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Twelve Myths & Truths about College

Note: this article was originally written in the fall of 2017 but was updated October, 2019. It's that time of year again... It's time for 17-year-old kids to make one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. It's time for these kids to decide what they are going to do for the rest of their lives. It's time for seniors in high school to choose a college. My daughter had to make these decisions in the fall of 2016. She began her junior year of college at Northern Kentucky University last month. My son Joey is a senior in high school and going through this process now. I have two stepsons attending college as well. I'm going to tell you some of the things you are going to be told your child must do and then I'm going to tell you the truth based on our experience. Things Other People, Including High School Guidance Counselors, are Going to Tell You and Your Children: You should apply to five to seven schools to make sure you get accepted to one. You should apply to schools you know you can't afford. There are plenty of scholarships out there and you'll be sure to find one. You can wait until after you graduate to make a final decision on which college you will attend. Students with high GPAs and ACT scores will get a full ride. You have to live on campus to get the full college experience. You will find some way to pay for college, even if it's loans. College is really the only way to make something of yourself. Books will cost at least $1,000 a semester. Don't fill out [...]

By Nicole Frilling|October 2nd, 2019|Categories: Featured Post, KCPL|Tags: Featured Post|Comments Off

Ghosts, Goblins and Bugs at the Kenton County Public Library

It's getting spooky at the Library. There are haunted and not-so-haunted events for everyone in October. Check out the partial list below. Spooky Science Tues., Oct. 1, 6:30-7:30 pm Covington Kids grades K-6 can join us in the C3Lab for some spooky science. We will build creepy structures and conduct spooky science experiments. Limited to first 20 kids in attendance. Creepy Crawly Bug Tasting! Mon., Oct. 7, 7-8 pm Erlanger Everyone Head to the Library for a night of dares and scares and a creepy, crawly bug tasting! Not-so-Spooky Glow Party Tues., Oct. 8, 6:30-7:30 pm Covington Kids in grades K-6 are invited to party in the dark at the library. Light refreshments. Limited to the first 75 in attendance. Mystery Tea: Horror at Stratford Castle Thurs., Oct. 10, 6:30-8:30 pm Erlanger This is an interactive game that requires you to play the role of a character in the story and mingle with other guests to solve the murder. Registration required at kentonlibrary.org/events. Boo Bash Sat., Oct. 12, 2-3 pm William E. Durr Kids 2-6, with a parent, are invited to celebrate Halloween with stories, games and trick-or-treating. Wear your costume! Discover Bats! Mon., Oct. 14, 6-8 pm Erlanger Join the Cincinnati Museum Center to walk like a bat, fly like a bat and even meet a native bat! Learn about these truly amazing yet misunderstood animals through a presentation, games, artifacts and more. Not-so-Spooky Critters Sat., Oct. 19, 1-2 pm Covington School age kids are invited to [...]

By Gina Stegner|September 26th, 2019|Categories: Featured Post, KCPL|Comments Off

Family History Month features Murder, Mystery and Intrigue

Cemetery tours, stories about a murder and discovering treasures in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky…these are a few programs that are part of the Family History Month series to take place at the Kenton County Public Library in October. Expert researchers and historians will lead a variety of programs throughout the month of October to help people research, learn more about Northern Kentucky or expand their knowledge of a specific historical topic. All programs are no cost to attend but registration is required where noted. Genealogy-Research-Palooza Tuesday, October 01, 2019 - Thursday, October 31, 2019 Covington Library - Local History and Genealogy Dept. Book a one-on-one genealogy research appointment to celebrate Family History Month! Call us at (859) 962-4070 to reserve a one-hour appointment. Finding and Translating German Church Records and Newspaper Articles Thursdays, October 10, & 24, 2019 @ 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM Covington Library - Local History and Genealogy Dept. Learn some tips and tricks for finding and translating local German church records and newspaper articles during this one-hour class. Registration is required and limited to 10. Register here for the October 10, 2019 class. Register here for the October 24, 2019 class. This class will also be offered again on Thursday, November 7, 2019 @ 6:30 PM. Register here. Mother of God Cemetery Tour Saturday, October 12, 2019 @ 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Mother of God Cemetery, 3125 Madison Ave Fort Wright, KY 41015 Join Local History & Genealogy staff for a biographical walking tour of Mother of God Cemetery in Fort Wright and learn about the people and families who shaped the history of Northern Kentucky. DAR Research Assistance Tuesday, October 15, 2019 @ 9:00 AM -11:00 AM Covington [...]

By Robin Klaene|September 25th, 2019|Categories: Featured Post, KCPL|Comments Off

Autumn Leaves and Pumpkins, Please!

