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Contact

227 Cherry Street
Dunlap, TN 37327
(423) 949-2357
info@sequatchielibrary.org

Hours

Mondays – 8am to 7pm
Tuesdays & Wednesdays – 8am to 6pm
Fridays – 8am to 5pm
Closed – Thursdays, Saturdays, & Sundays

Socials

Facebook – SEQLibrary
Instagram – SEQLibrary
Facebook – SeqCoLibraryFriends*
*Our Friends of the Library’s Facebook page.

March Events

Highlights This Week

📚✨ This Week at the Sequatchie County Public Library! ✨📚

We’ve got a full week packed with stories, activities, and creative fun for all ages—come join us! 💛

🚀🌙 Moon Mission Coloring Contest – Happening ALL WEEK!
Kids ages 6–12 can pick up a coloring sheet at the library, let their imagination soar, and return it by Friday, March 27! 🎨✨
(Check out our other posts for prize details and where your artwork will go!)

🌳 Wednesday (3/25) | 8AM–6PM
🧬 9AM–11AM – Genealogy Assistance
Ready to dig into your family history? Staff and a volunteer are here to help—bring any info you have!

📖 10AM – Books & Beyond (Ages 5–12)
Games, activities, and fun with friends—no sign-up needed!

🚪 Thursday (3/26)
Library Closed

🌈 Friday (3/27) | 8AM–5PM
📚 10AM – Preschool Page Turners (Ages 3–5)
Stories, songs, and activities designed just for preschoolers!

⏰ Last Day for the Moon Mission Coloring Contest!
Don’t forget to turn in your masterpieces by today!

Stop by, join in, and make some fun memories with us this week—we can’t wait to see you! ✨

Books of the Week – Caterpillars & Insects!

This week at the library, we’re celebrating caterpillars, insects, and the wonders of nature! From fascinating facts to imaginative adventures, these picks spark curiosity, discovery, and show the amazing transformations found in the natural world. There’s something for readers of all ages!

Adult Fiction – A Box Full of Darkness by Simone St. James

Three siblings return home after 18 years and confront the mysterious disappearance of their brother. Strange deaths, ghostly visions, and sinister secrets haunt the town of Fell, NY. Can they uncover the truth before the past catches up?

Adult Nonfiction – Outdoor Kids in an Indoor World by Steven Rinella

Steven Rinella shows families how to reconnect kids with nature in a screen-filled world. From camping and gardening to fishing and foraging, this guide helps children explore, learn, and grow outdoors.

Young Adult – Amulet: The Last Council by Kazu Kibuishi

Emily and her friends hope to find help in the city of Cielis, but the streets are eerily quiet. Competing for a spot on the powerful Guardian Council, Emily uncovers a dangerous secret that could change everything.

Chapter Book – Crafts for Kids Who Are Learning About Insects by Kathy Ross

Hands-on fun! Kids can make caterpillars, butterflies, dragonflies, ladybugs, and more while learning about the amazing insect world. Perfect for creative explorers!

Easy Fiction – The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

Follow the tiny caterpillar as it munches through a variety of foods and transforms into a beautiful butterfly. A classic story that’s fun, educational, and perfect for young readers!

All titles are available now at the Sequatchie County Public Library—stop by this week and check one out!

🚀 Calling Young Artists! Moon Mission Coloring Contest 🌙🎨

The Sequatchie County Public Library is excited to partner with the Sequatchie Post for a special Moon Mission Coloring Contest for local kids!

Humanity is preparing to return to the Moon, and our community is sending a little piece of Sequatchie County along for the ride. The Sequatchie Post will be traveling to Cape Canaveral to livestream the upcoming launch—and local kids’ artwork will be part of the journey!

🖍 Who Can Enter:
Children AGES 6 – 12 ONLY
(Please note: entries outside this age range will not be eligible.)

📄 How to Participate:
• Pick up an official coloring sheet at the Sequatchie County Public Library starting next week – Starting Monday, March 16th.
• Color it and return it to the library by Friday, March 27th
• Library staff will select the top entries!

🏆 Prizes:
1st Prize: $50 from the Sequatchie Post
Top 10: A certificate for 1 free drink and 1 free cookie from the Game Shack Café

🌎 Something Really Special:
The top ten entries (artworks not the artists 🙂 )will travel with the Sequatchie Post to Kennedy Space Center, where they’ll be presented to NASA! The artwork will also be shown on the Sequatchie Post’s launch livestream before liftoff.

