By Amber Covington

Rowan Public Library

Feeling the pressure of purchasing an expensive textbook for a class? Check out the free resources available to any patron of Rowan Public Library using Open Educational Resources available through NC Live.

The library is a member of NC Live which is a library consortium that provides shared services among 200 public and academic libraries across the state. Take advantage of these free services to locate textbooks, scholarly articles and research information for your class assignments.

Open Educational Resources Commons hosts vast amounts of resources created by authors across the globe to be shared with others. This website shares not only textbooks, but also lesson plans, syllabi, activities and assessments for all educational grade levels.

Subject areas include science, arts and humanities, business and communication, career and technical education, education, English language arts, history, law and mathematics. From the beginning, Open Education North Carolina has aimed to provide open textbooks for the most frequently-taught courses across the state’s two- and four-year colleges and universities. These classes are introductory levels of accounting, art, biology, communications, economics, English, history, math, psychology and sociology.

Faculty, instructors and library staff of North Carolina colleges are encouraged to apply for an adoption grant to receive funding for offering their textbook online through NC Live’s Open Education North Carolina. If interested, attend an upcoming workshop to learn how to adopt an open textbook. Anyone can take advantage of resources that are available online by searching the content published, free of charge, on Open Education North Carolina at www.oercommons.org/hubs/oenc.

RPL Book Sale: Headquarters: Monday, 1-7 p.m., and Tueday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Browse RPL’s special midwinter Book Sale, held in the Stanback Auditorium. Items will be $2 or less on Monday, and all items will be half-price on Tuesday. When inventory is gone, the sale ends; a closing notice will be posted on www.RowanPublicLibrary.org. Call 704-216-8243 for more information.

Dr. Seuss Scavenger Hunt: Headquarters, through Feb. 28. Join us in celebrating Dr. Seuss’s birthday with a scavenger hunt featuring your favorite Dr. Seuss characters. Children who complete the hunt will be entered into a contest for a prize. For more information, call 704-216-8234.

Be My Valentine: East, through Feb. 28. Spread the love to different areas in the library with a Valentine’s Day Scavenger Hunt. Participants will be entered in a contest for a literary-themed prize. For more information, contact Tammie at 704-216-7842.

Games with Books: Headquarters, Feb. 9, 11 a.m. Have you ever played dominoes with books? What about book mini-golf? Children ages 3 to 10 are invited to join Mr. Robert and learn how to play. For more details, call 704-216-8234.

STEAM into Adventure: Bubbles and Wands, South, Feb. 9, 11 a.m. Make your very own homemade bubbles and wands. This STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) program is geared for ages 6 to 11. For more details, call 704-216-7229.

Random Fandom: Godzilla vs. King Kong, headquarters, Tuesday, 4-5:30 p.m.; Wednesday, 4-5:30 p.m., South; Thursday, 4-5 p.m., East. Which classic monster is the best? Pick a side, complete challenges and compete against other teens to see who wins. Questions? Call 704-216-8258.

Chapter Chats: East, meetings resume Feb. 12, 5:15-6 p.m. Weekly book club for teens 14-17, intended primarily for participants with developmental or intellectual disabilities, though all are welcome. For more details, contact Tammie at 704-216-7842.

Blind Date with a Book: East, Feb. 1-28. Life is full of surprises. All ages are welcome to experience the mystery of checking out an unknown book and discovering what’s under the wrapping. For more details, call 704-216-7842.

Creating Digital Flyers: Headquarters, Tuesday, 6-7 p.m. Learn how to create a flyer using the online website Canva.com and Microsoft Publisher. Participants will also learn about free images and free image editing websites. This program is appropriate for all ages and skill levels. Meet in the computer lab on the second floor. For more details, call 704-216-8242.

Lunch at the Library: East, Feb. 8, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Enjoy a clean, Wi-Fi-accessible, peaceful place to enjoy your lunch. The East Branch meeting room will be open. Lunch not provided, but tables, chairs and ambiance supplied. While in the library, check out upcoming programs and free resources. For more details, call 704-216-7840.

Catching Fish Using Science: South, Feb. 9, 11 a.m. From hatchery to table, North Carolina provides some of finest fishing opportunities around. Kevin Hining of N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission will share scientific secrets behind local fish, their life cycles, their habits and some tips on bringing in the catch. Light refreshments provided. Bring family and friends and wear your fishing hat. Free, all ages welcome. Registration required; call Paulette at 704-216-7731 or email Paulette.Stiles@rowancountync.gov to reserve your seat.

February book discussion: Headquarters, Feb. 12, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Learn about the past experiences of John Lewis by reading “March: Book One.” Published in 2013, this graphic novel grips readers from middle school ages to adult. Learn about the 1960s Civil Rights movement that changed the landscape of the South. All may attend and join the discussion, even if they have not read the book in advance. Limited copies of the book are available for check out. To reserve a copy, please call 704-216-8242 or email Amber.Covington@rowancountync.gov.

Displays: Headquarters, log cabins by North Hills Christian School; East, Sherlock Holmes by Cathy Woods; South, student art from Corriher-Lipe Middle School art classes.

Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.