Andrea Burns is the Niles District Library programming manager. She can be reached by phone at (269) 683-8545 x116 or by email at andrea.burns@nileslibrary.net.

Niles District Library started 2019 off with a bang! Thank you to those who braved the cold to come see the Smithsonian WaterWays exhibit set up in the Rotunda. This opportunity brought about so many great partnerships with presentations from the Niles History Center, the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, the city of Niles water treatment plant, as well as many others.

As winter melted into spring, FandomFest at Lake Michigan College was a big hit among pop culture lovers of all ages. This huge event hosted by more than a dozen area libraries consisted of a cosplay contest, exhibitors, gaming, and so much more. If you were not able to attend, don’t worry! FandomFest 2020 is coming up quickly on Saturday, April 4. Hope to see you there!

Summer was hot (and I don’t mean the weather). The Rotunda was transformed into a pickleball court where Paddletek of Niles taught an introductory class on the sport. A few friends with a competitive spirit joined in, and we all had a ton of fun learning together.

Our young community members reached for the stars and earned prizes this summer with our “Universe of Stories”-themed Summer Reading program. Many summer programming favorites like Messy Mondays and Teen and Tween Cooking Classes were brought back, but we also saw some unique space-themed programs such as the Our Universe Rocks concert and a presentation from NASA contractor Terry Quick.

The ongoing 1,000 Book Challenge has also been a huge success. For every 100 books a child reads, they earn prizes and get their picture taken to be put up on Facebook and in the Niles Daily Star. 10 children have already reached 1,000 books! Niles definitely has some super star readers!

Minds and bodies were exercised with the Walking and Photography Club. History came alive as the Niles History Center and Fort St. Joseph Archeological Project led a historic tour of Niles ending at the Fort St. Joseph dig site on Bond Street. Elaine Metzer, of the Four Flags Garden Club, taught everyone about the beautiful gardens outside our historic train depot. This year’s club wrapped up with some treasure hunting on a geocaching adventure.

One of the largest events of the year, the second annual Southwest Michigan Writers’ Conference, was hosted at NDL in partnership with other area libraries. Aspiring authors experienced a full day of presentations and skill-building with an array of presentations. New York Times bestselling author of the “Flower Shop Mysteries” series Kate Collins was the keynote speaker.

The dog-lover community also shined this year with the new Learning Unleashed! series. Owners brought their dogs in for some exercise and socialization, and attended fun classes and workshops. Learning Unleashed! extends to May 2020, so be sure to check it out!

Another great series from this fall was Cultural Wedding Traditions from Around the World. Community members were able to get a taste of Egyptian, Celtic, Indian and Jewish cultures through some amazing presentations.

It’s hard to believe all the adventures that have happened at the Niles District Library this past year (and these are only a few examples). Aside from our monthly book clubs, NDL regularly hosts the Niles Area Community Orchestra and South Bend Symphony Quintets, blood drives, chess tournaments, gaming groups and more. Remember that all of the programming is free and open to the public, so you do not need to have a library card to attend!

What a busy year it has been! From all of us at Niles District Library, we wish you happy holidays, and we can’t wait to see you in the New Year!