Wednesday, December 18, 2019

Holiday Fun at Dorris Van Doren!

Christmas is here at the Dorris Van Doren Branch, and we have a number of fun activities for our patrons of all ages!

On Thursday, December 19th at 4:30 PM, our teens (ages 12-18) will be painting wood slices to make beautiful Christmas ornaments during their weekly Teen Hangout program.



Both Santa Claus and the Grinch will be visiting us on Friday, December 20. We'll begin at 1 PM with a family Christmas movie to get everyone excited for our special guests!

At 2 PM, we'll have a visit from Santa Claus! The Grinch will slink in at 3 PM.



On Saturday, December 21st from 3-4, the Johnson Trio will be joining us for a holiday concert. All ages are welcome to enjoy the show by these talented, young local musicians.



And after the holidays, don't miss our Tween STEM activities in January for kids ages 8-12.


Happy Holidays from the Dorris Van Doren Library!

Friday, October 4, 2019

TeenTober!

We're celebrating TeenTober all month long at the Dorris Van Doren Library! TeenTober is all about celebrating teens and highlighting the programs and services we provide to them. 

All month long, teens between the ages of 12 and 18 have a chance to earn instant win scratchcards. There are a lot of fun prizes to win including a free Whataburgers, stickers, pinback button packs, and pop sockets (courtesy of Whataburger). 

In order to get a scratch card, teens have to check out 5 books, write a review of a teen book, and/or attend Teen Hangout on Thursdays. If your ticket doesn't win, no worries! Non-winning tickets are eligible for a second chance drawing. We're giving away a gift basket with a $25 gift card, earbuds, Uno Dare!, pens, and stuff to snack on. The basket was purchased with funds donated by our Friends of the Westside Libraries. 


Teen Hangout takes place every Thursday from 4:30 to 6:30 PM year-round, but we have some seriously fun activities planned for TeenTober, including a breakout room and a chance to make a mini-altar for dia de los muertos. Check out this list of all our TeenTober programs:

Tuesday, September 3, 2019

WRECK THIS T-SHIRT and Wooden Bangle Bracelets

Even though new school year has begun, we're still having fun teen programs going on at the Dorris Van Doren Library all year round!


To celebrate their first week back in school, our teens joined us for a Wreck This T-Shirt program. Teens are given a blank t-shirt. They can cut it, sew it, draw on it, or paint it. Their t-shirt is theirs to "wreck" however they'd like.


Some of our innovative teens decided to try tie-dying their t-shirts using fabric spray paints. While it didn't work nearly as well as using actual dye, it still had a really nice effect!


Our teens also got a chance to decorate wooden bangle bracelets using acrylic paints. They came up with some beautiful, artistic designs!


Teen Hangout is every Thursday from 4:30-6:30 pm for all teens within the ages of 12 and 18. Crafting is just one of the things we do! To check out what we're doing next, visit our calendar of events: Dorris Van Doren Events


Tuesday, August 13, 2019

Summer Reading Round Up!

The Dorris Van Doren Library has completed another successful summer reading program. This year, our branch signed up over 1,300 people, who collectively read over 11,000 books! We also had hundreds of visitors attend our summer programming, which included programs for children, tweens, teens, and adults!

Some of the fun programs for children included a visit on July 3rd from Chico from the El Paso Chihuahuas. He even dressed up in anticipation of Independence Day!

We also had Pete the Cat join us for storytime! He had so much fun dancing with the kids!

We were joined by the Imperial Border Squad, who came dressed in their Star Wars regalia to celebrate the Universe of Stories with all the people in attendance. 

Our teens also had a fun summer! Among the fun summer activities we held, we had a space-themed Breakout Room to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing.

The summer ended for our teens with a Guardians of the Galaxy movie party. There was a full snack bar available, and every attendee received a space-themed gift bag. 

Many thanks to our numerous sponsors, who donated prizes, coupons and more this summer! The Friends of the Westside Libraries donated our three raffle prizes that gave our patrons extra encouragement to read! We also received donations from Raising Cane's, Whataburger, BOSS Chicken, Peter Piper Pizza, and Sonic. 

