American novelist, short story writer, poet and Pennsylvania native Louisa May Alcott is visiting Parkland Community Library on January 15th at 11am. Hear stories about the life and career of Louisa May Alcott from the author herself. All ages are welcome! Space is limited. RSVP Required. PA Forward Tie-In: Basic.

Breathing in, you calm your body; breathing out, you calm your mind. There is a direct relationship between the way we breathe and the way we feel energetically, emotionally, mentally, and physically.

The children’s department of the Scranton Public Library has a certified Elementary school teacher on staff. The staff member created the Reading Skills Class to supplement the reading curriculum in Scranton schools. It is an 8-week program designed for kids in grades K-3 with the focus on vowel sounds and phonics. The program is held in a room styled like a mini classroom with a white board, tables, and chairs. The staff member has a workplan for each session which focuses on one vowel at a time. There are 1-2 short books used which includes multiple examples of the vowel sound being practiced. Songs and rhymes are also used as practice. Children are given flash cards to take home and practice. Registration is generally for the whole 8-week session; however exceptions can be made if a child only needs help with certain words or vowel sounds. The program is partially funded through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program.

Inspired by Apple’s Genius Bar, the Library’s Computer Lab Instructor established the Tech Table program to help patrons with their digital devices. Most commonly asked questions from patrons include: “How do I access my email from my phone?”; “How can I send a document from my phone?”; How can I get my photos off my phone?”; and “How can I update my laptop?”. Digital devices included smartphones, tablets, eReaders, laptops, and digital cameras. We did make note that the instructor is not able to fix broken screens or hard drives. The program is held in a two-hour window twice a week as a drop-by. People do not need to make a reservation to use Tech Table.

Designed for seniors and older adults, the library holds Bingo once a month, usually the third Monday of the month from 2-4 PM. During the program, attendees can win some value prizes like activity books, decorations, books, and calendars. The Dollar stores have a wider selection now of decor and craft kits. Games are played until all prizes are gone. There are around 8-10 prizes per Bingo program. The goal of the program is to provide seniors a place where they can stay cognitively and socially engaged.

This program offered the basics of computer coding in an easy to understand way for children 7 years old and older. It allowed older kids the opportunity to mentor younger children and encourage them to learn more about coding

Adults complete a BINGO card to win free books

Using a list of banned books, paper bags, and descriptions of why they were banned we created an interactive display for our patrons to explore during Banned Books Week. While we did not have all of the Top Ten Banned Books currently at our library, we tried to assemble a list that represented books across different genres. Each book was placed under a paper bag that listed the reason(s) it was banned. Patrons could then lift up the bag to see what the book was. Patrons commented on several of the choices that they were surprised and shocked that people had banned them. It also led to a larger conversation about how banning books occurs and how libraries are an important resource for all.

Meet the Candidates event for our upcoming city elections. There was no cost. It was a moderated forum. Each candidate had 10 minutes at the beginning to talk about their platforms. Afterwards, audience members could submit questions and the moderators determine the sequence and questions to ask. Highly successful. We had over 40 people in attendance, plus the local newspaper.

Medicare Annual Open Enrollment and Health Plan Check-Up Appointments