Happy Halloween from WCL

WCL is handing out treats...no tricks, we promise! Come in and visit the librarian for some trick-or-treat fun! We hope you have a great night of trick-or-treating! Stay Safe!

Whitman County Library is located at 102 S. Main St. in Colfax, Washington 99111.

Upcoming Trivia Contests

Thank you to everyone who competed at Whitman County Library Trivia in October!!!

UPCOMING TRIVIA CONTESTS

• Thursday, Nov. 16 at the Colfax Hyde Out @ 6:30 p.m. 

• Saturday, Nov. 18 at the Rosalia Brass Rail @ 7 p.m.

• Thursday, Dec. 7 at the St. John Rialto @ 6:30 p.m. 

WCL Trivia Nights are the most fun you can have while learning!  

Having FUN isn't hard when you have a library card!  

Bring your team of up to 8 individuals or join one upon arrival. Extra points will be awarded for teams that bring their library cards! Answer questions, enjoy friendly competition, and see what you know! All donations go to Friends of the Library for local library programs and projects. For more information, contact our WCL Trivia Coordinator, Sarah Phelan, at 509-397-4366 or sarahp@whitco.lib.wa.us

DID YOU KNOW

There are 10 different words for surrender in French?

Find out more FUN FACTS at WCL Trivia Nights!

Yoga, Wine & Chocolate - Nov. 7, 6 p.m.

“Class and a Glass” wine and yoga at the Colfax Library

Community members are invited to “Class and a Glass,” wine, yoga, and chocolate at the Colfax Library on Tuesday, November 7 at 6 p.m. Cost is just $15 with refreshments served, including spirits for those over 21 years of age or $5 with a punch card.

Instructor Suzy McNeilly, RYT200 certified will guide participants through Yin Yoga poses that release tight fascia, hamstrings, hips and backs while providing a much needed tonic of wine and chocolates to further relax and soothe the soul. 

To register, please contact Suzy McNeilly at (509) 397-4709 or the Colfax Branch of Whitman County Library at (509) 397-4366.

Local Author visits the Colfax Library!

Author Beverly Mader Wilson - The Center - Friday, Nov. 3, noon

Author Beverly Mader Wilson provides a presentation centered around her latest book, MARA, to the Colfax Branch of Whitman County library on Friday, November 3, 2017 at noon. Beverly Mader Wilson is the granddaughter of two pioneer families of the Palouse area.  By means of this book, she hopes to increase appreciation for our area history, not only among those who love the Palouse, but also in those who are new to our region.

Coffee and cookies will be served following the author's commentary on some little known historical landmarks around the town of Colfax and of early farm life in the neighboring countryside.  A book signing toward the end of the hour will be made available for those wanting to purchase the book.  People have asked the author if Mara's fictional family is the history of her own family, that of Fred and Lucille Mader.  She responds with a decided, "No"!  She says that in her youth, she spent most of her free hours either on the piano bench or in riding the school bus for two hours each day, each way.  During those hours, reading library books was a passion.  However, parts of the book, MARA, are actually true.  It will be up to the reader to decide which parts he or she wants to believe!

For more information, contact Whitman County Library at 509-397-4366 or visit us online at www.whitco.lib.wa.us

Rachelle's Scream-Worthy Recommended Reads for the Season

The Snowman by Jo Nesbo

Now a major motion picture, this fictional audio book tells the terrifying tale of a serial killer who strikes each year on the evening of the first snowfall leaving a snowman as his chilly calling card. 

Stories from the Night Shift by Stephen King

'Tis the season for a good scare and this fictional audio book is a collection of King’s most bone chilling tales.  So grab the candy corn, dim the lights and get ready for things that go bump in the night. 

Monster by Frank Peretti

Check out this fictional audio book if you dare, to find out what has two black glimmering eyes, is more terrifying than any nightmare, and scratches paths through the hills of Idaho leaving trails of blood and echoing screams in its wake.

Click here to view our online catalog to reserve your copy today or call us at 397-4366!

