Library of Things Launches

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The Joplin Public Library is pleased to announce a new service offering for the community of things meant to inspire creativity, learning, and fun. The aptly named “Library of Things” is a collection of non-traditional materials including tools, games, kitchen items, and electronics. The best part is all items are available to check out for free with a Joplin Public Library card. The heart of the collection includes items that library users would only potentially need once in a while or expensive items individuals could benefit from borrowing to test before an investment is made. 

The project got its start when a community member generously offered to purchase items to create four cooking kits. The cooking kits include equipment for making sushi, paella, madeleines, and muffins, plus each kit has an accompanying book that provides recipes and tips. The collection has continued to grow thanks to funding from the Joplin Library Foundation. Also, Library staff have applied for local grants with the hope of adding even more things. Library of Things smaller ticket items include puzzles, a tripod, a stud finder, and basic tools for home-based projects, while more expensive offerings include a digital camera, a projector, a food vacuum sealer, and a pickleball paddle set.

“Libraries have grown over the years to expand their offerings beyond “just books,” said Lori Crockett, the Public Relations and Marketing Assistant for the Joplin Public Library. “We are now a hub for community members to access digital resources, learn a new skill, connect with local services, and enjoy programs and events. The Library of Things is the next step to expand on and enhance these offerings. We hope this collection will encourage lifelong learning and creativity.”  

Users may borrow items from the Library of Things for one week and check out up to three Library of Things items at a time.  This service is offered at no cost to active Joplin Public Library cardholders.  

Iconic Joplin

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The Library’s Teen Department has participated in an exciting opportunity highlighting local history research and STEM skills. Iconic Joplin is a contest in which teams of 12-16 year-olds study a Joplin-area landmark and recreate it in LEGOs. It is an official event of Joplin’s Sesquicentennial celebration this year.

Thirty teens divided up into six teams which worked together over the next four months. The teams kicked off their work in December 2022 by getting to know each other, selecting a landmark, formulating an initial plan for their build, and creating a mini-build to symbolize their group. As they researched their sites, teams had access to local history resources including primary source material to help them. On the construction side, teams had an option to consult with an expert (engineer, architect, LEGO master, etc.).  Teams had the option for a site visit, where appropriate. Each team also had a modest budget they could spend on specialty LEGOs for their build.  

The Joplin Public Library was one of three local sites hosting Iconic Joplin teams along with the Joplin History & Mineral Museum and the Creative Learning Alliance, our local STEAM center. Host sites partnered to provide space, staff assistance, and guidance during the eight Saturday sessions it took to create the builds. 

The six landmarks chosen ranged from historic to contemporary buildings to geographic features of the area. One of the teams hosted by the Joplin Public Library portrayed Grand Falls, a picturesque waterfall that was a recreational hotspot at the turn of the 20th century, and utilized both light and motorized elements to create the falls. Another Library team picked our new building as a contemporary landmark, depicting it cutaway-style to showcase both the exterior elements and interior decor. Teams from the Joplin History & Mineral Museum also used cutaway-style builds to recreate their landmarks, Crystal Cave (a mineral-rich underground cave/recreational spot) and the garage apartment site of the infamous 1933 shootout with Bonnie and Clyde. Teams working at the Creative Learning Alliance built Joplin’s Union Depot, a transportation hub for the area, and the Olivia Apartments, a historic building which had burned prior to recent renovations.

The teams’ completed builds went on display to the public April 13 at Joplin’s Spiva Center for the Arts. The LEGO landmarks will be available for viewing there through May 13.  The public is invited to vote for their favorite Iconic Joplin build; brief videos about the builds along with voting are available at https://tally.so/r/3q4lK7 The contest will culminate in an awards ceremony on June 8 to present prizes for people’s choice, technical skill, authenticity, and creativity.

An adventure which has been much more than just piecing plastic bricks together, Iconic Joplin has provided opportunities for teens to explore their community, creativity, problem solving, and analytical skills. 

Iconic Joplin is the creation of local entrepreneur, Lisa Nelson, who envisioned a way to provide teens with opportunities to build STEM skills while creating ties to their communities. Nelson’s venture, Landmark Builds, was born while constructing LEGO sets with her teenage son and was developed through the Idea Accelerator program of Builders and Backers.

