Columbia Heights Library events

3939 Central Ave NE. Info: 763-706-3690, columbiaheightsmn.gov. Brianna Belanger, Youth Services Librarian, 763-706-3683, bbelanger@columbiaheightsmn.gov.

Columbia Heights Library Landscape Features: Monday, July 26, 5:30 pm. Did you know that the Columbia Heights Public Library incorporates a variety of landscape features that capture and treat polluted stormwater runoff? Learn more about these features with Adam Flett from the Mississippi Watershed Management Organization (MWMO). They will gather by the picnic table near the library’s parking lot. Space is limited and registration is required. Call the Columbia Heights Library 763-706-3690, or visit anokacountylibrary.org.

Children’s Programs:

Summer Reading Program: Sign up online and track your summer reading progress. Earn a free book just for signing up. Keep participating to earn an entry into a weekly prize drawing. Register at: https://anokacounty.beanstack.org.

Summer Lunch: Mondays through Aug. 23, 10-11 am. Pick up 5 days’ worth of lunches at the library by stopping by anytime during the one-hour window. Lunches are available on a first come, first served basis.

Family Storytime @ Prestemon Park: Mondays, July 12 and 26, 10:30-11 am. Bring your picnic blankets and get ready to enjoy a socially-distanced outdoor storytime. Share books, songs, and rhymes with your children at this storytime designed to promote school readiness in 2 to 5 year olds. Librarians, caregivers, and children will sing, talk, read, write and play together to build early literacy skills. Siblings are welcome. Registration for the series is required. One registration per household. Sessions held at Prestemon Park, 3900 McKinley St., and subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.

Story Strolls: The Library teams up with Columbia Heights Recreation to bring stories outdoors. Large story pages will be placed throughout the featured parks. Gather your family to explore city parks, and read a story together as you walk along the park trails. Sullivan Park. July 7-8, LaBelle Park. July 21-22, Prestemon Park.

Be an Engineer: Friday, July 16 or Friday, July 23, 11 am-12 pm. Engineers can do all types of work, but they all have one thing in common: engineers use science to solve problems, and you can, too. As an engineer, you can design new structures or machines, manufacture and test important devices, or construct systems that keep everybody heathy and safe. Engineers are always thinking about how to protect people, preserve the planet, and improve life on Earth. That vital work starts at any age, and it can involve even the simplest materials. Join the team of science-loving problem-solvers and “Be an Engineer” in this year’s “Science in the Summer” program. Entering Grades 2-5. Registration required for one timeslot. Registration begins four weeks before the program date. To register or for more information, visit anokacountylibrary.org. This program will be presented virtually via Zoom. Registrants will need to pick up their kits at Columbia Heights Public Library before the program starts. You will receive an email with information on kit pick-up and a link for the virtual meeting after registration.

Green Leaders Youth Day Camp with Growing Green Hearts*: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, July 20-22, 9-11 am. Three days of EnviroSTEM for youth. Interconnected systems of land, air, water and living things become your playground as you create, invent, innovate and navigate engineering design challenges. From water filters to garden design to flying machines, get ready for silly, green outdoor fun. Entering Grades 4-6. Registration required. Registration begins four weeks before the program date. To register or for more information visit anokacountylibrary.org. This program will be presented in-person at Sullivan Park Pavilion, 721 51st Ave. Columbia Heights.

Backyard Birdfeeders: Tuesday, July 27, 2-3:30 pm. The backyard is a busy place for all winged friends in summer. Create an easy birdfeeder and decorate it. Make sure to hang your birdfeeder from a tree or bush in your yard for birds to stop by and feast. Entering grades 1-5. Registration at anokacountylibrary.org. This program will be presented virtually via Zoom. Registration begins four weeks before the program date. Registrants will need to pick up their kits at Columbia Heights Public Library before the program starts. You will receive an email with information on kit pick-up and a link for the virtual meeting after registration.

Color Chemistry*: Thursday, July 29, 2-3 pm. Radiant reds, bright blues, and plush purples are all around us. But where do these colors come from? Learn about the history and science of natural colorants, get familiar with pH as a chemical property of substances, and explore how scientific knowledge can inform the art humans make. Ages 8-12. Registration required. Registration begins four weeks before the program date. To register or for more information visit anokacountylibrary.org. This program will be presented in-person at Ramsdell Park Pavilion, 4956 Johnson St. NE, Columbia Heights.

Teen Programs:

Mandalas of India: Tuesday, July 13, 2-3:30 pm. Work with artist Shakun Maheshwari to learn about the significance of the Mandala in Indian culture. Look at traditional Indian designs and patterns. Then using these traditional designs, paint your own colorful Mandala. Entering grades 5 and up. Registration required. To register or for more information visit anokacountylibrary.org. This program will be presented virtually via Zoom. Registrants will need to pick up their kits at Columbia Heights Public Library before the program starts. You will receive an email with information on kit pick-up and a link for the virtual content after registration.

*This program is partially funded with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education using federal funding, CFDA 84.287, Every Student Succeeds Act, Title IV B-21 Century Community Learning Centers. The content of this program does not necessarily represent the policy of the federal Department of Education or the Minnesota Department of Education.