National Library week is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and library workers and to promote library use and support. From free access to books and online resources for families to library business centers that help support entrepreneurship and retraining, libraries offer opportunity to all. The theme for 2016 National Library Week is “Libraries Transform.” First sponsored in 1958, National Library Week is a national observance sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and libraries across the country each April. It is a time to celebrate the contributions of our nation’s libraries and librarians and to promote library use and support. All types of libraries – school, public, academic and special – participate.  (From the ALA website)

This year, National Library Week is being celebrated April 10 through April 16, and our library is celebrating with a bunch of great classes and programs. You are invited to visit the library to attend one or more of the events scheduled during this week, and to get a free library card for yourself and your child.

During National Library Week, fines may be “paid” with a nonperishable food donation to the library, which will then be given to the American Rescue Workers food bank.

National Library Week events:

• A General Computer Questions Class will be held April 11 at 6:00pm. Presenter Tom Robison invites you to bring questions about any aspect of computer ownership and use. Send questions by email to trobison@atlanticbbn.net to have them addressed during class time. No signup is needed; all are welcome.
• The Mystery and Mayhem Book Club will meet April 12 at 2:00pm to discuss First and Only by Peter Flannery. Books are available for purchase at the Library.
• A Bear-Themed Ceramics Class will meet April 12 at 6:00pm. Kathy Brua of Fired Up Ceramics Co. will provide a ceramic piece, brushes, paint, and firing at a cost of $5 per project. Signup is required; space is limited. Choose from a selection of bear/other themed projects. Children can participate with their adult’s supervision. Call 935-5490 to sign up.
• An Intermediate E-Reading Class will meet April 13 at 6:00pm. This free class is for people who have learned how to download digital library materials, but need practice or have questions. Bring your library card, device, and charging cord. Signup is needed; space is limited.
• Our Used Book Sale will be held April 14  from 9:30am to 7:30pm, April 15 from 9:30am to 4:30pm, and April 16 from 9:30am to 3:00pm. Saturday is “Bag Day” (fill a bag with books for $5). Proceeds benefit the library.
• Ukulele Crash Course: No Helmet Required will be held April 14 at 6:00pm. Members of the Allegheny Ukulele Kollective will teach this beginning class including basic chords and songs. There is a $5 materials fee per participant; ukuleles will be provided. For ages 12 and up. Sign up by emailing melanie@halibrary.org.
• A Week of the Young Child Celebration will be held at the Altoona Grand Hotel April 16 from 11:00am to 2:00pm. Come say hello to Miss Paula, do a craft, and enjoy this informational fun fair sponsored by United Way of Blair County’s Family Resource Center.
• The Evening Classics Book Club will meet April 14 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss The Analects by Confucius. Books are available for purchase at the library.

You may call the library (695-5961) for more information about any of our classes and programs.

Stop in at the library and help us celebrate National Library Week! See you soon!

Did you know that the Hollidaysburg Area Public Library is a Gardners Candy retailer?

We have Gardners meltaways, peanut butter eggs, chocolate-covered pretzel rods, S’mores, jelly beans, many different kinds of chocolate bars, and a variety of bunnies and sheep for sale at our front desk. (Bunnies and sheep are milk and white chocolate and also peanut butter filled.)

Books and chocolate: a delicious combination.

Proceeds help the library!

The Hollidaysburg Area Public Library is partnering with The HoneyBaked Ham Company for a new fundraiser. Buy HoneyBaked gift cards, and help the library raise money to buy new books!

Want to know how you can help?

1. Follow this link —> HoneyBaked Books <— to purchase a HoneyBaked gift card. You can use PayPal, credit, or debit cards to make your purchase.
2. 20% of your gift card purchase is given to the library!
3. Your gift card can be used at our local HoneyBaked Store & Cafe (located at 3415 Pleasant Valley Shopping Boulevard, Suite 52, Altoona), any other HoneyBaked location, or online (honeybaked.com).

Our goal is to raise $300, and the fundraiser will run through April 10, 2016.

Thank you for helping the library!

Thank you to everyone who has given to the Hollidaysburg Area Public Library over the past several years to make possible a beautiful, new, mortgage-free facility for our community. It would not be here without you.

Our new library provides resources that help local citizens of all ages form and transform their lives. Over 10,000 registered members have made over 80,000 visits since we opened last July–an increase of 20% over the previous year. We’ve made over 100,000 loans from our collection of over 40,000 items. Visitors enjoy 20 public-access computers with internet; free wifi; a community room with a full kitchen and wall-size projection screen; dedicated spaces for children and young adults; an Armed Forces Room; two quiet study rooms; a Friends bookstore; an outdoor gazebo and an amphitheater. You helped make all of this possible.

Please help the library continue to provide the books, materials, instruction, and information that our community needs to help transform lives. There are many ways you can donate to the library, including the links below:

1. Send a donation using a printable donation form (click here for form) or click here to donate online.
2. Shop at AmazonSmile. AmazonSmile is an Amazon website that gives your nonprofit organization of choice a small portion of the price of your eligible purchases. Every time you shop at AmazonSmile (same products, prices, and Prime benefits as the Amazon you know), and choose the Hollidaysburg Library as your nonprofit of choice, we will receive 0.5% of the price of your purchases. To those of you already using AmazonSmile, thank you–your donations do not go unnoticed.
3. Donate supplies. We can always use office supplies, paper goods, postage, and cleaning supplies.

Thank you again for everything you’ve done for us. Please help us continue to make the Hollidaysburg Area Public Library a great place to be!

On Saturday, November 14th, the library held a Fall Fashion Frenzy at the American Legion 516 Social Hall. It was a HUGE success, and we would like to thank everyone who contributed. Thank you to Joe Dodson for providing the venue and for working with us to set it up. Thank you to Christopher and Banks who provided the fashions for the show. Thank you to the local businesses who made donations, to our volunteers who helped with setup and cleanup, to the models, to those who provided the delicious food, and to everyone who came to see the show. We couldn’t have done it without all of you.

Here are some photos from the big day…enjoy!

(Click photos to enlarge)