Libraries to host a conversation with author Ta-Nehisi Coates

Event scheduled for Sunday, February 4 

The Plain City Public Library, in partnership with Bexley Public Library, Columbus Metropolitan Library, Delaware County District Library, Grandview Heights Public Library, Granville Public Library, London Public Library, Southwest Public Libraries, Upper Arlington Public Library, Westerville Public Library and Worthington Libraries, will present acclaimed author Ta-Nehisi Coates at 3 pm on Sunday, February 4 at the Upper Arlington High School Performing Arts Center (1625 Zollinger Road). Coates will appear in conversation with Sophia Fifner, president and CEO of the Columbus Metropolitan Club. Tickets for the event start at $25 per person and are available at app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=214762.                                   

ABOUT TA-NEHISI COATES

Ta-Nehisi Coates is an award-winning author and journalist. He is the author of the bestselling books The Beautiful Struggle, We Were Eight Years in Power, The Water Dancer and Between the World and Me, which won the National Book Award in 2015. He was a recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship that same year. 

As a journalist with a career spanning over two decades, he’s written for numerous publications including The Washington City Paper, The Village Voice, The New Yorker and The New York Times. During his time reporting for The Atlantic between 2008-2018, he penned numerous articles and essays, including the National Magazine Award-winning 2012 essay “Fear of a Black President” and the influential June 2014 essay “The Case For Reparations.”

Ta-Nehisi also enjoyed a successful run writing Marvel’s Black Panther (2016-2021) and Captain America (2018-2021) comics series. Ta-Nehisi is currently writing the screenplays for the upcoming films Wrong Answer, Superman and the film adaptation of his first fiction novel, The Water Dancer. In fall 2022, he joined Howard University’s faculty as a writer-in-residence and the Sterling Brown Chair in the Department of English. 

ABOUT SOPHIA FIFNER

Sophia Fifner serves as the president and CEO of the Columbus Metropolitan Club (CMC), a visionary organization that connects people and ideas through community conversations and founder of Brave Philanthropist, a campaign she launched in 2022 to change the face of philanthropy and to activate giving to women’s and girls’ organizations. 

ABOUT THE EVENT

Tickets for A Conversation with Ta-Nehisi Coates are on sale now. Participating libraries will not have tickets to sell at their locations. Ticket prices begin at $25.00 each. Books will be available for purchase through Gramercy Books. There will be no book signing at the event. 

Plain City Little Lending Libraries

Little Lending Libraries are book sharing boxes that are available all the time and freely accessible to all. These book boxes are a free book exchange and contain all types of books: from board books and picture books to chapter books to novels for teens and adults, all books in good condition are welcome! Visitors are encouraged to take a book or leave a book. You do not need to share a book in order to take one. If you take a book or two from a little library, try to bring some to share to that same library, or another in your area, when you can.

You’ll find that each Little Lending Library is different and has it’s own character! While some Little Lending Libraries stand on public property or near local businesses, others stand on private property often near sidewalks or walking trails. Wherever they live, please be respectful when visiting a Little Lending Library.

Plain City Area Little Lending Library Interactive Map

Use this tool to locate a local Little Lending Library near you! Click the arrow button to get started using the interactive map. Know of one we missed? Contact the Plain City Public Library so we can add it to our list. Little Lending Libraries are not affiliated with or maintained by the Plain City Public Library.

We’d like to extend a special thank you to the Cheryl Brockman for initiating many of these little libraries and sharing her records to make this map possible. Recognition also goes to the Plain City Lions Club and Perry Beachy for funding and building many of Plain City’s Little Lending Libraries.

NameLocationDetails
Plain City Public Library Reading Garden305 W Main St.
Plain City OH 43064
Located in the Reading Garden at the front entrance of the library.
Pastime Park North Entrance Playground370 N Chillicothe St.
Plain City OH 43064
Located at the north entrance to Pastime Park next to the playground.
Jerome Township Fire Department9689 US Highway 42 N
Plain City, OH 43064
Located in the park behind the fire station.
Plain City Public Library Community Garden305 W Main St.
Plain City OH 43064
Located on the side lawn next to the community garden.
Plain City Elementary School580 S Chillicothe St.
Plain City, OH 43064
Located on the bike path near the playground.
Private Residence440 South Chillicothe St.
Plain City, OH 43064
Located at a private residence near the sidewalk.
Private Residence919 Wellsley Way
Plain City, OH 43064
Located at a private residence near the sidewalk.
Plain City Druggist480 S Jefferson Ave.
Plain City, OH 43064
Located in a grassy area next to the Plain City Druggist parking lot.
Canaan Community Mobile Home Park5130 Plain City Georgesville Rd. Plain City, OH 43064Located behind the office in the chimney nook.
Private Residence4935 SR 38 NE
London, OH 43140
Located at a private residence across from Monroe Elementary School.
Green Meadows Mobile Home Park2900 State Route 29
London, OH 43140
Located in a small flower garden near the park office.
Mitchell’s Farms9331 Mitchell-Dewitt Rd.
Plain City, OH 43064
Seasonal. To prevent damage, the library may be closed when the farm is closed.
Unionville Center Post Office110 W Main St.
Unionville Center, OH 43077
Located in a grassy area next to the building.