Youth Media Awards 2023

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Each year the American Library Association (ALA) honors books, videos, and other outstanding materials for children and teens. Recognized worldwide for the high quality they represent, the ALA Youth Media Awards (YMA), including the prestigious Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and Coretta Scott King Book Awards, guide parents, educators, librarians, and others in selecting the best materials for youth.

Selected by committees composed of librarians and other literature and media experts, the awards encourage original and creative work in the field of children’s and young adult literature and media.

JPL is proud to feature many of these award winning books in our collection, and we encourage our patrons to check them out!

Researching Your Roots

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If your goal for 2023 is to find out more about your family roots, Joplin Public Library is the place to start!  We have many resources available, whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced researcher.  Just getting started?  Check out our tip sheets of questions to ask relatives, or start entering your family tree information in the Library’s Ancestry Database to come up with extended relatives, census records and more!  Newspaper archives, passenger lists, and even yearbooks can help you with your search.  We also have books (of course) about incorporating DNA records, navigating popular genealogy databases, and how to decipher census data and other findings.  

Check out our Genealogy Databases!

JPL Announces New Mobile Hotspots

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THIS PROGRAM ENDED IN NOVEMBER OF 2023

Joplin Public Library is pleased to announce new funding for 600 short term and long term mobile hotspots thanks to the Federal Communication Commission’s Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF). These devices are available for check out by Library cardholders who do not have reliable internet access.  As part of the funding agreement, the hotspots require the cardholder to sign and return a statement that they would otherwise lack access to equipment or services sufficient to meet their educational needs (or those of their household).

The mobile hotspots are capable of providing Wi-Fi for up to 15 devices. Active Library cardholders may check-out a hotspot at the Joplin Public Library at 1901 E. 20th Street, during scheduled business hours. Short term hotspots are available on a first come, first served basis. The check-out period for the short term hotspot device is set at 21-days. The long term hotspot devices may be checked out for up to one year, or until the program ends November 30, 2023.

“In today’s world, almost everyone needs digital access,” said Library Director Jeana Gockley.  “As a public library we are continually looking for ways to provide this access for our many users. We are grateful to the Federal government for providing these funds and allowing the Library the ability to increase connection and learning for our community members.”

The ECF is a federal program, which gives funding to schools and libraries to provide internet connectivity and technology to communities.

Goodreads Best Books of 2022

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MLA Conference 2022

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In an effort to better serve our patrons, Library staff are continually learning and growing in their fields. Recently, several Joplin Public Library staff attended the Missouri Library Association Conference, held in Springfield, MO. The focus of this year’s conference was reconnection with a goal of envisioning what is next for libraries, engaging staff, and empowering patrons.

Each staff member was able to choose which lectures to attend with choices like Performers Showcase, Library Outreach 101, Readers Advisory, and more! JPL’s Library Director, Jeana Gockley, was a featured presenter. Her talk, “From the Ground Up: Creating a Friends of the Library”, was well attended.

Another highlight from the conference was that Christina Matekel-Gibson, JPL’s Children’s Librarian, was awarded the Patt Behler Call-to-Conference Award. The Patt Behler Call-to-Conference Award is sponsored by the Youth Services Community of Interest (YSCI) and is offered to introduce working librarians to the activities and programs of Missouri Library Association (MLA) and YSCI and to encourage involvement and on-going participation in the professional activities of those organizations.

In speaking about the conference, Matekel-Gibson said, “I enjoyed being able to connect with librarians from all over the state to share ideas and celebrate our mutual love for libraries and literacy. The opening keynote with Marlene Chism about moving from conflict to connection was especially impactful!”

Each staff member is excited to put into practice what they have learned, and are already looking forward to next year’s conference!

 

New Penworthy STEAM Kits Announced

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Joplin Public Library has added twelve STEAM and phonics kits to their collection, thanks to a Missouri State Library-funded grant. These kits are geared toward children and teens, and library cardholders can check out one kit at a time for three weeks.

