Charles County Public Library

It’s your move

marianne — Tue, 19 May 2026 11:00:09 +0000

Madison Bateman

May 19, 2026

Kimberly Borders, left, and Miranda Krebs, public service associates with the Charles County Public Library system, play chess on Saturday during an open chess lounge. The drop-in event is hosted every third Saturday of the month from 2-3 p.m. at the Waldorf West Branch. People of all ages are encouraged to attend to take part in friendly games.

Madison Bateman for Southern Maryland News

Charles County Libraries Launch Free Telehealth Booths

marianne — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:00:25 +0000

David M. Higgins II, Publisher/Editor

April 28, 2026

Direct Link to News Article

LA PLATA, Md.- Charles County Public Library is expanding virtual health care access for Southern Maryland residents with new Telehealth Booths at its P.D. Brown Memorial Branch in Waldorf and Potomac Branch in Indian Head.

The booths opened to provide quiet, private, wheelchair-accessible spaces where community members can connect with medical providers online or by phone. Each unit features a secured computer, seating, table and dry-erase board in an ADA-compliant, sound-dampening environment designed to overcome barriers such as transportation issues, lack of reliable internet or privacy concerns at home.

Lloyd Jansen, Deputy Director of Charles County Public Library, said, Libraries continue to evolve to meet the needs of our communities. By offering telehealth booths, we are helping remove barriers to care and providing residents with another way to access important services in a safe and welcoming space.

The initiative addresses real needs across Charles County and neighboring St. Marys and Calvert counties. Many Southern Maryland families face long drives to medical offices or challenges with home-based virtual visits due to shared living spaces or spotty broadband in rural pockets. The library booths offer a free, convenient alternative right in the community.

Reservations for the booths can be made up to seven days in advance through the librarys online meeting room system for sessions up to two hours. There is no cost to use the service. When not booked for telehealth, the spaces support studying, tutoring, small-group discussions and quiet work, with priority always given to health appointments. Users must acknowledge risks and library policies, including that the library does not provide medical services or guarantee HIPAA compliance of external providers.

The booths exteriors celebrate local scenery. The P.D. Brown Memorial Branch wrap highlights Mallows Bay Park, while the Potomac Branch features Smallwood State Park. Images came from a partnership with Charles County Tourism and photographer Jay Flemming. The project received support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Charles County Public Library branches serve a growing population in one of Southern Marylands fastest-developing areas. With housing expansions in Waldorf, La Plata, Indian Head and beyond, convenient health resources help families balance work, school and wellness. The P.D. Brown branch at 50 Village Street in Waldorf and Potomac branch at 3225 Ruth B. Swann Drive draw patrons from across the tri-county region where primary care wait times and travel distances remain common hurdles.

This expansion aligns with broader library trends in Southern Maryland. Nearby St. Marys County libraries have also integrated telehealth support in recent years, reflecting a regional push to blend traditional library roles with modern community health needs. Charles County Public Library continues adapting its five branches and mobile services to function as hubs for education, technology and now direct health access.

Residents can reserve booths at ccplonline.org/telehealth or through the meeting room system. Library hours typically run Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with closures on Sundays and holidays. Officials encourage early booking due to expected demand.

The Telehealth Booths represent an innovative use of public space that strengthens health equity in Southern Maryland. By partnering with tourism for visual appeal and securing grant funding, the library created functional, attractive additions that residents can use confidently. As virtual care becomes standard, these booths position Charles County families for better outcomes without leaving their local communities.

Charles County Public Library Expands Access To Virtual Healthcare With New TeleHealth Booths

marianne — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 11:00:04 +0000

Charles County Public Library

April 27, 2026

Direct Link to News Article

Charles County Public Library

LA PLATA, Md. – Charles County Public Library (CCPL) is expanding access to health services by introducing new Telehealth Booths at its P.D. Brown Memorial and Potomac branches. The booths provide community members with a quiet, private, and wheelchair-accessible space to connect virtually with medical providers.

Telehealth booths help address barriers such as transportation, privacy, and reliable internet access that can prevent individuals from attending virtual medical appointments.

Each Telehealth Booth includes a computer and seating area designed to support virtual healthcare appointments. The booths are ADA-compliant and offer a sound-dampening environment to provide additional privacy while patrons meet healthcare professionals online or by phone.

Charles County Public Library

“Libraries continue to evolve to meet the needs of our communities,” said Lloyd Jansen, Deputy Director of Charles County Public Library. “By offering telehealth booths, we are helping remove barriers to care and providing residents with another way to access important services in a safe and welcoming space.”

