Journey into the library this summer

It’s May and who would think to expect snow to start it off. May is Bike Month celebrated every May for the last 55 years.  If you happen to get on the road check out the League of American Bicyclists and challenge yourself by playing Bike Month Bingo!

Preschool storytimes meet Mondays from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m., toddler storytimes meet Tuesdays from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m., and infant storytimes meet Thursdays from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m.

The next Library and Lunch will meet on Tuesday, May 14 at noon. The book chosen for the month is "The Chance" by Karen Kingsbury.  It’s a heartwarming story about childhood friends, broken lives, and a long ago promise that just might offer the hope of love for today. In “The Chance”, Kingsbury delves deeply into a theme that resonates with us all: It’s never too late for those willing to take a chance.

Teen Pizza Party will be held on Thursday, May 16 at 4 p.m. All high schoolers are welcome to come and hang out at the library.

Book Chat will be held on Thursday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m.  Come discuss what books you are currently reading. Discover what new books have hit the shelves and what others are reading.  If you haven’t read one in a while, stop by, and share what books you adore.

The library will be hosting a Recipe Swap on Monday, May 20 at 6:30 p.m.  Dessert was the focus of the Recipe Swap last week… lemon cake, coconut pineapple cupcakes, apple cake and cinnamon roll cake were on display. This month we’re focusing on picnic salads!  I visited my sister while I was out of town and she makes the best summery salad. That might have to be my contribution in May!

The Gardening Club will meet on Tuesday, May 21 6:30 p.m. The latest update on the daisies is that they haven’t shown up for this gardener. The basil was a flop too.

The countdown begins for Summer Reading 2013. Sign up starts on Monday, May 20! What will be digging into this summer? The kickoff event is Thursday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m. where we will be making dirt cups!

For the latest library programming take a peek at the library website or grab a newsletter from the circulation desk. Stay tuned and connected through our social media pages.  If you have any questions or suggestions about books or programs don’t hesitate to ask.  See you at the library this summer!

Hop into the library this spring

Oh the Ides of March! The date reflects the assassination of Julius Caesar and in many circles is the original date for new year celebrations and picnics. For film buffs, it’s the movie starring Ryan Gosling and George Clooney. For others, it means March is half way over and spring is in the air!  

Book Chat will be held on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m.  Come discuss what books you are currently reading. Discover what new books have hit the shelves and what others are reading.  If you haven’t read one in a while, stop by, and share what books you adore. 

The library will be hosting a Recipe Swap on Monday, March 25 at 6:30 p.m. Our first session went quite well. Recipes shared included Chocolate Mousse Pie, Honey Glazed Chicken with Curried Apples, Lasagna Stoup, Layered Ham Dinner, Spicy Shells with Vegetables, Pork Chops with Sauerkraut and Dressing, Choco-Oatmeal Brownies, Jamaican Coconut Pie, and Taco Soup. Due to the weather, the library was closed the last time the group was meeting so the Irish recipes stand for March! 

The library display of the week in the adult area of the library is all things Ireland, mostly adult fiction set in the country.  Speaking of displays, check out the alcoves the next time you hop into the library. There’s one on Women’s History Month and one filled with quilts for National Quilt Month done by the quilting guild in town.  The members are quite talented.  Personally I’m enamored with the Harry Potter bookcase.  Whoever quilted that one, give me a call.   

The next Library and Lunch will meet on Tuesday, April 9 at noon. The book chosen for the month is "The Storyteller" by Jodi Picoult. The group had a great turnout this month for “Sutton” but was a little quiet. Not the harried world of a bank robber.  This pick is making a buzz as most of Jodi Picoult’s books do. Sage Singer is a baker who befriends an older and beloved man in her community. They strike up a friendship and he confesses a long buried and shameful secret, one that no one in town would suspect and asks Sage for an extraordinary favor.  One that if she says yes to will cause her to face moral and legal repercussions. Sage begins to question the assumptions and expectations that she’s made about her life and her family.  This one is going to be good. Where does one draw the line between punishment and justice, forgiveness and mercy?

The Gardening Club will meet on Tuesday, March 18 and April 16 at 6:30 p.m. The club didn’t meet up during the winter.  Interested to see what others are working on. This gal is in the process of planting English daisies and an herb garden. 4-H has a display in the adult area to recruit more cloverleaves into their midst.  4-H makes me think of chickens… memories of chickens following this five year old around my grandparents’ farm.

Teen Pizza Party will be held on Thursday, March 21 and April 18 at 4 p.m. All high schoolers are welcome to come and hang out at the library.

Preschool storytimes meet Mondays from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m., toddler storytimes meet Tuesdays from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m., and infant storytimes meet Thursdays from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. with Ms. Debbie.  Ms. Casandra, our new children’s librarian is busy settling into Liberal this week.  The staff is very excited to have her start. Look out for a library column from her one of these days! 