Four kits will be housed in the Teen Department and can be checked out at the Teen Desk or Reference Desk, and eight will be housed in the Children’s Department and can be checked out at the Children’s Desk.

The STEAM-to-GO kits contain high and low-tech toys and games from Penworthy books that are designed to foster hands-on learning. Available STEAM kits include: Money, Math, and Economics; Letters and Numbers; Yoga for Mindfulness; Tot Game Night; Green Energy; Building and Design; Explore the Outdoors; and Family Game Night. Available phonics kits include: Ready, Set, Kindergarten; Biscuit Phonics; Pete the Cat Loves Preschool; and Little Critters Phonics.

STEAM-based learning is foundational in helping children and teens develop a variety of skills, including problem-solving, collaborative learning and critical thinking through hands-on learning. Though the Library currently offers select STEAM kits, this grant allows the Children’s and Teen departments to meet the needs of more families in more diverse ways.

This project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by the Missouri State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.

For information on these kits or to reserve one, visit the Library’s catalog at https://www.joplinpubliclibrary.org and search “STEAM to go,” or contact the Children’s or Teen Departments (417-623-7953).

Chat with Alyssa about Chat & Craft

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What is Chat & Craft?

Chat & Craft is a monthly program offered by the JPL where crafters of all types are invited to come together over their mutual love of handcrafts. Many of the attendees have been coming since the program started in 2006. But they are very welcoming to new faces!

What do people do?

People bring in all kinds of things; there’s lots of crochet, cross stitch, knitting, needle felting, floral wreaths, we even have painters at times. If they sell the supplies at the craft store, chances are we’ve seen it at Chat & Craft.

Are you assigning crafts?

Generally, it’s bring your own project. We do offer group projects and classes at times. Back in June, I brought in a crochet pattern for a stuffed jellyfish – to tie in with summer reading – and people really seemed to like it. Next month, I will be bringing in supplies for everyone to make a small punch needle piece.

What changes have you made since you took over?

I took over the program early this year when the previous leader retired. I was grateful to have her foundation to build on. Since then we’ve done a re-brand, to make Chat & Craft more cohesive with the rest of our adult programming and I have been able to start providing supplies for classes, thanks to grant funding from the Lemons Charitable Trust.

When do you meet?

We get together on the first Tuesday of every month from 6 to 8pm in the library’s community room. Our next meeting will be September 6th, and we are learning punch needle embroidery.

Anything to say to those who might be interested?

I would say just give it a try! We really have a lot of fun, and there’s no pressure to be an especially good crafter – or even much of a chatter. Also, if you’re having trouble learning a new craft, someone here has probably tried it. Bring it in and we can get you on the right path.

 

Bargains Galore: The JPL “Sale Shelf”

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The Joplin Public Library already offers their community a tremendous value for their dollar with their daily operations, but did you know that the Library also has a place where you can BUY books, magazines, DVDs, and more?

The “Sale Shelf” located on the Eastern end of the main lobby presents our public with a browsable selection of donated and weeded items at hugely discounted prices. Part “bargain shop”, part “garage sale”, all good fun – who can resist the urge to buy a stack of new to you items at prices like these…?

HARDBACK BOOKS $1.00
SOFTBACK BOOKS $.50
TRADE PAPERBACKS $.50
PAPERBACKS $.25
CHILDREN’S HARDBACKS $.50
CHILDREN’S SOFTBACKS $.25
DVD’S $1.00
CD’S   $1.00
AUDIOBOOKS $1.00
DVD CASES $.10
MAGAZINES $.25
ALL CHILDREN’S MAGAZINES ARE FREE
MISSOURI CONSERVATIONIST, AARP MAGAZINES AND BULLETINS, SHOW-ME AND J-MAG ARE  FREE
ALL SALES ARE FINAL
PRICES ARE AS ABOVE UNLESS OTHERWISE MARKED
Visit us today to shop the sale shelf, no Library card is required. Joplin Public Library accepts cash, cards, and checks. Joplin Public Library also accept donations of new or like new, stain and odor-free materials, just bring them to us at the front desk or call 417-623-7953 to arrange a drop off.