The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is joining the world of podcasts with “Off the Books.”

“KHCPL is always reviewing the various services we provide and ways in which we can reach out to the community,” said Lisa Fipps, KHCPL Director of Marketing. “We know there are a lot of people who love podcasts, and so we can reach out to them through off the Books.”

According to International Podcasting Day, “over half the U.S. population (165 million people) have listened to a podcast. Podcast listeners consume an average of seven different shows per week. There are over 700,000 active podcasts and 29 million podcast episodes available. The most popular age group for podcasts listeners is 25-44, which make up 49% of total listeners.

So what, exactly, is Off the Books about? In a relaxed conversation, KHCPL employees Samantha and Bethann chat about all things Young Adult and beyond. They explore new genres such as New Adult, laugh with special guests, get off topic a time or two (or all the time), and argue over the quality of romance novels as they share their favorite reads with you. If you love anything Young Adult and beyond or if you just want to hang out and have a conversation, join them.

Find Off the Books at https://soundcloud.com/user-843038264. We’ll post a link to it on our Facebook pages each Thursday.

Samantha has been working at KHCPL for four years. She started out as a clerk at KHCPL Russiaville and then transferred to KHCPL Main, where she is an Information Services Assistant. Samantha has recently started to shift from Young Adult to New Adult/Adult books. Her favorite genres are romance and mystery/crime, and she is not a fan of reading sci-fi or nonfiction. Her all-time favorite book series is The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. When she isn't at the library, Samantha loves to dance, bake, and attempt to keep her plants and flowers alive.

Bethann is an Information Services Assistant at KHCPL Main and has been working for KHCPL for five years. She is a fan of all things action-packed and has a great disdain for anything romance. Bethann has read J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit eight times – and counting. In her non-working form, Bethann loves painting, drinking coffee, and has quite the pen collection.

Details

Published: 26 June 2020

• Archived

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library has created a second Facebook page, the KHCPL Programming Page.

You can find it here: https://bit.ly/36eQ3qe.

“When we had to temporarily close our facilities to do our part to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community and to keep patrons and staff safe, we began offering virtual programs,” said Lisa Fipps, Director of Marketing. “We’ll continue to offer them, and we promote them on our social media. However, since we offer a variety of information on social media, patrons have to scroll through all the posts to find our programs. We wanted to make it quick and easy for people to find all of our programs. So we created a page exclusively for those. We encourage people to like and follow both of our Facebook pages so they don’t miss anything because we use all of our social media channels to help the community stay abreast of KHCPL news and resources.”

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Fipps at lfipps@KHCPL.org or contact us through social media.

Details

Published: 19 May 2020

• Archived

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library has some exciting news: Effective immediately, overdue fines will not accrue on books classified as juvenile, junior high, or young adult – no matter what the age of the person checking out the materials.

“This is our way of removing any reading barrier we can so we can increase childhood literacy and improve library access,” said Lisa Fipps, Director of Marketing. “This will also help those who, because of COVID-19-related job loss and extra expenses, are struggling financially. We offered this as a pilot program, but have now made it a permanent policy.”

To be clear, this is for books only. So late fees for items such as movies or CDs still apply. Patrons will still be billed for items that are not renewed or returned within three weeks after the due date.

If you have further questions, please call Circulation at 457.3242.

To stay abreast of KHCPL news and resources, make sure you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Details

Published: 19 May 2020

• Archived

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is now offering faxing and printing services..

Here’s how it works:

• Go to khcpl.org/remote-printing to fill out the form or find the link to that form on our website. Go to KHCPL.org and click on “Remote Printing,” which is on the right, just below the catalog search box.
• As KHCPL does our part to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the community, we’re finding new ways to provide our services safely to the patrons while keeping our staff safe. So, we’ll get your documents and/or fax conformation printouts to you via our Curbside Pickup service.
• You’ll need to submit the following information via the link for KHCPL to print documents you need:
• your name
• your phone number
• the link(s) to the document(s) or you can upload the document(s)
• KHCPL location where you want to pick up the document(s)
• number of copies needed
• You’ll need to submit the following information via the link for KHCPL to fax documents:
• your name
• your phone number
• the link(s) to the document(s) or you can upload the document(s)
• name of agency that will receive the fax and that fax number
• KHCPL location where you want to pick up the document(s) and fax conformation(s)
• number of copies needed

To stay abreast of KHCPL news and resources, make sure you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Fipps at lfipps@KHCPL.org or contact us via social media.

Details

Published: 18 May 2020

• Archived

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library and its vendor partners are offering two free audiobook downloads per week – that are great for teens 13 and up – for the next 13 weeks, starting April 30 through July 29.

SYNC is sponsored by AudioFile Magazine and titles are delivered through Sora, the student reading app from OverDrive. You can download the Sora app from Apple or Google.

Sign up with SYNC at audiobooksync.com and you’ll get notifications each week when the audiobooks are ready to download. Please note: Signing up for the alerts will not send you the titles. The alerts will only tell you when and where the title is available to load into the app.

These are the books that will be free during the 13-week period.

• The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
• The Brontë Plot by Katherine Reay
• Burn Baby Burn by Meg Medina
• A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
• Disappeared by Francisco X. Stork
• Easy Prey by Catherine Lo
• Fake by Eric Simonson
• Faust by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
• Fresh Ink by Lamar Giles
• Hope Nation by Rose Brock
• In Search of Us by Ava Dellaira
• Into White by Randi Pink
• Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
• Like No Other by Una Lamarche
• Mark of The Raven by Morgan L. Busse
• Mexican Whiteboy by Matt De La Peña
• Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
• The Music of What Happens by Bill Konigsberg
• New York 2140 by Kim Stanley Robinson
• Picture Us in The Light by Kelly Loy Gilbert
• Secret Soldiers by Paul B. Janeczko
• Serpent & Dove by Shelby Mahurin
• The Silence Between Us by Alison Gervais
• Sisters Matsumoto by Philip Kan Gotanda
• Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
• Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Director of Marketing Lisa Fipps at lfipps@KHCPL.org or contact us via social media.

Details

Published: 27 April 2020

• Archived

Although the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is temporarily closed to the public, due to COVID-19, several employees are finding ways to serve the community. One of those is Tommy Richter, Technology and Reference Assistant, who is using KHCPL’s 3D printers to make surgical mask straps, commonly called ear-savers, for healthcare workers.