Librarian, Kathy Carr listening to the terrifying "Night Shift"
by Stephen Kingon her tablet with our FREE app, Libby 

Green Berets in Vietnam

PROGRAM DATES

Monday Nov. 13, 2017

St. John Library 10am

Tekoa Library 4pm

Palouse 7pm

Tuesday Nov. 21, 2017

Colton School Gym 10am

In 1957, Captain Harry Cramer led the first team of Special Forces (“Green Beret”) advisers to South Vietnam to assist the development of the Vietnamese Army. This mission was highly classified at the time. The situation in Vietnam in the 1950’s was much different from that of the 1960’s, and Dwight Eisenhower’s strategy for dealing with it differed sharply from that of John Kennedy or Lyndon Johnson. Captain Cramer was killed in Vietnam in October 1957, becoming the first US Army soldier to die in that war. His son, folksinger and historian Hank Cramer, will share the story of this mission, and its once secret details. Hank has a unique perspective on this story, as he is not only Captain Cramer’s son, but he himself later served with his father’s Special Forces unit in Asia, three decades later.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER . . . Hank Cramer is a traveling folksinger and historian based in Winthrop, WA. He is also a retired US Army officer. Hank has presented programs of history and music for Humanities Washington for over eight years. He was the 2011 recipient of the prestigious Humanities Washington Award. He is currently writing a book on the subject of this 1957 Special Forces mission.

Technology Tuesdays are tech-driven events available EVERY TUESDAY at the Colfax Library's NEW TEK Center!!!

October 2017 Tech Tuesdays

Oct. 24 @ 3:30 to 4:30pm - Snap Circuits! Kids ages 10 & above, join us for a hands-on exploration in electronics. The kit contains over 60 color-coded, real circuit components that snap together to create working electronic circuits and devices. Over 700 experiments can be conducted using this kit, from lighting LEDs to making a radio and more!

Oct. 7, 17, 28, & 31 @ 2 to 4pm - Drop-in Tech Help Need technology help? It's Drop-in Tech Tuesday (and Saturday)! Stop by the TEK Center to get hands on help with basic computer skills, internet, email, Microsoft Imagine Academy, and more! Bring your device and questions to our tech librarian Tuesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m. *Please Note Drop-in Tech Help is typically held the last Tuesday of the month as well as the first & last Saturdays of the month.

Technology driven events to follow every Tuesday at the TEK Center. For more information about Tech Tuesdays, TEK Center, technology classes, or volunteer opportunities, contact Nichole, Whitman County Library Teen Services Director and TEK Center Coordinator at 397-4366.

TEK Center currently provides free WiFi, 8 laptops, projection capabilities, tables, chairs, and access to a wide variety of library resources including experienced instructors, educational software, coding kits, Lego learning,  and more.

Book-Themed Costumes to Inspire & Amaze

Click here to see more book-themed costume ideas! Happy Reading!

photo 1 - Pinkalicious

photo 2 - Where the Wild Things Are

photo 3 - Fancy Nancy 

photo 4 - Stroga Nona

photo 5 - Cat in the Hat

photo 6 - Camilla Cream & A Bad Case of the Stripes

photo 7 - Amelia Bedelia 

photo 8 - Olivia

photo 9 - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie

photo 10 - Charlotte's Web 

photo 11 - Emily Elizabeth of Clifford the Big Red Dog

photo 12 - Coraline

 

ZOMBIEFEST

Drag yourself to Zombiefest...if you dare...Wednesday, Oct. 25, 6-7:30PM

TEENS! Drag yourself and your friends to Zombiefest at the Colfax Library.  Zombie crafts, gruesome games, and Zombie-licious snacks!  Come dressed in your Zombie best and win a prize!  Grades 6 and up, join us if you dare!

For additional information call Nichole 397-4366. Sponsored by the Friends of the Library.  

Little Free Libraries in Whitman County

Little Free Libraries are designed to inspire a love of reading, build community, and spark creativity by fostering neighborhood book exchanges. Residents are encouraged to "take a book and leave a book,"  but individuals may take as many books to read as they like or leave a few of their personal books for others to enjoy. To learn more about the Free Little Libraries nationwide visit littlefreelibrary.org

Little Free Library, Colfax, North Cedar Street

between highway 195 & the school

Jan Hansen, called the Little Library builder in Spokane installed Colfax's Little Free Library in November of 2016. We have one door for adult books and one for children's. At times there are even audiobooks or DVDs available. Click here to learn more about Colfax's Little Free Library's design and construction.

