Cosplay Contest: Meet the Judges

Posted on Monday, August 7, 2023 by Dana

Our annual cosplay contest is fast approaching!  On Monday, August 14th dress up as your favorite character, be it superhero, anime, sci-fi or your own original persona. We’ll award prizes for the best costumes and characterization in different age categories, so be ready to show off your cosplay game!

The program is for all ages. Photos and registration will begin at 6 p.m., followed at 6:30 p.m. by a runway show.  The winners are determined by our panel of amazing judges who are plenty strong in their own cosplay skills and fandom knowledge. Continue reading “Cosplay Contest: Meet the Judges”

Interested in D&D? Start Here!

Posted on Monday, May 22, 2023 by Stellan Harris

Dungeons and Dragons is having a bit of a moment right now, with many people becoming aware of and interested in it due to shows like Stranger Things, Critical Role, or the newly released Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves film. There’s never been a better time to dip your toes into the world of tabletop role-playing games, but that particular leap can feel like a daunting one. Not only do these games come with rulebooks that make most novels look like light reading in comparison, the density of text in the rulebooks can turn an otherwise approachable game into an impenetrable wall. Well worry not, prospective TTRPG players, as we’ve collected a few resources to highlight to make your first outing into TTRPGs into one of many! 

A group of seven role-playing game dice arranged on a play mat.

Continue reading “Interested in D&D? Start Here!”

Cooking by the Book: Key to Your Culinary Kingdom

Posted on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 by Stellan Harris

It is an unavoidable truth that all of us, rich and poor, young and old, have one thing in common: we have to eat. Eating is all well and good, but the problem for most folks is the cooking required to get to that step. Between all the chopping, seasoning, mixing, and cooking to get to a delicious meal it’s hard to blame anyone for reaching for takeout instead. However, we here at DBRL have decided to save you money, help you learn some new skills, and maybe even help you eat a bit better! Well, maybe some of the time, we do make some delicious desserts when the mood strikes us. “Cooking by the Book” is a monthly program put on by DBRL in order to showcase some fantastic recipes we’ve found, give a live demonstration and some background information on what we’re cooking, and a chance for you to cook along with our presenters over Zoom! If you can’t make it to the program that month, don’t worry. Every session of “Cooking by the Book” is recorded and posted our DBRL YouTube playlist afterward, making it easy to catch up if you miss one or go through our backlog of programs if you’re just joining us. Continue reading “Cooking by the Book: Key to Your Culinary Kingdom”

Check Out Spooky October Programs @ DBRL!

Posted on Wednesday, October 13, 2021 by Stellan Harris

It is the spookiest season of the year again! We at DBRL are big fans of the pumpkin primed, spirit soaked, ghoul guarded time of year, and we’ve got some events and programs lined up for all of our kindred spirits looking forward to this ghastly season. 

On October 18th the library is hosting an atmospheric walking tour of a Columbia cemetery, where you can learn the history of cemeteries, how funeral practices have changed and evolved over the years, and even some spooky stories and superstitions surrounding the cemetery. This event is subject to the weather, but assuming it’s not raining you can come to the library at 5:30 on October 18th for a spooky introduction to the graves of Columbia! If you can’t make it in person, feel free to watch the recording on our YouTube channel a few days after the program so you don’t miss out on all the graveyard fun. Find more information on the page for the event here.

On the following Monday, October 25th, we have a production for you drenched in horror fit for the season. In an ongoing series of productions, DBRL has partnered with local performance artists to bring you an evening of audio entertainment, this time focused on tales of a haunting or Gothic tone. Performing a number of  classic horror tales, including a number of works from Edgar Allen Poe, the performers will bring you an evening of spine-tingling tales that are sure to put you in the Halloween mood. You can register to receive the Zoom link here, or watch the recording of the performance on our YouTube channel a few days after the program (just in time for Halloween proper!). 

On the very next day, Tuesday, October 26th, the library will be hosting a presentation about the ghost-obsessed period of Missouri history and some of the most interesting and noteworthy figures that followed a belief system focused around mediums, Ouija boards, and making contact with what lies beyond the veil of death: Spiritualism. Presented by the Missouri State museum, this presentation about a uniquely spooky time in American history, and the controversial figures who gained fame and fortune during it, will highlight many of the figures and claims made of reaching into the afterlife and communing with spirits, even of some famous figures of the time. Tune in for a spooky trip into the past and a glimpse into a time when the notion of ghosts and spirits wasn’t always something to laugh about. As always you can register for the Zoom link here, or keep an eye on our YouTube channel for the recording of the program. 