The CCPL Telehealth Booths can be reserved online through the library’s meeting room reservation system at https://ccplonline.org/policies/meeting-room/. Booths may be booked up to seven days in advance for sessions lasting up to two hours, and there is no cost to use the service. When not reserved for telehealth appointments, the booths may be used for studying, tutoring, small-group discussions, and other quiet work, though priority will be given to those using the booths for telehealth appointments.

To celebrate the natural beauty of Charles County, the booths’ exterior wraps feature scenic imagery from various locations across the county. The P.D. Brown branch Telehealth booth showcases Mallows Bay Park, while the Potomac branch highlights Smallwood State Park. The images were provided through a partnership with Charles County Tourism and photographed by Maryland Water photographer Jay Flemming.

The Telehealth Booth project was made possible in part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Residents interested in reserving a booth or learning more about the service can visit ccplonline.org/telehealth/.

About Charles County Public Library

The Charles County Public Library creates opportunities for our community to engage, discover, and learn. CCPL consists of four library branches, a Mobile Library, the Discovery Lab, a 24-Hour Library Kiosk at the Nanjemoy Community Center, and a location inside the Charles County Detention Center.

CCPL has over 100 full- and part-time employees. Our branches house over 200,000 volumes of printed material, audiobooks, film, and other documents, and we have an online branch atwww.ccplonline.org, where we add new resources regularly. Currently, over 75,000 county residents have library cards, and that number grows every day.

About the Institute of Museum and Library Services

The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s libraries and museums. IMLS advances, supports, and empowers America’s museums, libraries, and related organizations through grantmaking, research, and policy development. The agency’s programs help strengthen communities by improving access to information, education, and cultural resources. For more information, visit imls.gov/.

About Charles County Tourism

Charles County Tourism promotes the county as a destination for visitors while celebrating the region’s natural beauty, history, and local culture. Through partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and government agencies, Charles County Tourism highlights attractions, events, outdoor recreation, and heritage sites throughout Southern Maryland. Learn more at explorecharlescounty.com/.

Happening Now: La Plata Book Sale Brings Big Bargains Before It Ends

marianne — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:00:44 +0000

BayNet Staff

April 22, 2026

Direct Link to News Article

LA PLATA, Md. — Book lovers and bargain hunters alike are gearing up for one of the most anticipated seasonal traditions as the Citizens for the Charles County Public Library host their Spring Book Bazaar at the La Plata Branch, running through April 25.

While the multi-day sale offers thousands of gently used books, movies and more at low prices, seasoned shoppers know the real highlight comes at the end: Bag Days.

During these final sale days, visitors can fill an entire bag with books for a flat rate — typically around $3 for a grocery-sized bag — turning the event into a treasure hunt where the more you dig, the more you score. Tables once neatly organized become a fast-moving mix of hidden gems, unexpected finds and armfuls of stories waiting for a second life.

Citizens for the Charles County Public Library

For many, Bag Days are less about browsing and more about the thrill. Families, teachers and avid readers arrive early, armed with reusable bags and a strategy, scanning for children’s books, beach reads, cookbooks and rare titles. It’s not uncommon to see people leave with stacks taller than they planned, all for just a few dollars.

The event supports the Charles County Public Library system, with proceeds helping fund programs, resources and community initiatives that have benefited local residents for more than two decades.

Organizers also continue to accept book donations, with drop-offs available Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Wednesdays by appointment.

Whether searching for a specific title or simply chasing the joy of a good deal, Bag Days remain the can’t-miss finale — where every bag tells a story, and every page comes at a price that’s hard to beat.

The Spring Book Bazaar is running now through Friday, April 25, and is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Special sale days include Bag Days on Thursday, April 24, and Friday, April 25.

The event is being held at the La Plata Branch Library, located at 2 Garrett Ave. in La Plata. Learn more at ccplonline.org.

Citizens for the Charles County Public Library

Charles County Launches Library Giving Month Campaign

marianne — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:00:27 +0000

Charles County Public Library

April 1, 2026

Direct Link to News Article

LA PLATA, Md. – The Charles County Public Library (CCPL) invites the community to celebrate Library Giving Month this April, a month-long campaign to support the library programs, services, and resources that enrich residents’ lives throughout the county.

The library’s goal is to raise $20,000 through donations, special events, and community partnerships.

Library Giving Month begins with Library Giving Day on April 1, a nationwide celebration that encourages communities to support their local library systems. Throughout April, CCPL will highlight the many ways libraries serve as centers for learning, creativity, and connection.

“Libraries change lives every day,” said Shannon Bland, Development Manager for CCPL. “Community support helps us expand programs, provide access to technology, and create opportunities for lifelong learning for residents of all ages.”

Several events throughout April will help support the campaign.

