red image with white text advertising the Friends of RPL 2024 annual meeting

Friends of RPL Annual Meeting Happening April 12

Friends of RPL members are invited to attend the 2024 Annual Meeting on Friday, April 12 at 5:30 pm at the West End Plaza Event Center, located in the former Salisbury Mall at 1935 Jake Alexander Boulevard West in Salisbury. Doors will open at 5 pm.

Not a Friend of RPL member yet? No problem! You can sign up or renew an existing membership online at www.friendsofrpl.org or sign up at the door prior to the meeting on April 12. Individual memberships begin at $10 per year.

After the meeting, Friends members are invited to enjoy a special Friends of RPL Preview Night at Bookpalooza, the library’s massive 4-day used book sale. To learn more, call 704-216-8240 or visit www.rowanpubliclibrary.org.

A Request from Friends of RPL Treasurer, Cyndii Owen

Dear Friends,

I would like to ask you, as you do your spring cleaning, to consider the Friends of RPL's Basket Shop as a place to donate items. We need baskets, knickknacks, small books (about Moms, Easter, Love, Sisters, Friends, and so on), and children’s books. These items will go to the ladies who create the wonderful baskets sold at all four branches of the Rowan Public Library. All profits made from these baskets go back to the library for library programming, especially the library’s upcoming Summer Reading 2024 Program. Items may be donated to the Friends of RPL at the Second Saturday Bookshop.

Thank you,
Cyndii Owen, Treasurer for the Friends of Rowan Public Library

blue flyer with book images and black text advertising the Bookpalooza used book sale

image of books on a blue background with brown text reading "bookpalooza is coming"

Massive Bookpalooza Book Sale Returns in April

Mark your calendars for Bookpalooza 2024! This massive 4-day book sale event is coming to the West End Plaza Event Center (formerly a JCPenney storefront) beginning Friday, April 12. The sale will run through Monday, April 15 and features different specials, discounts, and perks each day.

The Second Saturday Bookshop, normally open on the second Saturday of each month for its sale, will be closed on Saturday, April 13 so all shoppers can take advantage of Bookpalooza deals.

Bookpalooza Pricing Guide:
Hardback Books – $2 each, includes fiction, nonfiction, old books, young adult books
Paperback Books (large format) – $1 each, includes fiction, nonfiction, and young adult
Small/Pocket Paperback Books – 50 cents each (buy 2, get 1 free)
Children's Hardback Books – $1 each
Children's Paperback Books – 50 cents each
Audiobooks, CDs, and DVDs – $1 each

Friday, April 12: Friends of RPL Members' Preview Sale, 6 – 8 pm
This special preview event is open only to Friends of RPL members. Not a member yet? No problem! You can purchase a new membership or renew an existing membership online at www.friendsofrpl.org or purchase/renew a membership at the door on April 12.

Saturday, April 13: Open to the Public, 9 am – 5 pm
The sale will be open to the public on this day. Shoppers can take advantage of the Wheel of Discounts. Educators, students, and childcare professionals can take 50% off their purchase totals. Individuals ages 0-18 can receive one free item (must be present to claim).

Sunday, April 14: Open to the Public, 2 – 5 pm
The sale will be open to the public on this day. Shoppers can take advantage of the Wheel of Discounts. Educators, students, and childcare professionals can take 50% off their purchase totals. Veterans, seniors (ages 55+), and Rowan County Employees can take 50% off their purchase totals on this day as well.

Monday, April 15: Open to the Public, 9 am – 5 pm (Final Day)
The sale will be open to the public on this day for a SUPER sale. There is a $5 flat rate for individuals to enter the sale, or $10 for families of three (3) people or more; no other discounts or specials will apply. Shoppers must supply their own boxes or bags on the final day of the sale for carrying/loading purchases.

Please note that discounts cannot be stacked.

flyer advertising Star Party 2024 featuring three RPL staffers throwing sparkling star cutouts into the air

Fun for Everyone: Annual Star Party Returning to RPL South

RPL South will present the NC Statewide “Sun and Moon” Star Party on Saturday, April 6 from 1 – 5 pm at the Frank T. Tadlock South Rowan Regional Library in China Grove. The science and space-based festival is an official event of the 2024 North Carolina Science Festival presented by RTI International.

RPL South invites science and space lovers of all ages to join library staff for storytelling, STEAM activities, science games, sky-viewing, face painting, raffle prizes, and more. Participants will have a chance to learn more about the solar eclipse happening on April 8, 2024 and the resources RPL has to offer future astronomers, astronauts, and space fans!

As an official 2024 North Carolina Science Festival event, RPL’s Star Party is among hundreds of community-based events that are showcasing STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) activities for the citizens of North Carolina.

Founded in 2010, the North Carolina Science Festival is the first statewide science festival in the United States. Through a series of community-based events each April (hosted by schools, colleges, libraries, museums, parks, businesses and other local organizations), the festival celebrates the economic, educational, and cultural impact of science in North Carolina. Since its start, this festival has served more than three million participants of all ages from all one hundred North Carolina counties.

