Witchy October Craft!

Teens and adults are welcome to join us for a spooky craft party hosted by Jessica!

We will be recycling used books to create decorative spellbooks that would be a great addition to any creepy haunt. Snacks and refreshments will be provided for all souls who register. Only 12 openings at each building.

Top 10 Challenged Books of 2021

“Banned Books Week celebrates the freedom to read and spotlighting current and historical attempts to censor books in libraries and schools. For 40 years, the annual event has brought together the entire book community — librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types — in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular. The books featured during Banned Books Week have all been targeted for removal or restriction in libraries and schools. By focusing on efforts across the country to remove or restrict access to books, Banned Books Week draws national attention to the harms of censorship.” -American Library Association Office of Intellectual Freedom (ALA OIF)

The ALA OIF has been collecting data on book bans and challenges since 1990. Every year they compile a list of the top 10 most challenged books of the year. These lists are created from information from media stories and voluntary reports from communities across the United States. Here are the Top 10 Most Challenged Books of 2021.

#10 Beyond Magenta: Transgender and Nonbinary Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
 
“Author and photographer Susan Kuklin met and interviewed six transgender or gender-neutral young adults and used her considerable skills to represent them thoughtfully and respectfully before, during, and after their personal acknowledgment of gender identity. Portraits, family photographs, and candid images grace the pages, augmenting the emotional and physical journey each youth has taken.” -Candlewick Press
This book is available in the Libby app!

#9 This Book is Gay by Juno Dawson

Banned, challenged, relocated, and restricted for providing sexual education and LGBTQIA+ content.
 
“Lesbian. Gay. Bisexual. Transgender. Queer. Intersex. Straight. Curious. This book is for everyone, regardless of gender or sexual preference. This book is for anyone who’s ever dared to wonder. This book is for YOU.” – SourceBooks
This book is available on the Libby app!

#8 The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

Banned and challenged because it depicts child sexual abuse and was considered sexually explicit.
 
“NATIONAL BESTSELLER • From the acclaimed Nobel Prize winner—a powerful examination of our obsession with beauty and conformity that asks questions about race, class, and gender with characteristic subtly and grace.” – Penguin Random House
This book is available at Aurora Branch and on the Libby app!

#7 Me and Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Banned and challenged because it was considered sexually explicit and degrading to women.
 
“The New York Times bestselling novel that inspired the hit film! It is a universally acknowledged truth that high school sucks. But on the first day of his senior year, Greg Gaines thinks he’s figured it out. The answer to the basic existential question: How is it possible to exist in a place that sucks so bad? His strategy: remain at the periphery at all times. Keep an insanely low profile. Make mediocre films with the one person who is even sort of his friend, Earl.” – Abrams Books
This book is available at the Aurora and Dillsboro Branches and on the Libby app!

#6 The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

Banned and challenged for profanity, sexual references, and use of a derogatory term.
 
“Bestselling author Sherman Alexie tells the story of Junior, a budding cartoonist growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation. Determined to take his future into his own hands, Junior leaves his troubled school on the rez to attend an all-white farm town high school where the only other Indian is the school mascot.” -Little Brown and Company
This book is available at the Aurora Branch and the Libby app!
 

#5 The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Banned and challenged for profanity, violence, and it was thought to promote an antipolice message and indoctrination of a social agenda.
 
“Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.” -HarperCollins Publishers
This book is available at the Aurora and Dillsboro Branches and on the Libby app!

#4 Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez

Banned, challenged, and restricted for depictions of abuse and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
 
“‘This is East Texas, and there’s lines. Lines you cross, lines you don’t cross. That clear?’ New London, TX. 1937. Naomi Vargas is Mexican American. Wash Fuller is Black. These teens know the town’s divisive racism better than anyone. But sometimes the attraction between two people is so powerful it breaks through even the most entrenched color lines. And the consequences can be explosive.” -Holiday House
This book is available at the Aurora and Dillsboro Branches and on the Libby app!

#3 All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson

Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
 
“In a series of personal essays, prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist George M. Johnson explores his childhood, adolescence, and college years in New Jersey and Virginia. From the memories of getting his teeth kicked out by bullies at age five, to flea marketing with his loving grandmother, to his first relationships, this young-adult memoir weaves together the trials and triumphs faced by Black queer boys.” -MacMillan Publishers
This book is available on the Libby app!

#2 Lawn Boy by Jonathan Evison

Banned and challenged for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to be sexually explicit.
 
“In this funny, biting, touching, and ultimately inspiring novel, bestselling author Jonathan Evison takes the reader into the heart and mind of a young man determined to achieve the American dream of happiness and prosperity–who just so happens to find himself along the way.” -Workman Publishing
This book is not available at the Aurora Public Library District, but we would be happy to put in a Interlibrary Loan request for you!

#1 Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe

Banned, challenged, and restricted for LGBTQIA+ content and because it was considered to have sexually explicit images.
 
“Maia’s intensely cathartic autobiography charts eir journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, and bonding with friends over gay fanfiction.” -Oni Press
This book is not available at the Aurora Public Library District, but we would be happy to put in a Interlibrary Loan request for you!

Want more banned books? You can find the top 10 lists from previous years here. The top 100 banned and challenged books from 2010-2019 can be found here.

Dinos Invade the Library!

Dinosaurs have broke loose in Southeast Indiana and they’ve been spotted at YOUR local library! Take a look at our fun dino-themed events coming this October!

