Bryan-Bennett Library

News & Events

News & Updates on Events

Old-Time Folk & Country Jam Session

Those who play the guitar, fiddle, banjo, or other acoustic instrument are invited to come for a jam session in the Bryan-Bennett Library’s Davenport Room on Thursday, February 20 from 5 to 6:45. Music lovers of all ages are encouraged to come play, listen, and/or sing along.

Registration is not required. There is no fee to attend. Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate will be available.

 

Level-Up Your Planetarium Experience

There will be a Star Lab DIGITAL Planetarium Dome Presentation by the STEM Center from SIUE on Saturday, April 12. Two sessions will be available;

  • Stargazing Introduction: We guide students through common constellations and navigating through the night’s sky. This program, tailored to the time of year, will give participants immediately useful skills to start looking at the stars in their own backyard!
  • Exploring the Solar System: Through animated orbits, flying through space, and looking at planets from all angles we take a look at our planetary neighborhood, including what makes a planet and just how many worlds are out there!

 Space is limited so registration is required. This program is free for all ages to attend.

 

A Jigsaw Puzzle Competition is planned for April 24 from 5:30 to 6:45. Doors open at 5:30. Piecing begins at 5:45. Teams of one to four people have one hour to complete as much of a 500 piece puzzle as possible. The team with the fewest unattached pieces after one hour will receive a $10 Walmart gift card & bragging rights. Registration is required including names of participants and a contact number for the team. All teams will have the same puzzle to work this time. Additional lighting and ambient music is allowed. There is no fee to participate.

 

Stick Together: Penworthy Reading Challenge

All patrons who check out an item beginning February 1 are invited to add a sticker to a Stick Together Penworthy Poster above the Children’s Audio section, one sticker per item. Patrons work together to complete the poster to reveal the image. The finished project will be given away in a drawing when complete.

 

All ages are welcome to attempt the

Follow the Drinking Gourd Escape Room.

Time slots are available on either Thursday, February 6, or Saturday, February 8. There is no fee to attend. There are no age limits. Groups of up to eight may participate.

Registration is required by phone or at the main desk including names of participants and a group phone number.

 

Home School Curriculum Swap

coming to the Davenport Room at Bryan-Bennett for one day only on March 6. Bring curriculum for preschool through high school in to the swap between 11:30 and 12:30. All material must be picked up at the end of the swap day.  Bring a dozen eggs per child and experiment with our egg coloring stations during the swap.

 

The Leather Apron Club  is a book club for readers in Kindergarten through fourth grades and their caregivers. The club will meet for reading, discussion, and activities from 10:30 to 11:30 on the first Thursday of the month.

The February focus will be traditional nonfiction (broad introduction to topic… books by Gail Gibbons, Seymour Simon, Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson…)

Families can pick from a selection of books in the junior non-fiction section. Children will leave with a bag of cookies and a reading challenge for the next month.

 

Ongoing Programs and Events

One-on-One Assistance Available with Basic Computer Tasks and Smart Phones

Want to set up an email account or create a word processing document? Need help with learning how to save contacts to your new smart phone? See a circulation clerk or call the circulation desk to schedule a one-on-one session. Help topics as well as dates and times available will vary, call for more information.

Chess and Checkers Practice

Chess and checkers practice for all ages and skill levels at the Young Adult table continues from 5 to 6:30 on the third Thursday of each month.  Registration is requested so there will be an adequate number of chess and checkers sets available. Register at the main desk for practice either in person or by phone at least twenty-four hours in advance of the practices.

Preschool Story Time

This one hour long program is designed to encourage a love of reading in the very young. Children and caregivers are encouraged to join in ten minutes of play then transition to the story carpet for 45-50 minutes of reading, rhymes, songs, and sharing. Children will leave with a brown bag of cookies and a sticker.

Preschool Story Time will meet in the Davenport Room each Friday at 10. This hour-long program is designed for preschoolers and their favorite caregivers.

Leather Apron Club

The Leather Apron Club is a book club for young readers in Kindergarten through fourth grades and their caregivers. The group will meet on the first Thursday of the month from 10:30 to 11:30.

The next meeting is on this Thursday, February 6. We will be exploring non-fiction books, especially traditional nonfiction with a broad introduction to topic… books by Gail Gibbons, Seymour Simon, Sy Montgomery and Matt Patterson… this month. 

Families can pick from a selection of books at the main desk.

This book club idea was inspired by the book "The Leather Apron Club: Benjamin Franklin, His Son Billy & America's First Circulating Library". During the hour, children and caregivers will have the opportunity to participate in an activity related to the books of the author of the month. There will be a read aloud from selections of the books and discussion and sharing time inspired by the Read Aloud Revival created by Sarah Mackenzie. Children will leave with a brown bag of cookies and a reading challenge for the next month.

Dominos Thursdays from 1 to 3

All adults are welcome to participate in the weekly dominos game.  The group meets in the Glass Office/Reference Room just inside the East entrance of the Library.

There is no fee or library card required to join the game. The group brings snacks to share after the game.

Maker Stations

Ask at the circulation desk for one of four projects to create: paper airplanes, a DNA model, or cell phone speakers. In the tub the circulation clerk provides is step by step instructions and everything needed to complete the project. Keep the project but turn in the tub and contents to a circulation clerk when finished. No fee or library card is required to participate. These are available during normal business hours for all ages.

1000 Books Before Kindergarten

The goal is to read 1000 books to a child before they enter Kindergarten. Children who have not yet entered Kindergarten are eligible to participate in this program with their caregiver. Caregivers may stop by the circulation desk to register and receive a program folder to record books. Children will receive incentives at each 100 book milestone (stickers, tote bags, buttons, new books).