The healthcare worker wearing a mask simply loops the straps to the ear-saver, which not only keeps the straps from cutting into the person’s ears – since they’re wearing them all day, every day – but also forms a tighter seal over the worker’s mouth and nose because it pulls the mask straps back to improve fit.

Richter delivered the first 80 to Community Howard Regional Health this week.

“I feel like it’s doing my part in helping combat the virus,” Richter said. It takes about two hours to make nine ear-savers. The cost is minimal, just the expense of the plastic filament and power to operate the 3D printers. He’s taught some of KHCPL’s 3D printing classes. In addition, when patrons submit projects to be printed, Richter helps print those. “This is why we have these printers, to help patrons. So we might as well use them.”

“Community Howard Regional Health has partnered with KHCPL in a number of ways for many years, so we reached out to them first,” said Lisa Fipps, KHCPL Director of Marketing. “Once we have supplied all they need, we’ll work to make some for other healthcare workers.”

“Many thanks to the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library for this creative and generous donation of ‘ear-savers,’ ” said George Mast, Manager of Corporate Communications at Community Howard Regional Health. “Wearing a mask all day can be uncomfortable, and we are grateful to be able to make these available to our caregivers. All of us at Community Howard offer our sincere appreciation to the library and others that have generously stepped forward to stand beside us in this fight.”

“KHCPL has always served patrons and the community and will continue to do so even in this unprecedented time,” Fipps said. “We’re just having to be creative and resourceful. For example, we’ve become a virtual library, offering a variety of programs and tutorials on our YouTube channel. We’ve worked with vendors, such as Ancestry Library Edition and HOOPLA, to temporarily increase our digital offerings to patrons. And we couldn’t do what we’re doing if it weren’t for our employees, like Tommy, who are stepping up to the plate and using their talents from home or in new ways.”

Details

Published: 09 April 2020

• Archived

Free access to books, magazines, movies, and more are vital now, and so the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is excited to share some great news.

KHCPL’s vendor, HOOPLA, knows that, with the temporary closure of libraries across the country, due to COVID-19, access to digital content has taken on an even greater importance. So HOOPLA has created a special Bonus Borrows collection. Now, temporarily with your KHCPL card, you can access more than 1,100 titles in HOOPLA’s Bonus Borrows collection – and those DO NOT count toward your 15 downloads per library card per month limit!

HOOPLA is a digital streaming service for library cardholders to access eBooks, e-audiobooks, music, movies, and TV shows with their portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets. If you’ve never used HOOPLA, KHCPL’s Readers’ Advisory Librarian, Melissa Wheelock, has created a tutorial you can watch on our YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/2QGTEqA.

One way to stretch your HOOPLA downloads is to get the kids to use the Just for Kids Streaming Video Collection, which you can find here: khcpl.org/childrens-database#J

“With Just for Kids, children can watch free cartoons, such as Franklin the Turtle, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Hey Arnold, Arthur, and TV shows such as Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss,” Fipps said.

That’s not all the good news for KHCPL patrons.

You can now stream Freegal Music 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That’s in addition to the five free downloads you have per KHCPL card per week. Previously, you could only stream five hours per week.

“We love that our vendors are finding ways to help KHCPL and other libraries be able to offer more digital resources to patrons during this unprecedented time,” said Lisa Fipps, KHCPL Director of Marketing. “We have Tammy Keith, KHCPL Head of Collection Management, to thank for working out the details with HOOPLA and Freegal so that the library can better serve patrons.”

Don’t have a library card? That’s not a problem, thanks to Kayla Skiles, Head of Circulation. Now you can get one online! Just go to khcpl.org/ecard and fill out the NEW! GET A KHCPL LIBRARY CARD ONLINE form. You need to live in one of the following townships in Howard County: Center, Taylor, Howard, Clay, Ervin, Harrison, Honey Creek, or Monroe. KHCPL will then email you a library card and PIN number. The card will be good for 60 days. Upon KHCPL’s reopening, we invite you to come by any KHCPL location to show your identification to keep the card active.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Fipps at lfipps@KHCPL.org or contact us via social media.

Details

Published: 09 April 2020

• Archived

There’s an old saying that absence makes the heart grow fonder. The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is finding that to be true right now.

The bad news is that due to COVID-19, KHCPL is closed temporarily; however, the good news is that many people in the community are realizing just how much they miss us and our services.

“We’ve had people ask us if there’s a way they can get a KHCPL card online so they can be taking advantage of all the wonderful digital resources we have while they’re home from school and work,” said KHCPL Director of Marketing Lisa Fipps. “Whereas up until now we’ve required people to show identification and come to a KHCPL location in person to get a card, we’re suspending that, temporarily.”

So, if you want a card, but do not have one, you can now get one by going to khcpl.org/ecard and filling out the NEW! GET A KHCPL LIBRARY CARD ONLINE form. You need to live in one of the following townships in Howard County: Center, Taylor, Howard, Clay, Ervin, Harrison, Honey Creek, or Monroe. KHCPL will send you a library card and PIN number, and then email it to you. The card will be good for 60 days. Upon KHCPL’s reopening, we invite you to come by the library to show your identification to keep the card active.

“KHCPL, like all businesses and organizations, is finding all kinds of ways to adapt in this unprecedented time and still stay customer-focused,” Fipps said. “We appreciate Kayla Skiles, Head of Circulation, and the IT Department for making this happen.”

To stay abreast of KHCPL news and resources, make sure you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

As a reminder, here are some other changes KHCPL’s made, to date, to serve you:

• We have extended to May 1 the expiration date of any cards that will be expiring while we’re closed so that you can continue to download books, music, magazines, movies, and more without any disruption in service.
• Also, to serve you better, if your KHCPL card expired in 2019, and you didn’t get to the library to renew it before we had to close temporarily, that’s not a problem. All cards that expired in 2019 have been automatically renewed until May 1 – even if you have fines or your account is in collections.
• We have also extended the due date to Monday, April 20, for all items currently checked out.
• Also, to serve the community better during this challenging time, we are temporarily increasing the number of HOOPLA items you can check out per month per library card to 15. HOOPLA is a digital streaming service for library cardholders to access ebooks, audiobooks, music, movies, and TV shows using portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets. You can do that from anywhere.
• KHCPL’s partner vendors, such as Scholastic, are responding to the COVID-19 crisis and offering services as well. For example, Scholastic Learn at Home provides day-by-day projects, based on grade level, to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing with cross-curricular journeys. Each day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a story or video. Kids can do them on their own or with their families. You can access that with KHCPL’s website, KHCPL.org.

