News
Free Computer Classes at Chickasha Public Library October 28 – November 6
The Chickasha Public Library is offering a series of FREE computer classes for digital training skills from The Chickasha Public Library is offering a series of FREE computer classes for digital training skills from October 28 through November 5. These classes will cover the following topics each day:
- Computer Basics – Oct. 28, 10-11 a.m.
- Internet Basics – Oct. 29, 10-11 a.m.
- Open Lab (individual questions and answers) – Oct. 30, 2-4 p.m.
- Email Basics – Oct. 31, 10-11 a.m.
- Internet Safety – Nov. 1, 2-3 p.m.
- Mobile Device (Phone) Basics – Nov. 4, 10-11 a.m.
- Video Conferencing – Nov. 5, 10-11 a.m.
- Open Lab (individual questions and answers) – Nov. 6, 2-4 p.m.
Participants can bring their own laptops or devices and the Library also has several laptops available for use during the classes. All Library programs are free to attend. For more information, call the Chickasha Public Library at 405-222-6075.
Friends of the Library Host Local Authors Festival at Chickasha Public Library October 26
The Friends of the Chickasha Public Library will host a Local Authors Festival on Saturday, October 26 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Chickasha Public Library. The community is invited to meet local authors and purchase copies of their books.
Authors who are participating include Winona Cross Bennett, Kendall Brashears, M.E. Craig, Maxine Douglas, Debbie Fogle, Tamrie Foxtail, Terry Godfrey, June Gray, Kenny Harmon, Pete Hammert, Eileen Hobbs, Linda Fellers Hundley, Anna Kittrell, Brian McNatt, Kathy Shaull, Michelle Skinner, Cheryl L-G Trent, and Liz Tyner.
All of the authors will be set up at tables in the meeting room with copies of their books, which are written in a variety of genres. There will be memoirs, young adult books, historical and contemporary romance, fantasy, suspense, local history, horror, and mysteries. This is a chance for everyone to visit with local authors, ask them about their books, and also purchase some new books to read.
All Library programs are free to attend. For more information, call the Chickasha Public Library at 405-222-6075.
Friends of the Library to host Fall Used Book Sale from Oct 7-19, 2024
by the Friends of the Library
Fall is arriving and it is almost time for the annual ‘Used Book Sale’ hosted by the Friends of the Library (Friends). Mark your calendars and join the Friends on Mon. through Sat., Oct. 7-19, 2024 to browse and shop for books in the Library’s Community Meeting Room, 527 Iowa Ave., in Chickasha, OK.
The Book Sale is held during the open hours of the Library, Mon. – Thurs. 9:30am–7pm; Fri. 9:30am–6pm; and Sat., 10am-2pm. The Library is closed on Sunday.
Shoppers will find a nice selection of Children, Teen, and Adult Fiction Books, Non-Fiction Books, Reference Materials, Book CDs and DVDs at the sale.
The Friends encourage those purchasing books to make a financial donation rather than paying pre-set individual prices for their selections. A suggested donation is $1 per book, except for children’s books.
Proceeds from the ‘Fall Used Book Sale’ will be used to purchase new books and materials for the Library.
The Friends of the Library is a non-profit 501(C)3 organization and supports the Chickasha Public Library with its needs and programs.
Memberships for the Friends of the Library and financial donations may be made any time at the Library welcome desk or mailed to the Friends of the Library, 527 Iowa Ave., Chickasha, OK 73018.
Annual memberships run from July 1 through June 30 and are now being received for the Friends’ 2024-2025 membership drive. With each membership, please include your name, mailing address, phone number and email address, if available.
For more information about the ‘Fall Used Book Sale’ and any Library event, please call the Library at 405-222-6075.
Library Offers August Programs for Adults
The Chickasha Public Library has several programs coming during the month of August specifically for adults about a variety of topics, including book clubs, legal information, survival, and workshops to help with computer skills.
August 1st was the first session of Let’s Talk About It, a five-part discussion series that focuses on the theme of Myth and Literature. Dr. Harbour Winn presented The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell. Several copies of the book are available to check out from the Library for those who wish to read. All of the Let’s Talk About It programs will be held on the first Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. from August through December in the Library’s meeting room.
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma will give a presentation on Thursday, August 8 from 2-3 p.m. about how to expunge your criminal record. This program will help participants gain legal information from experts to navigate the process effectively, discover how expungement can create new opportunities for your future, and financial assistance available for those who are low-income.
