January 2020 is behind us and we're moving into the second month of 2020. We would like to share with you some updates to our system, remind you of great services available, and inform you of upcoming events/activities.

Don't miss the opportunity to view the works of prominent local African American artists during one of Indianapolis' premier cultural events, Meet the Artists XXXII. The Meet the Artists exhibit and related events are for individuals and families of all ages!

Works representing a variety of artistic mediums are on exhibit for public viewing throughout Central Library during regular Library hours from January 29 - March 29 at Central Library.

Have you had an opportunity to visit the Center for Black Literature & Culture in the downtown Central library branch? A few of our DC students visited the space last spring during the Battle of the Books (more on BoB below!) competition day and really enjoyed it! Take a virtual tour here!

Battle of the Books (BoB) competition is April 14. We plan to take a team again this year so if you know of students who love to read and discuss what they have read with other teens who have read the same books, please encourage them to be a part of the team.

Expectations:

• Team members will read all 8 books that have been chosen by our BoB committee.
• Team members will participate in the BoB practice/study/discussion sessions (food provided). Some sessions will be digital.
• Team members will communicate effectively with each other
• Team members are encouraged to have fun!

Competition day: (students should plan to be out for most of the day)

• Teams meet at the Central branch of INDYPL, downtown.
• Continental breakfast served
• Test - multiple choice over all 8 books
• Activities throughout the branch (specific to the books they have read)
• Top 3 scoring teams compete in a buzzer round on stage

It really is a fun day. Students from around the state come together to participate and it is wonderful to see teens read and be excited to talk about what they have read with others.

The first call out meeting will be the same day as our next Rosie Book Club, Thursday, February 6, after school in the library. Thank you for encouraging your kids to participate.

RosieCon is a full day of fun for lovers of YA reads. RosieCon seeks to inspire Indiana teens to get excited about reading, to love the books on the Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book List, and to connect with the authors of those books. That's right - connect with the authors - in person.

What authors will be at RosieCon 2020??? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT!

We are planning to take students who wish to attend RosieCon - and the more the merrier! The bus will leave Decatur Central Saturday morning, April 25, at 9:00am sharp. Last year, our students had a wonderful experience listening to the authors, speaking with the authors, and getting autographed copies of their books.

Details:

Saturday, April 25, 2020

9:30AM - 4:30PM
Doors open at 9AM
Chapel Hill Center, Indianapolis, IN

TICKETS:

Admission is $20 and may be purchased here, via Eventbrite. We are looking for student sponsors! If you can help a student attend, you will change their life! Twenty dollars is no small amount - we know it can be a challenge with all of the expenses our teens have these days - so if you know a student who loves to read and would find RosieCon to be a thrill of a lifetime, please consider sponsoring their trip! Thank you!

Em Bailey is the author of Shift and current Rosie nominee, The Special Ones. We are thrilled to host Ms. Bailey on Friday morning, April 24, the day before RosieCon. Students who wish to attend the session with Em Bailey will read the book and be ready to participate in the discussion with the group. Ms. Bailey will work with our creative writing students during period 2, and then speak in a larger session during CCR and part of period 4. Students who wish to attend will be required to complete an in-school field trip form, and have the blessing of their CCR and period 4 teachers. (Psst....all staff who can get away are welcome - Read the book!)

We would like to thank you for your patience as we moved to a new circulation system. The transition is complete (The Gap is over!) and other than working through a few bugs and dealing with the newness of it, we are up and running again! The new system is call POLARIS LEAP - we really think it will help us serve our patrons more efficiently.