TML Library Notes

The library was recently awarded a Minnesota Historical & Cultural Grant which was made possible by the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund the vote of Minnesotans on November 4, 2008, administered by the Minnesota Historical Society. This grant is a part of the Minnesota History Bookshelf and that is exactly what we received; books on Minnesota History. The grant was valued at about $700 and included 32 wonderful books including titles such as “Explorers of the Mississippi” by Timothy Severin, “Old Rail Fence Corners: Frontier Tales told by Minnesota Pioneers” Edited by Lucy Leavenworth Wilder Morris, “A Sesquicentennial History Minnesota Hail to Thee!” by Karal Ann Marling and “Dakota Life in the Upper Midwest” by Samuel W. Pond and a host of others.

The Arts & Cultural Heritage Funds have had a tremendous impact on our library; funding events such as field trips, concerts in the lawn, books, and guest speakers. We hope you will get in on the action by participating in some of our upcoming events and please invite your friends and family, we truly welcome everyone. Minnesota Author, Dave Kenney, will be speaking at the library on Thursday, September 16^th at 7:00 p.m. and we will be hosting a 1940’s dance featuring Christine Rosholt on Saturday, September 18^th at the Barrett Pavilion (doors open at 7:00 dance begins at 8:00). The Friends of the Library will be selling refreshments at the dance.

Often times groups or organizations are looking for board members or volunteers to help serve on boards or volunteer at events and sometimes we continue to ask the same people or look to our same circle of contacts, which results in us tapping into other local human resources that may be in our community but that we are unaware of; so please speak up. If you are interested in serving on a committee, board, volunteering at an event or joining an organization please don’t wait let someone know. Often our groups continue to recycle the same people and I know through conversation that there are many talented and generous people that we somehow miss so let us know about you.

Our field trips scheduled for October are filling up quickly so don’t wait too much longer to sign up if you are interested. Keep up to date with library happenings by reading your local newspaper and visiting our webpage at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org

There is a certain charm to small town life that I absolutely love. Of course this charm doesn’t just happen, it is a result of the kindness and generosity and colorful flavor of the locals. This past week marked the last in our summer concert series at the library and we had asked for volunteers to come and play this final week for a jam session. If you were here you got in on some fantastic music, people have been raving about the last concert which featured the talent of Anne O’Flynn, Bruce Kelly, Neal Nelson and Chris Ray. I am so thankful that these four showed up and were willing play for entire two hours, while some of them had never played together before and for some they had never before played a few of the songs yet, they sounded amazing. It was really their generosity to play for free for two hours that inspired me. These are people who are incredibly busy, yet to help us out this week they shared their amazing talent with the public; I am so very thankful that they were willing to share their gifts.

The next couple of weeks and months are going to be extremely busy at the library so hold on and make a list:

Free Dance Lessons: Thursdays, September 2, 9 & 16 from 7:00 to 8:30 call or email for more information. Free 1940’s dance featuring Christine Rosholt on Saturday, September 18 at 8:00 at the Barrett Pavilion. Guest speaker Dave Kenney author of “Minnesota Goes to War” will be at the library Thursday, September 16 at 7:00 p.m. We have field trips to the Minnesota Science Museum on Saturday, October 2 and a trip to the Minnesota history center on Saturday October 9. Please contact the library for more information on these and other events, all of which are free thanks to State Legacy funds.

Children’s story time beings Thursday, September 9 and will be held at 2:00 and again at 6:30. The book and film series will also be meeting this month on the first and fourth Tuesday.

Looking for something to read? How about a little Minnesota history, the library recently received a Minnesota book shelf grant which added 32 books to our collection on Minnesota history.

The back to school rush is on, it’s not just a rush to get to school but to actually do all of those things you thought you could squeeze into summer before summer ends. I don’t mean necessarily summer the official season but you know the by Labor Day push. The nice thing about September in Minnesota is that it can be the best time of year for a hike, a boat ride a camping trip or a picnic. From personal experience I can also state that September is a great time of year to sit on my front porch and read a book (I am so hoping that I get a chance to do just that).

We have some fantastic upcoming speakers and special events including author of “Minnesota Goes to War,” Dave Kenney will be speaking at the library on Thursday, September 16 at 7:00, it is a rare and wonderful opportunity to have Dave Kenney here so please make sure to join us that evening. Our big 1940s dance will be help on Saturday, September 18^th at the Barrett Pavilion starting at 8:00 p.m. These free events are sponsored by “a partnership between Minnesota Regional Public Libraries and the Minnesota Historical Society. Made possible by the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the vote of Minnesotans on November, 42008.” What’s more, we are actually going to be sponsoring free dance lessons before the dance. The dance lessons will be an intro to East Cost Swing and will be held September 2, 9, & 16from 7:00 to 8:30 this is a great opportunity to learn a new dance or brush up on your existing skills. The location of the lessons is pending.

As we prepare to spend the next year learning more about “The Greatest Generation” through films, lectures, field trips and other special events remember that we have a great selection of books about World War II and the people who served at home and abroad.

The book club is also getting into the spirit of the series by reading Marge Piercy’s “Gone to Soldiers.” Marge Piercy is a fabulous writer, you will want to add this book to your list.

Every day I run across countless books I would love to read. Sometimes it’s while reading reviews and going through catalogs that I find my self saying, “I want to read that book and that book and of course that book.” It is also when a new delivery comes in that I am tempted to check out every new book because they all so tempting. I am also drawn to books when shelving materials or weeding the stacks. Sometimes when I see someone else check out a book I think to myself, “I wish I was checking that out.” I like to read and I can find something appealing about most any book.

When reading book reviews and perusing catalogs I often am not thinking so much about what I want to read, but what our patrons want to read. You see, many of you I know quite well and I run across new releases by authors I know you always read, or I stumble across a subject matter that I know a certain someone may find very interesting; or I might remember something you asked about once and what do you know, finally a book about that very subject. When ever we order books, movies, audio books, magazines, and newspapers we are thinking about you. Keep in mind that you actually comes in all sizes and ages with all sorts of different tastes in literature. We order materials for a patron base that ranges in age from newborns to those on the higher end of the age range and everyone in-between. If you’ve ever had a friend recommend a book that they loved and you ended up hating it, keep in mind we are ordering for both of you. One book doesn’t necessarily please everybody and some times one book only please one person you just really never know.

Here is an example of some books on our shelves each title is very diverse and will appeal to someone out there. “Pomme De Terre: a Novel of the Minnesota Uprising” by Candace Simar who also wrote “Abercrombie Trail.” This book is going to appeal to a lot local readers because of its local setting; it will also appeal to history buffs. “Fifth Ave 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman” by Sam Wasson this is a book I might be tempted to read as would a person interested in Audrey Hepburn or Hollywood, movie trivia, pop culture or a piece of non-fiction that reads like fiction. “The One Straw Revolution: An Introduction to Natural Farming” by Masanobu Fukuoka this may appeal to anyone interested in agriculture, organic farming, food in general and traditional methods of farming. For fiction please consider “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein may be the book for you if you like dogs (that’s just about everyone), automobile racing, or just a quality story about a dog and his man told by the dog. I have actually received only good reviews about this book.

Let’s take a look at some more nonfiction because these books can be so fascinating and open up your world in ways you never imagined. Consider Sam Kean’s “The Disappearing Spoon: and Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the history of the world from the Periodic Table of the Elements” how could anyone resist a book with a title like that? I certainly can’t and anyone with the slightest bit of interest in science will want to pick this gem up. I would list the titles of the chapters because they are so intriguing but I really think you stop in and check it out yourself. Lately there has been a lot of talk about ants; ants in kitchens, ants in yards I even heard a very interesting discussion about ants on MPR. As luck would have it, there are a couple of new books out on ants; one by ant expert E.O. Wilson which is a book of fiction titled “Anthill.” The other a work of nonfiction called “Adventures Among Ants: a Global Safari with a Cast of Trillions” by another ant expert “Mark W. Moffett which happens to include an endorsement by E.O. Wilson (the ant world it appears is small). Don’t just try to fight the Ants learn a bit about them, they are fascinating.

You can find out what’s going on at the library by visiting our webpage at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org there are many links on our webpage that you will find useful not the least of which is the library’s blog. Our blog will give you much more indepth book, movie, music and periodical reviews. Of course you can also friend us on Facebook for the most recent information on just about everything.

By all accounts it appears that this might have been one of the best and busiest Flekkefests of all times. Clearly the weather was on our side, well at least for most of the events. It is truly amazing to me how many people pull together to make Flekkefest happen, everywhere you look your friends and neighbors are pitching in at some activity. Hat of to Elbow Lake, you certainly know who to through a party.

The library benefited tremendously from the generosity of people who donated books to our used book sale and volunteered time working at our different events. Thank you to this most generous community for all that you do to support the library.

Even though August marks the beginning of the end in reference to summer, remind yourself daily that summer is not over, we still have plenty of free time and sun time left to enjoy, so make the most of it. Try your best to spend as much time as possible outdoor. If you haven’t read as many books as you would have liked this summer, there is still time for that too. The library orders in new books on an almost weekly basis. When you see a new book released you can bet it will be on the library’s shelves, of course the early bird gets the worm so new books are checked out rapidly. If you can’t wait to get your hands on a new release I suggest visiting our online catalog at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org and placing a hold on what it is you are looking for.

Our book club and film series does run through the summer so be sure to stop by the library and check out the reading list, there are some fabulous books to choose from including the current “All About Love: New Visions” by Bell Hooks and next months “Gone to Soldiers” by Marge Piercy. The film series featured a modern version of “Romeo and Juliet” which I highly recommend; to hear more about what I have to say about the film check out the library’s blog which you can do by visiting our webpage.

The library’s blog give library staff a chance to comment on what they are reading, listening to and watching check it out to learn more about our individual tastes.

This fall story time will be held on Thursdays at 2:00 & 6:30 we hope you will plan your week to fit story time in because reading with children is so very important and our story time totally rocks! Speaking of rocking, music in front of the library continues through August so join us on your lunch break to listen to some of our fabulously talented community members and connect with your friends and neighbors.

I am writing this on Thursday night, as you may recall the tornado sirens went off that evening. The library does have an emergency plan in place when dangerous weather approaches, we cannot promise safety but we can certainly do our best. Thursdays bad weather came during our Children’s Story Time, which was themed about water safety and featured members of the Grant County Sheriff’s department, pretty good company when bad weather in on the horizon.

We invited library patrons to join us in a closet in the basement and two things really worked out to our advantage; one there was a piano in the closet and two we happened to have a fabulous piano player with us. The library does have emergency plans and procedures and so should you. If you can remove the element of surprise or uncertainty from something you can also remove a great deal of the fear. Every year we review our emergency policies and procedures and good things too, as a co-worker pointed out a couple of things had changed and I hadn’t yet noted those changes. Make sure you and your kids have a plan for emergency situations and take a minute each year to review the plan to help reduce chaos.

We are continuing to try to meet our match for the donation to be used towards our computer lab remodel. I really believe we can do this and I actually thought we could do it in two weeks but it has certainly been more than two weeks and we still have a ways to go. A number of people have indicated to me that they are intending to donate and I know how that goes, you mean to but then we get busy with what we are doing and it slips our mind. At this point I am suggesting that if you want to make a donation to the computer lab project you should stop reading and head to the library. You can come back home and finish reading the paper after you have made your donation. I mean it now, really put down the paper and go to the library; the paper will still be there when you get home; unless of course someone quickly puts it in the recycling pile but you can always pull it out of there.

In all seriousness if you or your child, grandchild, neighbor or friend has ever used a library consider making a donation. If you think it is important that all people have access to computer technology for homework, information, communicating or furthering their education please consider making a donation. If you think Elbow Lake and Grant County are great places to live and you want to continue to strengthening this community please consider donating. All amounts of donations will help tremendously.

Please remember to join us on Wednesdays from 11:00 to 1:00 for a free noon time concert featuring some of the wonderfully talented musicians of our area.

Making a difference can seem like a huge undertaking, but in truth sometimes very simple actions by just one individual can have a tremendous impact or be the beginning of a rippling effect that lead to a new way of thinking, social change or an advancement in technology.

For instance you, like me, might be thinking you’d like to lend a hand or in some way be useful in the oil spill clean up effort in Louisiana. We can certainly send a check to an organization that maybe doing some meaningful work in the region but what can we do long running. There are a number of things you can do to tell you the truth but I’m only going to focus on one small habit you can develop that can have a long term positive impact. It is so simple and many of us have taken the first step in this initiative but we are coming up short on the follow through. I am urge you use those reusable bags you have been collecting. Many businesses have given the reusable bags away as promotions so or we have picked one up in the checkout line to avoid having to add one of those pesky little plastic bags to our masses at home.

What’s the problem with those little plastic grocery bags and how do they impact the environment? I’m so glad you asked. First off the manufacturing of plastic bags requires millions of gallons of petroleum, just furthering our dependence on oil an out of date fossil fuel. Consider these statistics from the webpage <http://greenerloudoun.wordpress.com/2008/02/20/no-future-for-plastic-bags> “Plastic bags are typically thrown away after one use, do not break down easily in the environment, fill landfills, and float into trees, rooftops, roadways and oceans. Americans throw away almost 100 billion plastic bags every year, and only 1 percent to 3 percent are recycled, leaving the rest to clog streams, foul landscapes, and kill birds and marine mammals. Is paper better than plastic? Paper bags, which many people consider a better alternative to plastic bags, carry their own set of environmental problems. For example, according to the American Forest and Paper Association, in 1999 the U.S. alone used 10 billion paper grocery bags, which adds up to a lot of trees. And some industry reps say it takes more energy to recycle a paper bag vs. plastic.”

If you are wondering how the bags kill foul, check out the pictures on the above mentioned website. I am happy to report that some cities are banning the use of plastic bags and or charging customers $1.00 for each bag. I totally support both practices buy heavily lean towards the banning of.

By using reusable bags, something that used to be the norm a few decades back, we need to create a new habit, sometimes in an effort to create a new habit we have to discipline ourselves. Here a few suggestions I have garnered from other people. As soon as you unpack your groceries take the empty reusable bags back to your car so they are there for the next time you are at the market. Another great suggestion, when you are at the store and realize your bags are in the car, force yourself to go back out and get them; even if you are in the checkout line with people behind you (sometimes embarrassment is the best motivator).

My family and I are pretty much bag people, to tell you the truth, I feel totally embarrassed and a b it ashamed if I don’t have my reusable bags with me at the market. I’d rather carry each item individually to the car than take a plastic bag home with me.

I have amassed a large collection of these reusable bags, we them for all types of marketing, traveling, trips to the library and outings. The library gave away hundreds of bags at the F.U.N. Expo in the spring and it totally makes my day every time I see one return to the public library to be refilled with books, audios, magazines, and movies. So how easy is it to make a difference in the world? Pretty easy, just keep using those reusable bags and don’t be caught with one of those plastic bags that kill animals and harms the environment, I mean really who wants to be known as one of those people.

For great books on environmental issues, art from recycled materials, animals, plants, hiking, climbing, boating and enjoying the great outdoors visit your local public library. Check us out online at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org

Please join us on Thursday, July 8^th at 7:30 for an Artist Reception featuring the work of Jane Gardner. Jane will speak briefly about her artwork and be available to answer questions about her work. Some of Jane’s paintings will be available for purchase and the exhibit will remain on display for about three months. This is the first in what will be a series of quarterly art exhibits held at the library.

From the time our kids are born we want to give them every advantage that we possibly can. We sign them up for so many activities that we run ourselves raged trying to get from place to place (guilty as charged). Some people purchase materials such as “Baby Einstein” for their kids and others purchase phonic games expensive software and sign them up for special camps. The simple truth of the matter is most of miss the most obvious and easiest way of all to help give our kids and advantage. When I use the phrase “our kids” I am talking about our actually kids, grandkids, nieces or nephews, children of friends, basically kids in general, because we all have a vested interest in the success of the next generation. The best advantage you can give children is to read to them. Study after study has shown the positive impact reading aloud to children has on brain development, pre-reading skills, which eventually leads to reading, vocabulary, creativity and even self-esteem. Best of all reading is basically free, if you use the public library you really have no end to the number of books you can checkout for free.

We are not all natural readers and not everyone enjoys reading as much as others, but I think those of us who can read are very glad we are able. Throughout our entire lives we will need to read instructions, letters, directions, job applications and a host of other things. Whether or not reading becomes a hobby or passion is entirely up to you but the ability to read, read well and comprehend what you read is only strengthened by actually reading. So you can purchase educational software, movies and games there is after all, probably no harm done but the truth is, it may not be all that much help. Actually reading to and with a child will make all of the difference in the world.

Believe it or not you should start reading to your children as soon as they are born or even before if you’d like.

We have some great bookmarks at the library that are put out by the Minnesota Library Association that explain the pre-reading skills that you are building. Let’s start by looking at print awareness which is noticing print. Yes, isn’t that simple point our letters and words everywhere you them and recognizing that we read from left to right and from top to bottom. Next we are going to look at letter knowledge which is knowing that letters look different from each other and have different names and sounds. It is really very simple isn’t it? Of course the best way to expose children to these concepts is through reading books. There are three other skills to tell you about but instead I’ll have you stop in and pick up the bookmarks that explain them so you can also check out some books.

Story time is an excellent way to get kids excited about reading and exposed to a variety of types of books. Our story time is held every Thursday at 2:00 and again at 6:30. Children also earn prizes for reading and get to take part in fun activities, games and art projects and all of this is free. This is also a great time for me to mention our “Read to Learn” backpacks; we currently have 57 theme related packs that help develop school readiness skills. Each pack contains between 10 and 15 items most of which are for children and some are for adults. Most of the adult materials are related to activities you can do with children to strengthen these skills. You can visit our webpage for more information about packs that are available and find out what other special activities are available for children at the library. This packs are also perfect if you are expecting company, if you have children visiting stop by the library to pick books and movies that they are sure to enjoy.

The staff at the library is skilled at recommending reading materials to people of all ages so do stop in and let us get started in located books for you and the children in your life.

