Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales

Don't be a Hermit this summer!

Get out and take part in the library's Summer Reading Program.

This year's theme is "Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales"; so books and activities will focus on animals, especially pets. We are planning a couple of special events in July and we are looking forward to a very special visit from a very special character at the end of May!! Fliers will be distributed at the library and schools after the 1st of May and you can keep checking back here for more information. Summer Reading is for kids of all ages - - so plan on joining us!

An Amazing Journey

Twelve middle school students drug two library staff members to Kearney, NE on Saturday, April 8, 2006 for an "Amazing Journey". The first stop was at Cabela's to view the exhibit of mounted wildlife, then a great lunch at Skeeter Barnes. The group spent the afternoon at the Great Platte River Road Archway Monument where they toured the exhibit, attended an oral history presentation, and navigated the "TrailBlaze Maze". If you ever want to get from point A to Point B in the quickest way possible, Kalyn is your gal!! Of course, expended energy meant increased appetites, so the group headed off to Eileen's Colossal Cookies for yummy frosted cookie treats. Thanks so much to the Thomas County Sheriff's Department for their generous donation to this drug-free activity.

2006 Murder Mystery

Friends of Pioneer Memorial Library hosted the second annual Murder Mystery. Evidently everyone was "dying" to go because it sold out for the second straight year! A great cast of characters took part in the play including:

Jim Oliver as Dr. Bill
Patrick Toth as Inspector Ace Gumshoe
Jada Tubbs as Duchess Ellington
Michael Karnes as Earl "Fatha" Hiney
Michael Hawkins as Jellyroll Goodman
Wanda Spresser as Opera Windbag
Pat Tubbs as Maybelline Lipgloss
Corey Sorenson as Gopher Clueless
Relda Galli as Clarinetta Fitzgerald
Linda Ladenberger as Lena Savoy

Thanks to our sponsors including: Someplace Special, Colby Bowl, Ashley Wright, Bickner Electric, CCC Dental Hygiene Students, Convention Center, and Dana Unruh Catering Service.

Jellyroll Goodman


Thanks for coming!


Duchess Ellington


Gopher Clueless

Family Night

Every Tuesday night @ 7:00pm join Judy Kleinsorge and Pioneer Memorial Library for Family Night. Something new and different is available each week. If you join us this week plan on a pirate theme. Shivers me timbers!!

Karissa Singer makes her Pirate hat.

Arrrgh....Matey! These seaworthy chaps wouldn't burn you out and loot you would they???

Thanks to Midwest Energy

The library was the recipient of a Midwest Energy Community Fund Grant. This grant provided funds toward copies of children's books that needed to be replaced due to age or poor repair. We were able to purchase 52 copies which include books by some of our favorite authors like Dr. Suess, Russell Hoban, Stan & Jan Berenstain, Don Freeman, Virginia Burton and Ezra Keats. We feel very fortunate to be able to offer new issues of old favorites to our patrons.

Chocolate and all that jazz....

Thanks to Bruce Dawson and the Fort Hays State Jazz Band for making a trip to Colby to give us an outstanding evening of jazz. The tunes were as smooth as the chocolate that flowed through the chocolate fountains. Thanks to the Pioneer Memorial Library Friends of the Library for making it all happen.

National Children's Book Week

Pioneer Memorial Library, Colby Rotary Club, and the Colby Resource & Referral teamed up this year to celebrate National Children's Book Week. The goal set by libraries across Kansas was to read to all children ages 0-5. To do this, we attempted to read in as many daycare centers as possible during the week of November 14-20, 2005. The honorary book that was chosen this year by the State Library of Kansas and donated to all of the daycares in Thomas County and Northwest Kansas was No Matter What by Deb Gliori. Above is a picture of Debbie Tittel, Asst. Director at Pioneer Memorial Library reading to some preschoolers.

Halloween at PML

The Puddle Duck Preschoolers showed up at Halloween this year but luckily we were prepared. The library decided to treat rather than trick and a few more people left as satisfied customers. Happy Halloween!

Debbie (red shirt) and Glovine (flowered shirt) making sure everybody gets candy.

Willie Nelson sang, "Mama, don't let your boys grow up to be..."(j/k)

Ewww...Grossology

Pioneer Memorial Library took 20 middle school students to Denver on Saturday, October 22 to see the Ewww....Grossology exhibit at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, the Hammond Candy Factory, and finally the Corn Maze at the Denver Botanic Gardens. We left Colby at 7AM and didn't get home until 11:30pm! It was a long day but we had a good time learning about flatulence, candy, and getting lost (the corn maze). Thank you to the Friends of the Pioneer Memorial Library and Colby Law Enforcement for sponsoring such a great day!

The future of the Hammond Candy Factory?

Fearless leader (and children's librarian) Judy Kleinsorge appears to have lost her way.

How's them noodles Christina?

David and William posing as boogers!

Trivia Night

Wow, what a night! 6 teams battled it out for bragging rights and a steamy cup of Starbucks coffee. Thanks for sponsoring trivia night Starbucks!

After 10 rounds of 10 questions (for a total of 100 questions) everyone went home mentally exhausted. The Colby High School Scholar's Bowl team came in third by answering 57 questions correctly.

The Library Board & Co. came in a strong second by answering 65 answers correctly.

And the winners were...the Colby Rotary Club. Congratulations, enjoy that Vienti cup of Starbucks coffee!

Congratulations everyone on a job well done and thanks for participating!

As I Remember It

For the October Booked for Lunch Ray Imhof and Doris Johnson came and reviewed the book As I Remember It. The book is a collection of memories from Esther, the mother of Ray and Doris. Esther spent all but the first 6 years of her life in Northwest Kansas. For more information on this book go to http://www.trafford.com and do a "quick search" for As I Remember It.

Fear Factor

The first 3rd 2 (3rd Tuesday of each month) in September for middle schoolers was interesting! 12 middle schoolers willingly endured six rounds of gut-wrenching food products. Not many people find Oreos and Bubble Gum to be a particularly good combination. Worse yet, try eating Jello through knee-high pantyhose stretched over your head. After the smoke cleared and all 6 rounds were completed, only two had a perfect record! The face-off was a blind-folded attempt to five 25 cents worth of change in a bowl of jello. Nick Larmer faced off with Alex Diercks in the finale and Nick was declared the winner. (but only by a nickel) Check out these pics!

And the winners are....

Governor visit

Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius made it to the Pioneer Memorial Library on Tuesday, July 5! It's not very often that the Governor makes it to the library so we made the most of it. The Governor read and then later donated the book No Matter What by Deb Gliori.

National Library Week

We are hosting book reviews everyday of the week to celebrate National Library Week. This includes authors and locals that are willing to share their knowledge about some great books. We kicked off the week by having a 102 year old man review his book My First 100 Years! Needless to say he had a lot of information to cram into 30 minutes. Man has he seen some changes.