BELONG - Creative play, podcasting for teens, and 'tiney shrineys'

Published: Tue, 07/22/25

Updated: Tue, 07/22/25

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In this issue:

The Barnes bus trip is full

August 4: Podcasting for Teens

The next Creative Play series starts Aug. 14

The LV Zoo is coming to the library!

Plant A Row & Groceries Plus food collections

Help SRC top 900 readers!

June private-funding update

August book club and movie group

ART@EPL: Gloria Hasel & Sue Skoras

August 9: Tiney Shrineys with Maryann Riker

Events: Seashells, world flags, gnome homes & more

Just added: 58 items

New on Libby: 39 ebooks/audiobooks and 115 magazine titles

All Things Kids on hoopla & Disability Pride on Kanopy

The Friends' trip to the Barnes Collection is full

Thank you for the great response -- it's going to be a great day!

To be added to the wait list, please email or call Ricki (570-529-0200).

August 4: Podcasting for Teens

Hey teens -- join Cedar Crest College's Communications Department and get started on making your own podcast series!

We'll record your first 30-minute session, give you an introduction to using Clip-champ and Audacity to edit your podcast, and talk about where to post it.

Sign up by yourself or with one or more friends. We'll have three 45 minute slots each available at 1 pm, 2 pm, and 3 pm. Choose your preferred time and sign up online!

The next Creative Play series starts Aug. 14

Registration is now open!
For children 1 to 3 years old, their siblings, and their caretakers.
Space is limited; drop-ins are also welcome if space allows.

We'll turn the Margaret Knoll Gardner Lecture Room into one big play space where everyone can interact and chat informally with local resources to discuss child care and development, including:

August 14: Heather Kistler, Pediatric Dietitian with Jefferson LVHN

August 21: Wendy Bartkus, Emmaus Public Gardens

August 28: Music Therapist Jacqueline Labenberg with movement and music!

September 4: Brett Lesavoy, Pediatric Dentist

July 25: The LV Zoo comes to the library!

Don't miss this fun, interactive program with educators and animal ambassadors from the Lehigh Valley Zoo...

Reserve your seat online. Space is limited.
Walk-ins are also welcome if space allows.

Groceries Plus & Plant A Row food collections

The library is collecting non-perishable food and non-food donations for Groceries PLUS this summer. Groceries PLUS is an emergency food pantry serving the Emmaus community and hosted by Bethel Bible Fellowship Church. They operate under the direction of Second Harvest Food Bank of the Lehigh Valley and Northeast Pennsylvania. Go here for a list of things they need, and drop off items any time in the bin just inside the library entrance.

Plant A Row produce collections are ongoing every Monday morning. Drop off donations Sunday evenings after 7 or Monday mornings before 10.

Thank you!

Help Summer Reading Club reach 900 readers!

You still have time, and it's for ALL ages!

Sign up at the library and get a free book -- no library card required. Plus, you'll be showing your support for the library!

Here are three good reasons to join:

1. Summer Reading Club is strictly for your enjoyment -- there are no meetings or book discussions to attend and you can read (or listen to) whatever you like!
2. You get a free book when you join -- Plus, children earn incentives and journey beads for time spent reading (or being read to), while teens (6th grade to age 18) earn instant prizes. Adults who write brief reviews or complete a bingo are entered in raffle drawings at the end of the summer for prize baskets and gift cards to local businesses.
3. Signing up is quick and easy. Just stop at the library, fill out a brief registration form, and you're all set to get started.

August book club and movie group

The daytime book club meets Aug. 5 at 2 p.m. to talk about The Art Thief by Michael Finkel, a true-crime narrative that tells the story of Stéphane Breitwieser, a prolific art thief who stole hundreds of artworks from European museums and cathedrals between 1994 and 2001.

Then, join Ciro and other film buffs to discuss A Monster Calls on Aug. 19 at 5:30 p.m. Watch the movie at home, then come chat about it over light refreshments.

The evening book group is on a summer break and will return in the fall!

June private-funding update

The private-funding thermometer rose by $5,713 in June, bringing the total for the year to $55,295, or 35.9 percent of the goal.

