The sixth annual “Niagara Falls Family Literacy Event” will be held Saturday April 4 from 9:30am to 1pm throughout the MacBain Community Centre. Our Library will once again participate as we have every year since this event was first held at the Victoria Avenue Library before more space was needed. This year’s theme is “Build it with Books: Dig into Reading” . Everything is free with a free book for every child while supplies last , a free family swim at 1pm and a free live performance by Dan the Music Man. Enjoy the Early Years play centre, story and craft programs, the popular children’s book sale tables and free refreshments. Meet Clifford the Big Red Dog and Geronimo Stilton. For more information call 905-357-2398 for event details. Pick up our library’s spring children’s program brochure at any of our four libraries and register...

Congratulations to Kathy Powell, her museum staff and the City’s Board of Museums for creating an online catalogue of the museum’s collections. We have added a link on the library’s website www.nflibrary.ca to their new catalogue which can be searched at http://catalog.niagarafallsmuseum.ca . This database is an ongoing work in progress. More artifacts and special collections will be added when catalogues are completed. Featured collections highlighted today are Souvenirs of Niagara Falls, Military Artifacts and the War of 1812. Enter a search term by subject, type of object, description, manufacturer or keyword. A detailed description of the museum artifact is provided with the museum’s accession number. You might also see an image of the item. One example is an item from 1914 - a complete baseball uniform of the Canadian Shredded Wheat Company Baseball Team which was worn by Leon H....

Communities in Bloom is a non-profit Canadian organization committed to fostering civic pride, environmental responsibility and beautification through community participation and the challenge of a friendly competition. National beautification programs have flourished in Europe for decades, and were the inspiration for Communities in Bloom in Canada. It began in 1995 with 29 Canadian communities and has grown to involve over 800 communities. This summer our City will participate, and be judged, in the Ontario program within our population category. Communities in Bloom promotes involvement and action by citizens of all ages, the municipal government, local organizations and businesses. The program strives to improve the tidiness, appearance and visual appeal of Canada's neighbourhoods, parks, open spaces and streets through the imaginative use of flowers, plants and trees. A focus on environmental awareness, sustainability and preservation...

Some registrations are still being taken for the March Break programs at all four libraries. For details and pre- registration come in person, or telephone 905-356-4053, or visit www.nflibrary.ca. These inexpensive programs fill quickly so don’t delay. Some events are free and the most expensive ticket is just $3. Here are some of the highlights. Mary Lambert, Ontario’s two-time Juno Award nominee and Parent’s Choice Award winner, will perform live at Community Centre Branch Library. London Reptiles brings to all four libraries a traveling show of live reptiles for a fun, interactive, hands-on presentation. Splash n’ Boots, the 2007 Children’s Music Group of the Year, will perform live at the Victoria Avenue Library. Also scheduled there during the week will be craft programs such as woodcarving, cake decorating, anime, table centerpieces and...