In June 2023, we announced that Solon Public Library had been selected as one of 240 libraries to participate in Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities, an American Library Association (ALA) initiative that provides community engagement and accessibility resources to small and rural libraries to help them better serve people with disabilities.
In our community conversations we heard that accessible meetings and programs were a large priority for our community. One way we are working to make these more accessible is with the purchase of our Meeting Owl. This 360 degree camera, microphone, and speaker set up allows us to host hybrid Zoom programs with everyone attending able to participate whether they are joining in-person or on Zoom from home. We’re also delighted to be able to share this technology with the City of Solon for city council meetings.
We’re excited to share that the final pieces of our Libraries Transforming Communities: Accessible Small and Rural Communities Grant are now complete! After several construction days, and a messy parking lot we now have new ADA compliant parking spaces (including two van accessible spaces, and one regular) we’ve also added two reserved spots for persons with limited mobility. We know not all mobility issues are the same and we’re making sure everyone can visit the Library! The Library entry also has new signs to help direct folks to our automatic door, push the button to operate and enter with ease!
Thank you to everyone for participating in our community discussions and helping us meet these needs for our community.
Library Events
The Summer Reading Program is for everyone! We have programs for every reader, from babies to kids to teens and adults. Slips can be turned in anytime during the summer starting June 1st and the final deadline is Wednesday, July 31. Pick up a program brochure, reading logs, and calendar to plan your summer fun! Registration for July programs opens on Thursday, June 20, visit our website calendar and click on the program to register, or give us a call to help you through this process.
We hope you’re grilling up something special for Cookbook Club Saturday, June 15! Join us at 11:00 a.m. to share BBQ themed dishes, don’t forget to bring copies of your recipe or try something from the cookbooks. Cookbook Club is a great way to try different recipes, share tips and tricks, and enjoy an array of foods. Check out a cookbook at the Library to get inspired and join us!
Our monthly Tech Talk program is here to help patrons keep up with ever-changing technology. This month we’re learning the basics of Microsoft Publisher Thursday, June 20 at 9:30 a.m. We’ll have a limited number of laptops available for use or bring your own device for hands on help at Tech Talk.
Traversing the world of homeschooling can be a big task! We’d love to help with your journey. Area homeschool families are invited for a Homeschool Meet Up and Resources program Monday, June 24 at 10:30 a.m. We’ll begin with introductions, then hear from our Youth Services Librarian about helpful resources in the Library and surrounding areas and have time to socialize with each other.
Summer Reading fun isn’t just for the kids! Adults and Young Adults (16+) will enjoy learning about Restoring Oak Forest Habitats Tuesday, June 25 at 6:30 p.m. Iowa DNR Forester Mark Vitosh will be here to discuss maintaining and restoring oak forest habitats.
Library Access
Regular Library hours are:
Monday-Thursday 9:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m.
Friday-Saturday 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Closed Sundays.
The Library will be open 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. Friday, June 28 to allow time for our staff in-service after close.
Don’t forget, the digital library is always available! Find an eBook, eAudiobook, magazines and more with Bridges, or with the Libby app on your favorite smart device. You can even stream classic films, discover new favorites, and more with Kanopy on your favorite smart device.
Everyone is welcome at the Library and our programs. Please contact us with access needs.
What’s New?
From beach reads to thrillers, find something on the new fiction shelf to keep you entertained. Don’t forget to log it for summer reading and claim your prize!
Death Behind Every Door by Heather Graham. When FBI special agent Luke Kendrick discovers chilling evidence of dozens of victims at a crime scene in London, he recognizes the calling card of the notorious H. H. Holmes Society. Named for the eighteenth-century monster regarded as America’s first serial killer, the society is comprised of a twisted web of killers, working to carry out heinous murders in Holmes’s memory. And now the group’s been linked to a Scottish castle turned B and B—where guests check in but never check out.
First Frost by Craig Johnson. The past and future collide in this gripping new addition to the beloved New York Times bestselling Longmire series.
It’s the summer of 1964, and recent college graduates Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear read the writing on the wall and enlist to serve in the Vietnam War. As they catch a few final waves in California before reporting for duty, a sudden storm assaults the shores and capsizes a nearby cargo boat. Walt and Henry jump to action, but it’s soon revealed by the police who greet them ashore that the sunken boat carried valuable contraband from underground sources.
For the Love of Summer by Susan Mallery. As the owner of Twisted, Seattle’s best salons, Erica knows that the sharpest cuts come from the people we love. She’s terrified that she’s losing her teen daughter, Summer, to her “other” family, especially to her stepmom, Allison.
All it takes to blow up Allison’s happy life is one collect call. From prison. Her beloved husband, Peter, has been arrested, leaving Allison pregnant, broke, scared and alone with a toddler. But when her stepdaughter ferrets out the truth, the teen rushes to the last person Allison wants to ask for help—her husband’s battle-ax ex.
Erica would do anything for Summer, even take in the woman her daughter loves like a second mom. Allison feels intimidated by Erica—a woman who would never let herself become so dependent on a man. But the more time they spend together, the more Allison realizes what Erica truly needs is a friend. Can two women who married the same man move beyond their complicated past and rethink what it means to be family?