General gifts (including the donation box) totaled approximately $4.4K and included a donation from the Emmaus Lioness Lions Club--much appreciated. We also received a $520 donation from the Friends to support Summer Reading Club--thanks Friends!

Sales in the Friends' Book Nook added nearly $700, with cash receipts of almost $500 for lost/damaged books, printing/copying, and room rentals rounding out the rest.

At the halfway point for the year, the gap to the goal stands at $98,885. Check back next month for July results.

Want to help the library meet its goal in the meantime? Please consider making a one-time or recurring monthly donation. You can also volunteer, shop at the Friends' Book Nook for great bargains on books and puzzles, or even buy some beautiful art from our exhibits by local artists (see below). A portion of each sale benefits the library, plus your purchase also supports the arts.

ART@EPL: Meet Gloria Hasel & Sue Skoras

The latest ART@EPL exhibit features paintings by Gloria Hasel and Sue Skoras. Come see their work and read more about Gloria and Sue on our blog. If you see a painting you'd like to own, contact Sue for info. A portion of each sale benefits the library.

August 9: Tiney Shrineys with Maryann Riker

Come join mixed-media artist Maryann Riker and create a 'tiney shriney' honoring known relatives, unknown relatives, or curious things that interest you.

These unique shrines are constructed from brass lettering templates that just need your special images to make them your own. You'll need to bring copies of photos, decorative papers, botanical prints and any other doodads that will fit in a 2" x 4" format. The rest of the materials will be provided.

Saturday, August 9, 2-4 PM
Registration required -- sign up online.

EVENTS: Seashells, world flags, gnome homes & more

Click below for details and visit our new online calendar (powered by Local Hop) for lots more great events coming this summer!

...and MORE EVENTS

AUGUST 2 @ 1:30 PM -- Game SaturDay

AUGUST 4 @ 6:00 PM -- Pinterest Party: Gnome Homes

AUGUST 7 @ 10:30 AM -- Bingo: World Flag Edition

AUGUST 11 @ 6:00 PM -- Coffee & Rice Fantasy Maps

AUGUST 16 @ 10:00 AM -- Chalk the Walk

AUGUST 16 @ 2:00 PM -- One Big Open Sky Book Discussion

Just added: 58 items

See/download ou r latest additions and click on a cover for details or to reserve items from your account online for quick pickup at the desk.

New on Libby

Over on Libby, you'll find more than 25,000 items--including the latest #BigLibraryRead title, The Storyteller's Death. BLR is a digital book club connecting readers to the same ebook & audiobook with no waitlists or holds! Borrow the featured title and join the online discussion with author Ann Dávila Cardinal on July 31!

Plus, 29 ebooks, 10 audiobooks and 115 new magazine titles have recently been added, as well as the latest issues of your favorites--all available with your card number and 4-digit PIN.

Need help with Libby? Check out their help page or book time with library staff for one-on-one help.

All Things Kids on hoopla & Disability Pride on Kanopy

Find endless learning and adventures with kids' books, movies, and music albums that spark fun and imagination all summer long--at hoopla's All Things Kids collection. From fun songs to engaging picture books, there's an adventure waiting for everyone young at heart.

And, celebrate resilience, representation, and the power of authentic storytelling with Kanopy’s Disability Pride Month collection. Their curate lineup honors the experiences and voices of the differently-abled community through compelling films that challenge stereotypes and highlight diverse perspectives.

Hoopla and Kanopy are free for residents of Emmaus and Macungie Boroughs and Upper Milford Township. If you live outside the EPL 'home' area, please check with your home library.

Thank you for reading and supporting the library. Watch for the next issue of BELONG on (or about) August 1.

11 E Main St
Emmaus PA 18049
US

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BELONG - Creative play, podcasting for teens, and 'tiney shrineys'

In this issue:

Groceries Plus & Plant A Row food collections

Here are three good reasons to join:

August book club and movie group

June private-funding update

Saturday, August 9, 2-4 PMRegistration required -- sign up online.

...and MORE EVENTS

New on Libby

All Things Kids on hoopla & Disability Pride on Kanopy

Thank you for reading and supporting the library. Watch for the next issue of BELONG on (or about) August 1.

Saturday, August 9, 2-4 PM
Registration required -- sign up online.