Prepping for Survival will be Saturday, August 17, at 11 a.m. This is a program for adults who want to learn information about how to handle emergency situations, and will be taught by Stephen Wilson of Modern Survivability. This program will cover how to use items in your emergency kit, which will be provided.
Finally, a series of digital skills workshops will be held Thursday, August 22 and Friday, August 23. The classes are intended for learners who are new to using a computer and want to build confidence while staying safe online. Topics include using web browsers, creating passwords that are hard to guess, using search engines, navigating a mobile device and so much more. Workshops will be taught by digital literacy experts with the national nonprofit Connected Nation.
Thursday’s digital skills schedule includes Computer Basics at 10:00 a.m., Internet Basics at 11:00 a.m., Open Lab Workshops from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m., Email Basics at 2:00 p.m., and Internet Safety at 3:00 p.m. Friday’s schedule includes Mobile Device Basics at 10:00 a.m., Video Conferencing at 11:00 a.m., and Open Lab Workshops from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Register for any or all of these classes at https://surveys.connectednation.org/s3/ChickashaPL.
Chickasha Public Library Hosts Let’s Talk About It Book Discussion Series
The Chickasha Public Library will host the Let’s Talk About It program this fall with a series of book discussions on the theme of Myth and Literature. Let’s Talk About It is a book club designed for adults 18 and older who enjoy reading and discussing books with others. Discussion programs will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the first Thursday of each month from August through December in the Library’s meeting room. Each program will begin with a scholar discussing the month’s book, including the background and literary themes, and will also include time for small group discussions.
The first program will be on Thursday, August 1. Harbour Winn will discuss The Power of Myth by Joseph Campbell. The second program will be Thursday, September 5, and Richard Rouillard will present Black Elk Speaks by John G. Neihardt. The third program will be Thursday, October 3, and Laura Endicott will present A Passage to India by E. M. Forster. The fourth program will be Thursday, November 7, and Judy Neale will present The Summer Before the Dark by Doris Lessing. The final program will be Thursday, December 6. Caroline Larsen will present The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Multiple copies of all of these books are available to check out from the Chickasha Public Library. According to Oklahoma Humanities, this series of books “shows how authors use existing mythologies and create new ones to explain our world.” Participants will have a chance to share their experience and learn from others, and reading each month’s book beforehand is not required to attend the programs. Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Library.
Books, services, and other materials for this series are provided by Let’s Talk About It, a project of Oklahoma Humanities. Generous funding and support for this series was provided by Kirkpatrick Family Fund, McCasland Foundation, Oklahoma City Community Foundation, and Oklahoma City University. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in these programs do not necessarily represent those of Oklahoma Humanities.
Library closed for Juneteenth
The Chickasha Public Library will be closed Wednesday, June 19, in honor of Juneteenth. We will reopen at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 20.
Summer Reading is May 23-July 25!
It’s almost time for Summer Reading, which is a free program where children and teens participate by reading books, tracking their minutes, earning prizes, and attending programs and events.
Reading minutes can be tracked on Beanstack from May 23 through July 25, and there are a variety of programs for different age groups during June and July.
Camp Chickasha Library Teens (ages 12-17)
Happy Campers (ages 6-11)
Campfire Tales (ages 4-5; and families)
Lil’ Campers (ages 0-3)
For more information about Summer Reading or any other youth services, read the Summer Reading edition of the LIbrary’s newsletter, call the Library at 405-222-6075, or email Youth Services Librarian Drew Cooper at drew.cooper@chickasha.org.
