Autumn is by far my favorite season. I love the early fall when the temperature drops in the morning and makes you grab a scarf and a jacket on your way out the door. I love when the leaves change colors, and then make messy piles on the lawn. I love late fall when all you can think about is a bowl of warm soup and hot tea for lunch and then curling up on the couch with a soft blanket and a good book. At the library in the fall, I love having families linger a little longer after story time. It is so much fun to watch the kids play together, while the parents and caregivers get a well-deserved chance for some adult communication, making plans to meet at the park to spend the last of the sunshine for the week on the swings and sliding down the slide.

Some of my favorite fall books for children include; “Fall is for Friends” by Suzy Spafford, in which Suzy Duck and her friend, Emily work hard to get the leaves to fall of the tree so they can celebrate fall. “Fall Leaves Fall” by Zoe Hall chronicles the life of leaves and how the changes in the leaves signal the changes in the seasons, with fall being the favorite of the characters in the story. “Fancy Nancy and the Fall Foliage” by Jane O’Connor is a new favorite of mine. I appreciate a girl who loves fall and fashion enough to create something beautiful with a bounty of fall leaves. And my last pick for an autumn themed book is called “In November” by Cynthia Rylant. This is a beautiful book that explains how animals and plants prepare for winter in late fall.

We have some fun things happening for children this November. Storytime with Ms. Kathryn will return on Monday, Nov. 7 at 10:30 a.m. in the children’s room. Pajama Party Storytime will resume on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m. in the children’s room. On Saturday, Nov. 19 at 3:30 p.m. in the meeting room, we will be introduced to a variety of reptiles from the R.A.D Zoo. This program is free and open to the public. On Wednesday, Nov. 23 we are offering a No School Movie at 2 p.m. in the children’s room. The movie is rated PG and runs for 105 minutes and follows the adventures of the pets of superheroes. We will serve popcorn and ask that you bring your own water bottle.

Creative Kids is a STEAM class that meets once a month for children in kindergarten and first grades. We will meet on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 3:30 p.m. in the library meeting room. Wacky Wonders is a STEAM class for second to fifth grade student that will meet on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 3:30 p.m. in the library meeting room. Teens are welcome to join us for Teen Tuesdays on Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. to make cool crafts. Registration is required for the three classes listed here. You can register through the Events page of the library’s website www.newulmlibrary.org, or call the library at 507-359-8331 to register or for more information.

The library is located at 17 N. Broadway and is open to the public Monday to Thursday 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

We will be closed in observance of Veterans Day on Friday Nov. 11. The Library will close early at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 23 and remain closed on Thursday and Friday the 24-25 for Thanksgiving. We will be open after the holiday on Saturday, Nov. 26 from 9:30 am until 5 pm. Keep an eye on our Facebook page or the online events calendar to stay informed on closing, cancellations, holiday observances and upcoming events.