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!

Nonfiction Column

Allo, Chickies—I'm back from several weeks somewhere in outer space—Christmas, kidney stones, and extra volunteering at the Kroc Ctr. here (the Salvation Army has built nine of them and is on their way to a tenth outside of Washington which will be 84,000 sq. ft.!) and unfortunately, due to a computer crash and replacement and learning how to “do” this column in a new setting, plus a deadline, this will be a short column I will, however, list the books I was sent from the library, and say something about a selection of them as I have an appointment in about one hour and I need to get this column sent. Okay, here are the Non-Fiction books that the library sent me—and, by the way, the main reason I’ve run out of time is that our Liberal mail is, apparently, sent to Amarillo for further distribution, so these titles were three days later than usual.

Okay, "Cesar Millan’s Short Guide to a Happy Dog; 98 Essential Tips and Techniques"; "The Heavy; a Mother, a Daughter, a Diet", by Dara-Lynn Weiss; "When Spiritual But Not Religious Is Not Enough; Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church", by Lillian Daniel ( who is a minister); "Grand Central; How a Train Station Transformed America", by Sam Roberts; "The Real Jane Austen; A Life in Small Things", by Paula Byrne.  I was so very pleased by this selection, sent to me, and I will say a few things about each of them, as I have time available—but—pay attention!—they are at the “liberry” (as the kids say) for you to check out and enjoy and learn from.

Ready—Set—Go!  Millan is, as we dog people know, a dog expert who believes in Control, humans being the ones displaying it and it does not—not—mean harshness or yelling or, as I’ve been known to do, doing sharp pulls on a leash when annoyed on a walk, or raising my "stage voice" in annoyance. He says, "to be a pack leader you must be in control, i.e. if you are on a walk and your dog starts to pull ahead, take control by changing and immediately going in another direction; if your dog is exhibiting a behavior you do not want, stop it then.

Control is not being unkind; humans have trouble with the words, "control" and "dominance" but, says Cesar, if these words disturb you, then substitute other words that mean the same thing but has pleasanter images—identify why the words bother you and, if necessary, replace them with words that are neutral to you, if necessary because, to dogs, our words don’t mean anything—they are just tones of sound. Dogs communicate with energy and—pay attention!—they respond best to us when we are calm and assertive, not hurried, angry, or impatient. This book will bring you plenty of knowledge, says Cesar, "achieving calmness, however, is up to you—work with me and read this book with an open mind."  I  loved one sentence that said, in effect, their mothers never talked to them!

The book, "The Heavy", was in column form, for about a year, in "Vogue" magazine and raised a furor when the mother of a 7-year-old, Bea, was diagnosed as being obese and the mother was told to teach her better eating habits—women, for or against, weighed in (little pun there!) and the biggest point that Dara had to confront was her own eating habits as well as those of her husband and son, and compounding the challenge "were eating environments that set Bea up to fail and unwelcome judgments from her own friends" who, while applauding the idea for Bea’s sake, often were the cause of distress by saying , "Oh, it’s just one cookie—that won’t hurt her." Dara, the mother, "was criticized as readily for enabling Bea’s condition as she was for enforcing the rigid limits necessary to address it—she was made to feel so wrong for trying to do the right thing."  It’s funny in places, uncomfortable in others, but all mothers can identify with it—either from their young years or as a mother today—and,yes, Yogurt does have calories, I learned, and since I think it tastes strange anyway, I was amused ‘cause it is touted to be a necessity on all diets. Nonsense!  How does Bea ultimately do—and the rest of the family? Read the book!

The book, "Grand Central; How a Train Station Transformed America", by Sam Roberts is just wonderful—its beginning, its deterioration and the struggle to save it (which had Jackie-O in the lead), also the homeless people, the great clock in its center, its history through wars—you start reading it and resent any interruptions.  Get it and enjoy.

Since beginning this particular column, I have learned there is a little more time to devote to it than I first thought—thank heavens! I loved the points made, in a funny yet definite way, in "When Spiritual But Not Religious’ Is Not Enough; Seeing God in Surprising Places, Even the Church", by Lillian Daniel. She is well-qualified to speak on such matters as she is the senior minister of the First Congregational Church, outside the Chicago area, since 2004 and the author of two previous books.