Crisp air and golden hues officially welcome fall each year. As the leaves start turning, it’s time to head to the nearest pumpkin patch and start thinking about those Halloween costumes. There are lots of new books to usher in the season as well. Why not pick a few and get into the spirit! A Wynk, a Blynk, and a Nod to New Books about Autumn and Halloween New Autumn Stories Froggy Picks a Pumpkin by Jonathan London, illus. by Frank Remkiewicz Froggy’s latest adventure is a class trip to the pumpkin patch. He plans to carve a jack-o'-lantern and make a pumpkin pie, but will his plans work out? The Great Pumpkin Contest by Angie Rozelaar Two very different cats (one prefers to stay inside and read, the other prefers to be outside with friends) are determined to win Cat County’s Great Pumpkin Contest. In the end, though, it’s friendship that wins. This is a very enjoyable story with playful illustrations. Happy Fell by Erica S. Perl This is the latest in the Arnold and Louise easy reader series. According to Louise, fell is the season between fall and winter when all the leaves are on the ground. Arnold wants to celebrate the season indoors but Louise does not. Will they be able to find a way to celebrate together? The Pumpkin War by Cathleen Young In this chapter book, a twelve-year-old Billie enjoys summer on Wisconsin's Madeline Island, where she grows a giant pumpkin in the hopes of winning this year’s pumpkin-boat race. She had a falling out with her best friend Sam at the [...]

By Nicole Frilling|September 19th, 2019|Categories: A Wynk, a Blynk and a Nod to Books, Featured Post, KCPL|Comments Off

4 Ways the STREAM Center Can Help with Your Cosplay Needs

Cosplay can have a more impactful meaning to different people, but in its most basic form it is wearing costumes in play (hence the mashing of words into one). I’ve seen cosplayers wear elaborate handmade outfits that have taken months to create, and store-bought costumes that they have saved up for. I’ve seen cosplay that has taken hours to apply and others that have been successfully taken from their own closest of street-wear. Easy or complicated- cosplay is what you make of it. 4 Ways the STREAM Center Can Help with Your Cosplay Needs! 1.) Detail your leather goods using our Glowforge laser engraver! https://glowforge.com/discover/t/38548/leather-grimoire 2.) Print an accessory for your furry companion with our 3-D printer! https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2839481 3.) Use our sewing machines for your costume! https://www.leatherfashionvalley.com/blog/sewing-cosplay-costume-made-easy 4.) Use our soldering iron to light it up! https://www.instructables.com/id/Tron-Costume/ Don’t forget that these items in our STREAM Center require a 30-minute training before you’re allowed to book the equipment to use them. Reserve a time to be trained here. Need an event to wear your cosplay attire? We will be hosting a Teen Cosplay Night at the Erlanger branch on Saturday, October 19th after hours from 6-8 PM! By LeAnn Long, Teen Librarian

By Gina Stegner|September 17th, 2019|Categories: blog, Featured Post, KCPL|Comments Off

Paying & Preparing for College Update

I wrote the post Paying & Preparing for College when my daughter Andi had just started her junior year of high school. Last month she started her junior year of college at Northern Kentucky University so I thought I would do an update. At the time of my last post, Andi had no idea what she wanted to do with her life, where she was going to go to school or how to pay for it. I was worried. I don't think I'll ever stop worrying about my kids but Andi's college isn't at the top of the worry list any more. She is majoring in Social Work with minors in Spanish and social justice and a focus in women gender studies. She has a high GPA, a part-time job, belongs to a few clubs and tutors high school students in Spanish. She has a full plate for sure. Andi touring NKU So you might be wondering how she made her decision on where to go and what to major in. She worked at a nursing home in high school and knew she loved the interaction with the seniors and their families. One night while going through a book I highly recommend, College Board Book of Majors, she started down the path of social work. At this point we had been on a few college tours and she was leaning toward Northern Kentucky University. Andi reached out to the social work department at NKU and scheduled a day to shadow a social work student. She was able to meet with people in the department and attend a couple social work classes. This helped her make a final decision and commit to NKU. A [...]

By Gina Stegner|September 11th, 2019|Categories: blog, Featured Post, KCPL|Tags: college search, FAFSA|Comments Off

Feeding Bodies and Minds @ the Library

Summer is time for family fun and relaxation. The break from the demands of the school schedule gives families the chance to spend more time together and, hopefully, enjoy some new adventures. Unfortunately, the break from the school schedule also means a break from the scheduled meals that school provides. And for many families, that can be very difficult. A recent survey of families across the nation showed that 40% of families struggle to provide enough food for their children during the summer. In an effort to help families who struggle with food insecurity during the summer, the Kenton County Public Library has partnered with 3 local public school districts to provide locations for serving free lunches for children. This partnership has been ongoing at the Erlanger Branch for 6 years, and at our Covington and Durr branches for 4 years. How does the summer feeding program at the Library work? The funding for the program comes from the USDA. No Library funds are used in any way. The meals are prepared by the Food Service staff at our local public schools. The Erlanger Elsmere School District prepares food for the Erlanger Branch. The Covington Independent School District provides meals at the Covington Branch. And the Kenton County School District provides food at the Durr Branch. Cold food is kept cold in coolers, and hot food is kept warm in portable warmers. The meals conform to the same nutrition standards that apply to the school lunch program. Lunch is free for all children ages 1-18. Adults 19 and up can purchase a meal for a small fee. There is no income verification, ID check, or paperwork involved. Every child who comes into the serving room is served a free lunch, with no questions asked. Lunches are served [...]

