This year, we’re partnering with folks from INK ARTSPACE and taking part in The Hour of Code. The Hour of Code is a one-hour introduction to computer science, designed to demystify code and show that anybody can learn the basics. According to the Hour of Code website, “it’s a global movement reaching tens of millions of students in 180+ countries.” In fact, last year there were 46,316 Hour of Code events around the world. During that time 15 million students learned an Hour of Code, and more girls tried computer science than in the last 70 years. Pretty cool!

Join us; here’s the scoop:

When: Saturday, December 13, 2 pm

Where: Downtown Library, various locations

What: Intro, Intermediate or Advanced coding lessons, part of the International Hour of Code project

Who: This program is geared for tweens and teens but anyone who is interested is welcome

Sign-up: you’ll need to register if you want to use one of our computers. If you have a WiFi-enabled laptop that you can bring then there’s no need to register – just come!

Why: because coding is cool!

Sometimes Dewey seems a bit…strange. It is, of course, a way to catalog a huge amount of information, and if not for Dewey, how would we organize the thousands of non-fiction books housed in libraries? But when you have a book called “Knitting with Balls: a Hands on Guide to Knitting for the Modern Man” and not two books away is the title “Barbie Doll and Me: 45 Playful Matching Designs for Knitting,” things seem a bit out of whack. Granted, the section is 746.432, Knitting, so things are bound to get a bit knotty.

Anyone who knows knitting knows there are endless possibilities to create with just some yarn and needles, so of course a section dedicated to the craft will carry a wide variety of books. In fact, 746.432 isn’t only books with knitting patterns, but with interesting titles like No Idle Hands: the Social History of American Knitting or Knitting Yarns: Writers on Knitting. But if a book of patterns is what you are looking for then this section offers just about anything a knitter (whether seasoned or just starting out) could imagine.

Here is a small sampling of titles in 746.432:

• Knit Your Own Zoo (knit animals, how precious!)
• Literary Knits (Francie Nolan’s Tam – many a girl has dreamed of this since junior high!)
• Knits to Give (a scarf for Uncle Bob)
• Last Minute Knitted Gifts (phew, I can procrastinate just a bit longer)
• The Knitted Alphabet: How to Knit Letters from A to Z (initials on every bed or couch in the house)
• Vampire Knits (to be honest I did not open this book, you’re on your own).

The library also has a lot of titles about learning to knit such as Learn to Knit, Love to Knit – if the vast amount of knitting titles available is any indication, people who learn to knit really do end up loving it. If you’re not ready to commit to love try Stitch ‘n Bitch: the Knitters Handbook. This book spawned several subsequent titles and is a fun how-to look at knitting. We also have plenty of children’s books about knitting including Knitgrrl: Learn how to Knit with 15 Fun and Fancy Patterns or 12 Easy Knitting Projects, and Knitting with Gigi. A quick note about children’s non-fiction: some of our branches house the children’s non-fiction with children’s materials and some are shelved near the adult non-fiction, so ask at your local branch when looking for these fun kids’ books and then get knitting!

Used books – Not only is it affordable, but it’s a great way to employ green strategies in your gift-giving. When you “Re-Use” a book, you’re doing good for your community, and the revenue raised from used book sales helps support the library. The Friends of the Library book store (in the lobby of the Downtown Library) has a great selection, great bargains and friendly volunteers who staff the store. Stop by – you just might find the perfect gift. And most items in the store are only $1.

Tote bags – Another gift idea from the Friends. These sturdy bags are available at all library locations for just $5. You could tuck in a used book you find at the Friends’ store or a library card application if (gasp!) the recipient is not a library user.

Donation in someone’s honor – Make a donation to the Library Foundation in someone’s honor. We’ll send them a note letting them know you did so and both you and the recipient will feel great about supporting lifelong learning in our community.

Shopping – local and online – You can also support the Library Foundation when you do your online shopping. The Foundation has an Amazon Smile account where, anytime you shop on Amazon, you can select the Foundation to be supported – it costs nothing for you and it gives back to the library! Online shopping is definitely convenient but remember that you also support your library by shopping locally. When you do shop locally, a portion of the sales tax you pay comes back to support the library.

In person – You also support the library by coming in and using it. So stop by and say hello, check out some books, music and movies, warm up in our spaces, use our computers and keep the libraries strong.

This time of year makes me think of songs about the cold. A classic that shows up on nearly every list featuring songs about the cold weather is “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” It has been covered by countless duos and each rendition has a slightly different style. It’s fun to go through Freegal and check out a number of versions to compare.  Here are five; which is your favorite? Which is a dud in your opinion?

Hot Lips Page with Pearl Bailey

Ann Margaret and Al Hirt

Kelly Clarkson with Ronnie Dunn

Rod Stewart and Dolly Parton

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey

While “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” is super-popular and a definite ear-worm, it is not my favorite winter weather song. If I had to pick a favorite it would be, “It’s Freezing,” by Nick Lowe. Unfortunately that one is not on Freegal but you can check out the whole album from the library – we’ve got two copies. What’s your favorite winter weather song?

Email your opinions (of the above songs) and your favorite winter songs to me – I’ll post a compiled list on our Facebook page later this month. Remember, you get to download five free songs a week (to keep) from Freegal with your library card. It resets every Sunday and then you can choose five more!