As the resident attender of Catholic schools for twelve years, a suggested topic for this week’s column was Pope Francis. Instead, I’ll leave you to discover the books we have at the library documenting the papacy and its process: “The Vatican collections" by H. N. Abrams, “An illustrated history of the popes: Saint Peter to John Paul II” by Michael Walsh, and “The rise of Benedict XVI: the inside story of how the Pope was elected and where he will take the Catholic Church” by John L. Allen, Jr.

For the latest library programming take a peek at the library website or grab a newsletter from the circulation desk. Stay tuned and connected through our social meida pages.  If you have any questions or suggestions about books or programs don’t hesitate to ask.  See you at the library this spring!

Roll into the library in the New Year

Happy New Year! The library has exciting programs in the works this year.

 The next Library and Lunch will be held on Tuesday, January 15 at 12 p.m. “A gift of hope” by Danielle Steel will be discussed. In this non-fiction work, Steel shows how she transformed the pain of losing her son into a campaign of service that enriched her life beyond what she could imagine.  For eleven years she took to the streets with a small team to help the homeless of San Francisco.

While you're at the library this year, make sure to go on a blind date with a book. Grab a title that you wouldn't normally take off the shelf whether it is non-fiction, fantasy, science fiction, or mystery. Try something new.

Book Chat will meet on Thursday, January 17 at 6:30 p.m. Come down to discuss what books you are currently reading and discover what new books have hit the shelves.

The Kansas Center for the Book pick this year is “Then We Came to the End: A Novel” by Joshua Ferris. The characters in this wickedly funny, big-hearted novel about life in the office cope with a downturn in the time-honored way: through gossip, secret romance, elaborate pranks, and increasingly frequent coffee breaks.  By day they compete for the best office furniture left behind and try to make sense of the mysterious pro-bono ad campaign that is their only remaining ‘work’.  The library will be having a special book discussion sometime this year. Stay tuned.

The Gardening Club resumes this month on Tuesday, January 15 at 6:30 p.m. They meet every third Tuesday of the month.  Someone who has not come up with any New Year Resolutions this year is curious to hear the group’s suggestions on growing kitchen herbs.

A new program this month Recipe Swap will hold its first meet on Monday, January 28 at 6:30 p.m. Join us at the library to share your favorite recipe with fellow cooks and bakers. Whether you are a newbie or a veteran to the kitchen world, come down and share your experiences with others who share your passion.

The next session for middle and high schoolers will be a Teen Pizza Party on Thursday, January 24 at 4 p.m. Stop by the library to hang out after school.

For the latest library programming take a peek at the library website or grab a newsletter from the circulation desk. Stay tuned and connected through our social media pages. If you have any questions or suggestions about books or programs don't hesitate to ask. Make a resolution to visit your library this year!

Check out the library's gardening books for your planting needs

Spring has sprung this month. Gardening hobbyists are busy getting their gardens ready for planting. Stella doras have started blooming.

It's not officially National Garden Month yet but my fascination has peaked as everyone around me has started muttering about and accumulating seeds and plants that they're harvesting this year. I happened to be in my sister's kitchen a couple of days ago and exclaimed "what is that?" to the cool plant on her fridge. It was a Tillandsias.

'The houseplant survival guide' by Pat Regel might be a good one for me. The progression of get a plant, a pet, etc. isn't working. I cannot seem to keep my peace lily, named Lily alive. I hear they're pretty indestructible.

The library has a copy of 'Carrots love tomatoes: secrets of companion planting for successful gardening' by Louise Riotte for those trying to decide how to lay out their garden or 'The plant finder: the right plants for every garden' for the person who is not able to make up their mind on what to plant.


For those who do not have a lot of room to start their gardening adventures, check out 'Grow great grub: organic food from small spaces' by Gayla Trail or 'All new square foot gardening: grow more in less space!' by Mel Bartholomew.

If your garden is having a bit of a problem, look for 'Rodale's vegetable garden problem solver: the best and latest advice for beating pests, diseases, and weeds and staying a step ahead of trouble in the garden' by Fern Bradley or for the dry Kansas climate check out 'Dryland gardening: plants that survive and thrive in tough conditions' by Jennifer Bennett or 'Bulbs in the basement, geraniums on the windowsill: how to grow and overwinter 165 tender plants' by Alice McGowan.

For lawn landscaping and maintenance, look for 'Design ideas for home landscaping' by Catriona Tudor Erler or 'The organic lawn care manual: a natural, low-maintenance system for a beautiful, safe lawn' by Paul Tukey.

For more information, check out the National Gardening Association website for great resources. According to Mike Hanson, the county extension agent with the K-State Research and Extension office, there are Masters Gardeners in the community who are available to help educate aspiring gardeners through workshops and classes. If you have more in-depth gardening questions, they will come out and help you. Contact the extension office and they will connect you with a Master Gardener. In addition, staff at the extension office can assist you in accessing needed materials online.

As always, for the latest library programming (for instance the month's Library and Lunch and Book and Movie Series selections) take a peek at the library website or grab a newsletter from the circulation desk. Stay tuned and connected through our social media pages. If you have any questions or suggestions about books or programs don't hesitate to ask. Hope to see you at the library this spring!