On Friday, April 10, Shop 53 Tattoo & Art Studio in La Plata will host Get Inked with CCPL, a book-themed flash tattoo fundraiser, with 20% of each tattoo purchase donated to the library.

Later in the month, CCPL will host “A Magical Evening at the Library” on April 17, an evening celebrating the impact of libraries in the community while raising funds for library programs and services. Tickets are on sale now at ccplonline.org/ccpl-magic/.

Library Giving Month also coincides with National Library Week, April 19–25, when libraries across the country celebrate the essential role they play in strengthening communities.

Community members can support the campaign by making a donation, attending fundraising events, or sharing their library stories throughout the month.

To learn more or make a donation, visit ccplonline.org/support/.

About Charles County Public Library

The Charles County Public Library creates opportunities for our community to engage, discover, and learn. CCPL comprises four library branches, a Mobile Library, the Discovery Lab, a 24-Hour Library Kiosk at the Nanjemoy Community Center, and a location inside the Charles County Detention Center. CCPL has over 80 full- and part-time employees. Our branches house over 200,000 volumes of printed materials, audiobooks, films, and other documents. We also have an online branch at www.ccplonline.org, where we regularly add new resources. Currently, over 75,000 county residents hold library cards, and this number continues to grow daily.

YA Books if You Like the Brontë Sisters

marianne — Tue, 31 Mar 2026 11:00:24 +0000

Back to Blog

Can’t get enough of Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Brontë? Check out these books inspired by their lives and works, including some retellings full of mystery, suspense, and passion.

*CCPL Staff picks are chosen by CCPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas too, so write to us and tell us what you’d recommend!*

Within These Wicked Walls by Lauren Blackwood

Andromeda is a debtera, trained to rid homes of the Evil Eye. But her teacher cares little for her, so she leaves at nineteen, penniless and desperate. Desperate enough to take on a job from Magnus Rochester, whose home has already killed or driven away numerous others. Andromeda quickly realizes she is not qualified to deal with his house’s secrets. But she has fallen for Magnus, and she refuses to leave him to his fate. A retelling of Jane Eyre.

The Brontës of Haworth Moor by Diane Browning

After their mother and two sisters die, Anne, Emily, and Charlotte Brontë–along with their brother Branwell–let their imaginations run wild as they roam across the moor, create stories, and write poetry. Diane Browning explores how their lives, including their time at boarding school and working as governesses, influenced their fiction.

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

Spaceship engineer Stella longs to leave her home, which has been stuck orbiting Earth for the past 200 years. So she’s thrilled when offered the opportunity to work as a governess on the private spaceship the Rochester. Its captain is nineteen-year-old Hugo Fairfax, known for being annoying and drunk. But he’s hiding secrets, as well, and Stella thinks someone is out to kill him. A retelling of Jane Eyre.

My Plain Jane by Cynthia Hand

K-Jane by Lydia Kang

Jane Choi, named after Jane Eyre, is determined that this will be the year she learns more about her Korean heritage. All her classmates seem to be into Korean culture and she feels embarrassed that she knows so little. So, she starts a private social media channel to share her journey with her friends and family. But then she accidentally goes viral, and now she has pushed everyone away. Including, potentially, her crush Edward.

Escaping Mr. Rochester by L. L. McKinney

Eager to be independent, Jane accepts a position as a governess at Thornfield Hall. But though the owner, Edward,is charming, Jane senses he can also be dangerous. Jane does not yet realize that he has locked away his wife Bertha for withholding her inheritance from him. But Jane and Bertha are destined to meet and to help each other escape, in more ways than one. A retelling of Jane Eyre.

Jane Eyre: The Graphic Novel by Joe Sutliff Sanders, et al.

Orphaned Jane Eyre grows up mistreated by her aunt. Eventually, she becomes the governess for the brooding Mr. Rochester’s ward. Sparks fly between Jane and Mr. Rochester. But he has a terrible secret that could tear them apart. A graphic novel adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s novel.

What Souls Are Made Of: A Wuthering Heights Remix by Tasha Suri

Abandoned by his father, a sailor from India, Heathcliff is taken in by a family living on an estate on the Yorkshire moors. His new life, however, feels alienating, and he attempts to cling to his heritage. Catherine, one of the estate’s children, also feels like she does not quite belong. Her father wants her to be a part of society, but rumors swirl about her real mother. The two find understanding and passion in each other. But they might not have a happily ever after. A retelling of Wuthering Heights.

Library Giving Day Starts Month of Support for Local Branches

marianne — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 11:00:11 +0000

David M. Higgins II, Publisher/Editor

March 30, 2026

Direct Link to News Article

LA PLATA, Md. — The Charles County Public Library has launched its annual Library Giving Month campaign for April 2026, inviting residents across Southern Maryland to support programs, services and resources that serve the community year-round.

