Every year January acts as a catalyst for me to reflect on the past year to help consider how I want to construct the year ahead. This is no different when it comes to books. I took a look at some of both my personal favorite authors as well as some fan favorites that are [...]
The time-traveling power of historical fiction gives me all the feels, so it’s on display this month in the Library’s Teen Scene. Thinking back to my history classes in school, I never did feel a connection to anyone’s story. All those names and dates just glazed me over. I preferred to dream about the lives [...]
Winter is here! Whether there's snow on the ground outside or not, you may be in the mood to read about all this season has to offer. Here are some great options from our library to read with little ones. A Big Bed for Little Snow by Grace Lin (2019). Little Snow's mother makes him [...]
For the past two months, the Galena branch has been offering classes on how to use a sewing machine. Currently, we offer classes to teens and adults, and the classes have been filling up quickly. We currently have several machines at the Galena Branch, and they have been getting a workout! The classes are designed [...]
Recently in a Washington Post op-ed, health psychologist Kari Leibowitz wrote about weathering the winter months. In it, she recalls the year she lived in a Norwegian city where, from December to February, residents don’t see the sun at all. What she learned during that span of endless night was that the traditions of the [...]
No matter what you are celebrating this year, one way to make your December extra special is to add a new tradition. A tradition is essentially just a practice or intention that is enjoyed enough to be continually done over time. You might already have family traditions this time of year such as baking cookies [...]
***Join us for our Reading the Rainbow Book Group on Thursday, December 16 at 6 PM (either in person in the library's Auditorium or virtually online!), where we will be discussing the following book this month. We have extra copies of the book available at the Upper Customer Service desk on the library's upper level. [...]
Each year, teams of hungry teen readers from 15 school and public libraries across the country power their way through dozens of books published throughout the previous calendar year to create a list of 25 book nominees. From that list, in a nationwide teens’ choice online vote, readers aged 12 through 18 vote for the [...]
December is National Human Rights Month, and December 10 is Human Rights Day. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights was an extraordinary achievement when it was signed on December 10, 1948. It was created by representatives from different cultural backgrounds and regions across the globe, and it established a universal protection of human rights. It's [...]
Have you ever wanted to know what your great-great-grandmother’s egg nog tasted like? Or perhaps the cooking methods your great-great-aunt used to “roast” her Christmas Eve ham? If you’re looking to try something different this holiday, some of these recipes may interest you! Modern-day cookbooks typically tell you exact amounts, specific ingredients, cooking methods, timing, [...]