t imagine getting on an airplane without reading material.”

 

The Airport is one of several locations for KDL’s Little Free Libraries. More information on the program is available here: http://www.kdl.org/little-free-libraries

KDL Summer Reading Program opens doors and possibilities

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Alesha (left) and Melissa Steele stay active during Summer Reading Month
Alesha (left) and Melissa Steele stay active during Summer Reading Month

Thirteen-year-old Alesha Steele’s passion for reading not only allowed her to discover new places from the pages of books, but the opportunity to explore her own neighborhood by winning a bike. Now she hopes to help someone else discover a passion for reading as a volunteer for the Kent District Library Summer Reading Program.

 

Throughout the summer, the Kent District Library hosts the most popular reading program of any public library system in Michigan. The program had more than 33,000 participants last year and engages kids, teens and adults with reading activities and prizes.

 

“This is my third year volunteering with the library,” said Alesha. “My first two years I volunteered over in Grandville and now I’m helping out at the Richard L. Root Branch in Kentwood. I help people sign up and I hand out prizes.”

 

While some kids spend the summer months buried in technology, that’s never been the case for Alesha and her 11-year-old sister Melissa, who has her own affinity for books with animals, especially wolves. For both girls, unlocking a new adventure, a new world, is as simple as turning the page.

 

“You can go somewhere in a book, somewhere that isn’t here,” explains Alesha. “It’s always different and exciting.”

 

Melissa is quick to chime in, “You feel like you’re in the world.”

 

Another thing both girls agree on, it’s more satisfying turning a physical page than an electronic one.

 

“We both like real books instead of reading on a Kindle,” said Alesha. “There’s something about being able to actually turn the page and see when you’re getting to the end of the book. The electronic books don’t have that same feel.”

 

Both girls have been traveling to different worlds since they could understand and comprehend how letters make up words, words that become powerful when paired together. The girls gained their love for reading from their mother, Jessica, who has encouraged reading be a staple in her kids’ lives. Jessica home schools all four of her children – Alesha and Melissa are the oldest – and has stressed the benefits of reading.

 

“Reading has always been a big part of my life,” said Jessica. “The benefits of reading are limitless and it broadens vocabulary.”

 

Kentwood LibraryWith those benefits in mind, Jessica and her daughters keep active in the KDL Summer Reading Program. The program is aimed at keeping kids’ minds fresh throughout the summer months. Studies show that students typically score lower on standardized tests at the end of the summer vacation than they do on the same tests at the beginning of summer vacation. The KDL Summer Reading Program encourages learning while children and teens are away from school.

 

However, knowing the benefits of reading and having a dedicated and encouraging family and library doesn’t necessarily mean the love for reading is going to be a smooth ride.

 

“I used to hate reading,” said Melissa before sharply transitioning, “but now I love it! It helped that I continued to read and that made me become a better reader. The more I read, the easier it was, and it made me realize that I love reading.”

 

Reading has not only taken Alesha and Melissa to new worlds, but it has better prepared them for this one.

 

The KDL Summer Reading Program runs through August 13. Get started now, it’s not too late!

Kent District Library Hosts International “Disability Rights” Dignitaries

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wyoming library

By: Andrea Mantakounis

The Wyoming Branch of Kent District Library will host a tour of international leaders to discover how the library offers an inclusive environment and accessible spaces for disabled community members.

 

The group of eight visitors represent disability rights organizations in seven countries: Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Sudan. They will tour KDL’s Wyoming Branch on Monday, April 11 from 1-3 p.m. The visit is part of an international professional development project that stems from a partnership between Colleagues International (CI) – a non-profit organization based in Kalamazoo, Michigan – and the U.S. Department of State.

 

In 2015, Kent District Library was awarded the Community Champions Award by Disability Advocates of Kent County for assessing all 18 KDL branches and the service center headquarters for accessibility. Kent District Library operates the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped for residents in Kent, Ionia, and Montcalm Counties

 

“We are so humbled to see this recognition for our accomplishments in serving the disabled community. We have learned so much from our partners at Disability Advocates of Kent County and their assistance has helped us become the best library we can be for all members of our community,” says Lance Werner, KDL’s Executive Director.

 

The Department of State has outlined the following specific objectives for the project:

 

·         Examine federal, state, and local laws and programs intended to improve the quality of life for persons with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA);
·         Explore government and private sector funding of services and programs for persons with disabilities;
·         Discuss how various organizations, associations, and NGOs influence policy and raise awareness of disability issues through advocacy, media and grassroots organizing; and
·         Provide professional networking opportunities that facilitate long‑term dialogue among the visitors and their American counterparts.

 

The Department of State specifically requested these guests have a tour and meeting with Kent District Library. This event will include KDL staff and community members, including those with disabilities, highlighting how the library has created an inclusive environment and accessible spaces for the community.

Wyoming KDL to Host Vegan Cooking Demo and Tasting

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Wyoming LibraryBy: Carrie Bistline

The Wyoming Branch of the Kent District Library will host a vegan cooking demo and tasting workshop this Saturday, February 27, 2016, at 2 PM.

According to the KDL website event description, it is possible to embrace—or dabble in, if you’re like me—veganism, without forgoing “comfort foods like macaroni, pesto and chocolate cake,” and bacon. Ok, maybe I added bacon to the lineup. (But PETA says there really is vegan bacon!)

Why vegan? Aside from the animal activist portion (disclaimer: this is in no way a statement for/against/towards animal activism), you may be surprised by the health benefits spelled out in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition like “a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), obesity, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers.”

The “Vegan-ize Your Favorite Comfort Food” event at Wyoming KDL promises an entertaining and informative Saturday afternoon to all who join, from the devout vegans to the skeptic foodies with one toe testing the waters.

VeganMaybe you’ll leave a born-again vegan. Or maybe you’ll go grill a steak. Either way, you’ll go home with a few party-pleaser recipes and the kind of satisfaction only learning new things can bring. Take it from a professional dabbler.

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.