Show Off Your Cookie Skills!

It is the most wonderful time of the year. The snow is falling, the trees are twinkling, and the cookies are baking. The Aurora Public Library District is hosting a cookie contest! The contests will take place on Saturday, December 10 from 11:00 am-1:00 pm at the Aurora Branch and on Wednesday, December 14, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm. There will be three categories: Best Decorated, Best Tasting, and Best Overall. The best decorated and the best tasting will only have a first prize winner but the best overall will have a first and second place winner!

Dillsboro Town Manager Susan Greco will be judging the cookies entered for Dillsboro. Aurora Mayor Mark Drury will be the judge for the cookies entered for Aurora. The cookies can be dropped off up to an hour before the program officially begins. When you bring the cookies and enter them into the contest you must include the following: name, number, and if the cookie has nuts. Three cookies must be brought for each category, in case of a cookie mishap or if Santa gets hungry!

We can’t wait to taste your masterpieces!

25 Days of Giveaways on Facebook!

Follow us on Facebook so you don’t miss a single day of our 25 Days of Christmas Book Giveaway! Beginning on Thursday, November 24th (Thanksgiving), we’ll be giving away a picture book on our Facebook page every day for 25 days! You’ll have 24 hours to comment on our daily post for a chance to win! A winner will be randomly selected from the comments. Winners will be able to pick up their prize from the Aurora or the Dillsboro Library!

Meet Santa’s Reindeer!

“What to my wondering eyes did appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer with a little old driver so lively and quick, I knew in a moment he must be Saint Nick.”

Have you ever seen Santa’s reindeer up close? Well, now is your chance! Santa’s reindeer are making their way to Aurora, Indiana this year for a test run of the sleigh and will be meeting kids just like you at the Aurora Lions Club on December 4th and 18th from 1:00 – 4:00 pm. Take pictures, pet and feed the reindeer, and maybe get a glimpse of Santa yourself! So be on your best behavior, because you don’t want to be put on the naughty list right before Christmas!

This event is proudly sponsored by the Aurora Public Library District. Check out these books today to get ready to meet the reindeer!

 

Cookie Cutter Wreath Craft

Join our staff member, Jessica, in creating a Christmas-themed wreath out of cookie cutters. Just bring yourself and the Aurora Public Library District will provide the supplies, refreshments, and Christmas cheer! Registration is required with 11 spots at both the Aurora Public Library and Dillsboro Public Library.

Decorate a Gingerbread House with the Teen Advisory Board!

Create a merry masterpiece and suggest ideas for teen programs at our Teen Advisory Meeting! The Teen Advisory Board meets once a month to plan programs, help with displays, and share ideas. Join us on Thursday, December 1st at 6 pm at the Aurora Library to decorate gingerbread houses to display around the library for the holiday season while enjoying some festive snacks. Need community service hours? This counts!

Open to anyone 13-19 years old! Registration is recommended, but not required. Please call 812-926-0646 to register!

Gingerbread Baby Comes to Dillsboro!

On Saturday, December 3rd, Gingerbread Baby assists with storytime at Dillsboro Public Library as part of the Dillsboro Hometown Christmas. The fun begins at 1:00 pm and all attendees will enjoy listening to Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett followed by decorating their own gingerbread babies, participating in gingerbread activities, and enjoying a photo with the Gingerbread Baby. Attendees can get an entry for the library’s Hometown Christmas raffle which includes a pass to Reindeer Ridge, a $50 Larosa’s gift card, and assorted Jan Brett-themed items. The winner will be selected in the evening at Dillsboro’s Hometown Christmas but must be present to win.

The Gingerbread Baby can’t wait to meet you!

Winter Walkin’

 

Winter Walking picks up where our Purdue Extension Get WalkIN’ program left off! The last day with Marcia Stenger from Purdue is November 4th, but APLD is going to continue to offer a walking group during the same time slots! Join us Wednesdays at 8:30 am at DPL and Fridays at 8:30 am at APL and we will go off on a 35-40 minute walk, weather permitting. If SDCSC calls for a delay or a weather-related closure, the morning walk will be canceled automatically, but heavy rains might also cause a cancellation. Go to eapld.org to monitor closures. Help us help you stay healthy during the holiday season by joining us for walking each week. See you there!

A Muppet Christmas Carol!

On Saturday, November 26th, at noon, make the most of the start of the Christmas season by enjoying A Muppet Christmas Carol, which this year celebrates its 30th anniversary as a Christmas tradition. At this free movie on the APL upper floor, attendees can bring their own pillow and blanket, enjoy free popcorn and pop, and take in the classic tale told by Kermit, Piggy, Fozzy, and the rest of the gang. Parents are welcome but not required for ages 8 and up. Please register so we know how many to expect. You may register by coming into the library and telling a librarian, or calling 812-926-0646. We hope to see you there!

Fill Your Bucket with APLD!

The Aurora Public Library District is bringing the Virginia Repertory Theatre to the students of South Dearborn and St. John Lutheran School! Virginia Rep is a nonprofit theatre company from Richmond, Virginia that specializes in creating exciting theatrical productions for young audiences. Since 1975 they have been bringing plays and musicals to hundreds of schools and other venues throughout the nation!

The Aurora Public Library District is providing transportation to the Aurora Park Pavilion for the second and third graders from Dillsboro, Manchester, and Aurora Elementaries and from St. John Lutheran School to see Virginia Rep’s performance of Have You Filled Your Bucket Today: The Musical! The musical is based on the concepts in Carol McCloud’s award-winning children’s books, Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness and Ann Marie Gardinier Halstead’s book, The Bucket Filling Fairy. Have you Filled a Bucket Today: The Musical! relays the joys of friendship and compassion. The show is designed to promote healthy relationships and self-esteem and bring character education front and center stage.

The concept of “bucket filling” was created in the 90s by Carol McCloud. McCloud’s Bucket “Fillosophy” is to help all ages grow in kindness, self-control, resilience, and forgiveness, all leading to a happier life by teaching the three rules that lead to greater happiness: 1. Be a bucket filler. Be kind. 2. Do your best not to dip. Don’t be mean. 3. Use your lid. Protect your bucket and the buckets of others.

If space allows, these free performances will be open to the public. . Please watch the Aurora Public Library District Facebook page for updates on the performances and if there is space available. We hope to see you there!

Last Teen Advisory Meetings of the Year!

Let your voice be heard by attending our Teen Advisory Board meetings! So far, the Teen Advisory Board has helped us plan our Teentober programming, picked out the new furniture for the teen area, created a super display, and had lots of fun too! It’s not all work and no play. Every meeting we play a game or do some other fun activity, and food and drinks are always provided!

We have one more meeting in 2022!

Thursday, December 1st @ 6 pm
We’ll be talking about programs for next year and decorating gingerbread houses to put around the library!

Need volunteer hours? This counts! We meet once a month for 1 hour. Get your volunteer hours while having fun with your peers!