Monthly Friends Meeting, January 14

The Friends of the Tulare County Library will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday, January 14, at 7:00pm in the library's upstairs (blue) meeting room. Absolutely everyone is welcome to attend, including and especially current Friends, prospective Friends, and anyone who is interested in learning more!

Please contact the Visalia Reference Desk at 559-713-2703 for more information.

All Locations Closed on New Years Day

All Tulare County Library locations will be closed on Friday, January 1st for New Years' Day. 

Please call 559-713-2700 or your local branch with any questions. Happy holidays!

Literacy Center Open House, January 6

The Literacy Center Renovation is complete!

Everyone is invited to the open house on Wednesday, January 6 at 4:00pm to celebrate:

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Read to Ride? What's That?

The Tulare County Library folks love reading and holidays and the Global Winter Wonderland, so they've put these things together in a "Read to Ride" program for kids Kindergarten through 8th grade.

Children earn a free ticket to the Global Winter Wonderland at the Tulare County Fairgrounds after they read two books, fill out a form, and return it to a library branch. Tickets can be redeemed at the Wonderland between Monday, December 21st and Saturday, December 26, 2015. Forms can be picked up now at the Children's Desk in the Visalia Branch or at any other branch from now until December 26th. One ticket per child limit.

Global Winter Wonderland is open now until Sunday, January 3, 2016. For more information on this library children's program, go to www.tularecountylibrary.org or call 559-713-2731. For more information about the Global Winter Wonderland, please go to http://www.globalwonderland.com/. 

All Libraries Closed December 24th & 25th

All Tulare County Library locations will be closed December 24 & December 25. 

Please call 559-713-2700 or your local branch with any additional questions.

Happy holidays!

Play Bingo for Books at the Visalia Branch, December 19

Children ages 3 to 12 can play a round of bingo for a chance to win a free book! Drop in anytime during the program to play. Other prizes available as well. Books provided by the Friends of the Tulare County Library.

Call the Children's Desk at 559-713-2731 with any questions.

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Exeter Branch Library Presents Olaf's Night Before Christmas Storywalk

Did you know that tonight is the first night of the Exeter Branch Library's Christmas Storywalk?

Exeter Branch Library presents storywalk on Thursday, December 3, 10, and 17 from 5pm to 9pm. Storywalk is a fun and innovative way to read while you walk! During Exeter’s Christmas Open House, enjoy from the movie Frozen Olaf’s Night Before Christmas as you stroll downtown enjoying holiday festivities. Story pages will be posted on intermittent Pine Street business windows. At the end of the story, readers will be greeted by the Exeter Friends of the Library and given a coupon for a free book.

For more information, call the Exeter Branch Library at 559-592-5361.

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Tulare County Library Branch Crafts Showcase Gifts and Cards for the Holidays

Children can be ‘Santa Helpers’ at the Tulare County Library branches in December!  Weekly crafts are:

December 7 through 12 – Gingerbread Man

December 14 through 23 – Santa’s Workshop: Gifts and Cards

December 28 through 31 – Confetti Poppers for New Year’s Eve

Also remember that all Tulare County Library branches are closed Thursday and Friday, December 24-25, 2015, for the Christmas holiday.

Craft sessions are available at the Alpaugh, Earlimart, Exeter, Ivanhoe, Lindsay, Orosi, Springville, Strathmore, Three Rivers, Tipton and Woodlake branch libraries.  Times vary with each location.

For more information on days and times of the crafts at each branch, please go to www.tularecountylibrary.org and choose the locations tab or call the branches:

Alpaugh                    (559) 949-8355
Exeter                      (559) 592-5361
Earlimart                   (661) 849-2525
Ivanhoe                    (559) 798-1264
Lindsay                     (559) 562-3021
Orosi                         (559) 591-5830
Springville                 (559) 539-2624 
Strathmore                (559) 568-1087
Three Rivers               (559) 561-4564
Tipton                        (559) 752-4236
Woodlake                   (559) 564-8424

Merry Mittens Cards

Visalia Branch Children's Events, December 2015

Are you looking for something fun to do with your wee ones this month? Join us for all these fun happenings in Visalia in the month of December!

Call the Children’s Desk at 559-713-2731 for more information!

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First Tuesday Book Club, January 5

For January, we're reading Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler.

Summary: A tale inspired by the marriage of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald follows their union in defiance of her father's opposition and her abandonment of the provincial finery of her upbringing in favor of a scandalous flapper identity that gains her entry into the literary party scenes of New York, Paris and the French Riviera.