The library aims to raise $20,000 through donations, special events and partnerships during the month-long effort. Library Giving Month kicks off with Library Giving Day on Tuesday, April 1, a national day of support for local libraries.

ChatGPT

“Libraries change lives every day,” said Shannon Bland, Development Manager for the Charles County Public Library. “Community support helps us expand programs, provide access to technology, and create opportunities for lifelong learning for residents of all ages.”

The campaign highlights the library’s role as a hub for learning, creativity and connection in Charles County. Funds will help sustain and grow initiatives such as summer and winter reading challenges, free tax preparation assistance, nonprofit and small business programming, and technology access for patrons of all ages.

Several fundraising events are scheduled throughout April. On Friday, April 10, Shop 53 Tattoo & Art Studio in La Plata will host the fourth annual Get Inked with CCPL, a book-themed flash tattoo fundraiser. Twenty percent of each tattoo purchase will be donated to the library.

On Friday, April 17, the library will present “A Magical Evening at the Library” at the Waldorf West Branch, 10405 O’Donnell Place, Waldorf. The event celebrates the impact of libraries while raising funds for programs and services. Tickets are available now through Eventbrite at ccplonline.org/ccpl-magic/. VIP admission begins at 6:30 p.m. and general admission at 7:30 p.m.

Library Giving Month coincides with National Library Week, observed April 19–25, when libraries nationwide recognize their contributions to stronger communities.

Residents can participate by making a tax-deductible donation, attending events, or sharing personal stories about how the library has made a difference. Donations support free and equal access to information, technology and community programming.

To donate or learn more, visit ccplonline.org/support/ or ccplonline.org/donate/. For questions about sponsorship opportunities or the Magical Evening event, contact Shannon Bland at fundraising@ccplonline.org.

The Charles County Public Library system operates multiple branches, including locations in La Plata, Waldorf, Potomac, Bryans Road and Indian Head, plus a mobile library unit. It serves thousands of residents each year with materials, programs and digital resources.

Southern Maryland Chronicle readers in Charles County can make a direct impact. Past giving efforts have helped fund expanded collections, technology upgrades and special events that benefit families, students and seniors.

Library officials note that every gift, regardless of size, helps maintain vital services amid rising operational costs. The $20,000 goal represents community investment in lifelong learning opportunities available to all county residents.

This year’s campaign builds on previous successful giving initiatives. In December 2025, the library raised more than $25,000 in a single month through donor support, according to board meeting records.

Charles County Public Library continues to adapt to community needs, offering virtual and in-person options that engage, discover and learn. Giving Month provides a focused opportunity for residents to show appreciation for these free public resources.

Beautiful Bats

marianne — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:00:37 +0000

Back to Blog

Bats are beautiful, sophisticated, intelligent and ubiquitous mammals, yet they are often misunderstood due to widespread harmful myths and legends. It is very important to celebrate bats because they are endangered, and are requisite to the survival of our planet. International Bat Appreciation Day is celebrated every year on April 17 (and Bat Appreciation Week falls later in the season, in late October) so this is the perfect time to learn more about one of the world’s most mysterious creatures, the bat!

Hello, my name is Miss Sara and in this blog, I will provide many fascinating and educational facts about bats, including a link to an article detailing their extremely unique reliance on a combination of hearing and sight in order to locate their prey. Next there will be a chart illustrating bat anatomy, the science of bat echolocation, a few different bat topics taken from Maryland Department of Natural Resources as well as a chart illustrating the 10 species of bats found in Maryland. Also highlighted is one of our main CCPL children’s databases, National Geographic Kids, and some entertaining and educational children’s resources from our CCPL catalog.

Important Resources

Below are interesting and educational facts about bats (facts pulled from various website sources, which are cited and linked below):

