Shelf. Life

As a child, one of my favorite places to visit was the library. The thought of using my very own library card, and checking out a book or two of my choice made me feel so grown up. Going to the library provided me with opportunities to experience a whole new world through books, which always has been very exciting to me. My childhood visits to the ...

Recently I've been invited to be the "mystery reader" at several local elementary schools, and as I'm selecting my books to share, I always think back to the teachers and parents who read to my classes. Turns out, this isn't something I've ever outgrown; I still like it when people read to me! My kids read to me every day for a few minutes at bedti...

This month, Willard will debut the Love Where You Live Series with the goal of fostering "A proud, inspired Battle Creek." We hope you'll enjoy these fascinating programs: A Special Evening With Richard Rothstein: The author of The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America will discuss how American governments in th...

Life in the circus, soldiers' K-9 companions, British royalty and Mr. Rogers will be among the topics of Noon Films when the documentary series returns on Thursday at Willard Library in Battle Creek. The Noon Films offer people the opportunity to learn something new while enjoying the camaraderie of other movie fans. It's a good excuse to get out a...

"How Do Dinosaurs" will be the theme of three special costume character programs to launch the winter story times at Willard Library. A lot of youngsters love dinosaurs and the How Do Dinosaurs books by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague so we will kick off the preschool winter programs with story times about dinosaurs. The three story times, which will in...

If you know me at all, you know I love coffee, birds, and book lists! January is a great time of year for readers because of all the "Best Books of 2018" lists that start circulating online. I'm going to throw one more list on the stack, just in case you are thinking about setting a Reading Resolutions for the New Year to explore a new genre.Here a...

Welcome! Willard Library is committed to creating a community of readers and a world of possibilities. The name of this new blog playfully reflects an important component of this philosophy: the intersection of your life with library services. A book on a shelf is an object; an open book in your hands is a collection of ideas or adventures. With th...

Willard Library recently donated books about Sojourner Truth to area schools to celebrate Sojourner Truth Week in late November. "The Sojourner Truth Institute approached Willard because we had partnered with the library earlier in the year, and it was a fantastic partnership," Kimberly L. Holley, director of the institute, said. "Since this was ab...

Willard Library and Senior Health Partners in Battle Creek are teaming up to present Caregiver Conversations, a series of monthly programs on caregiving. "We hope people will find comfort in knowing they're not alone by listening to experiences of fellow caregivers and learning strategies from experts," Michael McCullough, Willard community engagem...