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ALTON - The Hayner Public Library District is gearing up for a busy fall with plenty of programs and services available to the community.
“We’re trying something new all the time,” said Mary Cordes, Hayner’s executive director. “We have our long-term programs that we’ve been doing that I really don’t anticipate us ever getting rid of because they work and people really, really like them. But you don’t want to just rely on what you’ve done in the past. You want to keep moving forward. So we’ve got some really fun programs coming up.”
Among these programs, Cordes is looking forward to the Taps and Tomes Book Club, which meets every other month at The Old Bakery Beer Company. This month, they’re reading “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng and meeting on Sept. 5, 2024. From 6–7 p.m., participants can socialize and enjoy food and drinks. The book discussion starts at 7 p.m. Cordes said the group has “grown exponentially” and everyone is “so welcoming” to new attendees.
Many community members also enjoy X’s and Sews: A Crafting Program, scheduled for 6–7:30 p.m. on Sept. 10 and 24, 2024. This program invites crafters to bring their crafts to Hayner’s multipurpose room at the Alton Square Mall. Attendees can chat with each other, watch tutorials using the Creativebug database and complete crafts throughout the night.
“If you are a crafter or an artisan or an artist and you need a big place to spread out your work and work on it, or if you want to meet other people who are doing the same type of work, you can come,” Cordes said. “Basically, you pack it up and bring it to the library and we provide a space for you to work on it. It’s a really great program.”
The Fall Memory Café is a program designed for people experiencing dementia or Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. This program invites people to connect, reminisce and share resources and memories. The Fall Memory Café is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, at Hayner’s Alton Square Mall location.
The Jared Hennings Trio will perform at the Alton Square Mall location from 6:30–8:30 p.m. on Sept. 24, 2024. They will be performing music by Billy Eckstine and Mel Tormé, and Cordes noted that the band is “fantastic.” All of Hayner’s events and programs are free, but they ask that you register for the event by calling 1-800-613-3163.
In addition to these special programs, Hayner has a few long-running programs for kids and teens to enjoy. The Teen Advisory Board meets at 4 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month, and teenagers are invited to talk about their interests and the programs they want to see at Hayner Library. The library then plans programs around these conversations.
Hayner also works closely with the Alton Community Unit School District #11 to share resources and information. Cordes noted that it’s possible to create a lifelong love of reading in kids if you start early, which is why Hayner has a “1,000 Books Before Kindergarten” program. This program encourages parents to read 1,000 books to their kids before the child turns 5, and you can earn incentives and prizes along the way.
“We do realize how important it is to build a relationship with reading and the library,” she said. “If you can get somebody when they’re young to become a library user, they’re pretty much going to be a library user and a reader for the rest of their life because they see not only how important it is, but just the services and programs that we offer that are free.”
Cordes encourages people to think about the library before they spend money. She pointed out that there are a lot of free resources through Hayner’s databases, and their Library of Things is a great option for people who need an item once or twice and don’t want to purchase it.
“Before you go to the store or hire somebody, we really want people to think, can I do that at the library? Because you pretty much can,” Cordes added. “We just want to create a welcoming place for patrons.”
Hayner Library is currently looking for a part-time maintenance person to join their team. To learn more, call the library at 618-462-0677. Visit the official Hayner Public Library District website at HaynerLibrary.org for more information about Hayner’s resources, programs and services.
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