I have some very exciting news to share with all of you. After last week’s Grant County Herald came out with the story about the remodeling of the computer lab, a person, who wishes to remain anonymous, contacted me to say that he would donate $1,500 to the project if the community at large donated the other $1,500 we need. Wow! That was my reaction (and probably yours) as I considered what a kind and generous gift this would be to our community.

I have complete faith in our community, I know that we can do this; we can certainly on a combined effort meet this challenge so that the remodeling of the computer lab becomes a reality.

For those of you who don’t know the history of the computer lab now might be the perfect time to share that story with you. A few years back you may recall that the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation was giving computers to libraries throughout the United States. They did this in stages and each library was eligible for a computer and each library system was eligible for a training lab, where classes could be offered and businesses or organizations could use the lab to train employees or group members. It turned out that with some very fast planning Elbow Lake would become the site for the Gates Training Lab for the Viking Library System.

When I say fast planning I mean we had about two weeks to get everyone on board and come up with a plan for the additional space we would need. Thankfully many businesses and organizations wrote letters of support and the library board and city council were in total support of the effort. This project meant that Tri-State Manufacturing and the Elbow Lake Police Department needed to relocate. The Economic Development Association agreed to fund the necessary remodeling project and help pay for the necessary furniture. Not long after that Runestone Telecom donated funds so that we could offer free high speed internet and they also donated money to be used to maintain and upgrade the lab as needed. If you know anything about technology you understand that it changes quickly and new hardware and software are needed from time to time.

What’s most interesting about this story to me is that it was donations, and community support that built the computer lab in the first place so how fitting that donations, grants, and community support can help us realize the next step of creating a more functional space that will have the potential to accommodate more users.

The computers in the lab are checked more than 9,000 times a year. People use our computers to search for information from online news sources, apply for jobs, connect with family and friends, create documents and presentations, use online databases, watch video clips, work on genealogy projects, shop, plan trips, take online classes, do homework and so much more. We have even partnered with West Central Area Schools Community Education to provide computer classes throughout the year.

The computer lab has helped to provide access to computer technology and the internet to those who may otherwise be without. In many ways the computer lab and all it offers has helped to shrink the digital divide. Without doubt the computer lab has enriched the lives of those in our community and with the tremendous generosity coming our way it can continue to do so for many years to come.

So, the challenge is on. We need to raise $1,500 and the sooner the better. If you are willing to contribute to this effort we would be grateful. We will have a special donation jar set up in the library and checks can be made out to the Elbow Lake Public Library please indicate that your donation is specifically for the computer lab remodeling challenge so that we can designate and track these funds. If we exceed our goal we will place funds into our computer lab fund to be used for continued hardware, software and related lab needs.

On a side note, this coming Wednesday, June 30 at 2:000 we will be featuring the magician “The Great Brodini.” Please plan to attend this event which if funded with State Legacy funds and the Viking Library System.

The early 60’s are back in big way and that is mostly due to the popularity of AMC’s new television series “Mad Men.” This is a very addictive television series, due mostly to its exquisite writing and storyline. I am looking for the right adjective to describe the storyline and I just can’t come up with one. It’s different then compelling, but is something. Intelligent might work, it’s a smart show.

From top to bottom “Mad Men” has it going on, a complex story line, but not in a confusing way, in an in-depth way. The characters are real, and complex and everyone as a back story, just like in real life. No one is a cardboard cut out and while I loath so many things about many of the characters, in so many ways they are likeable or evoke empathy.

Then there is the premise; people who work in advertising in Manhattan in the early 1960’s. There is so much to this; like the complexity of the male / female relationship in the workplace. This show makes we want to stand up and cheer every feminist that came before me and worked so hard to make sure women could hold any job they wanted and would have the opportunity to be considered for promotions and wouldn’t have to be referred to as girl. I wish you could see my face grimace and skin crawl every time I hear a woman referred to as a girl; most of the time I just hide my distain in an effort to be polite, but someday enough will be enough. When you watch “Mad Men” you will likely be shocked by the sexual innuendos directed at women and how they are treated as being expendable. Because I was born in 1967 most of the work was done before I arrived so to speak. While I have always believed I could be anything or do anything, I am no longer naive enough to believe that everyone else feels the same way.

I am also a bit surprised by the amount of infidelity in the show. Is it really possible that so many people have affairs? While I hope not, it could be a direct indicator for the divorce rate of the past few decades.

In “Mad Men” everyone smokes and drinks, even at the office. It occurred to me that it is true, people used to smoke everywhere. When I was a kid the teachers lounge allowed smoking, it seems like a hundred years ago now. I waitressed through high school and college and places I worked were filled with smoke. There is so much smoking in “Mad Men” that sometimes I think I can smell cigarette smoke.

I never realized that so many people drank on the job, at the job, in the car, during lunch, after work and at parties. I am certain then as today some people were self medicating and for others what seemed socially expectable became a bit of a problem.

The clothing is phenomenal. I have long said that people no longer know how to dress decently and I stand by that. During the early 1960’s people still considered the season’s hem length. I currently find myself searching online for the clothing from “Mad Men” I wish I had Betty’s dresses and a few of Joan’s. While I love all of this about the early 1960’s what I also like about the 1960’s is the fact that this is the decade when all of it started to fall apart (see people are complex).

Seasons one, two and three of “Mad Men” are available at the library for checkout.

Climb Theatre will be presenting the play “Anansi” at the library on June 24^th at 2:00 and 6:30 this is funded in part of in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage. This program is sponsored by Thorson Memorial Public Library & Viking Library System."

I am reluctant to speak about what is hot or currently popular regarding literature, not because you shouldn’t read it, but because there is often a waiting list for the material. Those waiting lists move pretty quickly so be shy about getting on one and at the same time don’t even consider leaving the library empty handed because our shelves are full of fabulous reads.

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, The Girls Who Played with Fire” and “The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest” all by Swedish author Stieg Larsson who died in 2004, shortly after delivering the manuscripts for the mentioned books. All three books are topping the New York Times best sellers list as well as receiving critical acclaim. This is a mystery series that you might want to consider reading this summer and to be sure you get a copy of the books you can visit our online catalog at www.elbowlake.org and click on “online catalog” search for the titles and click “request item.” You can also give us a call at 218-685-6850 or send us an email at library@rnestone.net Keep in mind the above mentioned books are also available on compact disc for your listening enjoyment.

Of course there are more books that you are going to want to read this summer such as “Matterhorn: a Novel of the Vietnam War” by Karl Marlantes it is have been said that the book is unforgettable. James Patterson fans will be happy to know that his most recent book “The 9^th Judgment” is available for check out. James Patterson is a well known and extremely popular author but there are many talented writers that sometimes slip under our radar. Looking for a new author? Consider Abraham Verghese and his moving novel “Cutting for Stone” which the book’s jacket cites as an unforgettable story of love and betrayal, medcien and ordinary miracles and ordinary miracles.

Perhaps it’s nonfiction you’d like to read well we have you covered there as well “Devoted: The Story of a Fathers Love for his Son” by Dick Hoyt should be on your list. This is a very moving story that will inspire and motivate.

If you are considering starting a business the library has numerous resources available to you such as “The Small Business Start-Up Kit” published by NOLO, this is actually a “Step-by-Step Legal Guide” so it is a good starting point. “The Work at Home Source Book” by Lynie Arden may be just the inspiration you need to lunch a career or make a career change.

If you love to grill or eat the food other people grill come in and check out one of our great grilling cookbooks including Bobby Flay’s Grill It!” The pictures look delicious.

Please join us every Wednesday for our concert series which will be held rain or shine through August from 11:00 to 1:00 if the weather is frightful we will have the music inside and you can still bring your lunch.

Story time is totally amazing, Pat has pulled out all the stop to offer up a Splash of a great program with special guests each week, special entertainers, prizes for reading and field trips. If you want to help support such fabulous experiences consider becoming a Friend of the Library today. Stop by or visit our webpage for more information.

We have a few events that we would like you to save the date for: Staring with this Thursday, April 1^st at 7:00 p.m. we will be hosting a presentation by humanitarian, Bryan Odegard. Bryan will be speaking about his well-drilling and aid work in Haiti both before and after the earthquake. On Tuesday, April 6^th at 7:00 p.m. we will be showing the film “Playing for Change: Peace through Music. Most of you know what April means at the library; we will of course be celebrating the Library-a-thon! This year mark your calendars for April 9^th & 10^th because that’s when the festivities begin and end. Watch the newspaper for more information and feel free to stop by the library to pick up a flyer. While after the Library-a-thon it is sometimes nice to rest up a bit, not this year, that following Friday, April 16^th we are hosting a Friends only literary event at the library.

If you haven’t figured it out by now, the library is really the place to be. I promise we have something for everyone and if you don’t think we have something for you, we will knock our selves out to find what it is you think you want.

I was at a meeting the other day and I heard this great quote, “Readers are leaders.” I think that in many ways this is really true. The thing about reading is you learn so much. Whether you are reading a novel or a piece of non-fiction you really do learn something. When we expose ourselves to other people’s thoughts and ideas we grow our brain. Trust me, if there is one thing that we should try to grow and expand it is our brains. I know a few people who should sign up to do just that, grow their brains. Often when I write things people will ask me if I was talking about them in my column, which I find really funny. This time I really might be talking about you, or I might not but just to be safe you might want to pick up a book.

I just read a great book, “Outliers: The story of Success” by Malcolm Gladwell. I have read other books by Malcolm Gladwell the are all very interesting and well done, but wow “Outliers” has left such an impression on me that I can’t stop telling people about it. This is a non-fiction book full of stories of the success and what we might consider the back story that goes along with every story of success. And I just have to say one thing, success requires opportunity. I strongly believe that as a community we need to do everything we can to make sure we all have opportunities to succeed. I can hardly articulate this in writing so if you want to more about the topic, stop in and I will talk your ear of about it, or better yet check the book out and read it and if you don’t want to read the book you could try listening to it because we have it on audio. Books on compact disc or cassette tape are fabulous, talk about killing two birds with one stone, you can listen to an audio book while you do most anything else. You can listen while you drive in your car, wash your dishes, walk, jog or bike. You can also listen while you work in the garden, plow a field, paint a room, or work out. Audio books are awesome.

We need to take whatever chance we have to learn, we need to share that knowledge and work together to make sure others also have the opportunity to learn and grow and of course succeed. The library is a great place to start for brain enrichment.

I am very interested in economic development, business and resident retention and helping to keep our small Midwestern towns viable. When something crosses my desk related to those topics I am very interested, over the years I have read a number of related books, blogs and newspaper articles; I try to be knowledgeable and proactive in regard to community development.

When I came across a book called “Hollowing Out the Middle: The Rural Brain Drain and What It Means for America” by Patrick J. Carr and Maria J. Kefalas I was intrigued, and could hardly wait to start reading. Well as luck would have it this was probably one of the most disappointing and insulting books I have ever read. I am very interested in retaining and attracting people to our small Midwestern community. Clearly like many small Midwestern towns we have seen a steady decline in population, which can be contributed to many factors such as larger farms, smaller families, job creation etc…. But really, the book totally misses the big issues and seemed keen on blaming the local school district (in this particular Iowa town). Unfortunately the authors spent three months living in small town in Iowa and interviewed 300 people who live there or used to live there; as well they claimed to have done research on this project for a number of years but I can’t figure out exactly what type of research they did. Nonetheless I can’t see how such a limited view can be considered as viable research to blanket the entire Midwest.

Speaking of school districts let me just mention our local schools. In all honesty I can only talk about West Central Area because it is with which I am most familiar; however, I have heard very positive comments about all of the schools in Grant County. I just want to share two quotes about our school district. A friend of mine living in another state was contemplating home schooling her children and when I asked why she said, “The school your kids go to (WCA) is better than a private school and it’s just not like that everywhere.” Another quote from a student who moved to our school system from a metro area school; an adult asked, “How do you like school here?” the new student replied, “Well, you could never fail here the teachers won’t let you they just care too much.” I am not putting down school districts in other places I am only affirming the greatness of our schools. “Hollowed Out in the Middle” labels people as Achievers who equaled leavers, Returners and Stayers, all terribly offensive labels to me. Any one who in this century attaches over generalized labels to mass populations whom they’ve never met is doing a huge disservice to the people they think they are helping. The point of these labels and this school blame game was to imply that we (small town schools and populations) spend a lot of time on the kids most likely to leave and not so much on those who will mostly likely continue to live in our small towns. I couldn’t disagree more, are teachers are dedicated to every child who walks through the door. Not only that, but we would love to offer even more classes at our school district but because of the really inadequate funding system we are caught in a web of continuing shrinking populations which results in less funding which results in cutting teachers and class selections. So if we as a community to not step up to the plate to support our schools with necessary referendums we are adding to the problem that we didn’t create but are forced to live with.

The book also recommended that small towns need to invest in digital communication, which made me laugh. I have seen the Minnesota map that indicates where fiber to the home is located in the state and believe it or not, it is in small towns Yes, that’s true our rural telecom companies, many of which are co-ops, have actually put fiber to the home in every home that that they serve. That’s right move to Wendell, Tintah or Norcross, Minnesota or any farm site in-between and you will have fiber to your home; check it out for yourself http://connectmn.org/mapping/ then click on “statewide boradband platform map.” Our communication system in this part of the state exceeds what exists in most other areas.

The book indicated that we should wean ourselves (us small town people) off our dependence on agriculture for economic growth. Can I just say “Uff Da?” Please, agriculture is a multimillion dollar industry for our local farmers. Many of our farmers own hundreds of thousands of dollar worth of land and add in their equipment and we taking about multimillion dollar businesses. What would they suggest we do with some of the best crop land in the world? Graze buffalo?

Trust me, I do understand the problems with BIG agri-business and we do subscribe to a CSA and I am a fan of the movie “The Future of Food.” But, I wonder where the authors think food would come from if we didn’t grow it here. I just want to mention something about our local farmers who are business people who are incredibly knowledgeable about technology, science, chemistry, economics and so much more; most of them are college educated. Most of the people I know who make a living directly from agricultural have attend college and have two our four year degrees. I don’t think the authors have any understanding about how educated and intelligent our small town populations are. I think it is irresponsible to make statements about an industry they know so little about, and I will stop talking about it before I am in over my head.

There was also mention of the book about the need to attract the creative class to our area, the thing is, I think the creative class is already here. We have innovators, entrepreneurs, inventors, actors, musicians and artists we just have to get the word out.

Again it is not an us vs. them type of thing I love many small towns, medium size towns and big cities. Every town has its niche and unique atmosphere.

I totally admit that we have issues with population decline but this book, in my humble opinion, provided no viable solutions and only fed into many negative inaccurate stereo types about small towns.

Believe it or not, we are not a bunch of bumbling idiots; we enjoy great literature, theatre, art, fine food, fresh air and the smell of freshly turned soil and the golden hue of a ripened wheat field.

We are off and running this spring and I am so excited about the programs we are going to be able to offer the community thanks to funding from State Legacy Grants. We will offer programming for all age groups some of our events will be happening as soon as this Wednesday and some larger events related to the Greatest Generation will begin in September.

It might be wise to refer this column of library notes as “save the date” sort of thing. If you are reading this please get out your calendar and make note of the many events you won’t want to miss.

Every Wednesday during May and June the library will be hosting Street Music at least that’s what we are calling the musical venue. Wednesday’s from 11:00 to 1:00 live music will be happening in front of the library, it is basically a free concert on the lawn. We encourage people to bring their lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on and fell free to bring your lunch. Our Street Music program is funded by a grant from state Legacy Funds. The grant allows us to pay our musicians and we are still in need of more musicians so if you or someone you know what like to play at the library give us a call 218-685-6850 or drop us an email library@runestone.net. If the weather is inclement the music will be moved inside so please come rain or shine.

As we continue to look through our calendar of events I must mention that on the third Tuesday of each month an Autism support group will be meeting at the library at 6:30 this month the meeting falls on the 18^th.

Really big news is the announcement that, again thanks to a grant funded by State Legacy Funds we will be hosting a visit from award winning Minnesota author Alison McGhee on Thursday, May 20^th. I have read a few books by Alison McGhee and I have really enjoyed every book of hers that I have read. She is a wonderful writing and what is amazing is that has written books for preschoolers, elementary age children, teens as well as adults and all of her books are fabulous. We have a number of Alison McGhee’s books available for checkout at the library and I encourage you stop in a check few out before her visit.

Currently the book being read as a part of the adult book series is “The Legacy of Luna” by luck that is one of my favorite books. If you are interested in reading a copy please stop the library and we will get you a copy to read. If you are currently reading the book we ask that you consider returning it as soon as you are finished so that more people have access to the title.

Please keep in mind that Memorial Day is May 31^st in the Library will be closed in observance of the holiday.

If you are planning your summer let me share a few exciting dates that you will want to be aware of: June 1^st we will be showing the HBO film “The Girl in the Café” at 7:00 p.m. On June 2^nd you can enjoy live music by Patty Hough at 11:00. Our summer reading program, “Make a Splash @ the Library” kicks off on Thursday, May 10^th and because of a State Legacy Funds grant we will be making a gigantic splash with Underwater World who will be here at 2:00 with real sea creatures. That same evening at 6:30 director, Chris Ray, will on hand to conduct a theatre workshop where participants will become creatures from the sea and the sea itself.

On June 24^th Climb Theatre will be here to present their show “Anansi the Spider” at 2:00 and 6:30. On Wednesday, June 30^th the Magician “The great Brodini” will be visiting the library at 2:00 to wow you with his magic tricks.

For a complete list of what is happening at the library this summer visit our webpage www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org or become a Facebook fan or please stop by the library for a print out.

Reading inspiration can come from many places; book recommendations too for that matter may arrive via a friend, a magazine article or a blurb on the tele. Reader’s advisory services is the fine art of helping to match people to books in order to that a library staff person may ask a few questions, such as what do you like to read, who is your favorite author, is strong dialog more important than description and so forth. Sometimes it is hard to answer those questions on the spot and often you may want a bit more time to contemplate what it is you like and don’t like in a book. I strongly recommend the magazine “Bookmarks” for helping to create your own personal reading list and to broaden your knowledge about writers. “Bookmarks” does a fine job of letting you know what new books are just coming out and it reviews them briefly so that you don’t feel too overwhelmed. It also lets you know how other critics have rated a book which is sometimes just plain interesting to see how differently people think. “Bookmarks” also lists award winners, what’s new in trade paperback; it interviews members of book groups to see what they are reading. The magazine also gathers input from their subscribers to get information on what they like to read that maybe new or older for that matter. There is also usually some in-depth information on a select author living or diseased. As a matter of fact sometimes learning more about an author is what has pushed me to read their books. The next time you are in the library please consider checking out an issue of “Bookmarks.”

