As a librarian, I usually say that the book is better. But...there have been a lot of great screen adaptations in recent years (don’t get me started on Game of Thrones). I’m really excited about some of the wonderful books that will be coming to the movies or tv screens this year. I thought I [...]
Have you resolved to read outside your normal reading tendencies? If so, and you would like to read more scary stories, I can suggest a good book to dip your toe into this genre. The Invited by Jennifer McMahon (2019; 353 pages) is marketed as a ghost story, but don’t let this scare you too [...]
Some people like novels. Some people like biographies. But have you ever considered reading a book of essays? I know, I know - it sounds like homework. But I like to think of essays as the short stories of nonfiction. I realized recently that I love reading long, in-depth opinions and articles on the internet, [...]
Hi Everyone! As my gift to you this holiday season, I’m going to share some information about a really great resource we have at the library that many people don’t know about....Databases! There are so many times that patrons need information about a topic(s) and we may not have a book for them, but we [...]
As Christmas approaches and many of us are doing our last minute shopping in this hectic traffic, I thought it might be nice to compare Christmases. I've included here an article from Christmas in the early 1800s, one from the mid-1800s, and an excerpt from an oral history interview about Christmas in the 1930s. Enjoy! [...]
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot (1939; 64 pages) Some cats "are sane and some are mad / and some are good and some are bad / and some are better and some are worse / but all may be described in verse." Apart from offering practical advice on how to name [...]
It’s 2019, and there is so much technology! This is even true for the library world - access to books has never been easier. This is especially great for people with different learning styles. As a Librarian who has worked with mostly children for several years, I can say that audiobooks have been especially helpful [...]
I am often asked what the oldest thing is in the Indiana History Room. I've worked in this room for several years and I still can't say with any certainty. However, as I have been relabeling books, I did come across one that is the oldest I've seen so far. Carver's Travels Through the Interior [...]
In my previous role as a Children's Librarian, I was introduced to the idea of "mirrors and windows" in books, a concept identified by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop. She said that children need to see themselves in the books they read (mirrors) and also get a glimpse into the lives of people different from [...]
Holiday books are popular year-round for kiddos, but ESPECIALLY during Halloween! I'd like to share some of our favorite picture books with you, that are more cute than creepy. Ghosts in the House by Kazuno Kohara (2008). Ghosts can't be scary when you use them as bed sheets and curtains! The Scariest Book Ever by [...]
