Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated in United States and Canada on February 2.  The legend of Groundhog Day is based on an old Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year."  Every February 2, people gather at Gobbler's Knob, a wooded knoll just outside of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.  Residents contend that the groundhog has never been wrong.

The ceremony in Punxsutawney was held in secret until 1966, and only Phil's prediction was revealed to the public. Since then, Phil's fearless forecast has been a national media event.  The groundhog comes out of his electrically heated burrow, looks for his shadow and utters his prediction to a Groundhog Club representative in "groundhogese." The representative then translates the prediction for the general public.

If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, it means spring is just around the corner.  Approximately 90% o time, Phil sees his shadow.  Phil started making predictions in 1887 and has become an American institution.

The children's programs here at the library (Story Hour and Kids' First Afterschool Program) that week will be learning and having fun with Groundhog Day. They will be hearing stories on Groundhog Day, participating in activities and creating crafts that have to do with this theme.
Here's a little Groundhog poem: 
Here's a little groundhog furry and brown
He's coming up to look around
If he see's his shadow, down he'll go
Then six more weeks of winter, OH NO!

Calling all knitters & crocheters...
Have we got a great way for you to meet others and to learn new ideas and patterns.  If you are currently a knitter/crocheter you are welcome to meet with a group that gets together every other Tuesday. They started back up on January 6th and they will have met again this month on January 20th. Next month, they will meet Tuesday, February 3rd and the 17th from 7-8 p.m.   If you would like to learn to knit or crochet have we got the right people for the job.  We have 2 of the most caring & patient teachers, whom are so dedicated to helping you learn. So we offer a class for those who want to learn knitting and crocheting and we also offer a wonderful opportunity for those who already knit/crochet to come together to share ideas and conversation with others in our group.

The library offers scrapbookers a place to come together to share their ideas and their hobby. We have a scrapbooking group that shares their ideas and our wonderful teacher, Mary Pothast, is there to help you get started or to help spark an idea. She also brings various paper, stamps, scissors, punches, etc. for you to use. You may purchase and complete a page for $1.00. Come to create your albums or pages and hang out with others who enjoy doing the same thing you do- capturing those special moments and finding just the right way to accentuate them. They meet every other Tuesday also. Same dates as the Knitters/Crocheters but they meet from 7-9 p.m. So they will meet Tuesday, February 3rd and the 17th. Ages 10 and up are welcome to join these groups. 

Be sure to check out our website often for other Library Happenings. www.melbourne.lib.ia.us  We also have a news blog that you may subscribe to on our website and post comments. This is located on our homepage. We have one for the Young Adults also. Theirs is found on the Teen Tab, just click on the Teen Scene Blog. We try to keep these updated so you know what’s going on here at the library and other things for “your information.”  Until next time, Happy Reading!

Wednesday, November 19 from 7-8 p.m. come join us for the Teen Scene. We will be having some “Thanksgiving Tomfoolery”.  This is for 5^th graders on up. Come to the library to laugh and to strut your stuff! Hope to see you turkeys there! Gobble! Gobble!

"Scrapbooking"- The library offers scrapbookers a place to come together to share their ideas and their hobby.  We have a scrapbooking group that shares their ideas and our wonderful teacher, Mary Pothast, is there to help you get started or to help spark an idea.  She also brings various paper, stamps, scissors, punches, etc. for you to use. You may purchase and complete a page for $1.00.  Come to create your albums or pages and hang out with others who enjoy doing the same thing you do- capturing those special moments and finding just the right way to accentuate them.  This group will start Tuesday, September 16th from 7-9 p.m. and then will meet every other Tuesday after that.  For 10 yr. olds on up.

Want an easy way to keep track of your summer reading, what books that you have read, what books that you want to read, what music you want  for the beach, movies you've seen or what you plan to see?  Discover a new and cool way to keep track of all these things and more.  You can also discover, rate, review, and share more than 100 million items.  If you are 13 years old and above, you can create a free online account.  Click on the WorldCat image below and discover a wonderful new tool that you can use to create lists, search libraries for books and materials, and contact others as well.
 

March is National Craft Month! Explore your creative side through crafts. The library offers craft books of all types, plus if you are interested in crafting something that we don't have, we are able to borrow for you what you need at no charge to you.

Calling all readers ...We are looking for volunteers to come in during "Read Me Week"  Monday, Februrary 25 through Friday, February 29 from 4 - 4:45 p.m. daily to read to younger individuals.  We are also looking for those children who would love to be read to during this time.  So if you have younger brothers and sisters, neices and nephews, bring them in also.    Stop in to sign up for either a volunteer reader or sign up to be read to. You may sign up by contacting Tina or Ramona, by phone or email also.  Come in and find a reading buddy and open up the wonderful world of books!  For more info...

Teen Scene is a program for 10 year olds on up.  They meet on the 3rd Wednesday of every month from 7-8 p.m.  I would love to know what ideas you have on different activities that we could do together on these nights.