We are meeting in the Visalia Branch Blue Room to discuss this book on January 5 from 6:30pm - 7:45pm.

Independent Film Series, January 26

Join us at the Visalia Library on Tuesday, January 26 at 6:00pm to watch Marie's Story!

Synopsis: At the turn of the 19th century, a humble artisan and his wife have a daughter, Marie, who is born deaf and blind and unable to communicate with the world around her. Desperate to find a connection to their daughter and avoid sending her to an asylum, the Heurtins send fourteen-year-old Marie to the Larnay Institute in central France, where an order of Catholic nuns manage a school for deaf girls. There, the idealistic Sister Marguerite sees in Marie a unique potential, and despite her Mother Superior's skepticism, vows to bring the wild young thing out of the darkness into which she was born. Based on true events, Marie's Story recounts the courageous journey of a young nun and the lives she would change forever, confronting failures and discouragement with joyous faith and love

Directed by Jean-Pierre Améris | France | 2014 | French with English subtitles | 94 min.

The film will be shown at 6:00pm in the upstairs "blue" meeting room at the Visalia Branch Library. This event is free and open to the public. Absolutely everyone is welcome.

For more information, visit the Reference Desk or call (559) 713-2723. You can also join the event on Facebook.

Holiday Card Making at Visalia Branch Library, December 3

Please join us at the Visalia Branch Library to make a unique-to-you card on Thursday, December 3, 2015, from 6:00 pm until 7:45 pm.

Attendees can choose to make Christmas trees, menorahs, stars, flower bouquets, candy canes, wreaths, snowmen, or other Christmas and Holiday designs out of buttons. Adults and families are welcome to attend. All supplies will be included for this free program!

For more information, call 559-713-2703 or visit the website at www.tularecountylibrary.org.



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All Locations Closed, December 11

All Tulare County Library locations will be closed on Friday, December 11, 2015 due to a staff meeting.

We apologize for any inconvenience. 

Locations that are open on Saturdays will open at their normal time on Saturday, December 12.

Please call the library at 559.713.2700 with any questions. 

Mystery Readers Book Group, December 16

Mystery Readers Book Group

Sponsored by The Friends of the Library 

(559) 713-2709

For December: No book to read!

Instead, bring a wrapped book (paperback or hardback - may be new or gently used) with no name on it. Some people have added bookmarks or other items; however, gifts shouldn't be very expensive.

We will play the "Yankee Swap" game with the wrapped books.

Next Meeting
December 16th at 6:30pm

Come and bring a friend!!

Tulare County Library Gets in the International Games Day!

Tulare County Library joins libraries around the world for International Games Day on Saturday, November 21, 2015. In Visalia, the games are held from 10 am until to 2 pm.

The library’s upstairs meeting rooms will have games for adults and teens, while children and their families gather in the Children’s area. Play some familiar and new games, including Jenga, Apples to Apples, Scrabble, Checkers, Candyland, Fairy Tale Gloom and more.

International Games Day (IGD) began in 2012 as an expansion of National Games Day, and now has grown to include events on all seven continents. Originally the day was created to set a world’s record for the number of people playing the same game at the same time in libraries. IGD has since become a valuable way to increase awareness of the entertaining as well as educational games found at the library. Held the third Saturday in November, IGD is a fun filled prelude to Thanksgiving Day football, food and family festivities.

No registration needed, so bring the whole family to the Visalia Branch Library, 200 W. Oak Street, and get in the games! For more information, call 713-2707.

Find "Just Right" Gifts at the Friends of Tulare County Library Holiday Book Sale

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The Friends of the Tulare County Library can help you with your Holiday shopping! Come by the Visalia Library on Saturday, November 14 from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm for the Friends of the Library Book Sale, where the Friends will be rolling out the best of their available books, including beautiful coffee table books.

Find a gift for friends, family, and something special for yourself, too! Held inside the Visalia Branch located at 200 W. Oak Ave, the sale is sure to have something for everyone!

The Friends knows every book has its reader and every reader his or her book. So the sale features a variety of books, including fiction, mystery, history, biography, art, and cookbooks. High quality books and a wide range of bargains will be available with prices starting as low as $ .50 each. The sale includes a large selection of hardcover fiction and DVDs available for $1.00 each and special sets and coffee table books priced at $5.00 each.

Proceeds from the sale are used to buy books and equipment and to sponsor programs at all branches of the Tulare County Library. For further information, call 559-713-2709.

All Library Locations Closed November 26 & 27 for Thanksgiving

All Tulare County Library locations will be closed on Thursday, November 26 and Friday, November 27 for Thanksgiving.

