The Sullivan County Public Library has five locations to serve the community. Visit www.scpltn.org for more details.
LIBRARY NEWS
• Tech Essentials for Sullivan Seniors (TESS) is a Sullivan County Library program funded through a grant from the West End Home Foundation in Nashville. This program wishes to help bridge the divide for our senior community by funding computer basics courses in the Sullivan County area throughout this year.
TESS will work to get mobile devices into the hands of 50 seniors in need and provide a 15-hour essential training course with instruction on how to safely and securely use technology to keep our seniors connected to their friends, family and community.
Students who complete the program will receive a free Chromebook. Our next session of classes will be held in April on Mondays and Wednesdays from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the Bluff City Library. There are only 12 spaces available in each session. Potential participants are asked to apply by March 31 at the Bluff City Library.
To apply to the program, applicants must be: over 60 years of age; be a Sullivan County resident; be willing to take two 2.5 hour classes each week for three weeks for a total of 15 classroom hours; and be willing to participate in a pre- and post-course survey to fulfill grant requirements.
FOR CHILDREN AND TEENS
• All of our branches offer Storytime with our program specialist. This week’s theme is “Z” is for Zebra. We will read books about zebras and make a zebra craft.
— Sullivan Gardens, Monday at 10 a.m.
— Thomas Memorial, Tuesday at 10:45 a.m.
— Bloomingdale, Wednesday at 11:30 a.m.
— Colonial Heights, Thursday at 9:30 a.m.
— Sullivan Main, Friday at 10:30 a.m.
• Lego Club meets at the Bloomingdale branch every Friday at 4 p.m. All are welcome to participate in this after-school Lego club. A snack will be provided. Lego Club at Blountville meets every Monday at 4 p.m.
• Art with Mr. Daniel will meet at Thomas Memorial on Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. and at Colonial Heights on Friday at 2pm. Art with Mr. Daniel is recommended for ages 8-12, but other ages are welcome to attend. This week we will focus on Abstract Expressionism.
• Saturday Special Art Class with Mr. Daniel will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Colonial Heights branch. Students who can’t make it to the classes at Bluff City or Colonial Height during the week are invited to enjoy the art classes on the weekend.
• Nifty Fifty Adventure at the Colonial Heights branch will be learning about Arkansas this week. Nifty Fifty Adventure is a great way for homeschool kids to learn about the creation of the United States through books, art and fun facts. Nifty Fifty Adventure takes place every Thursday at 1:30 p.m.
• Harry Potter Club will meet on Thursday at 4:15 p.m. in Blountville. This book club is for tweens ages 8-13 who have just started reading the books or have already read the books and are fans. Zoom participation is also available. Please call ahead 423-279-2714 to make arrangements.
• Magic Tree House Book Club will meet Friday at 2:30 p.m. in Blountville. This book club is for elementary students and centers around the “Magic Tree House” book series. This week we will be reading “High Tide in Hawaii.”
• Blountville will have an After-School Movie on Wednesday and will be showing the movie “Hop!” at 3:30 p.m. in the Eastman Room.
• Colonial Heights will have Cinnamon the Dog come visit to help reluctant readers build their skills on Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. Call for a 15-minute appointment today at 423-239-1100.
• On Saturday at 4 p.m., Bluff City’s Thomas Memorial branch will host its monthly Magic the Gathering game. Magic the Gathering is a fantasy-based card game and is recommended for ages 13+. No registration is required to attend.
• Teens are invited to the Sullivan Gardens branch for a special Women’s History Month series. In this final session on Tuesday at 4 p.m., we will discuss Dorthea Lange, a female American photographer best known for her photos capturing life during the Great Depression. We will discuss her life and works and then make our own pinhole cameras and learn how to use them.
FOR ADULTS
• Geri-Fit meets Mondays and Thursdays at 10 a.m. at the Blountville branch.
• A free Zumba class meets at the Blountville branch on Tuesdays at 6 p.m.
• A Zumba Dance Party will take place on Friday at 5 p.m. Please register online or by calling the Blountville branch at 423-279-2714 by the end of day March 20, as limited space is available.
• Knit/Crochet Club meets at Blountville on Wednesdays from 1-3 p.m. Whether you want to learn or want to continue working on your current project, all can join the Knit/Crochet Club. All skill levels are welcome!
• Bingo at Bloomingdale will meet Monday at 4 p.m. Participants who have not yet registered should call the Bloomingdale branch at 423-288-1310 to see if there is still space. This free and open to all adults.
ONGOING
• What would make you want to visit or use the library more? The Sullivan County Public Library wants to be a successful asset to the community. But to do that we need to know what our community needs and wants. Please take a few minutes to answer our short survey at https://tinyurl.com/yx2srcwv.
• Be sure to follow the library on social media for events and updates. The Sullivan County Public Library can be found on Facebook (scpltn) and Instagram (scpl_tn) and now on TikTok at scpl_tn.
• When you can’t make it to one of our libraries, we are always open online through our Libby and Hoopla apps. Use your SCPL library card to sign up for free and get started accessing library materials online today. (www.libbyapp.com, www.hoopladigital.com)
• The Blountville branch continues to offer free COVID-19 test kits through Color. Test kits can be picked up and dropped off at the Sullivan Main branch with results delivered electronically.
BRANCH LOCATIONS
To register or find other upcoming events, call or come by one of the branches:
— Sullivan Main branch, 1655 Blountville Blvd., Blountville, 423-279-2714.
— Bloomingdale branch, 3230 Van Horn St., Kingsport, 423-288-1310.
— Colonial Heights branch, 149 Pactolus Road, Kingsport, 423-239-1100.
— Sullivan Gardens branch, 104 Bluegrass Drive, Kingsport, 423-349-5990.
— Thomas Memorial branch, 481 Cedar St., Bluff City, 423-538-1980.