Celebrate at the library with activities for the whole family

By CARRIE POMEROY

The months of September and October offer plenty of reasons to stop by the Hamline Midway Library at 1558 W. Minnehaha Ave. You can find great programs, Internet access, portable WiFi hotspots, books, CDs, DVDs, and more at our neighborhood gathering place, all free with your library card.

Programs for Families and Kids

Preschool Storytimes in English happen Fridays, 10:30-11am, with upcoming events on Sept. 14, 21, and 28 and Oct. 5 and 12. Storytimes feature stories, songs, puppets, and more. They’re a great way for caregivers to bond with children and build social skills, listening comprehension, and letter and number recognition while creating a solid foundation for lifelong learning. Children of all activity levels are welcome!

Evening Storytimes happen Tuesdays from 6-6:30pm on Sept. 18 and 25 and Oct. 2, 9, and 16.

The Show and Tell Book Club for grades 1-4 meets on Sat., Sept. 22, 1:30-2:15pm, to share books and do fun literacy activities together.

Sat., Oct. 13 from 11:30am-5pm is Math and Science Day at the library. School-age children and their families are invited to explore math and science with fun crafts and hands-on activities. As part of the fun that day, the Science Saturday series of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) activities will feature the theme “Spooky Shadows” from 1:30-3pm. How spooky can you make a shadow? What kinds of shadows can you make? Participants can also paint a glow-in-the-dark mask.

For Adults

On Wed., Sept. 26, 1-3pm, Jody’s Documentary Film Series will show the film “Nowhere to Hide” by Zaradasht Ahmed. The film follows Iraqi nurse Nori Sharif and his family as they are forced to leave their home to outrun conflicts between government militias and ISIS. The filmmaker does a frighteningly good job of making viewers feel as if they’re right there in the family car, barely able to stay one step ahead of violence. Watch the film, enjoy snacks, and stay for the discussion afterward facilitated by Jody. The film series is a collaboration of the award-winning PBS POV series, the Hamline Midway Library, the Hamline Midway Coalition, and the Hamline Midway Elders.

The Novels at Night Book Club meets on Thur., Sept. 27, 6:30-7:30pm. This book club aimed at adult fiction enthusiasts will discuss M.L. Stedman’s

“The Light Between Oceans,” the story of a couple who move to an isolated Australian light-house and claim a baby washed up on shore—with devastating consequences.

On Wed., Oct. 3, 7-8pm, Park Square Theater presents “Behind the Curtain,” a look at their production of The Agitators, a play about the 45-year friendship between Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes peek at the play with cast members Mikell Sapp and Emily Gunyou Halaas.

The Saints and Sinners Mystery Book Club meets on Sat., Oct. 6, 1-2pm, to discuss good mystery novels. Contact volunteer G. Balter for book list or more information at gerribalter@gmail.com or 651-224-5570.