Blog Entries

Happy Lunar New Year! Beginning on February 10 and lasting for 15 days, many cultures will celebrate the lunar new year. From paper lanterns to special dishes, the year of the Dragon is sure to be great. Join us in celebrating this holiday by attending a very special performance from Fort Smith's Noble 8 Lion Dance team. For more information about this event, click here. Before the celebration begins, why not check out one of the great titles below to prepare for the holiday? 

To check the availability of an item in the library's catalog, click on the book cover. 

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October might be filled with tasty treats, spooky stories, and fall colors, but did you know that National Cat Day is celebrated during this month? October 29th is the purr-fect day to appreciate our feline friends. Below are some great titles to help you prepare for this special day! 

For an extra special, cat-tastic treat, check out one of Ms. Robin's favorites- Six-Dinner Sid!

To check the availability of an item in the library's catalog, click on the book cover. 

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Celebrate Black History Month by revisiting some of our favorite stories! Watch the storytimes below to learn about about the lives, history, and culture behind this amazing and important celebration. Have fun discovering our diverse collection, and, after watching, come by any library location to find more wonderful books to honor Black History Month this February. 

Click on any book cover below to watch the storytime on FSPL's YouTube page. 

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Winter is getting closer, but how can you tell when winter is here? You may see birds flying south, but where do frogs, caterpillars, and slugs go when the temperature drops? Do you know which animals love the cold weather and which would rather nap all winter long? Before bundling yourself up to go play in the snow, pick up one of these books to find out the answers and learn more about the coolest season! 

To check the availability of an item in the library's catalog, click on the book cover. 

For an extra special winter treat, click here to watch Ms. Robin r...

Are you ready to read for fun and prizes?  

Are you ready for the Oceans of Possibilities summer reading program?  Dive in and sign up for the library's online reading program!  It's easy and fun!  Starfish Listeners can earn points by listening to books, and Dolphin Readers can earn points for time spent reading.  Register, track your reading progress, play games, and earn badges online at https://fortsmithlibrary.readsquared.com/.  Download the READsquared app (available for iOS and Android devices).

For more information,...

Sometimes children face huge challenges in life. 

They may not understand why they can't hug their friends the way they used to. They may be placed in a foster home.  They may have an incarcerated parent.  They may experience homelessness.  They may be in a household with abusive behavior.  Although books cannot solve everything, perhaps they can help.  The following titles are highly recommended, and they are available for check-out at the library.  Click on the book to access the title in our online catalog.

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Are you ready to read and earn prizes?  

Are you ready for the Tails & Tales summer reading program?  It's time to sign up for the library's online reading program!  It's easy and fun!  Kids 12 and under can earn points for time spent reading.  Register, track your reading progress, and earn badges online at  https://fortsmithlibrary.readsquared.com/.  You will also be able to download the READsquared app (available for iOS and Android devices). For more information, watch this Tails & Tales video!

Log the ti...

It's Women's History Month and what better way to celebrate than with some great books about great women?  I love reading picture book biographies and have learned so much from them. You can too!  

Can You Answer These Questions?

Who was Mary Fields and how did she help settle the American west?

Who thought having a children's room in the library was important?

Who designed the Vietnam War Memorial?

Who are two of the greatest female tennis players of all time?

Who designed the Disney ride "It's a Small World"? Read Full Blog

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 famil...

Can I tell you a secret? 

When I first began as the Youth Services Librarian in 2007, I was really nervous about storytime.  I'd spent the majority of my 22-year teaching career at Alma Primary School, first teaching Kindergarten then teaching library for many years.  But, as you know, there is a WORLD of developmental difference in toddlers and preschoolers and a kindergartner!  And there were parents!  How was I going to sing in front of parents?  After a few months, however, I became more comfortable and grew to truly love my storytime families. ...

In this unusual world we're living in right now, there's always something we can count on: books!  From Christmas to Hanukkah, animals to space, poetry to sports, there are so many wonderful books to experience.  A fun way to share the joy of books is to sponsor one in your loved ones' name through our annual Perfect Gift fundraiser.  Our library kiddos love to see the label in the front of the book with their name on it!  Since my grandchildren don't live here, I like to sponsor a book in their name then buy them a copy of the book to keep.  I tell them that "...

Let's Celebrate!

Let’s celebrate Picture Book Month by reading at least one picture book a day.  Here are some your librarians’ and library staff member's favorite picture books to get you started. 

If YOU have a favorite picture book, let us know.  We would like to read your favorites too!

The Color Kittens and Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

The Little House by Virginia Lee Burton

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon by David Catrow

The Five-Dog Night by...

 

There are many wonderful awards that books can earn, but one that is particulary special is the one that is voted on by the children of each state.  For younger children, Oklahoma has the Sequoyah Book Award, Wyoming has the Buckaroo Book Award, Arizona has the Grand Canyon Reader Award and Arkansas has the Arkansas Diamond Primary Book Award.  (You can find a complete list of the state awards here.)  

 

Who Votes?

Arkansas students in 4th, 5th, and 6th grade have been casting their vote for the Charlie May...

We have some great virtual programs for kids and teens this summer.  Here are a few of our featured online events ... for more virtual programming of all kinds, please checkout our events calendar, Facebook page, and YouTube Channel. 

Animalogy: A Day in the Life of Animalogy Animals!

Wednesday, June 3, 2 PM, Facebook LIVE - Available for viewing on the library's Facebook page through August 31

Imagine your story through the eyes of live animals!  Join our friends from Animaloyg/NHECM for a Facebook Live event.  You will spend a "day in...

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...