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Adventure Begins at YOUR Library!
Summer is approaching fast, but while the residents of Williamson County are getting ready for some fun in the sun, the Williamson County Public Library System (WCPLS) is busy planning some awesome summertime adventures at your local library!
This year’s summer library program at WCPLS allows for children, teens, and adults of all ages to learn with hands-on experiences and explore new interests with our summer reading theme of Adventure Begins at Your Library. This year’s theme will focus on adventures in nature and outdoors, with events, programs, and guest performers to match! WCPLS’s summer reading program begins Saturday, May 18, and continues until Saturday, August 3. The official summer reading kickoff at the Main Library in Franklin will be Saturday, June 1, from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM, with the Nashville Zoo providing two hands-on programs for families and children of all ages. Check with your local WCPLS branch for information about their specific summer reading kickoff activities.
Summer reading programs are a fantastic way to continue your child’s education while preventing any loss of literacy skills and vocabulary that they have gained during the school year. Setting aside dedicated time for reading is essential in preventing the “summer slide” and is a great opportunity for parents and kids to connect through a shared love of reading and accomplishment! Children who participate in summer reading programs not only strengthen their reading comprehension and improve their memory skills, but many will also see a boost in their self-esteem. Summer reading programs can also ignite a life-long passion for reading in both children and adults. Parents and children are welcome and encouraged to attend some of WCPLS’s featured fun and educational programs, which include science shows, nature exploration and education, music shows, and more! Don’t forget about our regular summer story times for babies, toddlers, and pre-k kids too!
Children, teens, and adult participants are all eligible to win prizes throughout the summer, including a free book of their choice, coupons, and more simply by logging their reading time and meeting specific reading goals. As a part of the Williamson County program, participants will be entered into a drawing for several grand prizes. These grand prizes will be given away to each age group: Children, Teens, and Adults. WCPLS’s program is free to everyone, making it accessible to the entire Williamson County community. Can’t make it out to the library to check out a book? No worries! Ebooks, audiobooks, graphic novels, and manga all count toward meeting those reading goals! Are your little ones too little to read on their own? Reading out loud to your children or family counts towards your reading goals and theirs!
So, take some time to enjoy reading this summer! To start your summer reading adventure, sign up online with Beanstack or download the Beanstack app to begin logging your minutes and earning those prizes!
WCPLS’s program is made possible with funding from the Williamson County Public Library Foundation. For more information about WCPL’s summer reading programs and services, visit wcpltn.org or your local library branch.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library System’s Main Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue. Branches are located in Fairview, Bethesda, College Grove, Nolensville, and Leiper’s Fork. For more information about library programs or services, call (615) 595-1243 or visit http://wcpltn.org. Sign up to receive library events and announcements via email here. The library can also be found on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, WordPress, and Twitter via @wcpltn.
Enjoy hoopla Digital on Your TV
Did you know? You can watch free streaming movies available on hoopla Digital on your tv. Samsung TV has added the app, along with Apple TV, Android TV, and Fire TV . Seamlessly browse, borrow, watch, and listen to hoopla movies, TV shows, music, and audiobooks with your Williamson County Public Library Card. Start now online at hoopladigital.com or learn more and find assistance at visit hoopla support.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library System’s Main Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue. Branches are located in Fairview, Bethesda, College Grove, Nolensville, and Leiper’s Fork. For more information about library programs or services, call (615) 595-1243 or visit http://wcpltn.org. Sign up to receive library events and announcements at https://bit.ly/WCPLSe-news. The library can also be found on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, WordPress, and Twitter via @wcpltn.
Garden Talk Series Returns to Library
[FRANKLIN, TN, January 26, 2024] The award-winning Williamson County Master Gardeners’ Garden Talk series returns to the Williamson County Public Library in February. This year their Speakers Bureau, along with Williamson County Horticulture Extension Agent Taylor Reeder, will present eight monthly programs covering everything from gardening for pollinators, growing bulbs, edible landscapes, and companion planting.
The first program, “Rainwater Harvesting: Every Drop Counts,” will be held virtually on Monday, February 12 from 1pm to 3pm. Evidence of capturing and storing rainwater goes back thousands of years. Learn why rainwater is better for plants and discover how you can create your own harvesting system that enhances your landscape while decreasing your water bill. . Enjoy our Master Gardener speaker sharing his personal adventures in rainwater harvesting.
