Toronto Public Library

Look what we’ve grown! We were missing a few from our book club family, but we had such a great discussion today! We’re reading Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree in January. Shoot us a message to get added to the Facebook group!

…and a happy NOON year! See you in 2026! We have a BIG year planned!

Napoleon Dynamite and ALL the competitive yelling. This is why we game with the teens after hours. Late Night @ The Library (Ages 11-17)

Our 3rd–6th graders had an amazing time teaming up to program their own robots at the library! Working together, they learned the basics of coding and brought their robots to life. They had fun making them move, play music, and even put on colorful light shows. The creativity, problem-solving, and teamwork we saw were incredible, and we loved watching kids troubleshoot, experiment, and cheer each other on. Missed the program or want another turn? Good news! We’ll have the robots on loan for one more week, so stop by the library and try your hand at coding them yourself. Thanks… Continue reading Robots

I had some good help getting the blessing box restocked! Take what you need and leave what you can! Thank you to our community members who brought goodies for the box so far. 24/7 access to just a little something can mean the world!

Toronto Blessing Box Coalition members with community members we thank for coming out today! The Toronto blessing box was purchased with KDADS grant funds. NCCC Retired Senior Volunteer Program, Kansas Children’s Service League, Southwind Extension District, Hope Unlimited, SEK Recovery Resources

Thank you all for coming out to Holiday Trivia @ Getty’s ! We enjoyed it immensely and your donations funded a new printer! (Thank you to Toronto Lumber for donating some quick printing service for our Trivia paperwork!) It was a very close game, with our top team pulling ahead by one point in the final round! Thank you all for coming!

We had such a fun morning! Thank you for coming!

Toronto Booster Club’s Hometown Holiday event is such a special tradition! I brought books to give away, and Santa even got to enjoy one of them! (She had to show Santa how much she has learned since last year!) The kids also got to make ornaments and wrap presents for their grown ups. There’s something special about watching a child choose a gift for someone they love. You can see the pride in their shoulders as they decide, the excitement as it gets wrapped, and that quiet moment when they imagine the smile waiting at home. For kids who don’t… Continue reading Untitled

We just wrapped up our last night of Library Escape Room! If you came and had fun, let us know!! This was such a fun event! We had 10 total families join in, and I was so entertained watching little (and big) minds work! We will do it again in the Spring! I didn’t get photos of everyone. I was having too much fun watching! Teams had to open a series of lock boxes using words and numbers, had to decode a message in invisible ink and one in sign language, and had to use the Dewey Decimal System! Kennedy,… Continue reading Thanksgiving Break-Out

I really enjoyed helping out with Kansas Reads to Preschoolers 2025 in Yates Center yesterday. They had a great turnout! The preschool teachers and their community partners had lots of fun stations set up, including a fruit salad bar. We read “Little Nita’s Big Idea” at my station. It’s a great book and the ladies sent me home with several extra copies to give away. So have your littles come see me at the library between now and Thanksgiving and we will read it together and you can take a free copy home! Thank you, Ms Caitlin, for inviting me… Continue reading KS Reads to Preschoolers

Toronto Public Library was awarded best small library of Kansas for 2025 by the Kansas Library Association. Tune into to hear how Jessie Hoag has transformed the library into the heart of the community. Jessie relies on data and small business sense to lead the library to a prosperous future.

Photo overload! We had so much fun at Adopt a Reading Buddy Day at Toronto Library!! First we chose our new buddies! Then we named them and signed the paper work! Next we colored and built dog houses! Then we made blankets for puppy cuddles! We read a wonderful puppy book! Street the therapy dog got lots of attention, too! Most stayed after to play in our Family Play Space. Everyone got a balloon animal! Every family took home a SIGNED copy of “I Love My Sloppy Squishy Face by Melissa Gonzales! THANK YOU for another busy, happy day at… Continue reading Adopt a Reading Buddy

I’m so proud to share some more good news with you all. I attended our Kansas Library Association annual conference in Manhattan last week, where we were awarded with Best Small Library in Kansas. This award recognizes a library each year that serves a taxing district of less than 5,000 people for outstanding programs and service to patrons. I’ve attached the letter that was presented to me along with a monetary honorarium from one of the conference sponsors. I was also so proud to be a speaker at conference this year along with my good friend Diane, Director at Moline… Continue reading Best Small Library in Kansas

Trunk or Treat was great fun on Friday! We gave out new books (of course), tattoos, glow sticks, and so much candy. The booster club had pumpkin bowling for the kids (and adults) to try. Several businesses gave out goodies as well. It was a very Happy Halloween!

The library was busy today. I got to have a nice chat over a cup of coffee with some of our adult patrons before the bus arrived. Our new Gobidex blocks were a big hit after school! We brought the world of Minecraft out of the screens and into our hands! These magnetic blocks are a new favorite, for sure! We also managed to squeeze in a couple games of chess.

YC has no school today, which means all these scary kids are around just doing crazy things like… reading, painting, laughing, playing chess, teaching me about manga, taking up space, eating ramen, relaxing, and enjoying community. I’m here until 5:30. Adults are welcome, too. Window art by Elliot

Today was a good one! We had kiddos of all ages enjoying the library together after school. I got to show a couple of them our new trophies as they were leaving. One of my ornery little regulars told me, “I’m proud of you! I don’t know your parents, but I bet they’re proud of you!” Then he said, “If you get more awards, you can buy a lambo!” I had to tell him I’m not too interested in that.