REPORT: The challenge was made. Six teams answered. Sadly, one team cancelled when the captain got sick the day before. Trivia Night at the Library: Holiday Edition was Friday, December 13. Don we did our gay apparel, oh yes we did, and the player with the most festive garb, Kylee Bergstrom, fa la la’d her way home with a lovely winter popcorn tin. The questions were fun and challenging, the competition was fierce, and two teams rose to the top at the end of 10 rounds. The tie-breaker was determined by the pregame question, “What score (out of 100) do you predict your team will get?” Team 4 was the closest to their prediction, taking home the gaggle of goodie bags, and in some cases reclaiming their champion standing from last September’s Trivia Night. We had a blast Friday night, and we want to thank all of our participants for coming out and joining us in making things merry and bright! Special thanks to our Christmas Queen and Moderator, Kate Haynie, and our Jolly Judge and Score Keeper, Cathy Enneking for all they did to make the night a success! Keep your eyes peeled for future Trivia Night announcements starting shortly after the new year!
Dee Lizzol to Read on Morning of Christmas Eve! (Tues, Dec 24)
Freshly added to our Christmas schedule, on the morning of Christmas Eve (Tuesday the 24th) our very own Dee Lizzol will be doing three short pop up reading sessions at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM, and 12:00 PM.
Join us for “Dee Reads: Christmas Classics and Personal Favorites,” an all ages mini-event series and our gift of cheer and joy to you. Drop in for one or all three of the reading times, sure to entertain and brighten your spirits.
Winter Break Will Include Game Days at SFL December 27 and January 3!
GAME ON!!!!
On December 27 and January 3, Seneca Free Library is cracking open our Game Vault for an Official Game Day from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. These game day events are free to area kids and adults ages 7 and up. It’s an open attendance event so participants can come and go during this time as their schedule allows. You can play an assortment of games through the afternoon or just drop in to play a few quick rounds of your favorite game between appointments or errands!
Children 6 and under must be accompanied by an Adult (school age siblings do not count as sufficient supervision in the library). While library staff will be present to facilitate this activity, babysitting services are not available during this time. As typical with any library event, please provide us with contact information relevant to the times of the event schedule or give your child a written copy of this information to deliver to us when they check in. Please be advised, if participants exhibit disruptive or inappropriate behavior, we reserve the right to remove them from activities. A parent or guardian may be contacted and requested to pick them up.
With that all being said, we are very excited to offer this activity option to the calendar and to see our collected game vault put to good use!
Week of December 9, 2024 is BUSY for Seneca Free Library!
THIS WEEK is CRAZY at the Library!!! Don’t Miss Out!
Last chance to preregister your creative kiddos for the Free Ornament Making Craft Event TOMORROW, Tuesday, December 10, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM after school. 3 ornaments to make and take home, plus additional projects available to copy and/or take home to build! Ages 1st-4th grade.
Cooking with Kids Returns THIS THURSDAY, December 12, 3:30 PM – 5:00 PM after school! We still have five (5) slots open for festive chefs to join Deb and see what she’s got cookin’ in the kitchen! Ages 8-11 years old. New participants will need a waiver/permission sheet signed at the desk before joining the session.
Last call for Trivia Night at the Library on Friday, December 13! We’re still accepting teams of 4-6 Adult(ish) players for this fun and festive event! Snacks and Non-alcoholic drinks encouraged. Prizes for the top team. Fun and Surprises for all! $10 per person entry fee payable at the door. Doors open at 6:00 PM (Main entrance) for teams to set up. Game starts at 6:30 PM. We are super excited to see everyone for this festive holiday edition of Trivia Night at the Library!
Call 785-336-2377 or drop in at the circulation desk to register for one or more of these awesome events!
Seneca Free Library is Starting a Games Initiative
…but we need your help!
We are starting a table games initiative for library game day events and regular in-house use (sorry, no checkouts from the library), but we need some help in building our game library. Right now we’re especially short on games for younger kids. With the program just starting, we hate to sink a lot of money into acquisitions and storage for something that might not see a lot of use right away. If you have a chance to look through your board and card games at home and find some gently used options that just don’t make it out of the box anymore (or ever), we’d love to see them here! If you have some common games (or what’s left of them) that are missing pieces and ready to be replaced, we could always use some spare parts on hand in case a die rolls away or Professor Plum’s token bounces off the table and disappears into the stacks. (Don’t even get us started on the Monopoly Dog chasing the car or the havoc of the Candyland Gingies. Oh, the humanity!)