She has a knack of making her points with pointed humor and begins by describing a conversation with another passenger during a plane ride, he said, "Let me give you my testimony, if you will allow it, about why I do not attend church" and, after the explanation (by then, I would hazard a guess, they were well over the Rio Grande!) of early years, said his marriage had ended, it was, really, "my wife’s church" and so he found himself spending his Sunday mornings putting on his running shoes and taking off through the woods---"I see myself in the trees and the butterflies.  I am one with the great outdoors. I find God there, and I realized that I am deeply spiritual but no longer religious."

"I was not shocked or upset by the man’s story—I have heard it a million times before—there’s always the long walk, the trees, the walk on the beach—and don’t forget the sunset ‘cause these people always want to tell you that God is in the sunset but push a little harder on this satisfying and self-developed religion and you don’t get much depth—you find God in the sunset and trees—so do I.  But how about in the face of Cancer? Cancer is part of nature, too—as is homelessness, Leukemia, frailty in older people. I think God does want us to feel gratitude. I do not think God particularly wants us to feel "lucky"—I do think God wants us to witness pain and suffering and appalling conditions, and get angry and want to do something about it."

Great writing, funny stories—always ending with words of compassion, wisdom or, yes, even stinging sarcasm to "move" us. Get the book and look up from it, when a point hits you, and think about what Ms. Daniel is saying.

I’m heading to Lawrence for the K.U. basketball game in 2 days and can only assume that the highways will be okay for traveling—and don’t let anyone ever tell you that South Texas does not get cold days in the Winter—it ain’t necessarily so, but blizzards are relatively  rare.

Find a good book at the library and sit in an easy chair, sip hot tea, chocolate or coffee (with dark choc. bits of candy) and figure that Spring will, indeed, come fairly soon. Don’t leave pets out in the cold outdoors overnight, please, and to make my point, go out, just before bedtime, in average wear of jeans and a sweater, stay there 40 minutes and you’ll see how unpleasant it can be.  Buy some small chocolate bunny candy and give some out to others and enjoy the pleased looks on the faces of the recipients. Spring will be here soon, I promise. Bye!

Children's Healthy Fun Fair

It’s that time of year again and you know what that means. The Children’s Healthy Fun Fair is coming up once again. On Saturday, March 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., lots of interested children, accompanied by their parents, will be making their way to the Ag Building on the Seward County Fairgrounds to join in the festivities. Each year the Fair offers fun activities, healthy snacks, great giveaways, and helpful information to attendees, all free of charge.

The event, which is geared for children from preschool to sixth grade, but open to all ages, focuses on the health and well-being of children through exhibits, activities, healthy snacks and lots of great information. It is open to the public with free admission.

The Children's Healthy Fun Fair started out in 2004 at the Liberal Memorial Library, but has grown so large over the years that it has moved to the Ag Building. The event has drawn over 30 participating agencies and 600-plus attendees.

Some of the activities have included fingerprinting with free fingerprint kits for parents to take home and complete for each of their children, basketball, bowling, X-box Kinect and Wii Fit.

All of these activities and information provided by the participants are intended to help the health and well-being of children not only physically, but to help them be aware of a healthy environmental surrounding as well.

Participants in the Children’s Healthy Fun Fair include: Seward County Health Dept., Southwest Guidance Center, PACT, SCCC/ATS Respiratory Therapy students, UMMAM, USD 480 preschool, Liberal Police Department, Liberal and Seward County Fire Departments, Liberal Parks & Rec, Saint Francis Community Services and many, many more.

For more information on the Children’s Healthy Fun Fair, you can contact the Library at (620) 626-0180.

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The Library will be holding its monthly Recipe Swap on Monday, February 24 at 6:30 p.m. in the Cooper Clark room. Every month we’ll have a different topic or theme. This month we’ll be searching for a little green in our recipes as we look ahead and focus on a meal for St. Patrick’s Day. We’ll be sharing our favorite recipes from the Emerald Isle – Irish soda bread, corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew and many others.

