Greetings to all! Just a heads-up: the Mineola Memorial Library will be closed on Saturday, April 4. This is for our staff to get time to spend with family before Easter.

There is a technology out in the world called AI (Artificial Intelligence). It learns from patterns. So, when you are looking for things on the internet, one of the first responses now is an AI-generated response. You can see it is AI, because it says it’s AI. Here is a problem, however: we are Mineola Memorial Library (MML) in Texas, which is not to be confused with Mineola Memorial Library on Long Island, New York (a very nice little library like ours but in New York state); AI doesn’t recognize that we are two very different entities. 

At this point, you need to connect with the actual resource. For instance, there are programs offered at MML in Texas that are not in New York, and vice versa; but AI doesn’t know this, and creates an entry that places the event in whichever library flags as close to your location. This is just something to be aware of when looking on the internet, whether you’re looking for library information or anything else.

April 7 to 11 will be a very busy week at the library. Tuesday at 9 a.m. will bring Toddler Story Time, followed by YAC at 4 p.m. Wednesday will be Preschool Story Time. Thursday will have Playschool at the library. On Friday, the Mineola Primary School first-graders will visit the library. Finally, on Saturday at 9 a.m., our therapy dog friends will visit for Read to a Dog. That’s a lot of activities in one week, but we are excited to be able to offer these programs, and hope you will find something you enjoy.

Don’t forget about our reading challenge for all ages as part of the Texas America250 celebration. The goal: read for 2,500 minutes. Reading counts, listening to an audio book or someone read aloud counts, visiting a state park and/or attending a Ranger program counts, and volunteering in your community counts. Pick up a reading log in the library and see if you can accomplish this goal.

Many of you have enjoyed our bluebonnets. They have put on a gorgeous display, and the smell is wonderful (if you didn’t know bluebonnets were scented, they are in groups such as ours). We hope next year’s display will be just as beautiful. 

Mineola Memorial Library is a 501(c)3 nonprofit, and your donation may be tax-deductible. Thank you to an anonymous donor and to the Boswells for their generosity.