Spooky yet educating October activities at Moose Jaw’s Public Library
Gordon Edgar - Moose Jaw Express/MooseJawToday.com
The Friends of the Library sale in support of the library is taking place on Oct. 28 and 29, having been rescheduled from September; Lisa Bird-Wilson will visit the book club in person to talk about Finding Ruby; the latest book launch from Saskatoon author David Carpenter, and more.
Adult programming
The Moose Jaw Public Library (MJPL) Great Big Book Club will be joined on Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. by Lisa Bird-Wilson, author of Finding Ruby. This event is in partnership with the Saskatchewan Festival of Words.
The Tech Time program is still relatively new. The program offers one-onone opportunities to learn how to use your technological thing-um-jiggy, whether it’s a cellphone, a laptop, a program contained on those devices, or anything else to do with them.
Moose Jaw Colours will meet on Thursday, Oct. 6 at 2:30 p.m. for a special fall-themed, all-materials-supplied colouring session. Making new friends while colouring sounds especially relaxing, so don’t miss out.
There is a book launch with Saskatoon author David Carpenter on Tuesday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m., sponsored by the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild. The book is a memoir titled I Never Met a Rattlesnake I Didn’t Like, published by Thistledown Press.
A Local Writers Readout is happening Saturday, Oct. 15 at 2:30 p.m. The MJPL is calling all local writers to come and read to an audience. As an all-ages event, all readings should contain only appropriate material. No registration required.
The Movie Club this month will be watching Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula in keeping with the culturally-agreed-upon theme of October. Starring Anthony Hopkins, Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, and Keanu Reeves. The movie starts at 6 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 17.
Unintentionally hilarious and campy, highlights of this classic horror include Reeves’ English accent, Oldman’s overthe-top commitment to a creepy, breathy Dracula interpretation, Hopkins’ inappropriately ghoulish enthusiasm for vampire hunting, and Ryder’s fragile, helpless, wide-eyed credulousness. Treat yourself.
Night Stitchers, on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 7 p.m., is an expansion of the MJPL Avid Knitters Club, which will be on Tuesday, Oct. 25 at 2:30 p.m. Both are open, welcoming gatherings for persons who knit, crochet, or do other kinds of needlework.
The Purely Canadian Book Club is on Thursday, Oct. 27 at 2:30 p.m. and will be dissecting Close to Hugh by Marina Endicott, which was named one of CBC’s best-loved books of 2019.
Youth programming
Dungeons & Dragons is getting the same treatment as knitting, with another session of the world’s most popular role-playing game coming to the library.
The new Adult Digital D&D club, for ages 15 to 22, is meeting Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m. New and seasoned players both welcome with pre-registration.
Meanwhile, Teen Dungeons & Dragons, for ages 12 to 16, is every Thursday, September 15 to December 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Register for hack-and-slash improvisational drama by emailing youth@ moosejawlibrary.ca.
The Teen Maker Space, for ages 12 to 19, will be Harry Potter-themed this month, making wands and growing mandrakes — a plant that looks like a baby and screams enough to kill you if you take it out of the ground. Dangerous, but safe supervision will be supplied… probably. Meeting in the Herb Taylor Room, Wednesday Oct. 5 at 6:30 p.m.
Soul Eater is the movie of the Teen Anime Club in October, meeting in the MJPL Theatre on Saturday the 8th at 2:30 p.m. For ages 13 to 19. Soul Eater is about humans who can turn into weapons, at Death Weapon Meister Academy in Death City, Nevada. It examines the delicate and complicated emotional dynamic between the person who uses the weapon and the person who turns into the weapon. Can they stay friends?
A Games Night for Teen Gamers is scheduled for the Herb Taylor Room on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. featuring Xbox Kinect, Classic NES, other video games, board games, and card games.
On Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. there will be a Teen Writers’ Circle — snacks provided — to share ideas, network, and improved writing skills.
There are two Teen Movie Matinees this month: Ghostbusters: Afterlife is Saturday, Oct. 22 at 2:30 p.m. and Hocus Pocus
is Saturday, Oct. 29 at 2:30 p.m.
Children’s programming
Ask at the circulation desk for details of the MJPL’s storytimes for various ages — babies, preschoolers, and daycare-aged. There is a special Thanksgiving Storytime on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 10:30 a.m. and a Hallowe’en Spooky Storytime on Saturday, Oct. 22 at 10:30 a.m.!
Maker Saturdays are on Oct. 1 and 15 at 1:30 p.m. Bring a child aged 8 to 12 to experience hands-on learning. Registration for these programs is required and can be done through the MJPL website at moosejawlibrary.ca/childrens-programs.
Highlight of October for children? The Kids Hallowe’en Party! This is a come-and-go, dress-your-scariest-or-don’t event starting at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29 in co-ordination with the Teen Hallowe’en movie matinee showing of Hocus Pocus. Featuring games, crafts, stories, and costumes.