Claiborne Parish Library

05/29/2026

“Check out these adorable creations some of our children made and left for me to discover! Their creativity never ceases to amaze me, and I absolutely love these sweet little surprises. 💕📚
— Ms. Gina

05/29/2026

It’s HOT outside, so cool off in the Children’s Room with a fun new book and a comfy spot to relax!

Mouse and Spoon Picnic for Giraffes by Cynthia Rylant
The bakery crew has a BIG challenge—making cupcakes for giraffes high up in the trees! A sweet and funny adventure perfect for young readers.

While We’re Here by Anne Wynter
A beautiful mother-daughter story about slowing down and enjoying life’s little moments in the middle of a busy city day.

Forty the Fortune Teller by Drew Daywalt
A hilarious graphic novel-style picture book where a forgotten paper fortune teller teams up with a potato chip and a basketball to save the playground!

Beginning, Middle and End by Jon Burgerman
What happens when the Beginning, Middle, and End of a story start arguing over who is most important? A clever and funny adventure about teamwork and friendship.

Don’t miss these fun new reads—come check one out before they disappear faster than popsicles in a Louisiana summer! 😂☀️📚

05/29/2026

It’s HOT outside… so cool off with a great book and an epic adventure from our new Juvenile collection!

All That Chandni Knows by Khushboo Patel
A heartfelt novel in verse set in India about 12-year-old Chandni balancing family secrets, friendship drama, big dreams, and a crush while trying to earn a spot at a prestigious boarding school.

Lacy Pita ATYPICALGIRL by Rick Stevens
A smart and inspiring story about a 14-year-old girl who discovers coding, friendship, AI, and confidence while building her own app business after attending a Girls Who Code camp.

WECU Inc. by Rick Stevens
Perfect for Scooby-Doo fans! A group of kids investigates mysteries in their old apartment building, uncovering secrets, solving crimes, and even creating fantasy stories of their own adventures.

Olive Oakes and the Haunted Carousel by Kalynn Bayron
A spooky mystery packed with ghost sightings, missing kids, carnival secrets, and one very brave young detective determined to solve the mystery of Whispering Woods.

Come grab one before they disappear faster than ice cream.

05/28/2026

What a fantastic day making our Sprout Greenhouse Craft!

Today’s event was a wonderful success with 16 patrons attending, including Cathy and myself. The children did such a great job decorating their little Sprout Greenhouses, and it was so much fun seeing all of their creativity shine.

At the end of the event, we held 2 prize drawings, and the children got to choose which prize they liked best. Everyone seemed to have such a great time!

Be sure to sign up for our Summer Reading Program if you haven’t already. Don’t forget to grab a copy of our calendar of events or follow our page so you won’t miss any upcoming activities. This summer’s reading program, “Plant a Seed and Read,” is going to be EPIC!

A special thank you to Cathy for taking pictures today and for always being there when I need you. Your help is truly appreciated! ❤️

Below are pictures from today’s event!

05/28/2026

Fairies visited the library during the night!

Actually, a fairy ring is a naturally occurring circle of mushrooms, dark green grass, or dead grass caused by the outward growth of an underground fungal colony. Spanning from a few feet to hundreds of feet across, these rings feature extensive underground networks called mycelium that slowly expand outward in search of nutrients.

As the underground fungus grows, it breaks down organic matter in the soil, temporarily releasing a surge of nitrogen. This produces a "zone of stimulation" resulting in the ring. During wet or humid weather, the outer edges of the mycelium sprout mushrooms, forming the visible ring.

The name stems from medieval legends claiming the rings were left behind by dancing fairies or elves. In some regional tales, stepping inside a fairy ring was said to trap you in another realm, while other myths suggested they were gateways to hidden kingdoms.

You can become trapped in another realm by coming in the library and checking out a book of mystery, fantasy, adventure, or intrigue!

05/26/2026

🚨🍬 Library Guessing Game Alert! 🍬🚨

We officially have a serious situation at the library… there is a jar FULL of Jelly Belly beans just sitting here tempting everyone. 😂

Here’s how it works:
👉 Guesses must be made IN PERSON at the circulation desk.
👉 Each person gets ONE guess per day.
👉 Checking out a book is highly encouraged… because your brain may need “research material” before making your guess. 📚🤣

Each evening I’ll be checking the entries to see if anyone has correctly guessed how many jelly beans are packed into the jar. If someone guesses the exact number… BOOM 💥 they win the whole jar! We’ll announce the winner on our page AND give them a call. 📞🍭

If we have multiple correct guesses on the same date, we’ll draw one winner from those correct entries.

Now if nobody guesses the exact amount by July 10th, then it comes down to strategy… the closest guess WITHOUT going over wins the sweet prize. If there’s more than one closest guess, the earliest guess entered will win.

So sharpen those counting skills, stare dramatically at the jar, and maybe channel your inner mathematician. 🤓🍬

Good luck everyone… and remember, guessing “a whole lot” is not an official number. 😂

05/22/2026

Summer Reading Program registration and events finally begin next week! We are excited for a fun-filled summer at the Claiborne Parish Library.

Please check the attached calendar of events for May, June, and July for all upcoming activities and programs. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Ms. Gina at the library. We look forward to seeing everyone this summer!

05/22/2026

05/22/2026

Last evening’s program with Mary Claire Kettler speaking about her book, Born to Fly – The Story of Major Warren W. Sutton, was exceptional!

Warren Sutton, of Mt. Lebanon, fell in love with flying right after graduation from Gibsland High School! After a time at Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, Sutton knew he wanted to make flying his career. Being unable to join the Army Air Corps because he was under 20 years of age, did not deter his ambitions. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. At this point both England and Canada were well into WWII. Sutton made an outstanding pilot, receiving many accolades and the Royal Canadian Distinguished Flying Cross. Later he did join the Army Air Corps, where his war experience and excellent record gave him a firm reputation. He was courageous, smart, and had all the right qualifications for the leader he became.

Major Warren Sutton was on his 199th flying mission (secret mission) over Burma when his plane was shot down. It crashed and burned; none of the five men crew survived. The five crew members were finally entered in a single grave at Arlington National Cemetery in August of 1949.

Maj. Sutton is another stellar member of the Greatest Generation - he had an ordinary beginning as a north Louisiana country boy who accomplished extraordinary feats of bravery and gave the ultimate sacrifice!

Mary Claire Kettler is an extraordinary “memory keeper” and a teller of stories. Ms. Kettler is a local historian who has made it her mission to help preserve the history of Mt. Lebanon, Bienville Parish, and north Louisiana. Kettler is retired from teaching Fashion Merchandising at Southern Georgia University and has returned to her hometown of Gibsland. We will have her back to speak – she is dynamic in her talents! If you ever get a chance to hear her, you will leave feeling as if you just learned something that you did not know that you needed to know! She is amazing.

We also thank Danny Suggs for some very good food!

Our next program, Old Stones -Graves of the Old Homer Cemetery, will be Thursday, June 11, 2026, 6:00 p.m., and will presented by our own Wesley Harris, Claiborne Parish Library Historian