March 18, 2024

Conservation, healthy eating programs at library

Jasper County

Conservation Program

Jasper County Conservation Naturalist Chrissy Rea will present the program “Weathering the Winter” at the Newton Public Library from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. today in the library meeting room. Come join the fun as she reads a story and encourages questions and group-led discovery about how native Iowa animals survive the winter. Who stays? Who goes? Who survives though almost froze? This program is free, open to the public and is for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. No pre-registration is necessary.

Healthy Eating Through

the Holidays

Jenny Thompson, registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, will present a program at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the library meeting room. The program will be about healthy eating throughout the holidays and will include a cooking demonstration and tasty samples for attendees. Jenny is employed at Skiff Medical Center and the Newton Hy-Vee and has 17 years of experience working with people of all ages and helping them with their nutritional needs. This program is free and no pre-registration is required.

Story Times at Newton

Public Library

• Enjoy stories about snowy fun with Youth Services Librarian Phyllis Peter during Preschool Story Time, for children ages 3 to 5, at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. Each story time includes books, music, fingerplays and a simple craft.

• Toddlers and Twos Story Time, which is for children ages 18 months to 36 months old, will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday. A second Toddlers and Twos Story Time will follow at 11 a.m. Choose to attend one session, but not both as back-to-back sessions are offered so neither will be too large. All story times meet in the Carousel Horse Room, except on holidays, and are free and open to all children and their caregivers. Contact Youth Services Librarian Phyllis Peter at (641) 792-4108 with questions.

Library Closure

The library will be closed from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 7,  so the Library Board may have a holiday luncheon with the library staff.

ABC Author Book Club

The ABC Author Book Club will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12, in the library’s conference room. Call or stop by the library’s information desk to choose from a list of books by this month’s featured author, Agatha Christie. New members are always welcome, and the book club meets on the second Wednesday of each month.

Read with Porsche

Read with Porsche, a therapy dog, from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. each Wednesday beginning Dec. 12 in the children’s area of the library. Porsche is certified with Therapy Dogs International along with her handler, Lisa Gibbons. Porsche has visited Thomas Jefferson Elementary this fall to read with children also. This program is for children who are beginning to read independently and would benefit from practice reading aloud. No pre-registration is necessary. Call Youth Services Librarian Phyllis Peter at (641) 792-4108 with questions.

Accucut Roller Die Cut Machine

The library has an Accucut roller die cut machine available for the public to use whenever the library is open. Bring your own materials and cut out some great holiday shapes, such as stars, snowflakes, ornament-shaped frames, Christmas light bulbs or Christmas trees. The die cut machine cuts a variety of materials, such as construction paper, cardstock and craft foam. Stop by the information desk with your library card to use the roller die cut machine today.

Friends of the Library

Cookbook

Looking for a holiday gift? How about a Friends of the Library cookbook? The cookbook is full of wonderful recipes from Friends of the Library and library staff. It costs $7.50, and proceeds benefit the Newton Public Library Friends organization. Purchase one during normal library hours at the check-out desk.

Photography Exhibit

The Heart Gallery of Iowa is a traveling photography exhibit featuring portraits of Iowa children who are in foster care and waiting to be adopted. It will be displayed at the Newton Public Library during normal library hours from Thursday through Dec. 6. More information about the Heart Gallery of Iowa and the waiting children can be found at www.iowakidsnet.com.