Starting next week Monday, September 13th, we’re going to begin collecting art for our Alice inspired Art contest. Artwork will be collected at GRPL’s main library’s Youth Services Desk on the second floor.  We will be accepting submissions until Saturday, Sept. 18th, however we only have room for 30 entrees.  Artwork must be accompanied by a completed application form.   We know this contest is Alice inspired, but the White Rabbit’s exultation’s of  “I’m late! I’m late! I’m late!” are just not  going to cut it here.    All artwork will be stored and guarded by the Jabberwocky until the show goes up September 22nd.

So you’ve decided to participate in  Curiouser & Curiouser: An Alice Inspired Art Contest for Teens but you want to guarantee that you win that Wacom Tablet.  Don’t forget to sign up for our Artist Workshop, hosted by Kendall College of Art & Design’s Drawing Club, Vitamin D. Bring your in-progress submissions for the competition and Vitamin D members will be there to help you develop your ideas and artwork.  There will be giveaways at the Artist workshop but you will have to attend to find out what they are!

The workshop will be held at the Main Library in the Storytime Room on Level 2 on Saturday, September 4, 2:00 – 4:00 pm. Registration is limited to 15. Sign up today.

Looking for a leg up on the competition for the upcoming contest, Curiouser & Curiouser: An Alice Inspired Art Contest for Teens? Then sign up for our Artist Workshop, hosted by Kendall College of Art & Design’s Drawing Club, Vitamin D. Bring your in-progress submissions for the competition and Vitamin D members will be there to help you develop your ideas and artwork.

Vitamin D consists of various Kendall students who love drawing and strive to become an active part of the artist community.  Vitamin D has participated in the 2010 Cabinetry Arts Student Exhibition, organizing drawing related shows, and are planning on bringing more art related activities to the local community.

Workshop will be held at the Main Library in the Storytime Room on Level 2 on Saturday, September 4, 2:00 – 4:00 pm. Registration is limited to 15. Sign up today.

Calling all teens!  Do you have an artistic streak? Or possibly a great love of all things Wonderland related?  If you answered yes to both then the library has the perfect contest for you!   The Grand Rapids Public Library is proud to present  Curiouser & Curiouser: An Alice Inspired Art Contest for Teens. Here’s an opportunity for your artwork, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, to be displayed at the Main Library.    If displaying your artwork isn’t enough of an incentive to enter we’re also offering some fabulous prizes, including a Wacom  Tablet, art supplies, and gift cards. Don’t feel like drawing Alice? No problem, we’ll be taking Jabberwockies, Cheshire Cats, White Rabbits, and any other Wonderland creation you can whip up.

Entrants must be between the ages of 13-18 and we’ll only be accepting  the first 30 submissions we receive during the week of September 13 – 18.  If we’ve grabbed your attention please make sure to read  Rules and Regulations for more details. A completed Application must be turned in with your artwork.

OK…some of you might already know this but there has been some changes with the GRPL’s got Talent showcase.  It was decided that instead of having separate nights of different types of performances we are going to just have one mind-blowing evening of total teen talent! So… scratch the “Wow off” from your calendar and make sure to arrive early for the GRPL’s got Talent showcase on August 19th at the Main Library at 7:00 pm in the Ryerson Auditorium! If you’ve got talent to burn and you haven’t signed up yet, there are still a few spots left so we will be accepting whoever gets their apps in on a first come, first served basis. Pick them up at your local Grand Rapids Public library and fill ‘em out. It is going to be great….so far we have singers, musicians and even a magician in the line-up! Remember, everyone who performs gets a t-shirt and the winner gets a $50 Amazon.com gift card! There will be 2nd and 3rd place prizes also. Good Luck to all of our talented teens!

Don’t forget about the teen finisher parties. These parties at your local branch are for any teens  who finished the Teen Summer Reading Program. Come enjoy food, fun, and hanging out at library.

Monday, August 9 at Seymour Branch at 4pm

Monday, August 9 at Main Library at 6pm

Tuesday, August 10 at West Side Branch at 4pm

Tuesday, August 10 at Yankee Clipper Branch at 6pm

Wednesday, August 11 at Ottawa Hills Branch at 6pm

Thursday, August 12 at Madison Square Branch at 3pm

Thursday, August 12 at Van Belkum Branch at 4pm

Saturday, August 21 at West Leonard Branch at 2pm

Let us know you’ve been reading by turning in your reading record!   August 7 is the last day to get your t-shirt, coupons, and be registered for drawings.

It’s important to us to know that you’ve been reading during the summer.   Parents and community members, we keep track of how many youth in the city of Grand Rapids have finished  their reading records.

Kids, bring in your bright green game board record for the following: t-shirt; pirate treasure if you haven’t gotten it already; and these coupons:  $4.00 off the purchase of a book at Pooh’s Corner; Griffins voucher to redeem this card for two free Upper Level tickets to any Sat.-Thur. Grand Rapids Griffins game during the 2010-11 regular season; free single taco from Chipotle at 28th & Beltline; free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut; free pound of cookie dough from Papa Murphy’s; voucher for one complimentary ticket to Whitecaps games on Sunday, Aug 15 @ 1 p.m., Sunday, or Aug 29 @ 1 p.m.;  and 1 free admission per family Monday through Friday to Pirates Island Aquatic Center in Kalamazoo, MI.

Teens, bring in your orange records for the following: t-shirt and these coupons: $4.00 off the purchase of a book at Pooh’s Corner; Griffins voucher to redeem this card for two free Upper Level tickets to any Sat.-Thur. Grand Rapids Griffins game during the 2010-11 regular season; buy one, get one gift card from Chipotle at 28th & Beltline; free personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut; free pound of cookie dough from Papa Murphy’s; and voucher for one complimentary ticket to Whitecaps games on Sunday, Aug 15 @ 1 p.m., Sunday, or Aug 29 @ 1 p.m.

Plus  orange records must be turned into your favorite branch by August 7 for the branch teen raffle.  Pick from these prizes.

$20 gift cards to:

*Schuler Books
*Woodland Mall
*Best Buy
*GameStop
and
*iPod shuffle

All Kids and Teens who finish are registered for these drawings:

• One trip for four to New York City to see a Walt Disney Broadway show.

• Four family four packs to Avalanche Bay Indoor Water Park at Boyne Mountain.

• Four one-year memberships to the John Ball Zoo, including admission to the Van Andel Aquarium.

• Pirates Island Aquatic Center V.I.P. Passes

• One $25 Meijer gift card

• One 2010 Entertainment Book

• One family four pack of tickets to the Holland Aquatic Center

Attention Teens:

Make your own sea creature by learning the Japanese art of crocheting of small creatures or create a sea creature out of a sock. For more ideas look at these books that can be found at your local library.

Monday, July 26  at Main Library at 6pm

Tuesday, July 27 at Seymour Branch at 3pm

Tuesday, July 27 at West Leonard Branch at 6pm

Wednesday , July 28 at Yankee Clipper Branch at 3pm

He even showed up on the news this morning:

And if meeting the Mad Scientist in person isn’t enough for you, he’s also recommending this website or these books: Experiments with Water, Fizz, bubble & flash! and Cool chemistry concoctions: 50 formulas that fizz, foam, splatter & ooze for more insane science experiments!