It seems like every month is a busy for a different set of reasons currently it is the planning of programming that has us running like crazy. Susan is setting up the next 12 months for the adult book and film series. I must say that Susan puts tremendous thought, energy and research into establishing her series. Regardless of whether or not you enjoy the selections I will attest to the fact that they are all top-notch and thought provoking reads. Reading should cause us to think and ponder it is not always “feel-good” sometimes it is soul searching.

Pat is planning the summer reading program which is a tremendous under taking, getting in theme related resources, planning games, snacks and art projects along with lining up volunteers is very time consuming. Our weekly story times and summer reading program are fabulous and that is because Pat puts so much work into planning the program and making sure it will be educational and fun.

I have been working on lining up a series of events surround the state library’s theme of “The Greatest Generation.” I am happy to report that we will have in some outstanding guest speakers over the next year along with some family activities and a film series. We have also been busy writing a series of smaller grants in an effort to promote the arts in our community. We are all busy checking materials in and out, ordering materials, cataloging materials and serving you our patrons, which is our most favorite thing of all.

Just a reminder to people who work downtown Elbow Lake; it is only common sense to save the most convenient parking for your customers. Please consider walking to work or parking a couple of blocks off of main street. I am always shocked by the lack of common sense regarding parking, if your costumers can’t find a parking spot they may just decide to run their errand another day and then they may just pick up what they need when they are out of town so please do your part to make sure it is the customer and not the employee taking the best parking spot.

It is April and knock on wood it is one of the most beautiful April’s I can ever remember. I was born in April and mother contemplated naming me April May, I love the femininity of the name but appreciate the strength in the name Gail; there is a lot to be considered with the naming of a child. And, that’s all I have to say about that.

It is April and it is beautiful and everywhere I go I see people working in their yards and planting things and I am so inspired to work in my yard, which because of my history of landscaping makes Kent cringe (remember the watermelon rind I tried to buried). He has told me that I am not allowed to dig in the yard, which means I have to be very sneaky about my planting. I get landscaping inspiration from other people’s yards and all of the amazing books we have at the library about landscaping, gardening and deckscaping.

Have you been watching Jamie Oliver try to revolutionize school food? I love Jamie Oliver and totally respect what he is doing. You will be happy to know that a number of Jamie’s books are available at the public library. You will also find the in demand “Food Inc.” DVD which everyone is raving about. If you are interested in “Food Inc.” I have to also recommend “Fast Food Nation,” “King Corn,” and “The Future of Food” all of these movies are sure to make you think and rethink what you consume.

These highly acclaimed books are also available at the library “The Immortal Life Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot examines science and ethics with a true and compelling story. The New York Times gave this book 4 ½ stars, not too shabby. The National book Critics Circle Awards have been announced and many of the winning titles as well as some of the finalists are available at your local library. In fiction the award goes to “Wolf Hall” by Hilary Mantel which is a novel about Henry VIII and his severed relationship to the Catholic Church which stemmed from his divorce and remarriage. In General Nonfiction the winner is “The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science” by Richard Holmes. Critically acclaimed books make up a great portion of our diverse and rich collection.

Of recent addition and noteworthy “What if the Earth Had Two Moons? And Nine Other Thought-Proving Speculations on the Solar System” by Neil F. Comins and “Mandela: A Biography” by Martin Meredith.

We have recently updated our collection of materials related to writing resumes and cover letters as well as preparing for interviews. You will also see some very current titles related to marketing, public relations and starting your own business.

Search for the materials you are interested by visiting our online catalog found on our webpage at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org.

I am writing this from the library during the library-a-thon on Friday night. So far it seems like a very successful event, I hate to speak too soon but from what I can tell everyone who has participated has had a great time. It seemed to me that were about 100 kids and 25 adults watching the family movie and now about 20 teens with a spattering of parents are watching the teen movie. The movie of choice is probably not as important as the opportunity to gather and spend time together with friends. I would have to say that perhaps the greatest success of the library-a-thon is having a chance to gather with friends and neighbors and perhaps meet a few new people along the way.

It is also important to note that events like the library-a-thon couldn’t happen without the support of a great group of people who are willing to step up to the plate and volunteer their time and talent. It is not just the library-a-thon that depends on volunteers; it is our churches, the Lions, the Fire Department, the Hospital Auxiliary, the chamber of commerce people volunteering is actually what creates our community. It is so amazing how smoothly things can run when many people pitch in to help out, many hands make a light load or however that saying goes. Whether you baked something for the bake sale, worked during the soup supper, chaperoned a movie, donated money or food or water to took the time to attend our events I want to say thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you volunteer with any other organization I also want to say thank you. Thank you for building community and a sense of connectedness.

If you missed the library-a-thon fear not, everyday is actually a great day to visit the library. There was once a question of what represents the library or more like if something didn’t represent the library and I must tell you in all honesty that the library is a little bit of everything. Our materials cover topics ranging from birth to death; really consider such books as “What to Expect to When Your Expecting” or “Stiff the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers” and I promise you that I am not making this up. We have books on starting sees and harvesting crops. You can check out books on cooking vegetarian or cooking wild game. We have books on wild animals like monkeys and lions as well as books training dogs and horses or even raising a parakeet.

You can lean to knit to fix a motor, you can get tips on the best make-up to use or how to install tile it just goes on and on. We are defined by nothing and everything all at once how really brilliant is that any way.

If you would like to attend our Friends Literary Gala on Friday, April 16^th at 7:00 you will need to make sure that your friends dues are paid up. The dress code is what I like to class fancy schmancy, that means spiff it up a bit. I hope to see you there.

I can start out on an up note and remind you all that the library-a-thon is this coming weekend and that each and every one of you are invited to partake in the festivities. The library-a-thon has been taking place for a number of years and everyone, especially the children look forward to this celebration. The Friends of the Library have done a fabulous job planning this extravaganza. You can visit our webpage at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org or visit us on Facebook to see a complete list of events. The Grant County Herald also has a published schedule.

The down note would be about the recent news of the young teen in Massachusetts being driven to suicide as a result of bullying which has without doubt hit a really deep place in each of our hearts. One can hardly listen to the report of the loss of this precious life without shedding a tear and doing a little soul searching. The number of children who over the years have committed suicide because of bullying is shocking, tragic and without a doubt a complete failure on the part of all of us adults. I am sorry to be so hard on the adult population but sometimes we have to accept our failures and make improvements for the sake of the children and society.

I think one of the biggest problems we have is being kind and understanding, we seem a bit intolerant of differences and would prefer a really homogeneous boring society instead of embracing diversity. This is not a problem unique to small towns or big cities it is everywhere and we are all involved. When I hear someone say something racist I just cringe and in my mind I think you are ignorant and cruel and your stupidity really demonstrates your lack of education. People take such liberty at making critical comments regarding race, sexual orientation, people’s income level and so forth; it really just nauseate me. Where does this lack of love and absence of kindness come from? Where does hate and judgment originate? And if adults demonstrate this behavior is it any wonder that children can be so cruel?

We have a problem with bullying and to pretend we don’t we would be sticking our heads in the sand. When you are in denial of a problem it doesn’t actually mean the problem doesn’t exist it only means you are being irresponsible in trying to avoid dealing with the issue. We cannot condone cruelty or teasing we cannot say kids will be kids or that’s part of life because it is not true.

How can we create an atmosphere of understanding and compassion? We certainly give good lip service to the fact that God created us all uniquely, that no two people are a like, but after that we don’t really seem to back it up with actions. If most of the kids in a class like baseball but one kid loves soccer shouldn’t we honor that? Or if a boy likes flower arranging and a girl likes hunting isn’t that just fine? If someone runs slowly or lacks coordination shouldn’t we take every measure to make sure that they never have to face being last picked for a team? Aren’t their steps we can take to validate people as they are not as we wish they were?

Experts have said that we need to make the act of bullying so unacceptable that a child would never want to be caught in the act. Peers would take every measure possible to make sure that no one was picked on or ridiculed.

As adults we should swiftly take action when we witnessed bullying or when it is reported, we shouldn’t brush it under the rug.

It is hard to imagine a world where kids don’t bully when we can’t even get adults to stop. Fist fights breaking out amongst parents at children’s sporting events, spousal abuse, child abuse, off color jokes and comments; let’s face it, we will reap what we sow.

Each and every person exists in a unique situation, some much more difficult than others. Children are raised in single parent and blended families, they are raised by grandparents and other relatives and some children are raised in fosters homes and some children are raised by homosexual parents. Some children are raised in situation where there is never financial stress and other families are unable to escape it. Some families are filled with love and others with violence. There are families where multi generations live together and families where illness and disease consume a great deal of energy. Parents with mental illness are often the only caregiver a child knows. Many people have very fragile lives and at the very least it seems we should be able to offer up a dose of compassion. The bottom line is we need to educate ourselves and our children about other types of situations and develop ways to be supportive and understanding. All families are different and all families have value.

Teach children empathy. A child may show up to school on a regular basis with unwashed hair and soiled clothing, this child may be an easy target for teasing but if parents take time to explain what type of circumstances might be causing this situation, empathy can be learned. Taking it a step further, does a person need clean hair and clothes to be a friend? Absolutely not, people are people and that is all that really matters.

I have written far too much and believe it or not I have much more to say, I guess it will just have to wait.

Here are some books to give you a hand in helping to create understanding, compassionate, educated children and maybe along the line we as adults will learn something too. “Bullies & Victims: Helping Your Child Through the schoolyard Battlefield” by Suellen and Paula Fried, “The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander: from Preschool to High School-How Parents and Teachers can Help Break the Cycle of Violence” by Barbara Coloroso, “Above All, Be Kind: Raising a Humane Child in Challenging Times” by Zoe Weil and Disconnected: Parenting Teens in a MySpace World” by Chap and Dee Clark.

I was recently reading Neil Gaiman’s acceptance speech for winning the Newberry Award for his book “The Graveyard Book.” Having never read anything by Neil Gaiman I was pleasantly enamored by his sense of humor and charm. I instantly liked him when I when he began speaking about spending a great deal of his childhood at the library reading everything he could get his hands on. He mentioned that his dad would make him pack a sandwich and how foolish it made him feel but hunger pains won out and he would quickly devour his sandwich hoping no one would notice. I have great affection for people who spend a substantial amount of time at their public libraries and it never fails that many authors report such a habit.

Is using or spending time at the library a habit you have developed? It is an economically wise habit as you can check out materials for free, that’s a pretty good deal you’d have to admit. The range of materials available to you the public library is also refreshing. You can try a new author risk free. The do-it-yourself books are tremendously popular, from tiling, to wiring, gardening, landscaping, building, remodeling (and trust me if you can dream it we can find a book about it) are always a hot commodity.

When the sun starts shinning and the snow starts melting and the temperature starts rising there are two things I get an itching to do; de-clutter and work in the yard. Yep, there is just something about spring that says plant something and organizes that closet. In this weeding, inventory project I have gotten to touch each and every gardening book in the collection and it is really an outstanding collection. There are really a few reasons that is so good; one we have worked hard to develop a quality gardening section, two we have received some fantastic donations from people and three a couple of years ago a local gardening club gave of a monetary donation that allowed us to add some fantastic new titles. Along with books on organic gardening, landscaping and starting seeds you will find gems such as “Minnesota Gardener’s Guide” by Melinda Myers and put out by the Minnesota Horticultural Society. We also have the entire Time Life Gardening thanks to a nice donation.

The other urge, to clean and organize, I need to act on while I have it, because if that urge should pass who knows when it will return. Here are a couple of my favorites “A Place for Everything: Organizing the Stuff of Live” by Peri Wolfman and Charles Gold this is a really nice book with some fresh ideas. “Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning” by Jeffrey Hollender is a great resource for green cleaning. I also like the book “Good Things for Organizing” by none other than my favorite, Martha Stewart. There is a book on organizing that really had a very powerful impact on my life and that was “Making Peace with the Things in Your Life” by Cindy Glovinsky. After reading this book I felt the freedom to toss all of those gifts I never wanted nor needed all those tokens of appreciations and the likes. I realized I didn’t need to hold on to a teacup given to me in remembrance of someone in order to actually remember them. I also came to the conclusion that it is better for the universe to pass on things that we no longer need but someone else may be able to use. There are of course some things that I believe just need to be retired; their time is in deed up. It was so freeing to no longer feel obligated to keep something because it was gift or because I spent a lot of money on it.

This book and a few other revelations helped me to refocus my intentions with gifts. I have articulated that I no longer want gifts for any holiday and when I give gifts they are generally consumable or a type of doing thing. Such as having lunch with a friend or giving someone tickets to a concert. There are ways that can re-evaluate our purchases that can create less stuff for others to deal with and less waste in the environment. If you need inspiration in any of these areas stop by the library and we will point you in the right direction.

Join us this Wednesday at 10:30 and Thursday at 6:30 during our story times for a presentation by Kari Kreft about school readiness.

Every year we evaluate our collection, determining what areas we are short of information and what areas are outdated and need a revamp. We also weed out terrible soiled or damaged books, sometimes replacing them with new copies and we also weed out books that have been unread for ten years or more if they are deemed to not be of particular value or merit to our local collection.

For instance we do not want inadequate or incorrect information in our collection. We also can’t have books that are missing pages, or falling apart. If we have a work of Charles Dickens that has not circulated for 10 years or more it stays because of its literary significance; in some circumstances we more order a more recently published copy with more “curb appeal” so to speak. Collection development and maintenance is of great important, in large part because we have only so much space so we cannot continue to add indefinitely. Has much as I hate the fact that we have limited space it is probably a good thing because we don’t want to become a catch all for irrelevant materials, nor do we want to look like a garbage dump. We also are very fortuneate to be a part of a very well orchestrated library regional and state library system that allows us to access materials from other libraries throughout the nation. Nonetheless, if you are anything like me getting rid of a book is a difficult task.

I find so many topics fascinating that I am sure other people too would likely be inammered by a topic, or perhaps a book a rather old and warn book is tucked deeply in the stacks and has remained rather unnoticed by the general public but if I can just call your attention to the title I am sure you will want to read it. Point in case, “Merchants and Moneymen: The commercial Revolution, 1000-1500” by Joseph and Frances Gies, this fine book has been a part of our collection since 2000 the book was actually published in 1972 and no one, since it arrive at our library (via donation) in 2000 has checked the book out. This fine and surly most fascinating book should really be read by someone. I have put the book on display in hopes that someone out there will save this book from the discard pile. Then there is this book, “The McCoys: Their Story” by Truda Williams McCoy. I kid you not, this is really the story of the famed Hatifields and McCoys (it even includes photos). How often have you said something like “They fight like the Hatifields and McCoys?” Well here it is the real story and no one has checked this book out in over ten years. Keep in mind only you, our fine library patrons, can save these books by checking them out.

What else goes on display at the library? New additions to our collection for sure, and keep in mind new to our collection doesn’t always mean it is a new release. Holidays go on display. Currently you will find really nice collection of books on the season of Lent and Easter on display. You will also find collections of books relate to topics such as Black History month, Women’s History month and the likes. Topics or people in the news often get showcased. There are also the seasonal topics, such as gardening or weddings to showcase. Sometimes a certain topic that was in the news a while back makes a comeback so perhaps I will pull some relevant titles that may be of new found interest such is the case with “Powerline” The First Battle of America’s Energy War” by Paul Wellstone and Barry M Casper. Whatever catches our fancy at even given time may make the display and we do indeed try to keep it fresh and interesting.

Of great importance: save the date April 9 & 10 for our annual Library-a-thon celebration which will include activities for all age groups.

We still have room for a couple of more people in our Ancesty.com classes which will be held March, 22, 24 & 26 from 10 to noon.

Our current book club read is “Let Your Life Speak” by Parker J. Palmer. Books are discussed the fourth Tuesday of each month at 7:00 at the library and films are shown the first Tuesday of each month in the Sanford room at 7:00 p.m.

We are kind of in the flux period where the weather is trying to shed its winter skin and emerge with spring colors; too late for some outdoor winter activities too early for working in the yard and garden. Hmmmm, sounds like the perfect time to pick up a book and it would be my pleasure to recommend a few.

“The Family on Beartown Road: a Memoir of Love and Courage” by Elizabeth Cohen from the back cover “Elizabet, a member of the ‘sandwich generation’ – those caught in the middle, simultaneously caring for their children and for their aging parents.” This a very poignant telling of Elizatbeth’s journey to raise her small child while taking care of her father who happen to have Alzheimer’s disease. This book will make you laugh and cry.

“Modoc: The True Story of the Greatest Elephant that Ever Lived: by Ralph Helfer, a good friend of mine from very far away actually facebooked be and said “Read this book, I think you’ll like it.” I think I will. The Detroit Free Press describes this book; “Modoc is a love story, a gut wrenching, Saturday afternoon kind of love story that should not be attempted without a full box of tissues within easy reach.” I can hardly wait to dive into to this book.

With the release of the movie “Shutter Island,” based on the book by the same name, the interest in state hospitals and institutions has really peaked, we have a number of book to feed your curiosity: “The Lives They Left Behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic” by Darby Penny and Peter Stastny, “The Architecture of Madness: Insane Asylums in the United States” by Carla Yanni, “Asylum: Inside the Closed the World of State Mental Hospitals” by Christopher Payne and remember that classic “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s” by Ken Kesey, available at the library in book or movie.

Science fascinates me; by nature I am no scientist but I really like the idea of science. My biggest problem is that these formulas and such seem so, well, out there. Nonetheless we have a great selection of science type books that are readable and enjoyable for the nonscientist. Some of newest titles related to science include: “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. Henrietta Lacks’ cells were harvested without her knowledge. Those cells were the first human cells grown in culture and are still alive today. This book is as much about scientific discovery as it is ethics.

