National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) takes place through all of November.

Susanne Lee is the municipal liaison for NaNoWriMo. Participants set their own word-count goals for their novels at www.nanowrimo.org. Writers may work individually or in small groups.

You win NaNoWriMo by writing to your word-count goal by midnight on November 30. There is an opportunity for winners to obtain a free proof copy of their manuscripts, according to the web site.

Lee, a Cody resident, said the objective of the national writing month is to encourage people of all ages to write. She said she has worked with people in Park County participating in NaNoWriMo for three years, but this is the first year the library has been involved.

A writer herself, Lee said she is pleased that NaNoWriMo has grown rapidly in popularity and she enjoys working with writers who join the project. Lee may be reached for more information at 899-1465.

For more information about how the Teen Library is involved in the novel-writing month, contact Waidelich at 527-1889 or at swaidelich@parkcountylibrary.org.

A young girl walks through a secret door and discovers a parallel reality in an animated adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s international best-seller.

Eleven-year-old Coraline Jones is fearlessly courageous, and perhaps far too adventurous for her own good. Coraline and her parents have recently relocated to Oregon from Michigan.

Bored in her new home since her parents are distracted by work and she has yet to make any new friends, Coraline passes the time by exploring her new neighborhood with an annoying local boy named Wybie Lovat.

Coraline discovers a hidden door in her new house, and decides to investigate. Venturing into the eerie passageway inside, Coraline emerges into an alternate version of her own reality. At first glance, this strange new world seems even better than the real thing.  This Film is rated PG.

The seven days of Teen Read Week, Oct. 16-21 at the Cody Library, will feature two public programs and special activities for teens while readers work toward a goal of 25,000 pages. 

Teen readers decide the number of pages they each will pledge to read during the week from the book or books they choose. Preceding the week, teens may enter a photo contest and compete for prizes.

Teen Read Week, with the theme this year of “Read for the Fun of It,” is a national literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association.

On the opening day, Sunday, Oct. 16, teens are invited to come to the Teen Room 1:00-4:00 p.m. for refreshments and to pledge their pages. 

Salsa dancing led by Cody’s award-winning dance team Ed and Carmela Conning is the feature on Monday, Oct. 17. Middle school students dance from 6:00-7:00 p.m. and high schoolers from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in Grizzly Hall.

On Tuesday, Oct. 18, 6:00-7:30 p.m., is a “snack and yak” for the teen readers to discuss their books of choice and enjoy refreshments.

Cody teacher and author Vin Cappiello will speak at 7:00 p.m. about his new young adult novel, “A Quarter Mile from Home,” in the Teen Room on Wednesday, Oct. 19. This program is open to the public.

The public is invited to hear Newbery Honor Book author Ingrid Law speak in Grizzly Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 20. She wrote “Savvy,” which won the prestigious award for children’s literature, and its sequel, “Scumble.” This public program is sponsored by the children’s library.

Teen Read Week will begin winding down on Friday, Oct. 21 from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in the teen department with Wii games, board games and snacks. At that time, readers may start turning in the numbers of pages they have read.

The final tally will take place Saturday, Oct. 22, when readers must finish bringing in their page totals. A movie and popcorn will cap the day from 2-4 p.m. 

The photo contest requires original pictures taken Oct. 1-16 of one or more persons reading a young adult book. There is no entry fee and teens may enter as many photos as they like, which will be judged by the Teen Advisory Group.

The first place photo will win a $50 gift certificate to Amazon.com. Second place will win a large pizza from Pizza on the Run, and third place will receive a $10 gift certificate from Walmart.

Teen Read Week is supported by the Grizzly Gathering Fund for Children and Youth of the Park County Library Foundation. 

For more information about Teen Read Week, come to the library or contact Shelly Waidelich at 527-1889.

Canadian author Cathy Ostlere will speak about her new young adult novel in a free program Tuesday, Sept. 27 at 6:45 p.m. in Grizzly Hall.

Ostlere’s verse novel, “Karma,” is historical fiction that begins in 1984 just after Indira Ghandi was assassinated. Maya and her father arrive in India from their home in Canada in the midst of the violent aftermath of the murder.

Maya’s story is of a young woman who must deal with living in two cultures and enduring personal loss,  but who learns forgiveness, acceptance and love along the way. The book is available in the library’s young adult collection.Ostlere, who’s also a world traveler, has written verse, non-fiction and a play, including a memoir, “Lost,” about her brother who disappeared without a trace while on a sailing voyage in the Atlantic. “Lost” was short-listed for several Canadian literary awards.

The program is sponsored by the Cody Library and the Friends of the Cody Library will provide refreshments.

Your invitation to Karma event in PDF

The Ann Simpson Artmobile, an outreach program of the University of Wyoming Art Museum, will be at the Park County Public Library in Cody from Tuesday, May 31 through Friday, June 3.

The artmobile brings an exhibit of fine art, a curator, and classes in printmaking for all ages. All phases of the program will take place in the children’s department and are free and open to the general public.
It will be open all the hours the library is open, specifically 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday, and 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. on Friday.

With the title “Where We Are Is Just the Beginning,” the exhibit consists of 15 works from the museum’s permanent collection. Watercolor, tempera, and printmaking techniques, such as wood engraving, lithograph and serigraph, are the media represented.

Artmobile curator Beth Remington, MFA, said the works were chosen to show “how an artist can make you feel a sense of place without being there.”

Remington will be present at all times during the artmobile visit, to conduct guided tours, answer questions, and teach the classes. People may visit at any time.

For each class, Remington will guide participants through the exhibit for questions and discussion. Then she will conduct workshops in printmaking techniques and all students will have a chance to use the printing press. Students will work with either scratch plate (monotype) or relief printing, with projects becoming more sophisticated with each older age group.

Classes will last about an hour or slightly longer and require sign-up beforehand, either at the library or by calling 527-1884, 527-1889, or 527-1880. Scheduled events are:

• Tuesday, May 31– An open house to see the collection and meet the curator, 6:30-7:30 p.m., and with refreshments provided by the Friends of the Cody Library.
• Wednesday, June 1– Evening class for adults, 6:00 p.m. Sign up at the main desk.
• Thursday, June 2– Classes for younger children. For those entering grades 3-5, classes meet at 10 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. For those entering grades K-2 the classes will be at 1:00 and 6:00 p.m.
• Friday, June 3– Classes for students entering middle school at 10:00 a.m. and for high schoolers at 1:00 p.m. Sign up in the Teen Room.

Ann Simpson, a long-time Cody resident, “inspired” the creation of the artmobile and an endowment for it, Remington said. The program has been operated continuously by the UW Art Museum since 1982.

The Park County Arts Council is co-sponsoring the artmobile visit.

Sam Flynn, a rebellious 27-year-old, is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn, a man once known as the world’s leading video game developer. When Sam investigates a strange signal sent from  the abandoned Flynn’s Arcade that could only come from his father, he finds himself pulled into a world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. Father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a visually stunning digital universe. Refreshments will be served.

Please contact Ms. Shelly in the ‘Teen Room’ if you plan to attend April 2. The ‘Teen Room’ phone number is 527-1889.