Start Your Engines Truck Expo: Celebrating 100 Years of Community Service.

Collier County Public Library’s annual Start Your Engines Truck Expo will be held on Saturday, February 25 at Headquarters Regional Library from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. This year we'll also be celebrating Collier County’s Centennial Anniversary, which is the perfect opportunity for kids and families to learn more about our local agencies and organizations. There will be crafts, a scavenger hunt, face painting, and a variety of vendor booths including the North Collier Fire Rescue, Collier County Sheriff’s Department, Collier County Emergency Medical Services, Naples Zoo, the Naples Botanical Garden, the Humane Society, and Collier County’s Domestic Animal Services. Attendees will be able to get behind the wheel and interact with fire trucks, police cars, and diggers! The event is free to attend and registration is not required.
If you would like to learn more about this event as well as all of the other events happening at our libraries in February, please visit collierlibrary.org/events.
For more information Collier County’s Centennial and all of the celebration’s official events, please visit Collier100.com.

The Walt Disney Company is one of the biggest and best-known companies in the world and has won over 135 Academy Awards since it's founding, in 1923 - over one hundred years ago!   One of the most popular movies Disney created was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs which premiered on February 4th, 1938.  It was the first animated feature to have been created in Technicolor and grossed over $8 million dollars - more than any other film before it.  Reserve a DVD copy on our website collierlibrary.org. 

Valentine's Day at the Library

Love is in the air at the library! Visit any of our children’s departments to add to our Valentine's Day themed bulletin board. We’re celebrating Collier County’s 100^th birthday by asking our patrons, “What do you love about your library”? Write your response on a paper heart and pin it up today!

Here are some activities you and your children can do together in February using your library card.

L -  Learn a new language using Mango.
O -  Order a book from another library to borrow. Did you know that all 10 library branches share books?
V -  Vehicle alert! Our Start Your Engines Truck Expo will be at the Headquarters Regional Library on Saturday, February 25 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm. See and touch a Fire Truck, Construction Vehicles, and more!
E -  E Book downloads. Read a book on Libby, Cloudlibrary or Hoopla.

Virtual Book Discussions
After We Were Stolen by Brooke Beyfuss
Tuesday, Feb 21 @ 2:00pm on Facebook
Tuesday, Feb 28 @ 2:00pm on Zoom

In-Person Book Discussions

Mystery Book Club
Monday, Feb 13 @ 2:00pm 
Naples Regional Library

True Biz by Sara Novic
Tuesday, Feb 14 @ 4:00pm
Vanderbilt Beach Library

Just Mercy:  A Story of Justice and Redemption
Wednesday, Feb 22 @ 2:00pm
South Regional Library

Taking Flight:  From War Orphan to Star Ballerina
Wednesday, Feb 22 @ 6:00pm
Naples Regional Library

Visit collierlibrary.org/events to check for more events and sign up online to get back to talking about books!

COLLECTION CORNER:
Fabulous February Crafts 

Vibrant Watercolor Birds: 24 Effortless Projects of Showstopping Avian Species by Madhu S
Combining radiant bird-themed compositions with approachable step-by-step tutorials, Madhu S. takes you through an array of stunning species. From tropical and garden birds all the way to aquatic and mountain birds, each distinct animal brings its own exciting, accessible challenge for artists. What’s more, every chapter introduces new skills and concepts that will help you build on the foundations you previously mastered, allowing artists of every skill level to achieve impressive results.

Knitting the National Parks: 63 Easy-to-Follow Designs for Beautiful Beanies Inspired by the US National Parks by Nancy Bates
From the brightly colored pebbles of Lake McDonald in Montana’s Glacier National Park to the regal granite cliffs of El Capitan and Half Dome in California’s Yosemite Valley, the US National Parks contain some of the most recognizable and iconic natural landmarks in the world. Capture the majesty each national park offers with original beanie patterns created by knitting designer and outdoor enthusiast Nancy Bates.

Artisan Air-Dry Clay: The Beginner’s Guide to Easy, Inexpensive & Stylish No-kiln Pottery by Radka Hostasova
Learn to make beautifully textured home décor accents with inexpensive air-dry clay! The process is easy, and the results are surprisingly stylish when you follow the tips, advice, and instruction from author and clay artist-designer Radka Hostasova.

Wildflower Watercolor: The Beginner’s Guide to Painting Beautiful Florals by Sushma Hedge
Immerse yourself in the world of watercolor with Sushma Hegde’s array of stunning botanicals. Wildflower Watercolor is the essential comprehensive guide for beginner painters to learn how to create perfect floral masterpieces. With easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step illustrations, it’s never been easier to master the art of watercolor painting.

Easy Soap Making: Natural Recipes for Creative Melt-and-Pour, Hand-Milled, and Cold-Process Soaps by Kelly Cable
Making homemade soap means being able to create beautiful designs while using the best natural ingredients for the body. Unlock the artistic possibilities with the tutorials and recipes in this beginner’s soap-making book. Get started right away with recipes that take an hour or less of active time and use just a few ingredients. Easy-to-follow instructions mean that anyone, no matter their level of experience, can enjoy making handmade soaps to gift, display, or use every day.

Super Easy Knitting for Beginners: Master Basic Skills and Techniques Easily Through Step-By-Step Instruction by Carri Hammett
Want to learn how to knit but are not sure how to start? With Super Easy Knitting for Beginners, adapted from Carri Hammet’s best-selling Knitting 101, you will feel confident in your skills quickly and eliminate frustrating mistakes and missteps.

The Beginner's Guide to Hand Building: Functional and Sculptural Projects for the Home Potter by Sunshine Cobb
Whether you have access to a communal studio or not, hand building projects can travel just about anywhere. Take your clay outside or work at the kitchen table, with instruction from best-selling ceramics author Sunshine Cobb.

Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making: Tips, Techniques & Tutorials for Soldering Silver, Stonesetting & Beyond by Corkie Bolton
Metalsmith Society’s Guide to Jewelry Making is the ultimate handbook to get you started on your jewelry-making journey. Corkie Bolton, jeweler extraordinaire and founder of Metalsmith Society, has compiled the ultimate compendium on the craft for beginners.

Stained Glass: A Maker's Guide to Creating, Installing and Repairing Leaded Glass by Sophie D’souza
Discover the pure joy of designing, making and repairing stained glass. How to design and work with light to maximum effect. Step-by-step sequences. Professional tips and troubleshooting ideas are shared throughout. Written with the maker in mind, looking at the processes of design, restoration and repair.

Wild and Woolly Knitted Animals: A Naturalist's Notebook by Sara Elizabeth Kellner
Knit the creatures of the wild outdoors! As you explore this knitter/naturalist's notebook, you'll learn about the creatures she discovers and see her sketches, notes, and knitting patterns for each animal. Each animal is portrayed realistically yet endearingly, from a leaping cottontail to a howling timberwolf--25 wild animals in all.

Library Programs Online

Can't make it to the library?  No Problem! View our selection of fun virtual programs and library videos from anywhere.  It's one more way we are pursuing our mission of bringing life-long learning to you.  Visit collierlibrary.org/virtual-programming to see what we have to offer.