Folks who visit Avalon Library may not realize that our petit island library branch is connected to the 88 other libraries on the mainland. That means that you have access to any book, DVD, or magazine that is in the collection of any LA County Library.
It also means that by default, little Avalon Library actually has hundreds of thousands of books! And, if you include all the 500,000 Ebooks that you can check out using the County Library’s subscription to Libby, as well as the free online subscription to the New York Times that you can access with your library card – well, that ain’t nothing!
This month, the library is top heavy with wonderful activities for all ages! For instance, this Friday, March 10, at 4 p.m., we’re hosting a visit from former Simpson’s animation artist Carlos Nieto III, who will be offering a mini-class on how to create and modify your own anime character. We’re excited to welcome this artist on his first visit to the island, and what could be better than art and cartooning? This program is made possible by the generous support of the Friends of Avalon Library.
Tuesday, March 14 at 4 p.m., we’ll be offering a special Women’s History Month art project. Learn about remarkable women scientists, and then practice thinking like a zoologist or paleontologist by combining puzzle pieces to construct an animal or dinosaur. And then you can color or bedazzle it with markers and sparkles! For ages 5 to 12.
Meanwhile, also on March 14 (but at 2 p.m.), we welcome back Island Historian Chuck Liddell for the first of his two monthly history talks. I’m told that the his talk on the 14th will focus on life on the island during World War II (topic subject to change, of course). Chuck will return to talk on Tuesday March 28 at 2 p.m., but we’re not sure what he’s going to speak about on that date yet!
On Wednesday, March 15, we’ll be hosting Emmy Lam’s class on Chinese calligraphy, postponed from last month due to February’s storms. Learn how the pictographic symbols and shapes of the Chinese language developed – and enjoy creating your own Chinese words!
Then, on Wednesday, March 22 at 4 p.m., we’re excited to welcome back Wacko the Magican, who will dazzle us with floating tables, stretching magic wands, and hilarious puppets! Wacko last came to Avalon Library in 2019, so we’re incredibly excited he’s coming back. These two programs have also been generously funded by the Friends of Avalon Library.
We’ll also be offering a special Teen Clay Modelling Program on Tuesday March 21 at 4 p.m. in celebration of Teen Create Month! Plus our Board Game Afternoons on Wednesdays March 8 and 29 at 4 p.m. And our usual (limited supplies) Activity Kits, available on Tuesdays and Fridays.
And on top of all that, we’ve got books! Our Off The Island Book Club read for the month is Emma Donague’s novel “Haven,” about a trio of 6th century monks who pilgrimage to a deserted island to build a monastery. Pick up copies at the library and come discuss it on March 28 at 6 p.m.
