Blog Entries

Are you ready to read for fun and prizes?  

Are you ready for the Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program?  Dive in and sign up for the library's online reading program!  It's easy and fun!  Starfish Listeners can earn points by listening to books, and Dolphin Readers can earn points for time spent reading.  Register, track your reading progress, play games, and earn badges online at https://fortsmithlibrary.readsquared.com/.  Download the READsquared app (available for iOS and Android devices).

For more information,...

Meet Jimena! 

Jimena is another awesome Page that works in Youth Services! Just like our other pages, Jimena is responsible for assisting library customers and answering questions. 

Jimena is a junior at Northside High School and plays the flute for the Northside Grizzly Band. She has played the flute for five years and says she has no plans to stop anytime soon! After school, she likes to come home and relax with her cat and dog. Although it can be hectic between band, school, and work, Jimena loves working at the library. For her, the libra...

Meet An!

An is another Page who works in Youth Services. Just like Ellie, An is responsible for shelving books, answering questions, and helping library customers!  

In her spare time, An likes to play video games, listen to music, paint with watercolors, and take morning bike rides through her neighborhood. An's favorite genre is fantasy fiction, and she's a big fan of Roald Dahl. For An, working in the library is great because she is surrounded by wonderful and inspiring people that have helped her!  

Here a...

Meet Ellie!  

Ellie is a Page in the Youth Services Department. A Page takes care of putting books back on the shelf and helping others with whatever they need whether that's finding books or answering questions. Ellie is one of best! 

Ellie is a senior at Southside High School, editor of the yearbook, and is a Slytherin (but has some Ravenclaw tendencies). In her spare time, Ellie likes to read, do puzzles, and drive around listening to Taylor Swift with her friends. She also plans to double major in English and History when she goes to...

Sometimes children face huge challenges in life. 

They may not understand why they can't hug their friends the way they used to. They may be placed in a foster home.  They may have an incarcerated parent.  They may experience homelessness.  They may be in a household with abusive behavior.  Although books cannot solve everything, perhaps they can help.  The following titles are highly recommended, and they are available for check-out at the library.  Click on the book to access the title in our online catalog.

...

Hey Teens! 

Are you ready for summer?  This school year has been a challenge in many ways, but it's almost over.  Don't put down all your books, though. If you like to read (books, e-books, and/or audio books) AND like to win stuff, the Teen Summer Reading Program is for you! Tails & Tales begins June 1st, so make plans to participate.

SRP is Online

Like last year, the teen summer reading program is online! One book equals 100 points.  For every 100 points you earn, you'll be entered into a weekly drawing for a $10 gift card AND earn an entry int...

It's Women's History Month and what better way to celebrate than with some great books about great women?  I love reading picture book biographies and have learned so much from them. You can too!  

Can You Answer These Questions?

Who was Mary Fields and how did she help settle the American west?

Who thought having a children's room in the library was important?

Who designed the Vietnam War Memorial?

Who are two of the greatest female tennis players of all time?

Who designed the Disney ride "It's a Small World"? Read Full Blog

Storytime with Matia

Have you seen any of Matia's storytimes?  Like a lot of good ideas, it came about almost by accident.  When the library staff recorded Happy in Our Skin, Matia did such a wonderful job that she was a natural choice to spotlight many of the diverse books in the library collection. When asked what storytime has meant to her, Matia states, "It has meant a lot to me to be able to read the many diverse stories that I do!   Each book I have read as a part of our diverse storytime, I have related to in one way or another. From having famil...

Concrete Rose, the prequel to The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, is ready for you to check out!  Concrete Rose takes place seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give and tells the story of seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter.  He knows that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad's in prison.

Life's not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav's got ...

Can I tell you a secret? 

When I first began as the Youth Services Librarian in 2007, I was really nervous about storytime.  I'd spent the majority of my 22-year teaching career at Alma Primary School, first teaching Kindergarten then teaching library for many years.  But, as you know, there is a WORLD of developmental difference in toddlers and preschoolers and a kindergartner!  And there were parents!  How was I going to sing in front of parents?  After a few months, however, I became more comfortable and grew to truly love my storytime families. ...

Last year, teens across Arkansas voted I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall as the winner of the Level 1 (Grades 7-9) Arkansas Teen Book Award.  The Cruel Prince by Holly Black was the runner-up.  The Level 2 winner (Grades 10-12) was Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson, and the runner-up was On the Come Up by Angie Thomas.  Voting opened for the 2020-2021 nominees on September 25, 2020 and will run through August 31, 2021.  Any Arkansas teen can vote for Level 1, Level 2, or both!

For more information or to nominate a book for a future list, click here. &...

In this unusual world we're living in right now, there's always something we can count on: books!  From Christmas to Hanukkah, animals to space, poetry to sports, there are so many wonderful books to experience.  A fun way to share the joy of books is to sponsor one in your loved ones' name through our annual Perfect Gift fundraiser.  Our library kiddos love to see the label in the front of the book with their name on it!  Since my grandchildren don't live here, I like to sponsor a book in their name then buy them a copy of the book to keep.  I tell them that "...

Let's Celebrate!

Let’s celebrate Picture Book Month by reading at least one picture book a day.  Here are some your librarians’ and library staff member's favorite picture books to get you started. 

If YOU have a favorite picture book, let us know.  We would like to read your favorites too!

The Color Kittens and Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by David Catrow

The Five-Dog Night by...

 

¡Celebrar!

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Latino Americans to the United States. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.*

Have you read these? The Poet X, With the Fire on High, and Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo Mexi...

Hey everyone! We hope you’re all hanging in there during these strange times. We know a lot of you are participating in virtual schooling this year. When we spend a lot of time at home, random stuff tends to pile up- usually without us even realizing it. With how the past several months have been, there are probably all kinds of things lying around in your homes. So, we have created the QuaranTEEN Photo Challenge!

The rules are simple: Include as many of the items from this list as you can in one single photo. Then, be sure to post your photo in the comments when we post "The...