STEM CLUB FOR KIDS,this Saturday, November 16th, 2:00!
FUN WITH ELECTRIC CIRCUITRY!
Electrical engineer George Halkiades will lead participants in
learning the basics of electricity, including safety, and building a working electric circuit.

November 9th, 10:00-11:30am

This month…ENGINEERING ESCAPES!

Winning Story by Kasey Ennis (pictured with Sonja Settle, Youth Services Librarian)

Dreamed?

It’s a little over three in the morning and due to my inpatient bladder, I am awake. I’m laying in bed trying to summon the energy to come out of my multi-tangled cocoon of blankets that I have somehow trapped myself into. After some overdramatic struggling, I manage to roll out towards the edge.

As I step out into the hall, I soon realize that my eyes won’t be adjusting. Not one, but both of my eyes end up nearly shut. No matter how hard I try, they can’t stay wide. As I stumble across the bathroom, I feel an uneasy breeze pass through my hair. My hands instinctively grasp into fists. Of course, that was before I realized that I was standing directly below the air conditioner.

I feel relieved, but my whole body is tense, and I can’t shake the feeling something’s off. I try to act natural reaching my hand out towards the light. However, my hand is instead met by someone else’s much bonier hand. I stumble out of the doorway and onto the ground.

I try to take air in for a scream, but my lungs don’t seem to work. I’m petrified as I watch. Wide-eyed, I stare trying to get a better look at who, or rather, what is there. My eyes can’t seem to focus, and the second I blink, he’s disappeared.

I stare into the void, arms raised, trying to look as prepared as an asthmatic, cornered thirteen-year-old can. I can’t think straight. Before I can think of a plan, a hand grabs my shoulder from my side. I swing, missing entirely.

All the mental dots connect, and I realize I’m facing my older sister, Nicolle, rather than whatever it was I saw in there. Obviously, she’s looking for an explanation. I suck in my lip before speaking.

“I was trying to go to the bathroom, but when I reached for the light, there was this man. I think he was a man. I don’t even know if he was human.”

Her eyebrows raise as I continue, “I don’t know what happened, but I guess I blinked because when I looked back, he was completely gone.”

She looks like our mom with her strawberry blonde hair, parted to the side. We both do, I guess, but my eyes are a bit darker of a blue, and my hair’s a bit shorter than either of theirs.

I watch as she switches on the light, pulling back the shower curtain to reveal — nothing. She mumbles. If I wasn’t so terrified, I would feel guilty for waking her up.

“I don’t think there’s anyone here. I’m sure you were just dreaming. You know you tend to sleepwalk more when you’re stressed, and I’m pretty sure that stupid history project counts as stress.”

I really don’t want to go into that right now. I tell her I’ll be fine even though we both know I have enough adrenaline in me to run a lifetime.

I try and sleep in bed for about thirty more minutes. I turn over on my side — viewing Nicolle standing in my room.

“Ugh, you scared the crap out of me, Nicolle.”

I wait for her to laugh, but she just stares. Suddenly, I’m uneasy.

“Nicolle . . .”

She turns her head towards me and our eyes lock.

“Your sister isn’t here anymore.”

It’s not only deeper, but an entirely different voice than hers. I notice the knife in her hand, and I can’t help but wonder if this is just another dream or reality.

“You . . . You aren’t real.”

She smiles playfully, and it’s worse than no expression. She talks confidently, but there is an edge to her voice.

“They say you can’t feel pain in dreams. Care to test that theory?”

THE END

Starting at 5:30, families can enjoy free crafts, activities, games, a trunk or treat and more! There will also be a screening of a Halloween movie, which will be shown in the Price Tower gallery during this event, from 5:30-7:30. So, bring your blankets and chairs!

This Saturday, teens will be creating Mini-Metal Crossbows! Enemy pumpkins WILL be harmed in the course of this program! Middle School & High School patrons only! Saturday (10/19) in BPL’s Upstairs Meeting Room: 2-4 pm!!

Tomorrow, October 18th, 2:00!
Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO), a long-time supporter of early childhood education, will bring a truck, a technician, and Louie the Lightning Bug to BPL during school fall break! A fun story and presentation will begin at 2:00 in the Upstairs Meeting Room, followed by the “touch-a-truck” outside, on the west side of the library.

Starting at 5:30, families can enjoy free crafts, activities, games, a trunk or treat and more! There will also be a screening of a Halloween movie, which will be shown in the Price Tower gallery during this event, from 5:30-7:30.

Sponsored by BPL, Price Tower, Bartlesville Community Center, First Presbyterian Church and Bartlesville Film Society.

From PSO…Today is Energy Efficiency Day – and we want to celebrate! We’re putting together our first ever #EnergyEfficiency calendar, but we need your help.
Know a K-12 student who loves to draw or doodle? Then this is the contest for you (or them). We’re asking students to create a drawing or painting that shows what energy efficiency means to them. A total of 12 winning designs will be chosen to be featured in our 2020 Energy Efficiency calendar. All winners will receive a copy of the 2020 calendar…and bragging rights, of course.

How to Enter
• Visit powerforwardwithpso.com/eedaycontest to download the entry form
• K-12 students create a drawing or painting that represents “What Energy Efficiency Means to Me”
• Submit completed entry form and art according to the guidelines on the entry form
• Entries must be postmarked by October 31, 2019
Enter Today!

The Bartlesville Public Library is making available fun, educational tablets for kids. Until now, this collection of Playaway Launchpads™ has been kept with the Library of Things Collection available for checkout at the Reference Desk. Library staff have decided to make them even more accessible by moving them to an open shelf in the Youth Services department. “Patrons can try them out in the library and preview the activities on each tablet before checking one out to take home,” says Youth Services Librarian Laura Pryce. “They will no longer be kept in a workroom closet, to be retrieved by a librarian.”
BPL’s Playaway Launchpads are pre-loaded with content for children ages 3-5, 5-7, 8-10 and 10+. They are designed with a simple, easy-to-use interface, and are 100% secure. Launchpad tablets are made to be passed from set of hands to the next. There is no download time and no need for Wi-Fi. Access to powerful content is as simple as turning on each device — anytime, anywhere.
“Our patrons can check out one Launchpad per library card, for one week, with one renewal if the tablet has not been put on hold by someone else,” says Pryce. “We are really excited to have these available where their intended users will get much more exposure to them!” Check one out today or call 918-338-4170 for more information.