March 2023 Newsletter: Birthday Edition!

There is a LOT going on at the East Lansing Public Library this month! Check out what’s happening in this month's newsletter. 

Featured: Celebrating 100 Years!

Birthday Party:

Saturday, March 11, we’re celebrating our centennial anniversary with a birthday extravaganza! The event will take place from 11am-2pm, and feature live music from harpist Dorothea Fields, a poetry reading by Cindy Hunter Morgan, special activities including face painting and balloon animals, giveaways, birthday cake, and more! David Andrews of WILX-TV10 will host the comments portion of the program, which will begin at 11:30am. David is also generously donating his time and baking skills, and will be creating one of his Facebook-famous cakes, which will be raffled off to a lucky attendee! Other than comments at 11:30am, activities will be available during the full three hours, and community members are encouraged to drop in and out of the party when they can.

In addition, WKAR and the East Lansing Fire Department are also celebrating their hundredth birthdays this year, so they will be joining the fun at the library. WKAR will be sharing some giveaways, and ELFD will be bringing a fire truck for kids to explore!

Paging Through the Past:

We’ve started a new series called “Paging Through the Past,” which explores the library’s storied history, decade by decade! Watch the first episode below, which talks about the library’s origins:

Birthday Wishes:

Thank you to everyone in our community for all the birthday wishes! Check out some of the special messages we’ve received from celebrities and community members! All videos can be found here.

Year-Round Celebrations:

The festivities don’t end with the birthday party. Starting in January, the library launched the Centennial Book Club, which meets monthly and reads a book published from each decade of the last 100 years. In March, ELPL will also launch the 100 Books Challenge; in this program, participants make a goal to read 100 books at their own pace, and receive a prize upon completion! 

Studio 10:

Watch Phyllis and Angelo talk more about centennial celebrations on WILX Studio 10, below:

Featured: March is Reading Month

March is Reading Month! Whether you’re reading novels on paperback, comics and graphic novels, eBooks, listening to an audiobook, or any other format, it all counts as reading, and we’re just excited for people to experience great stories and learn new things. 

If you’re looking for something to read, check out our most recent staff picks for adults! We also have a staff picks list for children's books.

Also, check out this throwback video from last year’s Reading Month: In January of 2022, we put out a call to our East Lansing community to submit their "May There Always Be..." wishes, taking inspiration from Jim Gill's story, "May There Always Be Sunshine." All those wishes were compiled into a virtual community storybook, performed by the incredible Jim Gill!

Featured: Natural Hair Care Drive EXTENDED!

ELPL has been partnering with East Lansing High School’s Black Student Union to host a natural hair care drive at the library. Originally planned to run for the month of February, we have EXTENDED the drive through March 31! 

Stop by the library to donate items for natural, afro-textured hair, and at the end of March all products will be donated to Haven House, Hannah's House, Women's Center for Greater Lansing, and EVE (End Violent Encounters). For more info on what products or brands to look for, check out our blog post at elpl.org.

Featured: Books, Bites, & Bids

Save the date: We are so excited to host our annual Books, Bites, & Bids fundraiser in person this year for the first time since 2019! Join us Friday, April 28, from 5:30-8:30pm. Community members can bid on a variety of generously donated auction items, while also enjoying beer and wine, music, and more.

For organizations or individuals who are interested in donating items for an auction basket, please contact Phyllis Thode, Community Development & Volunteer Coordinator.

Featured: March Programs

Check out what’s happening this month at the library! For more info on these events and others throughout the month, visit elpl.org.

• Scavenger Hunt (teens): March 6-31   
  • For the month of March, teens can complete a scavenger hunt to learn more about Women’s History month. If they successfully complete it, they win a prize!
• March Madness Competition (teens): March 1-14      
  • Teens can fill out their March Madness predictions. Whoever gets the closest wins a prize! Winners will be announced April 5.
• Spartan Science Seminar Series (adults): Wednesday, March 8, 7-8pm   
  • Dr. Matt Grossman will be presenting “How Social Science Got Better,” and discuss his book of the same name, which uses data from philosophy, history, and sociology to argue that the field is currently undergoing an unprecedented renaissance of innovation and scholarship. He’ll also discuss his work with the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, which he helped train, advise, and review.
• 100th Birthday Party! (all ages): Saturday, March 11m 11am-2pm      
  • Drop in any time to celebrate our centennial birthday! There will be live music, special activities including balloon animals and face painting, a firetruck to explore, and birthday cake!
• Beginner Paper Circuit Cards (kids): Saturday, March 18, 3-4pm      
  • Learn the basics of paper circuits and use them to make a light-up card to give to someone! Due to using small components & batteries, this program is for kids ages 8 and up only. Registration required at elpl.org.
• Backyard Birds and Beyond with Greg Bodker (all ages): Monday, March 20, 7-8pm       
  • Greg Bodker will share photography and stories from his own experiences, and will discuss the differences between birdwatching and birding, how to attract birds to your yard, and good places to bird in the East Lansing region.
• Jane Grace Memorial Youth Poetry Workshop (grades 4-6): Tuesday, March 21, 6-7:30pm      
  • Led by local poet Cindy Hunter Morgan, kids will explore poetry and write some of their own! Please register at elpl.org.
• NBA 2K Tournament (teens): Thursday, March 23, 3-4:30pm      
  • Teens can sign up in the teen room, then compete for a prize!
• Centennial Book Club (adults): Monday, February 27, 7-8:30pm      
  • This month we’re discussing A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (1940s).
• Board Game Night (all ages): Wednesday, March 29, 6:30-8pm   
  • Relax and make some new friends! Our reference collection of board games will be available for play.
• Red Cross Blood Drive (teens and adults): Thursday, March 30, 10am-3:45pm   
  • The American Red Cross is holding a blood drive at the library. Sign up for a donation time at redcrossblood.org/give and use sponsor code ELPL.

Featured: Coping and Mental Health Resources

Our community is still healing from the events of February 13. ELPL is exploring ways to continue bringing professional support services like counselors and therapy dogs to the library; keep an eye on our website and social media, as we will be sharing additional dates for these services as they are confirmed.

In addition to library resources, MDHHS is hosting a variety of workshops as part of their Stay Well program, a crisis counseling series that helps kids and adults alike learn healthy coping skills over a range of topics. For more information on current and upcoming workshops, or to sign up for a session, visit Michigan.gov/StayWell. 

MSU has also published a list of crisis support resources, found here.

If you're struggling, you are not alone. We're happy to connect you to additional help.

Catch ELPL Next Month:

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

• Books, Bites, & Bids
• Butterflies & Gardening
• Concerts
• Author Talks
• And more!

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