Blog Entries

Storytime with Matia

Have you seen any of Matia's storytimes?  Like a lot of good ideas, it came about almost by accident.  When the library staff recorded Happy in Our Skin, Matia did such a wonderful job that she was a natural choice to spotlight many of the diverse books in the library collection. When asked what storytime has meant to her, Matia states, "It has meant a lot to me to be able to read the many diverse stories that I do!   Each book I have read as a part of our diverse storytime, I have related to in one way or another. From having family ...

Concrete Rose, the prequel to The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas, is ready for you to check out!  Concrete Rose takes place seventeen years before the events of The Hate U Give and tells the story of seventeen-year-old Maverick Carter.  He knows that a real man takes care of his family. As the son of a former gang legend, Mav does that the only way he knows how: dealing for the King Lords. With this money he can help his mom, who works two jobs while his dad's in prison.

Life's not perfect, but with a fly girlfriend and a cousin who always has his back, Mav's got ev...

Last year, teens across Arkansas voted I Am Still Alive by Kate Alice Marshall as the winner of the Level 1 (Grades 7-9) Arkansas Teen Book Award.  The Cruel Prince by Holly Black was the runner-up.  The Level 2 winner (Grades 10-12) was Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson, and the runner-up was On the Come Up by Angie Thomas.  Voting opened for the 2020-2021 nominees on September 25, 2020 and will run through August 31, 2021.  Any Arkansas teen can vote for Level 1, Level 2, or both!

For more information or to nominate a book for a future list, click here. &...

 

¡Celebrar!

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15) celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Latino Americans to the United States. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.*

Have you read these? The Poet X, With the Fire on High, and Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo Mexi...

Hey everyone! We hope you’re all hanging in there during these strange times. We know a lot of you are participating in virtual schooling this year. When we spend a lot of time at home, random stuff tends to pile up- usually without us even realizing it. With how the past several months have been, there are probably all kinds of things lying around in your homes. So, we have created the QuaranTEEN Photo Challenge!

The rules are simple: Include as many of the items from this list as you can in one single photo. Then, be sure to post your photo in the comments when we post "The...

You awaken in a dark cabin in the woods. It is the middle of the night and you have no memory of why you are there. What do you do?

Do you remember those Choose Your Own Adventure books? They were popular back when I was a kid, and they still check out from the library today. During these times, it’s easy to feel like we don’t have much control over our lives and the world around us. Well, this won’t change the global situation, but it’ll help you take back some power! For this virtual event, YOU get to pick your own path to adventure. That’s right -- you call the shots. Every sto...

President Snow (Hunger Games), Bellatrix Lestrange (Harry Potter), and Jeanine Matthews (Divergent) have banded together to form one master plan to take over and make captives of their subjects, controlling their minds and stealing their wills. Never backing down from a fight, you vow to stop them and restore freedom. However, Simon (One of Us is Lying), secretly working for Snow, sneaks out one night to gather intel on your plan and rats you out. Snow sends out his Great Kami Dragon to capture you, locking you deep inside a maze of five doors. There is no escape. Or is there?

E...

Are YOU ready to read for fun and prizes?  

I hope so because the summer reading program is ready for you! The theme of our program is Imagine Your Story. This year, it's all online beginning on June 1 and ending on August 14!  We have a really neat program called READsquared, and all you have to do is go to the READsquared website, register, and start reading (or listening!).   For every minute you spend reading or listening, you will earn one point.  Before you know it, you will have 1,000 points!  When that happens, you will have earne...

Hey all you cool cats and kittens!  We are busy working on various projects while we are closed, but we miss you all tremendously.  Here are just a few of the things I ( Mrs. Tiffany :) miss the most: Laptime storytime.  I miss sitting in the floor with everyone, singing and reading books.  I miss Hudson’s excitement for bubbles.  I miss Ellie and Grace sitting beside me, helping with the closing songs.  I miss sweet Audrey’s smiles and Calder’s serious face.  I miss everyone. Friday storytime.  I miss listening to Mrs. Melanie’s stories and...

Hey guys! Leah here. Hopefully everyone is staying safe and healthy out there. This is certainly a time of adjustment, isn’t it? For us at the library, it has meant postponing events. But then we thought, “Just because we aren't able to host these events in person, that doesn’t mean they cannot happen at all.” As many of you have seen, the Fort Smith Public Library now has a YouTube channel with all kinds of fun Storytimes with Ms. Robin, Ms. Tiffany, and Ms. Rachel. If you check us out on Facebook, you’ll see the STEAM projects I’ve prepared, along with other helpful resources and act...

Welcome to hoopla, a digital media service that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics, and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV! With no waiting, titles can be streamed immediately, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. There are hundreds of thousands of titles to choose from, with more being added daily. Hoopla is like having your public library at your fingertips. Anytime. Anywhere.

Fort Smith Public Library customers will need their library card (in good standing; no fines of $2...

April 4-11, 2020 is Money Smart Week!  Eight years ago, the American Library Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago teamed up to create Money Smart Week – a national public education program that promotes financial literacy.   Last year, libraries in all 50 states participated by providing information and programming designed to help people learn how best to save, spend, and invest.  Financial education is important at every age.

There are several programs being offered at the Fort Smith Public Library during Money Smart Week, that a...

The Education & Research Services team at UAMS (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences) has put together a resource guide with information about Coronavirus Disease 19 (2019-nCoV). The pages provide authoritative, up-to-date information for clinicians, laboratories, researchers and the public. 

Included in the resource guide is the Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases by Johns Hopkins CSSE, an interactive web-based dashboard hosted by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, to visualize and track reported cases of 201...

There are numerous organizations that offer children the opportunity to read to a therapy dog in schools, libraries, and other settings.  The Miller Branch of the Fort Smith Public Library is excited to welcome Gunner the Therapy Dog on Friday, January 31 from 3:30-4:30 PM.  Gunner will be accompanied by his handler Susan Kelly, and he loves being read to!  School age children are encouraged to come and read a story him.  We hope you'll join us!

A dog’s role as “man’s best friend” has evolved throughout the years.  They have been herders, hunters, rescuers...

The Year of the Rat begins January 25th!  Make plans to celebrate Chinese New Year by joining Ms. Robin and special guest Hui Wang Apple for a fun Saturday storytime on January 25 at 10:30 am.  The storytime will be followed by crafts and special displays.  Bring the family and join the celebration!

About Hui Wang Apple

A native of China, Hui Wang Apple has lived in Fort Smith area since 1999. She works as a private Math/ Language tutor.  She is also a Certified Public Accountant.  Hui is a member of First United Methodist Church. She is also enjoys vol...