Our Little Free Libraries are always open...rain or shine! Even on holidays!

Other Little Free Library Locations:

ROSALIA Little Free Library

Location: Legacy Park

PALOUSE Little Free Library

Location: Heritage Park

TEKOA Little Free Library
Location: Ruhl Park

Whitman County Library

Call Us - 509-397-4366

Email Us - info@whitco.lib.wa.us

Visit us - 102 S. Main St. in Colfax

online - www.whitco.lib.wa.us

We have 14 library branch locations: Albion, Colfax, Colton, Endicott, Farmington, Garfield, LaCrosse, Malden, Oakesdale, Palouse, Rosalia St. John, Tekoa, & Uniontown

Sharing & Preserving the Stories of Local Veterans

In partnership with Northwest Public Television and Radio, Whitman County Library presents “Vietnam: sharing and preserving the stories of local veterans” on Thursday, October 26 at 7 p.m. at The Center at Colfax Library.

During this program, Northwest Public Television and Radio hosts look at the war through scenes of the PBS documentary and through the eyes of local veterans, including two in attendance, Bob Wakefield and George Stockton. This very rich program also features exhibit items, insights and encourages community conversation.

Whitman County Library was selected as one of 50 libraries in the U.S. and the only one in Washington State to receive a “Vietnam War” programming kit for use in community programs. This kit includes “The Vietnam War,” a 10-part, 18-hour documentary film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick along with the companion book “The Vietnam War: An Intimate History” by Geoffrey C. Ward and Ken Burns. Both are now available for checkout by request from any library branch or the online catalog.

 

In conjunction with this grant provided by the American Library Association and WETA Washington, DC, the library will provide additional Vietnam War programs in the coming months including St. John and Tekoa on Monday, Nov. 13. For details, please visit library’s events calendar or call 397-4366.

Submissions Needed for Barn Calendars

Each year, sales of “The Barns of Whitman County” calendar support valuable programs and services in all 14 locations of Whitman County Library. Steve Van Vleet from WSU’s Whitman County Extension Department graciously donates his time and resources to produce the calendars but local photographs are needed to make this valuable fundraising effort complete.

The library is seeking donations of local barn photos to be included in the 2018 calendar. Proceeds fund everything from Summer Reading programs to children’s robotics equipment. 

Last year’s calendar sold out in just one week with special thanks going to photographers Ken Carper, Rod Schwartz, Jane Finan, Cierra Morris, Debbie Rochon, Ross McClure, Geoff Williams, Debbie Jones, Virgil Hanson, Susan Roberts and Cindy Glorfield.

To participate, email your submissions to Stephen Vanvleet at svanvleet@wsu.edu or call Office 509-397-6290 for more details.

 

 This barn on Glenwood Road just outside of Colfax was featured in the 2017 calendar and submitted by Virgil Hanson.

*Spooky* Trivia Night & Costume Contest Thursday, Oct. 19 @ 6:30 p.m.

TRIVIA NIGHT!!! Join us Thursday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Colfax Hyde Out for "terrifying trivia" and to test your knowledge while competing

with friends! Bring your team of up to 8 people or join one upon arrival. Extra points will be awarded for teams that bring their library cards! Answer questions, enjoy friendly competition, and see what you know! All donations go to Friends of the Library for local library programs and projects. For more information, contact our WCL Trivia Coordinator, Sarah Phelan, at 509-397-4366 or sarahp@whitco.lib.wa.us

COSTUME CONTEST!!! If your whole team is wearing a costume, you will earn an extra point! There will also be a prize for "best costume" awarded, so don't be afraid to dress up! 

***WCL Trivia Nights are the most fun you can have while learning***  

Did you know that ancient Celts believed the ghosts of the dead roamed Earth on All Hallow's Eve, so people would dress in costumes to ward off these roaming spirits?💀💀💀

Board of Trustees & Friends of the Library Meetings This Week!

