How-to for the holidays

Originally published in the Ketchikan Daily News, November 2020; written by Ann Marie Meiresonne.

Preparation seems to be a key activity in 2020. Preparing for sheltering in, for reopening, for school at home and at school, for semi-closing again and more. Then there is the upcoming holidays to think about how to celebrate 2020 style. With the need to stay safe and for many to watch the budget using your library is a great way to help prepare.

At the Ketchikan Public Library, we can help with materials to educated, to entertain, to encourage and to prepare you. Not only is our holiday book collection wide, from holiday mysteries to holiday cookbooks, craft books and picture books but magazines, music and movies, too.

As the library is currently on curbside operations, you can place a HOLD on items to pick up the following day by browsing our online catalog. If you are apprehensive about using the online catalog there is a new How to Place a Hold video available on our webpage (www.ketchikanpubliclibrary.org) and our Facebook page to help. Staff is also available by phone (907) 225 3331 between 10am and 6pm Monday through Saturday to help you get materials and answer your questions.

Putting on a 2020 twist to holiday traditions may be emotionally challenging, as we want to be back to normal. However, we can try to make it fun to think outside the box. Instead of cookie exchange how about cookie recipe exchange written out on nice recipe cards. Record a holiday story read aloud to share the audio or visual with your family. Have a Secret Santa gift exchange with family or friends, buying for just one person instead of all. Create a gift theme such as handmade, or under dollar amount, or has to make you laugh. Act out a favorite holiday story with props, costumes and music to record for family near and far. Preparing for these changes can be a family conversation so everyone has a part in the plan.

Learning to use technology for those who have it has been a big part of 2020. Currently the library has many videos for you to watch on creating gifts, food hacks and even science experiments. By seeking Ketchikan Public Library on Facebook or YouTube you can watch DIY with Gayle, Simple Cooking and S.T.E.A.M, to name a few, to enhance your holidays.

To encourage you this holiday here are just a few new titles in our collections: Making Christmas Bright with Paper crafts, My little crocheted Christmas : festive projects to make the season bright and Handmade Christmas : over 35 step-by-step projects and inspirational ideas for the festive season . Adult fiction has new holiday reads by Ann Cleeves, Debbie Macomber, Jenny Colgen, W. Bruce Cameron. As does Large Print and Children’s. In addition, we have many of your old favorites including but not limited to The Grinch, The Nativity Story, Frosty the Snowman and more.

We also have maker activity bags for all ages, applications for Rental and Mortgage Assistance and Child Care COVID emergency grants, masks, and the Ketchikan Museums Time Capsule kits for curbside pickup. We miss seeing your faces at the library but we are still available by calling 225-3331.