October 2012

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In This Issue
Director's Letter
FREE Magazine Downloads
WIN Sesame Street Live Tickets
Teen Film Festival
Branches: Stories Rooted in the KDL Community
Photo of the Month: New KDLville
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KDL Locations


Alpine Township

Alto

Byron Township

Caledonia Township 

Cascade Township

Comstock Park

East Grand Rapids

Englehardt (Lowell) 

Gaines Township

Grandville

Kentwood

Krause Memorial (Rockford)

Plainfield Township

Sand Lake/Nelson Township

Spencer Township

Tyrone Township

Walker

Wyoming & LBPH

Map of all KDL branches

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KDL Kaleidoscope
  

 

Pick up a copy of KDL's signature seasonal event & news publication at your local KDL branch.

 

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FREE Downloads
@ KDL

 Nook

eBooks, eAudiobooks and music -- download them today at KDL.org.

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Featured
Online Resource

     

Downloadable music. 24/7. 
FREE to all KDL cardholders!
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What's Happening
@ KDL

 

Check our online event calendar 

for a complete list of events and activities for all ages. Search by branch, age group and more.

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Connect with KDL
 
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From the Director:
Weaving Partnerships to Improve Literacy

 

Greetings!   

 

I think of Kent County as an intricate piece of cloth, and of every public and private organization as threads that make up that cloth. Public libraries are crucial threads in that cloth: our existence hinges on access for all to the tools of literacy that have the power to transform lives.

 

Perhaps you read the recent news article about our newly formed partnership with the Kent Intermediate School District. KDL is providing the space and the technology at our Service Center and our

Gaines Township branch for KISD's new hybrid online learning program. In exchange, KDL has the opportunity to introduce students to all the services their library card provides.

 

I'm pretty excited about this partnership. It means we're sharing resources to provide services our community needs, and we're working together to make sure the best educational opportunities are available. That's something to be proud of, and I want to thank you for helping us make that happen through your support of KDL.

 

Lance Werner, Director

Kent District Library

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Magazine Downloads Now Available!
  

KDL now offers free e-versions of current issues of nearly 75 popular magazines to all cardholders, available for unlimited download. Why? Because you can't always get to the library to grab the latest issue of ESPN The Magazine. Because you love to take Martha Stewart Living to the beach, but hate to see trees felled when there's a greener option. Because you value being able to access Consumer Reports, but can't afford a print subscription.

 

Mostly, it's because we like you.

 

Given the huge success of KDL's dedicated eBook and eAudiobook collection, offering you the option to view magazines from your tablet reader or smartphone makes perfect sense. It's one more way KDL is staying ahead of the curve in keeping up with evolving technology while assuring that anyone with a library card has free access to materials. And fear not, page-turners: The print versions of most titles carried online will still be available at KDL branches. 

 

For a brief explanation of Zinio magazine downloads, click here.

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Win Tickets to Sesame Street Live!       
Sesame Street Live is coming to the Van Andel Arena, and we are thrilled to offer you a chance to win tickets!

Get ready to sing and dance with Elmo, Grover, Baby Bear, Cookie Monster and Bert & Ernie. "Can't Stop Singing" hits the stage November 16-18. Each of our 18 branches will be giving away a family four-pack of ticket vouchers. Five shows will take place over the three days, and winners can choose which show they would like to attend. The lucky winners will also receive an exclusive invitation to a special playdate with Elmo!

Stop by any KDL branch location by October 11 and complete an entry form for your chance to win.
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 Teens:

Ready for the Big Screen?

Aspiring filmmakers in grades 6-12 are invited to make a movie for the chance to win a prize and see their film on the big screen. Kent District Library, Grand Rapids Public Library and Celebration! Cinema have teamed up to present the Kent County Teen Film Festival. The event will take place at 10:30 AM on Saturday, February 2, 2013 at Celebration! Cinema North and is free and open to the public.

 

Applications and film submissions are due Monday, January 7, 2013. For details visit the teen film festival page on our website.

 

To help you channel your inner Oscar contender, film editing software will soon be available year round during open hours at the Kentwood branch, thanks to a $6,000 community grant from Best Buy's Children's Foundation.

 

Go make your masterpiece!

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branchesBranches:
Stories Rooted in the KDL CommunityBranches stories logo

 

Cassandra Chance not only had an ocean separating her from her sweetheart in Sweden, she also had to overcome a language barrier.


She tried everything to learn Swedish, she said, but nothing clicked. Then she found out that KDL offers Mango, a language-learning database that's free to KDL cardholders. When Mango began offering Swedish, she finally found a language program that works. 
 
 

Read Cassandra's story here.

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Photo of the Month
  

The new early literacy play space at the Krause Memorial branch generously provided thanks to a donation to the KDL Fund from Law Weathers.

 

KDL Staff Picks: Let us help you find something good to read!  
 

     

Check out our online Staff Picks booklist.
 

 

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