Summer Reading Events
MAY
- MAY 23 WELCOME CAMPERS KICK-OFF FROM 11 AM – 1 PM CENTENNIAL PARK – All ages registration
- May 28 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2 pm: Anime Club *New members welcome
- May 29 Storytimes: Lil’ Campers @ 10 am & Campfire Tales @ 2 pm
- May 30 Happy Campers: Camper mini canvas paint class @ 10 am and 2 pm
JUNE
- June 4 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2 pm: Survival 101: Survival tricks and hacks
- June 5 Storytimes: Lil’ Campers @ 10 am and Campfire Tales @ 2 pm June 6 Happy Campers @ 10 & 2: Stories, smores and more with the Chickasha Police Department @ 10 am and the Chickasha Fire Department @ 2 pmJune 11 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2 pm: Book Club *New members welcome
- June 12 Storytimes: Lil’ Campers @ 10 am and Campfire Tales @ 2pm
- June 13 Happy Campers: Dad’s Day Out, drop-in from 10 am -4 pm
- June 18 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2 pm: Percy Jackson Camp Half Blood
- June 19 Library CLOSED – No Storytime program today June 20 Happy Campers @ 2 pm: I Survived Book Club *New members welcome
- June 25 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2 pm: Anime Club *New members welcome June 26 Storytimes: Lil’ Campers @ 10 am and Campfire Tales @ 2 pm
- June 27 Happy Campers OKC Science Museum event @ the Library: 2 pm only! Registration required for this event. Please call or stop by to register. Ages 6-11
JULY
- July 2 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2 pm: Book Club *New members welcome July 3 Storytimes: Lil’ Campers @ 10 am and Campfire Tales @ 2 pm July 4 Library CLOSED – No Happy Campers event today
- July 9 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2 pm: Survival 101: First Aid Basics
- July 10 Storytimes: Lil’ Campers @ 10 am and Campfire Tales @ 2 pm
- July 11 Happy Campers Let’s Get Geeky STEM event: Things that Glow @ 10 am & 2 pm
- July 16 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2pm: Anime Club *New members welcome
- July 17 Storytimes: Lil’ Campers @ 10am and Campfire Tales @ 2pm
- July 18 Happy Campers @ 2 pm: I Survived Book Club *New members welcome
- July 23 Camp Chickasha Library Teens @ 2 pm: Teen Finale in Tuttle: Tiger Safari – Registration Required. LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE
- July 24 Storytimes: Lil’ Campers @ 10 am and Campfire Tales @ 2 pm
- July 25 Campers ages 0-11 Finale: Snider Family Exotics at the Library @ 2pm only!
- JULY 31 ALL AGES SUMMER READING AWARDS PROGRAM following Storytime at 10 am.
Applications for Youth Services internship accepted April 26 – May 10
Do you know a high school or college student who is interested in a Youth Services library internship? The Chickasha Public Library is accepting applications for an internship that will assist the Youth Services Librarian with programs and events during the Summer Reading program.
The internship will consist of a minimum of 100 hours over the course of the summer, from May 13, 2024, through July 31, 2024. This will average out to about 10 hours a week.
Youth Services programs/events are typically held Tuesdays at 2 p.m., Thursdays at 10 a.m., and Thursdays at 2 p.m. Storytime is Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Summer Reading Kick-off “Welcome Camp Chickasha Lake Campers” event will be held on May 23, 2024 at Centennial Park from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Interested applicants can print out the application here and email it to Drew.Cooper@chickasha.org, or return it to the Chickasha Public Library.
Spring Used Book Sale Cancelled
From the Friends of the Library:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Spring Used Book Sale that was scheduled for next week has been cancelled.
Please spread the word!
Stay tuned for information about the Fall Used Book Sale!!
Thanks to everyone for their continued support of the work of Friends of the Library for our exceptional local library and their phenomenal staff!!
Genealogy Workshop – February 21
The Library is hosting a free genealogy workshop on Wednesday, February 21 at 2 p.m. This hour-long program will cover topics such as genealogy books and resources in the Library, free online databases that are available from the Library, other free online resources, and ideas for organizing family history information.
Some of the books in the Library’s genealogy section include Chickasha city directories, yearbooks from Grady County schools, several books about the history of Chickasha and other Grady County communities, histories of local organizations, and individual family histories. Additionally, there is a section about the history and cultures of Oklahoma that has individual county histories, information about the Dawes Roll, and pre-statehood census records.
The Library’s online databases include access to Ancestry Library Edition on Library computers, and Heritage Quest, which is accessible on any internet-capable device with your library card number. The Chickasha Newspaper Collection on the Gateway to Oklahoma History contains freely accessible digitized copies of Chickasha newspapers on the Gateway to Oklahoma History. If you have ever wondered how to search for relevant information online, there will be a discussion of search tips and what kind of information and documents can be found on each of these databases, as well as some other free websites that could be helpful in finding information about a specific person.
Finally, there will be some ideas about how to organize an ever-growing collection of family history research in order to keep track of everything while also making sure none of the information is lost.
“Whether you are just beginning your genealogy research, or are already a dedicated researcher with a pile of documents and sources, this workshop can provide information that can help you to take advantage of free resources that can help you search more efficiently and to find some unexpected treasures,” says Michelle Skinner, Reference Librarian.
There will also be time for questions and answers during the program, and people are welcome to browse the Library’s collection of physical and online genealogy resources afterwards. In case of inclement weather, this workshop will be held on Wednesday, February 28. For more information, call the Library at 405-222-6075, or email michelle.skinner@chickasha.org.
