September is National Library Card Sign-up Month, and we’re celebrating with a library-themed scavenger hunt from Sept. 5-30 that will test your library savvy. Participants will be entered in a raffle for some great prizes. Adults can stop by the Information Desk or visit bethlehempubliclibrary.org<http://www.bethlehempubliclibrary.org> beginning Sept. 5 to get started; kids can head to the Children’s Place.
A library card is your ticket to free educational resources and activities for all ages. You can sign up for your own library card online anytime at bethlehempubliclibrary.org<http://www.bethlehempubliclibrary.org> or drop by the library circulation desk for help.
We may be saying so long to summer, but at the library, there are plenty of reasons to greet fall with anticipation, as it marks the return of some of your favorite programs.
Holiday hours
The library will be closed Saturday-Monday, Sept. 2-4, for the Labor Day weekend. Sunday hours -noon to 5 p.m. – begin on Sept. 10.
Tai Chi
Regular Tai Chi instruction returns beginning Sept. 7 at 10:30 a.m. and continuing on most Mondays through the fall. The program focuses on the core movements of the Tai Chi for Diabetes form. These movements build on skills week to week and provide a solid foundation in Tai Chi for people of any age.
Coffee and talk
Our Coffee & Conversation series kicks off the season with a crowd favorite on Friday, Sept. 15. To Life! Part 3, presented by Richard Feldman, features songs from popular American musicals about falling in love and being yourself. Coffee & Conversation, which is co-sponsored by Bethlehem Senior Projects format, is an hourlong program starting at 1 p.m. with a coffee and social hour following. A strong lineup continues through fall with topics that touch on music, history, culture and more. Pick up a flyer at the library or find the schedule online.
DayBooks return
After the summer hiatus, our book discussions begin anew in early September. DayBooks meets at 1:30 p.m. monthly on a Monday. Featured this fall are “All Things Cease to Appear” by Elizabeth Brundage, who will be joining the discussion on Sept. 11, and “The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu: And Their Race to Save the World’s Most Precious Manuscripts” by Joshua Hammer. Two evening book discussions – AfterDinner Books on Wednesdays and AfterDinner Too on Tuesdays – meet at 7 p.m. on alternate months. Those discussions will delve into “The Last Painting of Sara De Vos” by Dominic Smith in September and “Silence” by Shusaku Endo in October. Copies of the books are available at the information desk.
Our monthly Listening Parties with Bethlehem librarian Michael Farley are also back!
More information about can be found online at bethlehempubliclibrary.org.
— Kristen Roberts