Forsyth Public Library -

Our Nightmare on Elwood Street 3 Halloween Event was a huge success! There were games, make your own trick or treat bags, prizes, candy and a very popular Popcorn Bar. We loved seeing the many creative costumes, as well. This year's costume contest winners are the members of Mystery, Inc., better known as the Scooby Doo Gang - Daphne, Fred and Shaggy, riding in the Mystery Machine with Scooby. They'll receive a $25 Target gift card. Our Honorable Mentions are Sesame Street's Count von Count and Abby Cadabby. Congratulations to our winners and a big thank you to all those who participated in our fun-filled day.

It's your Lucky Day! Several of our Roku Sticks are available for check out. Pick one up today and enjoy watching something new this weekend. (one stick per person)

Come have a hair-raising good time at Story Time with Miss Kelsey this Friday, October 25 at 10:00 a.m. We'll be celebrating Halloween with creepy fun stories, activities and a craft to complete and take home. No need to be afraid... grab your adult and creep on into the library.

Don't forget to stop into the library this Saturday, October 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. for our Nightmare on Elwood Street 3 Halloween Event. We'll have games, treats, a costume contest and lots of opportunities to make memories with the family. Also, the 121 Coffee Run trailer will be on hand selling your favorites as well as some new spooky-themed drinks. And to round out the day, head over to The Fabric Cobbler for their Halloween Party. Enjoy cookies, door prizes and their costume contest. It's going to be a eerily fun day around the block!

The library has TWO Take 'n Makes available this month and they're both tasty! Stop in and grab an Adult Pumpkin Spice Hot Cocoa Cup kit and/or a Kid's Muddy Pudding Punkin Patch kit. Kits are available while supplies last so please be mindful of others and take only what you need.

Story Time with Miss Kelsey Friday, October 18 at 10:00 a.m. Ages 2 to 5, siblings welcome Don't be afraid of things that go bump in the library.... it's just Miss Kelsey getting ready for a monstrously fun Story Time!

Raise Your Voice with Jason Reynolds Tuesday, October 22 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom Register at the link below: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XEjtbRvCQkSHqcQU8-mikQ Welcome Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times bestselling author, advocate, mentor, and 2020-2022 National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. The recipient of a Newbery Honor, a Printz Honor, a Carnegie Medal, an NAACP Image Award, and multiple Coretta Scott King honors, Reynolds' beloved and award-winning titles include Stamped (with Ibram X. Kendi), Stuntboy, the Track series (Ghost, Patina, Sunny, and Lu), Miles Morales, All American Boys (with Brendan Kiely), When I Was the Greatest, The Boy in the Black Suit, Look Both Ways, Ain't Burned All the Bright, and Long Way Down. He has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, CBS Sunday Morning, and more. The short documentary “Dear, Dreamer” is a lyrical portrait of Reynolds’ life and work as a rising literary star, as well as a testament to shared experiences and the power of seeing yourself in books. In his podcast, My Mother Made Me, he and his mother, Isabell, explore their shared history and what they’re teaching each other. Reynolds lives in Washington, DC, where he is on faculty at Lesley University, for the Writing for Young People MFA Program. You can find his ramblings at JasonWritesBooks.com This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering premier events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA). ILP is committed to inclusion and accessibility.

Diabetes Meal Planning Meal planning can help improve blood sugar management. Explore tools like carbohydrate counting and the plate method in this free workshop with Illinois Extension. Register by Monday, October 21 through the link below or by calling the library at 217-877-8174: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/diabetes-meal-planning-class-tickets-1005287691547?aff=oddtdtcreator

Holiday Appetizers Drop-in Saturday, October 19 - 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. No Registration Required Need some new snack ideas for your upcoming holiday celebrations? Drop by the library to taste some oh-so-good appetizer samples, such as meatballs, dill dip and Pam’s Pumpkin Fluff. Take home the recipes for everything you enjoyed and prepare them yourself. Your guests will love them! Available while supplies last

Nightmare on Elwood Street Halloween Drop-in Event Saturday, October 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. All Ages Welcome! Treats, snacks, games and a spooky good time will be had by all at FPL. Be sure to wear your Halloween costume - you can take a few scary selfies AND be entered into our Costume Contest! The winner will receive a $25 Target gift card, plus there might be some Honorable Mention prizes, as well. Don’t be afraid to creep on into the library on Saturday, October 26.

