Children’s Programs

Posted by mcpl on 26 June 24

Keep reading and attending programs!!

Summer reading Ends August 1st at 5:30 p.m.!!

All reading logs and tickets will need to turned by 5:30 pm on Friday, August 1st

Upcoming July/ August  Programs 

Preschool Storytime with Desiree Magnant, Monday, July 14 at 10:30AM

Regular scheduled Preschool Storytime, featuring books read by Desiree Magnant.

Hora de cuentos preescolar programada regularmente, con libros leídos por Desiree Magnant.

Community Helpers Storytime at the Marion Fire Department, Monday, July 28 at 10:30AM

Join us for our final summer Preschool Storytime at the Marion Fire Department. Come enjoy a delightful story read by a Community Helper! After the reading, children will have the opportunity to converse with community helpers and explore their vehicles.

Acompáñenos a nuestra última Hora de Cuentos para Preescolares en el Departamento de Bomberos de Marion. Venga a escuchar un libro leído por un Ayudante de la Comunidad. Después, los niños podrán conversar con ellos y explorar sus vehículos.

Wednesday, July 9, July 16, July 23, and July 30 at 10:30AM

Join Mr. Mason for Preschool Storytime at the Old Fort Library.

Books, songs, felt board stories, action rhymes, and fun for preschool-aged children.

Libros, canciones, historias en fieltro, rimas de acción y diversión para niños en edad preescolar. 

Art Explorers (Rising Kindergarten- Rising 5th Grade)/ Exploradores de arte (Alumnos de Kinder a Quinto grado): Popsicle Stick Weaving/ Tejido de palitos de helado

Art Explorers (Rising Kindergarten- Rising 5th Grade)/ Exploradores de arte (Alumnos de Kinder a Quinto grado): Notan Art & Josef Albers/Notan Art y Josef Albers 

Wednesday, July 16 at 1pm | The MTCC Workforce Education Center Building in Old Fort

Art Explorers (Rising Kindergarten- Rising 5th Grade)/ Exploradores de arte (Alumnos de Kinder a Quinto grado): Surrealist Art Games/ Juegos de arte surrealista

Wednesday, July 23 at 1pm | The MTCC Workforce Education Center Building in Old Fort

Art Explorers (Rising Kindergarten- Rising 5th Grade)/ Exploradores de arte (Alumnos de Kinder a Quinto grado): Foil Art/ Arte en papel metálico

First Chapter Tuesdays at 7 p.m./ Primer Capítulo Martes- Martes a las 7pm

Join Ms. Megan for the first chapter of a new book that has been added to our collection. These books are geared toward students in grade 2-5.

Leeremos el primer capítulo de un nuevo libro que se ha añadido a la colección.

BEDTIME STORIES/ Cuentos para dormir 

 Have a question about a program posted?  Call us at either 828-652-3858 for Marion or 828-668-7111 for Old Fort.

Seed Library & Propagation Station

Posted by mcpl on 16 June 22

Welcome to our Seed Library, a community initiative run by our local  McDowell Master Gardeners and local volunteers. Our Seed Library offers a diverse selection of gardening seeds free of charge for anyone in the community to take and use in their gardens. Whether you’re an experienced gardener or just starting out, we welcome you to explore our collection and discover new varieties to grow.

How it Works:

1. Browse our collection of seeds, conveniently organized by type.

2. Select the seeds you’d like to grow and take them home with you, free of charge.

3. Plant your seeds, nurture your plants, and watch them thrive in your garden.

4. Harvest and enjoy your homegrown produce, and consider saving seeds from your healthiest plants for future seasons.

5. If you’re able, consider donating seeds from your own garden to help replenish our library and keep it thriving for others in the community.

Our Seed Library is a celebration of biodiversity and a testament to the power of community collaboration in nurturing our shared environment. We hope you’ll join us in this wonderful gardening adventure and help us grow together!

As an additional resource, we offer seed cleaning screens available for borrowing. These screens make it easy to clean and prepare seeds harvested from your garden for future planting. Simply ask the front desk staff to borrow a seed cleaning screen, follow the instructions provided, and ensure your seeds are ready for storage and sharing with fellow gardeners.

Propagation Station

Visit our Propagation Station, located next to the Seed Library.

What is plant propagation?

Plant propagations are pieces, or cuttings, from plants that grow their own root systems and become new plants.

Want to adopt cuttings?

• Spray a paper towel with water.
• Remove a cutting from a cup, and wrap the plant roots gently in the paper towel.
• Place the wrapped roots in a plastic bag.
• When you get home, continue to grow the cutting in water or plant it in well-draining soil in a pot with drainage holes.

Want to donate cuttings?

• We take houseplants or indoor herbs only.
• Please no soil or potted plants.
• Please root the cuttings in water before donating them.
• Cuttings must be healthy and free of pests or disease.
• Pour water into one of the donations cups. Record your donation in the notebook and include care tips plus the cup’s number where you place your donation.

Tutor.com- Free online help for students!

Posted by mcpl on 04 September 20

Need homework help?  We’ve got you covered!

The McDowell County Public Library is excited to announce that we now offer free academic resources and online tutoring from Tutor.com!

To get started, go to Tutor.com/mcdowell

Patrons have two ways they can access Tutor.com:

1. StudentAccess– Students can use their Student ID as the barcode and the last 4 numbers of their ID as the password.

2. Library Card– Anyone with a McDowell County Library Card can get access by entering the library card # as the barcode and their PIN as the password.

All students in grades K-12 with a library card can use the service to get help with homework, class projects, papers—even test prep! We would love to help your students be better prepared for class each day by providing one-to-one assistance when they need it most: on-demand at homework time. Tutor.com helps you help your students by:

1. Providing Personalized, On-Demand Student Support
Every Tutor.com session is one-to-one between tutor and student. There is no appointment needed and they can access the service from home. Your students get help with their own specific questions or assignments—right when they need it.

2. Extending the Learning Day
When the bell rings at the end of the day, learning does not have to stop. Our tutors are available to help your students when they are struggling with homework after school and on the weekends. Tutors are available to them all week from 2 p.m.- 10 p.m. Tutors who speak Spanish are available all week from 3 p.m.- 10 p.m.

3. Engaging the Student One-to-One
Tutor.com is committed to student learning. Their highly vetted expert tutors will never simply provide homework answers to your students, but instead guide them to find the answer on their own.

4. Impacting Student Achievement
95% of students who use Tutor.com say it helps them complete their homework and improve their grades. Students come to class more prepared and ready to learn!

5. Building Confident Learners
Students also report that Tutor.com helps them feel more confident in their schoolwork.
Tutoring is available in all core K-12 subjects – math, science, English, social studies and writing, including AP-level assistance. Students can access live, online tutoring from any Internet-capable device through Tutor.com/McDowell