Sunday May 30th, 2010 Summer is Coming!

Days full of sunshine and warmth, evenings made longer and breezes balmier. As Thursday June 24, the last day of school for this year fast approaches, what wonderful adventures lie ahead? Trips, hiking, biking, swimming, sailing, camping, gardening, tennis and golf. Maybe relaxing on the beach, at the cottage or in the backyard gazebo. All of this awaits us.

The Thunder Bay Public Library has some great adventures in store for you as well. Starting on July 7, you can register your child in the SUMMER READING CLUB. You can take part in this program at any of our four branches, Waverley, Mary J.L. Black, County Park or Brodie. The returning READERS ARE LEADERS Program starts at Waverley Children’s on Wednesday July 7 and at Brodie Children’s on Monday July 12. Both run for eight weeks.

You may want to pencil into your summer calendar some of the well-loved library puppet shows starting with the family favourite WHAT’S UP THE COCONUT TREE? Following this, and at alternating branches throughout the summer are an array of great shows, including ANANSI AND THE MOSS COLOURED ROCK; WILD THINGS; and THE FROG PRINCE. Go to www.tbpl.ca and select the WHAT’S ON tab to locate the online calendar for specific dates, times and branches. Here you will also find a dynamic array of upcoming author readings, craft activities, magic shows, story times, summer concerts and workshops.

Ready to do a bit of yard work, but find your lawn mower in dire need of a tune-up? Simply navigate to www.tbpl.ca and click on the Sleeping Giant to access our databases in My Giant Search. You will find the Database of the Month, along with the rest of our databases, including SMALL ENGINE REPAIR REFERENCE CENTRE, with guides and manuals specific to your make and model of lawn mower. Reliable information at your fingertips, 24/7. Seriously.

Yard work all done and ready for that trip? TBPL has a superior collection of travel guides to help you plan. GREAT CANADIAN VACATIONS: 25 TRIPS TO CANADA”S BEST-LOVED DESTINATIONS edited by Amanda Theunissen (917.304 GRE), provides exciting trip ideas, lists hundreds of activities and offers detailed information on dining, accommodation, co-ordinates, contacts and tips.


A humorous yet valuable book is IF YOU CAN’T REMEMBER YOUR LAST VACATION, YOU NEED THIS BOOK! By Laura and Jonathan Greenburg (910.2 GRE). It speaks of exciting vacations for every budget and lifestyle. Featured on Oprah Winfrey, this vacation planning guide is full of inside information on everything from fun-filled weekends to long and memorable journeys.

Want some reading for your trip but don’t want to pack those heavy books? Simply go to the Virtual Collection and navigate to our selection of eBooks. By selecting the OverDrive bar you can browse, search for, sign out and download audiobooks. All you need is your Library Card number and PIN. Audiobooks may be easily transferred to your MP3 player or iPod, and in some cases even burned to a CD.

PLAYAWAYS are another great option for those who prefer to travel light, offered by both Waverley and Brodie. These are an effortless way to listen to audiobooks. You just press play and presto. Smaller than a deck of cards, the complete audio book is pre-loaded on to its own player. All you need are headphones and a triple A battery, (both of which can be purchased at the Library). Similar to books, these may be borrowed for three weeks and renewed twice, provided there are no holds on the title.

Rock-a-hula-luau. Summer is coming. Access the opportunities at TBPL.

Caron E. Naysmith, Supply Staff