Ainsworth Public Library

ESU 17 and the Children’s Literacy Initiative invite you to ‘Growing Readers’, it’s a family literacy Event on Monday, March 2nd from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at the Ainsworth McAndrew Elementary School. Children from birth thru 5th grade are invited for an evening of connection, learning and fun! Enjoy a Free Dinner, take home Free books to help build your home library and discover simple, practical ways to make reading and learning at home meaningful – and fun for the whole family. The Ainsworth Public Library will be there for the fun, free family night that helps your children grow into readers. Hope to see you and your family at the reading event!

Ainsworth Public Library will be closed  on this coming

Friday, February 27, 2026 ,

so that staff may attend a continuing education workshop.

AINSWORTH LIBRARY BOARD MEETING will be held on

March 4, 2026 at 5 p.m. This meeting is open to the public.

AGENDA

1. Call meeting to order

2. Notice of the posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act

3. Roll call

4. Public Comment Time

5. Approve minutes

6. Approve claims for payment

7. Monthly Library Report/List of titles purchases/Board members list for NLC’s supplement 

            library data survey/update on fountain/rotating stand

8. Update on library events:

A. Storytime:  Feb. 10 & 24;  March 10 & 24

B. Book Club:  Feb. 17  “Mennonite in Little Black Dress”

March 16:  Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe”-Fannie Flagg

C. Blind Date with a Book

D. Dr. Seuss Time:  March 2nd

E. Family Engagement Literacy Event at school-March 2nd  5:30-7:30 p.m.

F. VITA Program

9. Summer Reading Program

10. USA 250th Birthday Celebration:

A. Great American Wild Build a-Best-Friend

B. Flag Finders

11. Discussion on library/museum 

12. Meetings/Workshops:

A. Thursday Director’s Zoom Meeting:  Feb. 5th and 12th

B. Ains. Library Foundation Board Meeting-Feb. 11th

C. Summer Reading Program Workshop-Grand Island-Feb. 4th

D. Big Talk From Small Libraries All-Day Conference-Feb. 27th

E. Central Plains Library System Conference-Kearney-April 30

13. Correspondence:

A. Articles of interest from library journals and newsletters

B. Letter from Sen. Deb Fischer on federal funding for LSTA

14. Set next meeting date/time

15. Adjournment

Celebrate Dr. Seuss birthday on March 2nd at the Ainsworth Library from 4 – 4:30 p.m. We will read a few Dr. Seuss books and make a Seuss craft. Open to all ages! Lots of Seuss fun!

The Book Club selection for March is now available. Stop by and pick up a copy. We will be meeting on March 16th at 2 p.m. to share thoughts on the title. Many have seen the movie but have not read the book. Let’s see if the book or movie is better!

The library will be closed Monday, Feb. 16th, for the holiday. We will be open on Tuesday, the 17th, as usual. Due to the holiday, Book Club has been moved to the 17th at 2 p.m.

This program will run from Feb. 1st to Feb. 28th.

Read the clues on the book. Select your book and check it out.

Read and enjoy the book. Hope your book will be a good date!

Your name will be entered to win a prize when you check out your book.

The Ainsworth Library Board Meeting will be held on Feb. 10th at the Ainsworth Library starting at 5 p.m. The meeting is open to the public!

AGENDA

1. Call meeting to order

2. Notice of the posting of the Nebraska Open Meeting Act

3. Roll call

4. Public Comment Time

5. Approve minutes of previous meeting

6. Approve claims for payment

7. Monthly Library Report/List of titles purchased

8. Public Library Survey

9. VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program

10. Update on library events:

A. Storytime:  Jan. 13 & 27; Feb. 10 & 24

B. Book Club:  Jan. 20th “ The River of Doubt”  

      Feb. 17th:  “The Mennonite in a Little Black Dress”

C. Weeded Magazines:  Jan. 13-26th

D. Blind Date with a Book:   Feb. 1st to Feb. 28th

E. Dr. Seuss Day:  March 2nd

11. Summer Reading Program:  Uncover a Story

12. Celebration events for USA 250th

13. Rotating Stand

14. Drinking/bottle filling fountain

15. Meetings/Workshops:

A. Thursday Director’s Zoom Meetings:  Jan. 8 & 22nd, Feb. 5th

B. Ainsworth Library Foundation Board Meeting-Feb. 11th

C. Summer Reading Program Workshop-Feb. 4th-Grand Island

D. Big Talk From Small Library Conference-Feb. 27th

E. Central Plains Library System Conference-April 30th-Kearney

16. Correspondence:  

A. Articles of interest from library newsletters and journal

17. Set next meeting date/time

18. Adjournment   

The book selection for the February Book Club is now available. “Mennonite in a Little black Dress” by Rhoda Janzen. The group will meet on Feb. 17th at 2 p.m. to share thoughts on this title. Please note that this is a Tuesday and not our usual Monday.

This is a hilarious and moving memoir about a woman who returns home to her Mennonite family after a personal crisis. The same week her husband of 15 years ditches her, a partially inebriated teenage driver smacks her VW Beetle head-on. Marriage over, body bruised, life upside-down, Rhoda does what any sensible 43-year-old would do: She goes home. But hers is not just any home. It s a Mennonite home, the scene of her painfully uncool childhood and the bosom of her family: handsome but grouchy Dad, plain but cheerful Mom. Drinking, smoking, and slumber parties are nixed; potlucks, prune soup, and public prayer are embraced. Having long ago left the faith behind, Rhoda is surprised when the conservative community welcomes her back with open arms and offbeat advice. She discovers that this safe, sheltered world is the perfect place to come to terms with her failed marriage and the choices that both freed and entrapped her.