Greetings from the Perry County Public Library!

As spring blossoms around us, we’re excited to bring you the latest updates, events, and resources available at the library. Whether you’re looking for a new book, a fun family activity, or ways to stay connected with your community, we have something for everyone. We hope this newsletter keeps you informed and inspired as we celebrate the season of renewal!

Happy reading, and thank you for being a valued part of our library family.🐇 🌷

• New items and materials that will hit the shelves soon!
• April, how to celebrate the month, weeks and days.
• Upcoming Programs & Program Guide
• Community Corner (Perry County Development Corporation/Pick Perry)
• Biblioscope: Your Monthly Literary Horoscope
• Featured Library Services
• Department Highlight
• Teen Scene
• Children's Corner

April Fools' Day or All Fools' Day is an annual custom on April 1st consisting of practical jokes and hoaxes. Jokesters often expose their actions by shouting "April Fools!" at the recipient. Mass media can be involved with these pranks, which may be revealed as such the following day. Wikipedia

• April Fool's Day (Tuesday, April 1, 2025)
• World Autism Awareness Day (April 2)
• Good Friday (April 18, 2025) Library will be closed.
• Easter (Sunday, April 20, 2025)
• Earth Day (Tuesday, April 22, 2025)
• Admin. Professionals Day (Wednesday, April 23, 2025)
• Arbor Day (Friday, April 25, 2025)

• Laugh at Work Week (April 1-7)
• National Library Week (April 6-12)
• National Volunteer Week (April 14-20)
• Allergy Awareness Week (April 20-25)
• Child Abuse Prevention Month
• Distracted Driving Awareness Month
• Stress Awareness Month
• Volunteering Month

The Perry County Development Corporation (PCDC) is a private, non-profit 501(c)(4) membership organization, established in 1990 by a coalition of Perry County’s government, business, and community leaders to advance local economic development initiatives.

The organization is governed by a Board of Directors and is operated by a dedicated three-person team, including Erin Emerson as President & CEO, Shiraz Mukarram as Marketing & Special Initiatives Manager, and Whitney Zellers as Workforce Development Specialist & Administrative Coordinator. The PCDC focuses on five core areas including business attraction, business retention & expansion, workforce development & talent attraction, community development, and marketing. Some of the organization’s recent/on-going initiatives include:

• Spearheading the Pick Perry Campaign in partnership with the Perry County Chamber of Commerce and the Perry County Convention & Visitors Bureau (including hosting a centralized community website complete with a community calendar, jobs board, business directory, and more)

• Managing the MakeMyMove Relocation Incentive Program (Since 2023, we have facilitated the relocation of 16 households consisting of 38 people to Perry County from outside the state of Indiana. 58% had no prior connection to the area.)

• Facilitating the development of strong talent pipelines through collaboration with local school corporations, the Tell City Ivy Tech Career & Technology Center, and area employers. (Some of our Workforce Development initiatives include the Tour of Opportunity, ASPIRE, the Skilled Trades Fair, Perry County Jobapalooza, etc.)

• Partnering with the Southwest Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) to provide confidential, one-on-one business counseling services to local small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs at no cost (There is an ISBDC Business Advisor in our Conference every Monday, who is available to meet with clients as well as walk-ins.)

• Advocating for increased access to high-quality affordable childcare and early childhood education by supporting the efforts of Perry Preschool & Childcare and other licensed providers in the area

• Securing $2.7M in READI 1.0 funds, spurring an anticipated $17M in private investment including 60 new single family home sites, upgrades to the Tell City Ivy Tech Career & Technology Center, and Improvements to the Tell City Sports Complex/Hagedorn Park

Thank you to Erin, Shiraz & Whitney for all you do for Perry County!!

Pick Perry is a vibrant collaboration dedicated to the growth and development of Perry County. The initiative brings together the expertise and resources of the Perry County Development Corporation, the Perry County Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Perry County Chamber of Commerce.

Together, we are committed to fostering an environment that supports local businesses, attracts visitors, and inspires community engagement. By leveraging our collective strengths, we aim to enhance the quality of life in Perry County and promote our area as a great place to live, work, and visit.

Perry County comes alive with festivals and events during the summer months.

Perry County 4-H Fair

The Perry County 4-H Fair is a highlight of the summer season. This weekend long event features livestock shows, tractor pulls, food vendors, and live entertainment. It’s a quintessential summer experience that offers fun for all ages.

Bristow Car Show

The Bristow Car Show, known as the Bristow Octoberfest to some, began in 1990 and is put on each year by the Bristow Community Center Board Members on the second Sunday of October. This event is intended to bring the local community and visitors from all around together.

Whether you join us to show off your vehicle, take part in the raffles, dive into delicious food, purchase from our favorite vendors, or simply enjoy the music and company, we are thankful for you!