The Visalia Branch Library will close at 6:00pm on Wednesday, November 25. 

Locations that are open on Saturdays will open at their normal time on Saturday, November 28.

Tulare County Library Honors Veterans

Join us in remembering the Veterans who served, especially those Tulare County veterans who died while serving our country. The Tulare County Library is honoring Veterans in a special way this year.

Stop by the Visalia Branch Library November 10 through 14, 2015 to sign a card of appreciation. The card is part of the Veterans Day exhibit which features a memorial list of Tulare County veterans from World War II until today who died while in service. The display also includes books about war experiences and life in the Armed Forces.

Here is Tulare County's roll count of honored dead:

                World War II                       246

                Korean Conflict                   56

                Viet Nam                             65

                Persian Gulf                          1

                Operation Freedom       10 (Iraq and Afghanistan)

Come by the Library to view the names of these individuals and to sign the card to acknowledge the sacrifice of our veterans!

The Visalia Branch is located at 200 W. Oak Street in Visalia. The Tulare County Library serves all the citizens of Tulare County with locations in fifteen communities, four book machines, and an online presence at www.tularecountylibrary.org.

It's Super Cool to Walk & Roll to School

How can we help keep our air clean? Do you have ideas? Please share them!!

TCAG is hosting an art contest with a chance to win a bike & helmet!! Please use an 8 1/2 X 11 inch sheet of paper to create your poster showing your idea on how to keep our air clean. Place your name, grade, and phone number on the back of your art.

Entries can be mailed to 210 N. Church Street, Suite B or dropped off at any branch of the Tulare County Library. Entries are due November 13, 2015.

Winners will be awarded a bike and helmet at TCAG's December 7th board meeting!!

Prizes awarded to the following grades:
Kindergarten - Grade 1
Grades 2 - 3
Grades 4 - 5
Grades 6 - 8
Grades 9 - 12

Please see the flyer below for more information on the contest or contact Andrea Apolinario at (559) 623-0450 or via e-mail at AApolinario@tularecog.org

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Mystery Readers Book Group, November 18

Mystery Readers Book Group  

Sponsored by The Friends of the Library 
(559) 713-2709

For November: Read a mystery book by its cover!

Choose a book by its cover

Next Meeting
November 18 at 6:30pm

Come and bring a friend!!

Visalia Branch Children's Events, November 2015

Are you looking for something fun to do with your wee ones this month? Check out our calendar below to see what's going on this November at the Visalia Branch! 

In addition to our regularly scheduled events such as Toddler Time and Storytime, we will be having special crafts the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving!

No registration is required for any of the programs, and all programs are free.

Please note that we will be closed on Wednesday, November 11 in observance of Veteran's Day, and on November 26 and November 27 for Thanksgiving.

For more information, please call 559-713-2731.

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First Tuesday Book Club, December 1

For December, we're reading Brave New World: with the essay "Brave New World Revisited" by Aldous Huxley.

Summary: Huxley's vision of the future comes to life in his astonishing 1931 novel Brave New World--a world of tomorrow in which capitalist civilization has been reconstituted through the most efficient scientific and psychological engineering--and its sequel, written thirty years after his classic novel of the future, in which Huxley describes the shocking scientific devices and techniques available to any group in a position to manipulate society. 

We will be meeting in the Visalia Branch Blue Room to discuss this book on December 1 from 6:30pm - 7:45pm.

Independent Film Series, November 24

Join us at the Visalia Library on Tuesday, November 24 at 6:00pm to watch Stations of the Cross!

Synopsis: Told in fourteen fixed-angle, single shot, individual tableaus that parallel Christ's journey to his own crucifixion, Stations of the Cross is both an indictment of fundamentalist faith and the articulation of an impressionable teen's struggle to find her own path in life. Though from the outside Maria lives in the modern world, her family and her heart are faithful to a Catholic radicalism that requires sacrifice and devotion at every turn. As she struggles to balance her own desires with the dictates of her family's faith, she makes ever more perilous sacrifices, attempting to please a God she worships unquestioningly in the pious hopes of curing the autistic younger brother she adores.

Directed by Dietrich Brüggemann | Germany | 2014 | German with English subtitles | 107 min.

The film will be shown at 6:00pm in the upstairs "blue" meeting room at the Visalia Branch Library. This event is free and open to the public. Absolutely everyone is welcome.

For more information, visit the Reference Desk or call (559) 713-2723. You can also join the event on Facebook.

When Leaves Fall and Thanks are Given -- It's November!

