The St. Catharines Public Library branches have events and activities for students all over the city.
Books may be the main focus at the four locations of the St. Catharines Public Library (SCPL) – the Central Library, the Dr. Huq Family Library Branch, the Merritt Branch and the Port Dalhousie Branch – but books are not the only business they deal in.
On top of movies, video games and puzzles, these branches are also the homes of various activities and events for community members, including students at Brock.
Ongoing Events
Whether students want to drop by a library for one of these events or make them a part of their regular schedule, here are the recurring resources and activities that will be running for the rest of January.
Every Monday from 4 to 5 p.m., the English Club meets at the Central Library. Specifically for newcomers and ESL adults, the English Club is led by volunteers with the Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre to help nurture English language skills such as listening, speaking, vocabulary and pronunciation. More details and a registration form for interested students can be found here.
Finding a place to study that isn’t on campus can be difficult, but the SCPL gives students some options. On Tuesdays from 4 to 7:45 p.m – save for Jan. 23, when it starts at 5 p.m – the Dr. Huq Family Library Branch hosts Open Study Hours intended for quiet, respectful work or study. Similarly, on Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:45 p.m., the Merritt Branch holds the same drop-in study space.
Scrabble is one of the highest-selling board games of all time, and fans of any skill level can find competitors on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month at the Dr. Huq Family Library Branch. The Scrabble Club runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m and requires no registration.
Finally, and fittingly for a library, the SCPL holds a plethora of Book Clubs spanning across all four branches and even online. These clubs meet monthly to discuss books chosen from an annual rotation list. Unfortunately, as of writing, many of these clubs are filled, but students can get on waitlists and find more information about each branch-specific and online Book Club here.
Specific Events
Much like those at Brock, the SCPL holds a plethora of different events catered to all types of personalities. From movie nights to arts and crafts, here are the specialized events students can look forward to.
Every month, SCPL and Brock University team up for Brock Talks, a lecture on history, culture or the arts. On Jan. 15, Dr. Tim Kenyon will be delivering a lecture on Building Critical Thinking Communities at the Central Library from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dr. Kenyon is the Vice President (Research) at Brock University, and his Brock Talk will “discuss the roles that social skills and communities play in critical thinking, and how we can help build these for ourselves and others.” Interested students can find more information and the mandatory registration here.
Those in need of some tech assistance, especially but not specifically related to SCPL resources, can Book a Librarian at two of the library branches. On Jan. 15, a 30-minute session can be booked between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m at the Dr. Huq Family Library Branch and on Jan. 22, the same can be booked between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m at the Central Library.
On Jan. 18, the Dr. Huq Family Library Branch is hosting a Knitting & Crochet Circle. Crocheting has numerous health benefits and can even help people manage anxiety, so drop in from 6:30 to 8 p.m no matter your skill level to make something fun.
Students looking for other ways to nurture their health can visit the Movement for Everyday Life workshop with Shannon Kitchings at the Central Library. From 12 to 2 p.m on Jan. 27, Kitchings – a multi-discipline artist working in performance, literary arts and somatic practice – will guide participants through movement activities intended to get people moving in new ways and feeling good in their bodies. Students can find more information and a link to pre-register for this event here.
The SCPL is hosting three more entertainment-related events before the end of the month. On Jan. 19 from 11 a.m to 12:30 p.m., Elemental will be playing at the Merritt Branch; and on Jan. 23 from 11 a.m to 1:05 p.m., Champions will be playing at the Central Library. Finally, on Jan. 26, there will be a casual Chess & Chat event. From 1 to 2:30 p.m at the Merritt Branch, players of any skill level can drop in and play matches against friends and strangers alike.
Finally, while not in January, the Canadian Author Series: What If? Writing Speculative Fiction event on Feb. 3 is worth a mention. From 10 a.m to 1 p.m in the Central Library, author Dr. Nancy Taber – a professor in the Department of Educational Studies at Brock University – is holding a workshop that will “assist participants in incorporating speculative fiction into their own writing, whether for short stories or novels.” More information and a registration link can be found here.
If students have time, these regular and specific events can offer new experiences, skills and opportunities to explore creatively and academically outside of Brock. The SCPL also holds many events catered to parents. For information on their Positive Parenting Program Group and frequent drop-in story times, as well as a full calendar of their events, visit here.