By Frances Smith / Community columnist

Your library staff loves offering books, materials, and programs around specific themes

and February gives us ample opportunities to do so. In February, we’ll have a variety of programs inspired by Valentine’s Day, Mardi Gras, Black History Month, and more. We hope that you’ll attend a program or two and take-home materials of interest.

Youth Programs:

Story Times are Toddler Tales Fridays at 10:30am and Sensory Story Time Second and Fourth

Wednesdays at 3:30pm.

February 3 Homeschool Happening: Black Scientists 10am-11am This Black History Month

program features S.T.E.M. educators Winfield and Elinor Burks who will spotlight black

scientists and guide students in creating vision boards. Students in kindergarten through grade 12 can sign up.

February 4 Lego League 6pm-6:45pm

February 11 Pete the Cat Book Club Valentine’s Day Edition 6pm Kids age 5 and older can join

in the fun of making Valentine cards and more. Sign up.

February 14 American Girls Club 4pm Girls age 7 and older can take part in “Friendship and

Freedom: A Play about Addy.” No memorizing. Girls who aren’t actors can be in the audience

and so can their family members. All children in the audience under age 7 must be with an adult. Sign up.

February 18 Wordplay 6pm-6:45pm Writers and artists age 11 to 18 can share their talents and

ideas whether it is poetry, short stories, scripts, songs, drawings or books. Sign up.

February 21 Readalicious Book Club 4pm We’ll read Pinkalicious and Planet Pink, talk about it,

do something artsy, and play. Kids age 5 and older can sign up.

February 25 Family Fun Night: Black History is No Mystery 6pm Step into the footsteps of

athletes, inventors, artists, a chef, and others during this hands-on evening. Look, listen, learn,

create and taste. Best for families with children in kindergarten and above. Sign up. All kids

must be with an adult.

Adult Programs:

Free AARP Tax Help available by appointment only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call

205-664-6822 or come by the library to sign up.

Ya Ya Yarners, February 3, 10, 17, and 24, 5:30pm-7:30pm. For more information call the

library or email Carol Smith at csmith@shelbycounty-al.org.

Computer Classes, Wednesdays at 2pm, February 5 Microsoft Excel 2013; February 12

Microsoft Publisher 2013; February 19 Google Apps.

ABC and Ds of Medicare, February 10, 1pm.

Make and Take Sweetheart Pin, February 12 and 14, 3pm -5:30pm, Pop in and create a

Valentine’s Day themed pin.

Mardi Gras Mask Making, February 13, 5:30pm – 7pm, Make a mask and eat King Cake. Whoever gets the baby will win a NOLA-themed prize! Sign up.

Cake and Culture, February 16, 2pm, Historic Tower Clocks and Bells of Alabama with

architectural historian and preservationist Thomas Kaufmann. His book, Historic Alabama Bells,

is sold through amazon.com. Refreshments provided.

Library Book Group, February 20, 7pm, The Hello Girls: America’s First Women Soldiers by

Elizabeth Cobbs Hoffman.

Medicare 101, February 27, 6 pm.

Kids under age 7 must be with an adult. Programs are in the meeting room.