Staff Thank You

At the beginning of this New Year, take this opportunity to thank you wonderful library staff! No one knows how much they pitch in, switch their hours, and put up with all kinds of headaches just to keep this place running and make the city look good. So--THANK YOU, Staff! For the late  hours, the great ideas, the mutual support, and for everything else you do--Many, Many Thanks!

A Word To The Wise

 Borborygmi

(prounounced bore-bore-rig'-me)definition--the correct medical term for the loud growling noises your stomach makes. One growl in a singular form is called a borborygmus.

Teen Board

What is the Teen Board? Think of it as a discussion group, just for teens. You get together, eat snacks, and decide what would be cool things for teens to do in the library . You can bring your friends, too. The board meets once month, right before the monthly gaming events, which are usually the first or second Saturday in the month. Join us!

Teen Book Club

Meets today at 6:00 pm!

Penguins! Storytime

Tuesday, January 28th at 10:30 am.

Family Game Night

Tonight @ 6:30 pm!

Storytime Spotlight



All year long, we offer Storytime with Sarah Beth on Tuesday mornings at 10:30.
Why should you bring your kids to Storytime?  
Research has proven that when children are introduced to books at an early age,
developmental patterns of reading form and continue throughout life. Our experience
confirms that preschoolers not only enjoy reading and listening, but also sharing what they have learned with others. Children benefit from the sessions by broadening their vocabulary, listening skills, and the ability to share experiences with children of their own age level

TEENS


It’s time to kick off another Teen Book Club!  The book selection this time is Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

In this young adult fantasy, twelve-year-old Maggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living can “read” fictional characters to life. One of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service doing just that. All teens will get a copy of the book to keep at the first meeting. In each meeting we’ll discuss the book, eat pizza, and enjoy fun crafts and activities and the last meeting will include a special viewing of the movie! We’ll meet for the first time Tuesday, January 28th at 6:00 pm. Other meeting dates include Tuesday, February 11th at 6:00 pm, and Tuesday, February 25th at 6:00 pm
Be sure to sign up by Friday, January 24
th.  You can sign up by calling 580-7290, emailing Kayla at kwilliams@spencerlibrary.com, or stopping at the front desk.
January 29th is National Puzzle Day. 
Challenge yourself with some puzzle printables throughout the month in the Teen Area.
January 31st is the Chinese New Year. 
Find supplies in the Teen Area to practice your hand at Chinese symbol writing.



It’s time to kick off another Teen Book Club!  The book selection this time is Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

In this young adult fantasy, twelve-year-old Maggie learns that her father, who repairs and binds books for a living can “read” fictional characters to life. One of those characters abducts them and tries to force him into service doing just that. All teens will get a copy of the book to keep at the first meeting. In each meeting we’ll discuss the book, eat pizza, and enjoy fun crafts and activities and the last meeting will include a special viewing of the movie! We’ll meet for the first time Tuesday, January 28th at 6:00 pm. Other meeting dates include Tuesday, February 11th at 6:00 pm, and Tuesday, February 25th at 6:00 pm
Be sure to sign up by Friday, January 24
th.  You can sign up by calling 580-7290, emailing Kayla at kwilliams@spencerlibrary.com, or stopping at the front desk.
January 29th is National Puzzle Day. 
Challenge yourself with some puzzle printables throughout the month in the Teen Area.
January 31st is the Chinese New Year. 
Find supplies in the Teen Area to practice your hand at Chinese symbol writing.

Think you have what it takes to be a
Super Smash Brothers: Brawl champion?
Let’s find out on
Thursday, January 2nd at 1:00 pm. 
The challenge is yours for the taking!

Just Ask The Staff

In this periodic feature, we will be asking library staff members a different question every month. We hope it will help you know and use your library better. The question this month is: What would you like to see new in the library in 2014?

Robin -- New carpeting on the floors and no carpeting on the walls in the Round Room
Kim -- New light fixtures and a new sink with a sprayer in the staff kitchen
Sharon -- New flooring
Tammi -- New carpeting would be nice! And fresh air.
Kayla -- A library facelift: new carpet, new shelving, new paint, and a computer lab
David -- Would like it if the electric power to the building was not hooked to light switches
Joy -- New book carts
Paula -- New, improved and more uniform signage

Interestingly, this very same quiz was taken among the staff in January of 1987. Their "wish list"? New carpeting and a better air quality system. Neither of those items has been changed in the intervening years, although upgrades have been made to the heating/cooling system.

