Summer Reading Begins in ONE week!

June 1st-July 27th

Register in the library or online

(Registration available June 1st on our website http://www.crlibrary.org or by stopping in either branch of the CRPL)

The Young Adult (6th-12th grade) Summer Reading Program “Choose Your Own Adventure”  begins one week from today on Friday, June 1st!  Sign up online or by stopping in and fill out your reading log to win amazing prizes.  We have many free events this year and tons of great giveaways so be sure to come to the library in June and July to read and get rewarded.   Look out for gaming, craftin’, zombies, Anime, authors, cooking, and great presentations!  More information is available  here and here, so check back for even more soon.

Speak Up! Toastmasters Youth Leadership Program

Sign up now for our FREE 9 week program presented by the Toastmasters called Speak Up!   Learn more about communication while having fun in the air conditioning on Monday nights   All participants will receive an aluminum water bottle and delicious snacks will be provided.  If you’ve ever wanted to brush up on your public speaking skills while having fun with others, make sure you register online here or by calling the library at 398-5123 for Speak up!  Spots are filling up fast so don’t delay – registration closes on May 31st.

April Book Club: City of Bones

Join Prairie High students and avid readers Gaby and Rachel as they lead a book discussion and eat snacks on Tuesday April 10th from 4:30-6:00 p.m. in the Sendak room. Sign up in advance to get a copy to keep  of the April book City of Bones by Cassandra Clare online here – or by calling the library at 398-5123 -  There are only a few books left so hurry up and register soon!  If you’ve already read the book, stop by to chat.

Stay after on Tuesday for pizza with our Teen Advisory Group from 6-7 in the same area, and find out about new volunteer opportunities, help plan for summer reading, and other fun stuff.

The Hunger Games

Are you excited about the Hunger Games movie out tomorrow at midnight?  I was a little skeptical at first, but everytime I see the trailer for it I get goosebumps!  Whether you are Team Katniss or not, we are having a Hunger Games Challenge tomorrow, Thursday March 22nd during our Read. Write. Talk. program.  From 5:30-7:00 p.m. in the Sendak room, participants will go head to head in physical, cornucopia, and trivia challenges.

All contestants will get a bonus prize for participating, plus the chance to win BIG – movie tickets for the midnight showing or a set of the series by Suzanne Collins.  Hope to see you on Thursday night for some fun times at the library!

Spring Library Programs!

We have some exciting stuff going on at the Cedar Rapids Public Library at Westdale in the next few weeks and we hope you can stop by to check out some of our programs!

TUESDAY, March 20th from 5:30-7:30 p.m. is our monthly Anime Club meeting – this month we will plan for our Saturday March 24th Anime Club.  Sendak room.

THURSDAY, March  22nd from 5:30-7:00 p.m.  is Read. Write. Talk:  Hunger Games Challenge.  Do you have what it takes?  Compete in a physical, cornucopia, and trivia challenges for a chance to win prizes, including movie tickets to the midnight showing! Sendak room.

SATURDAY March 24th  from 12:00-4:00 p.m. – Anime Club:  Saturday Edition – Stop in on a Saturday to enjoy Anime, play Wii, eat candy sushi and ramen, participate in an art contest, work on paper crafts, cosplay, and more!  Sendak Room.

MONDAY – FRIDAY March 26th-30th from 2-3:30 p.m. Good Eats:  Cooking in the Library – Learn to make quick & easy snacks, participate in an Iron Chef challenge, enter a culinary contest and eat the results!  Meet in the Young Adult area.  Registration is available by calling the library at 398-5123 or online here.

TUESDAY, March 26th Teens Create:  Sharpie Tie Dye. – stop by between 4:30 and 6:00 in the Sendak Room to create a wearable piece of art.  We will provide you with a white t-shirt to tie dye with Sharpies.  Register for this one  over the phone at 398-5123 or online here.

SATURDAY, March 31st from 12:00-4:00 p.m. Join us for our 2nd annual Super Smash Bros. Brawl Wii gaming tournament!  Come early to compete or stop by anytime to play X-Box Kinect, board games, or watch the action.  Sendak Room.

Teens Create: Sweater Scarves

Do you like making new things out of old things and being creative?  Stop by the Sendak room  next Tuesday the 28th between 4:30-6:00 p.m. to construct scarves out of old sweaters! Sweaters will be provided but if you have a shrunken one you’d like to use, please bring it.  There will be snacks, and sweaters, and – EXCITING NEWS – we have finally have a working  a CD player/radio !  Register online here or by calling the library at  398-5123.

Vote for Movies for Mini Marathon!

On Sunday, October 30th the Cedar Rapids Public Library at Westdale will be hosting a  Mini-Movie Marathon in the Sendak Room.  Costumes are encouraged and there will be plenty of snacks, with door prizes drawn throughout the day.  Open to 6th grade up through adult!  The first movie will start at 1:15 and we will continue to watch until around 4:30.  Our handy Teen Advisory Group members suggested a few titles, and I’ve thrown some random ones in the mix.  Click on the images below to learn more about the films.  The top title will be shown first, and the runner up will go on after.  Winners will be announced on October 20th.   Don’t see anything you like on the list?  Vote for your own suggestion!

Wii Wednesdays in July

Did you know every Wednesday during July from 4:00-6:00 p.m. in the Sendak Room at the Westdale Library, we have Wii gaming on a BIG screen?  The most popular games this summer have been Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros. Brawl, and Wii Sports Bowling, but we also have dance games, Rock Band, and much, much, more.  Wii Wednesdays also include snacks, random prize giveaways, and generally a pretty good time, so stop by and play some of our resident gamers or beat me in Super Smash Bros Brawl (unless I play Kirby!).  Open to all 6th-12th graders of any skill level

Anime Club Meets Tomorrow

Cedar Rapids Public Library Anime Club is meeting for the second time tomorrow, Tuesday, June 21st from 5:30-7:30 p.m. in the Sendak room at the Westdale library.  There will be an art contest (most supplies provided, but you are welcome to bring in what you’ve been working on), pocky-making, and a giant crock pot of ramen (thanks to the suggestion from one of the members).  We will also be watching anime on the big screen. The club meets once a month on the third Tuesday of the month, and is open to all 6th-12th graders, no registration required.

Teen Summer Reading Starts Today!

Cedar Rapids schools still have a day and a half left, but you can sign up for the Cedar Rapids Public Library’s 2011 Teen Summer Reading Program starting TODAY!  At the Westdale Mall, there is a table behind the new Young Adult books with sign up information and reading logs.  I highly suggest you join the Summer Reading Program, because:

Maddie during Summer Reading

1)  It is free!  And if you are reading this, you are probably already reading anyways!  Sometimes I feel like the crazy free money guy when I say this but…IT’S FREE!  What else can you say that about?!

All the books awaiting you this summer

2)  You get prizes, just for reading three books.   This includes a brand new paperback book from my magical cart full of paperbacks, some of which I keep taking home and reading because they are so good.  Plus, you are entered to win many, many more exciting prizes.

My Summer Reading Sweater

3)  The library is so well air conditioned, I am wearing a cardigan sweater.  It is only going to get hotter this summer, so stop by to relax and beat the Iowa heat.

There are many more reasons to join the Summer Reading Program, which lasts from June 1st-July 31st, but you will have to make your way to our Downtown branch (221 3rd St. SE) or the Westdale Mall location for the full Summer Reading experience.  You can also find more information and a list of all of our programs for teens HERE.