Shadow puppetry, math magic, stop motion animation, personal branding workshops… for free?
From preschool to professional, Plano Public Library has something for everyone. Not interested in reading? No biggie – they’re #morethanbooks! See what’s happening this month at the five public libraries near you:
1. Churn out pages of a new novel
(ages 18+)
November is National Novel Writing Month, and PPL has a series workshops and writing space at Haggard Library to assist you in accomplishing your novel-writing goals. Through these workshops, they will help you become better storytellers by leading you through activities on brainstorming, dissecting theories of storytelling and analyzing examples of strong stories. No registration is required for these classes. All workshops are on Saturdays at Haggard Library beginning at 10 am, with a dedicated writing time following at 11 am. If you, like our library puppet stars Charlotte and Eddie, have a book idea brewing, pop on by!
- November 2: Oh, I Have an Idea! Learn a systematic process of turning an idea into a full story
- November 9: Characters: the Good, the Bad and the Passerby. Better manage your characters by dividing them into tiers
- November 16: Let’s Write Captivating Dialogue! Get the in-depth scoop on making dialogue meaningful and dynamic
- November 23: The Opening Scene, Revisited: make your novel opening more suitable to the story as a whole
2. Prepare your preschooler for kindergarten
(ages 3-5 with parent/caregiver, ticketed)
During our Kindergarten Kickstarter series, children will explore a variety of TEKS-approved skills weekly, including writing, social and emotional development, and social studies. You will learn fun methods, ideas and activities to help prepare your child for school, and receive a list of resources to continue learning afterward. Kindergarten Kickstarter meets on Thursday, November 7-21 at 10 am at Harrington Library. Space is limited, and tickets will be available in-person beginning 30 minutes prior to each session.
3. Use budgeting skills to make a light saber
(grades 6-12, ticketed)
Thanks to funding from the National Endowment for Financial Education, the library has brought together a hands-on maker event all while managing money, perfect for teens. With a budget of $5, you can make your own light saber, glow-in-the-dark emoji pillow, galaxy art, light-up circuit card or creation of your own making at Light It Up. You can take jobs – like organizing a cart of books and answering word problems – to earn more cash in order to purchase supplies as well as pizza! Light It Up meets on Saturday, November 23 at 3 pm at Davis Library and Monday, November 25 at 3 pm at Schimelpfenig Library. Tickets will be available in-person 30 minutes prior to each event.
4. All aboard!
(ages 0-100)
This fall PPL is all about transportation, with help from our local partners Spring Creek Model Railroad Club and DART. Bring yourself and other train lovers to Davis Library on November 9-10 for the Trains! Trains! Trains! model train exhibit, which takes up the entire program room. DART has a month-long exhibit at Harrington Library featuring art from local students visually depicting where you can go with DART. This exhibit will also be available at Schimelpfenig Library in December. DART will also have their experts at the library on Saturday, November 9 at 11 am for Wonder Café: Empowers Discovery to discuss connectivity, mobility and accessibility via bus, light rail, van and commuter rail, and the opportunity to get onto a DART vehicle for a short ride.
5. Explore STEAM for the whole family
(ages 0-100)
The library loves science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). During STEAM Stop, on Saturday, November 24 at 2 pm at Parr Library, they will have a variety of stations to complete experiments, play with circuits, build anything you can imagine, make art and solve math puzzles. This is a come and go event for all ages. Don’t forget to grab a STEAM Kit on your way out to take learning home with you for the holidays!
If you live in Plano, and a few cities around Plano, getting a card is easy – and free! Fill out an application online, come by any of the five libraries with a photo ID and proof of address, and in minutes you’ll have immediate access to hundreds of thousands of learning and recreational reading and watching materials, daily programming, and online resources for your personal or professional life.
Plano Public Library Locations and Programs >