KHCPL offers a great deal of FREE resources, in addition to HOOPLA and Scholastic, that people can access from home using their KHCPL card. Just go to KHCPL.org and click on “Research” and then “All databases” to see the full list.

Here are some of the more popular ones:

• Overdrive: It allows you to borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming videos free from KHCPL library to enjoy on your mobile device or computer. You can read, listen, or watch instantly, or download the materials for later offline usage.
• Lynda.com: It’s a library of over 4,000 different video courses for different skill levels. Subjects covered include business, photography, information technology, and web and social media.
• Creativebug: It offers more than 1,000 award-winning art and craft video classes taught by recognized experts and artists. Classes including using a Cricut, sewing, drawing, jewelry-making, painting, and more.
• Flipster Magazine and RBdigital Magazines: Both of these allow you to browse magazines online. FREE!
• Freegal Music: You can download free music, up to three songs per week. Songs are yours to keep and can transfer them to any portable device.
• Howard County Memory Project: If you like researching your ancestry, this provides digital access to the historical, genealogical, and personal memories associated with Howard County.
• Mango Languages: Learn a new language FREE. It prepares learners for realistic conversations and strengthens everyday communication skills in over 70 world languages, including English.
• National Geographic Kids: It offers kids accurate and age-appropriate content focusing on science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space.
• Universal Class: It provides unlimited access to continuing education courses, covering a broad range of topics.
• ChiltonLibrary: It provides access to repair, maintenance, and service information on the most popular cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs on the road today, as well as many new vehicles.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Fipps at lfipps@KHCPL.org or contact us via social media.

Details

Published: 23 March 2020

• Archived

Due to COVID-19, the Howard County Commissioners ordered the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library Board to close effective today, Tuesday, March 17, for 30 days. We’ll reopen on Monday, April 20.

“We know this was not a decision the commissioners took lightly,” said KHCPL Director of Marketing Lisa Fipps. “We appreciate all that they’re doing to keep everyone safe. Just like the commissioners, KHCPL has been monitoring the situation. Ever since the first case was reported in the United States, KHCPL has been staying in touch with health experts, local authorities, and other libraries. Many other libraries have already closed, and, during its March 16 regularly scheduled meeting, the KHCPL Board of Trustees had planned to consider closing the library. While we strongly believe that libraries are vital to their communities, the world is experiencing a deadly pandemic. It’s reached not only Indiana, but also Howard County. For the safety of not only our patrons and staff, but also the entire community during this unprecedented time, we agree with the commissioners’ decision. We will still serve the community, but just virtually during this crisis.”

To stay abreast of KHCPL news and resources, make sure you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

“Like everyone, we’re adapting,” Fipps said. “We want to continue our vital role in the community but do it in a way that keeps everyone safe. We thank everyone in advance for their patience and understanding.”

Here are some changes KHCPL’s made to date to serve you:

• We have extended to May 1 the expiration date of any cards that will be expiring while we’re closed so that you can continue to download books, music, magazines, movies, and more without any disruption in service.
• We have also extended the due date to Monday, April 20, for all items currently checked out.
• Also, to serve the community better during this challenging time, we are temporarily increasing the number of HOOPLA items you can check out per month per library card to 15. Hoopla is a digital streaming service for library cardholders to access eBooks, eAudiobooks, music, movies, and TV shows using portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets. You can do that from anywhere.
• KHCPL’s partner vendors, such as Scholastic, are responding to the COVID-19 crisis and offering services as well. For example, Scholastic Learn at Home provides day-by-day projects, based on grade level, to keep kids reading, thinking, and growing with cross-curricular journeys. Each day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a story or video. Kids can do them on their own or with their families. You can access that with KHCPL’s website, KHCPL.org.

The good news is that KHCPL already offers a great deal of FREE resources, in addition to HOOPLA and Scholastic, that people can access from home using their KHCPL card. Just go to KHCPL.org and click on “Research” and then “All databases” to see the full list.

Here are some of the more popular ones:

• Overdrive: It allows you to borrow ebooks, audiobooks, magazines, and streaming videos free from KHCL library to enjoy on your mobile device or computer. You can read, listen, or watch instantly, or download the materials for later offline usage.
• Lynda.com: It’s a library of over 4,000 different video courses for different skill levels. Subjects covered include business, photography, information technology, and web and social media.
• Creativebug: It offers more than 1,000 award-winning art and craft video classes taught by recognized experts and artists. Classes including using a Cricut, sewing, drawing, jewelry making, painting, food decorating, and more.
• Flipster Magazine and RBdigital Magazines: Both of these allow you to browse magazines online. FREE!
• Freegal Music: You can download free music, up to three songs per week. Songs are yours to keep and can transfer them to any portable device.
• Howard County Memory Project: If you like researching your ancestry, this provides digital access to the historical, genealogical, and personal memories associated with Howard County.
• Mango Languages: Learn a new language FREE. It prepares learners for realistic conversations and strengthens everyday communication skills in over 70 world languages, including English.
• National Geographic Kids: It offers kids accurate and age-appropriate content focusing on science, nature, culture, archaeology, and space.
• Universal Class: It provides unlimited access to continuing education courses, covering a broad range of topics.
• ChiltonLibrary: It provides access to repair, maintenance, and service information on the most popular cars, trucks, vans and SUVs on the road today, as well as many new vehicles.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email Fipps at lfipps@KHCPL.org or contact us via social media.

Details

Published: 18 March 2020

• Archived

At KHCPL, we are continuing to monitor the situation with the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak and have enacted several preventive measures. If you encounter damp, freshly wiped surfaces or staff members wearing protective gloves, it is a reflection that our main concern is the health and well-being of library visitors and employees.

Currently, all KHCPL locations remain open.

The following changes are in place:

• To accommodate people who are ill or quarantined, we have extended the due date to Friday, April 10, for all items currently checked out or borrowed between now and April 3
• Items ready to be picked up will be held until April 10
• Beginning Monday, March 16, Notary Service will be suspended until further notice
• To protect our therapy animal volunteers, Paws to Read sessions have been cancelled for the immediate future
• United Way has suspended tax prep at KHCPL South and KHCPL Russiaville through March 30
• Select harder-to-clean toys have been moved to storage temporarily

Also, if you are not feeling well when your items are due back, we are happy to extend the due date until you are well again. Just phone 457.3242 or email kskiles@KHCPL.org. You can also send us a message through Facebook.