Ideal games for library use are ones that don’t require a large amount of setup and that can be learned and taught to the other players in five minutes or less. Games that require batteries to operate are less ideal (due to ongoing cost) but will be considered. Games that make a mess (i.e. Pie Face) or pose sanitary concerns (i.e. Speak Out) are not appropriate for library use, as entertaining as they might be at home.
Our Current Inventory Includes:
(Updated 11/18/2024)
5 Second Rule (Standard Ed., 3 or more players, Ages 10+) (x2 copies)
Animal Dominos (Kids Ed. 2-4 players, Ages 3+)
Apples to Apples (Standard Ed., 4-8 players, Ages 12+)
Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader? (Standard Ed., 2-4 players, Ages 8+)
Battleship (Standard Ed., 2-player, Ages 7+)
Bunco Party (Standard Ed. 2-12 players, Ages 8+)
Candy Land (Standard Ed., 2-4 players, Ages 3+)
Chess/Checkers (Standard Ed., 2-player, Ages 5+)
Clue (Original Ed., 3-6 players, Ages 8+)
Clue (Card Game Ed, 3-4 players, Ages 8+)
Connect 4 (Classic Grid Ed., 2 Players, 6+)
Disney Princess Card Games (Old Maid, Go Fish, Crazy Eights, Memory Match), (Player Count varies by game, Ages 3+)
War (Game specific card set for War and Memory, 2-4 players, Ages 3+)
Yahtzee (Standard Ed., 2-10 players, Ages 8+)
Gerald and Tess ask Sherri and Nelson for Recommendations“So many options!”
Games We Are Currently Looking For Include:
Chutes and Ladders (or Snakes and Ladders)
Hi-Ho Cherry Oh
Jr. Editions of most games
Memory (We have the Original edition, but would consider variant theme editions)
Settlers of Catan
Sorry
Guidelines for Using Library Games
Games and game pieces are not available for checkout. They are meant to be played inside the library (or meeting room for special events).
You are responsible for any game that you sign for and borrow. Lost pieces or damage to the game board or cards may result in fees necessary to fix or replace game components.
Games must be checked out and signed for one at a time. The first game must be turned in at the desk and all pieces must be accounted for before checking out another game. The number of games borrowed on a daily basis is otherwise only limited by the constraints of library operating hours.
All games must be completed and turned in before the end of regular library hours or before the end of a gaming event. The library will not stay open late just for games to be completed.
Library staff are not responsible for teaching, moderating, or providing players for a game. Be sure to borrow games appropriate for your number of players and the players’ ages and ability to learn or comprehend the rules. If the standard rules for a game are missing for some reason, let the librarian on duty know and we’ll see what we can do about finding and printing an official copy.
Many common board and card games may have what are called “House Rules.” These are rules that modify how the original game works usually for the sake of simplification or increasing the challenge of a game. Before your group begins playing any game, be sure everyone is aware of and in agreement with any “House Rules” that may be used. Again, it is not the librarian’s job to handle or moderate rules disputes or disagreements in your game.
Games played in the main library are expected to be aware of and courteous to the other patrons using the library and the staff trying to work. Repeated outbursts or continuous disruption may result in the termination of your gaming session.
If the weather is severe enough for Nemaha Central Schools to be dismissed early, the library will close at 5:00 that day. We will also post on Facebook, KNZA radio station and WIBW TV if we close or open late due to weather. It’s always best to check before heading out. Call us at 785.336.2377
Comic books and Graphic Novels are powerful tools in bringing reluctant readers onboard while still building reading fluency and comprehension in younger readers and improving reading retention rates in older readers. Today’s comics are more than just spandex clad super heroes clashing with powerful villains in epic battles. Comics are available that depict nonfiction narratives for historical events, people, and any number of specialized topics from dinosaurs to solar systems. Kids comics can focus on social skills, educational materials (like numbers, colors, and the alphabet), and, of course, just fun or goofy stories to support literacy and literary understanding.
