Ashe County Community Conversations

People often spend a lot of time trying to make decisions - inevitably we all have to make a choice.  Some decisions are more important than others and we can put off making them by endlessly searching for and getting lost in more information, or getting one recommendation after another.  

The library will be hosting two community conversations, led by Dr. Ben Erlandson, to help individuals and/or groups learn how to make better decisions. 

Having over ten years of professional experience with design, development, and research in educational multimedia and virtual environments, Ben is passionate about building efficient and effective technological systems for learning in and about complex systems: promoting systems thinking to help us solve the complex problems we face, eventually achieving “systems wisdom.”

 

 

Join us at 1:00 p.m. on April 11, and learn about deceptively simple decisions.  As a participant in this conversation, you will walk away with fresh ideas for real-world decision-making, including an appreciation for the true complexity of decisions we make every day. You will be able to apply what you learn to your own decisions as you go about life in your local community!

Learn what kind of evidence you need to make better decisions and examine practical examples of local decisions in an afternoon workshop beginning at 1:00 p.m. on April 25.

Dates to Remember in April:

The Library will be closed April 3 & 4 for Good Friday and Easter weekend.

Children’s Programs:

• A Poetry Story Walk featuring poems by Ashe County teens is on display at Ashe County Park Old Hwy 16 during the month of April.
• Baby Bounce programs are every Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.  Parents are encouraged to bring their littlest ones (birth – 24 months.) for books, songs, tickles, and bounces.
• Tot Time is every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. for the “young and the restless” (2 & 3 year-olds) with stories, songs, and crafts.  A special egg hunt is scheduled for April 1 … BYOB (Bring Your Own Basket)
• Story Time is every Thursday at 10:30 a.m. and offers stories, songs and crafts for 4-5 year-olds.  Another special egg hunt is planned for this age group on April 2 … and again BYOB (Bring Your Own Basket).
• The Lego Club meets on April 16 at 4:00 p.m. for grades K-3 and at 5:00 p.m. for grades 4 and up.
• Celebrate Earth Day with recyclable crafts and nature activities at 4:00 p.m. on April 23.

  Teen Programs:

• Geek out at 4:00 p.m. every Tuesday with Otaku’s United, an Anime/Manga Club.
• Celebrate the March movie release of Insurgent by, Veronica Roth.  This is the second novel in the Divergent series.  Come out and complete challenges to discover your faction.  Also, enjoy a special Easter egg hunt!

Adult Programs:

• Two O’Clock Tech Talks take place every Monday - April 6: D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything And Read) – Learn the basics of ebooks. - April 13: National Library Week – Using the Card Catalog - April Money Smart Week – Online Shopping - April 27: Preservation Week – Family Photos
• Improve your quality of life with Tai Chi classes led by Sybil Harmon at 10:00 a.m. every Thursday.
• The Wellness Circle’s lunch-n-learn program (BYOL) meets at 11:30 a.m. on April 14 with guest speaker, Sheriff James Williams for a presentation on Financial Fraud Awareness. 
• Meet Gerald Morton (paramedic, adjunct English instructor, and author) at 3:30 p.m. on April He will be presenting on his recent service trip to Haiti where he worked as a paramedic.
• The Centennial Book Club meets on the 4^th Tuesday of every month at 6:00 p.m. in Hotel Tavern.  National Velvet by, Enid Bagnold is the selected book for April 28 and will be featured on the big screen in the library at 2:00 p.m. on May 1.
• Connect to the past and become “Rooted” with a Genealogy 101 workshop led by Lucinda Glover at 11:00 a.m. on April 25.
• Brouhaha Book Club meets at 5:30 p.m. on April 27 in Boondocks Restaurant for “Books, Beer and Bookworm Babble.”  Come and find out what everyone has been reading lately!

All Ages:

• Community Conversations with Dr. Ben Erlandson:
  Explore the true complexity of “deceptively simple” decisions from 1:00 -2:00 p.m. on April 11 and walk away with fresh ideas for real-world decision-making.  You will be able to apply what you learn to your own decisions as you go about life in your local community! An evidence-driven, decision-making workshop takes place from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. on April This event uses practical examples of local decisions from the previous conversation event, and applies relevant evidence to work step-by-step through a framework for making better decisions. 
  
• Get Crafty meets on 2^nd Saturday of every month at 10:00 a.m.  This month learn to crochet flowers.  Crocheted flowers will be donated to area nursing homes as gifts for residents celebrating Mother’s Day.  Supplies provided.
• Ashe County Homeschoolers will be displaying their Science Fair Projects in the youth services area.
• The Community Drum Circle meets on April 14 and 28 at 5:30.  Join the celebration of drums, while exploring the soul and spirit of music!
• Mountain Music Slow Jam will meet on April 3, 10, and 17 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in the downstairs meeting room (after-hours access through side door on lower parking lot).  Get together with other musicians and jam.  Songs are explained as to timing, breaks, etc… and played in slow time.  Designed for beginners, all skill levels are welcome.

Special Events:

• An Art Reception will be held for Molly Gambill in the upstairs gallery at 4:00 p.m. on April 10.
• Meet local author, Meachele "Mothership" Montgomery, at 11:00 a.m. on April 18.  She will be signing copies of her book:  Healing, My Journey Home.  Her book tells the story of how hiking the Appalachian Trail helped with overcoming grief after her husband died from cancer
• Celebrate World Book Night, on April 23, by visiting your local Twig … Twig Guardians will be out and about promoting the library, reading, and BOOKS!