All library locations will be closed March 29th and March 31st for Easter.

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The Miller Branch has a seed catalog!

BORROW, PLANT, HARVEST, & RETURN

The Miller Branch has started a seed catalog.  Every other month, we are offering a different packet of seeds that you can take home and plant.  Earlier this year sunflower and pumpkin seeds were passed out.  Now, during the month of August, we are handing out packets of broccoli seeds.

Don’t know how to grow broccoli?  No problem!  

If you are planning on starting your seeds outdoors, you’ll need to sow the seeds ½ inch deep and 3 inches apart, in a spot with full sun.  Once the seedlings are 2 o...

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Patriotic Books to Read on the 4th of July

Happy Independence Day! 

These books will help get you into the Fourth of July spirit!  To check availability of each title, simply click on the book cover or go to our online catalog.  Also, be sure and watch the next episode of What to Read Next on July 3rd, available on our YouTube channel and Facebook page, when we will highlight several of these titles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Books for Adults: ...
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May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month!

In the United States, we celebrate Asians and Pacific Islanders during the month of May.  In 1977, two resolutions introducing Asian/Pacific American Heritage Weeks failed to pass Congress.  In June 1978, Representative Frank Horton tried again – this time with a resolution suggesting that the president should “proclaim a week, which is to include the seventh and tenth of the month, during the first ten days in May of 1979 as ‘Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.’” That resolution passed and President Jimmy Carter signed it into law on October 5, 1978.  Annually, presidents ...

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National Library Week: Welcome to Your Library!

April 4-10, 2021 is National Library Week!

National Library Week is a time to remember how libraries and librarians contribute and promote library use in our communities and is celebrated in libraries across the nation every April.  The week was first sponsored in 1958 by the National Book Committee (a partnership between the American Library Association and the American Book Publishers), with the theme “Wake Up and Read!”  The National Book Committee disbanded in 1974, leaving the American Library Association to assume the full sponsorship.

This year’s theme is “Welc...

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March is Women's History Month!

Women’s History Month celebrates the vast contributions that women have made throughout history.  Beginning as a local festivity in California in 1978, President Carter issued the first Presidential Proclamation in 1980 and made it a national celebration.  The week of March 8 was chosen to coincide with International Women’s Day.  In 1987, Congress decided to extend the celebration to a month, creating Women’s History Month. 

The theme for Women's History Month 2022 is Providing Healing, Providing Hope and is a tribute to all of the women who have provided heal...

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The library is not the same without you.

Hey all you cool cats and kittens!  We are busy working on various projects while we are closed, but we miss you all tremendously.  Here are just a few of the things I ( Mrs. Tiffany :) miss the most: Laptime storytime.  I miss sitting in the floor with everyone, singing and reading books.  I miss Hudson’s excitement for bubbles.  I miss Ellie and Grace sitting beside me, helping with the closing songs.  I miss sweet Audrey’s smiles and Calder’s serious face.  I miss everyone. Friday storytime.  I miss listening to Mrs. Melanie’s stories and...
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Money Smart Week

April 4-11, 2020 is Money Smart Week!  Eight years ago, the American Library Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago teamed up to create Money Smart Week – a national public education program that promotes financial literacy.   Last year, libraries in all 50 states participated by providing information and programming designed to help people learn how best to save, spend, and invest.  Financial education is important at every age.

There are several programs being offered at the Fort Smith Public Library during Money Smart Week, that a...

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Black History Month

February is Black History Month, an annual celebration of achievements by African Americans and a time for recognizing the central role they played in U.S. history. Since 1976, every U.S. president has officially designated the month of February as Black History Month. We hope you will join us in celebrating Black History and Heritage this month and all year long at the Fort Smith Public Library.  The library is offering several programs spotlighting Black History this month, and also has many resources that may be of interest to you.

The Miller Branch Library will hold their...

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Read to a Therapy Dog!

There are numerous organizations that offer children the opportunity to read to a therapy dog in schools, libraries, and other settings.  The Miller Branch of the Fort Smith Public Library is excited to welcome Gunner the Therapy Dog on Friday, January 31 from 3:30-4:30 PM.  Gunner will be accompanied by his handler Susan Kelly, and he loves being read to!  School age children are encouraged to come and read a story him.  We hope you'll join us!

A dog’s role as “man’s best friend” has evolved throughout the years.  They have been herders, hunters, rescuers...

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Crafting just makes people happy.

"The Connection Between Art, Healing, and Public Health” was published in the American Journal of Public Health in February 2010 and discussed the relationship between health and the creative arts.  The study found that people participating in art experiences (music, visual arts, movement-based expression, and writing) see “increases in positive emotions” and “reductions in stress and anxiety.”  If you need a distraction from life, just experiencing the symphony, going dancing, or focusing on a craft project can reduce your stress and improve your health. 

At th...

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Yo ho ho and a barrel of fun!

Ahoy, mateys!  September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day and the Miller Branch is celebrating with two fun pirate-themed events!  On Tuesday, September 17th, we are hosting a special nighttime storytime, complete with pirate stories, sea shanties, and games.  On Thursday, September 19th, little pirates can pop in anytime from 1:00 – 6:00 p.m.  to make some fun crafts and dine on cannonballs (Whoppers), fish (Goldfish), and Caribbean Sea water (juice) at our Crafternoon.

Want to impress your buddies by learning to speak like a pirate?  Your...

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In a library, not so far away...

On Saturday, July 13th, families and aliens alike gathered together at the Miller Branch and used the force to make creative crafts, play interesting games, and enjoy refreshing Wookie cookies and Jabba juice.  We even had some visitors from the 501st Legion - Greedo, a storm trooper, and a TIE fighter pilot - show up to partake in the fun!  The library got a little busy, so Greedo moved behind the circulation desk to check a few books out to customers.  

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Summer Reading = Prizes

Beat the heat of the summer at the Miller Branch – you might even win big!  The annual Fort Smith Public Library’s summer reading program is underway during the months of June and July and the library is doling out PRIZES for READING!  How fabulous is that?  Make summer reading a family event; everyone can partake in the summer reading program fun: children, teens, and adults!

How are we able to offer the summer reading program?  The U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services provides a grant to the Arkansas State Library.  Friends of the Library assist...

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Audiobooks

Just more books to love!

June is Audiobook Month and it’s a great time to try out an audiobook, if you have never given them a chance.  Why audiobooks?  They offer just one more way to enjoy more BOOKS!  What’s better than that?  If it’s hard to find time to sit down and read a book, an audiobook will make cooking, cleaning, working out, and other errands, more entertaining!  Make long summer road trips with the children a breeze with a family-friendly audiobook playing.  Listening to books can create a different experience for readers of all ages ...

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Get Caught Reading!

The Association of American Publishers launched the first Get Caught Reading Month in 1999, to encourage a love of reading at all ages.  This nationwide campaign is now managed by Every Child a Reader and supported by the Lois Lenski Covey Foundation.  Ads and posters portray famous actors, authors, athletes, singers, and even well-known book characters taking up the cause to get “caught reading” a book.

In May, the staff at the Miller Branch wants to catch you reading!  A display in the library entrance shows off some of our customers who were "busted" reading insi...

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