Getting a library card was once a rite of passage. In some circles, it still is. The Poplar Bluff Municipal Library is much more than just a place to check out a good book.
“We try to couple our events at the library with the interests that we see as we scan the community,” said Shannon Midyett, assistant director of the library.
The library also supports the Excel Center, which is a tuition-free accredited school run by MERS Goodwill. The center allows people to finish high school. High-step classes, which help people prepare to take the GED (graduate equivalency exam), can also be found at the library. Students may enroll in ACT/SAT preparation classes as well.
Basic yoga classes as well as knitting and crochet classes are available.
For people who enjoy book clubs, there are several: a teen book club, a virtual club and the adult book club.
The next teen book club, which will be reading “The Grace Year” by Kim Liggett, will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23. The next adult book club will be reading “The Southerner’s Guide to Vampire Slaying.” The virtual book club, which will be reading “Ghetto Cowboy” by Jessie Joshua Watson, will be online at 7 p.m. Nov. 2.
The next Teen Hangout is Oct. 22. It has a Halloween theme with a costume contest.
“These have been pretty well attended, with as many as 20 to 30 teens attending” Midyett said.
Local authors come in as well. Betty Frizzel, who is a Poplar Bluff native, will be doing a book signing at noon Saturday, Oct. 16.