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 the 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!

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays.  This year it begins on Monday, January 26th.  Chinese New Year is a holiday that celebrates the beginning of a new year according to the lunar calendar.  It is considered to be one of the most important holidays for Chinese families.  The holiday is celebrated with big family gatherings, gift giving, the eating of symbolic foods and display of festive decorations--all focused on bringing good luck for the new year and celebrating the coming of Spring.  The children's programs here at the library (Story Hour and Kids' First Afterschool Program) this week have the the Chinese New Year theme.  They will be hearing stories on the Chinese New Year, participating in activities and creating crafts that have to do with this theme also. 
 

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! 

New Children and Young Adult Books:
The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling
Operating Codes by Nick Manns
Yubisaki: Milk Tea
Celestial Legend: Yuhi
Real Life, Here I Come
Chocolate for a Teen’s Dreams
Where do Babies Come From?
Toestomper and the Caterpillars by Sharleen Collicott
Lucia and the Light by Phillis Root

New Adult Books at the library:
Texas! Lucky by Sandra Brown
Texas! Lucky (Large Print) by Sandra Brown
Running Hot by Jayne Ann Krentz
Fire and Ice by Julie Garwood
Santa Cruise by Mary and Carol Higgins Clark
Time to Embrace by Karen Kingsbury
This is How it Happened by Jo Barrett
Plum Spooky by Janet Evanovich
A Ghostly Good Time
The Playskool Guide to Potty Training