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DIY Mini Libraries

In our busy adult lives full of never-ending tasks and responsibilities, taking time to get creative is often overlooked. Creative activities can have a positive impact on our daily lives by helping us relieve stress, increase positive emotions, give us a sense of accomplishment, and have something fun to share with our friends and family.

March 18 through March 31 (or until we run out): Adult patrons can pick up a mini library kit to take home and make yourself. The kit is full of whimsical library items and the supplies you need to build a mini library. We provide you with everything you need except the glue and scissors.

What you can find in the kit:

  • A mini HPL library card
  • A metal tin to house your mini library
  • A display tag and instructions for National Library Week
  • Stickers
  • 3 miniatures
  • 2 DIY instruction cards to personalize your mini library
  • Mini Books, including some you can actually check out of our life size materials

A full list of materials is included in the kits.

Bring your finished mini library back the first week of April with the display tag to add it to the National Library Week display on the second floor!

The mini library kits are limited and will be available for pick up on a first-come-first-serve basis until we run out.

While these kits are designed for adults, they can make great family activities. Please keep in mind there are small parts included that aren’t suitable for small children.

Read studies about the benefits of arts and crafts for adults using our reference databases here: https://www.hutchpl.org/elibrary/


Monthly Makerspace Project – Make-A-Plant

This month in the Makerspace, we’re getting in the mood for spring gardening! We’ll help you create a 3D-printed pot and fill it with a one-of-a-kind craft-foam houseplant. Hurry, though – this project is available for free through March, so be sure to take advantage of this “planting season”!

Optionally, you can also enter your plant-project in our monthly maker contest. Winners have an opportunity to do a Makerspace project for free or reduced material costs. Ask a Makerspace staff member, or visit the Makerspace page.

Also see our unique, 3D-printing plastics of the month! We will have multi-color glow-in-the-dark, as well as a variety of wood-toned plastics. Whether you want a naturalistic or sci-fi look to your next print, we’ve got you covered!

If you’re participating in the DIY mini-libraries, you can make plants for them!

Picture a cozy corner of the library transformed into a vibrant studio space where the magic of art comes alive. An instructor will guide you through the steps and techniques to create a whimsical impressionist spring landscape.

Bring your friends, unleash your imagination, and let your creativity run wild in fields of wildflowers.

Whether you’ve been painting for years or are new to painting, this painting program offers a fun and relaxed environment for you to explore your creativity.

Registration is now open!


Ghost Stories

Humanities Kansas TALK Series Spring 2024

The Woman In Black

Discussion April 3 @ 6:00 p.m.

Books available at the Public Service Desk.

Hutchinson Public Library is hosting a three part book series March through May exploring “Ghost Stories.”

Ghost stories arouse the same emotion that draws us to mystery fiction: the desire to solve the problem of the past. People tell stories to try to explain what death is, where loved ones go, why the good suffer. The books in this series represent some classic explanations.

Members of the public are invited to attend these free programs, which will take place at the Hutchinson Public Library on the first Wednesday of the month at 6pm.

Books in This Series


The series is sponsored by Humanities Kansas (HK), a nonprofit cultural organization, as part of its Talk About Literature in Kansas (TALK) program. HK is furnishing the books and discussion leaders for the Hutchinson Public Library TALK series. For more information about HK, visit www.humanitieskansas.org.

Kick start your 2024 with more reading and library usage with our Winter Reading Challenge! Our challenge will run January 29th through March 20th! Participants can read and complete activities to receive a prize.

Using Beanstack to Log Reading

For new users, download the Beanstack app, select “participating at my library,” and choose Hutchinson Public Library (KS) as your site to get started. You will need to create a user name and password, and then you’re ready to go! *Paper logs are available upon request.*

Download the App:

Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details…

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/beanstack-tracker/id1360324277

Desktop: https://hutchpl.beanstack.org/


March Book Club Titles


Book Clubs

For The Record

Second Tuesday Every Month @6PM

This is a book AND music club! The 33 1/3 series has hundreds of books about albums both old and new. This is a new way of exploring music and sharing it with each other through both reading and listening. It’s easy to participate.
We have a new book each month! Books are available to check out at the Public Service Desk.

Salt City Readers

General Fiction Book Club

Every Third Wednesday Every Month @6PM

We’ll read captivating fiction novels that span various themes, eras, and perspectives. From literary classics to contemporary fiction, Salt City Reads embraces the diversity of fiction and encourages lively discussion that illuminate the human experience. This club is for anyone with a vast interest in reading who’d like to explore multiple genres and fresh topics each meeting.

641 Dinner Club

Cookbook Club

Bi-monthly Meetings

Next Meeting: Saturday, April 6 @4PM

The April theme is vegetarian cooking! Find a meat free recipe in a cookbook from the library, make it, and bring it with you on Saturday, April 6!

Registration is required due to limited space.

Strange New Words

Strange New Words

Quarterly Meetings on the Fourth Thursday of the Month

Next Meeting: Thursday, March 28 @6pm

This book club is where the boundless realms of imagination and the wonders of technology collide! If you are a fan of mind-bending concepts, futuristic worlds, and thrilling adventures, then this is the club for you. Beyond the discussions, our Science Fiction Book Club provides a space for like-minded individuals to connect, exchange recommendations, and build a community united by a shared love for the genre.


Mystery Mavens

The Mystery Mavens Book Discussion Group meets at the library on the 4th Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm.  Meetings are informal and usually last about one hour.  There is no cost to attend and the Library provides the book, however, you must register with your email to pick up the book.  For more information please contact Steven Westfahl at steve.w@hutchpl.org or at 620-663-5441 x 139.

Book Club meeting locations may vary within the library due to construction. Please contact us with any questions.

News

  • Library Lover’s Month Reading List
    We have a wide range of topics for all reading tastes this month! If you’re in the mood for a romance, check out Happiness for Beginners and join the discussion with the Salt City Readers club later this month. If romance has failed you and you find yourself looking for more of a classic slasher,… Read more: Library Lover’s Month Reading List
  • 641 Dinner Club Meets This February
    Our 641 Dinner Club is meeting next month on February 10. For February’s theme, we wanted to create a warm, cozy feeling. We couldn’t think of anything that would fit that more than a classic Italian bistro. Often featured in rom-coms, the food of Italy reminds us of warmth, family, and love. That makes it… Read more: 641 Dinner Club Meets This February
  • January Reads
    Happy New Year! We’re ringing in 2024 with a new reading list! We have four featured titles this month from our library book clubs! Whether mystery, fiction, science fiction, and music lovers, we have a book club waiting for you! Check out what we’re reading this month. Not in a book club? Go to our… Read more: January Reads
  • November Reads
    Explore imaginative worlds and thrilling adventures with the Strange New Words book club. Fans of science fiction have a space to talk about their favorite genre at our quarterly meetings. The current book is to your right! If you love Science Fiction and want to share that with others, it’s easy to get involved. Just… Read more: November Reads
  • Spooky Sips and Autumn Bites: A Bewitching Cookbook Club Reading List
    Get spooky and try some new party recipe ideas with our Halloween cookbook suggestions or keep it cool with our autumn and harvest themed picks. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just dipping your ladle into the cauldron, our recommendations cater to all skill levels. But it’s not just about the recipes! We’ve curated a… Read more: Spooky Sips and Autumn Bites: A Bewitching Cookbook Club Reading List