In addition to the RPL South Star Party, more STEAM events will be happening at all four locations during the month-long festival, including a Science Tools Scavenger Hunt, an eclipse day celebration, events for #Plantheads, a chance to build edible Mars Rovers, and storytimes themed around the dark side of the moon. More information on NC Science Festival events hosted at RPL can be found at www.RowanPublicLibrary.org or by calling 980-432-8670.

The North Carolina Science Festival is presented by RTI International and produced by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. For more information, visit www.ncsciencefestival.org.

image with green text reading "community plant swap" surrounded by images of leaves

Community Plant & Seed Swap at RPL East on Saturday, April 13

Are you an avid gardener or looking into becoming one? Do you love to keep various houseplants? If so, stop by RPL East (Rockwell) at 11 am on Saturday, April 13 to participate in the Community Plant & Seed Swap! At the swap, community members will have the opportunity to trade seeds, plants, cuttings, propagations, and small gardening equipment with each other. A representative from the Rowan County Soil & Water Conservation District will be present to lead a seed bomb bookmark-making activity as well as answer questions concerning NC-native plants and gardening techniques.

Indoor and outdoor plants are welcome at the swap. All plants, seeds, etc. must be healthy and pest-free to be included. Anything not swapped or claimed at the program – including any gardening equipment – must be taken back home afterward.

This program is free to attend, though registration is requested. To sign up, contact Sydney at Sydney.Smith@rowancountync.gov or call 704-216-7841.

green image featuring a yellow crossed-out microphone with the words "no mic open mic night"

"No Mic" Open Mic Night Is Back at RPL Headquarters

Have you always wanted to participate in an Open Mic Night without having to “take the stage”? This is your chance! Amateur acoustic musicians, poets, and storytellers are invited to RPL’s "No Mic" Open Mic Night on Monday, April 15 at 6:30 pm. Share your work in a more personal setting, no microphone necessary! Not a performer? That’s okay. All are welcome to come see and hear what the community's local talent has to offer.

Content must be suitable for a PG audience. Registration to perform is required. To secure a 12-minute performance slot, contact David at 704-216-8229 no later than 6 pm on Friday, April 12.

purple flyer advertising the April 2024 free virtual author talks offered by RPL

RPL Reads: Staff Book Recommendations

Ever wonder what books library staff are reading? Check out some hot reads recommended by RPL staff. This month, recommendations are provided by the staff of RPL East!

cover image of dungeon meshi featuring a traveling party in a dark dungeon

cover of the book "how to speak in spanglish" featuring a teacher and little boy

Jailene Aguilar Valdovinos, Library Associate

One book that I really enjoyed recently is called How to Speak in Spanglish, written by Mónica Mancillas and illustrated by Olivia de Castro. As the title implies, this book is written in "Spanglish" – Spanish and English combined. The main character, Sami, enjoys speaking in Spanish and English, which is why he enjoys using Spanglish so much. However, his grandmother, classmates, and teacher don't seem to enjoy or understand Spanglish as much as Sami does. Sami feels defeated, but later gets support from his family and friends, which helps him embrace his unique identity. This is such a cute book that bilingual or second-generation Hispanic children could probably relate to very well. Lots of us speak Spanglish – let's celebrate it!

A book cover for mother-daughter murder night featuring binoculars peeking between window blinds

Sydney Smith Hamrick, East Branch Supervisor

I recently finished reading Nina Simon's Mother-Daughter Murder Night. The story takes place in a sleepy coastal town around 300 miles north of real estate superwoman Lana Rubicon's Los Angeles home. After receiving a horrible cancer diagnosis, Lana realizes her best bet for recovery is to receive treatment where her estranged daughter, Beth, can look after her. Lana moves in with Beth and her teenage granddaughter, Jack, and quickly falls into a bout of depression. Plagued by the effects of chemotherapy treatments, butting heads with her daughter, and losing her high profile lifestyle, Lana feels lost and miserable...until a mystery emerges at the kayak tour facility where Jack works part-time after school.

One of Jack's weekend tours leads to the discovery of a dead body, and nobody can figure out how the man ended up in the water. To Beth and Lana's horror, a detective focuses on Jack as the potential murderer. This gives Lana a new lease on life: find the real killer, clear Jack's name, and reestablish herself as the total feminine powerhouse that she is.

I absolutely loved how twisty this book was. The cast of characters is well-balanced, and the setting – taking place mostly along beaches and twisty, swampy waterways – made for an incredibly eerie murder mystery whodunit. Also, Lana's character is sharp-witted, funny, and inspiring (I'd love to be like her when I "grow up").

Another added bonus for reading this title: the author, Nina Simon, is scheduled to be a featured speaker for RPL's Virtual Author Talks series on Wednesday, May 8 at 7 pm. You can register for this live video talk here: https://libraryc.org/rowancountylibrary/46843. Author talks are free to attend. If you can't participate in the livestream, the recordings are available to view afterward. To learn more about the Virtual Author Talk series, call 704-216-8243.