Library Hours

Monday-Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Friday-Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sunday 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

HOLIDAY HOURS:

Wednesday, December 31 - Library closes at 2:00 p.m.

Thursday, January 1, 2014 - Library CLOSED

 
 
 Online registration begins Monday, January 5
 
Join us for a winter of reading and learning at the library! Our winter reading program for adults will give you the chance to unlock your brain from winter doldrums by reading a variety of things and participating in fun programs and activities where you'll find yourself learning despite your best intentions.

As you complete each week's readings and activities, bring in your log and enter the drawings for our grand prizes: a Kindle Paperwhite eReader, a portable DVD player, and an MP3 player that you can use to download our great audio books and Freegal music, in addition to your own playlists.
Jan Aiels, Education Director and Senior Naturalist at the Indian Creek Nature Center, presents this timely, family-friendly program on winter birding that will engage kids as well as adults. She'll talk about winter bird feeding and watching, who stays, who goes, adaptations birds have to survive the cold and fun facts about the various birds that we see at feeders.

There will be a simple pine cone bird feeder craft for everyone to take home! 
Are you a senior who would like to begin exercising but don't know how to get started?  Do you have questions about senior exercise and no one to ask?  Here is your opportunity!  Live 2 B Healthy�, the nation's leading exercise experts for seniors and Summit Pointe Senior Living Community are having a free workshop open to the public on Tuesday, January 13th from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm at the Marion Public Library. 

Come and see how fun exercise can be, and how it can benefit you!  Refreshments provided by Summit Pointe. 

The library is proud to partner with SCORE� East Central Iowa for an ongoing series of workshops for entrepreneurs.

 

Each compelling session includes a brief lecture and a lively Q&A session. The groups are enthusiastic, very interactive, and share a lot of great information. Come as you are or register in advance at SCORE's Local Workshops webpage


Join us on January 15 when Greg Christensen, Commercial Lender with Farmers State Bank, presents "Alternate Ways to Fund Your Business." He will discuss possible methods for funding a small business beyond applying for a traditional bank loan. 

 

Learn more at our website.  

Come join stamper Nancy Kee at our monthly drop-in Stampin' Up workshops. She will show you some of her favorite techniques. From the Big Shot, to the envelope board, to some unique Framelits, these hands-on workshops will teach you how to create projects and cards. She will have cards, boxes, and tags to make-and-take.

Use the Big Shot to see how the embossing folders and Framelits work (and take home your samples).

All ages are welcome; children should be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Stop in any time between 11:00 and 4:00. Nancy is an independent demonstrator for Stampin' Up. 
Do you love the old classic movies? Want to share your love with others over coffee and donuts? Join us for Movie Monday: Classics, Coffee & Donuts.

On the 3rd Monday morning of each month, we'll show a classic film and provide coffee, water, and donuts. This month is "Some Like it Hot", the American Film Institute's #1 Funniest Movie of All Time!

We encourage you to stay afterwards to talk about the film and spend a little time socializing; we'll provide a few discussion questions and offer a small display of related books to check out each month.

Whether you have recently retired, or you will be soon, it's time to celebrate your hard work. But, you may be feeling a lot of different emotions: excitement, anticipation and maybe even fear.  

 

This session includes a program and time for questions. Join us for this free, no-obligation program in our financial planning series presented by professional financial planners Mike Walsh and Vince Welsh from Principal Financial. They will get you on the right track for your financial future.

Starting Garden Transplants at Home

Join the Master Gardeners and get a jump on spring by starting seeds early! Zora Ronan, LCMG, will give you all the information you need to successfully start garden transplants at home, with a minimum amount of equipment, and vegetable or flower seeds.  Save money and get the special varieties you want to grow.

 

Everyone welcome!

Looking to learn a practical new skill? Power Tools for Women will be offered by Joe and his staff from Habitat for Humanity! You'll need to pre-register at our website for these great, fun, and educational programs. Everything you need will be provided. There's no charge. (Bad weather date for January program is Thursday, January 29.) 
  • January 28 - Saws (circular saw, reciprocating saw, jig saw, etc.)
  • February 25 - Drills (hammer drill, cordless drill, drill press, etc.)
  • March 25 - Sanders (small vibrating sander, orbital sander, belt sander, walk-behind floor sander, etc.)
  • April 22 - Create your own tool box: what should go in it?, where to buy?, etc.

Habitat promotes these special classes for women as part of their Women Can Build It! program, which brings women together to learn and use construction skills to build a decent, affordable home for a partner family. Learn more about Women Can Build It! and how you can get involved at their website.

Need Help Downloading from our digital libraries? Come take advantage of our experienced staff! Attend any or all of the sessions and bring your device, cords, and questions.

In addition to the classes below, we have a staff person available to help with all of our digital library services on Tuesday evenings from 6-9pm; walk in anytime.

  

Overdrive - downloadable ebooks and audiobooks

  • Tuesday, January 6 - walk in between 6 and 9pm
  • Tuesday, January 20 at 10am

OneClick Digital - audiobook library

  •  Tuesday, January 27- walk in between 6 and 9pm

3M Cloud Library - downloadable ebooks

  • Wednesday, January 14 at 4pm
  • Tuesday, January 29 at 1pm

Freegal - digital music you can download and keep

  • Friday, January 16 at 2pm

Zinio - download popular digital magazines

  • Thursday, January 22 at 10am

Longing for grown-up conversation? Want to reclaim your sanity, but need a place where your little ones will have fun too? Do you want to network with other parents in our community? Really like coffee? Then Babble & Brew is for you! We will have high-quality coffee from Wit's End Coffeehouse for the adults, and lots of exciting and age-appropriate toys for the kiddos (newborns-preschoolers).  
Join Library Friends Group and
Get a FREE String-a-Sling Backpack!