CompicsPlus Library Pass is an app available on Android and iOS that lets you or your young readers access a large assortment of comic book and graphic novel resources on your phone or tablet. The State Library of Kansas offers a new and easier access method to this resource than ever before. You can now access the ComicsPlus Library Pass directly with your Kansas Library eCard number. Your password will be your birth date (MMDDYYYY no spaces or characters between numbers).
Here’s How it Works!
Download the Library Pass App. (Library Pass, Inc * Comics) from your Play Store or Apple App Store.
Open the app and search for the Library from the list below that best fits your reading level or the reading level of your younger reader. The various reading levels and library collections help offer better control over the content your younger readers are likely to find. Choose from the following (you can always add or change library catalogs later, using the same login credentials).
State Library of Kansas KS- Full Library (All age content available, no restrictions)
State Library of Kansas KS- Children’s Library (Includes: Emergent (PreK – grade 1, ages 3-5), Children (K – grade 3, ages 5-7), Kids (Grades 3-5, ages 8-10), and Teen (Grades 6-8, ages 11-14)
Kansas Elementary Schools (Includes: Emergent (PreK – grade 1, ages 3-5), and Children (K – grade 3, ages 5-7)
Kansas Middle Schools (Includes: Kids (Grades 3-5, ages 8-10) and Teen (Grades 6-8, ages 11-14)
Kansas High Schools (Includes: Teen (Grades 6-8, ages 11-14) and Young Adult (Grades 9-12, ages 15-18)
Once you’ve chosen the library catalog you wish to access, enter your State of Kansas eCard Number and Password where prompted (date of birth mmddyyyy no characters or spaces between numbers).
Get in there and start browsing! Titles are available from the following publishers as of April 2024!
Don’t have a State Library ID? We can help you get one at the library circulation desk! A state library id opens up countless online resources, adding even more options to your reading, listening, and streaming arsenal!
We were recently reminded of a fantastic resource through the Kansas State Library website that our patrons have access to. BookFlix is an interactive program through Scholastic Books that combines one animated story book and one non-fiction book to create an entertaining and informative program on a topic your young (or young at heart) reader is excited about. Examples include “Curious George Rides a Bike” and “Scholastic News: Monkeys and Other Mammals,” or “Dinosaur Bones” by Bob Barner and “Scholastic News: Dinosaur Dig!” or “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” and “Rookie Read About Math: A Garden Full of Sizes.” There are nine categories to choose from with most categories having well over 20 story and non-fiction combos to select from and enjoy!
The Link below takes you to the Kansas Library e-books for kids page. If you click on the BookFlix link it might take you directly to the page or it might throw an error code and require you to login with a Kansas Library eCard (which we can help you sign up for in person at the circulation desk if you don’t have one, but not over the phone or via email). In testing this resource, I had the website produce both results at different times, so consider this a fair warning, just in case. This link also takes you to the hub that has Tumble Book Library, Britannica Collective Nonfiction eBooks, and a score of other ebook resources and links just waiting to be discovered!
Hoopla is a free service offering audio books, eBooks, movies, TV shows, music, comics, and more! We have added information for you to get the most out of the app below. We hope this helps and you get the most out of this new-to-you app!
Libby is another free app giving you access to eBooks and audiobooks. You will need to set up an account and pin with us, so call 785-336-2377– before you begin– between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm weekdays.
Here is a really quick look at how to use the online shared catalog. There is so much more than the video offers, but this will get you started. If you forgot your password, or are having trouble logging in, please call us.
Here is a quick intro to Flipster, our free online source of magazines. You use the same credentials that are needed to access our online shared catalog.
Below is a link to YouTube videos from Robin at our Regional Office in Lawrence about Learning Express:
The library has personal WiFi Hotspots for circulation! For our rural patrons who have trouble with internet access, these devices will be great. If you are traveling for vacation and don’t want to use all of your data, a hotspot can save you some headaches.
The hotspots can only be checked out to Seneca Free Library patrons over the age of 18, whose accounts are in good standing. They check out for two weeks with no renewals allowed. Late charges do apply to these items.
The hotspots must NOT be returned in either the outside or inside dropbox. They are to be returned to library staff at the circulation desk; devices not returned in this way are subject to a flat fee. For all the information on the WiFi hotspot and how to get one, talk to the librarians.
Patrons will have to sign a user agreement, and there will be fines imposed if patrons do not follow the usage rules for these devices. They are expensive and the user will pay replacement costs, if need be.