“Dissection” Photographs of a Rite of Passage in American Medicine: 1880-1930” by John Harley Warner and James M. Edmonson. This book really gets at the heart of what it was like to dissect human bodies while in medical school during that time, fascinating and disturbing all at once.

“The Strangest Man: The Hidden Life of Paul Dirac Mystic of the Atom” by Graham Farmelo; the inside cover states “Paul Dirac was among the great scientific geniuses of modern age. One of the discoverers of quantum mechanics, the most revolutionary theory of the past century.” This book looks intriguing and thick.

During the past week or so I have thoroughly going through the nonfiction section and am always surprised at what titles pop at me at different times. The vast collection of books we have on banking is really something and with the current banking and financial system as it is I decided to pull some of those older books and put them on display along with the older titles you will find the brand new book by Henry M. Paulson, Jr. “On the Race to Stop the Collapse of the Global Financial System.”

When I say there is something for everyone at the library, I’m not kidding. You can search for books, place holds and renew your materials by visiting our website at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org and click on “online catalog.” Our website will also inform you of upcoming events and classes at the library. You can also find us on Facebook by searching for Elbow Lake Public Library we hope you will become a fan.

Keeping up with literary and society trends is a full-time job; no really it is. I do not think that I could fully describe the barrage of books available to purchase. You might be thinking to yourself, “I’ve been to huge book stores; I know what’s out there.” But I assure you that is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many books that are published by small presses, academic presses or presses that do most of their selling directly to libraries and schools, and you just won’t run across those books at your local book store. While I do my best to support locally owned independent book sellers I do appreciate the broad selection of reading materials that can be found at some of those mega book stores. I could and do spend hours in bookstores, it is a kind of brain stimulus that is very rewarding to me.

It is always fascinating to get requests from patrons for amazing interesting and diverse topics. The interest in different subject matter can often be triggered by personal experience, something in the news or a topic featured on a talk show. Some people are just inquisitive and that is so refreshing. I have often said show me kid that collects rocks or wants to identify the birds they see or learn about dinosaurs and you’ve got a smart kid who is going to remain a life long learner. In today’s world that’s really what it is all about; being a life long learner because things change so rapidly and it is imperative you know how find information or resources and discern what is good information and what is bogus or leaves a bit to be desired.

Information is power. Plain and simple if you are informed and educated you are empowered. Libraries do not endorse books or topics but we supply you with information about topics you may be interested in learning more about. If you just found out you or a loved one has diabetes you may stop in and look for a book on cooking for diabetics or a book with information about living with diabetes. You would be educating yourself so that you could make better decisions. Perhaps you would like to plant a garden but you are not certain as to what particular plants are hearty to this region or you could use some ideas about soil fertility. The good news is you could obtain that information from your local library and hopefully this newly acquired information would help you to make informed decisions about gardening.

There are also many people in our community who are in school, elementary, high school, college; a great number of our patrons are seeking information for research on a variety of topics, birds, animals, rocks, countries, states, religions, economics, physics, music, technology, nature and trust me this list never ends. I am forever surprised when a person comes in and asks for information about a topic and our coffers are void of that subject. It wasn’t that long ago someone wanted information on aroma therapy and we had to order materials in from another library to meet that need. Our ability to share resources with other libraries is also amazing and may be part of story for another day. The other item to note is that we do not have unlimited space or money so we clearly can’t have everything on hand.

People read for information and entertainment, when I read “The Ladies Auxiliary” by Mirvis Tova, which is a fiction book about a young widow trying to assimilate herself into an Orthodox Jewish community it peaked my curiosity about the Orthodox Jewish traditions and rituals. This was a subject I hadn’t really thought much about before so I sought out some nonfiction books on the subject and I learned something about another religion and culture. I was not planning on changing religions or moving to another community I just wanted to be educated on a subject, I wanted to grow my brain and I know there is no better way to do that then by reading a book. Learning about other cultures, countries, and religions is also a way to get the facts, alleviate fears, diminish misunderstandings, and reduce discrimination. Knowledge is power. You don’t have to agree with what you read and many sources present things from different angels which is why sometimes you need to read more than one book on any given topic. I also like to ask myself if an author is trying to sell an actual product because that could taint a view point as well.

The library has books on numerous subjects and our amazingly diverse community seems to enjoy delving into to an assortment of interesting topics. When I say diverse community you may be saying to yourself what diversity? Trust me we live in a community full of very interesting and inquisitive people, their interests have encouraged me to learn a new thing or two as well. You can browse the library’s online catalog at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org from that location you can search materials, place holds and renew your library materials.

Here is a suggestion, go skating. Yes, indeed check out the ice at the Elbow Lake ice skating rink and try your luck at skating. We are fortunate to have two rinks and a warming house and as an added perk the warming house is loaded with skates that people can use for free. Ice skating is free and if you use the donated skates you don’t even have to make an investment in equipment. When we look for family activities that are affordable and promote healthy living, ice skating is a great option.

Exciting news the Elbow Lake park committee is sponsoring an ice skating party at the rink on Sunday, February 28^th from 2:00 to 4:00 and there will be free refreshments. Please remember that if it is below zero the skating party is cancelled and if it is too warm and the ice is mush it will also be cancelled. Let’s hope for a day off about 15 degree weather. This will be a great community gathering so please plan on coming to the party.

I have been so bitten by the Olympics bug that I can hardly stay awake. Every night I am drawn into the Olympics and once you start watching a sport you have to watch it in its entirety because the suspense would be too much to bear. I love learning about the athletes and what they have had to endure, overcome and sacrifice to get to the games. Think about the God given talent some of these people have been blessed with and than the dedication and hard work they have put into their sport to get where they are. It is inspiring to see the skating, skiing, snowboarding, bobsledding, all of it so amazing and brave. I love the winter and I love winter sports (mostly as a spectator) the Olympics are the perfect way to celebrate the possibilities of winter. The library has a number of books available about the Olympics and some of the athletes we also books about the different sports so that maybe you can try your hand at skiing or curling.

This is the time of year many of us start itching to dig in the dirt, the library has a fabulous collection of books on gardening, landscaping, and starting seeds. A great garden starts with a great plan so start thinking about yours now. Creating a special outdoor space requires time and energy and preplanning, you will be pleasantly surprised at our diverse selection.

How are you doing on the Hot Reads for Cold Nights program? Many people have already earned their free mug, please stop in the library to register for this adult reading program. Read 15 books between December 1^st and April 1^st and you will have a free mug.

Used books and free magazines are available in abundance. We have set up a mid-winter or early spring sale to reduce our stock of used books because we have so many. We have recently received some fabulous donations and we are out of room to store them so for the next couple of weeks you can stop in and shop to your hearts content. Hard cover books are $1.00 and paperbacks are .50 cents and there are some wonderful titles to choose from. Hurry in because we will be packing the books back up some time in March and they won’t reappear again until August. Of course we do always have a shelf full of books for sale throughout the year but it is nothing compared to what we have available currently.

Possibility is all around us as does potential, ensuring we all have the opportunity to reach that potential and discover the possibilities at hand is something we in which we all have a vested interest. We often look at young people when we think about potential and we should. Far too often, however, I think we start to categorize people or assign labels and start to predetermine ones potential.

I don’t believe that there is one indicator that determines anyone’s outcome. I think most of us know what we should do in an effort to help children reach their potential; a stable, loving environment, a nutritious diet, a proper education, reading, affection, adequate sleep. I think you get it, there are things we do and actions we can take that increase a persons chances of reaching their potential. Of course we also realize that there are many things that can really reduce a person’s ability to reach their potential and each and every day that happens to children, teenagers and adults. We sometimes recognize that a person has a set of strikes against them and some people are tempted to write those people off, I think that’s a big mistake. Sometimes we have to be the one to invest in someone, give a little more time, a little more direction, give a little more hope and encouragement.

Does reaching one’s potential mean you accomplish great feats, climb mountains, discover cures to diseases, or that you’ll fly to the moon; I’d have to say no. It might mean that you are able to read and write and work and feel good about yourself. It might mean that you are able to function in society, or lend a hand to someone else. The important thing is that we do our part to ensure other’s have a chance.

During the past year the library’s adult book and film series has examined literature and film that is inspiring. You might think heartfelt mush when you here the word inspiring or you might think over the top accomplishment, let me just say that either way you are thinking far too hard. The places that inspiration can come from may surprise you, don’t believe me; try picking up a copy of one the past book club reads and deciding for yourself. You can access a list of previous book club books on our webpage at www.elbowlakepubliclibrary.org You will also find a list of the films we have watched and the best news of all is that you can check them all for free at your local library.

Last week I indicated that I would continue writing about E-Readers, but as it turns out I am compelled to write about something else. As it is, life happens or as in this case death. Your first assumption may be that I am going to write about the death of J.D. Salinger, author of “Catcher in the Rye,” and while this is a loss that anyone with any appreciation for literature or anyone who was ever assigned to read this coming of age novel would note, it is not the loss I will be marking in this column.

Today I wish to pay homage to Howard Zinn, a retired history professor from Boston University and the author of “The People’s History of the United States.” I first became aware of Howard Zinn in the late 1980’s while working in a book store. “The People’s History” was what the book sellers would refer to as, core stock, something you always have on hand because it always sells. The book would always sell, but from time to time its sales seemed more brisk, probably because of mention on a television slot or some such thing. I had no idea what was on the pages of this book and was surprised that so many people were willing to read book of such breadth, 600 pages plus. The book cover touts covering history from 1492 to the present that is a lot of history.

Moving forward about ten years, I decided to take a college class on American History, and would you believe along with the text book we were assigned to read; (yes, you guessed it) “A People’s History of the United States,” even an ardent read such as myself raises her eyebrows when assigned supplemental reading of more than 600 pages, but what happened was transforming. I couldn’t put the book down; I read and read and would read aloud parts to Kent because they were interesting and eye-opening. “A People’s History” became my favorite book and I recognized its tremendous value, Zinn had given us, the people, a gift and a voice.

I obviously have a personal copy of Howard Zinn’s most famous book in my collection and I have read other books by him as well. I have also watched a biographical DVD on Howard Zinn and it is very easy to fall in love with this gentle, beautiful and brilliant man. He was charming, intelligent, had a fine sense of humor and what appears to have been a very peaceful soul. I suggest Howard Zinn’s books to serious readers and history buffs, or people interested in politics and from time to time a patron will heed my suggestion and read Zinn. Most of the time patrons are pleased that they took my advice.

I have talked about the great Howard Zinn so often that my kids of course recognize his name when they hear or see it. Last November my daughter, Brittany, who is studying in Boston for the year, called me and said, “Mom, I just saw a poster for your pal Howard Zinn, he’s speaking at Boston University tonight.” I told her that she really had to go see him, if it cost money I would pay for it, whatever it takes I really want you to get there. I insisted it would be a life changing experience. Howard Zinn was on tour with a few other people promoting “The People Speak” which debuted in December on the History Channel. Later that evening Brittany called to say that she had gone, thousands of people were there and he was a great speaker, extremely intelligent and very funny. They were giving away free t-shirts at the event with the imprint “Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport” Brittany gave it to me when she was home for Christmas.

On Wednesday morning while getting ready for work I heard the news report that Howard Zinn had died; just a bleep and a brief clip of him speaking. I was stunned. I cried, such a beautiful man. I called my daughter to tell her of the sad loss.

The next night at work, one of those patrons who had trusted me on the Howard Zinn recommendation said, “Gail, I don’t know if heard, but Howard Zinn died.” I thanked him for mentioning it and acknowledged that I had heard the news and how sad I was about the loss. This patron thanked me for having recommending Howard Zinn, and I said it was no nice to have someone share my…and I couldn’t think of the word and the patron said, “Pain, I feel your pain.” And yes, that was it. I was in pain for the loss of a great man whom I never even really knew but through is dedication to social justice, and desire to let your average person have a voice, had touched and influenced my life.

I think we might finally be ready for the article on technology. I am by no means a tech head, for the life of me I have no idea how the television, radio or telephone works and truthfully I don’t really care. On numerous occasions when I have asked Kent a question in relation to how certain things work and he starts explaining I have to tell him to stop, I guess I didn’t care all that much anyway. Point of the matter is I can use all of those devices and relatively effectively too.

When we talk technology today I think we are referring to computers, cell phones, ipods, e-readers and the likes. I love the computer, I love the internet, it is so amazing. When we first brought a computer and the internet into our home it was the mid 1990’s and I wasn’t totally capable of unleashing all of the power the computer had, so I took a college class on Microsoft Word and Excel and I was amazed at what I could do. The old electric typewriter was history and the pc was my new best friend. If you have a computer and you have never taken a class you are without a doubt accessing only a minimum amount of your computers potential. I also suggest taking the initiative to learn something on your own instead of calling other people to solve your computer problems. Most of us are happy to help people but you need to be willing to learn something on your own too. It is, after all, easier for people to help people if you have a basic understanding of what’s being talked about. That being said you will not find a better deal on computer classes than the ones offered at the library through community education.

Really what is at stake here is not your computer skills or mine for that matter. I am not at all a techie, my goal is to make the computer do what I want it to do and that is all. I don’t covet little handheld devices or feel the need to always be plugged in. I do however think certain technological things are very cool.

This year I was very surprised when my husband surprised me with a Kindle, we had talked about the Kindle before it seemed like too much money and not really necessary. On Christmas when I was presented the Kindle I was surprised and mostly because we never, and I mean never exchange gifts. It is kind of an unwritten rule between us so I graciously thanked Kent for the gift and then told him all of the reasons I shouldn’t have one, he said we could send it back and I said, well maybe we just give it a try. Being an owner of the Kindle is conflicting for me on many levels and really exciting on others.

Is owning a Kindle a betrayal to the book? Well I doubt it. It appears that most people who have Kindles love to read and have a great affection for the written word. Most of the books I read are free because I check them out from the library. I do purchase books that I feel compelled to own and when I do buy a book 90% of the time it is from my favorite, locally owned, independent book store Victor Lundeen’s. Do I think e-readers should replace books, absolutely not. A book, while having a certain amount of fragility is not indestructible but does seem more permanent than an electronic format. Not to mention electronic formats could be changed or edited or deleted from your device without your knowledge or consent. I tend to give books as gifts for all occasions, especially new babies or birthdays, I will without doubt continue to do that. I can hardly imagine having your family gather around the Kindle for a story. Book are art as are particular fonts, and a picture book or nature book would not be nearly as appealing on a small back and white screen. A plus concerning the Kindle would be that such devices may reduce the number of trees being cut down to make books. The Kindle is easy to use and convenient to bring with you were ever you go. The Kindle has bragged that more than 400,000 are available for it, however the latest book club book is not, nor were three other books I was interested in getting. You can download books that are in the public domain for free and some books are really low prices. I own in book format “Les Miserables” and “Great Expectation” two of my favorite books but was able to load “Les Mis” to my Kindle for $1.99 and Great Expectations for $1.99 so now I have them in both formats which is really nice. That means if I want to read in the car but forget the book I can use the Kindle or vice versa. As luck would have it I am out of time and there is much more to explore with this issue I will try to revisit it next week.

As some of you may recall last week I said I was going to continue a column about technology but then I watched this movie and I got all fired up about free speech so I was going to write about that and trust me I will but then I started thinking about hobbies and interests and I decided I needed to seize this opportunity to encourage you to do something. Not only do I want to encourage you to do something but I also want you to encourage your friends, family and children to learn about something new or develop a hobby.

Please don’t take this lightly I am series about this; very few people have pastimes, interests or hobbies. It seems most of us are over scheduled, have over scheduled our children and have no time to learn something new or spend time doing something we love. When you are filling out a form or answering a questionnaire and the question is, “What are your hobbies or special interests?” How do you answer that question? Really think about it and ask yourself if you even have a hobby or special interest. Let me start by saying that carpooling and watching other people do something is not really a hobby it is actually not a hobby at all and that is part of the problem sometimes we are so busy doing what we need to do or have to do that our personal development gets put on hold. Well, I am saying it is time to take back a little bit of time and realign your focus on yourself and for goodness sake let your children do the same thing.

It seems like some people have pastimes or hobbies or special interests that they really work on developing like for instance knitting, rock collecting, star gazing, quilting, rebuilding old cars, gardening, woodworking, cooking, photography, calligraphy, yoga, bird watching, skiing, hunting, playing a musical insturment, studying history; the list is of course endless. When I was in the sixth grade a friend of mine and I got very interested in King Tut, we drew pictures and read books about King Tut and even made a presentation to our sixth grade class. Lucky for us we had a fabulous teacher who let us spend a little time every day studying about King Tut on our own. Ancient Egypt is fascinating, pyramids are interesting, and archeology is enthralling to say the least encourage your kids to check out a few books on the subject or any other subject for that matter. Many young people have a natural interest in dinosaurs check out some books and movies so that they can further develop that interest.

Have you tried snowshoeing, ice skating or skiing what a great way to pass time in the winter. How about tracking animals looking for their little footprints in the snow children would love the mystery of trying to figure out what footprint belonged to which animal. Can you name the constellations in the sky? We have books to help you. Have you ever planted a garden or started seeds in the house? Do like art, paging through a book of masterpieces, learning about the different ism in the field of art. How about trying your hand a decoupage?

Do you get my point here? Learn something, expand your horizons, and grow a little. Some people are just plain dull. I am sorry folks but it is true. In the spirit of doing or learning something new each month get over here to the library and check out some books and movies that you normally would not. Let your kids go nuts at the library picking out their own books on topics that interest them and not you. The stuff here is free people don’t hold yourself back.

Sometimes I just go and buy art supplies, paints, beads, clay you name it, because I just feel like I need to create something. There is just something within the humane spirit that begs to create and if you are suppressing this you need to let it break out. A few years ago I did one these “Great Courses” where you basically take in a series of college lectures either via audio or video and learn something. I choose opera, I love opera but knew very little about it and wanted to expand my knowledge and understanding and develop a broader appreciation. Opera may not be your choice for a new subject to learn about but trust me there is something out there for each and every person to learn about and explore.

If you have never been to the public library now is the time, please consider this your personal invitation to come in and look around and check something out. The library is for everybody and I truly hope you will start to take advantage of our services and resources.