Board Meeting, WCL Trustees - Monday, Oct. 16, 4 pm

The Whitman County Library Board of Trustees generally meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 4 p.m. in the Colfax Library. These meetings are open to the public and community members are encouraged to attend. Occasionally the date or location may be altered in order to visit branch locations throughout Whitman County. In the event of date/time/location changes, the community will be notified. It is always advised to confirm meeting times and locations by calling the library at 509-397-4366.

Friends of Library Meeting - Tuesday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m.

Friends of the Library Meeting Every first Tuesday of the month at 11:00 a.m. in The Center. Meetings are generally not held during the months of August and December. For more information and to confirm meeting dates, contact the library or Shirley Cornelius at 509-397-4366.

It's an Exciting Week for Kids in Colfax!!!

Movie Day!!! Wednesday, Oct. 18, 12:25-2:25 Ready, Set, Action! You're invited to the Colfax Library to see a PG animated movie! A hilariously universal story about how a new baby's arrival impacts a family. told from the point of view of a delightfully unreliable narrator: a wildly imaginative 7-year-old named Tim. This movie is rated PG for some mild, rude humor (a PG movie rating stands for "parental guidance," as some material may not be suitable for all children). Children 7 & under need an adult present and kids 8-12 need parent permission.

Snap Circuits @ Third Thursday Club Oct 19, 3:30-4:30  It's Third Thursday FUN & LEARNING at the Colfax Library! Kids in grades 1-4 are invited to the library for STEM engagement activities with stories, games, crafts and more! But this Third Thursday, it's more than just fun and games - come design and build electronic circuit kids with friends! Snacks included! (afterschool programs every 3rd Thursday of the school calendar months)

Call Sheri or Nichole with any questions or for details about future events at (509) 397-4366.

It's Drop-in Tech Help Saturday!

Technology Tuesdays EVERY TUESDAY at the TEK Center!!!

Oct. 24 @ 3:30 to 4:30pm - Snap Circuits! Kids ages 10 & above, join us for a hands-on exploration in electronics. The kit contains over 60 color-coded, real circuit components that snap together to create working electronic circuits and devices. Over 700 experiments can be conducted using this kit, from lighting LEDs to making a radio and more!

Oct. 17, 28 & 31 @ 2 to 4pm - Drop-in Tech Help Need technology help? It's Drop-in Tech Tuesday (and Saturday)! Stop by the TEK Center to get hands on help with basic computer skills, internet, email, Microsoft Imagine Academy, and more! Bring your device and questions to our tech librarian Tuesdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4 p.m. *Please Note Drop-in Tech Help is typically held the last Tuesday of the month as well as the first & last Saturdays of the month.

Technology driven events to follow every Tuesday at the TEK Center. For more information about Tech Tuesdays, TEK Center, technology classes, or volunteer opportunities, contact Nichole, Whitman County Library Teen Services Director and TEK Center Coordinator at 397-4366.

Pain the Town Pink!

Colfax is painting the town pink in honor of breast cancer awareness month! During the month of October you will see pink flags, lights, and businesses all decorated in pink. Residents are encouraged to wear pink in solidarity. 

Whitman County Library is providing adult & children's coloring sheets incorporating the cancer ribbon for patrons to color and dedicate to someone affected. *Artwork will be displayed on the front desk for the month of October.*

Click here for more info! There will be a trophy for the best decorated business storefront! The city put up pink the flags and lights and police will be wearing pink patches for the month of October. Help us PAINT the Town PINK!

Everybody Writes about "Black River"

Writers of all ages are encouraged to enter Everybody Writes, a local contest inspired by the annual Everybody Reads community reading program. This year, entries are being sought on the topics of redemption, forgiveness, The power of music, faith or pain. These topics were based upon Everybody Reads’ 2017 selected novel “Black River” by S.M. Hulse which addresses these same themes and emotions. Winners receive a Kindle Voyage or Amazon Gift Cards and will be announced at author events scheduled for November 6-9 across the Palouse and L.C. Valley.