📅 Winner Announcement:
Monday, March 30

📍 Where to Get the Coloring Sheet:
Sequatchie County Public Library
Professionally printed copies will be available for pickup beginning next week.

Let’s show NASA the creativity of Sequatchie County! 🚀🌙

🚀🌙 Our BIG Card is ready for lift-off… and it needs YOUR signature! 💙✨

Stop by the Sequatchie County Public Library this week and add your name (and maybe a doodle or two 😉) to the giant card we’re sending all the way to NASA! How cool is that?!

This special card is part of our Moon Mission Coloring Contest, where local kids are helping send a little piece of Sequatchie County to the stars 🌟 The top artwork will travel to Kennedy Space Center with the Sequatchie Post—and our Big Card is going along for the ride!

📍 Come sign it at the library before it blasts off!
📅 Don’t wait—launch time is getting closer!

Let’s show NASA just how awesome our community is 🚀💫

📚⭐ Help Us Make Summer Reading Even Bigger in 2026! ⭐📚

Last summer, the Sequatchie County Public Library welcomed an incredible 4,765 participants throughout June—more than double the 1,985 participants in 2024! Our community showed up in a big way to celebrate reading.

One of last year’s highlights was our Dolly Dollar Reading Incentive Store. Kids earned “Dolly Dollars” for reading, visiting the library, and attending programs, then redeemed them for prizes like candy, toys, art kits, and even a few LEGO sets.

This year, we’re closing with “Stars & Stories,” celebrating Tennessee’s 230th and America’s 250th anniversaries through stories, history, and community events. 🇺🇸⭐

We’re looking for local individuals and businesses to sponsor our Summer Reading Program. Your support helps encourage literacy, reward young readers, and foster a lifelong love of books for patrons of all ages.

❤️ Call, Email, or stop by the library to learn how you can help!

💛 Summer Reading Sponsorship Levels 💛

$20 – Little Reader Sponsor
Helps provide stickers, bookmarks, or small treats for kids earning Dolly Dollars.

$35 – Junior Book Backer
Supports craft kits, coloring sets, or small toys that make reading fun and hands-on.

$50 – Storytime Supporter
Funds candy, activity prizes, and other small rewards to encourage consistent reading & library visits.

$75 – Chapter Champion
Helps stock the Dolly Dollar Reading Store with a mix of prizes for kids of all ages.

$100 – Big Books Booster
Supports art kits, small LEGO sets, and educational toys that reward reading milestones.

$250 – Programs Partner
Funds larger prizes, program supplies, and special events for the Summer Reading Program.

$300+ – Summer Super Star
Helps cover major program activities, prizes, & the Dolly Dollar Store, making a lasting impact on local kids and families.

(If you want to keep your donation anonymous, just let us know when you drop it off!

📖✨ Together, we can make Summer Reading 2026 our biggest celebration of reading yet!

📚✨ Books & Beyond! ✨📚
Wednesday, March 25th at 10AM

🕙 Wednesdays 10AM | Ages 5–12
📅 March Sessions: 3/25

Join us for our fun-filled weekly Books & Beyond program for elementary-aged kids! We’ll have hands-on activities, games, and plenty of chances to make new friends along the way.

Each session includes:
🎨 Hands-on activities
🎲 Games and challenges
🤝 A chance to connect and make new friends

✨ Families are welcome to drop in — no sign-up required!
Come for stories, crafts, games, and lots of smiles. 🥰

✔️ No sign-up required — just show up and have fun!
We can’t wait to celebrate creativity, holiday cheer, and reading with you! 💚📖🎄

🎉✨ Thrive Tribe – March Hangouts! ✨🎉

🕓 Tuesdays at 4PM | Ages 13–18
📅 March Sessions: 3/24, & 3/31

High schoolers, this one’s just for YOU! 😎💬

Join us in the Teen Room for your weekly hangout, where you can:
☕ Enjoy FREE coffee & tea
💻 Use Wi-Fi and public computers to scroll, study, or stream
🛋️ Relax in a cozy space to hang out, catch up with friends, or just vibe
🎮 Play board games, listen to playlists, and chat with friends

✨ Unless we have a special event planned (we’ll let you know!), this is your time to come and go between 4–6 PM.

