Wheat Country Railroads - May 8

Wheat Country Railroads: The Northern Pacific's Spokane & Palouse and Competitors comes to The Center at Colfax Library on Weds, May 15 at 6 p.m. Meet author Philip F. Beach and learn about the historical significance of our railroading past. Brought to you by WSU Press and the Schneidmiller Endowment for Palouse Regional Studies.

For more information, contact Trevor Bond, WSU Manuscripts and Archives at tjbond@wsu.edu,  509 335 6693 or Whitman County Library at 509-397-4366.

PHOTO: Northern Pacific Engine in Garfield long ago. From the Whitman County Heritage collection at the library's website, www.whitco.lib.wa.us. 

Dancing Dogs come to Whitman County Library!

It's time for some tail waggin' fun at the Whitman County Libraries! Bring the whole family to Ruff Revue's Dancing Dog programs on May 3 & May 10. This troupe of dancing dogs and their handlers bring cheers and smiles to all ages!

Celebrate the dogs days of spring at any of the three library branch programs:

• Friday, May 3 at 3:30 p.m. in Colfax at the Center
• Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m. in Endicott - Trinity Lutheran Church
• Friday, May 10 at 3:30 p.m. at the Alice Porter Memorial Library in Rosalia

These free programs are made possible by the Friends of WCL. For additional information go to ruffrevue.org or contact the Whitman County Library www.whitco.lib.wa.us or call 509-397-4366.

Spring into a good read!

CLICK HERE TO REQUEST A BOOK TODAY! Hand-picked books we know you'll love.

Welcome to Cindy Alred!

WHITMAN COUNTY LIBRARY WELCOMES A NEW BOARD 

Whitman County commissioners recently appointed Cindy Alred of Palouse to the Whitman County Library Board of Trustees. Cindy spent 27 years with Bethel Public Schools before accepting a position with WSU and moving to Palouse in 2012 with her husband Steve. Both are eager to be involved in the community and pleased to be closer to grandchildren.

Cindy joins board members Bob Bates of Colton, Steve Balzarini of Colfax, Suzanne Schmick of Endicott, and Heather Lustig of Dusty. She replaces Andrea Miller of St. John who completed her term last December.

The next library board meeting is set for Tuesday, May 21 in Palouse and community members are encouraged to attend!

Library Snapshot Day!

Yesterday, we posted photos of all the programs, activities, books, and more that we offer to share a “day in the life” of our library with you!

This is a cozy shot of our library right before we opened.

At Storytime, we dance, we sing, we rhyme, we read,
we color, and we learn!

Suzy McNeilly offers yoga every week at the library to
relax, refresh, and relieve muscle tension. 

It's Penny Drive time Feed the library pig with change for
children's programs for our annual Penny Drive during April!

Have you checked out our Seed Library? Take a few seeds to plant and
if you want, bring some back to us when you harvest!

READ THE RAINBOW! Visit our beautiful book sale 7 days a week
 Only 50 cents each!

1st through 4th graders planted trees today at the library!
FUN springtime learning! 

Research your family or your town in our Whitman County Archives!
You never know what you'll find!

We have new books, children's books, large print books, and more!

All available to you for FREE, 7 days a week

TRIVIA NIGHT IS FINALLY HERE!

The library is hosting Trivia Night at the Colfax Hyde Out on Thursday, April 18 at 6:30 p.m.

Special Category: Human Anatomy

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

Answer questions, identify music clips, compete with friends, and see what you know! WIN FREE STUFF! Bring your team of up to 8 people or join one on arrival. Extra points are awarded to team members who present their library card. For more information, contact Sarah Phelan at 397-4366 or sarahp@whitco.lib.wa.us!

Ice Age Floods Presentation TONIGHT!

Canyons and Coulees and Valleys...Oh My! Monday, Apr. 15 at 7 p.m., Colfax Library Ice Age Floods Palouse Falls Chapter President, Lloyd Stoess, shares an amateur geomorphologist's search for the true meaning of "coulee." This FREE presentation will look at why geologists all know a coulee when they see it, but define it differently. More info here!

Colfax High School Book Tasting at the Library!

 

Ignite Your Child's Mind!

Storytime and Play & Learn at the Colfax Library Every Week!

Storytime - Thursday Mornings, 10 -11:30 am

Storytime is a FREE listening and pre-reading experience for children birth to age 5 every Thursday morning during the school year. Kiddos and parents/ caregivers enjoy engaging stories and imaginative activities that include songs, crafts, puppets, and more!

Baby Time (0-2) 10:10-10:30
Toddler Time (2-3) 10:30-11:00
Preschool Time (4+) 11:00-11:30

Play & Learn - Friday Mornings, 10-11:30 am 

Join us for family, friends, and neighbors playgroup every Friday morning September through June! Parents/caregivers bring your children for free play, fun, and socialization.

Call Sheri Miller or Nichole Kopp at 397-4366 for details on these or other children's programs.

Library Penny Drive for Kids!

Wanted: Pennies, Dimes, and Dollars Too! The Whitman County Library System holds its annual Penny Drive for the month of April!

Each of the 14 library branches collects money to fund children's educational programs or projects that are vital to their location. The WCL Penny Drive is held in honor of National Library Week! Whitman County Library celebrates the contributions of its loyal customers and dedicated staff during this special annual event. Many school classrooms and local daycares help to gather coins and compete for an ice cream party. 

