What’s Happening At The Estes Valley Library

Spring Hours

Mondays-Thursdays, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Fridays & Saturdays, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sundays, 1-5 p.m.

Special Hours

Closed Thursday, April 20 KIDS & FAMILIES

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Library Storytimes

Baby Storytime: Thurs., Fri., & Sat. at 10 a.m.

Preschoolers: Thurs., Fri., & Sat. at 10:30 a.m.

Pajama Storytime with Nancy Bell: Wed., April 19 at 6 p.m.

Pajama Storytime & Stuffed Animal

Sleepover: Wed., April 26 at 6 p.m.

Clay Crafts: Meet Author & Artist Memo Plastilina

Wednesday, April 19, 1-2 p.m., Hondius Room

Repeated Wednesday, April 19, 4:305:30 p.m., Hondius Room

Bring the family to meet author and artist Memo Plastilina and make clay crafts. Free signed books while supplies last!

Parent Workshop:

Massage for Kids at Bedtime

Saturday, April 22, 1-3 p.m., Hondius Room

Instructor Susanne Benton will teach new techniques to help your child tran- sition to sleep with grace and joy. Childcare is available during the program! Presented in partnership with EVICS Family Resource Center.

Outdoor Storytime & Car Seat Safety

Wednesday, April 26, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Stanley Park

Join in for outdoor fun! Kids can enjoy storytime and giveaways from the Estes Valley Library at 10:30, then learn kidfriendly information about safety from

Library Volunteers Make Our Community Better

Estes Park is a giving community. Thousands of residents donate their time, talent, and treasure to make the valley a better place.

Here at the Estes Valley Library, the spirit of giving is just as strong. We have over 100 inspiring volunteers who provide support in fulfilling the Library’s mission to bring people, ideas, and opportunities together for the enrichment of our community.

National Volunteer Week is observed during the third week of April. This celebration is about placing a spotlight on volunteers whose invaluable seeds of kindness are bettering the community – and our world.

The library’s volunteers help out in so many ways. For example, the members of the Library Board of Trustees and the Friends & Foundation board are all volunteers. Volunteers restock collection materials on our bookshelves.

They “guide” Makerspace users, available to help with equipment and tech. They repair library materials and de- liver books to patrons who are unable to visit the library due to physical or visual limitations. They sort and stock books at Cliffhanger Used Books, and ring them up for you when you’re ready to purchase. the American Red Cross. Estes Valley Fire Protection District will be providing car seat checks. Presented in partnership with EVICS Family Resource Center.

Can you believe that this is just a small sampling of the volunteer work folks do for the library? In 2022, volunteers gave over 8,000 hours of their time. They truly make our world go ‘round. Library volunteers are famously shy about receiving praise for their hard work. They enjoy contributing to improving the quality of life in this community and don’t look for accolades. However, we’d like to honor them especially this week, although we really appreciate them every week throughout the year. We just wouldn’t be the same Library without them.

To learn more about volunteers at the Estes Valley Library, visit estesvalleylibrary.org/volunteer, or email volunteer@estesvalleylibrary.org. And thank you to all the volunteers who make the Estes Valley community such a special place!

TEENS & KIDS

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Robotics & Tech: Robot Racetrack Saturday, April 15, 3-4 p.m., Wasson Room

Repeated Tuesday, April 25, 5-6 p.m., Wasson Room

Expand your tech knowledge by build- next series of bridge basics: this course will focus on strategy when both partners are bidding during the auction, and will include opportunities to play practice deals.

Parenting-Protecting & Empowering

Children: A Living Room

Conversation

Tuesday, April 25, 5:15-7 p.m., EVICS

Family Resource Center

Discuss the balance between protecting children and supporting their independence in this special Living Room Conversation. Dinner, childcare, and English/Spanish interpretation provided.

The War in Ukraine One Year Later: Local Perspectives & Responses

Wednesday, April 26, 6:30-8 p.m., Hondius Room & online

Catch up with two local Ukrainian community members to understand how the war has continued to impact Ukrainians inside and outside of Ukraine.

BOOKS & AUTHORS

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Ordinary Grace & The Cork

O’Connor Series: Author Talk with William Kent Krueger

Thursday, April 27, 6-7 p.m., online

Don’t miss this riveting hour with New York Times bestselling author William Kent Krueger as he discusses his new novel, Fox Creek, and other works. Presented with the Library Speakers Consortium.

MAKERSPACE

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Learn the Laser Cutter

Saturday, April 15, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

For ages 15 and up.

Learn the 3D Printer ing a robotic racetrack. You could win a free book!

Book vs. Movie Club: Diary of a Wimpy Kid

Saturday, April 29, 12:30-2:15 p.m., Hondius Room

Book or movie—which did you like best? We’ll discuss the book, then watch the movie adaptation. Snacks and drinks provided.

Lego Club

Saturday, April 29, 3-4 p.m., Hondius Room

Explore different building challenges each month with our new Lego Club. Recommended for ages 6-12.

ADULTS

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Bridge Basics

2: Competitive Bidding

Fridays through May 5, 1-3 p.m., Hondius Room

Join instructor John Krueger for the

Saturday, April 22, 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.

For ages 15 and up.

Friends Of The Library Foundation

Cliffhanger Used Books

Cliffhanger Used Books, located next to the post office, is operated by the Friends of the Library Foundation, offering gently-used books, movies, and mu- sic at discount prices. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

I’ve always appreciated the comics in the newspapers and have used them to great advantage in workshops and other presentations. The reason is…and I’ve stated it often…they are funny because they depict life. In counseling and workshops through the years I have used overheads showing a cartoon that relates ‘truth’ about the way we treat…or mistreat…each other or family members in our daily activities. People usually chuckle, but, in the process, they are reflecting on their daily interactions and, often, determining to do a little better. I encourage you to view comics that way also.

