Register to vote and get your ballot
notarized at the Library!
In the days leading up to the Nov. 3 general election, UCPL wants to do our part to make sure everyone eligible is registered to vote, and makes their voices heard. To that end, we have two voter registrars on staff, who are on hand to help new voters get registered properly. The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 election is Wednesday, Oct. 7, so make sure you swing by and get registered on time.
Of course, after registration, there's also the matter of voting. Given the current pandemic, more people are opting for absentee or mail-in ballots. In St. Louis County, those who wish to vote absentee must submit an absentee voting application by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21. UCPL has copies of this application on hand — just ask for it at the front desk or when you call for curbside pickup.
For many, absentee ballots will be mailed in, and must be notarized. To assist with that, UCPL has notaries on staff, and will be hosting notaries from the Jewish Community Relations Council of St. Louis from Oct. 19-31. Notaries will be available during all open hours: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 1-5 p.m. Saturday. All absentee or mail-in ballots must be received by the St. Louis County Board of Elections by 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 3.
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Lift Every Voice and celebrate African American poetry in October, November
In October and November, University City Public Library will host a series of online events that will highlight the role of African American poetry in the struggle for racial justice and freedom. These programs are part of Lift Every Voice: Why African American Poetry Matters, a national public humanities program dedicated to enhancing appreciation of the extraordinary range and richness of the 250-year-long African American poetic tradition. Only 50 institutions nationwide were chosen to participate in this initiative, including UCPL.
UCPL's Adult Services staff invites you to participate in this series by checking out the Lift Every Voice reader, and by attending the following events:
These programs are part of Lift Every Voice: Why African American Poetry Matters, a national public humanities initiative of Library of America presented in partnership with The Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture with generous support from The National Endowment for the Humanities, The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and Emerson Collective.
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Youth Services introduces fall reading challenges and a Bike Rodeo!
There’s a lot going on in Youth Services this fall. First up, it’s time to saddle up for a Bike Rodeo at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10! UCPL is partnering with Trailnet for a morning full of biking fun. Kids aged 3-12 are invited to rustle up your bike and helmet and bring them to the municipal parking lot across Kingsland from UCPL and participate in this educational event that uses obstacle courses and challenges to teach bike safety and handling. Leave with smiles, smarts, and a small gift for participating!
The folks up in Youth Services miss all their friends who used to visit for storytime! If you miss us too, you can see the familiar faces of Ms. W, Ms. Sue Anne, Ms. Stephanie, and Ms. Erin as we continue our digital storytime series. Come dance, sing, read, and play with us as we add content to our YouTube channel and Facebook page!
October also brings another reading challenge for our U City kids! For our preschool friends, we have taken our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program online. For students in grades 1 through 12, they can read for the chance at weekly prize drawings as well as a special Grand Prize Family Fun Pack for one lucky winner that includes dinner, desert, games, and art projects! So log on to Beanstack right now and start your Missouri Reading List Challenge for your chance to win. |
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Monthly book groups and an adult reading challenge return to UCPL this fall
Now that the weather's finally cooling down and the Adult Summer Reading Big Book Challenge is well behind us, UCPL staffers are preparing for a few more ways to stay reading. For the first time, we're offering a fall reading challenge: Read Woke, an online challenge that encourages participants to expand their reading practices by branching out to authors of a different race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Like the 2020 Big Book Challenge, Read Woke will take place on Beanstack. The challenge runs through the end of December.
Want to be a bit more interactive in your reading practices this fall? Our three monthly adult book groups returned in September, and we'd love to have you join us in the coming months. Check them out here:
- Orcs & Aliens Book Group — This group focuses on new voices in science fiction and fantasy and meets at 7 p.m. on the second Monday of each month. Email Kara at kkrekeler@ucitylibrary.org for information on participating.
- Read the Classics Book Group — As the name suggests, this group focuses on classic novels, poetry, and short stories, and meets at 2 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Email Kathleen at kmgallagher@ucitylibrary for information on participating.
- U City Book Group — Led by UCPL Director Patrick Wall, this group reads and discusses newer award-nominated or buzzed-about books, both fiction and non-fiction, and meets at 7 p.m. on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Email Patrick at pjwall@ucitylibrary.org
All of the monthly book groups will be taking place via Zoom until further notice. Multiple copies of the chosen books are available for checkout at UCPL. Email reference@ucitylibrary.org or call 314-727-3150 for more information.
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Looking to stock up on books? Grab a Binge Bag, a curated collection of five books that share a theme, from mysteries to science fiction to family ties. Browse the collection online so you can place them on hold for curbside pickup. Keep checking back, as we're constantly adding more themes!
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Staff favorite database Reference USA
is now Reference Solutions
Every day, UCPL patrons call our reference librarians asking for assistance in tracking down phone numbers and addresses for individuals and businesses. And most of the time, the librarians are successful in finding what the patrons need. The secret to this success? It's a database that has long been called Reference USA, but is now Reference Solutions.
This electronic resource is available to anyone with a UCPL library card, and includes the U.S. white pages, as well as 59 million business listings that are chock full of information about each company, its leadership, and its industry. Check it out here: Reference Solutions. Questions? Let us know!
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