Thank you for donating to our kids' programs!

For a complete list of events and programs happening in all fourteen Whitman County Library branches, visit the Whitman County Library website or the library's events calendar or call the library at 397-4366 or 877-733-3375 toll-free.

First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is an American Library Association observance celebrated by libraries across the country. Whitman County Library celebrates the contributions of its loyal patrons and dedicated staff during this special annual event. For more information contact Sheri Miller at 509-397-4366.

Soil Health: What it is & Why it Matters

“Soil Health: What is it and Why You Should Care” comes to the TEK Center at Colfax Library on Monday, April 8 at 6 p.m. Farmers, gardeners or anyone interested in learning more should attend this presentation by Brian Bell from Whitman Conservation District.

A growing number of America’s farmers are using soil health management systems to improve the health and function of their soil. But what exactly is “soil health”? This class will explore the interesting facts about healthy soil and how to develop and maintain it.

The “Science on the Palouse” series will continue the 2nd Monday of each month with regional experts exploring new topics and issues each month. Sponsored by The Whitman Conservation District, these presentations are geared toward adults but youth 10 and older are welcome to attend. For more information, contact the Colfax Library at 509-397-4366 or Brian Bell, Whitman Conservation District at 509-288-4644 or brianwhitmancd@gmail.com.

And the Next BIG LIBRARY READ is...

World’s Largest Digital Book Club Invites Whitman County Patrons to Embark on an Extraordinary Journey!

Nonfiction Award Finalist “Homes: A Refugee Story” ebook available for two weeks with no waitlist or holds

Alongside thousands of readers worldwide, you can discover a remarkable true story through the largest global digital book club, Big Library Read. From April 1–15, book lovers can borrow, read and discuss Abu Bakr al Rabeeah and Winnie Yeung’s heartbreaking yet hopeful Homes: A Refugee Story ebook from their public library with no waitlists or holds!

Readers may join by downloading the Libby app, click here! More than 19,000 libraries around the world are participating.

Big Library Read is available in more than 90 percent of public libraries in North America and facilitated by OverDrive/ Libby. Homes: A Refugee Story, a 2018 Governor General's Literary Award finalist for nonfiction, was chosen by a popular vote of readers and librarians worldwide.

“It brings such joy to Abu Bakr and me that his wish of wanting to tell the world of Syria’s plight is being fulfilled in such a far-reaching way,” said author Winnie Yeung. “For this is the magic of books: they don’t just feed our imaginations, they build bridges of understanding. The relationship of sharing, receiving and honoring each other is the true gift of storytelling —something I am so grateful to be a partner in.”

Homes: A Refugee Story chronicles the struggles of the al Rabeeah family who left their home in Iraq for Syria in hope of a safer life – just before the Syrian civil war broke out. Abu Bakr, one of eight children, was ten years old when the violence began on the streets around him: car bombings, attacks on his mosque and school, firebombs late at night. Homes tells of the strange juxtaposition of growing up as a typical teenager in a war zone: horrific, unimaginable events punctuated by normalcy – soccer, cousins, video games, friends.

Big Library Read is an international reading program that simultaneously connects millions of readers around the world with an ebook through public libraries. Homes: A Refugee Story is the 18th selection of this program. Readers can join an online discussion about the book at https://discuss.biglibraryread.com/. The free program runs for two weeks and only requires a [library name] card to get started.  To join the discussion, learn about past Big Library Read ebooks and download Libby, visit biglibraryread.com.

Learn a New Language & Travel the World!

Learn to use our newest online resources, Mango Languages & A to Z Travel at a fun and informative class on Thursday, April 4 from 6-7 p.m. at the Colfax Library. Participants will enjoy step-by-step instructions, snacks, giveaways, and door prizes!

Can't make it? NO PROBLEM! Mango Languages & A to Z Travel are available 24/7 with your library card! Click here!



The Mango Languages class runs from 6 to 6:30 p.m. You now have access to over 70 world languages anywhere, anytime. Use Mango on your laptop, tablet, smart-phone, or our library computers. Courses are self-paced covering grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and real world situations using native speaker audio.

The A to Z Travel class runs from 6:30 to 7 p.m. A to Z Travel is your complete guide to over 200 world & US cities. A to Z can help you plan a dream vacation or a weekend getaway with detailed travel information, pre-trip preparation guides, points of interest, excursions, restaurants, health, safety, and more.

For more info, contact Sarah at Whitman County Library (509) 397-4366 or sarahp@whitco.lib.wa.us

Free Active Lifestyle Classes for Seniors!

"Active Living" is for any senior interested in learning, enjoying, and challenging themselves to a more healthful life! A joint partnership of Pullman Regional Hospital, Whitman Hospital & Medical Center, and Whitman County Library is offering a new series of active living classes for seniors for the next three weeks on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. at the Colfax Library. The class provides health and well-being skills, information facilitated by experts, and explores questions relating to living that older adults encounter as they navigate aging. Subjects include exercise, fall prevention, community engagement, healthy relationships, and medication management.

All seniors are welcome at no cost, no need to sign up. Questions can be addressed to Noel at (509) 336-7404 or noel.nicolai@pullmanregional.org or Krista at (509) 397-5734 or krista.jones@whmc.org.