Date & Time: Thursday, January 5 @ 3:30pm-5:00pm

Description: Ready, set, decorate! The library will be hosting cupcake wars in the teen room. We will provide plain, undecorated cupcakes, frosting, and toppings -- ranging from candy to carrots! Participants will be given 20 minutes to decorate their cupcakes and compete for top place in categories such as "Most Unique" and "Scariest!"; winners will be given a cupcake from our neighborhood bakery and of course, can eat their prize winning cupcake as well! 

Inspired by: https://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/2013/08/ya-friday-cupcake-wars.html

Staffing: 1 Youth Services Librarian and 1 additional library staff member.

Budget: $60 for cupcakes and decorating supplies

Date & Time: Tuesday, January 17 @ 5:00pm - 7:00pm

Description: We are lucky to be kicking off the year with a local Bay Area celebrity - Samin Nosrat! She will discuss her path to becoming a chef, how to cook seasonably with California produce, and will walk us through how to prepare a winter citrus salad.

Take Home Option: If you are interested in cooking or baking but don't have the right supplies at home, come checkout one of our cooking kits. You can check out cookbooks, materials, and library recommended recipes. All you need are the ingredients! 

Inspired by: https://www.somervillepubliclibrary.org/ell-citizenship/ell-kits

Staffing: 1 librarian to moderate the discussion, with 2 additional library staff members assisting during the cooking demonstration.

Budget: $200 for salad ingredients; Samin has graciously donated her time and is not charging a speaking fee.

Come guess how many hamburger erasers are in the jar! Winner takes home the jar contents and a book. 

If you are unable to visit the library to guess in person, a picture of the jar and its contents is posted on IPL's Facebook page, and guesses can be submitted using our guessing form found here.

Good luck!