Monterey Times

Happy New Year. Monterey County Free Libraries is back from a short winter recess and open to the public starting January 3rd.  As you think about your New Year’s resolutions, put visiting the library on the top of your list to pick up books, magazines, DVDs and to take part in programs. Check with your local branch to see the programs we have to entertain and engage you, from movie matinees to author talks to backyard science. Here are 5 things for January:

1. The Winter Reading Program is on through the month of January. Make sure you sign up and resolve to read a few books this year. Reading to children counts too. If you snuggle up with a youngster to read for 20 minutes that counts for both of you. Sign-up at your local branch or online at https://emcfl.beanstack.org/reader365.
2. Meeting rooms at Monterey County Free Libraries are opening again in the new year and we have new online reservation system for non-profit groups looking for a space to meet. LibCal will help you reserve a meeting room online at one of our locations: Castroville, Gonzales, Greenfield, King City, Marina, Pajaro and Prunedale. To reserve a meeting room, visit eMCFL.org, follow the menu to Self-Service then Book a Meeting Room. Or follow this link.
3. This month we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., one of the most prominent leaders of the Civil Rights movement. He is a featured author for January and many books have been written about him. Check out displays at your local branch and check out some material to learn more about him. Library branches will be closed on Saturday, January 14 in honor of his birthday. Seaside and the Administrative Office will also be closed on Monday, January 16, 2023.
4. The online resource of the month is LinkedIn Learning. If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to learn a new skill, LinkedIn Learning is the place to go. They have a plethora of courses to build skills for business and technology from leadership to management to graphic design or photography. Courses are taught in short digestible segments by professionals in the field. We encourage you to explore this valuable resource—free with your library card.
5. To get kids started on the right foot this New Year, our January grab and go activity bag is create your own journal. All supplies are in the activity bag with instructions in English and Spanish. You can follow an instruction video on our YouTube channel, MCFL Virtual Programs. These bags are funded through a grant from the Community Foundation for Monterey County to foster positive mental health for children and teens.

We look forward to seeing you all in our branches in 2023.

Original source can be found here.