Fort Bend County Libraries has a series of fun, educational and family-friendly events planned for fall.
FBCL will celebrate “TeenTober,” a national literacy initiative created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. Libraries, schools, and bookstores across the country are participating in this month-long initiative encouraging teens to take advantage of reading in all its forms – books, magazines, e-books, audiobooks, and more — and to become regular library users.
Online programs specifically designed for high school students in grades 9 through 12 take place throughout the year.
The October schedule of online Family Story Time programs will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:15 a.m. They will be live-streamed on the “FBCL Virtual Programs and Educational Resources” Facebook group page.
Families with infants 1-12 months of age can practice their early-literacy skills by watching the pre-recorded Little Bits video episodes that will become available online on Wednesdays.
Registration is required for the live-streamed programs only. An email with the link for the Webex meeting will be sent to all who register on FBCL’s online virtual calendar.
Tuesday, Oct. 5
“ESL Conversation Circles” (live-streamed) 10.30 a.m.-noon. Registration required.
Wednesday, Oct. 6
“ESL Conversation Circles” (live-streamed) 10-11 a.m. Registration required.
Thursday, Oct. 7
“Part 1: NaNoWriMo Prep-tober 2021” (live-streamed) 2-4 p.m. This is a two-part workshop hosted by FBCL in preparation for National Novel Writing Month in November.
Part 1 will comprise an overview of the writing initiative and how it works. Participants will get tips on brainstorming, developing plot outlines for the big picture, and creating characters and scene cards.
Established in 1999, National Novel Writing Month is a creative-writing project for aspiring writers, who are encouraged to write 50,000 words of a novel in the 30 days of November. The initiative is responsible for more than 250 novels which went on to be traditionally published, including Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, and Rainbow Rowell’s Fangirl.
This online workshop is recommended for adults and teens aged 14 and up.
Monday, Oct. 11
Teen Read Week “Get Rec’d Ideas for Teens” (live-streamed) 4-4:30 p.m. Teens will discuss their favorite books and share their recommendations. FBCL library staff will share news and views on some captivating Young Adult lit for teens. Registration required.
“Photography Basics: What Makes This Photograph Great” (pre-recorded video) Learn how to critique amazing photographs by master photographers to gain a better understanding of the elements that make a photo great. This episode will focus on American portrait photographer Philippe Halsman.
“Intro to 3D Printing” (pre-recorded video) This two-part instructional video will provide an overview of 3D printing. Learn about how the 3D printer works, the process for printing, and how to use Tinkercad to design 3D objects.
Tuesday, Oct. 12
“ESL Conversation Circles” (live-streamed) 2-3 p.m.
“YA Advisory Council” (live-streamed) 4-5 p.m. Teens can earn volunteer-service hours by expressing ideas, organizing upcoming activities, and suggesting new programs and books that would be of interest to young adults at the library. Registration required.
Wednesday, Oct. 13
“ESL Conversation Circles” (live-streamed) 10-11 a.m. Registration required.
Teen Read Week “Get Rec’d Ideas for Teens” (live-streamed) 4-4:30 p.m. Teens will discuss their favorite books and share their recommendations. FBCL library staff will share news and views on some captivating Young Adult lit for teens. Registration required.
“YA Marvel Trivia” (live-streamed) 4:30 p.m. Teens aged 13 and up who enjoy the challenge and excitement of a trivia competition are invited to join in this virtual event, putting their knowledge of Marvel Comics to the test. Registration required.
“YA Book Club” (live-streamed) 4-5 p.m. Readers will discuss Lovely War by Julie Berry. This title is available in print and on OverDrive; call George Memorial Library to check availability. Registration required.
Thursday, Oct. 14
“Sienna Subtext: Graphic Novel & Animé Club” (live-streamed) 4-5 p.m. The book to be discussed is Centipede: Game Over, Vol. 1, by Max Bemis. This title is available in print at the Sienna Branch Library. Registration required.