To find out more about all of our products you can download and stream from home, call KHCPL Main at 626.0815 or check with your favorite library location.

Since the situation is evolving quickly, check our social media accounts or our website for updates.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we focus on balancing our services and resources with safety.

Faith Brautigam

Library Director

Feel free to call us with questions:

KHCPL MAIN

457.3242

KHCPL SOUTH

453.4150

KHCPL RUSSIAVILLE

883.5112

Details

Published: 13 March 2020

• Archived

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library has received a $15,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Howard County to make Kokomo/Howard County dementia-friendly.

Dementia is a growing health issue in America – some say a crisis. The statistics are startling, according to the Alzheimer’s Association:

• Worldwide, 50 million people are living with Alzheimer's and other dementias.
• Every 65 seconds, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s.
• 5.8 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s.
• In Indiana in 2016, there were 110,000 people, ages 65 and older, living with Alzheimer’s.
• By 2050, an American will develop Alzheimer’s dementia every 33 seconds.
• It’s projected that by 2050, 16 million Americans will be living with Alzheimer’s.
• Alzheimer’s is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States.
• Alzheimer’s is the 5th leading cause of death in Indiana.
• Alzheimer’s kills more people than breast and prostate cancers combined.
• In 2019, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $290 billion.
• In 2050, Alzheimer’s and other dementias will cost the nation $1.1 trillion.
• More than 16 million Americans provide unpaid care for people with Alzheimer’s or other dementias.
• In 2019, caregivers will provided an estimated 18.5 billion hours of care valued at $234 billion.

That’s why the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is creating More than a Memory, a multi-faceted, comprehensive, and cohesive health program to lead our community in providing caregivers, those who’ve been diagnosed, first responders, front-facing businesses, and organizations the resources they need to face this health epidemic with knowledge, tools, and compassion.

KHCPL will work with community leaders and partners to complete Dementia Friendly America’s four required phases so that Kokomo/Howard County receives dementia-friendly status, putting us on the cutting edge of the age-friendly movement in America. Kokomo/Howard County will be the fourth community in the state to become dementia-friendly. Bloomington, and Hamilton and Lawrence counties are already dementia-friendly.

In addition, KHCPL has a number of plans, including the following:

• to partner with local lawyers, bankers, real estate agents, health-care workers, and other key players who deal with dementia to help them create plans of action and publications for clients and caregivers facing Alzheimer’s/dementia;
• to facilitate Virtual Dementia Tours, enabling people to experience for themselves the physical and mental challenges those with dementia face, and, therefore, use the experience to provide better person-centered care;
• to decrease isolation for those with Alzheimer’s/dementia and their loved ones by providing a Memory Café, where they can gather for regular times of social interaction in a dementia-friendly atmosphere;
• to provide free, circulating kits with materials to help educate caregivers and lessen agitation in those with dementia. The kits will include books to help caregivers better understand the disease and how to deal with behaviors, and specially designed products to lessen agitation and fidgeting in those with dementia;
• and to train businesses how to be dementia-friendly.

“Our donors have a vision to make Howard County a better place, and this grant will have the positive impact they desire by meeting community needs,” said Greg Aaron, President of the Community Foundation of Howard County. “Many families and caregivers struggle with the care of a loved one who has Alzheimer’s or dementia. The program material and training will be easily accessible through the library and is designed to help caregivers develop an action plan. Because of the generosity of our donors, we are pleased to be able to support this program.”

KHCPL Director of Marketing, Lisa Fipps, has a deep understanding of the issues those with the disease and their caregivers face. As a caregiver, she’s logged an estimated 30,048 hours in the past six years taking care of someone with Alzheimer’s. Because of that, KHCPL selected her to lead More Than a Memory. She will receive a variety of training from the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners® as well as Second Wind Dreams®.

“One key element of More Than a Memory is that Lisa is an award-winning former journalist. She has the ability to write original content, so she’ll create a step-by-step guide on how to become dementia-friendly,” said KHCPL Director Faith Brautigam. “Libraries across the country have begun to talk about how best to provide support as families and communities struggle with this issue, and I am excited that KHCPL has the potential to add to the national conversation. KHCPL will look for opportunities to share and promote the program through professional journals, webinars, and/or conferences.”

For more information about More Than a Memory, please call Lisa Fipps, KHCPL Director of Marketing, at 626.0807 or email her at lfipps@KHCPL.org.

About Dementia-Friendly America

Dementia-Friendly America is a national network of communities, organizations, and individuals seeking to ensure that communities across the U.S. are equipped to support people living with dementia and their caregivers. It launched in 2015 with pilot communities in Denver, Colorado; Prince George's County, Maryland; Santa Clara County, California; Tempeh, Arizona; and the state of West Virginia.

About the Virtual Dementia Tour®

The Virtual Dementia Tour® is a scientifically proven method of building a greater understanding of dementia through the use of patented sensory tools and instruction and created by P.K. Beville. For more information about Second Wind Dreams® and the Virtual Dementia Tour go to www.secondwind.org.

Details

Published: 27 December 2019

• Archived

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library will host a traveling exhibit designed to teach kids and their families about money.

Thinking Money for Kids is a museum-quality exhibition that is traveling to 50 U.S. public libraries between 2019 and 2021, including the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, during regular library hours from Wednesday, Feb. 12, through Friday, March 20, at KHCPL South. Nearly 130 public libraries across the country applied for the opportunity, according to ALA.

We all need to master the knowledge and skills to make smart financial choices and prepare for whatever the future brings. Thinking Money for Kids strives to teach children ages 7 to 11 and their parents, caregivers, and educators about financial literacy topics — such as saving, spending, and budgeting — in a way that is not only understandable, but also fun.

Through a bustling community market-themed storyline, digital interactive content and other fun, hands-on activities, the exhibition explores:

• What is money?
• How do we earn money?
• Saving and spending
• Money values, such as fairness and charitableness
• Making responsible financial decisions

KHCPL has created a website, as well, with all kinds of tips for money management and lesson plans for teachers. Find it at thinkmoney.khcpl.org.

“In our culture, we tend not to talk about finances even within families,” said KHCPL Director Faith Brautigam. “I see this exhibit as a great opportunity to get our community to begin communicating about this important topic with each other and with the children in our lives.”

In addition to the exhibit, KHCPL will host a number of programs to teach kids, teens, and adults about money:

Thinking Money for Kids

Kids Create!