It is that time of year again, when those of us who choose, put ourselves out on the limb and make a New Year resolution. I hadn’t actually given it much thought until my daughter made a comment about it and indicated that her resolution was going to be to try something new each month. Perfect, I thought, I’ll borrow that. So, when the clock strikes twelve (if I’m still awake) I resolve (I hope that is the correct word) to try at least one new thing a month during the next year. Who knows, maybe I’ll take a class, study a foreign language, try yoga or dancing; I might write poetry or pen some short fiction or read a book by a new author, maybe try eating new foods or adopting a new attitude whatever it is it is going to be new for 2010.

I know for sure that I am going to read in 2010, I love reading and just paging through books. Here’s an idea; if you don’t have a library card make a resolution to get one during the month of January and then use it at least once a month. Maybe you have a library card but don’t seem to get into the library often, make a resolution to give your library card a healthy workout during the next year. Now is the perfect time to start using your library card because our “Hot Reads for Cold Nights” is in full swing and you can earn prizes for reading books, it is really hard to beat a deal like that.

Technology and change the love hate relationship most of us have. Most of us would not choose to go back to a time before electricity or indoor plumbing and I am also glad to be alive in the age of telephones, cell phones, computers, ipods and e-readers; but isn’t new technology tricky. I think I can roll with change and embrace it but sometimes the changes in technology are so quick and tricky that I feel a bit out of the loop. I also sometimes wrestle with the idea that most new technology is not simply good or bad but a little of both. Let’s talk about the internet for instance, I love it. I love having access to so much information right at my finger tips. I am grateful that I know how to access online subscription databases so that I can be sure to get good, accurate, researched information. I am thrilled to look up online stores, recipes, watch video on demand and communicate via email and waste too much time on Facebook. The downside of the internet would be that there is a lot of misinformation and trash out their but let’s face it, having the option to access information or entertainment and discern for yourself what is viable is fabulous.

I think that ipods, while leading to lots of music theft also give people the chance to explore music they may otherwise never have considered. People have thousands upon thousands of songs downloaded on their itunes, and I am pretty sure that most people never owned that many records, eight tracks, cassettes or compact discs. The ability to purchase music from i tunes or other sources has opened up a whole new world of music for people. Even the ability to check out or purchase movies has given many of us the opportunity to see movies that have never even played in our neck of the woods. In a nut shell technology gives us access to resources and entertainment that can expand our horizons. Yes, this is a very good time to be alive (not to mention I would have been an awful pioneer) and really there is more to this column about new technology but you will have to wait until next week to read about it.

Sometimes it is the smallest act of kindness that leaves the biggest impact on a person. When I was in second grade I witnessed an act of kindness that has stuck with me my entire life and I really can’t believe how often I think about it. This act of kindness and compassion and really love happened during music class, we were watching the movie “Peter and the Wolf” and when the film ended and the lights came on it was revealed to all of us that one little girl had fallen asleep. Most of us giggled a little and I am sure many of us also wondered what the punishment would be for falling asleep during class. One child asked, “Should I wake her up?” and the music teacher replied, “No, let her sleep, just think how tired she must be to fall asleep sitting in a folding chair.” We all feel silent, and perhaps in each of us a bit of empathy was instilled in our souls as we considered that yes, perhaps she was very tired to fall asleep during what was one of my favorite movies and sitting in the most uncomfortable chair; we quietly retuned to our classroom while our classmate slumbered. Truly a second grader cannot be held accountable for not getting enough sleep and who would know what prevented this young girl from getting enough sleep that previous evening. Years later I would come to know that this young girl’s life was less than desirable and while surly loved many circumstances would provide her with obstacles and difficulties for the rest of her life. Whenever I look back on the kindness our music teacher extended to her and the lesson she taught us all I am thankful I was there to witness it and learn from the lesson it provided. Extending compassion, understanding and love can go a great ways in creating a better place for all of us to live.

As December, this month that hopefully provokes feelings of love and kindness and generosity is winding down, maybe we can remember to carry those feelings into the new year. Maybe we can but aside our judgments and condemnations of other people and remember that love and acceptance is truly what is needed in this world we live in. I am always surprised at how many ungodly things are done in the name of God. I also get a kick out of people who are happy to get in other people’s business to criticize, or cause problems for but often those very people run the other way before actually lending a hand or doing something truly helpful.

During this past year each and everyone of us has most likely had our feelings hurt and most of us are resilient enough to withstand a few hurt feelings. But just think about how forward we could move if didn’t say cruel things or hurt people’s feelings. Think how needless it is to cause other’s pain, sadness or discomfort and how easy it might be to try and extend kindness and love instead.

Christmas literature is always a treat and many popular authors appear to be on to that because many of them have published Christmas books, often time fairly unlikely sorts have written about their Christmas memories. Augusten Burroughs, David Sedaris, Wally Lamb, John Grisham and Charles Dickens are among those that have Christmas books available. Let’s face it we all have holiday memories of some sort and some families have more colorful memories than others. Often the most dysfunctional families are the most amusing to read about; really that is kind of a shame but it is true. Let’s be thankful that people are willing to share their memories whether they are sweet and charming or a bit out there.

I also think that learning about other people’s lives is a great way to learn to appreciate your own life or get inspired to try to improve your situation. When my kids were young the movie “Angela’s Ashes” came out and having read the book I really wanted my kids to see the movie and truth be told they may have been a little young but my thought was, if Frank McCourt could live that life my kids could certainly read about it or watch it. To this day Brittany brings up the fact that she had to watch “Angela’s Ashes” and that it is still disturbing to her. Recently she said, “And you made us watch that show about the man who could only move one foot.” Yes, I did, “My Left Foot” an award winning film that obviously made an impact on my kids if they still remember it, which of course was my point in having them watch it in the first place, to make an impact and help form the type of people they would become. I get excited about literature and movies and music and I want to share things that I think are wonderful, thought proving and important with my children it is, after all, a great way to connect and communicate.

With Christmas just around the corner I hope you take the time to share special holiday books with the children in your life. Whether reading beautiful classic picture books such as “The Littlest Angel,” “Peef the Christmas Bear,” “The Polar Express” or something new like “Auntie Claus” or “The Christmas Moccasins” you will be building memories to last a life time. You may also consider reading a Christmas chapter book such as “The Birds’ Christmas Carol” or “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.” There is also a great selection of Christmas movies ranging from “White Christmas” to “Ernest Saves Christmas” we are not exaggerating when we say we have something for everyone. And don’t forget the Christmas music our CD selection is diverse.

My favorite children’s Christmas book of all time is “Santa Calls” by William Joyce, as a matter of fact I don’t think I have ever read it without chocking up. The surprising thing is that it’s not a sad book but it illustrates this simple act of kindness that really gets to me.

If you need to have a few last minute gifts or something on hand for the person who buys you something but that you seemed to overlook this holiday season please consider shopping at the library. One year I purchased copies of the West Central Area choir CD for my aunts and they all loved it. One aunt keeps asking when they are coming out with their next CD. We also have Red Wing Crocks, library mugs and book bags your patronage means a lot to us so please consider supporting the library and other local organizations this holiday season.

Please remember we are closed Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

The library is decked for the holidays thanks to the work of the members of the Zingleberry book club. These young girls along with Jan Nelson have the library looking very festive and Christmas ready. With the tree, garland and Christmas melodies in the background the library is the perfect place to spend some time reading or resting in front of the fireplace in the loft. You might even be able to coax us out of a cup of cocoa and a cookie.

Because the library is a great place to gather we are happy to be hosting the Chamber of Commerce coffee time on Wednesday, December 16^th from 9:00 to 11:00 and we will also provide a craft and activity for children that same day from 3:30 to 4:30 while we await the arrival of the Holiday Train.

This past week we had an amazing presentation on Antarctica from Keri Nelson. It was a fantastic presentation and I am so happy I had a change to meet Keri and learn about her fascinating experiences at McMurdo Station. We are so fortunate to have such amazing people in our community who are willing to share their experiences with us. Think about how much we all grow from learning from one another. Speaking of Antarctica, we have great books and movies about adventures to this amazing continent as well as ample resources on penguins. We had some young people in attendance at this event and I think a real interest in working at Antarctica was sparked.

Sometimes people ask me questions that really surprise me like, “How long does a library have to wait to get a new book in?” Well the answer is we don’t wait at all. We get new releases of books and movies as soon as they are released. Actually sometimes we get in books before they are released and we are sworn to keeping the book in hiding until the release date. We truly get new releases as quickly as we can to satisfy the insatiable desire our patrons have to read. It is never too late to start using the library, venture on over and take a look around, I would be really surprised if you left empty handed.

Here is your challenge; it is time for our “Hot Reads for Cold Nights” reading program it is an amazing program where you earn prizes for reading books. The program runs from December 1^st to April 1^st and each week that you read a book you receive a free hot drink packet and if you read 15 books during that time you will receive your choose of a free mug, cell phone holder or book bag. This program is totally free thanks to the Friends of the Library who sponsor the program to encourage reading. This program is for adults and older teens. Back to the challenge we are going to keep track of which businesses and organizations in town have the most participants and the highest number of readers who meet the goal of 15 books. So, whether you know it or not we are watching you and we know if you are reading or not, kind of like Santa but different. We will also have drawings for other items each month so all people who are signed up. The library staff will be wearing sweatshirts and mittens promoting the Hot Reads program, just so you know the library staff paid for their own sweatshirts and mittens because we think reading is that important.

Every December and throughout the cold months I love to read Christmas books and watch Christmas movies and listen to Christmas music yes, I am a Christmas nut. Because we are in the throws of a remodeling project my ability to decorate inside is hampered so outside is going to get spiffed up a bit. Getting into the Christmas spirit or creating special memories with your family can happen in many ways and I always look to the library for a bit of inspiration. I plan on watching the following Christmas movies with my family “The House Without a Christmas Tree,” and “Prancer” both older Christmas classics worth watching again. If your children are small you should be reading Christmas books with them each and every night when you tuck them into bed and if your children are older consider reading aloud to them “The Bird’s Christmas Carol” if you want a tear jerker or “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” if you’d like to laugh out loud. For yourself you might want to consider “The Christmas List” by Richard Paul Evans or “A Simple Christmas: Twelve Stories that Celebrate the True Holiday Spirit” by Mike Huckabee. We also have an amazing selection of books with ideas for decorating, entertaining, cooking and baking “A Greener Christmas” by Sheherazade Goldsmtih looks interesting and “Victoria’s 500 Christmas Ideas” will be coming home with me soon. Our collection of Christmas music ranges from lovely instrumentals to Pop sensations such as Mariah Carey, trust me everyone has a Christmas album.

We are looking for a few volunteers to help on Thursday evenings with our children’s story time. If you could spare even one Thursday evening a month we would be grateful. Our program has grown and grown and we could just use a few extra set of hands to help the children with projects and activities the time is Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 7:30.

I want to encourage many of you to get out and do more. You remember back to when my Zip got lost and my doctor encouraged me to get out and not just sit at home even if that meant going to a movie and eating popcorn; well I do think it helps. When ever you have an opportunity to get out and about take it. Consider eating lunch at the senior nutrition center so that you have a chance to mingle with others over a nice meal. Take a walk, even if it is just to the corner and back at least you are moving.

The library offers you a number of free or low cost options for getting out; you can certainly attend our author visits or guest speaker events and you are more then welcome to attend our book discussions and you should for sure consider reading the books. If you are missing our film series you are really denying yourself some interesting viewing opportunities and meaningful discussions. Our film series is though provoking to say the least, while some of the films we show are ones that have been in theaters others are documentaries and some of the flavor that may have only played in larger cities. Nonetheless I assure that our films very worth while and a good excuse for you to get out of the house. Did I mention that we have fabulous popcorn?

The computer classes offered at the library are outstanding there are classes for the very beginner, no need to be shy about signing up I promise you that our instructors are patient and kind and will work very hard to make sure you learn something. There is always something new to learn about the computer and many of the classes such as Microsoft Word will help you to gain skills that can be used for searching the internet, or using email. Many people are reluctant to take a class, thinking they know enough to get buy, I ensure you that you will learn something and you will be amazed at everything you have been missing out on.

Of course I need to again address the holiday season, my favorite time of year, from the food, decorations, music, and festive atmosphere I feel joy. Memories of past Christmas celebrations and church programs make me smile and sometimes even laugh. I love tradition and I love trying something new so you never know what the holidays will have in store at our house. As of last year we gave up the tradition of giving and receiving gifts with the exception of those in our lives that are under 18 years of age. At this point we purchase gifts for three children along with some charitable donations we are fortunate enough to be able to make. For us and our family this was just the right decision for us. I have expressed to my parents that I would much rather spend time with them doing something special like going out to eat, to a play or movie then exchanging a gift. I would also much rather see someone who truly needs something receive it instead of adding to abundance of what I already have. Our time during the holidays can be spent watching the children enjoy the splendor of the occasion and we can focus on each other. I often try to talk my family into a sing along or a program of sorts where we all read and have little parts in the program. Trust me when I say everyone dreads what idea I will come up with for the Christmas celebration.

While I don’t eat meat I think Christmas should include traditional foods like Swedish meatballs and mashed potatoes and lefse and eggnog. I am also totally open to new dishes or other people’s traditions. My daughter spent here first Thanksgiving away from home, she asked me I felt sorry for her not being with family on the holiday. I said, “Are you kidding I am so jealous. You are going to get to meet new people and learn about their lives and their traditions and you are going to get to eat some wonderful new foods that you have probably never tried before. Not to mention that I have never had the opportunity to spend a holiday anywhere other than Ottertail, Grant or Wilkin County, so seize the day.” As luck would have it Britt said Thanksgiving was wonderful and she keep thinking about how much I would loved trying all of the new foods that she was lucky enough to try.

I actually lost my train of thought, let’s get back to Christmas. Many of your are going to give gifts and I have a few suggestions for you; first consider giving gifts that give twice such as memberships to arts organizations such as Prairie Wind Players, or you could purchase a 75^th Anniversary Red Wing Crock at the library. You could fill the crock with treats and know that your gift would benefit the receiver and the Community Building. Consider a gift of a set of library mugs only $5.00 each add some hot cocoa or tea or gourmet coffee. We also have great canvas book bags at only $10.00 each and cell phone pouches for $3.00 which would make a great stocking stuffer.

Make sure you sign up for Hot Reads for Cold Nights and challenge yourself to read a few good books and I should mention that audio books count as well.

I was thrilled to have someone at the market tell me that they used the online catalog for the first time and couldn’t believe how easy it was. I assure you it is easy and it is actually fun. Let’s say your are planning on painting a room in your house but you are a blank slate for ideas so you might benefit from some ideas that you could find in a book. All you have to do is go to our online catalog and try searching things like decorating, color or painting and see what you come up with. As you locate titles that seem appealing just click on the “request item” button and the materials will be on there way to our library for you to pick up. You will need your library card number to place the request and if you can’t find your card you can call us for the number. If you do not have a library card stop in and we will get you set up.

As the holiday season is upon us I encourage you to check out our huge collection of Christmas materials we have books on decorating, table setting, menu planning, stories, crafts, songs. We also have music on CD and movies on VHS and DVD so let us be your first stop for preparing for the holidays. Using the resources available at the library to supplement your Christmas season is a great way to save money.

Of course this time of year brings about my shop local lecture, reminding each of you that Grant County has a fantastic selection of local merchants that help with your gift giving needs. I like encourage people to consider giving consumable items so that we aren’t creating additional waste. Consider giving food baskets, Elbow Lake Bucks, gift certificates for gas or groceries. A gift certificate to the Grant County Herald online or in print is another great idea.

We recently held our annual Friends of the Library Breakfast and annul meeting we had a great turn out and fabulous food, people are still telling me what a great time they had and we truly appreciate the support our local community provides the library. If you didn’t get a chance to attend the meeting but would like to be a Friend of the Library we have forms that you can fill out at the library or you can visit our webpage and click on the “Friends” line and print and fill out the form online and drop of next time you are in the area.

The Friends of the Library supports many of the special programs that the library engages in throughout the year, children’s reading programs and story times, the adult film and book series, the annual library-a-thon and the upcoming “Hot Reads for Cold Nights” adult reading program. This program awards adult readers with hot drinks and the opportunity to earn a mug for reading books. Stop in the library and get signed up for our “Hot Reads” program and challenge yourself to read more or read at all.

Along with exercise (something I obviously fall short on) reading should be a part of our regular routine, I can’t imagine life without books and I can’t imagine trying to get all of my information from television, how tragic and inadequate one must really read books to dig into issues and ideas and get information from people who are educated and done research into these areas. If you would like to become more disciplined in your reading consider attending our book series and reading and discussing titles with others in the community.

For those of you who attended the Friends meeting and were disappointed at not being able to watch the Ray Bradbury interview here is the link http://www.nea.gov/ once there click on “audio and video” and you will see Ray Bradbury and his name click on the red words “view” and enjoy this very charming man. If you do not have access to the internet at home stop in and we will help you find the link.

If you have not picked up a copy of “Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure The World” by Tracy Kidder, I strongly encourage you to do so. The library will be facilitating a discussion of the book on Tuesday, November 24th which may have passed by the time you read this, but guess what? It’s never too late to read a great book that has the potential to change your life.

Just in time to kick off the holiday’s the library will be showing the film “It’s A Wonderful Life” on Tuesday, December 1^st at 7:00 p.m. I am really sorry that I will be out of town on that date and will miss watching the movie with community members because the movie is incredibly important to me. The first time I saw “It’s a Wonderful Life” I was probably in high school; to me the movie was magical and filled me up with feelings of goodness, love and potential. From the first time I saw until currently I have made a point to watch the movie every year with my family. My husband and kids actually have the movie memorized, it helps that I also have it on CD and we can listen to it start to finish in the car. There are so many brilliant moments in this feel good film that I could never list them all. I have also often had those “It’s a Wonderful Life” moments and there are no shortages of quotes that one can use from time to time from the movie. Despite the fact that I will not be there to watch the film I really encourage you and your friends and family to come and watch the movie, I can hardly think of anything more beautiful than watching that film surrounded by my wonderful community members. It sounds so good I think maybe we will make an annual tradition here at the library. Clarence: “You see George, you've really had a wonderful life. Don't you see what a mistake it would be to just throw it away?”