Story Time with Miss Kelsey Friday, October 11 at 10:00 a.m. Ages 2 to 5, siblings welcome Come in for some great stories of the outdoors with Miss Kelsey and leave a very Happy Camper!

Family Portrait Drop-In Tuesday, October 15 - 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. No Registration Required - All Ages Welcome Christmas is on its way and what better gift to give a loved one than a hand-drawn family portrait! We’ll have everything you need to complete your picture except the frame. Come in and show us your talents.

Medicare Changes & Updates Seminar with Starting Point/MCHD Friday, October 11 - 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Registration Required Becky Stewart from Starting Point/Macon County Health Department will be on hand with information regarding Open Enrollment as well as Medicare drug coverage changes and updates. Register by using the link below or calling 217-877-8174: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/medicare-changes-and-updates-seminar-tickets-1005329295987

Switch It Up Saturday Saturday, October 12 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. No Registration Necessary Join us at the library for a fun day of Mario Kart on the Nintendo Switch! Everyone wishing to play will take turns competing for fun because we’re all winners here. Don’t miss the chance to show off your driving skills with Mario and the gang.

The Tuesday, October 8 Bingo! at the Library session is canceled. Please keep watching Facebook and our website for any future dates. Thank you and we apologize for any inconvenience.

Story Time with Miss Kelsey Friday, October 4 at 10:00 a.m. Ages 2 to 5, siblings welcome Food, glorious food! We need it, we love it and we'll be reading about it this Friday during Story Time with Miss Kelsey. As always, there will be fun stories, and activities that get us moving and grooving. Plus, don't forget about the craft we'll make and you can take home to enjoy. See you Friday

And the winner of our Show Us Your Library Savings is... Joe Ann S. with a savings of $16, 018.21 YTD and a lifetime savings of $122,504.21! Congratulations, Joe Ann, and thank you to all those who submitted their receipts. There were a few who weren’t too far behind this total. We appreciate ALL of our patrons!

Being Imperfect with Erika Sanchez Wednesday, October 4 at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Erika Sánchez, award-winning author of I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, joined in conversation by Cynthia Pelayo. Erika L. Sánchez is the daughter of Mexican immigrants. Her debut poetry collection, Lessons on Expulsion, was a finalist for the PEN America Open Book Award. Her debut young adult novel, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter, was a New York Times bestseller, National Book Award finalist, Tomás Rivera Award winner and recognized by Time as one of the best YA novels of all time. Cynthia Pelayo is a Bram Stoker Award winning and International Latino Book Award winning author and poet. She writes fairy tales that blend genre. She is the author of Loteria, Santa Muerte, The Missing, Poems of My Night, Into the Forest and All the Way Through, Children of Chicago, Crime Scene, and The Shoemaker’s Magician. Register for Erika Sanchez via Zoom at: https://bit.ly/ILP_ErikaSanchez This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries offering high-quality events. ILP is funded in part by a grant awarded by the Illinois State Library, a department of the Office of Secretary of State, using funds provided by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA).

Library Crawl 2024 is here! It's easy to join in the fun. During the month of October, pick up the official passport at your home library and then travel around central and southern Illinois visiting participating public libraries. Go to each library’s circulation desk to get your passport stamped and discover all the many library collections your library card gives you access to. Visit 5 or more libraries in October to complete the Library Crawl. Return your stamped passport to your home library and share your adventures. Did you know you can check out items at other libraries while you're on your journey and return them to your home library? The statewide courier service makes this possible.

Community Watch is back! Join us Tuesday, October 1, at 4 PM in the Community Room at the Forsyth Public Library. Anyone is welcome to attend our monthly meeting to learn about what’s happening within the village. Law enforcement and local officials will be present at each meeting to keep you informed and answer questions. Come join us for enlightening and friendly discussion about all things Forsyth!