Bats live almost everywhere, except the Arctic, Antarctic and a few oceanic islands. They usually roost in caves, old buildings or trees. They are the only mammals that can fly! Other mammals like flying squirrels, or flying possum, can glide, but not fly. Bats are nocturnal – they are active during the night, dusk, or dawn. Bats are a successful group…they are the second largest order of mammals (there are more than 1,100 species of bats).
Bats fly with their hands. Bat and bird wings are different – birds do not have long finger-like bones in their wings like bats do. Therefore, birds cannot move each of their fingers – but bats can. Because of this, bats can change their direction while flying or fly in any pattern they want: this makes it easier to catch their food. A bat flies as if they are “swimming” through the air – pushing both wings down and backward. A bird’s wing has lots of feathers, while a bat’s wing is mostly a stretchy, thin skin called a patagium. This thin membrane of skin stretches between each finger bone, connects to the bat’s ankle, and connects to the bat’s tail (if it has one). A bat folds its wings next to its body when not flying. Bats have one claw (sometimes called a bat thumb) that sticks out of the top of the wing. They use their “thumb” to climb and crawl. Interestingly, bats also use their thumbs to clean their ears! Bats’ wings have a lot of maneuverability (they can change direction well) – more than a bird, in fact – but they do not have a lot of lift. Because of this, bats usually have to climb up onto a tree or jump up into the air for the boost before they start flapping their wings.
Most bats rest, sleep and hibernate in an upside-down position. They hang on to branches or rocks with their feet. To do this they have a locking mechanism on the tendons in their feet which stops them from slipping. The advantage of this is that the energy they spend hanging on is greatly reduced. Once the tendons are locked, the muscles in their legs and feet can relax. Even dead bats stay hanging.
Bats have been on Earth for more than 50 million years, and are widely dispersed across six continents. Globally, bats provide vital ecosystem services in the form of insect pest consumption, plant pollination, and seed dispersal, making them absolutely essential to the health of global ecosystems. In one hour, a single bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes.
Of the over 1,000 species of bats spread across the globe, there are only 3 species of bats known as “vampire bats” which are hematophagous (blood drinking) – the Common Vampire Bat, the Hairy-Legged Vampire Bat and the White-Winged Vampire Bat.
Megabats eat fruit, nectar or pollen. They pollinate flowers and sometimes spread their seeds. Many tropical plants completely depend on bats. Most microbats (7 out of 10 bat species) are insectivorous, that is, they eat insects. Some microbats eat small vertebrate animals (small mammals or fish) or even other bats. Bats usually live in caves, or trees. In North America and in Europe they sometimes live in people’s houses or barns. In Britain, all bat species and their roosts are legally protected, by both domestic and European legislation.
An interesting thing about bats is that even though they can see with their eyes, they also use their ears to help them ‘see’ in the dark. Because of this, they can fly into very dark places where no eye could see. This way of sensing is called echolocation. Echolocation means they use echoes to find where things are. When a bat makes its noises, the sound waves move away from the bat. If they hit something, they bounce back to the bat (this bounce is called an echo.) If nothing bounces back, the bat knows there is nothing in front. They use this echolocation to catch their food, like butterflies or dragonflies. When a bat begins its nightly exploration, it usually sends out about 10 calls per second. From the echo they know what is in front. When they get an echo from something really good to eat, the calls increase up to 200 calls per second (this increase of sounds is called a feeding buzz).
Some species of bats live up to 40 years. Bats grow in a variety of sizes – the smallest bat species is Kitti’s Hog-Nosed Bat (also known as the Bumblebee Bat) which weighs about 2 grams, measures 1 inch and has a wingspan of 5 inches. The largest bat species is the Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox Bat (pictured in the two main blog images above) weighing up to 4 lbs with a wingspan of up to 6 feet. Bats are also very clean animals, grooming themselves almost constantly.
Bats also have reasonably good eyesight, and can see their prey and where they are flying if it’s not too dark. There are lots of stories about bats flying right into people, but this is not true. They can see in the light very well, and in the dark, they can see much better than us. So the expression “blind as a bat” is not very scientific.
Today, bats are under unprecedented threat from widespread habitat destruction, accelerated climate change, invasive species, and other stresses. Without concerted international action, their populations will continue to fall, driving many species to extinction.

Web site Sources

Below is an article detailing the visual acuity of bats, courtesy of optimax.co.uk:

Blind as a Bat: How Much Truth is Actually in the Saying?

Below is a chart detailing the anatomy of a bat, courtesy of Britannica:

Website/Chart Source:

Britannica: Bats Form and Function

Below is a website detailing bat echolocation, courtesy of Maryland Department of Natural Resources:

The Science of Bat Echolocation

Below is a website listing the 10 species of bats found in Maryland, courtesy of Maryland Department of Natural Resources. Click on each species to learn more:

Guide to Maryland’s Bats

Below is a chart illustrating the 10 species of Maryland bats, courtesy of Animal Spot:

Image/Chart Source:

https://www.animalspot.net/bats-in-us/bats-in-maryland

Additional Resources:

Click on the link below to explore our children’s database, and search for all things bats:

National Geographic Kids

Engage kids and young students to broaden their educational horizons with reputable, special, authoritative, and age-appropriate digital content that brings them the world in a way they have never seen before. National Geographic Kids will take them on amazing adventures in science, nature, wildlife, culture, geography, archaeology, and space.

*CCPL Staff picks are chosen by CCPL staff members and are not intended to be comprehensive lists. We’d love to hear your ideas too, so write to us and tell us what you’d recommend!*

*All book cover photos are from Goodreads/all title descriptions are from the CCPL COSMOS website.

