Counting down to the holidays, the Cobourg Public Library is offering the Random Acts of Kindness program for children and families all month, with a daily Random Acts of Kindness to share the joy of the season.
Following on the heels of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the Cobourg Public Library urges you to observe Giving Tuesday – the annual traditional time to give back to the non-profits in your community to show your support. Should you choose to support the library, you can donate in person or contact Jocelyn Gard at 905-372-9271 ext. 6249 or jgard@cobourg.library.on.ca.
The library invites you to share the gift of warmth with the annual Mitten Tree that is up until Jan. 31. Drop off your donations of warm winter mittens or hats, and the tree will be unveiled in the new year for anyone who needs these gifts.
A wonderful array of programming is planned for December for all ages.
Dec. 4 – Navigating Social Media (6 to 7:30 p.m.) is an adult program that will help you get started on this new way to connect with the people in your life.
Dec. 8 – Local favourite author Linda Hutsell-Manning tackles the memoir genre with her new book Fearless and Determined, and you can enjoy an author reading of her memories of teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in the early 1960s from 2 to 4 p.m. (with copies available for purchase, thanks to Let's Talk Books).
Dec. 12 – Adult Craft Night at the Bewdley branch (7 to 8:30 p.m.) offers the chance to learn simple macrame skills to create a snowflake with beads.
Dec. 13 – Holiday Movie at the Gore's Landing branch (6:30 to 8:30 p.m.) is a family time of crafts, refreshments and a holiday movie.
Dec. 31 – Noon Year's Eve Party (11 a.m. to noon) is a family New Year's Eve celebration with dancing, food, activities, games, crafts and a special count-down to 12 o'clock (noon, that is).
Other programming that stretches over several days includes the Teen Christmas Cup Tree Challenge Dec. 11-18, with your chance to work your magic on regular cups to add to the decor in the young-adult department.
For children and their families, there are more such opportunities.
Happy Hanukkah (Dec. 16 to 22) is a chance to learn more about this special holiday, test your dreidel skills and enjoy a craft.
Holiday Decoration Hunt (Dec. 16 to 23) calls upon budding detectives to find the 12 missing decorations the Grinch had taken and turn them in for a reward.
Let It Snow (Dec. 17 to 28) takes place at the Bewdley and Gore's Landing branches, helping you create coffee-filter snowflakes to cover the libraries' windows.
The Trending Topics Book Club meeting is set for Dec. 11, where you choose a book related to the month's topic (human rights this month) and come to the 6 p.m. meeting ready to discuss it, And the Gore's Landing Book Club meeting is scheduled for Dec. 3 from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Regular day-of-the-week programming continues, making it easy to mark your calendar.
MONDAYS – Laughing With Baby at 11 a.m. Offers a half-hour drop-in story time for babies aged 24 months and under. Also on Mondays at 2 p.m., it's movie time – Frost/Nixon on Dec. 2 and Christmas In Connecticut on Dec. 9.
TUESDAYS – Teens and adults are invited, every other Thursday, for Gamer Night, with all the hot games available from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 3 and 17. And while you're enjoying D&D, Magic:The Gathering and other favourites (courtesy of Video Game City and the Northumberland Gamers Guild), don't forget the free pizza (courtesy of Pizza Pizza).
WEDNESDAYS – Family Story Time from 10:30 to 11:15 a.m. offers pre-schoolers and their care givers stories, songs, rhymes and crafts designed to help the little ones develop early school skills. Also on Wednesdays, two once-monthly programs will be taking place. Home-schooling families are invited for a fun and educational get-together Dec. 18 from 2 to 3 p.m. (with this month's theme Pioneer Christmas). And on Dec. 4, the Teen Advisory Group meets from 4 to 5 p.m. – a time of games, activities and finding ways to improve library programming and services (this month's theme is holiday celebrations, and participants may be eligible for community-service credits).
THURSDAYS – Learn how to knit or crochet at the Bewdley branch Thursdays from 7 to 9 p.m. and start on your very own Care Square (this group does not meet on Adult Craft Nights).
FRIDAYS – Also at the Bewdley branch, it's Family Story Time from 10 to 10:45 a.m., a time of songs, stories, rhymes and a craft designed to help children develop early school skills. And in Cobourg, it's movie time at 2 p.m. - this month, see Three Smart Girls Dec. 6 and The Colour of Money Dec. 13.
Looking ahead, Oscar night is coming, and the Cobourg Public Library (and both Hamilton Township branches) invite you to mark your ballot and enter the draw by Feb. 8 for the chance to win an amazing gift basket from CVS Midwest Tapes.
The Cobourg branch will close early – at 1 p.m. - Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve, and will be completely closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.