“‘The Butler Did It’ Mystery Book Club” (live-streamed) 11 a.m.-12 noon. Katy-area mystery lovers are invited to the inaugural “The Butler Did It” Mystery Book Club meeting at the Cinco Ranch Branch Library. The book to be discussed for the first meeting is Chasing Darkness, an Elvis Cole novel by Robert Crais. This title is available in print and digitally on OverDrive. Additional print copies of the book are available at the checkout desk. The book club will meet monthly on the second Thursday.
Friday, Oct. 15
“Accessing Consumer Reports Online”
(pre-recorded video). Learn how to access full-text articles from Consumer Reports online through FBCL’s website.
Saturday, Oct. 16
“Heavy Inks Graphic Novels Book Club” (live-streamed) 11 a.m.-12 noon. The book to be discussed is Monstress by Marjorie Liu. This title is available in print; call George Memorial Library to check availability of additional print copies. Registration required.
Monday, Oct. 18
“Computers 101” (pre-recorded video) FBCL’s multi-part “Computers 101” series consists of introductory videos on computers and how they can be used. Episodes cover the physical parts of a computer, the differences between a Microsoft PC and an Apple Mac computer, and the meanings of different computer terms. Get an overview of the software programs in the Microsoft Office Suite (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint), and much more.
“Baked Cheese Balls.” (pre-recorded video) Discover how to make a tasty appetizer with as few as three ingredients. The dish can be made with different cheeses, spices, and fillings. A link to the video will be posted on FBCL’s online calendar on the scheduled date and may be viewed at any time. Registration is not required.
Tuesday, Oct. 19
“ESL Conversation Circles” (live-streamed) 10.30 a.m.-noon. Registration required.
“YA Advisory Council” (live-streamed) 4-5 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 20
“ESL Conversation Circles” (live-streamed) 10-11 a.m. Registration required.
“Pizza! Pizza!” (live-streamed) 1.30 p.m. During this month’s video conference, the Culinary Book Club will share rice recipes. The club meets on the third Wednesday of every month. Cooking enthusiasts of all ages and experience levels — from beginners to advanced — are invited to join. Registration required.
“YA Advisory Council” (live-streamed) 4-5 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 21
“Story Spinner’s Club” (live-streamed) 2-4 p.m. All aspiring writers, novelists and bloggers are encouraged to tune in. This month’s topic is “character creation.” Recommended for adults and teens aged 14 and up. Registration required.
Monday, Oct. 25
“Virtual: Indigo Fabric Dyeing” (pre-recorded video), Learn about the Japanese textile art known as Shibori indigo dyeing. Shibori is a resistance dyeing technique dating back to 8th century Japan. It involves folding or clamping the fabric between boards, stitching, pleating or gathering it, and then dyeing it in a vat of indigo.
“MS Word Survival Basics” (pre-recorded video) Learn the basics of using this word-processing software program to create letters, resumés, forms, and other types of documents. Different segments in the multi-part series will demonstrate various features, such as text effects, changing font style and size, adding images, footnotes and end-notes, page numbers, tables, mail merge, and more.
Tuesday, Oct. 26
“ESL Conversation Circles” (live-streamed) 2-3 p.m.
“Fruit Trees for the Backyard” (live-streamed) 2 p.m. Homeowners are invited to attend Part 7 of the Texas AgriLife Extension Office’s Landscape Success series. Master gardener Deborah Birge will discuss fruit trees that can thrive in the Gulf Coast climate. Hear about proper planting techniques and recommended maintenance tips, including pruning, feeding, and watering. The series will continue Nov. 16, with a program on “Tree Care Basics,” presented by Boone Holladay.
Wednesday, Oct. 27
“ESL Conversation Circles” (live-streamed) 10-11 a.m. Registration required.
“YA Advisory Council” (live-streamed) 4-5 p.m.
“YA Book Club” (live-streamed) 4 -5 p.m. Readers will discuss Patron Saints of Nothing by Randy Ribay. This title is available in print and on OverDrive; call Cinco Ranch Branch Library to check availability. Registration required.
Thursday, Oct. 28
“Part 2: NaNoWriMo Prep-tober 2021” (live-streamed) 2-4 p.m. During Part 2, participants will get tips on different planning methods, how to schedule work sessions, and how to set attainable goals. They will also be able to exchange tips and ideas and network with other participants.