Portland District Library News

Summertime Shimmer

Summertime is filled with color—flowers, sunsets, outdoor plants, and more! On August 4 at 6:00 p.m., we will be capturing this color in all its brilliance using both standard and metallic watercolor paints. Try your hand at painting simple, colorful, and beautiful pieces. Ages 15 and up, registration is required.

Laundry Day DIY

Wool dryer balls are eco-friendly, cost-effective, and great for people with sensitive skin. Now you can make your own on August 27 at 6:00 p.m. Cut your laundry drying time by up to 25% . . . while you’re having fun at the library! Registration is required, ages 16 and up.

Children’s and Teen

LITTLES

Tiny Tots: Name that color! Tiny Tots (ages 2 & under) and their caregivers will follow Miss Eileen on a rainbow adventure during sensory storytime this summer! Read, sing, and move along to all the colors of the rainbow every other Friday at 10:00 a.m. starting June 27. Can’t make it to in-person storytime? Grab one of our monthly caregiver packets and follow along to our videos to learn all about colors from your own living room! Register beginning Monday, June 16.

Book Cubs: Come along with Miss Jamie to explore a world of color, rhythm, and imagination. Each week Book Cubs (ages 3-5) and their caregivers will learn about a new artist or musician, so grab your crayons and put on your dancing shoes! Groove your way to the Youth Desk to register and join us every other Wednesday at 10:00 a.m. beginning July 2. If you can't be with us in person, you can sign up for our Take-and-Make Bag supplies starting Monday, June 16.

Virtual STEM Club Littles Edition: Build Me Up: Young builders, ages 5 & under, can register for Virtual STEM Club Littles Edition: Build Me Up Take-and-Make bags starting Friday, August 15. This challenge will have our Littles learning about the science of engineering, while they build the tallest and widest towers imaginable!

Books &Blankets August: Pop on over to Books & Blankets on Thursday, August 21 at 6:00 p.m. for a high-energy, bubble-blasting storytime packed with giggles, wiggly songs, and stories that float right off the page! We’ll read playful stories all about bubbles, and then create bubbles of our own with some hands-on play. This program is perfect for families with children aged 8 and under. Registration is required.

MIDDLES

Scribble Press: Love to draw, write stories, make comics, or share your thoughts with the world? Join Scribble Press, a fun and friendly club where kids 8–12 can create their very own zines—mini magazines made by you! Each session, we’ll fold, cut, collage, and craft unique zines to share with friends—or even add to the library’s collection! Meetings will be Thursdays from 5:30-7:30 p.m. August 14 and August 28. No experience needed—just bring your imagination! Registration required.

Virtual STEM Club: Amp It Up!: Ready to boost your tunes with a hands-on science project? In Virtual STEM Club: Amp It Up!, patrons 6-12 will build their own paper speaker to amplify sound from a smartphone—no batteries or cords needed! Pick up your Take-and-Make bag beginning Wednesday, July 16 and start learning about sound waves, vibrations, and how speakers work. 

Bricks & Prints: Discover a whole new way to play with LEGO! In this hands-on art activity, kids ages 6–12 will use LEGO bricks to create bold, colorful prints on paper. Explore patterns, shapes, and textures as we stamp, press, and paint. No building instructions required — just bring your creativity! Pick up your Bricks & Prints Take-and-Make bag at the Youth Desk starting on Friday, August 8.

TEENS

Lit Loot: Have you heard the news? The Lit Loot subscription service for teens is a smashing success! What is Lit Loot? We are so glad you asked. It is a monthly subscription box for teens (13-18) that contains 2 books (that you read and return) and curated loot (that you get to keep)- from bookmarks, to pins, to snacks and more! There is a new genre each month: July - Graphic Novels, August - Romance, September - Dystopian. Sign up today at the Youth Desk for your 3 month subscription and let your next chapter begin!

Play It Forward!: Bored out of your minds this summer? Portland District Library has got the cure! Level up your summer with Play It Forward, the ultimate club for teens (13-18) who love games. Flex your gaming skills with a classic board game or through an epic video game challenge. Play games, eat food, have fun! Play It Forward meets Mondays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on July 28 and August 18 and Tuesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on July 8 and August 5. All meetings will take place in the Community Room. Drop in for a great time! Registration is not required.

Teen Art Hour, The Nitty Gritty: Blend colorful sand, water, and glue to create bold, textured

masterpiece. It’s part painting, part sculpture, and 100% creative. Let your imagination flow, grain by grain! There are only 12 Take-And-Make bags available. Grab yours beginning Tuesday, July 1 at the Youth Desk.

Virtual STEM Club Teen Edition: Exploding Art: Get ready for a blast of creativity with our Virtual STEM Club Teen Edition: Exploding Art! It’s a messy, magical mix of science and creativity that shows how art and chemistry can come together in the most exciting way. Perfect for patrons 13-18 who love to experiment, create, and get a little messy! Take-and-Bag bag registration begins Tuesday, July 22.

ALL AGES

Picture Portland: Picture Portland is the ultimate guessing game to see who knows the most about the best of the best in Portland! Game play will run Friday, August 1 until Friday, August 29. Grab a sheet at one of our desks to see if you can name all the places Torch the Dragon took a selfie this summer! Finish the game for a chance to win a prize pack! All ages welcome.

Murder in the Stacks: Summer at the library will be killer fun...in more ways than one. Our all-ages, month-long murder mystery program, Murder in the Stacks, is back and more murderous than ever! Grab a detective packet beginning Friday, August 1 to start your investigation – use all your wits to go clue-by-clue through the library. Put your power of deduction to the test to solve puzzles, search for clues, and collect evidence all while getting closer to solving the case by Friday, August 29!

Wednesday Watch: Take a break from the summer heat with Wednesday Watch at the library! Catch a family-friendly movie, while enjoying popcorn and other yummy snacks Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m. We’ll be showing “A Minecraft Movie” on August 13. Drop in to enjoy the show!