Online April Break programs and more

With the latest lockdown in effect, NPL will be resuming curbside pickup service effective Saturday, April 3 to ensure that library members and staff stay safe. You may reserve your items online or by phone at 905 953-5110. There will be no access to the building for the public at this time. Computer services are therefore also unavailable. Masks are required while waiting in line for holds.

Our Online Library is available 24/7, with eBooks, eAudiobooks, eMagazines, downloadable music, streaming video, online courses, and much more at www.newmarketpl.ca/free.

And we continue to offer online programming for children and adults, which you’ll find listed in our Programs and Activities calendar on our homepage. Here are some of the programs happening in April:

APRIL BREAK PROGRAMS:

Virtual Pet Show & Tell
Date: Tuesday, April 13 / Time: 10 – 11 a.m.
Ages: 5 – 10
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom / Cost: Free / Register at http://bit.ly/2ZdcYiU
Kids 5 to 10 can join us in celebrating their wonderful pets during our Virtual Pet Show & Tell. They can participate with their actual pet, a picture of it, or their favourite stuffy pet. We’ll read the book The Perfect Pet and create something fun together. Register now for a super fun time for kids and their pets!

Walking Water: Let’s Grow A Rainbow
Date: Wednesday, April 14 | Time: 2 – 2:45 p.m.
Ages: 7 - 12
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free | Register at http://bit.ly/3abvBds
Join us for this free S.T.E.A.M. program that children 7 to 12 will love as they conduct an interactive science experiment. All they’ll need to create their own rainbows are paper towels, washable markers, and two cups of water. We’ll also read stories and learn about rainbows. Register now for a fun time that’s also educational.

Virtual Wheel Of Fortune
Date: Wednesday, April 14 | Time: 4:15 – 5:00 p.m.
Ages: 8 - 12
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free | Register at http://bit.ly/2OLNKpT
Let’s get together and play Virtual Wheel of Fortune for kids 8 to 12. Try to guess words and choose letters to fill in the blanks with a spin of the wheel. Correct guesses will win a round and earn a player points, but when it comes to having a fun time with words everyone’s a winner!

Mad Science: Crazy Concoctions
Date: Thursday, April 15 | Time: 2 – 2:30 p.m.
Ages: 5 to 12
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: $3 per child | Register at http://bit.ly/3v6GOVh
Join us for amazing feats of chemistry when Mad Science performs an exciting show. Watch as the Mad Scientist creates an extra hand to help with his experiments, and see the dazzling colour changes and exothermic reactions that will produce a Genie Out Of A Bottle and a Giant Foam Snake! Mad Science puts the fun into learning for kids 5 to 12 years.

Virtual Scavenger Hunt
Date: Friday, April 16 | Time: 2 – 2:45 p.m.
Ages: 6 to 12
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free | Register at http://bit.ly/30szK7i
We’ll have a great time with an interactive scavenger hunt for kids 6 to 12 years. Each participant will receive a list of common items that can be found in their home, then search for them in a given period of time. Afterwards, we’ll all share with each other the items we’ve found.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS:

STEAM Program: Full Steam Ahead!
Date: Tues., April 6 | Time: 4:15 – 5:00 p.m.
Ages: 3 to 5
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free | Register at https://bit.ly/3m5ZcJu
We'll have fun and show kids the interesting things they can do with STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math in this free 4-week online program. Each week we'll explore a new topic with guided hands-on activities. Activity kits available for pickup at the Children’s Services information desk beginning Thurs., April 1. Limited spots available.

Parent/Child Mother Goose
Date: Thurs., April 8 | Time: 1:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Ages: 3 to 10 months
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free | Register at https://bit.ly/3ubkk3W
Presented by the EarlyON Child and Family Centre, the Parent-Child Mother Goose program focuses on communication, language and social relationships for children ages 3 to 10 months. Stories, songs, rhymes and more will be used to help educate and entertain. This 10-week online program starts on Thurs. April 8. Register now for a great time for you and your child.

