There's something to discover in every corner of Schlafly Branch Library and every example of its rich resources seems to contain multi-layers.
Learn a language or brush up on language skills: Mango, an online language instruction program, makes it fun to learn something new. Schlafly's foreign language collection includes books in Chinese, shown above, Spanish, and Persian. For non-native English speakers, English as a Second Language instruction at Schlafly features hour-long basic conversation practice Monday evenings, Tuesday mornings & Saturday afternoons.
Book Club in a Bag includes 15 copies from a selection of 200 books packed in a bag ready-to-go. The bag comes with everything your book group will need, including author's bio, suggested questions for discussion, and related websites to visit. Books can be transferred from Central Library, where they are housed, to the Schlafly Branch or the library of your choice. Ordering instructions are here.
The neighborhood library also hosts two book groups: Schlafly Book Discussion Group, which has been in existence since 2002, meets on the 4th Thursday of each month at 7 p.m. "Discourse in a Digital Age" looks at books through the lens of technology. The group recently discussed Dune by Frank Herbert, and then spoke to the author via Google Voice. On occasion they Skype with the author or notable guest.
There is a special area just for teens at Schlafly Branch, shown above.
A large area of the library is devoted to children's activities. On the first and third Thursday of each month there is a Story Hour from 10 to 10:30 a.m. In addition, Schlafly is "open" for after-school homework help every afternoon from 3 to 5 p.m. A staff member is assigned to this service which is available for students up to age 18. Signing up in advance is not required.
FLIP bags (on table left) contain a story book with coordinated activities for parents "as teachers", and TumbleBooks, animated picture books that teach young children the joys of reading are available online, providing more tools for learning at home.
With this final photo showing Huck Finn's raft interpreted in bread dough by Companion Bakery pastry chef George "Skip" Gunthier, left, I can explain how it came to be, and at the same time promote St. Louis Public Library's upcoming Taste of Fiction benefit. This is the second year for what was a sold-out event last year and had everyone who attended clamoring for an encore, including the chefs! A post about the inaugural Taste of Fiction event can be found here.
Seventeen local pastry chefs will create pastries inspired by books chosen by the Taste of Fiction committee. The cakes will be unveiled at a cocktail party at Central Library, 1301 Olive, on Friday, March 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. The pastries will remain on view the following day as part of Culinary Month celebrated at Central and all the branches in the system.
Many, many Taste of Fiction committee members have ties to the CWE including Co-Chairs Sally Nikolajevich and former CWEnder Erica Leisenring. Tickets for Taste of Fiction are $100 Patron/$50 individual. Raffle tickets at $5 each, or $20 for 5, will throw your name in the mix to win a cake or sweet from a participating chef, serving 8 to 10 (you need not be present to win, but how could you pass this fun event up?). For tickets, call (314) 539-0359, or visit the library's website here.
Schlafly Branch Library, 225 N. Euclid, 9 to 9 p.m. Mon. – Thurs., 9 to 6 Fri. & Sat., 1 to 5 Sun., Closed holidays. (314) 367-4120.