You may also check out our CCPL catalog for both entertaining and educational children’s resources on bats and general bat conservation, such as:

The Weird And Wonderful World Of Bats: Demystifying These Often-Misunderstood Creatures by Alyson Brokaw

In this fascinating science book, a behavioral and bat ecologist reintroduces readers to bats, redeeming their historically bad reputation. These woefully misunderstood creatures dwell in darkness, inspire fear, and threaten danger. They’ve been viewed as the pawns of evil deities and taken the undeserved blame for the spread of deadly viruses. The Weird and Wonderful World of Bats provides a fresh introduction to these curious flying mammals, explaining how they experience the world through unique senses, where and how they fly, the origins of their complex relationships with humans, and how we can learn from them–not only to coexist, but potentially grow healthier and wiser together.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

After she falls headfirst into a bird’s nest, a baby bat is raised like a bird until she is reunited with her mother.

Click HERE to place a hold request (1993 original print edition)

Click HERE to place a hold request (2018 republished edition)

Click HERE to place a hold request (2020 RAB audiobook)

Bats: An Illustrated Guide To All Species by Marianne Taylor and Merlin Tuttle

This book explores bats and their fundamental role in our ecosystems through lavish full-color photographs and lively narrative. From the Giant Golden Crowned Flying Fox, a megabat with a wingspan of more than five feet, to the aptly named Bumblebee Bat, the world’s smallest mammal, the number and diversity of bat species have proven to be both rich and underestimated. Nocturnal, fast-flying, and secretive, bats are difficult to observe and catalog. This richly illustrated handbook presents bats’ evolution, biology, behavior, and ecology. It offers in-depth profiles of four hundred megabats and microbats and detailed summaries of all the species identified to date. Complete with an introduction exploring bats’ natural history and their unique adaptations to life on the wing, Bats includes close-up images of these animals’ delicate and intricate forms and faces, each shaped by evolution to meet the demands of an extraordinarily specialized life.

Click HERE to place a hold request

My New Friend Is So Fun! by Mo Willems

Gerald the elephant and Snake fear that Piggie and Brian Bat will have so much fun together, they will no longer need their best friends.

Click HERE to place a hold request

The Bat House Guide by Merlin Tuttle and Danielle Cordani

Why build bat houses? Because bats are essential. They protect our crops, reduce use of pesticides that can cause cancer and dementia, and even help protect us from mosquito-borne diseases such as West Nile. However, they are in alarming decline, often due to loss of natural roosts. Armed with this handy guide from Merlin Tuttle’s Bat Conservation (MTBC), you can have fun helping both bats and your neighborhood. We summarize decades of discoveries by more than a dozen leading experts to provide step-by-step instructions and diagrams for their favorite designs. Some of their conclusions will surprise you. Whether you buy or build bat houses, your success will improve when using this guide. Follow our building advice or look for vendors who meet the high standards required to gain MTBC’s Seal of Approval. And if you achieve exceptional success, or even unexplained failure, let us hear from you at MerlinTuttle.org. Most of all, enjoy your bats and share your experiences with friends and neighbors!

Click HERE to place a hold request

Bats At The Library by Brian Lies

Bored with another normal, inky evening, bats discover an open library window and fly in to enjoy the photocopier, water fountain, and especially the books and stories found there.

Click HERE to place a hold request (2008 original print edition)

Click HERE to place a hold request (2009 picture book on DVD, 11 minutes)

Amara And The Bats by Emma Reynolds

Amara loves bats, so when she learns there are none near her new home due to habitat loss, she overcomes her feelings of helplessness and inspires her community to take action. Includes facts about bats and bat houses.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Fiona The Fruit Bat by Dan Riskin

It’s time for Fiona the fruit bat to take her very first flight, but she’s scared. How will she fly when she can’t see in the dark? Mama just says, “listen.” But how will listening help her to see? Then she hears a mysterious sound from deep in her cave. To find out what’s making that noise–and to finally fly–Fiona will have to unlock a secret hidden inside herself. Written by biologist and bestselling author Dan Riskin, and rooted in the real-life biology of short-tailed fruit bats, this adorable story features: The fascinating science behind echolocation, including backmatter pages with information on fruit bats from the author.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Bat Can’t Sleep by Carly Gledhill

A bouncy, peep-through story–perfect for lively little ones at bedtime. Bat is too excited to sleep. There’s so much to see and do! So off she goes, hopping and skipping, swinging and diving…but will Bat EVER be tired?

