Emily Austin works on one of her three clay pieces during a sgraffito class taught by Elizabeth Wamsley at the Syracuse Public Library Tuesday, June 22. The class was made possible through a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission. InkFreeNews photo by Sarah Wright.

News Release

SYRACUSE — Slots are filling up fast at Syracuse Public Library for the “Star Wars” inspired escape room scheduled for Thursday, July 8. Three slots — each accommodating eight to 10 people — remain available from 3-4 p.m., 4-5 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. Sign up online on the library’s website, www.syracuse.lib.in.us, or call the library at (574) 457-3022 to reserve a spot.

Teens can also sign up to make a mermaid sign at the teen summer reading desk upstairs. Other ages are welcome to join the fun as supplies allow.

Meanwhile, in the children’s department, storytime will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 7. Then children can stop by at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 9, for campfire stories, songs and s’mores. Don’t forget to mark the calendar for family movie night at 6 p.m. July 13. The evening will also feature refreshments.

July Book Club Pick

For July, the book club has selected “The Bitter Side of Sweet” by Tara Sullivan as its choice. An exciting escape story, the novel features a fictional account of children tricked into slave labor on a cocoa plantation. Copies are available upstairs in the adult department, or audiobooks can be checked out on Hoopla, OverDrive, or Libby with your Syracuse library card.

There will be three opportunities to discuss the book: at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, via Zoom; at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 15, during an in-person meeting at the library; and at noon Wednesday, July 28, with the Pollinator Club. The Pollinator Club meeting on July 28 will feature a discussion about the ecology of food crops and a chocolate sampling.

Friend’s Meeting

Friends of the Syracuse Public Library has created a buzz with its fundraising event — a silent paddle auction, which showcases the talents of local artists. To learn more about the Friends, stop by their next meeting at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 8. Usually, the meetings are at 11 a.m. on the first Thursday of each month; however, the July meeting was moved to avoid the chaos of Independence Day.