January Newsletter: 

Check out what’s going on at the library in this month’s newsletter.

Featured: New Year, New Library Cards!

Our new library cards have arrived! Designed by community members, we have three new designs available to choose from when you sign up for or renew your library card. 

Featured: January Reading Recommendations

Looking for your next great read? Check out some of our recommended reading lists for January:

• Muslim American Heritage Month (all ages)
• Books on Tap Book Club 2026 (adults)
• Winter Activities (all ages)
• Wonderful Winter Reads (kids)
• Kid's Crafts and Hobbies (kids)

Featured: Upcoming Programs

Library programs are free and open to the public; you don’t even need a library card! Unless otherwise noted, no registration is required.

• Musical StoryTime with Sonia De Los Santos (kids): Wednesday, January 7, 3:30-5pm
• Escape Room - Zombie Apocalypse (teens): Saturday, January 10 
  • Session 1: 1-2pm
  • Session 2: 2-3pm
  • Find the cure for the zombie apocalypse before you become a part of the living dead! Sign up for one of these sessions online!
• Nutrition Education (adults): Wednesday, January 14, 6-7pm 
  • Learn how to create a tasty, balanced meal with MSU Extension.
• Muslim Journeys Film Discussion (adults): Thursday, January 15, 7-8pm 
  • Join us to discuss Ken Burn’s documentary, The Central Park Five. Segments of the film will be shown, accompanied by a discussion led by Dr. Nazita Lajevardi, MSU political science professor.
• Resume and Cover Letter Workshop (adults): Saturday, January 17, 12-1:30pm 
  • Looking to create or update your professional portfolio? Join consultants from the MSU Community Writing Center and the Lansing Community College Writing Center for a Resume and Cover Letter Workshop. Registration required.
• Craft Swap (all ages): Saturday, January 17, 2-4pm 
  • Join us for a drop-in community craft swap for all ages. Bring your clean, gently used crafting items; no one has to bring something to take things.
• Cozy Saturday Cartoons (all ages): Saturday, January 24, 10:30am-12:30pm 
  • Warp back to your childhood and enjoy some retro 90s cartoons with some cereal and simple crafts. Attendees are welcome to bring a blanket and wear their pajamas to this event. 
• Costa Rica Virtual Tour - Coffee Farm (adults): Sunday, January 25, 2-3pm 
  • Our tour guide, Alejandro, will guide us on a virtual journey through a Costa Rican coffee farm and learn all about coffee: the plant, the history, the production, and even the chemistry of caffeine. Registration is required to attend; we will gather in-person for the virtual showing.
• Henna by Anshu (teens and adults): Monday, January 26, 3:30-4:30 
  • Join Anshu for this interactive henna demonstration with a discussion on culture and traditions! Registration required. 
• Black Threads - Art Exhibit Opening Reception (all ages): Sunday, February 1, 2-4pm 
  • Kick off Black History Month with this art exhibit, provided in partnership with MSU Museum's Quilt Index! The Black Threads exhibit consists of large poster images of quilts made by black quilters. The Quilt Index is a digital repository of images and stories of nearly 100,000 quilts and the artists who made them. Craft activities and light refreshments will be provided.
• A World Of Music & Stories with Miss Audrey (kids): Saturday, February 7, 3-4pm 
  • Join Audrey Allison in exploring the history and influence of African American musicians! Children will have hands-on opportunities with many different musical instruments from around the world.

Spotlight: Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center

A new year means new resolutions and new hobbies. Don’t let your new passions die by the end of the month, head over to the Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center and find reference material on all types of hobbies, including collecting, cooking and baking, sewing, bird watching, and more! 

The Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center is provided by MeL.org.

ELPL in the News:

• Spartan News Room: ELPL serves as a community time capsule for more than 100 years
• WKAR: Winter birdwatching in Michigan helps scientists fill gaps in avian research

Upcoming Dates:

• The library will be closed Monday, January 19, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Catch ELPL Next Month:

Be on the lookout for more excitement in February! ELPL will be sharing featured reading lists, book displays, and programs throughout the month. Some of the library programs will include:

• Black History Month Art Exhibit
• Clothing Repair-A-Thon
• Lansing Symphony Orchestra Family Series
• And more!

For more information, visit the library’s website or follow ELPL on social media!