Click HERE to place a hold request

Little Bat Up All Day by Brian Lies

Little Bat has to know. What is daytime like? He has lots of questions about what happens while bats are asleep. Where do the stars go? And just who’s awake in the daytime, anyway? Luckily, Rusty the squirrel is there to show him around. But can Little Bat stay awake all day? And how is it possible for two animals, one nocturnal and one diurnal, to be friends? Join Little Bat and Rusty as they discover how to stay connected–no matter what time of day it is.

Click HERE to place a hold request

Image credits:

Unless otherwise noted and/or linked, all images were designed during the making of this blog.

Big World of Budgies

marianne — Mon, 09 Mar 2026 11:00:10 +0000

Back to Blog

Tweet tweet! Have you ever heard of the budgie before? Often called parakeets, these tiny parrots are full of personality! They’re from Australia, where they live in huge flocks. Budgies fly many miles across the outback for food, water and friends. Though loud and social with their own kind, they can take time to adjust to people. Once they’re comfortable, they are as chatty and playful as they are with other birds.

Quick Care Tips:

Cages:

The cage should mainly be a sleeping spot and a safe place to stay when no one is home. Budgies should spend as much time out of it as possible. When choosing a cage, get the biggest one you can, and make sure it’s longer than it is tall. This will let them fly and get exercise even when they’re cooped up! Even though we used to think they were okay, round cages aren’t good for any birds. They can hurt them and make them feel scared. Get a rectangular or square one instead! The cage should be cleaned once a week, too. This includes perches, toys, grates, and bedding.

Food

Budgies need a varied diet of pellets, fruit, vegetables, and a bit of seed. They’re picky eaters, and it can be very hard to change what they’re eating, even if it’s unhealthy. They won’t eat something just because it’s in a food dish, so the trick is to slowly show them new foods. Mixing with their current food, hanging it in the cage as a toy, wetting it, then pressing it into a mash, and even pretending to eat some yourself are all ways to get a budgie to eat. This can take time, and that’s okay. Remember to be patient and not give up!

Toys

They love to play like anyone else! Budgies need plenty of toys to keep themselves occupied! Their favorite toys are colorful things they can chew! Anything made of wood, cork, or paper is perfect! It gives them a way to take care of their beaks and engage their minds! Plastic is okay, but it doesn’t satisfy their chewing needs in the same way. Toys with small loops or chains aren’t recommended, because there is a chance they could get tangled and not be able to get out. Anything reflective is not good either. We used to think it was cute to see a bird playing with a mirror, but it can actually confuse and frustrate them when their “friend” in the reflection doesn’t respond the way another bird would.

Health

Budgies need to go to the vet like any other animal! Six-to-twelve-month checkups are important to make sure they’re healthy, but not just any vet will do. Birds are considered exotics, and they all need a specialized avian vet to look after them. Taking them to the doctor if anything seems wrong is a good idea too. Budgies pretend not to be sick, so they look strong in the wild and don’t get eaten, but it also means that when they start acting sick, they’re really sick. A good avian vet will make sure your budgie lives a long life!

Fun Budgie Facts/Did You Know?

Only green budgies live in the wild.
There are two types of budgies. The American budgie, which is most common, and the English budgie.
You can tell if a budgie is a boy or a girl by the color of its nose.
Budgies can learn to say more words than any other pet bird.
They can purposely drop their tail feathers if they get scared.
Budgies can live to be twenty-five years old.

Books from our collection:

Parakeets by Catherine Smith

Discusses choosing and caring for pet parakeets, including information about their physical characteristics, behaviors, and health requirements.

The Parakeet Handbook by Annette Wolter

Budgies: A Guide to Caring For Your Parakeet by Angela Davids

In nature and as pets — Is a budgie right for you? — Selecting a great budgie — Basic care — Proper feeding — Training time — For better health — Breeding basics — Color mutations.

Playful Parakeets by Katie Kawa

Introduces parakeets and describes how pet parakeets live.

Parakeets by Nikki Moustaki

Introduces parakeets and describes how pet parakeets live.

Beaky’s Guide to Caring For Your Bird by Isabel Thomas

“In this book, Beakie the Budgie reveals how readers should go about choosing a pet bird, what supplies they will need, how to make a new pet bird feel at home, and how to properly care for a pet bird, including feeding, exercising, and keeping a bird cage clean. Text is accompanied by clear, labeled photographs to further reinforce key concepts, and the use of an animal narrator also allows the book to be used to teach perspective.”

– Provided by Publisher

Parakeets by Kelley MacAulay

– Provided by Publisher

All information taken from the above sources.