And even if you don’t have an Irish recipe one or not really interested in that type of cuisine, that’s fine. Come on down anyway and meet people who want to share their passion with you – cooking. Hope to see you there!

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And just a reminder, that we do have a Kindle Fire available for check out.
If you’ve always wanted to see what a tablet can do, here’s your chance to find out first hand. Here’s a great opportunity to check out the wonders of what a tablet can do. You can surf the web, read a book, watch a video and do so much more.

All you have to do is come down to the circulation desk and ask for the Kindle Fire. Borrowers have to be at least 18 years old and sign a borrowing agreement adhering to the Library’s policies and terms for the device. Once you’ve done all that, you’ve got 14 days to check out one of the coolest devices around. (And don’t forget, late fees do apply!)

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For the latest events and happenings at the Library, check out our webpage at www.lmlibrary.org or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/lmlibrary.

Descent into the library and browse for a book

Monday marks President’s day.  It’s a federal holiday in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States.   He is often referred to as the Father of Our Country known for his love of the land and farming and not a proponent of war.  He was a distinguished general and commander in chief of the colonial armies in the American Revolution. 

In the 1950s a committee was set up to attempt a generic day with the purpose not to honor any particular President but to honor the office of the Presidency. That was stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee. So the holiday celebrates George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, observes the community, and honors veterans and Purple Heart recipients.

The library has a couple of newer books on Washington including “Washington: a life" by Ron Chernow, “General George Washington: a military life” by Edward G. Lengel, and “Arguably: essays” by Christopher Hitchens.

Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth President known for leading the country through the Civil War. He is famous for the Gettysburg Address.  The phrase “With malice toward none, with charity for all…” is inscribed on one wall of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. a phrase he used during his second inaugural address.

A couple of newer books on Lincoln include “The hour of peril: the secret plot to murder Lincoln before the Civil War” by Daniel Stashower, “”38 nooses: Lincoln, Little Crow, and the beginning of the frontier’s end” by Scott W. Berg, and “A. Lincoln: a biography” by Ronald C. White Jr.

This week the library will be closed on Monday and on Tuesday, February 19 at noon Library and Lunch will be meeting for “Safe Haven” by Nicholas Sparks.  I haven’t finished the book yet so there might have been a bit of running the other night when a patron started chatting it up at the circulation desk in preparation of seeing the film that is currently out.

Book Chat will be meeting on Thursday, February 21 at 6:30 p.m.  Come and chat up the books you are reading, what you have read recently, and discover what books have come into the library.  If you haven’t read one in a while stop by anyway!

Recipe Swap will be meeting on Monday, February 25 at 6:30 p.m.  We had a wonderful turnout last month with dessert, soup, and entrée recipes shared.  For the next meeting, bring a pink, green, or pancake inspired recipe in honor of Valentine’s Day, St. Patty’s Day, or Pancake Day respectively.

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 month!

Fall into the library this February

Starting February 1 and running the week of Valentine's Day, the library will be having a heart promotion similar to the one we’ve done in years past. Patrons will be asked to share their favorite movie adapted from a book! Previously, we have had hearts on display as you walked through the entrance to the adult area with favorite books and what patrons loved about their library.

This week the library will be hosting our first Recipe Swap on Monday, January 28 at 6:30 p.m. Come prepared to share a recent (or favorite) recipe.  Bring one copy of your recipe and copies will be made depending on how individuals come for the meeting. Hopefully once we get chatting, we can decide on thematic sessions (desserts, crockpot, appetizers, main dishes, etc.!) for future meetings.

On Thursday, February 7 at 4 p.m. there will be a session for middle schoolers (ages eight to thirteen) on Chinese New Year. We’ll have a sampler and craft.  A week later, there will be one for Valentine’s Day.

