The Library was Overrun with Barn Animals!

On Monday, May 20, adorable baby farm animals visited the library!

Barn Babies Traveling Petting Zoo, originally scheduled to visit us on April 19, was rescheduled for this past Monday, and they generally donated additional time so even more Watertown families could meet these cute critters!  All afternoon, kids and caregivers got to pet and hold a wide variety of baby farm animals!

Over the course of the day, 347 people came through.  Kids got up close and personal experiences with a goat (complete with a diaper!), a pig, puppies, kittens, ducklings, and chicks.

We'd like to send a big THANK YOU to Barn Babies for their generosity!

And make sure to check out our Facebook page for more pictures of all the fun that was had!

The Science of Slime

We've got another awesome (and kind of gross!) science program for kids in grades 3-5!  This month, it's SLIME!  On Thursday, May 16 at 3:00 p.m. kids can learn about slimy polymers and then try their hand at making their own.  You can even bring home the slime you create!

This program does require registration, but there are still spots left!  So stop in or call 617-972-6435 to register!

This is part of our Science is Everywhere grant, which is administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Library Services and Technology Act, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Go INSIDE a Whale!

How big IS a whale, really?  Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go inside one?

This Saturday, YOU have the opportunity to find out!

We will be getting a visit from Niles, a life-sized, inflatable, humpback whale!  Niles will be accompanied by Cynde McInnis, a scientist who will tell you all about whales and lead you through our giant inflatable friend.

Kids in grades K-5 will get to hang out with Niles on Saturday, May 4 at 10:00 a.m.  You do need to register, so stop in or give us a call at 617-972-6435 and let us know you'd like to come!

Want to find out more?  Check out Cynde's website at http://www.thewhalemobile.com/TheWhalemobile.html!

Celebrate Children's Book Day With Us!

Each year on April 30th, libraries across the country celebrate El día de los niños/El día de los libros (Or Children's Book Day)!  It's a day to focus on the literacy skills of children of all backgrounds, and to celebrate our diverse languages and cultures.

Here at the Watertown Free Public Library, we'll be sharing multicultural songs and stories, and we'll create a multilingual poetry garden! (Kids can take home their poems after we take some pictures of the "garden.")  The activities will be geared towards children in preschool up through grade 2.

Please join us on Tuesday, April 30 at 3:00 p.m. for this fun, multicultural event!  Registration is required, but there are still plenty of spots left.  So stop in or call 617-972-6435 to register today!

Moment of Silence

The Watertown Free Public Library will observe a one minute moment of silence today at 2:50 p.m. in honor of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings and subsequent events.

We thank all the first responders, especially those from Watertown, for their heroic service this past week.

Science is Everywhere: Egg Drop!

Can you drop an egg from various heights without it ending up like this?

Don't miss your chance to try!  There's still space for kids in grades 3-5 to register for this month's Science is Everywhere program.  On Thursday, April 11 we'll learn a wide variety of engineering skills as we use limited materials to create landing crafts that allow our eggs to drop safely to the ground.

Will it be challenging? Yup!

Will it be messy and gross? Probably!

Will it be fun?  Definitely!

Interested?  Call 617-972-6435 or stop in to register.  There are only a few spots left, so register today!

This is part of our Science is Everywhere grant, which is administered by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Library Services and Technology Act, and the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

We've got Disney eBooks!

If you take a look through our Digital Media Catalog, you'll see tons of new books available, particularly Disney eBooks   We've recently been able to add Disney Digital Books to our collection, which means your kids can find tons of stories about their favorite characters right on your Mac or PC!  And unlike most of our other eBooks, these are always available!  There's no need to put them on hold or join a waiting list.  You can read them immediately!

Interested?  One of the easiest ways to find these is to visit our Digital Media Catalog.  The first thing you'll want to do is sign in by clicking "Sign In" at the top and entering your library card number and PIN number (Don't know your PIN number? Stop in or call us and we can reset it for you!)  Scroll down a little bit, and along the left side you'll see the icon above, inviting you to "Check out a Disney Digital Book today!"  If you click on that, you'll be able to see a whole list of all of the Disney eBooks we have for you.

Once you find one you like, click on "Add to Cart."  Then click "Proceed to Checkout" (unless you want to continue browsing).  On the following page, choose how many days you think you'll need to read this eBook, then click "Confirm Check Out."  On the download page, simply click "Launch" next to the Disney Digital Book you've chosen.  A new window or tab will open in your internet browser, and the book will begin!

This is a wonderful way for children who can't read on their own yet to spend time with stories when parents and caregivers are busy.  Reading with your child is absolutely essential, and eBooks that "read" to your children are no replacement for the one-on-one, interactive experience they get reading with you.  But using eBooks can be an excellent way to give your child literacy and technology experiences, in addition to the time you spend reading together.

So browse through our collection, see what looks good, and give Disney Digital Books a try today!