9:30 to 11:30 a.m. * KHCPL South

Free drop-in craft time for children ages 4 and up.

Saturday, Feb. 15: Spend, Save, Give Banks

Kids’ Flea Market

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. * Saturday, Feb. 22 * KHCPL South

Come shop in our kid-run flea market that offers outgrown toys, handmade crafts, and other small items for sale. There’s no registration to attend. Anyone who wants to have a shop needs to call 765.453.4150 between Jan. 1 and Feb. 1 to register. Late registration might be available, depending on space.

Kids’ Money Manager

6:00 to 7:00 p.m. * Tuesday, Feb. 25 * KHCPL South

Children ages 6 to 9 have few occasions to see what money does and how it’s used, so at this program they’ll gain an understanding of how we use money day to day. Girl Scouts can earn a badge. Online registration required at KHCPL.org under “Events.”

Adventure in Coins

6:00 to 7:00 p.m. * Thursday, Feb. 27 * KHCPL South

Kindergarteners through fifth-graders, learn and then do activities involving coins. Then tour the Thinking Money exhibit. If you’re a Cub Scout, you can earn the Wolf Badge.

Thinking Money for Kids-Book Discussion

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. * Tuesday, March 3 * KHCPL South

Third- through fifth-graders, have you ever wanted to earn money with a lemonade stand? Come join the discussion of the book The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies. It is a competition story between brother and sister to see who can be the first to make $100. A tour of the Thinking Money for

Thinking Money for Kids Storytime

10:00 a.m. * Wednesdays, March 4, 11, 18 * KHCPL South

10:00 a.m. * Mondays, March 2, 9, and 16 * KHCPL Russiaville

It’s never too early to teach children ages 3 to 5 about money matters. Learn about saving, earning, spending, and greater than and less than through stories, songs, and activities.

Save Money and Redesign & Redefine Your Clothing

2:30 to 4:30 p.m. * Sunday, March 8 * KHCPL South

Third- through eighth-graders, bring in an article of clothing that you have found at a thrift shop or that unworn piece in the back of your closet. We will teach you how to take something used and how to refresh it into a designer look.

Thinking Money for Teens

Leap Into a New Wardrobe

Drop-off

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., every Monday in February * KHCPL South

1:00 to 8:00 p.m., every Thursday in February * KHCPL Main

Event

10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. * Saturday, Feb. 29 * KHCPL South

Teens in sixth through 12th grades, revamp your closet with a free clothes swap! Bring in your unwanted or too-small WASHED clothing to donate. See something you like? Take it. It’s free!

How to Interview

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. * Tuesday, March 24 * KHCPL Main

Teens in ninth through 12th grades, are you ready to make your debut into the workforce? Nervous about interviewing? Come to this class to learn the dos and don’ts of acing that good job. Online registration required at KHCPL.org under “Events.”

Thinking Money for Teens and Adults

Craft Corner

1:00 to 3:00 p.m. * KHCPL South

Free drop-in craft time for teens and adults.

Saturday, Feb. 15: Bucket List Jar

Personalized “Fund” Jar

2:00 to 4:30 p.m. * Sunday, March 15 * KHCPL Main

Teens and adults, do you need to start saving for your next vacation, retirement, or just a rainy day? Come create your own personalized “fund” jar using Cricut Design Space and KHCPL’s Cricut machine. You’ll learn the basic tools and user interface of Cricut Design Space by designing and creating a vinyl decal to put on your “fund” jar. All supplies provided. Online registration required at KHCPL.org under “Events.”

Thinking Money for Adults

Lunch N Learn: Thinking Money

noon * Thursdays, March 5 and 12 * KHCPL South

Session 1: Credit reports and Credit Scores

Learn how to get your credit report, what to pay attention to, and learn about the difference between credit scores and credit reports.

Session 2: Start Small, Save Up

Adults, whether you want to put money aside for unexpected expenses or make a plan to save for your future goals, we have resources that can help. Each session will be hands-on and lunch is provided. Registration required by calling 765.453.4150.

Shred Your Confidential Papers FREE

9:00 to 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. * Wednesday, March 4 * KHCPL South

Free shredding with a maximum of three file boxes per vehicle, and no plastic containers. Please remove any wire-bound files before shredding.

DIY Natural Cleaning

5:30 to 6:30 p.m. * Tuesday, April 7 * KHCPL Main

Adults, come learn about how you can save money by making your own earth-friendly cleaning supplies! We will making a small bottle of general cleaner to take home. Online registration required at KHCPL.org under “Events.”

Details

Published: 16 December 2019

• Archived

The Kokomo–Howard County Public Library in partnership with Bona Vista recently joined the Next Chapter Book Club Affiliate Network and will soon be launching a local club.

Founded by Dr. Thomas Fish, a professor at The Ohio State University in 2002, Next Chapter Book Club is a community-based book club program for individuals with Down Syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, and other types of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Next Chapter Book Club, which was awarded the “Innovations in Reading Prize” by the National Book Foundation in 2016, has clubs throughout North America and in other parts of the world. Clubs meet in public places and are comprised of four to eight members and two volunteer facilitators who are trained to engage readers of all levels – including those who cannot read or are “emerging readers.”

“People with intellectual and developmental disabilities love books for the same reasons most people do,” according to the Next Chapter Book Club. “They enjoy being transported to different worlds where they meet interesting characters and learn about exciting new things. Taking that journey with a group of friends makes it even more delightful and fun.”

Although reading skills of Next Chapter Book Club members often improve as a result of reading more often, the program is more about “reading to learn,” rather than “learning to read.” The primary focus is on having fun with friends in public place on a regular basis.

“The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library’s goal is to serve patrons from all walks of life and of all abilities, and the Next Chapter Book Club allows us to do that in a new and exciting way,” said Trisha Shively, Head of Adult and Teen Services.

Anyone interested in joining the club or becoming a volunteer facilitator should contact: Shively via email at tshively@khcpl.org or call 765.626.0811.

Details

Published: 13 December 2019

• Archived

Pictured, left to right and front to back, are KHCPL Director Faith Brautigam; KHCPL Head of Facilities Aaron Smith; Duke Energy Community Relations Manager for Howard County Kevin Johnston; Howard County Master Gardener Marian Cable; Friends of the Library President Karen Mervis; Volunteer and Donor Stew Worthley; Howard County Master Gardener Jeanette Land; and KHCPL Head of Branches Lori Hugley.