Tulare County Library branches feature autumn and Thanksgiving crafts for children to start the holiday season.  This month’s choices are:

November 2 through 7 – Fall Wreath

November 9 through 14 – Turkey Puppets

November 16 through 21 – Thanksgiving Card

November 23 through 25 – Coloring Pages

All Tulare County Library branches are closed Wednesday, November 11 for Veterans Day and Thursday and Friday, November 26-27 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Craft sessions are available at the Alpaugh, Earlimart, Exeter, Ivanhoe, Lindsay, Orosi, Springville, Strathmore, Three Rivers, Tipton and Woodlake branch libraries.  Times vary with each location.

For more information on days and times of the crafts at each branch, please go to www.tularecountylibrary.org and choose the locations tab or call the branches:

Alpaugh                    (559) 949-8355
Exeter                      (559) 592-5361
Earlimart                   (661) 849-2525
Ivanhoe                    (559) 798-1264
Lindsay                     (559) 562-3021
Orosi                         (559) 591-5830
Springville                 (559) 539-2624 
Strathmore                (559) 568-1087
Three Rivers               (559) 561-4564
Tipton                        (559) 752-4236
Woodlake                   (559) 564-8424

"Hand" Made Cards

Monthly Friends Meeting, November 12

The Friends of the Tulare County Library will hold their monthly meeting on Thursday, November 12, at 7:00pm in the library's upstairs (blue) meeting room. Absolutely everyone is welcome to attend, including and especially current Friends, prospective Friends, and anyone who is interested in learning more!

Please contact the Visalia Reference Desk at 559-713-2703 for more information.

All Locations Closed November 11 in Observance of Veterans Day

In observance of Veterans Day, all library locations will be closed on Wednesday, November 11.

All locations that are open on Thursdays will open at their normal times on November 12.

Please call the library at 713.2700 with any questions.

Día de los Muertos Craft Day at Visalia Branch Library, October 30

Please join us and make Autumn Silk Corsages, Papel Picado, and Paper Marigolds at the Visalia Branch Library next Friday, October 30 from 3:00pm - 5:00pm. This event is free and all materials are supplied!

The Visalia Branch Library is located at 200 W. Oak Ave, Visalia, CA 93291. Please call 559-713-2703 with any questions.

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Legacy Voices Program Speaks to Japanese American World War II History

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The Tulare County Library and Tulare County Office of Education proudly present Legacy Voices: The World War II Japanese American Experience on Friday, November 6 from 4 - 5:30 pm in the Visalia Library's Blue Room. Legacy Voices is a special presentation by Saburo and Marion Masada, who travel around the country sharing their powerful firsthand experiences of being interned in U.S. camps.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States government enacted Executive Order 9066, leading to the forced internment of more than 110,000 Japanese Americans. These imprisonments took place without charges, trials, or convictions. Two-thirds of the people imprisoned were U.S.-born citizens, denied the due process promised to them by the U.S. Constitution.

Legacy Voices is held in conjunction with Shades of Tulare County Redux, an historical photo exhibit being held through December 10. The exhibit consists of over thirty images collected from personal photo albums of local residents of Asian descent in 1999 during the Shades of Tulare County project. Attendees are invited to view the exhibit before or after the presentation.

The presentation and exhibit are both free events. No registration is required. For more information on these events, please contact Lisa Raney at (559) 713-2723 or Kate Stover (559) 651-1482 ext. 3648.

The Visalia Library is located at 200 W. Oak Ave, Visalia, CA 93291. The Tulare County Library serves all the citizens of Tulare County with locations in fifteen communities, five book machines, and an online presence at www.tularecountylibrary.org.

Tulare County Library's Got Games for Tweens, Teens, and Adults

Join us for a Board Game Night for ages 10 and up, beginning Thursday, October 15, from 6 to 7:45 pm at the Visalia Branch Library.

No signups, no scorekeeping, no prizes, no referees, and no pressure, only a lot of laughs and friendly fun!  Teens, tweens and even adults can enjoy Board Game Night by simply showing up every third Thursday at 6 pm at the Visalia Branch Library, 200 W. Oak Street in Visalia.

Come and play games including Quelf, We Didn*t Playtest This at All, and Gloom. Other selections will be available in later sessions. Tell us what you would like as well.

Board Game Night is sponsored by the Teen Advisory Group (TAG). TAG is a volunteer group of teens who help design and implement teen services as well as participate in teen activities. Any teen 13 and up can join TAG and influence the programs offered at the library!

For more information, call 559-713-2703 or go online to http://www.tclteens.org.

