From seniors to kids, it's all happening at the Burke County Public Libraries

Join us for DIY Botanical Pumpkins on Monday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. at the C.B. Hildebrand Public Library. Create a lovely centerpiece for your fall gatherings. Pre-registration is required. This program is open to adults only.

The Valdese Plot Hounds Book Discussion Group will meet Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m., at the Valdese Public Library. We will discuss the book “Demon Copperhead,” by Barbara Kingsolver. Registration is not required to attend.

The Oxymorons New Adult Book Discussion Group will meet Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m., at the Morganton Public Library. We will discuss the book “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” by Shelby Van Pelt. The discussion is open to older teens and adults only.

Join us for our Junk Journal Workshop on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 6 p.m., at the Valdese Public Library. Pre-registration is required to attend.

Needlework in the Morning will be held Friday, Nov. 21, at 10 a.m. at the Morganton Public Library. No registration is required.

All programs are adults only unless otherwise stated. For more information, call Danielle at 828-764-9269 or email danielle.townsend@burkenc.org.

Senior Tech

The Western Piedmont Council of Governments Planning and Transportation department is offering Digital Literacy for Seniors Drop-In sessions at the Morganton Public Library from 9 a.m. until noon Tuesday, Nov. 25.

These sessions are one-on-one meetings with our Digital Navigator and pre-registration is required.

If you would like individual help with smartphones and tablets, laptops, apps on your devices, online bill pay, making online appointments, online shopping, and more, please stop by the Adult Services circulation desk or call 828-764-9261 to schedule your 30-minute appointment. These sessions are free of charge.

Young Adult Programming

Young Adult Services has something for everyone last week at the library.

Families can join us at the Morganton Public Library on Monday, Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. for our Movie & Make It Night where we will be screening “Howl’s Moving Castle” (2004 | PG) and making our own Polymer Clay Calcifers.

Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. teens can head to the Valdese Public Library to learn how to make their own DIY Acorn Pendants. Pre-registration is encouraged to ensure enough supplies are available.

Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. at the Morganton Public Library is the monthly meeting of the Oxymorons New Adult Book Discussion Group, where we will be discussing “Remarkably Bright Creatures,” by Shelby Van Pelt. This group is open to adults and teens ages 15 and up.

Finally, we will round out the week with a sweet treat on Thursday, Nov. 20, at 4 p.m. at the Morganton Public Library as we make DIY Pumpkin Mugcakes. Pre-registration is required to ensure enough supplies, and space is limited.

For more information or to pre-register for any YAS programs, contact Lizzie at 828-764-9273 or by email at lizzie.whisnant@burkenc.org.

Children’s Programming

The Valdese Public Library is hosting Kids Can Cook Class: Sweet & Savory on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at 5:30 p.m. This Thanksgiving-themed class is for students in kindergarten through the 5th grade. Pre-registration is required.

Have you checked out ecoEXPLORE yet? A fun program that can help get your kids (and family) outdoors more while also teaching them about the animals and plants that are all around them.

ecoEXPLORE (Experiences Promoting Learning Outdoors for Research and Education) is an incentive-based citizen science program for children in grades K-8.

Developed by The North Carolina Arboretum, this innovative program combines science exploration with kid-friendly technology to foster a fun learning environment for children while encouraging them to explore the outdoors and participate in citizen science.

If you would like to see what all the excitement is about, visit any of our branches to pick up an activity sheet. Follow the included instructions and submit your findings through the website to start earning badges and prizes.

Redeem prizes through the site and the N.C. Arboretum will mail the prize directly to your child. Visit www.ecoexplore.net to sign up today, see more of the offered prizes, and to get more information.

You can also visit one of our locations for more information.

November and December are Mammalogy season, so get outside with the family and study a mammal. Mammals have amazing adaptations to maintain body temperature and survive in the wild. Tell us about a furry friend you can find to help earn your very own Mammalogy Badge with ecoEXPLORE.

Libraries Closed

All locations of the Burke County Public Library will be closed Thursday, Nov. 27, through Saturday, Nov. 29, for Thanksgiving.

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers are needed at the Morganton Public Library to assist with landscape maintenance.

We need some folks to help us keep our landscaped areas free of weeds and debris. If you would like to help, call Library Director Jim Wilson at 764-9276 or email at jwilson@bcpls.org.

eBooks @ your library

More than 6,000 Burke County Public Library users have registered to use the library’s digital collection available through the e-iNC consortium and NC Kids Digital Library.

This digital collection includes eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming video available to Burke County Public Library cardholders. Apps are available for download for a variety of devices including Kindle, iPhone, and Android phones.

Go to http://omc.overdrive.com to see the apps. To access the collection and download items go to http://e-inc.lib.overdrive.com and follow the instructions to set up an account. You will need to know your library card number and your PIN. Please contact the library if you need any assistance.

Find Us on the Web

Go to www.bcpls.org for a list of programs and events. Unless noted otherwise, all library programs are free. Some programs have pre-registration and age requirements.

Most Wanted List

Donations of new or gently used copies of any of the best-selling titles are most appreciated. To date, the library has received 1,122 of these most wanted books.

Current New York Times bestsellers and NC Cardinal Consortium holds:

• “The Black Wolf” by Louise Penny – 391 holds
• “The Widow” by John Grisham – 986 holds
• “Bonds of Hercules” by Jasmine Mas – 10 holds
• “The Secret of Secrets” by Dan Brown – 403 holds
• “The Proving Ground” by Michael Connelly – 500 holds
• “The Defender” by Ana Huang – 1 holds
• “The Tin Men” by Nelson DeMille – 102 holds
• “Gone Before Goodbye” by Reese Witherspoon and Harlan Coben – 473 holds
• “Alchemised” by SenLin Yu – 60 holds
• “Remain” by Nicholas Sparks and M. Night Shyamalan – 382 holds