BARE OUR SHELVES: Check out what's happening at the library this fall

October brings cooler weather and spooky vibes! Library staff are working hard to decorate and prepare for our second annual Not-So-Scary Halloween program on Saturday, Oct. 31, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. We appreciate our community partners, the Moses Lake Community Coalition and the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Columbia Basin, for helping make this family-friendly event a success. Our Friends of the Moses Lake Library will provide candy, and library staff will host a haunted book maze, plus crafts and other surprises. Come show off your not-so-spooky costume and have a good time!

Last week (Oct. 4-10) was Banned Books Week. You can find a banned book to read at your local library or ask a librarian for a recommendation. The American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom tracks requests to ban books. The 2025 data for the most challenged books in public and school libraries is available to view on their website: www.ala.org/bbooks/banned.

Also, a big thank you to Moses Lake City Council member Jeremy Davis for joining NCW Libraries’ staff for a tour of the Moses Lake Public Library last month. Council member Davis was very engaged, signed up for a library card and even took a photo for social media. We greatly appreciate his participation in Library Card Sign-up Month.

The Moses Lake Public Library regularly offers programming for kids, teens, and adults each week. Learn about upcoming library programs.

We love the facility dogs, Valor and Bea, from Kids Hope, one of our longstanding community partners, who cohost Storytime with Valor on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:30 a.m. at the library. Join us on Tuesday, Oct. 13, for some friendly snuggles with our best friend, Valor, and enjoy a cozy read indoors. Storytimes with our community partners help share their mission and vision while highlighting the important work they do to serve our community.

We are so happy to welcome Kendall from Today’s Generation Dance Studio for a movement-and-dance-themed storytime on Monday, Nov. 9 and Monday, Dec. 14, at 10:30 a.m. We can’t wait to Book & Bounce with some fun stories and a short dance lesson.

One of our favorite annual programs is coming up soon. Save the date for our Christmas Craft Night on Friday, Dec. 18, from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Join us for a family-friendly event featuring a handmade Christmas ornament and a delicious cup of hot chocolate provided by our Friends of the Moses Lake Library. Keep the stray paint and rogue glitter at the library, and away from your home! Get creative, get a little messy, and enjoy the holiday cheer with family and friends.

Bare Our Shelves appears bi-weekly and features honest musings from your local library staff. Austin Foglesong is the Supervising Librarian II of the Moses Lake Public Library, a branch of NCW Libraries. He has a Master of Library and Information Science from the University of Washington. Connie Baulne is the Operations Supervisor of the Moses Lake Public Library. She specializes in controlled chaos and creating a good schedule.

Moses Lake Public Library

418 E. Fifth Ave.

Monday-Tuesday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Wednesday: 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

Thursday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday: Closed