The next Library and Lunch will be held on Tuesday, February 19 at 12 p.m. The book chosen by the group is “Safe Haven” by Nicholas Sparks.  More than likely we’ll have a chance to discuss favorite books, so if you haven’t read the book or don’t get an opportunity to do so, just bring yourself.

Children’s storytimes continue every week with Ms. Debbie. On Mondays, preschool storytime meets from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m. for children ages 3, 4, and 5.  On Thursdays, toddler storytime meets from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. for children 19 months to 35 months. On Tuesdays, infant storytime meets from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m. for little ones birth through 19 months.  There will be a special evening Valentine’s Day storytime on Thursday, February 14 at 6:30 p.m.

Book Chat will meet on Thursday, February 21 at 6:30 p.m. Come down to discuss what books you are currently reading and discover what new books have hit the shelves. If you haven’t read one in a while, stop by and discuss what book you absolutely adore!

While you're at the library, 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.

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 month!

Freading is Fundamental

In my last column, I told you that if you’re interested in downloading and checking out eBooks and audiobooks, you can do that on the Library Memorial Library website.

Downloadable audiobooks and e-books are available for checkout through the Kansas EZ Library; this includes OneClickdigital for audiobooks and 3M Cloud for eBooks.

The Kansas EZ Library has added another service for eBooks --- Freading.

Freading works a little differently way than the other library eBook services. It is more of a rental/subscription model, but it’s free. You don’t have to buy anything. It works on a token system.

Each patron using the service is allotted five tokens per week. The State Library pays Freading based on how many tokens are used (we don't pay for the tokens you do not use.) Freading then pays the publishers based on how many times each of their books were borrowed by patrons of all libraries using Freading.

Now here’s the real neat thing -- all books on Freading are always available. There are no holds. If there’s a book that you want to read, provided that you have enough tokens, you can download it immediately.

When logged in, the number of tokens you have used is shown in the upper right side on the Freading website. Unused tokens roll over for four weeks (based on when you first logged in to Freading), then your account is reset to zero, and a new five tokens are issued.

Books "cost" different numbers of tokens (four, two, or one), usually based on the age of the book.   This is always shown on the cover of the book in the upper left corner. Each book is on loan for 14 days.

You may "spend" your tokens however you wish.  You could get as many as five books with your five tokens each week if you wish to read books that are no longer new.  And if you run out of time while reading a book, most renewals are free or cost one token.

Probably, the biggest drawback with this site is that the selection will be limited. While you may not find many of the major publishers and authors on this site, there should be something from smaller publishers and lesser authors that may pique your interest. The bottom line is that Freading gives you another alternative to eBooks.

For more information on Freading and how to get started, go to http://www.kslib.info/digitalbooks/freading.html.

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Also in my last column, I told you that there was going to be a new addition to its eReader family. The Kindle Fire has arrived at the Liberal Memorial Library and is ready to be checked out.

If you’ve always wanted to see what a tablet can do, here’s your chance to find out first hand. Here’s a great opportunity to check out the wonders of what a tablet can do. You can surf the web, read a book, watch a video and do so much more.

All you have to do is come down to the circulation desk and ask for the Kindle Fire. Borrowers have to be at least 18 years old and sign a borrowing agreement adhering to the Library’s policies and terms for the device. Once you’ve done all that, you’ve got 14 days to check out one of the coolest devices around. (And don’t forget, late fees do apply!)

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We’ll be holding a Recipe Swap on Monday, January 28 at 6:30 p.m. Here’s a chance to exchange recipes and ideas with your fellow home cooks. Come down and bring your favorite recipes and a sample if you like.

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Other happenings for the rest of this month:

Preschool storytimes:

January 28 from 11:15 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Toddler storytimes:

January 24, & 31 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m.

Infant storytimes: January 22, & 29 from 11:15 a.m. to 11:35 a.m.

Computer classes in English will meet on Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and computer classes in Spanish will meet on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.

The Library will be closed on Monday, January 21 for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

There will be a Teen Pizza Party on Thursday, January 24 at 4 p.m.

For more information, come down to the Library or call us at 626-0180. You can also check out our webpage at www.lmlibrary.org or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/lmlibrary.

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!