Library Corner: What's coming to East Adams Library in the new decade

It’s a new year and a new decade! The older we get, the more places and things we want to see but it may seem like we have less time, energy, and money to do these things. The Washington State Library has loaned us a virtual reality (VR) kit through this March that will make checking things off your bucket list a little easier –and best of all it’s free and available right here at the library!

If you just want a taste of VR, we have a program with a few short vignettes. You’ll meet a dinosaur face to face, see a larger than life germ, have a close encounter with some aliens, watch robot arms feud over a rubber ducky, and see a miniature city up close. If you want a more interactive experience, we have a program that lets you explore a space ship with some help from a little robot friend. Or maybe you would rather take a tour of the White House or visit the National Parks? On the other hand, maybe you want to take a full-body tour through the bloodstream. We have a program for that, too!

If world travel is more your style, we have a Google Earth program that lets you go anywhere in the world to see the sights. As long as there are pictures already uploaded on Google Earth, you can see all the places you have been longing to go and cross them off your bucket list. Imagine being able to see the Eiffel Tower without all the crowds or Notre Dame before it caught on fire. Imagine going to Africa to see all the exotic animals without the threat of being eaten by lions. You can go almost anywhere and see almost anything using our free VR kit at the library.

We have drop-in hours every Monday from noon to 5pm and if that doesn’t work with your schedule, you can make an appointment for another time during our open hours. Most of the VR programs last about 5-15 minutes, and library staff are on hand to assist you throughout the program. You must be 13 and over to use our VR kit and we require a signed waiver before using it. Minors must have a waiver signed by a parent or guardian. You can sign a waiver at the event, pick one up at the front desk beforehand, or download one from our website at http://www.eastadamslibrary.org/virtual-reality.

Teens, we offer special VR times for you on the 4th Friday of every month at 4pm. Bring your friends, grab a slice of pizza, and try out a VR program or watch your friends. Watching your friends react to being chased by a virtual dinosaur is almost as funny as doing it yourself! Just remember to bring a waiver signed by your parent/guardian. The next teens-only program is January 24 at 4pm.

For questions or to set up an appointment, you can contact me at 659-1222 or [email protected].

If you follow us on Instagram (@EastAdamsLibrary) or Facebook (@EastAdamsLibraryDistrict), you’ll see all the activities I do with the kids in our community when I’m not busy hosting our weekly VR drop-in hours. The Youth Advisory Council (YAC) members have been doing a lot of good work around the library. One of the projects they do is taking turns planning and hosting our monthly Tween Zone activities. Past programs have included a Thanksgiving party in November and white elephant gift exchange in December that were both wildly successful with new faces joining us for the fun and games. One of our newest YAC members is currently working on plans for a Chinese New Year activity on January 22 at 4pm and all area tweens ages 10-12 are welcome to attend.

YAC members also keep busy volunteering around the library. They helped rake leaves in the Learning Garden this fall and have been decorating the Teen Room for various holidays, among other projects. They have some service projects planned for the near future including a food drive for the local food bank and a fundraiser for breast cancer – stay tuned for more details. They’re also planning to do a bake sale during the Friends of the Library annual book sale March 13 and 14.

YAC membership is open to all area youth in grades 5th-12th and anyone who is interested in joining can pick up an application from me at the library or come to our next YAC meeting on January 29 at 4pm. We hope to see you there!