Two digital expos are coming up in July at the main Jefferson Parish Libraries to explain to cardholders explain how to use the library’s free digital content.
Digital content, any content accessed by a computer or Wi-Fi connection rather than requiring a patron to be in the physical library, includes eBooks, audiobooks, music, movies, magazines, comics and databases delivered directly to smartphones, laptops, tablets and more.
The first expo will take place 6 to 8 p.m. July 16 at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. The second will be 6 to 8 p.m. July 17 at the Jane O’Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey.
JPL staff and vendors will be present at more than a dozen stations inside the meeting rooms to answer questions about various technologies.
The stations are:
- 1. Start — Digital content guide and library card sign-up/look up.
- 2. Books, audio and video, including Libby.
- 3. Books, audio and video, including Freegal and Kanopy.
- 4. Books, audio and video, including Hoopla.
- 5. K-12 and college resources, including ABCMouse, Britannica eBooks, HomeworkLA.org, Scholastic with GO and Teachables, TumbleBook with Library and Cloud and World Book Online.
- 6. Learning resources, including CreativeBug, LinkedIn Learning, Mango Languages and Gale Udemy.
- 7. Reference, genealogy and news resources, including Gale eBooks, Westlaw, MorningStar, Value Line, Ancestry with Fold 3 and Newspapers.com, HeritageQuest, NewsBank, NYTimes, and WSJ.com.
- 8. EBSCO, including Flipster, LearningExpress, EBSCOhost/Explora, Auto Repair Source, Consumer Reports and Novelist/BookChat.
- 9. Brainfuse, including HelpNow, JobNow and VetNow.
- 10. Data Exle, including Reference Solutions.
- 11. OCLC, including CloudLibrary.
- 12. Beyond Books, including Library of Things.
- 13. IT, including technology class sign-ups.
This event is for group demonstration purposes only. Staff will not be able to spend time with each patron to troubleshoot their devices. However, patrons can sign-up for a one-on-one tech session with IT staff or sign-up for a tech class.
ONE NIGHT ONLY: Three popular library events — the adult spelling bee, the monthly food demonstration, and the monthly cocktail demonstration — will be combined into one night at both the East Bank Regional Library and the West Bank Regional Library in July as part of the library’s Summer Reading Program.
The East Bank event will take place at 6:30 p.m. July 10 at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. The West Bank event will be at 6:30 p.m. July 24 at the Jane O’Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey.
Each event begins at 6:30 p.m. with a cocktail demonstration. Elizabeth Pearce, a New Orleans bartender and mixologist, will prepare a little-known cocktail called “Bee’s Knees.” Chef Nora Wetzel will demonstrate honeycomb candy at 8 p.m. Honeycomb candy, also known as sponge toffee, cinder toffee and hokey pokey, is a sweet crunchy candy with honeycomb-like bubbles.
The Adult Spelling Bee occurs between the two demonstrations. Adults 18 years of age and older may participate in the contest in which individual competitors are eliminated as they fail to spell a given word correctly.
Participants should simply come to the event on the day it is held.
KITTEN YOGA: Patrons can interact with kittens while also participating in a yoga class from 10 to 11:30 a.m. July 11 at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie. This event will be repeated at 10 to 11:30 a.m. July 25.
Each session is open to patrons 12 and older. All of the kittens — which run and frolic through the room while a yoga session plays on the screen — are available to meet, play with and adopt. The kittens are from the Jefferson Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
TORTURED POETS: "Taylor Swift’s Literary Loves and Tortured Poets," a fun session focusing on the pop singer, will take place at 7 p.m. July 18 at the West Bank Regional Library, 2751 Manhattan Blvd., Harvey.
This talk from staff member Christie Cognevich, Ph.D., will explore some of Swift's past literary references, from William Wordsworth to Sylvia Plath, along with new allusions throughout the lyrics of her latest release. Come hear about the literary masterminds and tortured poets in Swift's canon, as well as how to think about Swift's lyrics like poetry.
SKY WATCHING: Ron Keating of the Pontchartrain Astronomy Society will deliver a presentation titled "Silver and Gold, Advice from a Backyard Astronomer" at 7 p.m. July 17, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie.
The society is a nonprofit astronomy club whose members promote an understanding and appreciation of astronomy in our community, sharing their time and telescopes to engage the public with unique astronomy experiences.
CELEBRATION OF LOCAL WRITER: Local poets will celebrate the life of Martha McFerren by reading from her poetry at 2 p.m. July 20 at the Old Metairie Library, 2350 Metairie Road.
McFerren wrote of five books, including "Women in Cars," for which she received the Marianne Moore Prize, and "Archaeology at Midnight." Her poems have appeared in Georgia Review, Shenandoah, Southern Review and many other journals and anthologies. She received a master of fine arts degree from Warren Wilson College.
BOX SALE: The Friends of the Jefferson Parish is holding a box sale to reduce their inventory of gently used books and more.
The sale of children’s books and CDs will occur from 9 a.m. until sold out on July 27, in the hallway outside the meeting rooms at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie.
Patrons will be able to purchase prepackaged boxes for $5 per box The boxes are purchased sight unseen. Proceeds benefit the Jefferson Parish Library.
SUMMER READING PROGRAM: Summer programs are still going on at libraries on both sides of the parish.
On the East Bank:
- 11 a.m. to noon July 10 – Theater with Ms. Jen presents Aesop’s Fables, East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon Ave., Metairie.
- 2 to 3 p.m. July 10 – Theater with Ms. Jen Presents Aesop’s Fables, Wagner Library, 6646 Riverside Drive, Metairie.
- 2 to 3 p.m. July 10 – Ms. Vee with Stories for You and Me, North Kenner, 630 W. Esplanade Ave., Kenner.
- 3 to 4 p.m. July 10 – Portpuppet Players presents “If the Shoe Fits …”
- 2 to 3 p.m. July 15 – Portapuppet Players present “Ariel’s Treasure Chest,” North Kenner, 630 W. Esplanade, Kenner.
- 3 to 4 p.m. July 15 – Frank and Tammy’s Magic Show, Old Metairie Library, 2350 Metairie Road.
On the West Bank:
- 11 a.m. to noon July 11 – Theater with Jen presents Aesop’s Fables, Jane O’Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library, 2571 Manhattan, Harvey.
- 3 to 4 p.m. July 11 – Theater with Ms. Jen presents Aesop’s Fables, Gretna Library, 102 Willow Drive, Gretna.
- 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. July 11 – Frank and Tammy’s Magic Show, Lafitte Library, 4917 City Park Drive, Lafitte.
- 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. July 11 – Frank and Tammy’s Magic Show, Live Oak Library, 125 Acadia, Waggaman.
- 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 13 – Teen craft: DIY camouflage paper, Jane O’Brien Chatelain West Bank Regional Library, 2571 Manhattan, Harvey.
Chris Smith is manager of adult programming at the Jefferson Parish Public Library.