Wednesday, July 24, 2019

Third Thursday Book Club: Educated by Tara Westover

The Third Thursday Book Club is back again with a new selection! This month's featured book is Educated by Tara Westover.


Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches. In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father’s junkyard.
Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when Tara’s older brother became violent.
Then, lacking a formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

The next meeting will be held Thursday, August 15, at 5 PM in the library's Family Room.

The group meets monthly and is open to all library users. For more information, please call the branch at 915-212-0440.

Monday, June 3, 2019

Third Thursday Book Club: Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

The Third Thursday Book Club is back again with a new selection! This month's featured book is Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi.


They killed my mother.
They took our magic.
They tried to bury us.

Now we rise.

Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers and her growing feelings for an enemy.

The next meeting will be held Thursday, June 20, at 5 PM in the library's Family Room. The group meets monthly and is open to all library users. 



Reserve a copy online through the El Paso Public Library's website. You can also call 915-212-0440 for more information. 

Thursday, May 30, 2019

2019 Summer Reading Club Drawing

The Summer Reading Club is back again, and we're hoping to make this our best year ever! This year, everyone who signs up for the Summer Reading Club at the Dorris Van Doren Library will receive a free book while supplies last!


Beginning June 8th, patrons of the Dorris Van Doren Library will have the opportunity to enter the Summer Reading Club Drawing for three amazing prizes sponsored by the Friends of the Westside Libraries.

The prizes are:
Prize 1: Nintendo Switch

Prize 2: $50 Gift Card for Western Playland

Prize 3: $50 Gift Card for Alamo Drafthouse


To enter sign up for the Summer Reading Club (either in-person or online at: wandooreader.com/elpasolibrary/summer2019), and read 8 books. Return your log to the Dorris Van Doren Library noting the books you read. Every 8 books read will earn you 1 ticket in the drawing.

You can also check out 8 items from the Dorris Van Doren collection. Every 8 items checked out earns you 1 ticket in the drawing.

You may enter multiple times for the 3 drawings. Write your name and phone number neatly on each of your raffle tickets and return the tickets to the circulation desk.

Be sure to specify which prize drawing you would like to enter!

The drawing for prizes will be held on Friday, August 2 during the Summer Reading Club party. You do not have to be present to win.

All ages are eligible to enter! We encourage everyone to join the Summer Reading Club and read this summer!

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Early Music Concert

The Sprezzatuura Quartet visited the Dorris Van Doren Regional Library on Saturday, March 30, treating library patrons to a concert of Renaissance and Baroque music.



The ensemble has visited our library on multiple occasions and their concerts always draw large crowds. This time was no exception! Not only did attendees get to listen to beautiful music being played, but they also had the opportunity to learn about the history of early music.



After the concert, they had a recorder workshop for beginners, an opportunity several people took advantage of! Make sure you watch our calendar to see if there are any future concerts by this wonderful local group.

Saturday, March 30, 2019

Third Thursday Book Club: The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

The Third Thursday Book Club is back again with a new selection! This month's featured book is The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides. 


Alicia Berenson’s life is seemingly perfect. A famous painter married to an in-demand fashion photographer, she lives in a grand house with big windows overlooking a park in one of London’s most desirable areas. One evening her husband Gabriel returns home late from a fashion shoot, and Alicia shoots him five times in the face, and then never speaks another word.
Alicia’s refusal to talk, or give any kind of explanation, turns a domestic tragedy into something far grander, a mystery that captures the public imagination and casts Alicia into notoriety. The price of her art skyrockets, and she, the silent patient, is hidden away from the tabloids and spotlight at the Grove, a secure forensic unit in North London.
Theo Faber is a criminal psychotherapist who has waited a long time for the opportunity to work with Alicia. His determination to get her to talk and unravel the mystery of why she shot her husband takes him down a twisting path into his own motivations―a search for the truth that threatens to consume him....

