May-June 2021 Edition

Currently, Leon County remains in Phase 2 of Reopening

The Library continues to protect the safety of our customers by limiting building capacity, offering curbside pick-up, quarantining dropped off materials, and offering even more online/digital programming. To learn more about the County Library's current COVID-19 plan, see the bottom of this newsletter. Thank you and stay well!

RFID Checkout at the Library

Watch our short video as Library Director Debra Sears teaches you about the new RFID system. 

The Library has finished converting to a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) system. This change will provide a safe, fast and fun checkout experience. Check out a whole stack of books, movies and more in a single action, then grab and go! Many award-winning libraries across the country also use this easy system to check out and manage library items. Expect to see some exciting changes inside the library the next time you visit as we adjust for new self-checkout kiosks and other equipment. 

During your next in-person visit, you may notice changes in your Library that make checkout easier, quicker and safer. With the new RFID self-checkout kiosks, you can:

• Check out items all at once in a stack
• Have your checkout receipt printed, emailed, or no receipt created at all
• Easily renew and manage items that you aren't finished with yet

Did You Know...?

Does your K-8th student need help working on a tough homework assignment or have questions about a lesson?

Homework Hub is a free program pairing students with tutors in a one-on-one environment. Our volunteer tutors are ready to help you with math, English, social studies and science!

Visit our website for more info and to make an appointment. 

Explore coding and programming with Botley the Coding Robot! Use the simple remote programmer to transmit your commands and have the Botley do tricks. Perfect for Pre-K through 2nd graders.

For more information and to place a hold, click here.

By filling out a short survey about how your seeds are growing, your responses will assist in creating a better seed library for next spring.

Take the survey here.  

Digital Entertainment and Resources at Your Fingertips!

Read e-magazines from anywhere with Libby!

In the Libby app: 

• Use the magnifying glass to search the term 'magazine' or a specific magazine title
• Narrow your results by using the Refine option 
• Choose a title. The latest issue will be featured at the top, or scroll down for past issues.

In the OverDrive app: 

• Choose the three-lined menu, then Collections
• Scroll down and choose by subject, just added and more
• Search for a specific magazine by using the search bar at the top
• Choose a title. The latest issue will be featured at the top, or scroll down for past issues.

On the OverDrive Desktop:

• Click on Collections then narrow by subject and more
• Search for a specific magazine by using the search bar
• Choose a title. The latest issue will be featured at the top, or scroll down for past issues.

We have even more e-magazine titles to choose from in Flipster! Download the app for easy-to-use access!

Visit our Online Library for more resources and entertainment. 

Begin your research with newspaper databases through ProQuest, learning databases through Gale, and investment research through Morningstar and Value Line. 

Choose from more than 300 practice tests and courses, including GED, SAT, ACT and GRE with Learning Express. Use the Job & Career Accelerator to start your employment search journey. 

Visit our Learning and Research page to get started!

The LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library is committed to serving and supporting our diverse community.

Our Librarians have compiled a list of resources for all ages celebrating diversity, and supporting education on matters of social injustice and racial equality.

Visit our website to access these resources.

Research your family history with Ancestry Library Edition. Search the US Federal Census as well as immigration, vital, military, court, church, and ethnic heritage records. Explore city directories, the Social Security Death Index, and more. Please note that the content in the Library Edition of this resource may differ from the personal subscription edition.

Due to COVID-19, this resource is available from home through June 30, 2021.

All Ages Events

Florida Emancipation Day 

Join the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library in honoring Florida Emancipation Day on May 20. This day marks the anniversary of when emancipation was proclaimed in Tallahassee on May 20, 1865.

Visit our website for Library resources and titles on racial equality and diversity, local Emancipation Day events, and more. 

Join us all summer long for wild programming inspired by our animal friends! There will be events for all ages through Zoom in June and July. 

Here's a sneak peek at some of our programs:

Children Events: 

• Whooo Ate Whooom? Owl Pellet Take & Make Food Chain Workshop with the St. Francis Wildlife Association
• Dog Man Trivia (Chance to win prizes!)
• Awesome Opossum Encounter 
• And more! 

Teen Events:

• Jackbox Games 
• Take & Make DIY crafts
• Teen Pop Culture Trivia (Chance to win prizes!)
• Tacky Tourist Trivia (Chance to win prizes!)
• And more!

Adult/Teen Events: 

• Animal Napkin/Towel Folding
• Folded Book Animals

Visit our website to explore all of the exciting new virtual programs we have to offer this summer!

Want more? Check out our digital escape room, Dr. Zee Von X's Laboratory Escape, beginning June 1! Visit our summer programs page for more information. Recommended for 3rd through 5th graders.

Virtual LEGO Club

Take on a new LEGO challenge each week this summer beginning June 7! Weekly challenges can be found in Summer Adventure Bags at any library location or by visiting our website. 

Submit a photo of your design, and we'll add it to our online gallery. 

View new LEGO creations made by our young patrons each week in our virtual gallery. 

