By: Lucia Bain, Kansas Room Librarian, Hays Public Library
November is a month to be thankful. I am thankful for my health, my home, my family, my job and this year I am incredibly thankful because my husband and I are expecting our first child! As busy as my life has been in the last two years, I suspect that, come April, it will become a lot more hectic. I’ll be taking a few weeks off when the baby comes, but I have plenty of projects and programs to get through before the big arrival. November is no exception.
There are some new print items available in the Kansas Room, including Dragging Wyatt Earp by Rober Rebein, The Big Divide by Diane Eickhoff and Aaron Barnhart, Hooked Rugs of the Midwest by Mary Collins Barile, and Green Town U.S.A., by Daniel Wallach. Stop by the Kansas Room to check out these and other new titles!
The Kansas Room is sponsoring three programs in November – a line dancing class, a wheat weaving demonstration, and a wine tasting event. The line dancing class will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 6 PM in the Schmidt Gallery. Vanessa North from the children’s department will be teaching participants how to slide, shimmy and shuffle their way through popular line dances. Wear comfortable shoes and leave your fears at the door. Vanessa’s classes are easy to follow and entertaining.
On Friday, Nov. 22 at 2 PM in the Schmidt Gallery, local resident Patricia Albrecht will be leading a wheat weaving demonstration. Audience members will have the opportunity to see some of Patricia’s handiwork, as well as watch her weave a simple, braided wreath. For those who want to try their hand at weaving, Patricia will also be teaching participants how to construct a simple wheat braid on their own. Wheat weaving is a beautiful folk art and a great way to appreciate Kansas’ most abundant crop.
Finally, on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 6 PM in the Schmidt Gallery there will be a wine tasting event led by Clayton Cutter. Participants will have the opportunity to learn about and sample eight different wines from some of the best wine producing regions of the world. This will be an excellent opportunity to learn about different varieties of wine and maybe even get a few ideas for what to serve with this year’s holiday meals. This event will be free to the public, but spaces are limited. Only the first twenty five people to sign up will receive a ticket to the event, so if you want to attend, be sure to contact me right away. You can either call me at 785-625-9014 to request a ticket or email me at [email protected]. You must be 21 years old to attend this event.
Last month I attended a meeting in Topeka to discuss the Turning Points film project, for which Hays was selected. Don’t forget, our community’s turning point is the formation of the Hays Arts Council in the mid-1960s. It looks like things will really start rolling in the next couple of months as the story is mapped and the interviews are scheduled! The premier of the film will take place in late spring. Keep watching my column for more updates on the Turning Points project as it develops.
The Kansas Room is open from 9 AM to 4:30 PM on Mondays, 9 AM to 6 PM Tuesday through Friday and by request.