One submission per person is allowed. Entries of poetry, fiction or non-fiction with a maximum of 800 words. Entries are due by midnight on October 22, 2017 to everybodywrites@aclib.org. 

For more information about Everybody Writes, the reading program or author presentations, visit everybody-reads.org. 

Recommended Reads for October 2017

World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks

The Zombie War came unthinkably close to eradicating humanity. Max brooks, driven by the urgency of preserving the acid-etched, first-hand experiences of the survivors from those apocalyptic years, traveled across the world, from decimated cities that once teemed with upwards of thirty million souls to the most remote and inhospitable areas of the planet. He recorded the testimony of men, women, and children who came face-to-face with the living and the undead. World War Z is the result.

It by Stephen King

Welcome to Derry, Maine. It’s a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real. The story follows seven adults who return to their hometown to confront a nightmare they first stumbled on as teenagers…an evil without a name: It. They made a promise twenty-eight years ago to reunite in the same place where they had once battled an evil creature that preyed on the city’s children. Now, children are being murdered again and their memories of that terrifying summer return as they prepare to once again battle the monster lurking in Derry’s sewers.

The Witches: Suspicion, Betrayal, & Hysteria in 1692 Salem by Stacy Schiff

The panic began early in 1692, over an exceptionally raw Massachusetts winter, when a minister's niece began to writhe and roar. Allegations of witchcraft spread quickly. Speaking loudly and emphatically, adolescent girls stood at the center of the crisis. Neighbors accused neighbors, husbands accused wives, parents and children accused one another. It ended less than a year later, but not before 19 men and women had been hanged and an elderly man crushed to death.

To request these books, please visit our online catalog at https://whitm.ipac.sirsidynix.net/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile= , call the Whitman County Library at 397-4366, or email us at info@whitco.lib.wa.us

WCL Trivia Night & Costume Contest

*Spooky* Adult Trivia Nights & Costume Contests for the month of October

Join us for TRIVIA NIGHT Thursday, October 19, at 6:30 p.m. at the Colfax Hyde Out or Saturday, October 21 at 7 p.m. at the Rosalia Brass Rail to test your knowledge and compete with friends! 

COSTUME CONTEST!!! If your whole team is wearing a costume, you will earn an extra point! There will also be a prize for "best costume" awarded, so don't be afraid to dress up! 

WCL Trivia Nights are the most fun you can have while learning!  

Bring your team of up to 8 individuals or join one upon arrival. Extra points will be awarded for teams that bring their library cards! Answer questions, enjoy friendly competition, and see what you know! All donations go to Friends of the Library for local library programs and projects. For more information, contact our WCL Trivia Coordinator, Sarah Phelan, at 509-397-4366 or sarahp@whitco.lib.wa.us

Did you know that Jack o’ Lanterns originated in Ireland where people placed candles in hollowed-out turnips to keep away spirits and ghosts on the Samhain holiday? LEARN MORE FRIGHTENING FACTS AT WCL TRIVIA NIGHT!

Did You Know that Gardening is Good for your Health?

Master Gardener Program comes to the Colfax Library Wednesday, Oct. 11, 5:30 p.m.

10 REASONS WHY GARDENING IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

1. Gardening can reduce your risk of stroke (along with other activities as jogging and swimming) as reported in “Stroke: Journal of The American Heart Association”.

2. Gardening burns calories. Gardening is considered moderate-intensity exercise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, you can burn up to 330 calories during just one hour of light gardening and yard work.

3. Gardening decreases the likelihood of osteoporosis. When you dig, plant, weed, and engage in repetitive tasks that require strength or stretching, all of the major muscle groups are getting a good work out.

4. Gardening is a stress buster. As a matter of fact, it may be an even more effective stress buster than other leisure activities. In a study in the Netherlands (as reported by CNN), two groups of students were told to either read indoors or garden for thirty minutes AFTER completing a stressful task. The group that gardened reported being in a better mood and exhibited lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone than the group that read.

5. Being surrounded by flowers improves one’s health. In behavioral research conducted at Rutgers University, the results showed that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods and have an immediate impact on happiness, a long term positive effects on mood, and make for more intimate connections between individuals.

