Power Up at Your Library Day

Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared Thursday, September 15, 2016 to be Power Up at Your Library Day. This initiative was created to promote innovation within the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) fields.

The Jose Cisneros Cielo Vista Branch Library celebrated the day by taking part in technology-based activities during our regular Teen Hangout program. 

Some of the teens created Vibrobots, tiny robots created out of small batteries, cell phone vibrating motors, and paper clips.

The teens also experimented by making simple circuits from batteries and LED lights. In one experiment, one of our teens applied many LED lights to one battery to see what would happened and hypothesized why adding an orange LED caused the white ones to go dim. They tried to create origami tealight holders for their circuits, but decided ultimately to improvise by creating their own design.

We also had video games for those who wanted to Power Up by playing Mortal Kombat.

Puzzle Art

Teens at the Jose Cisneros Cielo Vista Branch Library got an opportunity to express their artistic ability by making their own jigsaw puzzles.

Each teen was provided with a blank 56 piece puzzle. They sketched images onto the puzzles and colored them with markers to create their own masterpiece/game. Each of them let their creativity take them different places, but they all left with a fun project they can use again and again.

Library Card Sign Up Month

September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month. If you’ve never had a library card before, we encourage you to stop by and apply for one at our location at 1300 Hawkins.

With your El Paso Public Library card, you can check out books, audiobooks, magazines, DVDs, and CDs. You can check out e-books via Overdrive and magazines through Zinio. Browse our databases for online materials and study guides for the GED, SAT, ACT, ASVAB, etc. Learn how to speak other languages with our language-learning program Mango. You also have the option to check out seeds from our new seed libraries.

For your convenience, you can use your El Paso Public Library card at any of our locations around town. The benefits of having a library card are endless!

For more information about how to get an El Paso Public Library card, please visit our website. You can also call our branch for more information at 915-594-7680.

New Seed Library!

The Sow.Grow.Reap.Eat Program has now launched at all El Paso Public Library locations, including the Jose Cisneros Cielo Vista Branch. Library patrons are now able to check out up to 5 seed packets per season free of charge.

Unlike with other library materials, the seeds do not have to be returned. You are welcome to harvest your seeds and return them to our location, but it is not necessary.

The Non-GMO seeds available vary by location, so stop by today and see what we have to offer. We also have numerous books available for check out to help you to get your garden underway!

For more information on our seed libraries, please visit sowgrowreapeat.weebly.com or
http://www.elpasolibrary.org/explore/seed-libraries.

Pokemon Go Day

On August 6th, many of our El Paso Public Library locations held Pokemon Go events for the public. The Jose Cisneros Cielo Vista Branch has a Pokestop and has been designated a Pokemon Gym.

Inside the library, we had a display of Pokemon books and items. There are over a hundred Pokemon books and DVDs available for checkout at all our library locations.

As part of Pokemon Go Day, we dropped lures every hour to attract Pokemon to our Pokestop. We also held a scavenger hunt, where participants could search for seven Pokemon we hit around the library.

Currently, at the Jose Cisneros Cielo Vista Branch, if children check out 10 books, they have the chance to enter a raffle for Pokemon prizes. The winner will be announced on October 1st, so come by our location and check out books today!

Happy Birthday, Harry!

On July 30th, young witches and wizards gathered at the Jose Cisneros Cielo Vista Branch Library to celebrate the 36th birthday of Harry Potter, the Boy who Lived.

Former Hogwarts Librarian and proud Ravenclaw, Miss Jennifer, told the story of Harry Potter’s young life and his entrance into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. They were then sorted into the four Hogwarts houses: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Slytherin, and Hufflepuff.

Prizes, including a full set of the Harry Potter books, were raffled off to the children in attendance. They also worked on crafts: creating their own magic wands, making Pygmy Puffs (magical creatures bred by Weasleys’ Wizard Wheezes), and crafting their own Harry Potter glasses. All in attendance were treated to birthday cake and Butterbeer.

Copies of the script to the new London West End play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is now available for checkout at the El Paso Public Library. Place a hold for yours today!

Magic and Science at the Library

Dallas-based Rob Holladay brought his Amazing Magical Balloon Show to several El Paso Public Library locations, including the Jose Cisneros Cielo Vista Branch Library on July 16th. He told stories, twisted balloons into impossible-looking designs, and performed magical feats for the gathered crowd. The kids participated enthusiastically and were rewarded with an amazingly magical experience.

On July 23rd, we held a paper airplane workshop at JCCV. Children in attendance learned how to fold three basic airplane designs. In order for the kids to identify which plane was theirs, they decorated each plane with a unique design. The sky was soon filled with paper airplanes as everyone went outside to test their planes to see how well they would fly.