In Sunday’s Denver Post a cartoon by Stephen Pastis draws attention to what is happening in our society right now as we wrestle with the increasing level of violence in our society, trying to come up with ‘solutions’ to our horrible challenge. We ‘protest, demanding that gun violence stop’, we ‘demand: ‘new gun laws’, ‘less police presence’, ‘more police presence’, ‘re-vamping the justice system’, etc. Despite all efforts at implementing some of these things, the problem continues unabated…even escalating.

The cartoon suggests the problem is largely in the thinking process / ‘phases’ in the hearts of troubled people. Those ‘phases’ in one’s thinking relate to things I think others should ‘do for me’. Phase One is ‘patience’…‘give them time’; Phase Two is thinking “perhaps they have a valid reason”; Phase Three involves ‘double checking’ to see why they’re not helping me; Phase Four is ‘self-doubt’…’maybe it’s me’. One cartoon I’ve used shows a father coming home sullen, angry, and silent. Each member of the family wonders: “Is it something I did…didn’t do?” A pet wonders, “Is it something I dragged in?” A parrot wonders: “Was it something I said?” Self-examination is good… but self-doubt can result. Phase Five sees that self-doubt, over time, developing low selfesteem…even self-hatred. In the cartoon, feeling “I’m a loser and nobody likes me.” Phase Six finds that ‘self-hate’ spilling over into ‘anger and hatred toward others’, “No! ‘They’ are the ‘losers’ and ‘nobody likes them!’ Phase Seven sees the potential of that hostile spirit ultimately arousing a desire for vengeance. (Years ago, we jokingly said: ‘Nobody likes me, everybody hates me. Guess I’ll go eat worms.’ Today, it seems, ‘Guess I’ll go shoot somebody!’) The result: we violently attack those whom we see responsible for that ‘I’m a loser’ or ‘You’re a loser’ mentality. Such violence is, thus, primarily a people-problem. We know, then, that as long as we have people following those ‘phases’ we will have tragedies such as we see on a large scale here in our nation.

What’s the solution? It all begins in the home. Obviously, from the very start, children need to feel wanted and needed. So many grow up in homes where they feel rejected by one parent or the other. Children need a father and a mother, and to feel loved by both from the beginning. I read recently about a celebrity who had ‘fathered’ (his words) eight children…all by different women, and wishing there had been more women. Obviously this man was no ‘father’ to any of these children. He left that up to the mothers who bore them. As long as we have a society where people practice this kind of irresponsible behavior, we are going to find many youth…and others… thinking: “I’m a loser!”, and, eventually, in all too many situations, “No! You are the loser!” or, to their society, “You made me a Loser, and I’m going to show you!”

Some years ago, a human-behavior specialist, Abraham Mazlow, shared a ‘Hierarchy of Needs’ of persons who will feel good about themselves and lead productive lives. His conclusion: ‘There are five levels of need that each child has. (1) First, they have basic physical needs: food, clothing; (2) Next, they have need for security…to feel safe; (3) Then they have a need for ‘love and belonging’ (family, friendship). If they enjoy these blessings at home and in community, (4) They easily achieve and feel respect, self-esteem, recognition. (5) Finally, they can seek Self-actualization…striving to be all they can be...a total success. As we reflect on our society, we know of many children who lack even the things on the first and second levels. As a result, they often turn to undesirable support groups, such as gangs, to find friendship, belonging, status and recognition. Sadly, our society suffers due to the ‘acting out’ of such persons, who will find the guns, thus, requiring the policing and punishment, in order for others to be safer.

Our society has much to do to restore a more peaceful world. The schools can help, law enforcement can help, mental health systems can help, but, these cannot replace the home environment and loving parents. God, give us Christian homes! Bob Lewis

Helping Kids Learn How To Read? The Library Has Your Back!

Parents and guardians, you are teachers, too. And at an early age, you can often be the most important and influential teachers that children have.

If that sounds daunting, here’s some encouragement: you already have what it takes! You know your children better than anyone – their temperaments, personalities, strengths, vulnerabilities, talents, and needs.

When you talk, sing, read, play, and write together, you’re building early literacy skills in your child. These dayto-day interactions increase brain development, and help you better connect with your child.

Here’s some more encouragement: The Estes Valley Library has you covered with resources, tools, activities, programs, and more that can make the most of your time together. We’re here to support your investment in early literacy.

One item to check out at the library this weekend is a Grab-and-Go kit. These monthly Storybook Explorer packets combine a paperback book with learning exercises based on the theme of the story. All supplies are provided, making this an easy (and free!) onestop-shop for you and your child. We often have several kits from which to choose. This month, try Lola Loves

Stories, available in both English and Spanish. The packet includes the book, which is a wonderful introduction to the power of reading, along with an activity sheet, a small blank notebook for writing or drawing, and two finger puppets.

Or, check out The Little Red Fort, which is a spunky adaptation of the timeless favorite, The Little Red Hen. The kit focuses on STEM-inspired activities: creating lines by using a ruler, building a blanket fort, and practicing measuring with a retractable tape measure.

If you’d like to engage in early literacy activities in a community setting, view our calendar for storytimes and in-person Storybook Explorers throughout the month. We’ll walk you and your child through a story and activities. These are opportunities to bond with your child during guided time with our friendly and experienced librarians.

April is Estes Grows Readers month at the Estes Valley Library. Throughout the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing additional resources that support parents, guardians, and kids with early literacy. Thank you to the Library Friends & Foundation donors, as your dollars have made many of these projects possible.

Find Grab-and-Go kits and learn more about Estes Grows Readers at estesvalleylibrary.org/estesgrowsreaders.