Toddlers Catching the Scarf

Catching the Scarf Counting Game

Courtland Library hosts bilingual storytimes every week. Our built-in audience comes from the Courtland YMCA Day Care Center which is within walking distance. Puppets, feltboard stories, and the ever-popular I Know a Chicken song and dance are weekly favorites. In the photo, the toddlers are "Catching the Scarf", a counting game that we play.


The YMCA Day Care Center closes for the winter, to reopen this February, so things will slow down soon at our branch. But until then, these little ones will be weekly patrons of the Courtland Library.

-Sally Sweeny, 

Branch Supervisor, Courtland Library.

Courtland Library’s Picnic- Worthy Trellis and Patio

"Come to our little ol’ Courtland Library to see our fabulous new trellis and patio. This addition finishes up the expansion, funded by a Community Block Grant that began in spring 2009. The expansion took Courtland Library from 1,365 square feet to 2,325 square feet. A new public access door was added to the west side of the building which leads to the new patio and parking lot. This will be a wonderful place for our after-hours patrons to enjoy the branch’s free Wi-Fi Internet signal. The finishing touch will be the installation of two wheelchair accessible picnic tables: a picnic-worthy spot near the near the Sacramento River."

Sally Sweeny, Branch Supervisor, Courtland Library

Shark Splash at Courtland

Shark Splash Players

"It’s not too late to catch Shark Splash! A Traveling, Dancing, Book Bash. Saturday was “opening night” at Courtland Library. The SPL Players ( Diane Christensen, Tim Tomasik, Jamie Trawick, and Sally Sweeny) starred as the cast of Punia and the King of Sharks, based on an old Hawaiian folk tale. Rivkah Sass had a guest starring role as the village chief, and past Youth Services Directors Terry Chekon and Cathy Brown were guest stars, as well.

Village Chief

We really whooped it up with the interactive skit, dancing to the Hukilau, and finding lost treasure. The skit will be performed at the Galt-Marian O. Lawrence Library on June 15, North Sacramento-Hagginwood Library on July 21, and Del Paso Heights Library on July 22. The story of Punia can be found in Punia and the King of Sharks by Lee Wardlaw, and in Twenty Tellable Tales by Margaret Read MacDonald. Splash on!"

Sally Sweeny, Branch Supervisor, Courtland Library

Courtland Library Hosts Poetry Contest and Zine-It

Zine Program

Poetry Winners

"Courtland Library was busy in April with DIY and National Poetry Month. Teen shelver and zine artist Natalie Armstrong led a DIY Zine-It program after school on April 21. Five curious teens and tweens stopped by, and one of Natalie’s friends helped. Natalie brought several zines she created; plus, about a dozen zines she had traded. Courtland Library is fortunate to have such a talented artist in our midst.

We celebrated National Poetry Month with a Student Poetry Contest. One hundred and one students, all from Bates Elementary School, submitted poems. Jill Stockinger of Rancho Cordova Library and recently- retired Youth Services Manager Cathy Brown are both published poets who were the contest judges.

I had planned on giving one prize per-grade level, but Jill said, “Oh, no. That’s not enough. We need to give at least three at each grade level.” So our winners more than tripled. I announced the results at the Bates School assembly, and you could have heard a pin drop as students, staff, and parents waited to hear the names of the winners. Thank you, Jill and Cathy!"

Sally Sweeny, Branch Supervisor, Courtland Library

Courtland Welcomes New Year with Party Eyeglasses

"We had a wild New Year’s Eve party at the Courtland Library! I saw a picture of 2010 party glasses in The Sacramento Bee on Wednesday morning, and I thought, “I can make those.” So I started gathering stuff when I arrived at work. Library Director Rivkah Sass dropped by in the middle of all of the hulabaloo. Of course, Rivkah worked the circ desk while she was here. Our first patrons were making their 2010 glasses, just as Rivkah left.

We counted 23 revelers on December 30 who made 30 pairs of party glasses, and 21 human revelers and one pooch on December 31 who made 24 pairs of party glasses. We also served sparkling cider on New Year’s Eve. Who knew everyone in Courtland would want a pair of 2010 party glasses? Even Nonie Wetzel, president of the Courtland Library Friends, wanted two pairs. She took them to a New Year’s Eve party she attended. One of our newer patrons stopped in on Saturday and said he saw Nonie in her party glasses because he went to the same party. This New Year’s Eve, Courtland was a fashionable small town."

Sally Sweeny, Branch Supervisor, Courtland Library

Courtland Library Is a Big Community Hit!

"Since the Courtland Library initiated Saturday hours this summer, Sally Sweeny and the branch staff, including LSA Suzy Holmberg and shelver Alicia Nolasco, have been working hard to make sure the people of Courtland know they have a wonderful community library. Clearly, their efforts are paying off, as Saturday’s Halloween-themed program attracted 42 kids and 26 adults. Staff was left exhausted, but victorious."

Sarah Denton, Branch Services Manager

Hot Time at Courtland Library’s Reopening Celebration

Ribbon Cutting

"Braving the 102 F heat, the Courtland community celebrated the reopening of Courtland Library last Saturday afternoon (June 27) with great fanfare.

After the Sacramento Sheriff ’s Department color guard presented the American and California state flags, formal remarks were given by Linda Budge, Sacramento Public Library Authority Board chairperson; Pat Braziel, chief of staff for County Supervisor Don Nottoli; Library Deputy Director of Public Services Alison B. Landers; Sally Sweeny, Courtland Library supervisor; and Nonie Wetzel, Friends of Courtland Library president.

Branch staff eagerly waited for the 1:30 p.m. ribbon-cutting and their first library customers since the branch closed on April 4 for expansion and remodeling. Attendees were treated to the lively tunes of the New Holland Combine Band, face painter and balloon artist Blanca Rose, and tasty cake and refreshing lemonade provided by the branch Friends.

patrons enjoy the new space

Staff and branch Friends members also celebrated Courtland Library’s 100-year
anniversary, as the Delta river town branch started in 1909. A timeline was displayed of the branch’s first century of community service.

The library now has two-thirds more floor space, double the amount of public-access computers, a separate children’s and teen area, more space to display new books and materials, new furniture that can be moved to create program space, new exterior paint, and a new parking area."

Don Burns, Public Information Coordinator
Marketing Department