The next meeting will be held Thursday, April 18th at 5 PM in the library's Family Room. The group meets monthly and is open to all library users. 

Please stop by the library to find out how to reserve your copy. You can also call 915-212-0440 for more information. 

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

Teen Hangout: Papier-mâché Art

Teens at the Dorris Van Doren Regional Library recently participated in a two-part workshop on making papier-mâché sculptures. The materials used to construct their sculptures were a flour-based glue, old newspapers, balloons, and pipe cleaners. They covered balloons with layers of glue-soaked newspaper to create their structures and then left them to dry. One teen was able to use the materials to construct a whale, using pipe cleaners to create fins.



The teens returned the following week to decorate their sculptures with paint and duct tape. While this project took more time than some of the other activities at our weekly Teen Hangout program, it was definitely worth it to see some of the amazing artwork that came out of it. 


Wednesday, March 6, 2019

Third Thursday Book Club: Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah

The Third Thursday Book Club is back again with a new selection! This month's featured book is Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah. 


After the loss of her mother and her own battle with breast cancer, Joanna Teale returns to her graduate research on nesting birds in rural Illinois, determined to prove that her recent hardships have not broken her. She throws herself into her work from dusk to dawn, until her solitary routine is disrupted by the appearance of a mysterious child who shows up at her cabin barefoot and covered in bruises.
The girl calls herself Ursa, and she claims to have been sent from the stars to witness five miracles. With concerns about the child’s home situation, Jo reluctantly agrees to let her stay—just until she learns more about Ursa’s past.
Jo enlists the help of her reclusive neighbor, Gabriel Nash, to solve the mystery of the charming child. But the more time they spend together, the more questions they have. How does a young girl not only read but understand Shakespeare? Why do good things keep happening in her presence? And why aren’t Jo and Gabe checking the missing children’s website anymore?
Though the three have formed an incredible bond, they know difficult choices must be made. As the summer nears an end and Ursa gets closer to her fifth miracle, her dangerous past closes in. When it finally catches up to them, all of their painful secrets will be forced into the open, and their fates will be left to the stars.

The next meeting will be held Thursday, March 21st at 5 PM in the library's Family Room. The group meets monthly and is open to all library users. 

Please stop by the library to find out how to reserve your copy. You can also call 915-212-0440 for more information. 



Friday, February 22, 2019

Exciting Times at Teen Hangout!

The teens that attend Dorris Van Doren's weekly Teen Hangout program have been battling the post-holiday slump by participating in a lot of creative activities. 


During one crafternoon, the teens did foil embossing. They drew designs on cardboard and then traced over their sketch using a hot glue gun. They covered the cardboard with foil and then colored their artwork. 

Another Thursday, the teens made colorful string dolls. They shaped the bodies using flower wire and then wrapped yarn around to create bulk. They decorated their dolls by stitching on faces and adding long hair. 


On Valentine's Day, our teens celebrated the day with treats. While they snacked on cookies and ice cream, they made paper flowers out of tissue paper. They experimented with multiple colors, different petal shapes, and even different sizes of tissue paper. 

We have a lot of fun activities planned for this spring. Check out our calendar to see what will be happening next!

Thursday, February 7, 2019

New! Third Thursday Book Club: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens


The Dorris Van Doren Regional Library is excited to announce the addition of the Third Thursday Book Club to our list of library programs. The group will meet monthly and is open to all library users. 

The first meeting will be held Thursday, February 21st at 5 PM in the library's Family Room.

The club's inaugural book selection is Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens. Please stop by the library to find out how to reserve a copy!


Friday, January 18, 2019

LEGO Playtime

The Dorris Van Doren Library is hosting LEGO Playtime every Friday from 4 PM - 5:30 PM in our auditorium. This all-ages program is aimed at LEGO fanatics who are eager to use their imaginations to build unique designs and showcase their work!

Each week, a new batch of designs will be on display in the Children's Area. Come check out what they've created!