Bring a friend (or five), hang out,
and make Thrive Tribe the best part of your week! 💛

☃️ Storytime Sprouts👶
Monday, March 30th at 10AM

🕙 Mondays at 10AM | Ages Birth–3
📅 March Sessions: 3/30

Join us for Storytime Sprouts, our weekly early literacy program for the littlest library lovers! 💛📚

Each session includes:
📖 A toddler-friendly story
🎵 Songs and movement
🎨 A simple holiday craft or activity
🧠 Skill-building fun to support early learning

✨ Families are welcome to stop by the library on Mondays at 10AM!
You can:
📚 Browse books
🧸 Play in our cozy Family Room
☕ Enjoy a little festive, unstructured time together

No sign-up required!
Just bring your little ones for stories, songs, crafts, and smiles. 🥰

📚 Preschool Page Turners🎉
Friday, March 27th at 10AM

🕙 Fridays at 10AM | Ages 3–5
📅 March Sessions: 3/27

Join us for Preschool Page Turners, our weekly early literacy program for preschoolers! 💛📚

Each session includes:
📖 A book read aloud
🎵 Songs and movement
🎨 A simple craft or activity
🧠 Fun skill-building to support early learning

✨ Families are welcome to join us at the library on Fridays at 10AM!
You can:
📚 Browse books
🧸 Play and explore in our cozy Family Room
☕ Enjoy some festive, hands-on fun together

No sign-up required!
Just bring your preschoolers for stories, songs, crafts, and smiles. 🥰

💼 Tax Season Update @ Library! 🧾

We’ve received copies of the 1040 tax forms, and we also have a Tax Instruction Booklet available for checkout! 📚✅

⚠️ The Tax Booklet has a 7-day checkout limit since we currently only have one copy available. We do have additional booklets on order, and they’ll be available as soon as they arrive — but they will be first come, first served. We are not able to place holds on them.

And just a friendly reminder 😊 — while we’re happy to provide forms and resources, library staff cannot assist with preparing or filing your taxes. If you need to print additional tax forms, we provide the first 10 pages of tax documents per day at no charge. After that, our regular rate of 25¢ per page applies, with a 20-page daily limit per person in place.

Stop by and pick up what you need — we’re glad to help you find the forms! 💙📄

🍎📚 FREE Program for Families! 📚🍎

Join us for Fresh Food & Families & Finance — a program that combines free healthy food with financial education for families.

📅 Saturday, April 11
🕛 Noon – 2:00 PM
📍 Location details provided upon registration
⚠️ Pre-screening required

👉 This program is for low-income families with children living in the household in Tennessee.
👉 Participants will receive 40+ lbs of FREE healthy food, including:
🥦 Fresh produce
🥩 Meat
🥚 Eggs
🍞 Baked goods
…and more!

💡 Not sure if you qualify? Go ahead and apply—they’ll let you know!

⏰ Apply by April 7 to be considered.

👉 Apply using the QR code in the image or here:
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=BqNeZO1t1Em4Mk7s2xRCiy0dQvssu6tArIKUNKft9hJUMktDOUExRjk2OEYwSDNBR0dVQkYyTTIyMC4u

This program is funded under a grant contract with the State of Tennessee.

Don’t miss this opportunity to support your family with both food and financial knowledge 💚

🎨🔬✨ Family Night Fun is Coming to the Library! ✨🔬🎨

We’re excited to host FOUR Creative Discovery Museum Family Nights as part of our Connecting Art & Science series! Each session, titled The Science of Art, will take place at the library from 4PM–6PM on Monday evenings:

📅 April 6
📅 May 8
📅 May 18
📅 June 1

These events are completely FREE, open to the public, and no sign-up is required — just come ready to create and explore!

Led by educators from the Creative Discovery Museum, these hands-on programs are designed especially for families with children and blend creativity with scientific discovery in fun, engaging ways.

Teens and adults are invited too! We’ll have space and supplies available so everyone can create their own artwork — and even take materials home to keep the creativity going (all supplies provided through grant funding 🎉).

This series is made possible entirely through the generous support of the Tennessee Arts Commission through an Arts Build Communities grant. We are deeply grateful for their continued investment in rural libraries and community arts programming — their support truly makes opportunities like this possible for our families. https://tnartscommission.org/

We also extend our sincere thanks to the Southeast Tennessee Development District for their invaluable administrative assistance and guidance throughout this process. Their partnership helps bring meaningful, high-quality programming directly to our community. https://www.sedev.org/

A big thank you as well to our wonderful Friends of the Library volunteers who help make each evening welcoming and accessible 💛

We can’t wait to see you there for art, science, and lots of creative fun!