Please remember the library’s book and film club are open to everyone can as often as you can, these events are free and we will get you a copy of book we are reading so there is absolutely no cost to you. The book and film club is a great way to meet new people and connect to the community. We have men and women of all ages participate. I always feel very rejuvenated when I participate and spend time with such interesting people.

If you have children or grandchildren or nieces and nephews or in anyway are involved with the lives of children I strongly encourage you to check out our “Ready to Learn” pack backs. We have more than 40 theme based backpacks filled with books and DVDs for children and adults to help with school readiness skills. We all want the children in our lives to enter school ready to learn and one way to help make sure that happens is to read to them and what’s really nice about the “Ready to Learn” back packs is that they are all ready for you pick up and are filled with quality materials that are designed to teach, reinforce and expose children to primary concepts such as letters, numbers, and rhymes. We also have backpacks that help with making transitions such as going to sleep on your own, potty training, going to the doctor or dentist. Some of the packs focus on new experiences such as going to day care or a birthday party or welcoming a new baby into the family and other packs reinforce pre-literacy skills using things children love such as dinosaurs or puppies or by using popular children’s authors such as Todd Parr or Ezra Jack Keats. We have also recently added a pack specifically focused on having parents in the military. The “Ready to Learn” packs check out for three weeks at a time and that encludes the DVDs in the packs. The packs are perfect for children ages 0 to 8 and I strongly recommend making the packs are part of your regular routine. Children and adults love the packs we have only received positive feedback about them so stop in and we will help you select your first pack.

It is our goal to get as many people as possible to use our online catalog to request materials, renew materials, manage their accounts and just plain browse the catalog. We have noticed that we are lagging behind a bit in having people use the online catalog so in an effort to correct that we are going to try to make a valiant effort to direct you do the online system when you are looking for a book. You see because it is so easy for us to do ourselves we often deny you the opportunity to learn how because we so quickly offer to do it for you. We are going to try to improve in that area.

What we have found is that people who access our online catalog absolutely love it and use it all of the time. People who use the catalog frequently request numerous books a week and are very proficient at renewing materials before they become late and start accruing a fine. We also realize that not everyone is computer literate and many people do not have access to the internet from their homes, please note that we are always willing to conduct searches and place requests for our patrons, but you know how it is if you don’t encourage people to learn a new system or take the time to teach them it just never happens. We don’t want people to become angry or think we are reducing our customer service, I promise nothing could be further from the truth. What we are trying to do is to empower our patrons to have better access to our collection, develop the ability to search for additional materials as well as learn how to manage your account to avoid late fees.

The easiest way to get started is to visit our webpage at http://library.alexweb.net/ click on the space that says “online catalog” and begin the process of searching for materials. Once you are comfortable using our online catalog we will guide you to mnlink.org the State’s library catalog and elm4you.org in an effort to continue developing your ability to get the information you need.

A huge (and late) happy birthday to “Sesame Street,” I am 42 years old so pretty much got in on the ground level of being a “Sesame Street” viewer and fan. To this day I believe it is some of the best programming on television for young children. The television show promotes learning and school readiness and does a fine job of educating children and their families about a number of other relevant issues. We have a small selection of Sesame Street materials on display that you can check out to share with your family or spend some reminiscing.

New books abound at the library, remember how I told you every one who has ever written a book as a new one coming out this fall? Well, welcome to list the follow authors, William Styron, Michael Connelly, David Baldacci, John Irving, Robert Jordan and R.A. Salvatore.

Remember to mark your calendar for our visiting author Jan Smith who will be with us on November 19^th at 7:00 and our Friends of the Library free breakfast on Saturday, November 21^st at 9:00 a.m.

Computer classes continue during November and December and consider participating in the Library’s book and movie series which will be discussing “Mountains Beyond Mountains” on November 24 (we still have copies available at the library) and we will viewing the movie ““It’s a Wonder Life” on December 1^st at 7:00 p.m. this is a perfect way to get into the Christmas spirit and something the whole family will enjoy. December’s read is “Not Buying It, My Year without Shopping” again perfect timing.

It is football season and while that doesn’t affect me much, except when “60 Minutes” is delayed because of a game, I know that the game dominates many households. If you just cannot get enough football on the television you might want to check out a few of the books we have on subject including “The Good Bad & the Ugly: Heart-Pounding, Jaw-Dropping and Gut-Wrenching moments in Minnesota Vikings History” by Steve Silverman, or “A Tradition of Purple: An Inside Look at the Minnesota Vikings” by Jim Bruton with a foreword by Bud Grant. “Pigskin Pride: Celebrating a Century of Minnesota Football” by Ross Bernstein has a lot of historical information and a great selection of photos. Fear not we have Brett Favre covered; of course the books we were written when he played for the Packers, nonetheless the information should be accurate. The Favre titles include: “Brett Favre: Leader of the Pack” by Bill Gutman and “Favre” by Brett and Bonita Favre. We actually also have a great selection of football books for younger readers too and often these books are great for reluctant readers or young people who have a hard time finding the perfect book, consider “The Encyclopedia of the NFL” or “Inside the NFL:NFC North.

Another fall activity is hunting and we also have a great selection of books related to hunting; “Turkey Hunting Tactics,” “The Best Way to Train Your Gun Dog,” “Hunting the Great Plains,” “How to Bag the Biggest Buck of Your Life” along with “Reloading for Shotgunners.” Once you’ve got your buck, duck or turkey you may want to check out “The Orvis Cookbook: Fifty Complete Menus for Fish and Game.” We also have an assortment of videos on training dogs for hunting; I guess you can consider us one of your first stops for the hunting season.

If you have read Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol” or are on the waiting list to get a copy your curiosity about the Freemasons may be peaked and you might want to consider watching the DVD “Mysteries of the Freemasons” a documentary put out by the History Channel.

The PBS documentary on the National Parks is an outstanding viewing experience that we will be adding to our collection, in the meantime we have the accompanying book and a few videos on the National Parks system as well.

Mark your calendars for the upcoming library events: guest author Jan Smith will be speaking at the library on Thursday, November 19^th and she will also be giving a demonstration on the art of paper cutting. Our Friends’ of the Library annual meeting and free breakfast will be held on Saturday, November 21^st at 9:00 a.m. Our current selection of computer classes are excellent and keep in mind our Microsoft Word I class which will be held on November 23^rd and 30^th will focus on creating Christmas letters so call to sign up for this class if it appeals to you.

Children’s story times are held Wednesdays at 10:30 and Thursdays at 6:30 and remember you can check out our “Ready to Learn” back packs to help ensure your children are ready to learn when they enter school.

Visit our webpage to find out what’s happening at the library http://library.alexweb.net/ you can also access our online catalog from this site to manage your account and place materials on hold.

We are very excited to be welcoming Julie, Rich, Andrea and Carter Duncan to the library to do a presentation on their recent trip to India. The Duncan family will be here on Thursday, November 5^th at 7:00 p.m. We will be holding event in the lower level of the library in the Sanford Room at 7:00 p.m. There will be a slide show included with this presentation.

Every once in a while, actually fairly frequently I stumble upon a hidden treasure. Just last week I decided to check out a video series called “Country Spires,” which is about old churches, immigration and architecture in the Midwest. There are three 28 minutes movies in the series and each is so completing that you can’t stop watching. The movies are narrated by Bill Holm which adds to their charm.

Another lovely movie is “Amelie” this delightful French film will warm your heart and make you smile the cinematography is splendid and the movie is very sweet.

I love the book “Ella Minnow Pea” by Mark Dunn it uses one of the most creative story telling devices I have ever run across. This is a gem of a book and you don’t need to take my word for it you can check the book out yourself.

“The Elegance of the Hedgehog” by Muriel Barberry is, well, one of the most elegant books I have ever read. It is original, refreshing, and very touching. You just never what exactly you will find between the covers of a book; some times you like what you find and other times you are disappointed. What’s nice about the library is taking a chance on a book is always free.

The library is a place for everybody and when I say everybody I mean everybody. What may surprise you is that we live in a community made of very diverse people. Each and everyday I get a chance to visit with many people who have very original ideas, thoughts, and believes. It is never my place to make a judgment about any library patron or the materials they choose to read or view. It is my responsibility to make sure our collection reflects the unique needs or patrons.

Just as don’t make judgments about the reading tastes of others, we need to give each other that same respect. You may dislike a book I love or vice versa, and that is totally okay. We all have different opinions and likes and dislikes. And if you run across something don’t like or find offensive my best response is, “Just don’t read it.” We are not a rated “G” library nor should we be. Without doubt there are books that you may not find appropriate for your children and my recommendation for you is to guide your children and help them make decisions about what they read. It really isn’t our place to tell you or your kids what they can and can’t check out; that is your responsibility as a parent.

Our collections are divided in sections for children, young adults and adults but anyone can check out from any where. Far be it from me to stop a sixth grader from reading a book like “Jane Eyre” or “Oliver Twist” simple because they are in the adult fiction section. And if you don’t want your child reading something like “Harry Potter” which is a children’s book, I can’t make that decision for you either; you and your children need to work that out.

We do our best to please everyone, knowing fully that isn’t always possible and we also know that to please some people you may upset others, and that’s just how life is.

When I say check out the library we have something for everyone, it doesn’t mean that you’ll like everything but I am pretty sure you will like something.

In our observances during the month of October Breast Cancer Awareness is also on the list. Cancer is a disease that touches most of us in some capacity. We may have friends or family members suffering or we may be suffering ourselves. The library has a number of resources pertaining to cancer, and cancer treatments. Being diagnosed with cancer fills people and families with fear, anxiety and many questions. Those of us who know people with a recent diagnoses or going through treatments want to be useful and supportive and we don’t always know exactly how best to do that. One of the best things any of us can do is to get informed about cancer so that we have accurate facts when trying to be supportive.

The library has a number of resources pertaining to cancer and cancer treatment including: “The Breast Cancer Survival manual” by John Link, M.D., “The Breast Cancer Prevention Diet” by Dr. Bob Arnot, “Eating Well Through Cancer” Easy Recipes & Recommendations during & After Treatment” by Holly Clegg & Gerald Miletello, M.D.,

We also have materials on other types of cancer and we can access all of the libraries in the state of Minnesota to get you the most recent or relevant information. You might also find the following titles useful; “American Cancer Soceity Complete Guide to Complementary & Alternative Cancer Therapies,” “Melanoma: Prevention, Detection and Treatment” by Catherine M. Poole.

Other new books in just this week include “The Case for God” by Karen Armstrong, and “The Museum of Innocence” by Orhan Pamuk. We have added the following the titles on audio “A Change in Altitude” by Anita Shreve, “True Compass” by Edward M. Kennedy, “The Year of the Flood” by Margaret Atwood and “The Murder of King Tut” by James Patterson. Just so you know, we get at least five new audio books in a month and we rotate an additional 100 books on tape every two months.

Last week we hosted the author of “The Minnesota Road Guide to Haunted Locations” by Chad Lewis & Terry Fisk. Please keep in mind that for years we have invited local authors to come and talk about their books and we have had anywhere from 4 people to 50 people but for the hunted Minnesota presentation we had more than 105 people. I guess we know what people are interested in. At the conclusion of the presentation I thanked Mr. Lewis and asked him if he always draws such a big crowd and he mostly said that it wasn’t him but the subject matter. We do have a couple of copies of Mr. Lewis’s books available for check out along with a selection of books filled with scary stories and ideas for Halloween.

This Tuesday the 27^th is the Big Read discussion on the science fiction classic “Fahrenheit 451” and on the 29^th we will be showing the movie which was released in 1966.

On Thursday, November 5^th at 7:00 we will be joined by Rich, Julie, Andrea & Carter Duncan who will discuss their recent life changing trip to Hyerabad, India. We will hold this presentation in the Sanford Room so that we can use our large screen to view photos from their trip.

You may also want to mark your calendars for a visit from local author Jan Smith who wrote “Remembering the Maine” and “Rambling ‘Round Maine” Jan Smith will here on Thursday, November 19^th at 7:00 I should also mention that Jan is a paper cutting artist and she will also be sharing those talents with us.

While I am starting out with a reminder about “Fahrenheit 451” the second paragraph is truly the heart of my notes this week. What page are you on in “Fahrenheit 451”? Get reading so that you too can be a part of the Big Read. It is very exciting to think about an entire community reading the same book and coming together to talk about it. It is also a great exercise in how we can all read the same book and walk away with a different feeling, idea or interpretation; and guess what? No one is wrong; I once read a quote by a professor of Divinity that went something like “To Read is to interoperate.” And isn’t that the truth. So read, think and then come and hear what others think. I tend to learn so much from listening to what others get out of something. Sometimes it is totally enlightening and other times I wonder if we actually read the same book. Recently a co-worker and I attended the forum in Fergus Falls on Intellectual Freedom, which was one of the scheduled Big Read events, it was very interesting. The panel consisted of a minister, a newspaper editor/publisher and a teacher their insight on the book “Fahrenheit 451” as well as what they had to say about censorship sparked much discussion. Those in attendance were as interesting as those on the forum. We are certain that our book discussion on the 27^th will be equally as stimulating so be sure and join us that evening at 7:00 p.m.

Last week I mentioned that a co-worker had pointed out that October was a month that observed a number of important issues and this week the issue I would like to spend a little time focusing on is violence prevention. It is tragic that century after century the human condition cannot seem to get past anger, aggression, and violence in a way of dealing with problems and coping. Violence and abuse in not always physical, bullying, teasing and intimidating can be equally as damaging and debilitating. Unfortunately many people live lives plagued with violence and when people; men, women, children, or employees exist under such oppression they are not given the opportunity to function at their full potential, they are denied the chance to have a peaceful life and suffer the effects of stress, anxiety and fear.

A number of years ago I was asked to give a toast at a friends wedding, this was one of my best friends and I was honored to be asked. I did a lot of research into what a good toast consists of and was lucky enough to be flipping through the channels when I stumbled upon “The Titanic” just when Jack, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, was giving his toast; that was helpful. It wasn’t enough but it was good start. Another thought that keep entering my head was a quote from a made for TV movie about abuse and while I rarely can remember any verbatim the essence of it was this, “Your home should be your sanctuary, a place where you can take refuge from the harshness of the rest of the world.” Luckily for most of us that is true, but did you know for many home is actually one of the most stressful, violent and oppressive places that they have to face. Think about that, at the end of the day having to return to a place filled with fear and violence and pain. Think about the impact that would have on a person’s ability to perform or carryout any other functions of the day. Think about the lack of peace in their lives.

Along with home, school can be a very scary place for the child that is a victim of bullying, teasing and violence. I always get a kick out of the statement that schools make saying, “We have a zero tolerance for bullying.” I mean what are they going to say that they have a 20 percent tolerance for bullying? Let’s face it, talk is cheap and ask any child that faces daily ridicule at the hands of their peers or teachers how that zero tolerance thing is working out for them. Try asking the bullied what it feels like to go to school each day and you will hear a very sad and tragic story. There are many places that are implementing very proactive approaches to bulling and we should all get behind those efforts so that at very young ages people learn that such behavior is totally unacceptable. Perhaps when that message finally takes hold we will someday see an end to all abuse and violence.

We do have a number of books and videos at the library that deal with this very difficult topic, they include “The Ones Who Got Away: Women Who Left Abusive partners” by Ginny NiCarthy, “Victims of Abuse: the Emotional Impact of Child and Adult Trauma” edited by “Alan Sugarman Ph.D, and “The Bully, the Bullied and the Bystander: From Preschool to High School How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence” by Barbara Coloroso. These are just a few of the titles we have available.

Let’s consider this; how about a society or a community at the very least that focuses on surrounding each other with love, support, compassion and understanding. Whenever we see an injustice we step in, whenever we see oppression we speak up. What if we treat one other with respect and dignity and extend Grace to our neighbors and what if when dealing with people we always try to consider that they may be dealing with difficulties that we can’t even imagine. What if the telemarketer calling us recently found out that they or a family member had a debilitating illness and we rudely hang up on then, think about how that may further impact their day, their emotional fragility. A couple of years ago I had been faced with a very sad reality and was terribly depressed and scared and that evening while at work a patron came in and yelled at me about their child’s overdue materials. On most days I can deal with that but on that particular day I was too fragile, I felt tears just well-up in my eyes and begin to run down my cheeks. Being alone at the library I little opportunity to regain my composure I stepped into the other room and bawled. That one act of hostility was the breaking point. Let’s consider the human condition before we open our mouths, know that each and everyone of us are precious and vulnerable. Let’s be the peace that binds us as opposed to the aggression that destroys us. What if we work to surround each of our community members, children and adults with acceptance for their differences and originality and what if we focus on loving one another instead of condemning and judging one another. There are about 6,000 of us here in Grant County and that seems like a pretty good number to focus on. If we break that number down to towns, neighborhoods, workplaces, schools and classrooms just think of the positive impact we may have on the lives of our community members. Let’s focus on loving one another and see where it leads us.

A co-worker of mine made the observation that October is a month that observes a lot of very important issues; fire safety and prevention, breast cancer awareness and violence prevention. As you can see these are tremendously important issues that warrant our attention. The library has books and movies that deal with and educate about these series issues.

During October our children’s story time focuses on fire safety and prevention and we will have special guests to visit with adults on these important topics this week during story time. Children’s story time at the library is a wonderful way to expose children to books and educational activities. This is also the perfect setting for children to meet new friends and become comfortable library users. Plan to make story time a part of your weekly activities by joining us Wednesday mornings at 10:30 or Thursday evenings at 6:30.

The other topic I want to visit this week is violence prevention, one would think that eventually people would grow to the point that they realize that violence is unacceptable but shockingly many people are victims of abuse and many people are killed at the hands of abusive family members. No one sets out to enter into an abusive relationship, yet sometimes people end up situations that become just that. It is important to stress that abuse can physical, sexual or emotional. I also want to stress that bullying is a form of abusive and harassment and terribly dangerous.