And that’s a roundup of some of the programming fit for this Halloween season being brought to you by DBRL. Hopefully you saw something that piqued your interest, and you join us for one of these supernatural-centric programs. Stay tuned here for more information on all things teen at DBRL, and have a happy, haunted October!

Best Friend Guided Painting

Posted on Thursday, July 1, 2021 by Megan

Image: Two paintings connected by a rainbow. Painting on the left has a slothicorn on a cloud and painting on the right is a unicorn on a cloud. Text: ages 10+ Best Friend Guided Painting Sloth or Unicorn

My best friend and I love to paint so we decided to make a friendship painting together! We combined our favorite things–rainbows, slothicorns and unicorns and made a beautiful painting! Grab your best pal and paint along with us on our YouTube channel.

Here is what you’ll need to get started. This is the exact list of what we used, but you can deviate from the list and make it your own!

  • Canvas. We used a 4×4 canvas.
  • Acrylic paint. We used the following colors and mixed them to make other colors:
    • White
    • Blue
    • Black
    • Red
    • Yellow
    • Purple
    • Green
    • Orange
  • Brush. We used a small flat brush for the background and sometimes a Sharpie for the details.
  • Water cup and towel. You will want to rinse and squeeze your brush between each color.
  • Paper plate. We used a paper plate to mix my colors.

Optional supplies.

  • Hair dryer. You can use a hair dryer to make your dry time a little faster.
  • Apron or drop cloth. We used acrylic paint which is sometimes difficult to get out of fabric, so if you are a messy painter you may want to cover up anything you don’t intend to paint.
  • Snacks. Each painting will take you about 30 minutes to complete if you use a hair dryer to speed up the drying process. Creativity takes a lot of brainpower, so you’ll want to have some sparkling water handy to stay hydrated and maybe snack nearby. Make sure to wash your hands before you eat!

We would love to see your finished artwork. Snap a pic and send it to us at kids@dbrl.org.

Image of Megan and Kristy holding painting of slothicorn and unicorn.

Teen Summer Reading Challenge

Posted on Tuesday, June 1, 2021 by Brandy

Tails & Tales: Join us for Summer Reading June 1 through August 14.

The Daniel Boone Regional Library is challenging youth ages 12-18 to read for 15 hours, share three book reviews and do seven fun, library-related activities. Complete this Summer Reading challenge, and beginning July 1, you’ll receive a free book. You’ll also be entered into a drawing for an Amazon Fire Tablet.

Reading and activity trackers are available to download below. You can also request printed Summer Reading materials at your library, at a bookmobile stop or via curbside pickup.

Teen Activity Trackers: Color | Black & White

Teen Summer Reading Preview

Posted on Tuesday, May 4, 2021 by Brandy

Summer Reading Info Sheet (PDF)

This year, Summer Reading goes wild with stories about animals, both real and imagined. Beginning Tuesday, June 1, you’ll be able to download reading and activity trackers from the library’s website, or you can request printed Summer Reading materials at your library branch or bookmobile stop or via curbside pickup.

Starting Tuesday, June 8, you can submit your entry into the “Pet Photo Contest.” Share your your cutest pet photo for a chance to win a gift card to a local bookstore. In June, we’ll also be hosting a podcasting workshop for beginners and launching a two-part introduction to Dungeons & Dragons (5th edition). Continue reading “Teen Summer Reading Preview”

NaNoWriMo Writing Kits Available November 2

Posted on Thursday, October 29, 2020 by Brandy

person writing in notebook with NaNoWriMo logo During National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) in November, writers of all skill levels are challenged to craft a novel in 30 days. Beginning Monday, November 2, stop by any of our four library branches to pick up a free NaNoWriMo kit which includes a journal to jot down your ideas and writing prompts to help inspire your creativity.

Kits are available while supplies last. If you are using curbside pickup, call and ask staff for a kit when you arrive. For ages 12-18.

Be sure to check out the weekly CoMo NaNoWriMo Write-ins. These virtual meet-ups provide great opportunities for teens to connect with other local authors and hone their craft. The library also has a wealth of resources to help as you embark on this exciting challenge: Continue reading “NaNoWriMo Writing Kits Available November 2”

DIY Haunted Terrarium

Posted on Thursday, October 22, 2020 by Tess

Is your inner ethereal garden witch itching to grow something green and spoopy this fall? Have no fear, for spooky terrariums are here! Today I’m going to walk you through building your own terrarium to bring the green inside (since everything outside is going to ground for the season). The first thing you are going to need is an interesting container for your terrarium. Many craft stores will have fish bowls or glass jars that will work well, but I highly recommend checking out garage sales for unique old glass pieces for super cheap prices.  Continue reading “DIY Haunted Terrarium”