6. The act of gardening enables us to enter the ‘zone’,  also known as an altered state of consciousness – similar to what a jogger or one who practices yoga or mediation can experience. This transcendent state is a magical and spiritual place where one experiences the best of who she/he is.

7. Digging in the soil promotes good health and boosts mood. Children who are exposed to dirt in the formative years develop healthier, stronger immune systems when compared to children whose parents keep them squeaky clean, and they have a lower incidence of asthma, eczema, and allergies!

At University of Colorado, Christopher Lowry, Ph.D., has been injecting mice with Mycobacterium vaccae, a harmless bacteria commonly found in soil, and has found that they increase the release and metabolism of serotonin in parts of the brain that control cognitive function and mood — much like serotonin-boosting antidepressant drugs do.

8. Gardening Improves Relationships and Compassion. Studies show that people who spend more time around plants exhibit measurable increases in feelings of compassion, are more likely to help others, and often have more advanced social relationships. People who care for nature are more likely to care for others.

9. Gardening may lower the risk of dementia. Some research suggests that the physical activity associated with gardening can help lower the risk of developing dementia. Two separate studies that followed people in their 60s and 70s for up to 16 years found, respectively, that those who gardened regularly had a 36% and 47% lower risk of dementia than non-gardeners, even when a range of other health factors were taken into account.

10. Gardening strengthens your immune system. While you’re outdoors basking in the sun, you’ll also soak up plenty of vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium. In turn, calcium helps keep your bones strong and your immune system healthy.

The U.S. public spends more than 90% of their time indoors, leading an extremely sedentary, disconnected, unhealthy, and unnatural lifestyle. SO DON'T BECOME A STATISTIC & GET GARDENING!

*facts found at http://gardeninggonewild.com/?p=27941 

Teen READ Week October 8 - 14

Teen Read Week, "Unleash Your Story"

October 8 - 14, 2017
Celebrate Teen Read Week at your local library branch by checking out a great read, writing a short story or attending a fun teen program! "Unleash Your Story" at the Whitman County Library.

*Teen Read Week™ is a national adolescent literacy initiative created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). It began in 1998 and is held annually in October. Its purpose is to encourage teens to be regular readers and library users. Click here to learn more!

Teen Blackout Poetry Contest @ St. John Library

October 6 - 16

As part of Teen Read week, the St. John Library is holding a Blackout Poetry contest.  Middle and high school students are invited to create poetry from text already written - simply redact text you don't want with black sharpie and keep the words that form the poem.  No poetry rules apply!  Kits with everything you need are available at the library October 6 to 13.  Drop off your creation before Monday, October 16 at 5 pm and win a prize.

For additional information call the St. John branch at 648-3319. Sponsored by Friends of St. John Library. 

All-County Teen Trivia @ the Colfax Library Center

Friday, October 13, 6-7:30pm
All county TEENS are invited to this fun after library hours trivia night in Colfax! Bring your team of 6 to the Center (adjacent to the Colfax Library) on Friday, October 13th 6-7:30 pm. Enjoy pizza and snacks while testing your random knowledge in categories from books to bizarre!  No team?? No worries, we'll assign you one upon arrival.

For additional information ,call Nichole at the Colfax Library 397-4366. Sponsored by Friends of the Library.

Teen Superstition Party @ Rosalia Library

Friday, October 13, 6-8 p.m.
Students in 6th-12th grade.... come spend Friday the 13th at the library in Rosalia. The spooky fun begins at 6 p.m. There will be games and lucky food and an art activity so you can take the good luck with you!

For additional information, call the Rosalia branch at 523-3109. Sponsored by Friends of the Rosalia Library.

Superstition Night @ Oakesdale Library

Friday, Oct. 13, 6:00 p.m.

Friday the 13th, black cats, 4 leaf clovers, broken mirrors, walking under a ladder...is it really bad luck? Learn about other superstitions in different cultures! Craft activity and snacks are provided!

For additional information, call the Oakesdale branch at 285-4310. Sponsored by Friends of the Oakesdale Library.