Blog Entries

For families of all ages, a global pandemic can be alarming and confusing. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has been spreading throughout the United States now, specifically, and has led to school and public closures. The uncertainty of this national and global situation can induce more anxiety in our kids. However, learning how to talk about what is going on and what to do next can be the first step that grown-ups can take to lead to better understanding for families with kids.

Every year the American Library Association (ALA) chooses the best teen books of the year and it is time to find out the winners for 2020!  This year it is happening on Monday, January 27^th at 8:00am.  We are especially excited to find out the winners of the Printz, Morris, and Edwards awards!

We are excited to announce a fun program just for teens – Potato Chip Taste Contest! On February 3^rd from 6PM-7PM, teens can gather at Bowman Library to put their taste buds to the test in several games involving potato chips to identify them by taste, flavor and texture. Each brand has a story and prepares their chips in unique ways.

With the holidays approaching and whispers of snow in the air, make sure that everyone has something to read. The Handley Regional Library System has many eBooks available for children and teens when you cannot make it to the library. All you need is your library card and your PIN to access most eBooks through the library website or library apps such as Libby from Overdrive. Don’t remember your PIN?

We have a free holiday program for teens, Ugly Festive Party, at Bowman Library on December 13^th at 5:30PM. Gamers can rotate throughout the console, tabletop, and computer games, bring a gift to share ($5 or less), and dress in their holiday worst or best! This program is intended for middle school and high school youth and is free and open to the public.

Do you love Mystery? What about Horror? If you have a favorite type of story, check out our Genre Booklets located in the teen area of the Handley Branch. Each season we add new cards in favorite reading categories such as Historical Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Romance. We’ve even added new categories, too. Novels in Verse features stories told in poetic forms and Heroes features your favorite heroic figures from series and graphic novels. A few of our newest books include: 

On Saturday, October 26th at 2:00 PM, the Handley Library will host the Festival of Magic Show featuring many magical appearances and fun for all ages. To prepare for the spellbinding show, here are five facts about magic to enjoy. 

1. The word “magic” is derived from the Greek word “mageia.”

Although the American Library Association's "Library Card Sign-Up Month" has officially passed, your library card is better now than ever! Did you know that using your FREE library card is worth more than just books? Our special collections are as easy to check-out as your average library book! Which collections below have you checked out? 

     Life can be tough sometimes, and it is really easy to feel overwhelmed by all of the challenges and negativity that the world throws at you. No one should have to wade through all of it without some encouragement. No one should feel alone. So if you are needing a little extra inspiration, come to the Bowman Library to find some with one of our new displays. Whether you need a pick me up, food for thought, some motivation, or just someone to tell you that you can make it through the day, we hope that you can find that here.

Calling all teens!  We are excited to announce a special showing of  “Beetlejuice” (Rated PG) for teens in the Mike Forman Rotary Reading Garden on August 7^th at 8:30PM at Handley Library.  The movie is free and open to the public. Teens are encouraged to bring snacks and blankets for the outdoor movie.

About the Movie

The spirits of a deceased couple are harassed by an unbearable family that has moved into their home, and hire a malicious spirit to drive them out.  Stars Alec Baldwin, Michael Keaton, and more.

Natsu Con is at Bowman Library on July 29^th from 1PM-7PM. The teen event is sponsored by the Teen Advisory Board at Bowman Library and is free and open to the public. Focused on anime and comic characters, attendees will hear from special speakers who will focus on developing anime characters, Nick Coleman with a talk about how super heroes have issues too, an artist alley, character panels, dance presentations, cosplay contents, Japanese snacks, and more. The day ends with a drawing workshop by cartoonist Paul Merklein of Wisconsin.

     With summer finally here, you may be thinking about the books you’re finally going to have the time to read.                 

If you are looking for a new book, than we have a new display that could help you out. We have recently added             

our book suggestion lists for teens and young adults at the Bowman Library!  Let’s say you’ve read The Hunger       

We are excited to announce a “Stranger Things” themed escape room for teens on July 19^th at Handley Library at 6PM. Teens will solve clues, follow the story, and work together to escape before time runs out. Registration and more information is at www.handleyregional.org. The program is free

     What do poetry, free, teens, finalists, the Winchester Book Gallery, deadlines, and the numbers, 1, 2, 5, and 500 all have in common? They all have to do with 1455's 1st Summer Literary Festival!