Navigating the new website

The new website is broken up into 7 sections.

Section 1 – Drop-down menus help you navigate to the standard resources, tools and services in the Digital Library

Section 2 – Use the big search box to search the catalog. The site search is still in development and will be ready soon.

Section 3 – Think about this section as the answer to “I didn’t know the library does that?!” You’ll find highlighted services, events and other things that are sure to bring you joy!

Section 4 – Enjoy browsing and reading our most recent articles. You’ll find a wide range of topics with booklists to help you find your next great read or learn something new.

Section 5 – The library offers hundreds of classes, programs, concerts and big-name authors every year. Begin your event search here.

Section 6 – In our redesign, we created BIG portals to the most popular things including the Kids library, local history, genealogy and resources for readers.

Section 7 – At the bottom of the page, you will find contact and service information plus links to our social sites. If you have a question, try out our new Ask a Librarian chat box that pops up when you land on the website.

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At library trivia we ask 10 rounds of 10 questions on a wide variety of topics. We recommend teams have a variety of ages to have the best chance in each category.

Register your team for upcoming events!

Winners from September 2023

Library Trivia: Evening Edition | Friday, September 29, 2023: This first place team answered 85 questions correctly, from topics including celebrity breakups, most visited cities, ballpark slang, and Marvel characters and actors.

Library Trivia: Afternoon Edition | Saturday, September 30, 2023: This first place team answered 83 questions correctly from topics including Kansas, alternative rock music, fear and knowledge, baby boomer history, and pets.

Winners from July 2023

Library Trivia: Evening Edition | Friday, July 28, 2023: This first place team answered 83 questions correctly, from topics including  Star Wars, Broadway musicals, history from the month of July, and American Women.

Library Trivia: Afternoon Edition | Saturday, July 29, 2023: This first place team answered 89 questions correctly from topics including STEM topics, College football helmets, Legends of Zeldas and advertising.

Winners from May 2023

Library Trivia: Evening Edition | Friday, May 5, 2023: These smart folks answered questions about singers of classic rock, history, Mexican-American athletes, ice cream, and Marvel comics to take first place with a score of 71 out of 100!

Library Trivia: Afternoon Edition | Saturday, May 6, 2023: These smart folks answered questions about the Constitution, produce, the lottery and collective names for groups of animals to take first place with a score of 67 out of 100!

Winners from January 2023

Library Trivia: Evening Edition | Friday, January 27, 2023: These smart folks answered questions about singers of country love songs, history, science and Kansas Day to take first place with a score of 86 out of 100!

 

Library Trivia: Afternoon Edition | Saturday, January 28, 2023: These smart folks answered questions about Dewey Decimal, sports, and trends in Google searches to take first place with a score of 66 out of 100!

Winners from September 2022

Library Trivia: Evening Edition | Friday, September 23, 2022: These smart folks answered questions about ’90s music lyrics, Topeka landmarks, Negro Leagues baseball, Tolkein and conspiracy theories, to take first place with a score of 90 out of 100!

Library Trivia: Afternoon Edition | Saturday, September 24, 2022: These smart folks answered questions about horror movies, Great British Baking, world capitals, young adult books and elements to take first place with a score of 74 out of 100!

Winners from July 2022

Library Trivia: Evening Edition | Fri, July 29, 2022: These smart folks answered questions about governors, sports locations, Dame Judi Dench, miscellaneous governors and mystery novels to take first place with a score of 72 out of 100!

 

Library Trivia: Afternoon Edition | Sat, July 30, 2022: These smart folks answered questions about John Williams movie music, miscellaneous magic, dinosaurs, Colorado and baby animals to take first place with a score of 65 out of 100!

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So don’t be surprised when your email notice that your holds are ready, items are due soon or other messages from us look a bit fancy. The emails will still come from circ@tscpl.org (our circulation email address).

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New Schedule

Monday
3-5pm Teen Art | 5-8pm open, unscheduled

Tuesday
3-5pm Gaming | 5-8pm open, unscheduled

Wednesday
3-5pm Gaming | 5-8pm open, unscheduled

Thursday
3-5pm Gaming | 5-8pm open, unscheduled

Friday
3-5pm  Gaming | no evening hours

Saturday & Sunday
CLOSED

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Little Jerusalem Badlands State Park in Logan County

Visit the library to pick up a free pass for a single day vehicle entry into any of the 28 Kansas State Parks thanks to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). This is a great opportunity to get outside and explore the beauty of Kansas. You’ll probably find some scenery and experiences you didn’t know you could find in our state.

