Library information for March

Kids Make Circle Art at Garland Library’s Books and Beyond

Children ages 6 through 12 can develop their STEAM art skills at the Nicholson Memorial Library System’s Books and Beyond program. The event takes place during Youth Art Month at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 25, at the Central Library.

Books and Beyond consists of book discussions and activities related to monthly themes. Each theme incorporates concepts from STEAM learning: science, technology, engineering, art, and math. Children use their imaginations to explore the themes and complete the activities, all while socializing with others their age and having fun.

At the March program, participants will explore different ways of making art with circular patterns. Available art projects will include a pendulum painting made with a swinging marker, circle pattern illustrations made by tracing objects of different sizes, color blending tops made from cardboard circles with pennies inserted in the tops, and DVD scratch art made from pre-painted DVDs.

No registration is required to attend this free event. Children must be ages 6 through 12 to attend. The Central Library is located at 625 Austin St., in Downtown Garland. Please be aware that photographs and video may be taken at Library programs for use in print and/or electronic media at the Library’s discretion. For more information on this program, please call 972-205-2516.

Seniors Enjoy the A Cappella Group Smooth Brew at Senior Social Hour

Seniors can experience the resurgence of a cappella music with a performance by Smooth Brew at the Nicholson Memorial Library System’s Senior Social Hour. The quartet will perform at 2 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, at the Central Library, 625 Austin Street, in Downtown Garland.

Smooth Brew is an a cappella quartet that performs pop, jazz, doo-wop, and barbershop music. The group has performed at the Frisco Convention Center, the Grapevine Public Library, and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. For this performance, the quartet will present classic oldies and doo-wop tunes from their extensive repertoire, which includes hits like Who Put the Bomp, Goodnight Sweetheart, Blue Velvet, Yesterday, and Breaking Up Is Hard to Do.

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Senior Social Hour programs are free and open to anyone 55 years of age and older. Donations of gently used books and media for the Friends of the Library book sale are accepted at the program. No registration is required to attend the event, but seats do fill up quickly. Doors open 30 minutes prior to performance. Please be aware that photographs and video may be taken at Library programs for use in print and/or electronic media at the Library’s discretion. Call 972-205-2502 for more information.

Families Can Enjoy Free Movies at the South Garland Branch Library

Families can enjoy free movies that are based on books at the Nicholson Memorial Library System’s South Garland Branch Library this spring.

The program series, Let’s Go to the Movies, begins on Saturday, March 11 with a screening of Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day at 3 p.m. The film follows eleven-year-old Alexander as he experiences such a terrible day that he starts to wonder if bad things only happen to him. Little does he know that his mom, dad, and siblings are each having their own worst day ever.

All films in this series are full-length children’s movies. Doors open 15 minutes prior to the events. Seating is limited. No registration is required, and all ages may attend these events. Free popcorn and water are available while supplies last. The film is rated PG.

The South Garland Branch Library is located at 4845 Broadway Blvd., at Oates Road. Please be aware that photographs and video may be taken at Library programs for use in print and/or electronic media at the Library’s discretion. For more information on the Let’s Go to the Movies program series, please call 972-205-3933.

Families Can Enjoy A Free Movie at the Library

Bring a blanket and attend a free movie with your family. The Nicholson Memorial Library System’s North Garland Branch Library is showing The Jungle Book at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 18.

The Jungle Book is a full-length children’s movie released in 2016. The film tells the story of Mowgli, a boy who embarks on a journey of self-discovery aided by Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear. The movie is rated PG.

Doors open 15 minutes prior to the event. Seating is limited. No registration is required, and all ages may attend these events. Free popcorn and water are available while supplies last.

Please be aware that photographs and video may be taken at Library programs for use in print and/or electronic media at the Library’s discretion. For more information on Family Movie Time, please call 972-205-2804.

Teens Learn Coding at Garland Library

Teens can put their STEAM technology skills into practice at the Nicholson Memorial Library System’s coding event, part of Teen Tech Week.

Teen Tech Week is a week-long celebration of the great digital resources and services libraries offer teens to help them succeed in school, prepare for college, and train for careers. This year’s Teen Tech Week officially runs March 5 through 11.

The coding program takes place from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 15 at the Central Library. Program attendees will learn the basics of computer coding and work on a variety of projects, such as making emojis, gifs, and avatars and accessorizing selfies. Participants will be given flash drives to save their work. This event is free and open to youth ages 13 through 17. Registration is required and begins March 1. Call 972-205-2517 to register.

The Central Library is located at 625 Austin St., in Downtown Garland. Please be aware that photographs and video may be taken at Library programs for use in print and/or electronic media at the Library’s discretion. For more information, call 972-205-2516.

Tweens Celebrate Youth Art Month at Garland Libraries

Tweens ages 10 to 13 can celebrate Youth Art Month while practicing their STEAM art skills at the Nicholson Memorial Library System’s Tween Scene events in March.

Tween Scene is a program series designed for youth ages 10 through 13, which consists of activities related to fun and interesting themes. Participants also receive book recommendations based on each theme. The program takes place twice a month at various library locations on Thursday afternoons and evenings.

Attendees at the March Tween Scene events will make scratch art by drawing on a CD prepared with acrylic paint then using a scratch stick to reveal colors underneath their drawing. The first Tween Scene takes place at 6:30 p.m. on March 2, at the South Garland Branch Library, with the second occurring at 4 p.m. on March 9, at the North Garland Branch Library.

The South Garland Branch Library is located at 4845 Broadway Blvd., at Oates Road. The North Garland Branch Library is located at 3845 N. Garland Ave., at Apollo Road. Please be aware that photographs and video may be taken at Library programs for use in print and/or electronic media at the Library’s discretion. For more information, call 972-205-3933.

Kids Make Pi Art at Garland Library

Children can practice their STEAM art and math skills by making pi art at Art Explorers, a monthly program for children ages 6 through 12 presented by the Nicholson Memorial Library System. The event takes place at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 4, at the Walnut Creek Branch Library.

Children attending Art Explorers learn about different types of art, then use their new skills to create their own masterpieces. At the March event, participants will learn about pi, the mathematic number sequence (3.14159…) that represents the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. Attendees will use the number sequence to make grid art with towers of varying heights. The final illustrations will resemble a downtown skyline.

Registration is required to attend each Art Explorer program and is limited to 24 participants. Registration may be completed by phone or in person at the Walnut Creek Branch Library beginning Saturday, Feb. 18. The Walnut Creek Branch Library is located at 3319 Edgewood Drive, in Garland. All supplies are provided by the library. Please be aware that photographs and video may be taken at Library programs for use in print and/or electronic media at the Library’s discretion. For more information on this program, please call 972-205-2585.