Starting on January 1, you can do a good deed and get a free bag! 

Join Friends of the Marion Library for just $10 and Friends will give you a free black cotton string-a-sling backpack! The backpack includes the library's Inspire logo for our expansion and renovation campaign, and our website for additional information. We hope you'll wear it everywhere you go and share your love of the Marion Library. And, once you've joined Friends, we encourage you to become an active member.

Our great Friends support the library in many ways and can use "inspired" volunteers in their bookstore, at their book sales, to help create a social media presence for them with a website and Facebook page, and advocating for the library. They are always looking for fresh new ideas and would love to have your input.

Looking for a good cause to be involved with in 2015? Consider Friends of the Marion Library. Download a membership form from our website or stop in and pick one up from any of our service desks. (You'll need to bring in your completed form with your payment to get your bag.) 
 

All-Ages Reading Program Underway

 

Book a Trip with us at the library! This year-round reading program couldn't be easier: we have logs with maps available for everyone, and all you have to do is read books.

 

Fill in the book title for each state on your Book a Trip log as you read a book that either takes place in that state, is about that state, or is by an author who is from that state. Read fiction or non-fiction.

 

We've provided lists of suggested titles at our website for kids, teens, and adults - but you're welcome to choose your own titles, too! When you've read a book from all 50 states, come to the Children's Desk or Information Desk for a special prize!  

 

We have a huge map of the United States here at the library, and when you check off a state on your reading log, you can come in and get a colored dot from one of our friendly staff, then go put it on the state you've just finished!

 

We can all have fun watching as Marion Library readers read their way across America!   

 

There's no deadline, so take as long as you want.


 

Learn all about our library building project!

The Library Board of Trustees will be meeting this month in closed sessions to interview two developer candidates for our building project. The board hopes to move ahead soon with a decision on a developer.

Stay involved and keep informed! Learn all about our library building project at our website.

All documents are posted there, including updates from Library Director Doug Raber, our Cost Benefit Analysis, our Needs Assessment, our RFQ, and information on the two responding developers. Find out what's in the future for the library! Visit our website and click on the Inspire logo, or go directly to the information here:

Explore Our Services 
This Month's Featured Service: 3M eBooks
Exciting selection of downloadable ebooks.
 

The 3M Cloud Library offers e-books from publishers above and beyond our better-known Overdrive service, with the benefit of cloud syncing. Download and read a book on your phone, then pick up at the same place on your computer.  

 

Keep ebooks for 21 days with no worries about late fees. Log in with your library card number and PIN.  

 

Come to our special free learning sessions at 4:00 p.m. on January 14 or 1:00 p.m. on January 29; bring your device and questions!

 
January at a Glance

January 1 - Library CLOSED

 

January 5, 19 - Writing Group

 

January 6, 13, 14, 16, 20, 22, 27, 29 - Digital Library Help Sessions

 

January 7 - Winter Birding program

 

January 7, 14, 21, 28 - Genealogy Users' Group

 

January 8 - The History Club

 

January 8, 15, 22, 29 - Knit Wits

 

January 8, 15, 22, 29 - Scrabble Club

 

January 12 - Library Board of Trustees

 

January 13 - Exercise Workshop for Seniors

 

January 15 - SCORE Workshop

 

January 17 - Stampin' Up Drop-in Workshop

 

January 19 - Movie Monday: Classics, Coffee, & Donuts

 

January 20 - Coffeehouse Fiction

 

January 20 - Financial Planning program

 

January 21 - Starting Garden Transplants at Home

 

January 27 - Friends of the Library Board Meeting

 

January 28 - Women Learn Power Tools: Saws

 

COME VISIT OUR
Store Hours:
Monday
Noon - 4 p.m.

 

Tuesday
10 a.m. - 8 p.m.

 

Wednesday
Noon - 4 p.m.

 

Thursday
10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

 

Friday
Noon - 4 p.m.

 

Saturday
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Gently used books, magazines, DVDs, and CDs are available for purchase!

For more information on donating materials check out our Friends of the Library page.

Important Changes to Social Security


The Social Security Administration (SSA) is phasing out the paper notices that they have been sending through the mail to Americans who are eligible for Social Security. Everyone will need to create a "my Social Security" account on SSA's website. Sign up for a "my Social Security" account at socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

By creating an account, you can access your online Social Security Statement and view your estimates of your retirement, disability, and survivors benefits. It's a great financial planning tool!

Watch for sign-up help sessions here at the library later in the spring, and please share!
February Preview


February 2, 16 - Writing Group


February 4 - Introduction to the Healing Arts

 

February 4, 11, 18, 25 - Genealogy Users' Group

 

February 5, 19 - SCORE Workshop

 

February 5, 12, 19, 26 - Scrabble Club

 

February 5, 12, 19, 26 - Knit Wits

 

February 9 - Library Board of Trustees

 

February 11 - Beginning Crochet program

 

February 12 - The History Club

 

February 16 - Movie Monday: Classics, Coffee, & Donuts

 

February 17 - Coffeehouse Fiction

 

February 17 - Repurpose Club

 

February 17 - Financial Planning program

 

February 20 - After-Hours Party for Adults

 

February 24 - Friends of the Marion Library Board Meeting

 

February 25 - Women Learn Power Tools: Drills