Adult Services

Talk about your favorite books and read new ones in one of our many virtual book clubs! Pop-Up Book Club, Mystery Book Club, History Book Club, Bucket List Book Club, Fiction/Non-Fiction Book Club and Young (Adult) at Heart Book Club are all available through Zoom.

Visit our calendar for times, dates and Zoom links. 

In June, our Mystery Book Club and Young (Adult) at Heart Book Club will be reading titles that feature LGBTQIA+ characters:

Mystery Book Club

Thursday, June 17 @ 6:30 p.m.

We're reading: Books featuring LGBTQIA+ characters or written by LGBTQIA+ authors

Explore our reading suggestions here.

Register for the Zoom link here.

Young (Adult) at Heart Book Club

Tuesday, June 15 @ 6:30 p.m.

We're reading: Reverie by Ryan La Sala

Register for the Zoom link here. 

Library Lecture Series: The Queens' English: A Conversation with Chloe O. Davis

Monday, June 14 @ 6:30 p.m.

Register for the Zoom link here.

Join us as we explore the meaning of LGBTQIA+ terms and phrases with Chloe O. Davis, author of The Queens’ English: The LGBTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquial Phrases. Her book includes more than 800 words created by and for LGBTQIA+ people. 

Chloe O. Davis and moderator Robbie Gaffney, Multimedia Reporter for WFSU Public Radio, will discuss the history and meaning behind LGBTQIA+ terminology and how the dictionary can be a starting point for conversations and inclusivity, sexuality, gender expression and identity.

Place the book on hold here. 

Presenter bio: 

Chloe O. Davis is a proud Black bisexual woman and debut author who works in the entertainment industry in New York. A graduate of Hampton University and Temple University, she has centered her creative platform on amplifying the narratives of Black culture and heightening the awareness of the LGBTQIA+ community. Davis’s work as a dancer, actor, and creative has allowed her to travel to all fifty states and internationally where she spent fifteen years researching, writing, and creating The Queens’ English, The LGBTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquial Phrases.

Moderator bio:

Robbie Gaffney is a multimedia reporter at WFSU Public Radio. They've covered various LGBTQ-related topics from a local and statewide perspective. Prior to becoming a reporter, Robbie produced content for WFSU-TV's Local Routes program.

Children and Teens

Ready for School Workshop

Join us for a hands-on workshop for caregivers and pre-school aged children!

We will feature the five early literacy practices of Sing, Talk, Read, Write, and Play and showcase tips, tricks, and resources to help your child strengthen important reading skills. Recommended for caregivers with children preparing for Kindergarten through 1st grade.

Activity bags featuring hands-on activities for the workshop will be available at all library locations on June 5.

Wednesday, June 16 @ 6:30 p.m.-7:15 p.m.

OR

Saturday, June 19 @ 11:00 a.m.-11:45 a.m.

To join the Zoom webinar, click here.

Show Your Pride: Story Time and Craft

Wednesday, June 2 @ 11:30 a.m.

Join us for this special read-aloud story time as we celebrate all types of families! June is National Pride Month and the youth services department will host an inclusive story time featuring stories, songs, and a craft.

Rainbow Craft

You will need:

• Coffee filter
• Markers
• Spray bottle with water
• Cotton balls or white paper

Register for the Zoom link here. 

*Please note that participants will be able to use their cameras. 

Pride in STEM: Rainbows, Prisms & Lights Oh My! with FSU's National MagLab

Thursday, June 24 @ 6:30 p.m.

Join us as we explore what light is, talk about the fun properties of light, rainbows and why the sky is blue with FSU's MagLab. Be prepared to learn about the fun and amazing properties of light - color - lasers!

Household items needed:

• A CD
• A flashlight

To join the Zoom webinar, click here. 

Virtual Story Times, Baby Times and Sing Alongs!

From virtual Story Times to Sensory Story Time to Baby Times to Sing & Sign Baby Time, we have family entertainment for all ages six days a week through Zoom!  

To see our full schedule, click here

Queeries in YA 

Tuesday, June 8 @ 4:00 p.m.

Teens! Let's talk about great books in Young Adult fiction with LGBTQIA+ characters and voices! Join us in this safe space to talk books, do a fun round of trivia, and more!

Pick up a Teen Pride Bag with activities and goodies at any Library location beginning June 1.

To register for the Zoom link, click here.

Adulting 101 for Teens: Socially Savvy Summer Workshop

Where did manners come from? How should I act at my first job? Have I overstayed my welcome? This workshop will discuss all this and more to prepare you to be more socially savvy. Join us for an open discussion on the ins and outs of manners in the modern world!

Register by June 8 to receive workshop materials ahead of time.

For ages 12-20

June 15 @ 6:30 p.m.: How & Why to Be Polite: Social Interactions & the History of Manners

June 29 @ 6:30 p.m.: How to be a Great Friend, Host, and Guest

July 13 @ 6:30 p.m.: How to Keep a Job: Work, Clothing & Hygiene

July 27 @ 6:30 p.m.: Success @ School and The End: School Rules, the Value of Manners & Socially Savvy Review

To register for the Zoom link, click here. 