Most parks offer convenient access to reservoirs and wildlife areas. All the state parks highlight scenic Kansas landscapes, perfect for outdoor exploration. No matter what your nature-loving interest, a Kansas State Park has what you’re looking for. Look through the State Parks Guide to explore all your options and see what each park has available. Here are the types of  amenities you’ll find at state parks:

• 

  photo from KDWP State Park Guide

  RV sites with utility hookups

• cabins
• primitive camping sites
• shower houses
• playgrounds
• trails
• beaches
• boat ramps

How to get your vehicle pass

Decide on the day of your park adventure before you come to the library to pick up a pass. Then stop at our customer service desk and we’ll give you a pass for the specific day you chose. While each pass is only good for one day, you can stop in multiple times through the end of the year to get a pass. This gives you the opportunity to visit multiple state parks during the year. Find more details.

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Take time for learning, un-learning, community building and taking action during the YWCA Northeast Kansas Racial Justice Challenge. The library is a sponsoring equity partner for the Challenge. Sign up now to join the challenge! Your first step will be to create an account for YWCA USA. If you were part of the national YWCA challenge in April, you already have an account.

Goals

The Racial Justice Challenge creates time and space to build effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege and leadership. Starting Mon, June 5 this four-week virtual program combines learning, reflection, discussion and community building.

The Challenge fosters personal reflection, encourages social responsibility, and motivates participants to identify and act on ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination.

Racial Justice Challenge App & Website

After registering, simply download the app on your phone or device, or visit the website daily for links to articles, podcasts, short videos and activities to learn more on each topic. The following activities (at least one a day) will be posted in the Challenge app and website:

• Read an article
• Listen to a podcast
• Reflect on personal experience
• Connect with participants
• Join weekly discussion

In Person Events

While the bulk of the Challenge is virtual, the library is hosting a couple in-person events.

Racial Justice Challenge Community Kick-Off | June 1

Thu, June 1, 2023, 6-7:30pm, Marvin AB, hear from leaders, activists and people with lived experiences on disability, housing, music and mental health who will discuss how these issues intersect with race. Sherman Smith, Editor in Chief of the Kansas Reflector, will moderate this panel. Learn more about this event.

YWCA Racial Justice Challenge Reflection | June 27

Tue, June 27, 2023, 7- 8:30pm, Anton Room, talk with other community members who were part of the Challenge. Coming together at the end of the month allows us to hold each other accountable, share what we’re learning, and work together to create real change. Let’s chat about the topics and experience of the challenge and reflect on your 4-week journey. This is also the regular monthly Racial Justice Book Club meeting. All challenge participants are invited to the conversation.

Virtual Events

The Challenge app and website include an interactive feed. You can participate anytime within the app and website. For a more interactive experience, on Thursdays in June, noon-1pm, join us within the Challenge app to participate in a video chat facilitated by librarians.

• Noon-1pm, Thu, June 8
• Noon-1pm, Thu, June 15
• Noon-1pm, Thu, June 22
• Noon-1pm, Thu, June 29

By going through the lessons together, engaging in the virtual chat, and attending in-person and online events, we are all building a stronger, more equitable community together.

 View complete list

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Kirstianna using the Cricut in the Digitial Art Studio.

There are lots of ways to get artsy crafty with technology tools. The best way to start with crafty tech tools is in the library’s Level 2 Tech Center Digital Art Studio. With your library card and a little training you can use a Cricut, a 3D Printer and Adobe creative software. Read on for some options to get started.

A brief orientation is required before using the 3D printer or the Cricut at the library to make sure you can use it safely. You can complete the training and then practice hands on with the equipment. You will need a library card to reserve the 3D Printer or Cricut.

Children 8-11 are welcome in the Digital Art Studio if they are accompanied by an adult. Children under 8 are not allowed in the Digital Art Studio.

Individual projects after orientation

If you’ve already taken an orientation class for the Cricut and 3D printer, here are some projects you can practice with on your own.