Exeter Library Has Friends!

The Exeter Chamber of Commerce officially welcomes the Friends of the Library-Exeter group in a special ribbon cutting ceremony on October 22 at 11 am. This special event coincides with National Friends of Libraries week, held October 18-24.

Friends groups are invaluable resources for libraries and our Exeter Friends are an outstanding example of what can be accomplished. Created in 2014, the Exeter Friends have already been a major community presence in support of the Exeter Branch Library. Their most recent donations of volunteer time and money provided support for the highly successful Summer Reading program.

Friends of Libraries are non-profit groups that support libraries in their local communities. These organizations often are involved in fundraising, volunteerism, public awareness, advocacy, and literacy programs.  United for Libraries USA, a division of the American Library Association, supports Friends of Libraries groups throughout the United States.

The ribbon cutting ceremony takes place in front of the Exeter Branch of the Tulare County Library, located at 230 E. Chestnut Street in Exeter. Library hours are Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 11 am to 8 pm, and Thursdays and Fridays, 9 am to 6 pm. For more information about the event or the library, call 559-592-5361 or stop by to visit!

Fall Fun Friday at Visalia Library, October 23

Come to the Visalia Branch Library on Friday, October 23 for Halloween and harvest craft activities for children of all ages! There will also be origami and duct tape crafts for tweens, face painting, moon sand, and movies!

The fall fun will run from 2:00pm until 5:30pm.

For more information view the flyer below or call 559-713-2731.

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After Hours Visalia Library "True Zoo to You" Event with Author Jean Chaffee

The Friends of the Tulare County Library invite children of all ages to an exciting, educational, enjoyable evening with the "True Zoo To You" children's book series author Jean Chaffee. Join us to hear all about the beloved animals from the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, including Nosey the Elephant, Longo the Giraffe and many more. This free event takes place after closing at the Visalia Branch Library on Saturday, October 17, at 7:00 pm.    

Jean Chaffee, author, educator and speaker, is the widow of Dr. Paul Chaffee, the first Director of the Roeding Park Zoo, which became the Chaffee Zoological Gardens of Fresno in his honor. Mrs. Chaffee has volunteered as a zoo docent for 30 years, leading tours, handling raptors (owls, hawks and kestrels), and giving talks throughout the valley. She used her experiences and research of the Chaffee Zoo's 100 year history to write seven children's books. The "True Zoo to You" series is based on real animals who lived at the Chaffee Zoo.

For more information, call the Tulare County Library's Visalia Branch at 559-713-2709, visit us online at www.tularecountylibrary.org, or stop by 200 W Oak Ave, Visalia, CA 93291.

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First Tuesday Book Club, November 3

For November, we're reading 1984 by George Orwell.  

Summary: Published in 1949, 1984 was George Orwell’s chilling prophecy about the future as a warning about the menaces of totalitarianism. The novel is set in an imaginary future world that is dominated by three perpetually warring totalitarian police states. The book's hero, Winston Smith, is a minor party functionary in one of these states. His longing for truth and decency leads him to secretly rebel against the government. Smith has a love affair with a like-minded woman, but they are both arrested by the Thought Police. The ensuing imprisonment, torture, and reeducation of Smith are intended not merely to break him physically or make him submit but to root out his independent mental existence and his spiritual dignity.  

We will be meeting in the Visalia Branch Blue Room to discuss this book on November 3 from 6:30pm - 7:45pm.

It's "Scary and Sweet" Time at Tulare County Library Branches

Halloween and Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) may not come until the end of October, but kids can start getting ready now at the Tulare County Library branches! The crafts for this month are:

October 5 through 10 – Hanging Bats

October 12 through 17 – Hanging Ghosts

October 19 through 24 – Treat Boxes

October 26 through 31 – Day of the Dead Mask

These craft sessions are available at the Alpaugh, Earlimart, Exeter, Ivanhoe, Lindsay, Orosi, Springville, Strathmore, Three Rivers, Tipton and Woodlake branch libraries.  Times vary with each location.

For more information on days and times of the crafts at each branch, please go to www.tularecountylibrary.org and choose the locations tab or call the branches:

Alpaugh                    (559) 949-8355
Exeter                      (559) 592-5361
Earlimart                   (661) 849-2525
Ivanhoe                    (559) 798-1264
Lindsay                     (559) 562-3021
Orosi                         (559) 591-5830
Springville                 (559) 539-2624 
Strathmore                (559) 568-1087
Three Rivers               (559) 561-4564
Tipton                        (559) 752-4236
Woodlake                   (559) 564-8424

Yum!!