KHCPL RECEIVES DUKE ENERGY GRANT

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library has received a $10,000 grant from Duke Energy to help fund the KHCPL Community Butterfly Garden at KHCPL South.

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library, working with the Howard County Master Gardener Association, will create the KHCPL Community Butterfly Garden, which will include a Monarch Waystation that provides resources for monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their migration.

The butterfly garden will include native plants, such as bushes and grasses, to provide cover for butterflies, protecting them from predators. It will also include swamp milkweed, essential for Monarch caterpillars.

With the KHCPL Community Butterfly Garden, the library will be able to accomplish the following:

• raise awareness of the environmental threats facing butterflies, bees, and other pollinators;
• provide residents with new opportunities to learn about a significant environmental issue independently and through formal educational sessions;
• provide hands-on learning events for people of all ages;
• provide an educational kiosk;
• and locally support a declining species to address a global problem.

“We’re pleased to help support this community butterfly garden,” said Kevin Johnston, Duke Energy community relations manager for Howard County. “The garden will not only help the Monarch butterflies grow and thrive, but it will also provide yet another educational opportunity for children, parents, and local citizens.”

“It is so positive for our community that the Duke Energy Foundation, the Howard County Master Gardener Association, Friends of the Library, and KHCPL have the same shared vision for species preservation, education, and the inherent value in creating a beautiful, pollinator-friendly habitat,” said KHCPL Director Faith Brautigam. “Generous and dedicated members of the Howard County Master Gardener Association, especially Marian Cable, are the engine driving the project. Volunteers Stew and Ruth Worthley joined in, providing donations, time, and expertise. And the Friends of the Library generously gave financial support. Having the Duke Energy Foundation as a major donor with the library providing leadership and sustainability makes a powerful, four-way partnership.”

For more information about how to volunteer at the KHCPL Community Butterfly Garden or to make a donation, please call Lisa Fipps, KHCPL Director of Marketing, at 626.0807 or email her at lfipps@KHCPL.org.

Details

Published: 12 November 2019

• Archived

With publishers consolidating and purchasing fewer books each year, and breakout self-publishing successes, self-publishing is a practical approach to making real money and getting your books in the hands of readers. Come to the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library to learn all about it from author Robert Kent.

The Basics of Self-Publishing program will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Sept. 7, at KHCPL South, 1755 E. Center Road.

Kent writes middle-grade novels, including Banneker Bones and the Giant Robot Bees, and Banneker Bones and the Alligator People. He runs the popular Middle Grade Ninja blog, which features interviews with and guest posts from sought-after professionals, such as M.T. Anderson, author of Feed, Katherine Applegate, author of The One and Only Ivan and Wishtree, Michael Grant, author of the Gone and BZRK series, and Lois Lowry, author of The Giver; literary agents Victoria Arms Wells of Hannigan Salky Getzler, Alec Shane of Writers House, Sara Crowe of Pippin Properties, and Laura Rennert of Andrea Brown Literary Agency; and other publishing experts.

“Rob’s been one of my writing critique partners for nine years,” said Lisa Fipps, KHCPL Director of Marketing. “I would have never gotten my agent or Nancy Paulsen, at Nancy Paulsen Books of Penguin Books USA, as an editor for my upcoming debut middle-grade novel, Starfish, if it weren’t for my critique partners, including Rob. He’s had great success self-publishing. That’s why I invited him to Kokomo. Each year when we host the Local Author Fair, we have people asking us to bring in writing professionals so they can learn how to get published. So I asked Rob to lead The Basics of Self-Publishing program for the library. A three-hour course that’s free and led by an author of Kent’s caliber isn’t easy to find, especially locally. Not only does KHCPL encourage people to take advantage of it, but I personally do.”

Kent holds degrees in Literature and Creative Writing from Indiana University. He also teaches courses at the Indiana Writers Center. Find out more about him and his blog at middlegradeninja.com.

###

Details

Published: 28 August 2019

• Archived

Asking a roomful of librarians “What’s your favorite book?” can cause a riot. It’s not an easy task to narrow a long list down to the top 15 and select one of those novels as the Howard County Reads book. But they did it. And the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library expects this year’s selection it to be one of the most popular.

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens is the 2019 Howard County Reads Book.

“It’s a book a lot of people are talking about,” said Lisa Fipps, KHCPL Director of Marketing. “And we’re excited and privileged to be able to bring the author to Kokomo. It was hard to keep it a secret this long.”

The author visit will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 10, at Havens Auditorium at Indiana University Kokomo.

In this intimate talk, Delia Owens shares the inspiration behind her No. 1 New York Times best-selling novel, from her lifelong friendships to humanity’s evolutionary past. She dissects the storylines and deeper themes that run through her work, and provides insight into the writing process that helped her produce a novel the New York Times Book Review calls “painfully beautiful … at once a murder mystery, a coming-of-age narrative and a celebration of nature.” For more information on this speaker, please visit prhspeakers.com. Tickets will be free and available at all KHCPL locations starting Sept. 10.

“We fully expect to run out of tickets,” Fipps said. “So if you really want to hear Owens talk about the book and get her to autograph your copy, come to KHCPL to get your tickets as quickly as possible.”

You can purchase the book here

Howard County Reads events

“A popular event that helps celebrate the Howard County Reads book is the annual interactive whodunit,” Fipps said. “This marks our fifth year for it. It’s back by popular demand. We sell out every year.”

Howard County Reads Murder Mystery Theatre: Where the Crawdads Die will be from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, at the Elite Banquet and Conference Center, 2820 S. Lafountain St. Murder lurks in the swamps of 1950s North Carolina. Come prepared for a good ol’ Southern dinner and lots of mayhem and murder as local celebrities pull off the whodunit of the year! Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets will be $25 each or $225 for a table of 10. They’ll be available at all KHCPL locations starting Sept. 1. Only 125 tickets available. For more information, call Trisha Shively at 457.3242.

“KHCPL will host a poet as well, thanks to the Indiana Humanities,” Fipps said. The program “This Road: A Poetic Search for Home” will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 18, at KHCPL South. The Indiana Humanities Inseparable Initiative selected KHCPL as one of 24 state organizations to host a Hoosier scholar, poet Adam Henze. Teens and adults, join us when he shares poems about big cities, small towns, and the search for home on the roads between them.