Jurassic Park Movie Showing – October 11th, 1:00 pm @ Dillsboro Public Library

Are you ready for an adventure where the setting takes place in a theme park and characters in the movie come to life after a power failure? If you are, then the Dillsboro Public Library is the place to be on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. We will be featuring the movie Jurassic Park for all to enjoy as part of our Dinosaur Encounter theme week continues. We do ask that adults accompany any child under the age of 10. This movie is rated PG-13. Popcorn and a drink will be provided, so get ready to buckle up for a dinosaur wild ride. While not required, registration is requested.

Dino Escape Room – October 14th, 4:00 pm @ Aurora Public Library

Visit the dinosaur escape room at Aurora Public Library! Discover the hints and gain a reward. Enjoy some refreshments and food. Additionally, we’ll provide a craft that will show your prehistoric style. The event takes place at the Aurora Public Library on October 14th and begins at 4:00 pm. This event is exclusively open to tweens (8-12 years old). While not required, registration is requested.

Dinosaur Encounter – October 15th, 1:00 pm @ Gabbard Park in Aurora

Imagine going back 245 million years ago to a time known as “The Age of Dinosaurs” and encountering an Argentinosaurus, one of the largest dinosaurs who roamed freely on our Earth. Fast forward to the present and imagine YOU having a Dinosaur Encounter on October 15, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. located at Gabbard Park in Aurora, Indiana! The Aurora Public Library District is excited to host this program for all ages. Beaux the T-Rex and babies will be here as well as Seraphina the Triceratops and babies. Station play will also be set up after the program for all to enjoy. In case of rain, the program will be held at the Aurora Elementary School main gymnasium. We look forward to a gigantic show!

If you are roaring with any questions, please contact the library at 812-926-0646.

October Chapter Chat: Mysteries

For our next Chapter Chat, we want you bring your favorite mystery. No matter what crimes are awaiting an answer, find a tale that will capture and hold your attention. Some can involve amateur detectives, some can involve secrets, and yet others could be historical puzzles. An icebreaker will start us off and then we go into a craft and a few other surprises followed by the book discussion. Expect tasty snacks and drinks to get your brains in gear!

Dates for our meetings are as follows:

Dillsboro: Saturday, October 8th @ 10:30 am

Aurora: Wednesday, October 12th @ 4:00 pm

As the great Sherlock Holmes said:

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.

Fair Weekend Hours

Farmers Fair Weekend is just around the corner! The Aurora Public Library will be shifting its hours to better accommodate for fair crowds and allow for our staff to serve you better. The Aurora Public Library will be open 10 am until 4 pm on Wednesday, September 28th, Thursday, September 29th, and Friday, September 30th. The Aurora Public Library will be closed on Saturday, October 1st.

As always, patrons can return items in the book drop outside on the sidewalk near the building. Items returned in the book drop before opening will be checked in according to the last day the library was open. If patrons would like to renew items or place holds, they may do so on our website at any time or call the library at 812-926-0646 during business hours.

The Dillsboro Branch hours will be the same during this time frame.

Enjoy all the festivities at the Farmers Fair, one of Aurora’s greatest and oldest traditions!

Stream with your Library!

The Aurora Public Library District is thrilled to announce the introduction of the streaming service, Kanopy, to our patrons. Kanopy is a unique streaming service for libraries, universities, and other information institutions that provides users with access to thousands of classic films, documentaries, television shows, and children’s material. Now YOU have free access to this resource using your library card.

Want to stream today? Let’s get started!

  1. Make sure you have a pin set up on your library account. If you do not have a pin on your account, please call the library at 812-926-0646 or visit us to get one set up.
  2. Visit https://www.kanopy.com/en/eapld and click “Log In” in the top right corner of the screen. Then click on “Don’t have an account yet?”
  3. Select that you have a public library card, then search for “Aurora Public Library District”.
  4. Now you should be able to enter your library card and pin to log in. The site will prompt you to create an account tied to email.
  5. You’re ready to stream!

After you’ve logged in, you can browse all selections available to you at the moment. The collections rotate over time, so make sure to watch what you want as soon as you can! See something you like but aren’t ready to watch just yet? You can add the movie or show to your watchlist by selecting the title and clicking “Add to my Watchlist”.

Kanopy also has a wonderful selection of television shows, films, learning tools, and story read-alongs in their Kids section, which you can find in the top right of the home screen after logging in. From here, you can make lists and set parental controls to keep your children safe.

So, let’s get streaming! Questions or concerns? All library assistants at the Aurora Public Library District have been trained on Kanopy and are ready to help. Just come in and ask or give us a call at 812-926-0646.

Where Do I Find…

You may have noticed some changes to our website recently. That’s because we’re in the process of a revamp! This will be an ongoing project, so it may look a little different every time you use it. While theses changes are being made, if you are having trouble finding something, always check the green menu all the way at the bottom of the page. That’s where we will be keeping all our important links (like Online Resources, Services, and Program) until the website is finished and they have permanent locations. You can also use the search bar in the top right hand corner. Just be sure to change the selection from “The Online Catalog” to “The Library.” If you have any questions or need help finding something you can always give us a call at 812-926-0646.

Finding Things at Your Library

Have you been intimidated by finding things at your library? Do you want to know more about what services your library can offer you? Come to our Library Scavenger Hunt to become more familiar with where you might find things at your library. You will be able to work as a group to find your way through the library and you will leave an Expert Library Patron!

Winning patrons will receive awesome library swag!

Monday, Sept. 12 APL 2 pm
Thursday, Sept. 15 DPL 4 pm

Crafty Fall Fun!

Start the fall season off right with our September craft. We will be making a pumpkin that is recycled from old books. This will be for teens and adults only. All materials are going to be provided.

Registration is not required but recommended. Hope to see you there!