🌸 Library Closed on Good Friday! 🌸

We’re taking a little spring break—closed on Friday, April 3rd—to recharge, enjoy chocolate, and maybe sneak a peek at the Easter Bunny 🐰. Don’t worry, we’ll be back Monday, April 6 at 8 AM with all the smiles you can handle!

Did you know? 🤓
🐇 The chocolate bunny we all love actually started appearing in Germany in the 1800s!

🍫 Cadbury introduced its famous Easter Creme Eggs in 1963… that’s over half a century of gooey chocolatey goodness!

😲 Easter candy sales spike so much, Americans eat over 16 million jelly beans every year!

🐰 The Easter Bunny legend started in Germany in the 1700s as an egg-laying hare!

🥚 The largest chocolate egg ever made weighed over 15,000 pounds—that’s a LOT of candy!

🍫 White chocolate isn’t technically chocolate—it has cocoa butter but no cocoa solids.

🐥 Baby chicks can recognize their mother’s voice just hours after hatching.

🍬 Jelly beans were originally called “Turkey beans” in the 1800s.

🌸 Daffodils, another spring favorite, are actually edible in very small quantities—though the bulbs are toxic!

🍯 Honey never spoils—archaeologists have found 3000-year-old jars in ancient tombs that were still edible.

🐣 Chickens can remember over 100 different faces of people or other chickens.

🌼 The first Easter cards were made in the 1800s and were considered more luxurious than Valentine’s cards!

So go ahead—treat yourself on Good Friday, hop around a bit, and enjoy a little sweetness! We’ll see you the following Monday! 🌷💛

✨Next Library Board Meeting
Monday, May 11th at 5 PM! ✨

This meeting is open to the public, and we’d love to see you there! 🗣️

The agenda will be posted on our website one week before the meeting, so you’ll have plenty of time to review it. At that time, you can click the link below or ask for a copy at our front desk.

Agenda not yet available

We also have time set aside at the beginning for public comments, so feel free to share your thoughts or ask any questions. Our Library Board meets every other month on the second Monday.

We look forward to seeing you there! 😊

📚Next Friends of the Library Meeting
Tuesday, April 14th at 4 PM! 📚

The Friends meet every month on the second Tuesday, and we’d love for you to get involved! Whether you’re already a member or thinking about joining, this is a great opportunity to connect and support our library.

If you’re not a member yet, you can sign up at the meeting!

Stop by, meet some amazing people, and help make our library even better. We can’t wait to see you there! 🤲

Friendly Reminder: We Can Borrow Books for You!

Didn’t find the book you’re looking for on our shelves? No worries — we’ve got options! 😊
If we don’t own a title, we can request it from another library in Tennessee through our Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service.

✨ How it works:

• Stop by the library and tell us the title you’re interested in
• If we don’t have it, fill out a quick ILL request form
• We’ll try to borrow it from another library in the state 📦

📌 Please note:

• Most new releases (last 3 months), rare, expensive, out-of-print, or special collection items may not be available
• We do not borrow DVDs, audiobooks, or other special collection materials
• Availability depends on other libraries, so fulfillment and timelines aren’t guaranteed
• ILL books are loaned for 14 days with no renewals
• While our library is fine-free, the lending library may charge late or damage fees, which are the borrower’s responsibility

💡 Tip: Before requesting, check OverDrive or the Libby app — you might find an electronic copy available instantly!

Questions? Just ask at the desk — we’re happy to help 💛

Read the Chattanooga Times Free Press with Free Access using our iPad

🌟 Catch Up on the News at the Library! 🌟

We’re thrilled to announce that you can now read the Chattanooga Times Free Press for free on our library iPad — a huge thank-you to the Times Free Press for allowing us to use the iPad for the duration of our subscription! 📰💻

The iPad is locked to the Chattanooga Times Free Press app only, so you can enjoy the latest issues right here in the library. If you’d like to browse the internet or use other apps, you can access our library Wi-Fi on your own device or use one of our public computers. 📶💻

To borrow the iPad, you’ll need a current library card. Don’t worry — you can still view our physical copies of The Dunlap Tribune or use a public computer without a library card. 🪑📖

Come grab a comfy seat, stay informed, and enjoy a quiet reading session — we can’t wait to see you! ✨

4/6 – 9AM to 1PM – American Job Center at the Library

Monday, 3/2 – 9 AM–1 PM | Drop-In Help (No Appointment Needed)

👔 Need job or career help?
Staff from the American Job Center will be at the library to help you with:
• Finding a job
• Writing or updating your resume
• Interview tips and practice
• Career planning
• Skills assessments
• Training programs for in-demand jobs

Just stop by anytime between 9 AM and 1 PM — no appointment required!