Top 15 Howard County Reads

* Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

* The Alchemist by Paul Coelho

This adaptation is a modern classic, in graphic novel format, about the spiritual journey of a humble shepherd boy. What starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within.

* An American Family: A Memoir of Hope and Sacrifice by Khizr Khan

Like millions of other American immigrants, Muslim American Gold Star father, Khizr Khan, is a patriot and a fierce advocate for the rights, dignities, and values enshrined in the American system.

* American Like Me: Reflections on Life Between Cultures edited by America Ferrera

A vibrant and varied collection of first-person accounts from prominent figures about the experience of cultural diversity. Ranging from the heartfelt to the hilarious, their stories shine a light on the American experience.

* American Prison: A Reporter’s Undercover Journey into the Business of Punishment by Shane Bauer

Investigative journalist Bauer worked as an entry-level prison guard at a private prison in Louisiana for four months until his employment came to an abrupt end. He soon realized that we can’t understand the cruelty of our current system of mass incarceration without understanding where it came from.

* Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya

In 1940s New Mexico, a boy must come to terms with his own place in the world, his faith, and the people around him. Pulled between the worlds of his father, a man of the plains, and his mother, who wants him to be a priest, Antonio finds understanding with Ultima and her indigenous magic.

* Calypso by David Sedaris

A collection of essays on approaching middle-age with humor and hope, Calypso stitches together the poignant and the satirical. Sedaris takes on a wide array of lighthearted topics as well as serious subjects, such as illness, addiction, and death. His wit shines no matter what he discusses. He paints a vivid portrait of his family, including his sister’s suicide and his mother’s alcoholism.

* The Coldest Winter Ever by Sister Souljah

Winter lives the high life as the daughter of a big-time drug lord, but life becomes a lot grittier when she has to make it on the street. Activist Souljah paints a realistic coming-of-age story of debauchery with a grave moral.

* Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover

Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Westover grew up so isolated from mainstream society that she received no education. She educated herself, well enough Brigham Young University admitted her. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, helping her to see life through new eyes and to spur the will to change it.

* Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are So You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be by Rachel Hollis

The author presents a guide to becoming a joyous, confident woman by breaking the cycle of negativity and burnout to pursue a life of exuberance.

* The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

Xiomara Batista lets her fists and fierceness do the talking, but pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a notebook. Mami is determined to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, so Xiomara keeps her thoughts to herself. Invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she has a chance to perform her poems.

* The Proposal by Jasmine Guillory

At a Dodgers game, Nikole Paterson is blindsided by a scoreboard proposal. When she rejects the proposal, Dr. Carlos Ibarra is there to rescue her.

* Racing to the Finish: My Story by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

When NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired from professional racing in 2017, he walked away from his career as a healthy man. But, for years, he had worried that the worsening effects of multiple racing-related concussions would end not only his time on the track but his ability to live a full and happy life.

* Where’d You Go, Bernadette: A Novel by Maria Semple

When her mother goes missing, 15-year-old Bee weaves together an elaborate web of emails, invoices, and school memos that reveals a secret past that Bernadette has been hiding for decades.

* Whichwood by Tahereh Mafi

Thirteen-year-old Laylee has inherited the role of Whichwood’s only mordeshoor with magical skills to wash and package the dead destined for the Otherwhere, an unappreciated task, which is sapping her body and soul. Suddenly, well-meaning visitors arrive to try to help her.

Purchase the book locally

You can purchase the book at the author event from Beyond Barcodes, or preorder it here.

About Howard County Reads

Inspired by the Washington Center for the Book’s “One Book” concept, the Howard County Reads (HCR) program was founded in 2004 to foster a sense of community through page-turning togetherness. It is an annual community-wide reading program sponsored by the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library and Indiana University Kokomo Library. Every year a committee of staff members from the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library and the Indiana University Kokomo Library as well as community members collaborate to select books and plan programs.

###

Details

Published: 19 August 2019

• Archived

OCLC Partnership

The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library announces a new partnership with OCLC, a nonprofit library organization that provides shared technologies and services to libraries worldwide.

With the partnership, KHCPL will implement OCLC Wise, the first community engagement system for U.S. public libraries. The estimated rollout is the fall of 2020.

Wise is an integrated system that uses data to support changes to the collection of materials KHCPL offers so they align with the community’s needs. Wise also creates new and more meaningful engagement opportunities between the library and patrons. For example, Wise allows patrons to review a list of topics and choose the ones that interest them. Then KHCPL will be able to share customized information with patrons, such as inviting them to library events related to subjects they enjoy.

Wise combines customer relationship management, marketing, and analytics with typical library management functionality, such as circulation and acquisitions of materials, into one holistic system.

“What I like most about Wise is that it is, at its center, about people,” KHCPL Director Faith Brautigam said. “Wise will allow KHCPL to connect and communicate with community members in natural, intuitive ways and will provide integrated data to guide us as we look to the future. Those capabilities will be an asset in creating opportunities for our community to become its best, which is our mission. Wise is a timely and powerful tool that I can’t wait to add to our toolkit.”

“We’re impressed by KHCPL’s focus on advancing the community — especially its commitment to local partnerships to support powerful programming,” said Mary Sauer-Games, OCLC Vice President, Global Product Management. “We’re happy to welcome KHCPL as a Wise early adopter. As our group of library partners expands, so does our commitment to provide a seamless implementation experience and ongoing opportunities to engage and collaborate.”

KHCPL joins a growing list of bold early adopters in the United States and is the second library to sign from Indiana. KHCPL joins Allen County Public Library in Indiana; Anythink Libraries in Colorado; Gwinnett County Public Library in Georgia; and the Orange County Library System in Florida. Seventy-five percent of public libraries in the Netherlands use Wise.

About OCLC

OCLC is a nonprofit global library cooperative providing shared technology services, original research, and community programs so that libraries can better fuel learning, research, and innovation. Through OCLC, member libraries cooperatively produce and maintain WorldCat, the most comprehensive global network of data about library collections and services. Libraries gain efficiencies through OCLC’s WorldShare, a complete set of library management applications and services built on an open, cloud-based platform. It is through collaboration and sharing of the world’s collected knowledge that libraries can help people find answers they need to solve problems. Together as OCLC, member libraries, staff, and partners make breakthroughs possible.

Details

Published: 30 July 2019

• Archived

In an effort to remove reading barriers, increase childhood literacy, and improve library access, the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library has created a pilot program to eliminate late fees on certain items.