By Lise Tewes|May 23rd, 2019|Categories: Featured Post, KCPL|Comments Off

2019 Summer Reading – Universe of Stories

This year's Summer Reading Celebration is filled with exciting programs, fun prizes, social media giveaways and so much more! We are so excited about the theme: Universe of Stories and the super cool glow-in-the-dark T-shirts children can win just for reading! The program will run June 1-August 31. Children can pick up a booklog at any of the three branches - Covington, Independence or Erlanger or enter online. Read or listen to five books or 2.5 hours and win a book prize! After 10 books or 5 hours of reading, return the log to receive a glow-in-the-dark Universe of Stories T-shirt or a drawstring bag (while supplies last) and a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of three grand prizes: a technology basket, science basket or art basket. Keep reading for more chances to win the grand prizes! Teens who read or listen to any book or magazine or attend any program can enter online or at any of the three branches. One winner per branch will be drawn for weekly prizes. Adults who read or listen to any book or magazine or attend a book related program can enter to win prizes online or at any of the three branches. Prizes are awarded bi-weekly. The Summer Reading Celebration will kickoff on Saturday, June 1 with free Snappy Tomato Pizza at all three branches. The Covington Branch will feature Kona Ice, a video game truck, Hands-on Space Explorers and a Planetarium show! The Erlanger Branch will host a bounce house, face painting, Tech Toy Time, an iSpace presentation, Rocketry Workshop and more. The Independence Branch will offer a petting zoo, pony rides, the Cowboy in Space, Mark Wood and his out of [...]

By Gina Stegner|May 21st, 2019|Categories: blog, Featured Post, KCPL|Comments Off

Kentucky Gives Day & the Library

Did you know that Tuesday, May 14 is Kentucky Gives Day? Kentucky Gives Day is an opportunity for Kentuckians (near and far) to come together to make donations to Kentucky charities in an effort to raise as much money as possible in 24 hours. If you would like to give of your time, talent or treasure, please consider the Kenton County Public Library. There are several ways to give: Volunteer The Library's Volunteer Program seeks to provide opportunities for volunteers to make meaningful contributions to the operations of the library, help to expand and enhance library services, strengthen ties to the community and build public awareness of the diverse services provided by Kenton County Public Libraries. To find out more about the Library's volunteer program, click here. Friends of the Library The Friends of the Kenton County Public Library is a volunteer membership group that supports the Library primarily through used book sales. Future book sale dates are: August 11-17 at the Covington Branch library September 23-29 at the William E. Durr Branch library December 1-7 at the Erlanger Branch library General giving: If you would like to make a donation to the Library Foundation, please click here to use a credit card. If you would like to send a check, please make it payable to the Kenton County Public Library Foundation and either drop off at any Library location (Covington, Erlanger or Durr in Independence) or mail to 3095 Hulbert Dr., Erlanger, KY 41018. Please fill out this document when donating with either cash or check (link to order form online). Say Cheese…Amazon Smile When you shop at smile.amazon.com, Amazon donates to your favorite charitable organization. If you [...]

By Robin Klaene|May 13th, 2019|Categories: About Us, blog, Featured Post, KCPL|Comments Off

Making @ The Library: Fairy Gardens

With summer in full swing it’s time to work on the garden! (when it’s not 100 degrees out). Have you ever heard of a fairy garden? A fairy garden is a small “garden” with whimsical figurines like dwarfs, fairies, cottages and other small items. They are lots of fun to create! Did you know you can make a fairy garden using 3D printed figurines? Small figurines can be pretty pricey at the store but using the 3D printer at the STREAM center allows you to print out small items to put in your fairy garden! Below is how I created my fairy garden: I started with a pot, some soil and 2 small moss plants from the garden store. I then went to the STREAM center for some help! The STREAM center staff showed me a website called Thingiverse were you are able to download 3D modeled objects to print. I found small mushrooms, fairies, stepping stones, a bridge and more. I filled out a 3D print request form and gave it to the STREAM center staff and they gave me a call when my prints were completed. I specifically asked for them to print some of the objects in white so that I could paint over them. I decided to add a rock and also a plastic cap (from an old drink) to create a pond. Some of the items I 3D printed: 3D printed fairy & bridge: The completed project: Whether it’s a fairy garden, pencil holder, chess set, key chain, etc. There are SO many things that you could 3D print. I suggest checking out Thingiverse OR 3D modeling your items and then contacting the staff at the STREAM center. They [...]

By Maura Lambert|May 6th, 2019|Categories: Featured Post, KCPL|Comments Off