I always get a kick out of places that state, “We have a zero tolerance for bullying.” Like what else are you going to say, “We have 20% tolerance for bullying?” Unfortunately, talk is cheap, ask any child or person who is picked on and bullying how that zero tolerance thing is working out for them. There are some places that are taking very strong stances on bullying and teaching techniques that help students to protect one another from bullies. Truly bullying and abuse needs to become so socially unacceptable that no one would ever want to be found guilty of committing the act.

Once people become victims of bullying or abuse they can start to become very fragile and lose their ability to think clearly and can feel very isolated and unheard. We need to keep our eyes and ears open so that we can potentially be a part of the solution for people who are victims of other people’s cruelty.

Books related to this topic available at the library include: “The Verbally Abusive Relationship” by Patricia Evans, “The Ones Who Got Away: Women Who Left Abusive Partners” by Ginny NiCarthy, “Victims of Abuse: The Emotional Impact of Child and Adult Trauma” edited by Alan Sugarman, Ph. D., and “Healing Hidden Memories: Recovery for Adult Survivors of Childhood Abuse” by Mary Jane Williams.

Books available that deal specifically with bullying include: “The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander” by Barbara Coloroso, “Bullies and Victims: Helping your Child through the Schoolyard Battlefield” by Suellen Fried and the DVD “Stop Bullying Now: Take a Stand, Lend a Hand. We can create a more civil society where all people regardless of their difference can strive. We can help to empower and reach out to victims so that they can reach their full potential. Let’s be a part of the solution.

What page are you on in “Fahrenheit 451” keep reading and passing around that book so that as many people as possible can be a part of the Big Read. The book discussion will be held on the 27^th of October and the film on the 29^th.

Visit our website or call for more information on upcoming computer classes at the library. These classes are a great way to advance your computer skills so you can enjoy your computer instead of just becoming frustrated with it.

We will have a writing workshop with Minnesota author Patricia Wrede on October 20^th from 6:30 to 8:30 this is a free workshop sponsored by the National Endowment for Arts Big Read and your local Friends of the library.

Don’t forget just in time for Halloween Chad Lewis, author of “The Minnesota Road Guide to Haunted Locations will here on October 22 at 7:00 p.m.

Thursday, November 5^th at 7:00 join us for a special presentation by Rich, Julie, Carter and Andrea Duncan on their recent trip to India Thursday, November 5 @ 7:00

I am writing this during what appears to be the rainy season and the grey skies, cold temperatures and chronic wetness it seems a precursor to what is to come, it also seems like perfect reading weather. I love to snuggle up on the couch with a warm blanket, my cat and a good book. It seems like if the weather is right for reading there is always something else to get in the way, some chore that needs tending to or obligation to fulfill. Not that any of that is bad, it just cuts into reading time. Currently I am reading “Homer & Langley” by E.L. Doctorow, one of my favorite authors. “Homer & Langley” is historical fiction and E.L. Doctorow is a master when it comes to historical fiction. If you have never read anything by E.L. Doctorow I encourage you to do so.

There are a number of ways to find a book at the library, one you can stop in and browse (my personal favorite) two you can call and ask us to reserve a book for you, three you can email us a request or four (the most addictive form of book requesting and my second favorite) you can use our online catalog to browse until your hearts content and all the while you are browsing you can been placing holds for and requesting items.

If you visit our webpage at http://library.alexweb.net/ click on “online catalog” and browse to your hearts content. All you need to have is your library card number and you request materials from any library in the system and have them delivered here. If you like to read new releases by popular authors you visit the catalog to your name on the waiting list for books that are in high demand. Are you waiting for Dan Brown’s “The Lost Symbol”? or John Sanford’s “Rough Country”? visit the online catalog to place your hold.

Speaking of new books, a great shipment just arrived including: “The Last Song” Nicholas Sparks, “Gourmet Rhapsody” by Muriel Barbery, “an Echo in the Bone” by Diana Gabaldon, “A Change in Altitude” by Anita Shreve, and “The Year of the Flood” by Margaret Atwood. People often wonder about how often we get new books and it is probably weekly. Ordering materials for the library is a constant on going process and our patrons have many diverse interests and our collection certainly reflects the diversity of the public we serve.

We still have copies of “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury, which is the Big Read selection available for checkout and so far the feedback has been very positive. If you see a copy of this book around town pick it up and read it and when you are done pass it on to someone else or leave in another public spot. We have readers’ guides to go along with the books as well.

The list of what’s happening at the library continues to grow and grow you can always check our webpage for updated information but her are a few things we have planned: A writing workshop with Minnesota author Patricia Wrede will be held at the library on Tuesday, October 20^th from 6:30 to 8:30 this workshop is free and anyone is welcome to attend. On Thursday, October 22nd at 7:00 p.m. Chad Lewis the author of “The Minnesota Road Guide to Haunted Locations” will be giving a presentation. The book discussion for “Fahrenheit 451” will take place on Tuesday, October 27^th at 7:00 and we will be viewing the film on Thursday, October 29^th at 7:00 p.m. Mark you calendar for Thursday, November 5^th when Richard and Julie Duncan along with their family will be giving a presentation on a recent trip to India. We will have visiting author Jan Smith at the library on Thursday, November 19^th at 7:00 p.m. We are jam packed with great presentations this fall, the library is certainly the place to be.

Computer classes are starting to fill up so call now to reserve your spot for our Basic Computers for people over 60 on October 13^th & 15^th from 1:00 to 3:00 and Microsoft Word and Excel classes will begin the week of October 19^th. Call to sign up for classes before they fill up.

On a side note I strongly encourage you to consider purchasing a Red Wing crock marking the 75^th anniversary of the Scofield Community building, the crocks are very attractive and make a wonderful keepsake, proceeds from the sale of the crocks will go towards maintaining and enhancing the community building.

The level of activity here is exciting and exhilarating. It seems like we no sooner get done with one project and something else falls in our lab, usually really good things fall in our lab so that’s a plus. We have so many activities planned for the next few months that you really need to plan on spending a fair amount time at the library this fall.

Before I go into all of that I am just going to remind people that if you are too sick to go to work or school you might figure you are actually too sick to go anywhere else. The CDC along with our local emergency response coordinator are all urging us to stay home if we have any symptoms of being ill. While I know that is sometimes really difficult to keep yourself at home we will all be better off in the long run if we follow the guidelines that experts have laid out for us. It is also important to teach children (and often adults) good hygiene practices. Actually children are already better at coughing into their arms then most adults. We do actually have great books to help you prepare for cold and flu season “Germs Make Me Sick,” “Staying Healthy,” “Those Mean, Nasty, Dirty, Downright Disgusting but invisible Germs,” “Germs are Not for Sharing,” and “You are Healthy” are a few of the titles we have to choose from.

We are getting ready to kick off the Big Read and this year’s title is the classic “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury. While many people have read this book in the past being it is often taught in high school it might be time to read it again. I actually had never read the book before so was excited to see what all the hype was about. We have more than 50 copies of the book available for checkout and we also have the audio book if you’d like to listen to the story. Along with the book we have reader’s guides to give you insight into the story there is also a CD that includes an interview with the author. Please keep your eyes open for the upcoming Big Read insert that will be included in one of your next issues of the Grant County Herald. If you miss yours we have extra copies at the library.

There are a number of great events that will be held in association with the Big Read, including book discussions, a writing workshops, a science fiction exhibit at the Otter Tail County Museum, and a forum on censorship, intellectual freedom and “Fahrenheit 451” to be held at M State in Fergus Falls on October 6^th at 7:30 p.m. I love the idea of community members getting together to discuss important and relevant issues. We have so much to learn from one another and by respectfully listening to one another we stand to gain so much.

The National Endowment for the Arts is the creator and sponsor of the Big Read program the goal for the Big Read is to encourage people to read. What are you waiting for? It is never to late to pick up a book and start reading. You may also notice some copies of the book “Fahrenheit 451” scattered around town with a Pass It On sticker on them. Those copies are to be read and like the sticker says passed on to someone else. Encourage your co-workers to become a part of the Big Read, maybe your family would like to read the book together whatever it takes just get reading.

Please note that we will observing national “Banned Books” week beginning September 26^th. You will be shocked at the titles of books that people have tried to ban in the past one being “Fahrenheit 451.”

I am sure you have heard the phrase truth is stranger than fiction; I’d like to take that a step further and say the truth is scarier than anything you could possibly imagine especially when we are talking about “The Future of Food.” Last week the library showed the film “The Future of Food,” from people who had previously watched the movie I had heard many strong comments, but I truly wasn’t prepared to feel so much anger at the conclusion of the film. If you, in any way, work in agriculture or if you eat food you really need to see “The Future of Food.” I truly believe that big companies prey on the fact that they know most of us are too apathetic or lazy to actually look into pressing issues, do research or educate ourselves on most topics. Of course those are the very reasons that big business, including big agriculture gets away with a lot of what they get away with. I encourage you stop by the library and check out our copy of “The Future of Food” and consider visiting their website at http://www.thefutureoffood.com/ Keep in mind that when the library shows films once a month the public is invited to attend and what I really like about watching the movie as a group is having the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the topic at length. Please keep in mind everyone is invited to join us for our films.

Writing about “The Future of Food” also reminds me of many of the other fabulous documentaries we have available at the library. I think you find our collection of films on history, current events, health and fitness, travel and an assortment other topics and it is really amazing what you can learn by checking out documentaries from the public library.

This leads me to another topic, value. The next time you are checking out your books from the library ask us to totally up the value of the materials you are checking out. It is amazing but the average checkout of four items has a retail value of about $120.00 not a bad investment is it. As a matter of fact it is probably the best deal in town or anywhere else for that matter.

School has started and those of you who have pre-schoolers you are probably thinking about what you can do this year to make sure they are ready for school in the years to come. Regular visits to the library are one way to make sure children are developing the skills they will need to be ready to learn when they enter kindergarten. Any reading you do with your children with have a positive impact on their school readiness skills, and the library staff can point you in the direction of some great titles that will be a hit with your children. We also have available our “Ready-to-Learn” backpacks that are theme related and full of great resources to help children develop pre-reading skills, learn their letters, numbers, colors and shapes. Their are also “Ready-to-Learn” backpacks on topics such as healthy eating, going to the dentist, going bed, being away from home, learning Braille or sign language. The backpacks are hugely popular so be sure to stop by and check one out.

Do you ever feel like you live on a planet with people who just don’t get it? Unfortunately I feel this way far too often, now thankfully I am surrounded by enlightened people who give me hope and occasionally a new soul crosses my path providing just the breath of fresh air I need to sustain my self and continue to march forward. All too often though I feel a bit beat down by ignorance, prejudice, shortsightedness, and let’s face it pure stupidity. While everyone has a right to their opinion I am surprised at how many people form opinions without doing any type of research or investigation of facts. I am surprised by people who think they have knowledge or understanding of something yet they have made no attempt to educate themselves on an issue, they just continue to march forward in ignorance.

Personally, I like to try to put myself in someone else’s shoes before opening my mouth, I like to find out what others are thinking and why they are thinking that way. I actually like to read about topics and situations; you know do some research about something before making a decision. From little decisions to big decisions I like to “do my homework” shall we say?

To me one the biggest turnoffs in the world is a closed mind, and let’s face it there are many out there to content with. Sometimes I hear such awful closed minded comments I have to bite my tongue as to not unleash a dose of verbal whiplash to the offender. One must also come to the understanding that their values and believes are not the only values and believes that exist and that no one’s values or believes are necessarily wrong, only different. How can one overcome their ignorance and closed mindedness, well for starters you can read.

One of my all time favorite books that really deals with small mindedness is “Main Street” by Sinclair Lewis. Some people think the book is an attack on small towns because of it’s setting, but upon closer examination you will find it is really about small minds which exist in communities of all size and geographic location. Try reading Sinclair Lewis’s “Babbitt” if you doubt me.

A book about prejudices and the damage of gossip and the whole rumor mill is “The Ladies Auxiliary” by Tova Mirvis. You see I think it takes very closed minded, insensitive people to gossip or dream up rumors to spread about people, it is also a sure way to make people feel unwelcome in any community.

There are countless books that a person could read in order to expand their knowledge base and grow their brain a bit, but you need to pick those books up and start reading for it to have any effect at all. You can’t just go around reading pulp fiction, from time to time you may have to reach for a piece of literature or maybe even a little nonfiction.

We are responsible for building the kind of community we want to live in, we are responsible for creating the atmosphere in which we want to live and we are responsible for projecting the image we want others to have of our community, so don’t just sit there learn something.

Minnesota Book Award winner, Catherine Friend, will be speaking at our library on Thursday, September 10^th at 7:00 p.m. Her most recent book “The Compassionate Carnivore” will be the focus of the discussion, whether or not you’ve read the book we invite you attend this special event. We will host the event in the loft of the library, unless the crowd is too large in which case we will move to the Sanford room in the lower level of the library. Those who have read the book have really enjoyed the author’s perspective, and might I add, it is not everyday that we are able to bring authors to our area so please take advantage of this great opportunity. The following Tuesday, the 15^th we will be showing the film “The Future of Food” at 7:00 p.m. this is a must see movie that will really get you thinking about the food you eat and how it is grown.

Okay, I know I’ve written about this topic before, the whole feast or famine thing concerning the publishing but wow, we are in the feast mode again. You may have noticed in the Minneapolis Star Tribune or in a book review magazine the number of renowned and popular authors who are coming out with new books this fall. Some of these writers haven’t published a book in a decade so it is big news. These authors include Anita Diamant who wrote “The Red Tent,” her latest book is “Day After Night; Vince Flynn fans will look forward to the October release of “Pursuit of Honor.” If you are a science fiction enthusiast note that R.A. Salvatore, Harry Turtledove and Mercedes Lackey all have new releases on the horizon. Stephen King, John Irving, Phillip Roth, John Sanford, John Girsham, William Styron and Sue Monk Kidd are a few of the authors who have books coming out soon.

The list of writers I have presented you will are all famous writers who have strong followings, but please when looking for a good book don’t over look the new and unheard of writers who’s books are in your mists. Believe it or not many of the greatest writes rarely appear on a top ten list anywhere. As it turns out many of us could really stand to branch out our range of reading selections. Browse the library, really explore the shelves and delve into something new. With more than 18,000 books I feel very confident that you will find something you will enjoy. Remember, you don’t have to finish every book you start. Any avid reader knows that life is too short to stick with an awful book, having said that please don’t give up too soon or may miss something really fabulous.

My suggestion to the budding reader would be to stop in check out a pile of books take them home browse or peruse the books to determine if it is one you want to read now or ever, keep a list of books that you have read and would like to read. On the books you have read make a note as to whether or not you’d like to read a another book by a particular author or on a particular subject. We actually have a free database, called Novelist that allows you to search for books that you may want to read. It makes suggestions such as if you really like books by this author you might also like books by this author. It also makes subject recommendations and can provide you with discussion questions for your book group. It is a very useful database that you can stop in the library to use. Keep in mind that we also have access to Ancestry.com at the library which you can use free of charge.

Visit our webpage for updates on library happenings and take special note of the fabulous computer class offerings that we have coming up. A basic computer class will be offered on September 14, 16, 21, & 23 call to register for this class, it is perfect for the new computer users or someone who wants to pick up a few types.

And for your viewing enjoyment we have a lot of movies to choose from, actually to date we have approximately 1,613 videos and 1,360 DVDs that is a lot of movies. Clearly with this many titles to choose from I am pretty sure we can find something for just about any one. We have old movies, new movies, foreign movies, educational movies, television series, musicals, documentaries and I could go on and on. We treat our collection of movies similarly to how we treat our collection of books; we believe it is important to have a comprehensive collection of many types to make sure our basis are covered and we can meet the ever diverse needs and desire of our patrons and of course we have materials for people of all ages.

Like books movies can have great meaning, messages and tremendous impact on our lives. You have surely noticed that many great movies were once books, "Gone with the Wind," for instance or maybe "Doctor Zhivago," Both movies I happen to love and with "Doctor Zhivago" I have read the book and watched both the original film and the new one both have merit but let’s not pretend you cannot improve much on Omar Sharif and Julie Christie is pure elegance. Maybe you’re not looking for a classic maybe you want something new like "Slum Dog Millionaire" based on a book, or "The Reader" based on a book. I think I have made my point about great books becoming great movies. I also think you get it that we have older movies and brand new movies.

How about television series made into movies, we have those too. Two of our most popular series have HBO series "Rome" season one and two and one of my personal favorites "The Sopranos." Yes it is true I became hopelessly addicted to "The Sopranos" and spent far too much time watching the series into the wee hours of the night, even got Kent hooked. "The Sopranos" is probably one of most well done television dramas ever, it is not for the weak of heart of those easily offended, I mean really we are talking about the mafia here people. The "Sopranos" series is so good I know that someday I will watch them all again. It so truly captures the truth that good people do bad things and bad people do good things humans are incredibly multi-dimensional and family relations are always a bit complicated. We do receive a great deal of correspondence from people at the library but "The Sopranos" is the only item that we have checked out where we actually received a thank you note from a patron, who was grateful we had this available.

Having talked about the "Sopranos" I should mention another of my favorite series "Little House on the Prairie" it just doesn’t get much better than that. I truly believe that all children and anyone who never had the chance should by all means watch "The Little House on the Prairie" series it is history lessons which will strengthen your moral compass and entertain you at the same time.

We also have VHS and DVDs on exercise like "Dancing with the Stars Latin Cardio Dance," we have movies on yoga, training dogs, horse training, history, travel, learning to play guitar, and the list goes on and on. Remember if we don’t have a movie that you want we can certainly order it in for you.

If you are cleaning out your DVD or VHS collection please consider donating them to the library, that way you can still check them out but so can many other people.

Please note that all movies mentioned in this column are available at the library.

Please join us on September 10th for guest author Catherine Friend at 7:00 p.m. and mark your calendar for October 6th when we will be showing the film "The Real Dirt on Farmer John" another great film.

The library was awarded a grant by the Friends of St. Paul Public Library to host a Minnesota Book Award winning author and so we are. On Thursday, September 10th we will be joined by Catherine Friend who has written fiction, nonfiction and children’s books. Catherine Friend will actually be giving two presentations that day, the first at 4:00 p.m. which will be a special reading geared towards children and at 7:00 p.m. her focus will be on her latest book "Hit by a Farm: Or How to Keep Animals Happy, Save Old MacDonald’s Farm, Reduce Your Hoofprint, and Still Eat Meat." I have recently read the book and found it very interesting and thought provoking, and relevant. I encourage you to stop by the library and pick up a copy to read before she visits or you can certainly pick up a copy at a local book store in a neighboring community.

