May 2023 Perry Public Library and Hometown Heritage at the Carnegie Library Museum Events
Craft Club: Paint Your Own Pot, Plant Your Own Succulent – May 1
Craft Club meets on Monday, May 1 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Library Community Room. Participants will paint mini pots and plant succulents. All are welcome, but space is limited and registration is required. A $5 fee materials fee is due at the time of registration to reserve your spot. Please register by Monday, April 24h. For questions, call 515-465-3569. To register, visit the library.
May the 4th Be with You Kid’s Party – May 4
May the 4th be with you as we celebrate all things Star Wars! Visit different stations from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm in the Library Community Room. Stations include fun activities, such as make pool noodle lightsabers and Baby Yoda origami, and games like Pin the Bun on Princess Leia, “Blow Up” the Death Star, and even Use the Force! Miss Laura will also read some of her favorite Star Wars books at 4:30 pm and at 5:15 pm. This is a free event for kids and no registration is required. For questions, call the library or Youth Services Librarian Laura Pieper at (515) 465-3569 or e-mail lpieper@perry.lib.ia.us.
Hometown Heritage at the Carnegie Library Presents: How Education Has Changed Panel Discussion – May 4
As we look back through the Perry High School yearbooks, it’s easy to see the differences between how students, their hairstyles, their clothes, and the school has changed over the years. It’s not as easy to flip through yearbooks and understand how education in Perry has changed. Join Perry Educators for a panel discussion on Thursday, May 4, from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Carnegie Library Museum. The “How Education Has Changed: Panel Discussion” will include a panel of educators made up of Randy Marzen, past Perry teacher and current principal of Perry Elementary School; Dr. Randy McCaulley, former Perry School District Superintendent; Trist Cohea, current Perry High School teacher; and Becky Reuter, a long-time teacher at Perry Elementary school who recently retired from teaching. They will share their experience and expertise as school personnel who have lived through it all. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Carnegie Library Museum at 515-465-7713 or visit www.perry.lib.ia.us.
Hometown Heritage at the Carnegie Library Presents: Historical Craft Perfume Tins – May 6
Need a Mother’s Day gift? Come to the Carnegie Library Museum in May to create perfume lotion tins with Trista. This free, all-ages event is happening May 6 from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm upstairs in the Carnegie Library Museum. For more information, contact Trista at 515-465-7713 or visit www.perry.lib.ia.us.
Special Library Hours: Perry Public Library and Carnegie Library Museum Close at 2:00 pm – May 6
The Perry Public Library and the Carnegie Library Museum will have special hours on Saturday, May 6. Both buildings will be open from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. They will close at 2:00 pm on that day to accommodate the Perry High School Prom Grand March on Railroad Street. There will be no Saturday Crafternoon in May for this reason. For more information, visit the library or call 515-465-3569.
May Grab and Go Adult Craft – Free DIY Spring Garland Craft Kit
May’s Grab and Go Adult Craft will spread spring cheer throughout your home! These classic, wool ball garland banners are cheerful and versatile decorations. Beginning May 1st, adult patrons can bring home a Free DIY Spring Garland Craft Kit from the Perry Public Library. This craft kit includes materials and instructions for making one Spring Garland of your own. This May Craft is free, courtesy of the Perry Public Library, and available while supplies last. For questions, visit www.perry.lib.ia.us or call 515-465-3569.
May Grab and Go Kid’s Craft – Free DIY Craft Kit
Kids looking for a creative project to enjoy at home can come into the Perry Public Library in May to grab a Free DIY Kit. The kit includes material and instructions to create your own DIY project! This May Craft is free, courtesy of the Perry Public Library, and available while supplies last. For questions, call the library or Youth Services Librarian Laura Pieper at (515) 465-3569 or e-mail lpieper@perry.lib.ia.us.
