It has been a little over a month since the glorious season of spring made its appearance! For the most part, save for a few days, we have such beautiful weather full of sunny skies and pleasant temperatures that have inspired us all to get outdoors! Even though I suffer from a pollen allergy like many, I have thoroughly enjoyed watching the flowers bloom and nature evolve with new life and I know you have as well. Now that spring has officially sprung, how about trying your hand at a new hobby that is not only relaxing but also further adds to the loveliness of the cosmos that surrounds? Gardening, perhaps? 

If this sounds like a venture you are willing to explore, the Shepard-Pruden Memorial Library can help assist you in all of your planting needs! After a frosty winter that seemed to last an eternity, we are pleased to announce that our free seed exchange has been restocked and is ready to be utilized by the community! We have already had several patrons take advantage of this opportunity and we hope to add you to the mix as we make our way through the planting months. Our exchange has been packed with an assortment of yummy vegetable, crisp leafy greens, and aromatic herb seeds that once grown can spice up a salad or add some green to your plate. An order for native North Carolina wildflower seeds has been placed and these too will soon be added to our collection. 

For those who are unfamiliar with our seed exchange program, the library acts as a centralized hub where gardeners and plant enthusiasts can drop off seed packets to share their bounty with others. The act of trading seeds began in the early eighteenth century as part of intercontinental trading and has bloomed significantly into what we have today! The Shepard-Pruden staff is making a call to all gardeners, both amateur and master to stop by the library today and see what kind of treasures you can dig up from our exchange. Two of our staff members have already ventured out into our community garden and have planted okra, corn, and bean seeds to get into the spring spirit! When we last checked, seedling sprouts are already rearing their heads which is beyond exciting! I will sure to update you on our progress and seek out advice from our loyal readers if we get ourselves into a planting pickle.

Not only does the Shepard-Pruden Memorial Library have seeds to begin your gardening adventure, we also have cultivation tools and horticultural must-haves available for checkout! From kneeling mats and shovels to rakes and shears, you need it, we’ve got it! Be sure to stop by our front desk and browse our “Library of Things” binder to see all the nifty things you can borrow! We cannot wait to see all the alluring things you plant and what you choose to do with your reward! 

We may be deep into the heart of spring but summer will be here before you know it! Summertime is the library’s busiest time of year with something going on every day. We hope you all will join us for our summer reading program, our various book clubs, storytime and gaming sessions, and speaker series. To be kept up to date with the latest library happenings, consider following us on our social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube) or by giving us a call at (252) 482-4112 to be notified about upcoming events or new releases. Support your local library and drop by to see us soon! 

 DVDs:

• House (Seasons 1-4)
• House (Seasons 5-8) 

Video Games: 

• Nintendo Sports (Switch)
• Lego: The Hobbit (XBOX One)
• It Takes Two (XBOX One)
• Hades (XBOX One)
• Hades (Switch)
• It Takes Two (Switch)
• Hogwarts Legacy (Switch)

Large Print Fiction: 

• Her Amish Refuge – Pamela Wright
• The Secret She Kept – Kathryn Springer 
• Earning the Veterans Trust – Lisa Jordan
• Caring for the Amish Family – Amy Clipston

Adult Fiction:

• Funny Story – Emily Henry
• 2 Sisters Murder Investigation – James Patterson
• Summer Light on Nantucket – Nancy Thayer  

Non-Fiction: 

• Educated – Tara Westover
• Overcoming Every Problem – Joyce Meyer
• The Next Day – Melinda French Gates 
• Hope – Pope Francis 

Graphic Novel/Comic Books: 

• Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild – Dav Pilkey
• Dog Man: Twenty Thousand Fleas Under the Sea – Dav Pilkey
• Bad Kitty: Camp Daze – Nick Bruel 

YA Fiction/NonFiction:

•  The Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger

Juvenile Easy Fiction: 

• Bad Kitty Goes to the Beach – Nick Bruel  

 Spanish/Español:

• ¿Que es Juneteenth? – Kristi Jewel