We are grateful to have the opportunity to bring so many talented writers and speakers into our community. Think about that, without even having to leave our community we can participate in stimulating conversation and meet and great renowned authors. Please make participating in our author events a part of your regular schedule. Remember it is really healthy for mind, body and soul to get and about and visits to the library are free and educational and even entertaining. Be a part of your community, try something new, move around and get involved.

A few things to let you know about at the library; along with our normal used book selection we have added a section of gently used or practically new used books that will be selling for between $3 and $5 each. Many of these books look as though they have never been read so they make a great addition to your personal library or they make a great gift. When you make purchases at the library of used books, book bags, and mugs you are really helping to help support library programming and collection and development. So the next time you need a little gift check out our local wares and you may just find the perfect item and you will be supporting the library to boot.

I have to remind everyone that August and September are my favorite times of year to go the beach. There is just this amazing feeling of tranquility when you are near the water during late summer. When the sun isn’t so hot and it sets a little earlier it just feels so peaceful. You don’t have to go to the beach to swim you take a great book and sit on the shore and soak in all the beauty while enjoying a great read.

Please check out our website for a list of upcoming computer classes, I strongly recommend that anyone who has not received formal computer training sign up for a class. Most of us have no idea how much our computers are capable of until someone explains it all to us. In order to get the most out of your computer take a class.

It is it that week after Flekkefest and we are still trying to get back to normal and catch up on sleep.

The library had a tremendously wonderful Flekkefest, one of our busiest ever. We also had some great volunteers helping we couldn’t have done it without you. I wish a few of those cotton candy makers would have been around Saturday afternoon we couldn’t keep with the demand and I struggled to make fluffy cotton candy and my arm was totally covered in cotton candy as was the entire conference room. There is an art to making cotton candy and unless you’ve tried it you won’t fully appreciate the work that goes into it. I have a whole new appreciation for food vendors.

The rain forced us inside this year and it was so successful that next year we will again be set up inside rain, sun, sleet or snow or just a really nice day we are staying inside because we love all of the foot traffic in the library.

Face painting was out of this world. Never have we had such talented and creative artists painting for us we feel so lucky to have people willing to share their talents with us. This was a hit for kids during Flekkefest we lines 20 children deep waiting for face painting.

Our new signs were a hit. We were lucky enough to find an artist who was willing to help up us with some beautiful unique signs; hopefully you will get a chance to see them on the corner.

It would be impossible for me to thank everyone who helped out and supported the library. We do appreciate each and every one of you. If you are looking for ways to become more involved with the library or would like to volunteer with the Friends of the library please give us a call or drop us an email.

The Sister City combination 75^th Anniversary Community Building was also a wonderful event. It was emotional and inspiring everyone who participated did such an excellent job and the atmosphere was truly celebratory. We still have a few commemorative (in honor of the 75^th anniversary) Red Wing Crocks for sale, by purchasing a crock you are showing your support for community, we hope each and every business in town will purchase a crock to have on display reminding people of what a great gift the community building is to each and everyone of us. The crocks make great gifts while they can be solely decorative they also make a great holder for kitchen utensils, combs and brushes, pens and markers I am sure you can creatively think of many uses for your Community Building crock.

Flekkefest is a wonderful time of year and great time to celebrate what a wonderful place Elbow Lake is.

We are right back at it and have many more great activities planned for the rest of the year.

Book and film club will continue on in August and coming in September we will have the Author Catherine Friend here on September 10 giving a presentation for children at 4:00 and adults at 7:00. We are again participating in the Big Reads program and will be reading “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury.

Our webpage address has changed so please update your favorites links the new address is http://library.alexweb.net/ we are sorry about any inconvenience this may have caused you.

If you are looking for a volunteer opportunity during Flekkefest have we got a deal for you. We are still looking for some volunteers to assist us with cotton candy, floats, our used book sale and face painting. We ask that people willing to help sign up for one or two hour shifts sometime during Flekkefest and please know that your donation of time is very appreciated.

This also the perfect time for you to get your old books to the library for our annual used book sale. We do NOT accept magazines and we do NOT accept materials that smell musty or are dirty other than that we would love your used books and the sooner you get them into us the better.

Our Flekkefest fundraisers support all of our reading programs for adults and children throughout the year so it is imperative that we raise more than $1,000.00 at Flekkefest. You can help us by making donations, volunteering or patronizing our events.

Speaking of Story time, this summer we had two months of programming that was fantastic. Many volunteers stepped forward to ensure we promoted creativity at the library. We had artists and musicians as well as safety experts read stories and lead activities for the children who participated. Our community is full of such rich, diverse and talented people that fell just lucky to live here surrounded by all of them. We send out a huge thank you to those who have volunteered to help promote reading, literacy, and the arts at our summer programs.

Most of you will not have time to crack a book open this week or weekend because Flekkefest will have you plum tuckered out, if you are anything like me you can’t actually close your eyes until you’ve read at least a little something. Might I suggest that you pick up a book of essays or short stories to fill in those times when you feel a bit too busy to dive into a larger book. We also have a nice selection of books filled with lovely photos some related to art, plants, animals, places, people, all types of things and sometimes it is truly a joy to just page through books looking at all the lovely pictures.

As I was shelf reading the other day it occurred to me that using a library is very important life skill. While we have more than 2,500 registered patrons not everyone in our area has a library card or uses the library. Libraries are essential to Democracy and because we all pitch in a little with our taxes we all have access to the library and its holdings for free. With more than 18,000 books and more than 3,000 movies, audio books, magazines, computer access and online databases and I can’t really imagine why anyone wouldn’t use the library.

Every once in a while one of my columns really connects with people and it appears the column on food was one such column. Many people have made comments and one person made a cake, a delicious cake which made me very happy. My co-workers thought perhaps I should continue writing about food in an effort to keep us all fed, but in truth I am writing about food because there is more to say.

Please know that I place no judgment on what you eat or why you eat it, I have no intention of trying to persuade people into becoming vegetarians but please know I have heard every stupid comment and lame joke about vegetarians that exist, so spare me and yourself from having to hear them again.

Food can be such an amazing adventure if you open yourself up to trying new things. Most of us have are in this rut of making the same dishes over and over again. About a year ago we were having guests for dinner and they are people that we share meals with on a regular basis, I don’t even remember what I made buy one of the guests said “Oh, is the rotation starting over again.” Instantly I knew that I’d served that meal before. There is nothing wrong with having some standards that one is known or famous for. Maybe your chocolate chip cookies are out of this world or perhaps your chili is fabulous food can be comforting and certain meals just give you a good feeling.

I have this pretty big thing about supporting locally owned businesses that include restaurants as well. You will rarely if ever find me dining at a chain I prefer a place to eat where the owner really does care if I come back. I like supporting places where the owners are a part of the local community and strive to things well. When we have the opportunity to vacation picking the right location at which to dine is no easy task. While in Key West I found the most comprehensive restaurant guide, it listed name, location, price range, and a brief example of the types of food served. It was a beautiful publication really well done, I didn’t leave the hotel without it and that included when I went to sit outside and relax. I would read it aloud to my family and made a list of places that we just had to eat at. Kent continued to tell me that the vacation was not all about the food (what does he really know). My favorite restaurant in Key West is The Banana Café I can hardly wait to go back. Owned by a family from France (would you really expect anything less) it was tiny and cramped and filled with conversation from many different countries. There was a screened in porch and the most amazing things on the menu and real espresso. Brittany and I loved it and I would sneak away each morning to get a cappuccino and soak up the sun, heat and international atmosphere of Key West. It’s not just about the food, it is also about atmosphere.

Further along the adventure back home, or spicing it up against everyone else’s will. So this year we subscribed to Ploughshare, which is a program that you sign up and pre pay for 18 weeks of delivery of fresh organic vegetables. I love Ploughshare and every week I anxiously await the delivery of the vegetables and begin trying to figure out what some of them are and how I can prepare them. I search for recipes and hope that my family will be good sports about things and guess what? They are. This has been an amazing adventure of eating vegetables I have never before tasted, seen or even heard of before for that matter.

Fortunately the library has a great selection of cookbook, old and new, basic and ethnic and everything in between so recipe hunting is truly an adventure unto itself. Visit the library to check out our great assortment of cook books, even if you don’t like to cook the pictures are amazing and some the best writing I have ever come across has been the intros to cook books.

It is no secret that I am foodie and a cake snob. I like to cook, I like to eat, I like to read about food, I like to watch people cook I also like to complain about food. In part I’d like to think that perhaps I was born with this little foodie trait, I am French and the French are in fact the foodie critics, snobs and connoisseurs of all time. I can’t actually say I was born with a food appreciation it kind evolved with age. I kind of developed an appreciation for good food over time, having a chance to experience good food one becomes more discerning. Unlike the French my discriminating taste will not allow me to eat meat. Most hardcore foodies make fun of people like me, those who eat snails, duck and Cornish game hen and other flesh foods find people like me, the vegetarian type, to be a bit weak in the food circles.

I can’t stand meat not because it doesn’t taste good but because I consider it wrong to eat dead animals. I can cook meat but I prefer not to, I don’t like serving meat because I can’t stand thinking about that dead carcass rotting in people. Even when we dine out I really do not like to even see people eat meat, but if it’s not too obvious I can take it.

A couple of years ago a group of my friends took me to one of my favorite restaurants, “Monte’s” in Fargo. Upon arriving at the restaurant I did give my friends a heads up that I would be grateful if no one ordered duck, Cornish game hen or anything else that resembled a dead carcass because would totally ruin my meal. Everyone was very kind to abide by my request but I was shocked when most of them ordered some type of fish and the smell of fish was stuck in my nose for entire night, fish and seafood will now be added to the list of what I ask people to avoid when eating out with me. I know you are thinking that I am little over the top but a person has to have standards.

Just because I am a foodie doesn’t mean that I don’t love things like smores, salt and vinegar chips and popcorn I have a great appreciate for things that taste good, but little tolerance for things that don’t. I also appreciate real ingredients like butter. Something as simple as coffee requires real cream or ½ & ½ none of those trite imitation chemical things or odd powders for me. When I go out and order coffee and a tiny little pitcher of real cream is set at my table I am pleased and will return to that establishment, but when those little plastic containers are placed in front of me I make a note to not order coffee there in the future and the likelihood of my return is small.

I am not necessarily a great cook but I do surround myself with some of the best cooks in the county. Of course they are not just my friends because their great cooks, I didn’t really discover that about them until our friendship had developed a bit, but it is a nice perk.

What does all of this have to with books? Well, I’m getting to that. If you have never food type book I strongly suggest that you dive right into Ruth Reichl’s books; “Tender at the Bone,” Comfort Me with Apples,” and “Garlic and Sapphires” are splendidly written, you will be totally educated on what is involved with being a food credit and you will laugh because Ruth Reichl is very funny.

Of course what I am really waiting for is the release of “Julie & Julia” the new film based on two books “My Life in France” by Julia Child and “Julie & Julia: 365 days, 524 recipes, 1 tiny apartment kitchen” by Julie Powel. Both books available at your library and great reads. We have also added a PBS documentary about Julie Child to our collection as well as “Mastering the Art of French Cooking volumes 1 & 2.” But wait that’s not all you will also find available at the library “Julie’s Kitchen Wisdom Essential Techniques & Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking” by none other than Julia Child. Hopefully I have wet your appetite for food related books and movies.

I do have a few other suggestions for you “In Defense of Food: and Eaters Manifesto” and “The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals” both by Michael Pollan and “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life” by Barbara Kingsolver these are nonfiction titles to get you thinking about the food you eat.

In the realm of fiction you may want to pick up “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquirel which we have in food and DVD format. Another food film to consider is “Eat Drink Man Woman.”

You might be asking yourself, “How does one become a cake snob?” Well I like cakes that are made from scratch, no box mixes allowed. I like real ingredients no artificial this or that butter and eggs are good things. Frosting must be real I think that cream frosting should be outlawed; I seriously doubt that any of its ingredients actually come from one of the food groups so be ware of what you but in your mouth. Cake is splendid and when done correctly it need not look spectacular (although that is a nice touch) it must taste spectacular. Cakes from scratch have a texture that you will not find in a box. I encourage you to slow down when you eat, consider the texture of your food, the scent, the lingering flavors. Read the ingredients of grocery items you purchase. Try to get back to the basics, visit the farmer’s market on Thursdays to ensure you are getting fresh, organic produce. Care about the foods you eat and Bon appetite.

Planning; not an easy thing to do but essential in functioning efficiently to a certain degree. A person can get a bit carried away by planning if you let it rule your life and become too rigid. On the contrary not planning can be just as detrimental as over planning. There is long range planning like how am I going to pay for college and short range planning like which day this week am I going to mow the lawn? Planning can kind of be like list making with detail.

Let’s examine long range planning for communities, which is on my mind because I just read a really great book on the topic called “The Great Neighborhood Book” by Jay Walljasper. When we talk about building neighborhoods and look at in a larger scale in some communities Elbow Lake itself is a neighborhood. While I think we can go with that we truly know that there are little neighborhoods within the town itself. I for instance life in the north west corner which I refer to as the Historic Court House District over looking Lake Flekkefjord (let’s face it, it just sounds better than Central Ave). Those who live near Kube Park have a neighborhood as do those who live near the Athletic Field and or Veterans Pare; I think I denote a theme here neighborhoods may be defined by a central open spaces such as a parks, which perhaps serve as neutral spaces for people to gather. Those spaces should be safe, well maintained, welcoming and easily accessible. Easily accessible may mean that sidewalks exist to access the parks, and once there you should find things to do or spaces to relax swings, benches, tables you know what I mean.

A vibrant downtown or market space as I like to say is also necessary to a healthy neighborhood, we want places to shop and eat you know participate in commerce and gather around food or shopping. Vibrant market spaces require that people patronize those businesses and that those businesses create spaces that reflect what their community wants.

Indoor gathering spaces are also important for community events, schools, theatres, community buildings all offer space in which people can come together for entertainment, education, or celebration these spaces too should be clean, well functioning and safe. Maintaining parks, downtowns, and community buildings takes time and money and some of that long range planning we talked about earlier. You don’t build a building and say ok, there we’re done, rather you say instead, we have building and we should plan that in 7 to 10 years we will need to replace the carpet, or repaint. You need to look at long range solutions to energy efficient and regular schedules for upgrading technology. The same is true for parks, flaws may be found in equipment so it needs to be replaced, the needs of your population changes, trends come and go and you need to be able to keep up in order to be viable.

Ways in which to ensure that most all people who comprise your community are able to access what you have to offer in a safe manner would involve a completely connected system of sidewalks. You see sidewalks are like a conduit connecting people to places in a safe way. We certainly don’t want children to have to walk in streets or people who walk slowly or rely on mobility devices, sidewalks are a safe way for people to get around.

Another way in which to make sure all people can participate in community is to make sure that they can access a facility. Handicapped accessibility or just accessibility as I like to call it should be a priority for all of us. Responsible planning or community development would mean that we anticipate the needs of our community, which includes people of all kinds of diversities and needs, and perhaps are population is aging; whatever the needs of our community we need to anticipate them and respond to them to make every effort that everyone has an opportunity to safely participate in community life.

Tools of the trade, it seems these days the tools we use to make life easier are always a little on the techie side. I am a firm believer that having the right tool makes a job much easier to do; of course that also means you know how to use your tools.

Take for instance your average cell phone, on the surface it seems like a phone but after years of using my phone I decided to play around with a few of those features in an effort to maximizing the cell phone productivity and hopefully mine along the way. As luck would have it after spending too much entering information and filling in the calendar information I got a letter from the cell phone company saying, “Send your phone back to us because you now need a new phone, which we’ll send you for free.” “You’re kidding was I thought, after all this you want my phone back?” Fortunately my son was able to find a way to move my phone numbers from the old phone to the new phone, which was a tremendous help; but that was it all other info gone. When I saw the thick manual that came with the new phone I threw it away, I thought, “I’m not falling for that again.

Here at the library we do have some pretty cool tools that are very easy to use; no manual required. This first tool is for the literary enthusiast, or the casual reader it is called “NoveList.” Yes, that is the correct spelling. “NoveList” is an online program that assists you in fining the next book to read, or provides you with a list of books by an author, can help you put series in order, gives you discussion questions for book groups or your own personal use. “NoveList” will also make suggestions about what to read, such as if you like this author you may also like these authors or if you like books about a specific topic or period in time the program will help you find other similar books. For anyone who enjoys reading or encounters the situation of having read every book by a particular author and just can’t wait until they release another book NoveList is the perfect tool. NoveList is only accessible at our library you cannot at this time access it from home.

Hold, overdue, and pre-overdue notification all via email; yes, it is finally here. We have waited for this day for a long time and thanks to a major upgrade to our automation system we are now able to provide you with notices via email. If you request a book and it arrives at our library you will be notified by email that it is here. If you have a book that is overdue, via email the day it is due you will be sent a notice. Probably the best feature of all is that three days before your materials are due you will receive an email reminder saying the following items are due back in three days. If you want to sign up for these features just call or stop by or email the library with your name and email address and we will get you set up for this new feature. Rumor on the street is that people really like this service because they are telling their friends all about it and they are stopping in to get signed up.

The online catalog is available 24/7 and is great way to manage your account. You can visit our website at www.alexweb.net/library and click on “online catalog” from there you can search for books, or movies and actually request materials to be picked up at your local library. You can also click on “My Account” and view which materials you have out and when they are due at which point you can actually renew them. If you need help with the online catalog call us or stop in and we can demonstrate how it is used.

Thursday, July 9^th at 7:00 p.m. please join us for a special presentation featuring Dennis Weidemann author of “This Water Goes North” which chronicles a 1979 canoe trip that four farm boys from Iowa took starting near Fergus Falls and ending in Hudson Bay. This event will be held in the lower level of the library in the Sanford room and is made possible by a donation from Thelma and I.L. Swanson allowing the library to host on going speakers.