REGULAR EVENTS
Baby Sprouts Toddler Time is sprouting into two days and two times this fall: our Toddler Time for families with children ages 18 months-3 years will now be held Tuesday evenings at 6:30 PM from September 17th through November 19th and Thursday mornings at 10:30 AM from September 19th through November 21st. Pick the time that best suits your family’s schedule! New families are always welcome at Baby Sprouts, and no sign-ups are needed.
Sprouting Readers is the Bellwood-Antis Public Library’s weekly storytime for families with children ages 3-8. Every Monday at 6:30 PM from October 7th to November 18th, join our guest readers for stories, activities, crafts, and lots of fun! No sign-ups needed, new families always welcome!
Please note that there will be no Sprouting Readers on November 11th, as the library will be closed in observance of Veteran’s Day.
Tai Chi is a gentle and slow practice with numerous health benefits, and Blair Senior Services is presenting FREE Tai Chi classes for individuals age 60 and over at the library. This is the final level of the class, and only open to individuals who participated in levels 1 and 2 of the classes. Sign up at the checkout desk, or by messaging us on Facebook. Tai Chi classes will begin on Wednesday, October 16th and continue every Wednesday from 1:00-1:45 PM through December 11th. No class on Wednesday, November 27th due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Do you love playing video games? Want to build and program your own? Kids entering grades 7-12 are invited to join the Door‘s Bellwood Computers Gamers Club for learning and fun. You will build and program a retro arcade game and learn the basics of Raspberry Pi Scratch programming. You will get to keep the computer you build and all the equipment and programming book (over $150 in equipment)
Registration is $25 and includes a t-shirt and all your equipment, which you get to keep if you attend the first five sessions. Space is VERY limited. To register, you must call the Door at 814-935-9971 or e-mail thedoor@mail.com. Registration is not complete until your class fee is paid. Registrations can be dropped off at the Door Monday through Friday from 3:00-7:00 PM at the Door (521 Main Street). This program was made possible with generous support from Operation Our Town and PC Works.
October is the last month to visit Fort Roberdeau before they close for the winter, and thanks to a new pilot program, we are loaning out a Free Family Admission Pass for a fort tour at the library until October 31st!
Check out the Blair County Library System Backpack & pass available at the library checkout desk, and enjoy a free tour of this Blair County Park that is also a National Historic Site and Conservation Area. The backpack includes literature on Colonial America and the wildlife your family can see at Fort Roberdeau, as well as kid-safe binoculars and a magnifying glass.
This new program will resume in spring of 2020, when Fort Roberdeau reopens. This pilot program is currently only available at Northern Blair County Libraries. For information on Fort Roberdeau, visit https://fortroberdeau.org/home/.
The library will hold a used book sale starting on Saturday, October 5th from 9 AM-4 PM, continuing during regular library hours (1-8 PM daily) from Monday, October 7th through Thursday, October 10th, and conclude with Bag Day on Saturday, October 12th from 9 AM-4 PM. We’ll have thousands of gently used books of all types for sale. All proceeds benefit the Bellwood-Antis Public Library.
There’s more Halloween fun at the Monster Mayhem October Lego Challenge Night on Wednesday, October 16th at 6:00 PM. Kids ages 5-15 are challenged to build horrifying, disgusting, and possibly hilarious hybrid monsters by building half a monster, then switching off with a friend! Lego Challenge Nights are free, and no sign-ups are needed, but we ask that parents stay in the library while children build.
Support the library by dining at the Altoona Panda Express (240 Park Hills Plaza) between 10:30 AM and 9:30 PM on Friday, October 18th. Present a paper or digital version of the Fundraiser Event Flyer (click here for digital flyer) and 20% of your bill will be donated to the library.
Sensory Saturday Storytime is going to a galaxy far, far away on Saturday, October 19th at noon with Star Wars themed stories, fingerplays, and sensory free play! Sensory Saturday Storytime is for children ages 2 and up with Autism, special needs, and sensory concerns. The program is free, and no sign-ups are necessary, but we ask that a grown-up stay with the child during the program. Free book for all children who attend courtesy of the Central PA Autism Society!
Knitters, crocheters, weavers, and other fiber artists are invited to the next Fiber Arts group meetup on Monday, October 21st from 6-8 PM. Bring your own materials & project and get to know your fellow fiber artists. All levels of ability and all styles of fiber art welcome!
Take a journey into the mysterious corners of your imagination. Are you ready for the unexpected? On Tuesday, October 22nd at 6:00 PM, join local author Tom Catalano for a reading from his latest book the Edge of Imagination. The Edge of Imagination is a collection of short stories of psychological suspense for adults and teenagers. Books will be available for purchase and signing.
James Gindlesperger will be appearing at the library during the October Descendants of Civil War Union Veterans meeting on Wednesday, October 23rd at 7 PM to discuss and sign his various Civil War books, such as So You Think You Know Gettysburg, volumes 1 & 2. This special meeting is open to the public.
At the next Lego Club on Saturday, November 2nd from noon-2 PM, kids will create the house of their dreams our of Lego Bricks! Lego Club is free, and no sign-ups are needed, but we ask that parents and other caregivers stay in the library while children build.
The library’s Election Day Soup Sale is on Tuesday, November 5th from 10 AM-until all soup is sold. Pick up some fresh, homemade soup after you vote! All proceeds benefit the library.
The library is home to a number of community organizations with meetings and programs that are open to the public. Visit our community meetings page for information on these programs.