Register at https://bit.ly/GardenTalkProgram1 or at the link below. The day before the event we will email Zoom login instructions to everyone who registers. bit.ly
The full 2024 Garden Talk lineup is as follows:
February 12: Rainwater Harvesting – Every Drop Counts (Virtual)
March 11: Gardening for Pollinators (Virtual)
April 22: Selecting Native Plants for Your Home Landscape
May 13: Packages of Promise – Plants that Grow from Bulbs
June 10: Cultivating Flavorful Landscapes
July 15: Friendly Companions
August 12: From the Ground Up
September 16: What Weeds are Telling Us
The Garden Talk series, which has been presented at the Library by the Williamson County Master Gardeners Association (WCMGA) since 2016, offers research-based horticultural education while promoting environmental stewardship. WCMGA operates as part of the UT/TSU Williamson County Extension Office and umbrella of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The programs are designed for seasoned gardeners and beginners alike and combine informative presentations with hands-on demonstrations. In 2020, the series was awarded the Search for Excellence Award by the Tennessee Extension Master Gardeners as the state’s best educational gardening program of the year.
All programs are on Mondays from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The first two programs are virtual via Zoom. The remaining six programs are in-person in the Library’s Meeting Room on the first floor, with an option to join virtually. All programs are free to anyone who would like to attend. For more information or to register, call the Reference Department at 615-595-1243 or go to the Library’s website at https://bit.ly/WCPLtnGardenTalks
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library System’s Main Library is in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue. Branches are located in Fairview, Bethesda, College Grove, Nolensville, and Leiper’s Fork. For more information about library programs or services, call (615) 595-1243 or visit http://wcpltn.org. Sign up to receive library events and announcements at https://bit.ly/WCPLSe-news. The library can also be found on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, WordPress, and Twitter via @wcpltn. The views expressed in this program are those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or opinions of the Williamson County Public Library System.
Celebrating National Novel Writing Month 2023?
While some people are defrosting their winter holiday spirit, writers around the country are dusting off their keyboards and thawing their greatest ideas for NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month. November is National Novel Writing Month which encourages novelists to write the first 50,000 words of their rough draft in thirty days. NaNoWriMo is all about getting that first draft out of an author’s head and onto the page, and the library has the resources to help.
When selecting the space to begin that rough draft, Pressbooks is a fantastic place to start. Pressbooks is a publishing platform; however, its programming allows each chapter to be a standalone section—great when the focus is getting words onto the page, and the order of chapters comes a bit later. Everything does not need to be dumped into one Word document or in several documents for different portions of the novel. Every new ‘section’ can be a new chapter that can be moved around after the fact. Pressbooks also has the section’s word count in the bottom left of the text editor. The total word count for the whole book is at the top of the ‘Organize’ section (which is important when counting down to 50,000 words by the end of the month).
The best part about using Pressbooks for NaNoWriMo is that this platform is free to all Williamson County Public Library cardholders. Patrons can access the platform through the library’s website under “Local Writers Resources.”
There is also a local community for comparing notes, sharing progress, and receiving critiques. For teen writers, the library has the Teen Writers Group (next meetings are November 13 and November 27 at 4 p.m.). For adult novelists, the Williamson County Writers Group meets on the first and third Saturdays of the month in the Learning Center of the library will provide critiques and community. Their next meetings will be November 4 and November 18 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Now, it’s time to dust off that keyboard, open up that draft (hopefully now in Pressbooks), and write that novel. In the words of the great Mariah Carey this time of year, “It’s time!”
Helpful links:
Listen and Learn with Andi Jane
With the bleeding heart of a true songwriter, Andi Jane spins her life experiences into melodic tales of wonder, humor, and imagination. She has a warmth and comfort while performing that she balances with true flair and finesse, creating an edgy, fun, infectious, and extremely entertaining show. Her diverse interests have led her to a truly unique blend of Americana, blues, honky-tonk, rock, and indie that is all at once familiar and enticingly fresh and new.
The Listen and Learn Music series is a collaboration with Southern Trace Songwriters. Artists share their songs and stories with the audience for a fun learning experience about the music industry. The views expressed in this program are of those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or opinions of the Williamson County Public Library System
Registration is requested for each person planning to attend. All library programs are free and open to the public. We appreciate you letting us know what size of an audience to expect.
Please be aware this event is being recorded by WCTV plus photos may be taken for library use.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library System’s Main Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue. Branches are located in Fairview, Bethesda, College Grove, Nolensville, and Leiper’s Fork. For more information about library programs or services, call (615) 595-1243 or visit http://wcpltn.org. Sign up to receive library events and announcements at https://bit.ly/WCPLSe-news. The library can also be found on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, WordPress, and Twitter via @wcpltn.
Holiday Closing – Memorial Day 2023
The Williamson County Public Library plus College Grove, Fairview, and Nolensville Branches are closed on Monday, May 29, 2023, for Memorial Day.
Bethesda and Leiper’s Fork Branches are closed on Saturday, May 27, 2023.