24/7 Pickup Lockers Now Available

Pick up your Library material from our convenient pickup lockers, available during and after regular Library operating hours. The pickup lockers are located at the rear of the building next to the book drop. Place your holds online and we will let you know when your items are available to pick up.
 

Placing Your Holds

A screenshot of the library's public access catalog. A new holds request screen is showing. Pickup Library dropdown menu is circled in red and Plain City Pickup Lockers is selected.
  • When you place your holds in our catalog or using the Plain City Public Library app, select Plain City Pickup Lockers as your pickup location.
  • As always, we will notify you when your holds are ready to pick up.

Picking Up Your Holds

  • We will hold your items in the locker for 3 days.
  • You will need to bring your library card with you or know your card number and PIN to use the lockers.
  • When you arrive at the locker, scan your library card or use the touch screen to enter your card number on the screen.
  • Enter your PIN then follow the prompts on the screen.
  • A locker will open for you to retrieve your items. Your items are checked out to you when the locker opens.
  • Please remove all items and close the locker. Do not leave any returns in the locker; use the book return to return items.

Returning Materials

  • Please use the Library’s book drop for all material returns. The book drop is located next to the pickup lockers.
A photograph of the library's pickup lockers, located against the rear of the building on the sidewalk next to the book drop.
Pickup Lockers are located at the rear of the Plain City Public Library

Storytime Kits

Storytime Kits are designed to make PCPL’s in-person and online Storytime experience more engaging for children by introducing interactive early learning activities. These kits are appropriate for children ages 2-5 and include instruments and manipulatives that will be used at least once throughout PCPL’s seasonal Storytime sessions.

Storytime Kits are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Visit the library during open hours (Monday-Thursday 10am-8pm, Friday-Saturday 10am-5pm) to pick up your child’s Storytime Kit. Kits may not be reserved.

Each of these items will be used in storytime sessions throughout the year but feel free to explore and play with them anytime! Below are some suggested activities to go along with each item. Have fun playing and learning!

Rhythm stick activities: https://teaching2and3yearolds.com/easy-rhythm-sticks-activities-toddlers-preschoolers/

Egg shaker activities: https://picklebums.com/music-shakers/

Bean bag activities: https://www.ot-mom-learning-activities.com/bean-bag-games.html

Ribbon wand activities: http://www.beactivekids.org/assets/pdf/RibbonActivities.pdf

Silk scarf activities: http://www.thekavanaughreport.com/2019/01/play-silks-and-why-we-love-them.html

Storytime Kits are funded in part through a federal Institute of Museum and Library Services LSTA grant awarded by the State Library of Ohio.

Updated 11/15/21

BookFlix Digital Resource for Kids

Good news—the Plain City Public Library has subscribed to a fun new reading program that children and their caregivers can access from home! Scholastic BookFlix is an online literacy resource that pairs classic animated stories from with thematically aligned nonfiction ebooks to build a love of reading and learning.

This engaging digital resource for children in grades PreK–3 will help early readers develop and practice essential reading skills, and introduces them to a world of knowledge and exploration.

Your children can access Scholastic BookFlix anywhere there is an internet connection – it’s like having access to the library’s collection 24 hours a day, seven days a week! BookFlix includes:
• 135 classic animated stories, each paired with a related nonfiction ebook
• Spanish language versions of 37 pairs of fiction and nonfiction
• Read-aloud supports so students can hear each book narrated, and also hear definitions of key
words and directions for each activity
• Educational puzzlers so children can show what they have learned
• Safe, age-appropriate web links so kids can extend their learning on a topic
• Meet the Creator section to learn more about each fiction book

Scholastic BookFlix is specifically created to support non-, beginning, and reluctant readers—it’s the perfect resource for independent reading practice at the library and at home!

To get started, click on the BookFlix logo below. You’ll be prompted to enter your Plain City Public Library card number. Then read, listen, and enjoy!