Tell City Schweizer Fest

Schweizer Fest – A celebration like no other! From talent shows to live music, pie eating contests to road runs, every day is packed with excitement. Be sure to stop by on the Wednesday night of the Fest for FREE ride night! New in 2024 was a pickleball tournament hosted by the Perry County Quality of Life committee.

🌿Taurus Season🌿

✨ As the earth warms and flowers bloom, Taurus season brings a sense of stability, indulgence, and appreciation for life’s finer things. Known for their patience, love of beauty, and deep loyalty, Taurus readers crave books that are immersive, well-written, and rich in detail. Whether it’s a slow-burn romance, a story filled with mouthwatering descriptions of food, or a novel with lush world-building, Taurus loves books they can sink into like a cozy chair with a cup of tea.

♉ April Horoscope for Taurus

This month, your steady determination is paying off, but don’t forget to slow down and savor the moment! Indulge in a book that delights your senses, whether it’s a novel set in a breathtaking landscape, a heartwarming story of love and loyalty, or a book that makes you want to cook a feast.

💫 Book Recs for Taurus Season:

📖 Adult: The City of Brass by S.A. Chakraborty – A stunningly detailed fantasy set in 18th-century Cairo and the mythical city of Daevabad. With its rich world-building, opulent settings, and intricate magic system, this is a perfect pick for Taurus readers who love immersive storytelling.

📚 Young Adult: Lovely War by Julie Berry – A beautifully written historical romance woven with mythology, music, and deep emotion—perfect for Taurus’ romantic and sentimental side.

📘 Juvenile Chapter Book: The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street by Karina Yan Glaser – A cozy, heartfelt story about a big family trying to save their beloved home in Harlem. Full of warmth, charm, and the importance of home and tradition, this book will resonate with Taurus' deep sense of loyalty and love for family.

📗 Picture Book: Beehive by Jorey Hurley – A beautifully illustrated story capturing the calm, patient work of a hive, perfect for Taurus' love of nature and appreciation for steady effort.

✨ Taurus, this is your time to treat yourself to a book that feeds your soul! Want a personalized zodiac book recommendation? Visit the library and let us find your perfect cosmic read! Every book listed can be found at one of our branches: Tell City, Cannelton, or Bookmobile.📚🌿

Editor: Sarah Bridges, Assistant of Children & Teen Services

The library provides meeting areas on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of groups requesting their use.

Any of our meeting rooms can be reserved by calling the library at (812)547-2661.

Cannelton has a unique charm, with welcoming and spacious areas for social gatherings and studying. Cannelton has a private meeting room, public computer access, mobile printing, faxing, and more. Keep us in mind when looking for a place to host your next gathering or group meeting. Cannelton also features a Library of Things, including a FREE Seed Library, Mesker Park Zoo movie passes, sewing machines, shaped cake pans, board games, craft kits and Backyard bags with fun activities like stargazing, birdwatching, bucketball, pickleball, bug-catching and recess rec as well as Stay Sharp bags which are geared toward those losing their fine motor skills.

April 22nd is Earth Day and in celebration, our Cannelton branch has taken lead with the partnership we have with Neighborhood Forest to give away FREE trees to children. I'm excited to report that we had 219 sign up! For those of you that did, the species of trees should be announced very soon and you will contacted when we have a concrete date for pick-up. April also marks the beginning of planting season so we have been working hard to restock our FREE seed library with lots of fruits, herbs, vegetables, flowers and even loofahs! For those who may not know what that is, we have an old-school card catalog full of seed packets for patrons to take home and plant at no cost. We are also adding a couple new Backyard Bags this month that include gardening tools for children so they can have what they need to plant their own seeds. Don't worry, we still have the stargazing, birdwatching, bucketball, pickleball, bug-catching and recess rec bags available for checkout as well. We hope to see you soon!

The Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Rosie Award)

The Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award (Rosie Award) is chosen annually by students across Indiana in grades nine through twelve. Students at participating high schools, public libraries, or homeschoolers who read any of approximately 20 nominated books are eligible to rate each book they've read.

Rate any book you have read from the below list by clicking on this link.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfp4vgTsJmdaAQFDdWau-GvWH8Qta29-IzIK1JRAyh-Wmq68Q/viewform

The Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Award is an initiative of the Indiana Center for the Book. This state award is administered by the Indiana Early Literacy Firefly Committee made up of professionals in Indiana including teachers, librarians, caregivers, and project coordinators; all of whom are involved in early childhood development. Picture books serve an important role in the first years of the life of a child. The purpose of this award is to encourage parents, caregivers, and very young children to interact together with exceptional picture books.

Voting is now opened for the 2025 Award Cycle. #INfireflyaward

You can cast your vote by clicking on the following link, https://in.accessgov.com/library/Forms/Page/library/indiana-early-literacy-firefly-award/0 or by picking up a ballot in the library.