If you like to play chess, the Hays Public Library is the place to be this week. The annual chess tournament is Wednesday morning. Participants will want to check in by 9:30 a.m., and play will get underway at 10 a.m.

Since the first week of June, chess teacher Randy Brull has been giving lessons. His chess teaching in the library's children's department has become an institution. The students are learning, improving and having fun.

Chess is bigger in Kansas than you might have ever known.

The central Kansas town of Lindsborg is home to the Anatoly Karpov International School of Chess, along with the Kansas Chess Association. Karpov was a seven-time world chess champion.

Last week, the annual Kansas Chess Open and Quick Championships were in Lindsborg.

How did Lindsborg get all this chess attention? According to the school's website, Karpov visited Lindsborg in December 2002. He was looking for a quiet place to train for his upcoming match in New York with Grandmaster Garry Kasparov. Grandmaster Alex Onischuk had played in several international tournaments in Lindsborg, so he suggested to Karpov that it would be a good place to train. Karpov was impressed with the town and its people, so it was no surprise when he decided to establish his first U.S. chess school in Lindsborg. Karpov has his schools in 15 countries.

Karpov appointed Mikhail Korenman as director of his school. Korenman was born in Russia, and he attended school there before emigrating to the U.S. and Manhattan. He attended Kansas State University, where he eventually obtained a doctor of philosophy. He organized a number of prestigious tournaments and matches. These included the famous Karpov Polgar Clash of the Titans match, Final Four Collegiate Chess Championship, U.S. Junior Open, U.S. Junior Invitational, Pan American Collegiate Championship, Kansas Open, and several international and scholastic tournaments. He was named Organizer of the Year in 2004 by the U.S. Chess Federation, and Lindsborg was named Chess City of the Year.

Korenman, in conjunction with the Lindsborg USD 400 school district, established chess as a for-credit class in the Lindsborg schools, a first in the state of Kansas.

Lindsborg might be big in chess, but the Hays Public Library children's department is ready for chess action this week.

For more information on other activities at the library this week, go to our website, www.hayspublib.org.

Children's department summer program ending party

Join us from noon to 2 p.m. Friday. Hot dogs, chips, cookies and drinks will be served. Activities including balloon tying by Big Red the Clown.

Ending party passes will be necessary to attend and can be picked up in the children's department. Friday will also be our Scholastic Literacy Partnership book distribution day.

Children preschool through fifth grade will be able to select a book to keep as their own.

Friends of the library

Bookstore

Books, Etc, the bookstore of the Friends of the Hays Public Library, is open from 1 to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Members of the Friends continue to receive a 10-percent discount on all book purchases from the store.

Children's department

Special events

* At 10 a.m. Monday, Dig It, with Stacy Campbell, Ellis County Extension agriculture agent.

* At 2 p.m. Monday, Creepy Crawlies with Holly Dickman, Ellis County Extension horticulture agent.

Youth chess lessons and tournament

The annual chess tournament is Wednesday. Call the children's department at (785) 625-5916 for more information.

Youth bingo

Children will enjoy coming to the library to play bingo from 2 to 3 p.m. Thursday. Prizes are given to the winner of each game.

Adult department

Adult computer classes

Free classes to help you learn and have fun from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sign up in advance. Call (785) 625-9014.

Feed and Film

The films begin at 12:05 p.m. Wednesdays in the library's main floor gallery. They last about an hour. Bring your lunch and a cup -- coffee is provided. This week, join us for "Chasing Churchill," part three.

YA department

Weekly programs

* Mondays -- Drama at 2 p.m. and games at 3 p.m.

* PS2 and Wii Tuesdays at 2 p.m.

* Wavering Wednesdays -- Quidditch at Massey Park at 10, and drama production at 2 p.m.

* Make and Take Thursdays -- 2 p.m. at Simply Charmed.

* Friday -- Program ending party from 2 to 4 p.m.

Kansas Room

Travel in Kansas is the theme for the July book display. Some of our fun travel postcards and other tourism items will also be on display.

Brandon Hines is the children's department librarian at the Hays Public Library.