Effectively immediately, overdue fines will not accrue on books classified as juvenile, junior high, or young adult, no matter what the age of the person checking out the materials.

“To be clear, this is for books only,” said Lisa Fipps, Director of Marketing. “So late fees for items such as movies or CDs still apply. We’re making it a pilot program because we need to gauge the success and cost because there will be a loss of revenue.”

Patrons will still be billed for items that are not renewed or returned within three weeks after the due date.

If you have further questions, please call Circulation at 457.3242.

Details

Published: 07 January 2019

• Archived

In 2018 terms, an Indiana Civil War soldier writes to his wife, “I know it’s a warzone between Kokomo, Indiana, and central Georgia, but I’m lonely, so please come visit.”

In 1863 terms, his letter read, “Dear Wife … If we stop about the 1st of October, it will be in Central Georgia and at that time it will suit you much to come south.”

That’s an excerpt from one of 90 written pages from the Civil War diary of John Underwood, 39th Indiana Infantry/8th Indiana Cavalry under the command of T.J. Harrison. Those letters and many more Howard County, Indiana, Civil War documents will soon be digitized, online, and searchable, thanks to an $11,000 grant the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library received.

“Not only is this great news for genealogists trying to find their ancestors who served during the Civil War, but it also allows people to learn more about our history,” said Amy Russell, head of KHCPL’s Genealogy & Local History Department. “Howard County is known for its patriotism and has a strong history of supporting the military. Records show that in the 16 to 35 age range, Howard County led the state in percentage of Civil War recruits.”

The Howard County Historical Society owns the Civil War records. The Kokomo-Howard County Public Library is partnering with it to digitize them. The grant covers the library’s personnel cost for the process and is made possible by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Indiana State Library.

Some of the other items to be digitized include:

• record book of minutes from the Headquarters of the Thomas J. Harrison Post No. 30 Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.), dated 24 March 1905 through October 1912, and Nov. 8, 1912, through Jan. 1, 1916;

• G.A R. Hugh H. Willits Post No. 424 ledger, financial report 1899-1928 (Greentown, Indiana);

• Civil War chest and contents used by Captain William H. Sumption, Company E, 11th Indiana Volunteer Cavalry;

• miscellaneous muster in, muster out, appointments, discharge, pension certificates, and inventory of effects of deceased soldiers; and

• letters to Serena Brannen from several soldiers.

Once the project is complete, the digitized records will be found on KHCPL’s Howard County Memory Project website, howardcountymemory.net, and the Indiana State Library’s Indiana Memory website, digital.library.in.gov.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 35,000 museums. 

Details

Published: 26 November 2018

• Archived

Thanks to a grant from Aptiv, the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library will launch Digital Divers, an afterschool program to help improve students’ science, technology, engineering, and math skills, on Aug. 3 during First Friday.

With an ocean theme, third- through seventh-graders dive deeper into the sea with each completed, self-led STEM challenge in a race to the bottom of the ocean. Along the way, kids will earn points to redeem for prizes and time to use the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. 

“Digital Divers wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of Aptiv,” said Lisa Fipps, KHCPL Director of Marketing. “Aptiv was a key partner in helping us make the Discover Tech: Engineers Make a World of Difference exhibit a success in 2017. It provided funding and volunteers. When we approached the grant committee about an opportunity to partner with us again for Digital Divers, it immediately said yes. Our community is fortunate to have a company with employees who understand the importance of STEM and are eager to help ensure our students succeed.”

Companies such as Aptiv understand that America’s global leadership is threatened because too few U.S. high school students do well with STEM, let alone pursue STEM degrees or careers — especially lower-income women and minorities, Fipps said. “Those from lower socio-economic backgrounds and minorities are deeply underrepresented in STEM fields — just 2.2% of Latinos, 2.7% of African Americans, and 3.3% of Native Americans and Alaska Natives have earned a university degree in STEM fields. This underrepresentation means that the poor and minorities lack qualifications to access STEM-related jobs, which, in addition to being more plentiful, are also better paid than many other jobs.” 

KHCPL’s Digital Divers is based on Muncie Public Library’s Digital Climbers. “We heard great things about their after-school, self-led STEM challenge, so we took a tour,” said Brennan Reed, Head of KHCPL Children’s Services. Muncie Public Library agreed to let us duplicate the program for Kokomo.”

KHCPL would love to see teachers attend the launch.

“KHCPL will be encouraging schools to tour Digital Divers and to compete with other classes and schools,” Reed said. “We would love to see, for example, Western’s third-graders compete with Northwestern’s. Teachers who direct students to KHCPL for Digital Divers will then have kids who come to class with more excitement about and understanding of STEM. That’s a big plus. In addition, for teachers who take advantage of our Teacher Delivery Service, we can provide a variety of STEM-focused materials to the classrooms. To provide the most benefit for our community’s students, we truly want and need partnership with teachers, classrooms, and school districts.”

KHCPL seeks college students, retirees, and others with STEM skills or a passion for STEM to volunteer to be Digital Mentors. “The students select and complete the STEM challenges independently. Digital Mentors answer questions or help with technological glitches,” Reed said. “This would be a great opportunity for retired engineers and current college students who want to go into teaching STEM, for example.”

(Staff received training on the various STEM challenges students will have to complete)

While Digital Divers is for students in third through seventh grades, all ages are welcome to join us in the Multipurpose Room on the second floor of KHCPL Main for the grand unveiling between 5:30 and 8 p.m. There will be refreshments and giveaways for kids while supplies last. 

Teens and adults will be making shark tooth necklaces during First Friday.

Starting Aug. 6, Digital Divers will be from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday at KHCPL Main, as well as from 2 to 4 p.m. on the second Saturday of each month. “The hours can be adjusted if we find patron demand for more Saturdays or longer weekday hours because of work schedules. This is our starting schedule.”

KHCPL South will also offer Digital Divers on a smaller scale from 1 to 3 p.m. on the third Saturday of each month. Third- through seventh-graders, will complete STEM challenges. Any points earned at KHCPL South can be used at KHCPL Main to redeem prizes or and time to use the PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch. 

In addition to Aptiv, Digital Divers is sponsored by The SIA Foundation, Friends of the Library, and a Library Services and Technology Act grant from the Indiana State Library.

“We are so grateful for all of the funding so that we could bring Digital Divers to Kokomo,” Fipps said.

Call 626.0830 for more information or to become a Digital Mentor. 

 ###

Details

Published: 26 July 2018

• Archived