Haynie Library

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The Haynie Public Library hosted a book signing by author Shanna Groves, daughter of former Prague police chief Jim Bartlett. Groves will be signing copies of her debut novel, Lip Reader.

The book tells the story of Sapphie Traylor, a young girl growing up in rural Oklahoma in the early 1980s. Twelve-year-old Sapphie describes her relatives with vivid detail— her mother who lives in a fantasy world, a grandmother born deaf, a stern preacher-grandfather, and an aunt fluent in sign language but lacking in social graces. It is up to Sapphie to solve the mystery of her mother's secret life while finding the courage to forgive and have faith.

Groves was diagnosed with progressive hearing loss at age 27 after the birth of her first child. The book sheds light on how hearing loss affects all ages and how one family copes.

“It is becoming more common among people ages 20-50,” Groves said. “Of course, a family history of genetic hearing loss can make young people more susceptible.” Groves has written about her hearing journey in Hearing Loss Magazine, The Kansas City Star and A Cup of Comfort for Nurses. Lip Reader is her first novel.

Read more about Lip Reader at http://shannagroves.blogspot.com.

The Haynie Public Library will screen "Kung Fu Panda" at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 8, in the library meeting room.

Haynie Public Library was transformed into a studio last week as children learned about photography, had their pictures taken and took pictures of their own.

During “Act IV: Pictures of Me,” children at the morning program were each individually photographed. At the afternoon program, the children learned about photography from local photographer Stacey Foster and then took pictures of each other and their surroundings.

The summer reading program as a whole concluded Friday evening at “An Evening of the Arts.” The creative works of the summer program participants were on display and live entertainment was provided.

Seth Heinzig gave an encore performance of “Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus” and also performed a drum solo. Artists Alexis Wiseman and Kristin Smith sketched a still life, and Foster was on hand to answer any photography questions.

“We’re very happy that so many Prague children came to the reading programs this year,” librarian Pam Batson said. “We just hope that people will continue to come to our other great children’s programs!”

The next program scheduled at the library is a screening of “Kung Fu Panda” at 10 a.m. Wednesday, July 8. The movie is best for children ages 5 and up. Children can bring their own drinks and a blanket to sit on, and Vision Bank will provide popcorn.

Shakespeare wrote that the world is a stage. From the looks of things at the Haynie Public Library, he was right.

 At last week’s summer reading program, “Act III: The World is a Stage,” local children learned about acting in different forms.

 Children at the morning program were treated to a puppet show by the librarians and then got to make up their own puppet stories. At the afternoon program, Seth Heinzig, a member of the Prague High School speech team, performed “Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus.”

 Children at the afternoon program also decorated drama masks, which were displayed at “An Evening of the Arts.”

For thousands of years, people have expressed their thoughts, emotions and ideas through art. Last Friday at the Haynie Public Library, local children joined the ranks of artists like Michelangelo and Picasso by expressing themselves through art at “Act II: If I Were a Painter.”

Seventy children attended the reading program, which was the second part of “Be Creative @ Your Library.” At the morning program for pre-schoolers, children listened to a story about Harold, a boy who creates whole worlds to explore with his purple crayon.

Local artist and teacher Amy Friend was the guest at the afternoon program for children ages six and up. Friend emphasized that the beauty of art is truly in the eye of the beholder, and artists are often their own worst critics.

“Even if you don’t think your picture is very good, don’t ever throw it away,” Friend said. “Someone thinks it is good.”

After Friend’s presentation, the children had a chance to express themselves through drawing. The pictures they drew will be displayed at “An Evening of the Arts” at the library on Friday, June 26, at 7 p.m.

The summer reading program will continue next week with “Act III: The World is a Stage.” The program for children under age six is at 6 a.m. and the program for school-age children is at 3 p.m.

Seventy Prague children learned about writing, performing and enjoying music at “Act I: I Got Rhythm” during  the first week of the Haynie Public Library’s summer reading program.

At the morning program for children under age six, children listened to “Olivia Forms a Band” and then decorated rhythm sticks.

In the afternoon, children ages six and up were treated to a solo by baritone player Ryan Tapp and then learned about composing music from composer Seth Cudd.

“Just like writers write books so you can read them, composers write music so musicians can play it,” Cudd said.

 Cudd taught the children about beats and rhythms, and then the children wrote their own rhythms to clap along with “Grandma’s Feather Bed.”

 The theme of this year’s program is “Be Creative @ Your Library.” Next week, at “Act II: If I Were a Painter,” children will learn about art. The program for children under age six begins at 10 a.m. and the program for children ages six and up begins at 3 p.m.

 The sticks the younger children decorated, as well as other examples of creativity from later programs, will be displayed at the library’s “Evening of the Arts” at 7 p.m. June 26.

“Be Creative @ Your Library,” a summer reading program in four acts, will kick off this Friday at 10 a.m. for children up to pre-K and at 3 p.m. for school-age children.

The librarians have a great program in store for Prague children this year, librarian Rebekah Husted said.

“Each week will focus on a different way to be creative: music, art, drama and photography,” Husted said. “The children will have a chance to be creative themselves at the programs, and then their creativity will be on display during our ‘Evening of the Arts’ on Friday, June 26.”

This week’s program, “Act I: I Got Rhythm,” will be all about music. Children at the morning program will decorate music sticks. At the afternoon program, composer Seth Cudd will talk about how music is created and written, and Ryan Tapp and will provide live music for the children.

“We are excited about giving Prague children an opportunity to express themselves at the library,” Husted said. “We hope lots of children will come to the programs.”

Browse photos of recent library events.