If you want to use their services before our next program, check out their website to explore job search tools, resume help, workshops, and more:
🌐 Southeast Career Center – Job Seekers

You can also follow them on Facebook for updates and events:
📘 Southeast AJC on Facebook

New Pass in 2026!🌊

🐠 Big news, friends! The secret is out… the Tennessee Aquarium has generously donated a FREE family pass to the library! 🎉✨

This pass gives free admission for 2 adults and up to 5 kids to both River Journey and Ocean Journey buildings—perfect for a fun family outing. (Parking as well as Special events or programs like Deeper Dives in-depth tours are not included.)

Here’s what you need to know:
✅ 1 pass per household, first come, first served
⏳ 7-day checkout period
🚫 No holds, no waitlist
📅 Each household may borrow this pass only once in 2026

We’re so grateful to the Aquarium for making this possible 💛—and we can’t wait for a lucky family to dive in! 🐟🐢🐧

Stop by the library or give us a call to check it out! 📚✨

Please note: this is a physical pass that must be checked out from the library—your library card alone will not grant entry at the aquarium

Now Available:
Blind Dates with a Book

📚💘 Go on a Book Date! 💘📚
Looking for your next great read but don’t know what try?

💕Get one of our Blind Dates with a Book!

All you know is the genre—no title, no author, no spoilers. It’s a fun way to step outside your reading comfort zone and maybe fall in love with something new.

We’ve got several Blind Date books waiting for you right now, and each one comes with a bag of microwavable popcorn, a bookmark, and a pencil—because every great date deserves snacks and notes

💌 Looking for something special in your book date? Call us and request one!
Just let us know your favorite genre and when you’ll swing by to pick it up.
📞 423-949-2357
Message us on Facebook
Email us at info@sequatchielibrary.org

FREE Online Language Learning!

🌎📚 Learn a New Language for FREE with Transparent Language — powered by TEL! 📚🌎

Did you know you can learn over 110 different languages online for FREE? 🤯✨
With Transparent Language Online, available through TEL (The Tennessee Electronic Library), learning a new language has never been easier — or more fun!

🗣️ What can you learn?
• 110+ languages to explore
• Learn English from 30 different languages
• Lessons for kids, teens, and adults
• Great for middle school, high school, college/research, and the general public
• Perfect for Spanish learners and beyond!

📱💻 What is TEL?
TEL is a virtual library you can access from home, school, or your smartphone — anywhere with internet access!

Through TEL, Tennesseans get FREE access to over 400,000 online resources!

✨ TEL is made possible through funding from the State of Tennessee and the Institute of Museum and Library Services and is administered by the Tennessee State Library & Archives.

👉 Start learning today:
https://tntel.info/resource/transparent-language-online

🌟 Pick a language. Try a lesson. Learn something new — all for FREE!

4/21 – 4PM to 6PM – LEGO Night

🧱✨ LEGO Night at the Library! ✨🧱 —

Join us on the 3rd Tuesday from 4:00–6:00 PM for a fun-filled LEGO Night at the Library, featuring a Build-a-Flower Challenge! 🧩

Using whatever LEGOs we have on hand, put your creativity to the test and design the best (or silliest!) love monster you can. Think colorful, quirky, and totally unique!

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families & all ages welcome
🧩 LEGOs provided by the library

Bring your imagination—we’ll supply the bricks. 🎉

4/21 – 6PM to 7PM – Book Club

📚✨ Book Club at the Library! ✨📚
April 21st | 6:00 PM

Join us after hours for our monthly Book Club—we meet on the third Tuesday of every month! This March, we’re diving into a gripping historical mystery set in 18th-century Maine.

📖 April’s Book: A Fall of Marigolds by Susan Meissner

💭 About the Book:
In 1911, nurse Clara Wood, mourning the man she lost in the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, becomes drawn to a fevered immigrant’s scarf, uncovering truths that could either devastate or free her. A century later, widow Taryn Michaels confronts the day her husband died in the World Trade Center collapse, and a chance reconnection with a century-old scarf may reveal the hidden forces shaping her life.

✨ New members are always welcome!
To join, you can:
📩 Message us on Facebook
📞 Call 423-949-2357
📧 Email info@sequatchielibrary.org
🚶 Or just stop by for the meeting!

We hope to see you there—happy reading! 📖💙