By By ERIN VER BERKMOES / Niles Daily Star
NILES - Look no further than the Niles District Library to help cheer up those gray boring winter days.
Throughout the months of January and February the Children's Department at the library will be having activities which fit everyone's fancy.
January is Michigan month. There will be take-home goodies available at the Michigan display for all who venture in and everyone is encouraged to read books by Michigan authors.
With school being out for the holidays many children may be sitting at home “bored” with nothing to do.
During the week of Jan. 3 through 7, check out Bored? Week in the children's department.
For those who are looking for a bit more challenging activity, check out the Chess Club on Saturdays, Jan. 7 and 21 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The activity is open to kids and adults and those who are beginners or experts at the game of chess.
An activity which is fun for the whole family is the family storytime. The Little Critter books are the feature of January's event which takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday Jan. 12.
There is also a new theme for the preschool storytime with “Where the Action is.” Storytime is on Wednesdays at 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. and also at 1:30 p.m.
The topic on Jan. 4 will be football. Basketball will be the focus on Jan. 18. The kids will learn about baseball on Jan. 25, gymnastics on Feb. 1 and bowling on Feb. 8.
January will also bring a new art exhibit to the Eleanor and Mowitt Drew Gallery. An exhibit titled “Modern Werks” &“The Spectral Show”, will feature paintings and drawings from artists Jorge Bosque of Niles and Brian M. Tibury of Edwardsburg and run from Jan. 10 through Feb. 22.
Librarian Mickie Spencer, coordinator of the library's art exhibits describes Bosque's drawings and paintings primarily as geometric forms with an emphasis on clean lines and hard edges. His main medium is acrylic paint, colored pencil and ink.
The Niles resident was born in Cuba and raised in Michigan. He majored in the arts at Southwestern Michigan College and Western Michigan University.
Tibury's work is described as layered acrylic which explores modern themes of a post 9/11 world and is inherently interactive.
The Eleanor and Mowitt Drew Gallery is located in the library's rotunda. Exhibits can be viewed Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.