Brace yourself for a fun school year

While the summer may be wrapping up, we have some great resources to help you get ready for school and some amazing programs in August. No matter what grade you are going into, whether it’s kindergarten or grad school, the library has a database or program for you.

To kick things off this week, we are happy to announce the return of the Dam Roast House &Browder Bookstore Coffee Pop-up in the library lobby. After all, nothing pairs better with a good book than a hot cup of coffee. Starting in July, Dam Roast House will be serving patrons every fourth Thursday of the month from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

As we near the end of July, we also near the end of the Summer Reading Program. To celebrate the occasion, we’ve partnered with Ruben’s Toys and Woodcraft and Iron Rose to throw a Paint and Plant Party that’s sure to be fun for the whole family. The party kicks off at 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 25.

Even if you can’t make it, be sure you get all your minutes logged before the clock strikes midnight on the 25th for your chance to win some great prizes. If you’ve won a prize, you can expect to receive a call within one to two weeks after SRP has officially ended.

For those looking for a more mature capstone to send off July, we are proud to partner with Nevada Humanities and present a screening of the award-winning Nevada documentary film, “Piconland: The Quest for the Perfect Picon Punch.” Winner of the 2023 Best Nevada Filmmaker Award at Boulder City’s own Dam Short Film Festival, “Piconland” celebrates the rich history and cultural significance of the official state cocktail.

The 27-minute film will be followed by a conversation and Q&A with writer and director Mark Maynard. The screening will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 30 in our Community Room. As we move into August, we’ll be kicking things off with something entirely new to the Boulder City Library: stand-up comedy! Middle school science teacher by day, and stand-up comic by night, Bill Douglas will be bringing the laughs to our library on Thursday, Aug. 6 at 6 p.m. Bill has toured extensively, making audiences around the world laugh. He’ll be joined by fellow comic Andy Beningo, who was named Best Comedian by both Detroit Metro Times and Hour Detroit Magazine.

While both comics are hailed for their clean sense of humor, their material is still geared toward older audiences, so please keep that in mind before bringing the wee ones. Comedy isn’t the only thing new coming to the library. On Friday, Aug. 21 at 2 p.m., the library will be hosting its first ever speed puzzle challenge. Teams will have up to two hours to see how fast they can put together a puzzle with the winning team earning a prize. The event will support up to five teams of four members, so be sure to register soon if you and some friends are interested in some friendly competition.

And to top off our August events, we are proud to host author and illustrator Alex Lu, who will be doing story times and book signings on Aug. 29. Alex is the creator of “Kibble Farm,” an early reader book series that introduces foundational perspectives on curiosity, nature, and empathy, and answers important questions like “If you shake a cow just right, can you make butter?”

If you are getting ready for school, Scholastic Teachables are perfect for you. Teachers, parents of young children, or children looking to explore on their own have access to pre-made worksheets that you can download with your library card number and pin. There are whole files ready for downloading.

Brainfuse has resources for a variety of age groups, with homework help in HelpNow for those in K-12, CollegeNow for our collegiate scholars, and even VetNow for those who have served our country but need some help getting resources or back into the job market.

For those who are out of school, but want to keep learning we have GetSetUp, a database made by those 55-plus for people that are 55 and older. There are video lessons on different countries, tech help, wellness guides, and everything you need to live your best life.

Boulder City Library is the oldest independent library in Southern Nevada that has been serving its community since 1943. We strive to strengthen our community through access to information, entertainment and ideas, and to inspire a love of reading and learning.

The library is open Monday – Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m., and Friday – Sunday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. You can email us at questions@bclibrary.org or call us at 702-293-1281. Comments, questions, suggestions, and concerns can also be sent to bcdirector@bclibrary.org.