Greetings!
We are zooming into February with observances of Black History Month, Cancer Prevention Month, and Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month. I love that we are dedicating time to history, culture, health, and personal empowerment. It’s a short month, but we have no shortage of premier events!

While we celebrate Black history and culture year-round, February provides us a unique opportunity to leverage community resources to shine a spotlight on Black History Month. This year we have a huge lineup with lectures, movies, trivia contests, crafts, storytimes, scavenger hunts, and a special book discussion for tweens and teens, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963. We will also be presenting Family Concert with Positively Africa, featuring the Afro-fusion band sharing songs, dances and stories from the Luo and Zigua people.

If you love live educational performances, continue celebrating Black History Month with African Dance and Storytelling. The Black History Month concert explores the music of the African diaspora including traditional African music, Afro-Caribbean music and African American music with the South Florida Chamber Ensemble. We are offering more cultural dynamite with the Louise Bennett-Coverley Reading Festival, a free event with celebrity Caribbean authors, poets, musicians, and storytellers.

Although we tempt you with so many entertaining things to do, please keep annual check-ups circled on your calendar. Learn about prevention and early detection with a Cancer Awareness Month presentation by the University of Miami’s Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. Considered helpful complements to traditional care, alternative health practices such as Reiki and yoga are all free at the library.

Another February observance that I’m enthused about is Plant the Seeds of Greatness Month. This national campaign was designed to create the best version of you. Get started at the library, where we will go after it with a vision board craft and a Build a Better You discussion. Think about interesting skills that you might be great at. Perhaps it’s growing a bonsai tree, learning American Sign Language, butterfly gardening or playing the guitar. Then take a chance on yourself and test your talents with our support. For example, did you know that guitars and ukuleles can be checked out free from the Collier City Branch Creation Station?

Greatness happens when we blow past boundaries to explore and experiment. We’re offering curious kids, future astronauts, and wanna-be engineers NASA Astro Camp®  where they can learn about space with unique activities. Adventurous adults are invited to try out drones and augmented and virtual reality with Exploring the Canal with a Submarine Drone. A tremendous benefit of your public library is that here you sample everything and pay nothing. 

How about sampling some great reads? I hope to see you at my Director’s Book Club to discuss Matthew Quick’s We Are the Light or at one of our NEA Big Read programs. NEA Big Read activities happen community-wide throughout the month around the chosen book selections, such as the novel Infinite Country by award-winning author Patricia Engel.

Another perennial favorite and Broward County Library signature program for February is Moonlight Tales. This year’s outdoor evening cabaret features renowned storytellers of the Caribbean Diaspora recounting colorful stories from the islands. Stop by with friends or with your special valentine for a free, dazzling date night under the stars.

This February, challenge yourself and go for greatness!

Allison Grubbs
Broward County Library Director

Libraries Director Allison Grubbs - No More Late Fines
Broward County Libraries Division is happy to announce the elimination of late fines. Late fines no longer accrue on borrowed library materials and customers will not be fined for items returned after the due date. We have also canceled and removed all existing late fines on library cardholder accounts.