Soeman HS Library
Pekanbaru, Indonesia

Soeman HS Library is a library and community center in Pekanbaru, the capital city of Riau Province on the island of Sumatra. Built in 2008, the Library has a number of facilities including an auditorium, an atrium, meeting rooms, a small mosque, and a café. Works of literature related to Malay culture are stored in a special room known as the Malay Chambers. The Library is named after the Riau author/poet, Soeman Hasibuan (1904-1999), known f0r his detective fiction and short stories.

The high pillars that support the roof of the Library reflect the design of a traditional Malay house. The shape of the roof suggests an open book, but the architects intended it to refer to a rehal, a lectern on which to display the Qur'an during recitations. Used historically for many generations in South Asian and Arab countries, rehals ensured respect for holy books (such as the Qur'an in Islam, the Ramayana in Hinduism, the Japji Sahib in Sikhism, and the Bible in Christianity) by keeping them elevated off the floor.

Sip and Splash: Hand-painted holiday cards and tags with Leslie Watkins
Thursday, December 7, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Kick off the holiday season with your creativity and a glass of wine by the cozy fire at the Norfolk Library. You’ll make beautiful holiday note cards and gift tags using stamped images… no drawing required. Bring your friends and your own watercolors if you have them; other materials will be supplied. Beginner watercolor kits will also be available for purchase. Registration here is appreciated.

Poetry Café: "Stars"
Wednesday, December 13, 6:00 p.m

Take a time-out during the busy holiday season, and join us for our mid-month Poetry Café by the fire in the Great Hall. Bring a poem to read, either one you've read or written, and come ready to listen to and enjoy poetry. There will not be a formal discussion on the pieces, rather time to celebrate and share the poetry that we love. Each month will feature a different theme, and December's theme is "stars." This could be a holiday symbol, an astronomical object, or the shining star in your life. Please register here. A Zoom link is available for this meeting. To receive it, please email the [email protected] after registering.

And the winner is...

Visit here to find out more about this beloved children's classic picture book and the author, Margaret Wise Brown, who didn't live long enough to see its phenomenal success. She died in 1952 at the age of 42.

Click here to Read More Information About The Norfolk Library Night Owl - December 1, 2023