Northampton Area Public Library: Public library plans Citizen Science Month celebration
Northampton Area Public Library is partnering with SciStarter for Citizen Science Month in April to help them reach their goal of 2.5 million acts of science, and everyone can help.
Citizen scientists are people just like you and me who help scientists analyze their research through games, experiments and observations. Citizen science projects cover a wide variety of topics, from Alzheimer’s research to squirrel habitats and coats and even the weather.
The library will host a number of science events this month.
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Game Club for grades 3-5 will be meeting 6 p.m. April 2.
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Northampton Area High School’s Leo Club, an extension of the Lions Club, is hosting a book fair 9 a.m.-4 p.m. April 4 in the library’s community room. Check out the signs around the high school for further details.
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Teens who registered for the wildflower seed bombs craft kit, you can pick it up April 6.
May’s craft kit is fruit slice coasters, so teens can sign up early if interested.
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The adult craft hour is split into two sessions this month. Craft paper flower gift toppers or decor either 2 p.m. April 11 and 6 p.m. April 21.
Each session is limited to 10 participants, so register for the time that works best for you.
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Stitch ‘n’ Craft will be held 6 p.m. the second Tuesday of the month, April 14. We love new participants and greeting those participants we haven’t seen in some time, so join us.
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STEAM Club for grades 3-5 is meeting 6 p.m. April 16. Youth will be participating in some citizen science and helping advance Alzheimer’s research by playing an online game.
Bring a parent or guardian (all children under 13 require a parent/guardian to create a family account for the game) and a device of your own. We suggest a laptop or tablet, but a smartphone will do.
Scientists from Cornell University created an online game called Stall Catchers. It looks at blood clots, or stalls, in the brains of mice. The research has found that when stalls in mice with Alzheimer’s are cleared, the effects of Alzheimer’s are reduced.
Our job is to look through short, black-and-white videos of blood flow in mice’s brains to determine if there are any blood clots. The game includes a tutorial, and all videos are reviewed by at least three other citizen scientists just like you.
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There will be two game night for science sessions April 16 for teens and adults to also play Stall Catchers. The first session is 2-4 p.m., and the second session will be 6-8 p.m.
You don’t have to stay the full time. If you like, you can attend the beginning of the program to create your accounts, link your research and learn about Stall Catchers before leaving to play the game at home. We understand two hours is a large time commitment, so we won’t be offended if you leave.
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Lily will be hosting a meet-and-greet with local thriller author M.L. Hutchinson, scheduled for 6 p.m. April 20.
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The adult Romance Book Club meets 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. April 22. This month, our romance readers are romping into historical fiction with Courtney Milan’s “The Duke Who Didn’t.”
Choose the time that works best for you, and register, if you can, to give Sadie an idea of how many to expect.
Historical romance not your thing? Didn’t get a chance to read the book? Feel free to discuss another romance you’ve loved lately or just the romance genre in general.
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For youth in grades K-2, storycraft is back. Join us 5 p.m. April 23.
Registration is requested.
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Once Upon a Crime will meet 6 p.m. April 27. This month’s theme is missing persons.
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Early literacy storytimes continue throughout April. Lapsit storytime, for ages 0-24 months, is 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays; toddler storytime, for ages 18-36 months, is 10 a.m. Wednesdays, with Stay and Play 10:30 a.m.; and preschool storytime, for ages 3-5 years, will be 11 a.m. Thursdays, with art projects after the stories.
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Don’t forget about tech tutoring, to help adults with creating an email account, using the Internet or even configuring a new device.
Meet up with Dylan 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Mondays or Marty 9 a.m.-noon Saturdays, by appointment only.
Register on the website’s tech tutoring page or call 610-262-7537.
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The library now has Libby (OverDrive) available through the state. The Office of Commonwealth Libraries is debuting a new pilot program with Libby.
For those who live in the Greater Northampton area, you must obtain a POWER Library card and PIN before you can sign in. On northamptonapl.org, hover over What We Do with your mouse, hover over Research, then click Online Resources.
In the second row of online resources, you’ll find AccessPA/POWER Library. Click on the picture to take you to the POWER Library catalog. Hover over About in the menu across the top of POWER Library’s site before hovering over Get Your E-Card and clicking on the option that suits you best.
Fill out the online form and click the button marked Get an E-Card to submit your application. You should receive an email with your POWER Library E-Card number in minutes.
To obtain your PIN, click on the POWER Library logo at the top left of the screen. The third option from the left should be titled “New pilot project! OverDrive/Libby now in POWER Library!” Click on the Learn More button beneath the title.
On the next page, scroll down and click where it says, “To create your PIN, submit your request here.” Fill out all required information on the form, and click Submit.
After a few days, you will receive an email telling you that your PIN has been accepted. You can then download the Libby app to your device or navigate back to POWER Library through northamptonapl.org.
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April showers may bring May flowers, but April also brings a bunch of new items to the library! If you’re looking for what’s new in our online catalog, first go to northamptonapl.org, then hover over What We Do in the menu across the top of the page. Finally, click on Catalog.
The first carousel you see beneath the search menu includes all of our newest items for adults. If you scroll down the page, you’ll also be able to browse new items for young adults and juveniles.
If you’d rather browse in person, our newest adult items are on the shelves facing the help desk; the newest young adult items are on the shelf facing adult fiction; and the newest juvenile items are either displayed on top of the shelves in the children’s room or on the left-hand shelf going into the children’s room.