Movie Night Read-Along

marianne — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 12:00:43 +0000

Back to Blog

February is the month for love and romance…or at least all the ads we see keep telling us it is! To help celebrate, we’re giving you suggestions for a cozy, romantic movie night…which just so happen to have book versions you can curl up with if you’re going solo this year! Or, if you find an option you really like, you can do both! So pop your popcorn and grab your favorite box of candy, because these options are great for spending an evening with that special someone, even if that “special someone” is yourself!

Book: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

Film starring Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Laura Dern, Willem Dafoe.

Hazel has terminal cancer. She knows how her story ends…or does she? When a miracle shrinks her tumor enough to buy her a few more months of life, she joins a cancer survivors group for teens, and that’s when everything changes. Namely, her outlook on life thanks to hunky fellow patient Augustus. The two strike up a bond and go on a quest to find and meet the author of Hazel’s favorite book before her time runs out (and of course fall in love in the process). Definitely have your box of tissues ready if you add this one to your list!

Book: A Walk to Remember by Nicholas Sparks

Film starring Shane West, Mandy Moore, Daryl Hannah, Peter Coyote

When a high school prank goes wrong, Landon and his friends end up on their principal’s bad side. He decides to let them choose their punishment: expulsion or several tasks to help out around the school. This includes joining the school play, where Landon becomes reacquainted with an old friend from elementary school, Jamie. Jamie isn’t popular and she doesn’t wear make up or dress flashy, so popular Landon never really noticed her…until he hears her sing in the school play. Will Landon fall in love with the “uncool” girl in spite of his friends? Will Jamie break down her walls to give Landon a chance, or does her awful secret keep her from loving anyone? If you have any tissues leftover from A Fault in Our Stars, trust us, you’ll need them.

Book: The Princess Bride by William Goldman

Film starring Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Andre the Giant, Fred Savage

If you’ve ever seen this movie, you probably have a favorite quote that you can break out at the drop of a hat. And if you’ve never seen it, you’re in for a ride! But did you know that it was also a book first? Written in 1973, the novel was written by author William Goldman, but instead of writing all the boring parts, he only wrote “the good parts”, and presented it as an abridgement of a fictional author’s work! The movie gets around this by using the framing device of a grandfather reading the book to his sick grandson (who would much rather be playing video games…at first), and so we don’t see the grandfather reading every part of the book. We only see “the good stuff” (which is all that was ever written in the first place). Sound confusing? That’s okay, whether you choose to watch the movie or read the book, there’s plenty of high adventure, sword fights, and “twue wuv” it will all make sense by the time you get to the end. Just look out for the Rodents of Unusual Size!

Book: Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion

Film starring Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, John Malkovich, Dave Franco

Okay, stop me if you’ve heard this one: A boy and a girl fall in love, but they can’t be together because their families absolutely hate each other, so they plot and scheme to find a way to make their love work despite their obvious differences. Romeo and Juliet, right? Well…yes. But also Warm Bodies, a modernized retelling of Shakespeare’s classic tale using everyone’s favorite trope: zombies! In this version, set in a zombie apocalypse, Julie and her friends are sent on a supply run. When they enter a mall, Julie meets R (who can’t remember his full name, of course), who is immediately drawn to her. This attraction only increases when R eats Julie’s boyfriend (in self-defense, we swear) and experiences his memories by eating his brains. This leads R to save Julie from a pack of zombies. She’s suspicious of his intentions, but slowly begins to learn to trust him, and possibly even…love him? Will these two star-crossed lovers find a way for their love to blossom, or will the zombie horde consume everything in its path? The shocking twist ending will definitely surprise you (or maybe not, it’s a romance book after all)!

Book: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Film starring Amandla Stenberg, Nick Robinson, Ana de la Reguera, Anika Noni Rose

Maddy Whitier lives in a bubble. She can’t leave the house, and the only people she sees regularly are her mom, her nurse Carla, and Carla’s daughter, Rosa. She can’t interact with anyone who hasn’t been sanitized. That’s because Maddy is being treated for a rare autoimmune disease known as SCID. Maddy longs to see the world (especially the ocean) but doesn’t dare move outside of her bubble, for fear of getting sick or upsetting her mom. But when a new family moves in nextdoor, Maddy is able to start a friendship (and romance, of course) with Olly, the cute neighbor boy. He gives her the friend she’s always wanted, and she supports him as he deals with a rough home life. As the two get closer and closer, Maddy’s mother starts to restrict her ability to contact him. Will Maddy be able to take her life into her own hands and find a way to get her happily ever after with Olly? Or will her mother’s terrible secret ruin everything?

These aren’t the only great romance novels that became movies, of course! It’s just a selection to get you started! Maybe you want to mix and match by watching one of these movies, but reading a different novel, so you get the best of both worlds! Or maybe you have a favorite that we missed! Whatever you decide, here’s to finding the next title that makes your heart skip a beat!