Virtual Teen Book Club

Teens! Join us for Virtual Teen Book Club through Zoom on the 1st Saturday of every month at 2:30 p.m.

May 1: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

June 5: Strange the Dreamer  by Laini Taylor

To register for the Zoom link, click here.

You will only need to register once for all future Teen Book Club meetings. An email with the Zoom link will be sent automatically.  

Literacy Tutor Spotlight

Did you know that the Library offers FREE literacy services for children and adults learning English as a second language? Jamie Smith has been a tutor with us since 2008, and is always willing to share her knowledge and passion with others: "I’m Jamie Smith, an ESL tutor at the LeRoy Collins Leon County Public Library. I help people who want to learn English or improve English language skills. These skills include speaking, reading, listening, writing, or grammar. Sometimes, I help people with their citizenship test. The beauty of tutoring is that I become a student too. I love learning about other cultures and countries. The people I help become my eyes to their world." For more information on our program, click here.

Staff Book Picks

Dark Tides by Philippa Gregory Midsummer Eve 1670. Two unexpected visitors arrive at a shabby warehouse on the south side of the River Thames. The first is a wealthy man hoping to find the lover he deserted twenty-one years before. James Avery has everything to offer, including the favour of the newly restored King Charles II, and he believes that the warehouse's poor owner Alinor has the one thing his money cannot buy—his son and heir. The second visitor is a beautiful widow from Venice in deepest mourning. She claims Alinor as her mother-in-law and has come to tell Alinor that her son Rob has drowned in the dark tides of the Venice lagoon.

The Autistic Brain: Thinking Across the Spectrum by Temple Grandin A cutting-edge account of the latest science of autism, from the best-selling author and advocate Temple Grandin is a star, a Time Magazine top 100 Hero and an inspiration to millions worldwide. Since she started writing and speaking about autism, the number of people diagnosed with it has skyrocketed--but so has the research that is transforming our understanding of the autistic brain.

The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides Alicia Berenson is a famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, living in a posh area of London. One evening, her husband Gabriel returns home late. Alicia shoots him five times in the face and then never speaks another word.

Vroom by Barbara McClintock Follows a young girl's imaginary journey as she zooms in a race car past fields and forests to faraway lands before returning home to her own safe bed.

Rocket Says Look Up! by Nathan Bryon Aspiring astronaut Rocket draws her community together to see a rare appearance of the Phoenix Meteor Showers, hoping especially that her big brother, Jamal, will look up from his phone.

Stay informed on COVID-19

Current Services

At this time the following services are available at each of our locations:

• Our buildings are open to the public at 50% capacity. Patrons are encouraged to limit their visits to an hour per day. Face coverings are recommended while inside the Library.
• In-Library services currently include browsing the Library shelves; selecting items to check out and/or picking up items already placed on hold; and use of self-checkout at some libraries.
• Curbside pick-up is encouraged as a contact-free, convenient way to check out items on hold. Notifications that holds are ready for pick-up are sent via e-mail, text, or phone call (your choice!). You can also check the status of your hold requests through the "My Account" option via the Library mobile app or our website.
  
  • All Library locations' hours of operation can be found here.
  • The online catalog and Library mobile app are available to reserve materials; you may also call (850) 606-2665 for staff assistance. More detailed information about curbside pickup is available here.
• Library computers are available for one hour per person per day at physically distanced terminals. 
• Information and technology help continue to be provided by phone and e-mail. Call your favorite location or e-mail AnswerSquad@leoncountylibrary.org.
• Free Wi-Fi is accessible from the Library parking lots.
• Book drops should continue to be used to return materials. From there, the items go to quarantine for 2 days before being checked in by staff. (Please call the Library to arrange for return of telescopes, Traveling Book Club bags and other items that cannot be handled in the book returns.)
• Donations can be left in the specially marked drop box just outside of the Friendshop door at the Leon County Main Library, or call the Friendshop at (850) 224-3290 for other options. 

For more information and FAQs about current services, visit our website.  

Free Reusable Masks for the Public at all Library Locations In coordination with the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), free reusable cloth masks are available for a limited time at all County Library locations. Masks are available via curbside pickup and inside. This initiative complements Leon County Government's ongoing efforts to distribute cloth face masks at faith-based organizations in southern Leon County, at the Bragg testing site, and at FDOH’s mobile testing sites throughout the community. To date, we have given away over 325,000 cloth masks to the public.

Visit the Leon County Emergency Information Portal for up-to-date information on COVID-19, local resources, services and closures,  and to sign up for County news and alerts.  You can also download the Leon County Citizens Connect App to receive notifications with up-to-date emergency information or services changes.  The Citizens Connect app is available in the Apple Store and Google Play Store.

• Did You Know...?
• Digital Entertainment and Resources at Your Fingertips!
• All Ages Events
• Adult Services
• Children and Teens
• Literacy Tutor Spotlight
• Staff Book Picks
• Stay informed on COVID-19

Back to top.