City of Stillwater NEWS | For Immediate Release

Stillwater Public Library at 1107 S. Duck Street in Stillwater, Okla. For more information, call (405) 372-3633 or e-mail askalibrarian@stillwater.org or visit the library online at library.stillwater.org. Library programs are co-sponsored by KOSU 91.7 fm

Learn origami at the Stillwater Public Library March 31

(STILLWATER, OKLA. / March 8, 2009) – Origami, the ancient art of paper folding, will be taught by Stillwater resident Kiem Ta at the Stillwater Public Library Wednesday, March 31 at 6:30 p.m.

Participants can expect to learn the history of origami and the basic folds and creases used in the art.  Ta will demonstrate how to make several figures and then help participants fold origami figures such as a lily flower, crane, swan, and nesting boxes.

“In my homeland, we learn origami informally in first and second grades,” said Ta.  “We learn more from siblings and friends afterward.  Mastering origami is a great lifelong learning opportunity.”

Ta recommends reading the story of “Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes” by Eleanor Coerr prior to the class.  Sadako was a little girl who lived through the bombing of Hiroshima, but was dying from leukemia caused by radiation.  Sadako follows the advice of an ancient Japanese legend that says one wish will be granted to anyone who folds one thousand origami cranes.  The library has copies of the book for check out.

The Stillwater Public Library also has a wide array of origami instruction books including many that were donated to the library from the public library in Stillwater’s sister city, Kameoka, Japan.  Those books are located in the multi-language section of the library while many others are located at the call number 736 in both the adult and children sections.  Some stand-out titles include:

• “Origami Jewelry” by Ayako Brodek which shows how to make beads, earrings, and pins out of origami figures.

• “The Origami Handbook” by Rick Biech which demonstareates how to make origami toys and geometric figues, as well as traditional shapes.

• “Origami” by Irmgard Kneissler which has very large and easy to understand illustrations of basic origami designs.

Participants should each bring a full sized pencil to the origami class.  The program is free and open to anyone 12 years old and older.

For more information, visit library.stillwater.org, call the Help Desk at 405-372-3633, ext.106 or e-mail askalibrarian@stillwater.org.

The Stillwater Public Library is located at 1107 S. Duck St. (the corner of Duck and 12th Ave.). Library hours are Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.  Library programs are sponsored by Friends of the Library and KOSU. 

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Contact: Sherry Fletcher, Director of Marketing and Public Relations
Phone: 405.742.8362
E-mail: sfletcher@stillwater.org
Web: stillwater.org