Happy New Year!

The New Year is the time we think about making resolutions. When you made your list of resolutions, did you think about returning library materials on time--or at all? Probably it was not #1 on your list. So let's talk about that for a minute.

As of this writing, 544 circulating children's materials totaling $5,769.88 are in a "bills sent" file. This means that these materials have been overdue at least four weeks; 1 or possible 2 phone calls have been made to remind the patron of the overdue, and finally, a bill has been issued because the materials remain overdue.

"Overdue" and "Billed For" materials present a no-win situation. These materials can't be circulated to other patrons. Some must be withdrawn from the collection and some withdrawals cannot be replaced because they are out of print. This may be what has happened to that book, DVD, or audiobook that you have been waiting sooooo long for. We'd like to help, but it is out of our hands.

We need your help. Check date due slips so you can return materials on time! Your tax dollars assist us in making many materials available to you and your family. The more we spend to replace outstanding "overdue/billed for" materials, the less money we have to provide current materials and services.

Help us to provide the very best materials and services that we can with your tax dollars by returning library materials on time in 2014!

Board Members

The Board of Trustees of Spencer Public Library consists of nine members who each serve a six year term. We would like to publicly thank our dedicated and caring trustees who do so much each year to make your library a special place and our jobs a little easier. Current Board members are:
Mrs. Audrey Wheeler -- President
Mr. Ronald Behrends -- Vice President
Mrs. Karen Carey -- Secretary
Mr. Bryan Harken -- Treasurer
Mr. Dennis Dewitt
Mr. Roger Littlefield
Mr. Jim Quinn
Mrs. Debbie Woodcock
Mrs. Sherry Zinn

A Big THANK YOU to all nine trustees from the Library Staff!

2014 Tax Forms

Every year, the IRS distributes thousands of tax forms and publications to public libraries across the country. Spencer Public Library makes many of these forms available to the public. We can also make copies of forms directly from the IRS and State of Iowa websites at a cost of 20 cents per page, if the form you are looking for is not available at the library. Our tax form display, located just to the right of the front desk (as you enter the building), also provides free instructions on filling out various types of tax forms.

The majority of shipments for Forms 1040, 1040A and 1040EZ, and their respective schedules and instructions are scheduled to begin arriving from the IRS in mid to late January. Tax products ship as they become available; therefore, we have no control or specific dates as to their arrival.

We have also been notified that AARP tax preparations begin February 8th at the Spencer Area Activity Center. They will also be taking place on February 22nd. On both days appointments are available from 9am to 4pm BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Please call 262-1782 promptly to schedule your time.

Tween Book Club Cancelled

Due to Sarah Beth's continuing illness, Tween Book Club has been cancelled for today. We will have our first meeting on February 4th.

Tween Book Club

Meets today 4:00 pm.

Polar Bears Storytime Tuesday @ 10:30 am


Baby Storytime Cancelled for this Evening

Poor Sarah Beth is under the weather, so we regret to announce that we will have to cancel Baby Storytime as scheduled for this evening. We hope to see everyone next week!

Friends of Spencer Public Library

Looking for a way to get involved? Your input may be just what our Friends Group needs! Interested? Call Director Mandie at 580-7290.

Genealogical Society

The Society meets
Saturday, January 18th
@ 1:30 pm.

AJCC



The AJCC is an open club for any and all fans of anime and manga, as well as any other facet of Japanese culture. Currently featuring an ever growing schedule of anime viewing, manga discussion, mini-manga drawing workshops, food festivities, cosplay, anime movie marathons, and celebrations of Japanese culture, the club
encourages fans both new and old to enjoy themselves alongside fellow fans.
Our next meeting takes place at 10:00 am on Saturday, January 18th.
For more details on the club, email kymiller@spencerlibrary.com, or ask at the front desk.



Saturday, January 18th
Let’s Watch:   El Hazard: The Wanderers
Let’s Play:       Final Fantasy IX
10:00 am