Discover your library

Public libraries are amazing places and community spaces — warm and welcoming, engaging and energizing, innovative and inviting, lifelong learning for all ages and abilities. Where else can you check your email, read the newspaper, do a jigsaw puzzle, watch an award-winning film, meet a nationally acclaimed author, learn about tea, borrow Nordic Walking poles, travel the world in an armchair, try out a 3-D printer, take a cooking class, greet your neighbours, stream a webinar, find a job, fill out online government forms, make a bird house, discover great works of art from local artisans, print a resume, join a book club, learn your ABCs, research your ancestry, knit away the blues ... and borrow a book?

Let’s get Fit Lit!

Go for a swim and try out the gym, for free! Coming up late this week, the library is pleased to be able to offer Fun Fit Passes for borrowing — from the library. Fun Fit Passes for the YMCA of Pictou County will be held at the Stellarton, New Glasgow and Westville libraries, while the Pictou Library will have a membership card for the Pictou Fisheries Pool and True Potential Fitness Gym.

Library patrons with an adult library card will be able to borrow a Fun Fit Pass card for two weeks at a time, with their PARL library card. The facility membership card will cover the visit for an individual or a family. A hold request for the Fun Fit Pass can be placed online through the library catalogue or by calling any of the library branches, and you will be able to pick up the pass (when it is available) at your local library branch.

This new physical literacy program is in many thanks due to great community partnerships between Active Pictou County and the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library, with the support of the YMCA of Pictou County, the Town of Pictou – Pictou Fisheries Training Pool and True Potential Fitness gym and funding provided through the Facility Access program from the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage. The Fun Fit Passes will be available in our community libraries until March 2019. It’s time to get fit lit, together.

Discovering your family roots

This month’s Community Café on March 7 (2:30 p.m.) at the Westville Library welcomes Maren Fassnacht, our Heritage Clerk with the New Glasgow Library. Maren will be by to talk about genealogy and how to research your family tree through Ancestry.ca, archives, library resources and other online services. All are welcome, and light refreshments will be served.

March break magic

From March 10 to 17, the library has planned over 100 free, family-fun activities for all ages — from Treasure Hunts to fort building, Xbox gaming to buttonmaking, a MakerFair and more. Most programs are drop-in, although several programs do require registration (due to limited space or materials). For full details please visit the PARLevents calendar online at www.parl.ns.ca, or your local library.

For more information on upcoming library programs, special events and services, please drop by your local library branch, follow us on Twitter, find us on Facebook, or visit us online at www. parl.ns.ca.