Cricut Design Space & Cricut Explore 3

1. Log in to Cricut Design Space, or create an account if you don’t have one.
2. Choose to optimize your experience for the Cricut Explore 3 from the pull-down menu, and choose “New Project”

Cardstock or vinyl flower using Cricut Explore 3

cardstock flowers

Add images, select the check box “Free” and search for these floral images:

• • Lily
  • Lotus
  • Poppy
  • Sunflower
  • Tulips
  • Mandala Leaf
  • Tropical Leaf
  • African Marigold

1. 

   vinyl flowers

   Add the images you choose to the canvas. Resize, duplicate or otherwise manipulate the images, pay special attention to the size.

2. Choose a color of cardstock or vinyl and choose which designs you want to cut on that color.
3. Use the “Make It” feature, following the online instructions for loading your material on the mat and completing the cut.
4. If you are using cardstock, remove the cardstock design from the cutting mat, and remove the excess cardstock material from the mat to throw away.
5. If you are using vinyl sticker, remove the vinyl, weed out the excess vinyl, and use transfer tape to transfer the design to a card or other surface.

Cardstock rolled flower using Cricut Explore 3

To cut one of the spiral flower designs that are then rolled into a flower, you can upload an .svg file into your Cricut Design Space account. At Step 4 above, download a spiral flower image to your computer. In Cricut Design Space, click Upload, browse for the image on the computer, and upload it. Then select that image and add it to your canvas. Proceed with the instruction starting with Step 6.

1. 

   vinyl sticker on notebook

   Add images, select the check box “Free” and search for “labels” and choose one of the teal label designs, like Quatrefoil Label or similar.

2. Add text, type in the name, change the font and choose system font. Select a font that will be bold enough to weed easily or transfer well.
3. One option is to center the name within the label, select both elements, and choose combine-subtract to remove that text from the label.
4. Another option is to cut the label in one color and cut the text in a contrasting color and apply the text on top of the label, then apply the label to the gift item.
5. Choose a color of vinyl and choose which designs you want to cut on that color.
6. Use the “Make It” feature, following the online instructions for loading your material on the mat and completing the cut.
7. If you are using vinyl sticker, remove the vinyl, weed out the excess vinyl, and use transfer tape to transfer the design to a card or other surface.

3D printing

1. Cura is the free software to slice 3D designs into instructions (.gcode files) that can be interpreted by the Ultimaker3 3D printers.
2. Cura is available on the reservable workstations in the Digital Art Studio at the library, or you can download it at home.
3. Set up Cura for an Ultimaker3 printer and size 0.4 nozzles.

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What a difference a year can make in the library. When I wrote my annual report message for our 2021 year, we talked about the COVID-19 pandemic retreating and returning to “normal.” We have learned that our library’s former “normal” looks much different now and has impacted the way the library operates, the expectations and needs of our customers in how they use the library, and the retention and recruitment of staff. Each month programs and services looked a little different.

Our new normal has us looking to the future and the changing needs in our community including focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion at the library. We’ve been working with community partners to address the technology-gap in our community (distribution of WIFI hotspots and TSC Get Digital), developing new strategies to keep our community engaged readers, improving access to the library for students and providing opportunities to meet bestselling authors.

Like the rest of the world, the library has been impacted by turnover like we have never experienced before. However, we celebrate the retirements of staff who dedicated their career to this library (see back cover). We also developed programs to prepare staff for leadership through our Emerging Leaders program, a year-long course teaching skills, budgeting, supervisory skills and project management.

2022 Annual Report

PDF

View previous annual reports.

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Movies & Music Lounge

The room that previously held new books, music and movies is transforming to the Movies & Music Lounge. Right now the movies and music are being moved to the center of the room to give us space for remodeling. Contractors are extending the cafe flooring into the west side of this room and we’ll add more tables and chairs. We’re also adding some comfortable seating for visiting, reading or relaxing.

Please excuse us if the space feels a little extra cozy while we work to improve the room. By the end of the year the lounge should be complete giving us all an open and comfortable space to find tunes and great films, relax, read, and enjoy cafe deliciousness.

Books all together

This week we moved the new books out of the room next to the Cafe and into the Team Rooms area. Now all the adult books (excluding large print & bestseller express) are in the north end of the library! New books are in the center, nonfiction in the west wing, and fiction, audiobook CDs, biographies, history, Spanish and travel in the east wing.

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