Our e-Library is open 24/7 with your library card. Log your summer reading over the summer here.
The library system resumes normal hours of operation at all facilities on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.
2023 Summer Reading Program Kickoff on June 3
Country Music Hall of Fame
Musical Instrument Petting Zoo
Celebrate the start of summer with one of two musical instrument petting zoos on June 30 at 10 a.m. or 11:30 a.m. A professional musician will share about a a variety of musical instruments then participants can have a turn at playing them. Seating is limited. Tickets will be available at the Children’s Department service desk thirty minutes before each show.
The day’s fun continues with food trucks, crafts, balloon animals, sidewalk chalk, and bubbles.
Fantasy Face Artistry creators will be making balloon animals from 11:30-1:30 pm.
Food Trucks include Buns-On-The-Run for hamburgers and hotdogs, The Baking Room for desserts, and Retro Sno for snow cones.
This program is part of our children’s summer reading program, All Together Now. The summer reading program encourages reading to children and by children. Reading over the summer helps maintain their learning progress when area schools are out.
Learn more and register your child by visiting the summer reading program webpage or by visiting your local Library Branch. There are summer reading programs for all ages, children, teens, and adults. Everyone can read and win fun prizes.
The WCPLS 2023 summer reading program is made possible due to the support of our Williamson County Public Library Foundation.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue.
All library programs are free and open to the public. Learn more about this event or other library programs and services by calling 615-595-1243, extension 1, or by visiting the library’s website at http://wcpltn.org.
The library e-newsletter provides library news about programs like this and more. Sign up to receive it via email.
Photos, screenshots, and videos may be taken at library events and activities for library use and publicity. Anyone not wanting to have their photo taken should notify library staff at the time of the event or activity.
The views expressed in this program are of those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or opinions of the Williamson County Public Library System.
Author Talk with Rick Warwick
Williamson County Historian Rick Warwick will introduce his new book, Four Blocks on Franklin’s Main Street, on Tuesday, May 30, at 4 p.m.
Come enjoy a trip down Memory Lane with our long-term Franklinites and an interesting history lesson for newcomers. The talk is a virtual walking tour down Main Street using period photographs of our historic buildings and images of the people who kept the businesses open.
The views expressed in this program are of those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or opinions of the Williamson County Public Library System.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue.
All library programs are free and open to the public. Learn more about this event or other library programs and services by calling 615-595-1243, extension 1, or by visiting the library’s website at http://wcpltn.org. The library e-newsletter provides library news about programs like this and more. Sign up to receive it via email.
Photos, screenshots, and videos may be taken at library events and activities for library use and publicity. Anyone not wanting to have their photo taken should notify library staff at the time of the event or activity.
The First Franklin Christmas Tree Reading and Book Signing
The First Franklin Christmas Tree
Join local author Professor Thadamouse for a special reading of his book, The First Franklin Christmas Tree, at the Main Library on Saturday, November 12 at 2 p.m.
This holiday reading is recommended for families with elementary-aged children. Professor Thadamouse will be available for a limited time after the reading for book purchases and signings.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue.
All library programs are free and open to the public. Learn more about this event or other library programs and services by calling 615-595-1243, extension 1, or visiting the library’s website at http://wcpltn.org.
The library e-newsletter provides library news about programs like this and more. Sign up to receive it via email.
Photos, screenshots, and videos may be taken at library events and activities for library use and publicity. Anyone not wanting to have their photo taken should notify library staff at the time of the event or activity.
The views expressed in this program are of those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or opinions of the Williamson County Public Library System.
Living History Walk
Join us on November 5 at 10 a.m. as the Brentwood Franklin Women’s Service Club presents a Living History Walk with live actors portraying colorful characters from Williamson County history from the early days of American government to the Battle of Franklin and beyond. You will see our Tennessee home in a new light as you visit with Col. John P. Baird, Ewen Cameron, Fannie Courtney, Peggy Eaton, Carrie McGavock, Mariah Reddick, Freeman Thomas, and James Hazard Wilson.
The reenactors will be stationed around the two floors of the library and bring history to life as they share stories of their character’s lives and times.
Plan now for the whole family to visit the Main Library for this fun and engaging historical experience from 10-12:30.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue.
All library programs are free and open to the public. Learn more about this event or other library programs and services by calling 615-595-1243, extension 1, or by visiting the library’s website at http://wcpltn.org.
The library e-newsletter provides library news about programs like this and more. Sign up to receive it via email.
Photos, screenshots, and videos may be taken at library events and activities for library use and publicity. Anyone not wanting to have their photo taken should notify library staff at the time of the event or activity.
The views expressed in this program are of those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or opinions of the Williamson County Public Library System.
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