Hometown Heritage at the Carnegie Library Presents: History of Perry Schools Exhibit – April 15 to May 31
Come view the Carnegie Library Museum’s newest free exhibit, available beginning April 15. The History of Perry Schools Exhibit features historical pictures of schools, teachers, students, and events. In addition, the exhibit displays Perry school yearbooks dating from 1914 to 2008. Come take a walk through the rich history of Perry schools! This exhibit is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Carnegie Library at 515-465-7713 or visit www.perry.lib.ia.us.
May Fresh Conversations with Aging Resources of Central Iowa: Walking: Small Steps, Big Results – May 3
Fresh Conversations is a free nutrition and physical education program for ages 60+. The program offers practical tips and sensible solutions to everyday problems that get in the way of doing what most people want to do: eat well and live well! Fresh Conversations is also an opportunity to connect with other adults for a friendly group discussion. We will meet in May to discuss the health benefits of walking and try a tasty recipe on Wednesday, May 3 from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm in the Perry Public Library Community Room. This is a monthly, free event for ages 60+ and no registration is required. For more information, call the library at 515-465-3569 or visit www.perry.lib.ia.us.
We Have Issues (YA Book Club for Everyone): All the Rage by Courtney Summers – May 3
Adults and teens are invited to join our We Have Issues (Young Adult Book Club for Everyone) to discuss All the Rage by Courtney Summers. This is a book that Angie Manfredi, Head of Youth Services, Los Alamos County Library System, calls “A YA game changer along the lines of Laurie Halse Anderson’s Speak…this is a work of great power and resonance and I believe it can give a new generation of teen girls a voice.” The club will meet at 6:00 pm, on Wednesday, May 3, in the Library Community Room. Interested adults and teens may join the group at any time, but registration is required. Books are available at the library for registrants. Register online at www.perry.lib.ia.us, in person, or call the library for more information at 515-465-3569.
Chess at the Library – May 4, 11, 18, 25
Local Chess Instructor David Oliveira is partnering with the Perry Public Library to teach, mentor, and play chess with players of all ages and experience levels. Whether you are new to chess or looking for a challenging game, mark your Thursday evenings in May for Chess Instruction and Walk-in at the Library. Students, grades K-12, will meet from 4:30 to 5:30 pm, in the library Board Room. Chess players of all ages are then welcome to meet from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, also in the Board Room, for instruction or competition. David Oliveira leads the group meetings and also offers chess instruction by individual appointments as part of the library program. Call the library for more information or to arrange a time at 515-465-3569.
A Public Health Approach to Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Presentation by Greg Woods of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services – May 11
Greg Woods from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services will come to the Perry Public Library on May 11 from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm for a special community program focusing on Alzheimer’s and dementia. Did you know that Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, and its prevalence is growing? More than five million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s, but that number is expected to triple by 2050. This program highlights the growing focus of Alzheimer’s and dementia in public health; what causes memory loss; what the latest research shows in our fight against these conditions; what can be done to decrease one’s risk; what resources exist and what Iowa Department of Health and Human Services is doing to help. This program will meet in the Library Community Room and is free and open to the public. No registration is required.
Monthly Book Club: Mornings in Jeni: A Novel by Susan Abulhawa – May 16
The meeting will be held at 1:00 pm, Tuesday, May 16, in the Library Community Room. Members will discuss Mornings in Jeni: A Novel by Susan Abulhawa. This novel follows four generations of a Palestinian family, covering themes of love, loss, childhood, marriage, parenthood, and shared history through generations. Everyone interested is invited to join the discussion, but registration is required. Register online at www.perry.lib.us, by phone at 515-465-3569, or in person. Books are available at the library for participants for a small fee. For more information, call Library Director and discussion leader Mary Murphy at 515-465-3569.
May Craft Club: Woven Bookmarks – May 30
The May craft will merge your love of reading and crafting! May Craft Club meets on Tuesday, May 30 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm in the Library Community Room. Participants will be weaving their own bookmarks. All are welcome, but space is limited and registration is required. A $5 materials fee is due at the time of registration to reserve your spot. Please register by Monday, May 22nd. For questions, call 515-465-3569. To register, visit the library.
