On Saturday November 10th the NFPL together with Literacy Link Niagara’s Past is Present project will host a special Book Club meeting commemorating the 200 th anniversary of the War of 1812. All Niagara region libraries are participating in this. The book chosen by the selection committee is Ron Dale’s “Invasion of Canada” – a good, concise overview of the events in Niagara and beyond. We have 15 book club copies as well as our own. The book club meeting will be at 2:30pm with space limited to 20 participants. Pick up the book to read now and register early to avoid disappointment. If you cannot attend in person there is also an interactive online book club discussion at http://nfpl.info/pip. Post your comments, discuss the questions posted by others and they will be shared with the live book club group.

The last session in our current Health & Wellness Information series for 2012 will be "The Importance of Sleep to Health and Well-Being."...

Thanksgiving is past and it’s nearly Hallowe’en. The upcoming Saturday children’s craft programs are planning ghostly and bewitching projects to decorate your home. On Saturday October 20th, both the Victoria Avenue Library and the Chippawa Branch have scheduled activities, with spaces still available for boys and girls 6 years and up. Call the library or go online to register in advance. There is a $2 fee to cover materials. Stamford Branch will offer a craft & story program on Saturday October 27th. The annual Hallowe’en Parade and Party will be offered at the Victoria Avenue Library and the Chippawa and Community Centre Branches on Saturday 27th. All ages are invite to come dressed up in costume for the annual “Parade of Costumes”. Times vary – so check with the library (905-356-4053) or online @ www.nflibrary.ca.

A few weeks back we mentioned the Regional Chair Early Years Niagara Literary Award and can now confirm that the books will be read aloud on TVCOGECO: Thursday October 18th at 6:00 PM, Sunday October 21st at 2:00 PM. Families are encouraged to read the books together and vote on their favourite. Voting takes place until November 10th, 2012 at all public libraries, Ontario Early Years Centres and regional child care centres throughout Niagara. You can also vote online at www.earlyyearsniagara.org....

Ontario Public Library Week 2012 is officially the week of October 14th -20th, and we like to take this time to remind our community who we are and what we offer. This years theme is “Libraries Connect“ and it’s a great comment on how public libraries offer a link to education, literacy and life long learning in Ontario communities. Millions of Ontario residents recognize the value of their public library and are regularly making the most of the free services and resources for small businesses, preschoolers, new Canadians, seniors, students and jobseekers. Residents of Niagara Falls can be proud of their library, which continues to evolve and expand services to keep pace with the changing technologies and adapting to the needs of our community. One of our roles is support that is providing opportunities for library users to develop new skills needed in the ever changing world, and connecting them to their friends and the community. We encourage everyone to visit their public library soon.

Sunday...

This fall, look for displays at all 4 Libraries of this year's finalists in the Regional Chair Early Years Niagara Literary Award. The 5 books on the shortlist are:

I Broke My Trunk, by Mo Willems, Without You, by Genevieve Cote, Stuck by Oliver Jeffers, Is Everyone Ready for Fun? by Jan Thomas andThe Busy Beaver by Nicholas Oldland, available in both English and French.

Families are encouraged to read the books together and vote on their favourite. Voting takes place between September 10th & November 10th, 2012 at all public libraries, Ontario Early Years Centres and regional child care centres throughout Niagara....