 SPECIAL EVENT PROGRAMS:

Let’s Celebrate Earth Day
Date: Thurs., April 22 | Time: 4 – 5 p.m.
Ages: All ages with parents
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free | Register at https://bit.ly/31x9Ob4
Join us for our Earth Day program for children of all ages. We’ll share stories about caring for our planet, cleaning up our environment, and making Earth a better place. Then we’ll make a special craft to celebrate Earth Day. Craft kits can be picked up in the Children’s Services department starting on April 13.  Register now and let’s have fun honouring this big, beautiful world of ours. https://bit.ly/31x9Ob4

Forest Of Reading
When is it okay to get lost in a forest? When it’s this year’s Forest of Reading program for children ages 8 to 14. It’s a great opportunity for kids to read books and vote for their favourites. They can vote through the library at the end of April, and all of the nominated books are available from NPL as either print or eBooks. Now is the time for young readers to explore some great books. Register now https://newmarketpl.readsquared.com

ADULT PROGRAMS:

Ancestral Voices Author Series: An Evening with Lee Maracle
Date: Thurs., April 15 / Time: 7 – 9:00 p.m.
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom / Cost: Free / Register at http://bit.ly/nplmaracle

We are excited to have award-winning Indigenous author Lee Maracle at our next Ancestral Voices: Belonging and Identity in Canada author event. Lee is renowned for her works of fiction, non-fiction and poetry and is the recipient of the Officer of the Order of Canada. Lee will read from and talk about her books Memory Serves and My Conversations With Canadians. Her insightful reflections are distilled from a lifetime of conversations and oratories about her experiences as a Canadian, First Nations leader and woman. The Ancestral Voices series features the experiences of Indigenous, Caribbean and African Peoples in Canada.

Discover the Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve
Date: Thurs., April 22 | Time: 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free | Register at https://bit.ly/3clhP97
With the better weather on the way it’s time to get out in nature. Join us for a look at the Cawthra Mulock Nature Reserve in an online event hosted by York Simcoe Nature Club. Discover the natural beauty of this reserve that’s located near Newmarket, and the role that the Club plays as stewards who provide nature walks, speaker nights, and more. Register now and discover this wonderful nature reserve.

Spring Into Gardening
Date: Tues., April 27 | Time: 1 – 2 p.m.
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free | Register at https://bit.ly/3tNjSZB
May is right around the corner, which means it’s time to spring into gardening. Join York Region Food Network and discover how to get your garden ready for the season. Learn seed starting basics, proper seedling care, and how to cultivate and grow a beautiful garden. You’ll also find out about Newmarket’s Community Gardens and how you can get involved.

How To Register For Your COVID-19 Vaccine
Dates: 9 sessions in April | Time: Various Times
Location: Streaming Live On Zoom | Cost: Free 
View all the upcoming session dates and register at https://bit.ly/3fu8ptT
Looking for information on getting your COVID-19 vaccine? Let library staff help you navigate the process in a short session that will cover where and how to register, as well as how to get to a vaccination centre if you don’t have your own transportation. We’ve got nine information sessions this month.

NEW ADDITIONS TO NPL:

Ontario Provincial Parks Permits For Loan 
A great way to boost your physical and mental health is spending a day at one of Ontario’s provincial parks. NPL now has three 2021 day-use vehicle permits that can be borrowed for one week and will provide you with free entry into Algonquin, Killarney, Point Pelee, Killbear, and more than 100 beautiful provincial parks. Get ready to spend some time relaxing, exploring, and communing with nature this year. https://bit.ly/3jjXLpE

Just a reminder that although we are not charging overdue fines at this time, we would ask that you please return books and other items by their due dates. This helps us continue to provide them to others who are waiting to borrow them.

For more information on upcoming programs check our Programs and Activities calendar on the homepage of the library’s website www.newmarketpl.ca