Category Archives: Mercury Column

Beyond the Bestseller: Other Summer Fiction

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By Marcia Allen
Technical Services & Collections Manager

Avid fiction readers are well aware of some of this summer’s noted bestsellers. Enthusiasm is high for Dan Brown’s latest thriller, “Inferno” and for Khaled Hosseini’s “And the Mountains Echoed.”  But what about those less publicized titles that are equally promising? For your summer reading, I would suggest fresh alternatives like:
·    “Crazy Rich Asians” by Kevin Kwan. Rachel Chue is flattered that her boyfriend has invited her to travel with him to his family home in Singapore for the summer.  Little does she know, however, that he hails from an incredibly wealthy family. She is about to embark on an unbelievable encounter with wealthy Asians at play. The power moves and scandals make for lighthearted, hilarious reading.
silver star    “The Silver Star” by Jeannette Walls. The author of the long-time bestselling “Glass Castle” now turns to fiction. Teenage sisters Bean and Liz Holladay are running short of options when their irresponsible mother leaves to spend time by herself. The two head to Virginia where their mother grew up, hoping the extended family will accept them. But life is not easy, and the girls will experience profound changes in their new home.
·    “Big Brother” by Lionel Shriver. Pandora and her husband, Fletcher, have drifted apart.  He is a weight-conscious cabinetmaker who bikes daily to stay fit, while Pandora is a plump wife who loves to cook. She is excited by her older brother’s impending visit, but when she meets him at the airport, she is horrified to discover that the once-slim Edison has put on hundreds of pounds. Shriver’s latest novel is an exploration of family love,   respect and obesity.
·    “Aftershock” by Andrew Vachss. The crime is clear:  a young high school girl aftershock_hcdeliberately shoots and kills a young boy. Local residents Dolly and her ex-mercenary husband, Dell, think there is more to this story than local law enforcement officials believe. Together they begin an investigation that leads them into dangerous brushes with long-hidden secrets and old crimes. What is it about this village that has hurt so many?
·    “Looking for Me” by Beth Hoffman. Teddi Overman has a solid reputation as a restorer of antiques. Her life in Charleston is blessed with loving friends and a long client list.  Life goes well until she discovers rumors that her brother Josh, who disappeared years ago, may actually be alive. To alleviate her own questions about her missing sibling, Teddi returns to her childhood home in Kentucky. Naturally, she’ll have to confront hurt feelings and estrangements from her childhood.
·    “Red Sparrow” by Jason Matthews. This contemporary spy thriller features a Russian spy, Dominika Egorova, who is directed to become a “sparrow,” or professional seductress. Her target is CIA officer, Nate Nash, whom she is supposed to trap in a compromising situation. The plan goes well, until the two begin to fall for each other, and the scheming takes on a breakneck speed. A good spy tale from a former CIA officer.
last original·    “The Last Original Wife” by Dorothea Benton Frank. Leslie Abbe Greene Carter is an oddity. In a social world of powerful men who have all remarried younger, prettier and more vivacious women, Leslie is the lone original.  Feeling out-of-place and ignored by a husband who feels his marriage is a big favor to her, she determines to return to her childhood home in Charleston.  What will she find there?  She hopes it will be the promises of her youth, but perhaps life has something else in store for her. A gentle tale of what is important in life.
·    “The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope” by Rhonda Riley. This is an unusual love story.  Shortly after World War II, recent high school graduate Evelyn takes over the running of a farm that belonged to a relative.  In a field one day, she discovers what she believes to be a badly injured war veteran. As days pass, she nurses this individual back to health only to realize that “Adam” is not of this world. He mutates into a kind and dependable man who becomes her husband and the father of her five daughters. A beautifully written tale of life’s joy and hardships.
For these intriguing books and other terrific, new titles, plan a visit to the library for some welcome summer reading.

 

 

Teen Summer Reading

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teenBy Keri Mills, Young Adult Librarian

The summer is an exciting time at the library. As you have seen from previous articles, kids and adults have their own separate summer reading programs. Teens, too, have their own program with fun events going on throughout June and July. Teens going into 7th grade through high school are welcome to participate. Here are some of the FAQs about Teen Summer Reading.

Why should my teen participate in summer reading?
First and foremost, it is a great way to encourage your teens to read, particularly those who are reluctant readers. Teens can read whatever they like in our program. Their books do not have to come off a required reading list, and there are no tests they will have to take. They simply pick up a book, magazine, graphic novel, audiobook, or e-book and get started! Secondly, it is a great way to expose your teens to the library and the wide variety of materials that we have available for them. Teens have their own Young Adult section with a variety of fiction, nonfiction, graphic novels, and magazines to choose from, covering a range of different topics. If they come in to sign up for summer reading, they are bound to find something to hold their interest.

How does summer reading work?
It is simple to participate in Teen Summer Reading. Teens can register by coming into the library or on the library’s website. Once they are registered, they simply keep track of the number of minutes they are reading. To track their minutes of reading, teens will go into the online account they have created and type in the number of minutes read. For teens who do not have computer/Internet access from home, they can simply record their minutes on a piece of paper or their provided reading log, bring this into the library, and have us record it in their online account.

What are the reading goals and incentives?

  • 1 hour of reading = 1 drawing chance in weekly drawings held throughout June and July. For each additional hour of reading completed during a given week, participants earn additional drawing chances. Possible drawing prizes include gift certificates from Purple Swirl, Target, The Dusty Bookshelf, Pizza Hut, and Wal Mart. Other prizes could include water bottles, magnetic bookmarks, summer reading bags, and books.
  • 7.5 hours of reading = choice between Varsity Donuts coupon or Papa Murphy’s cookie dough coupon.
  • 15 hours of reading = prize book, plus a coupon for chips and queso or chips and salsa from Chili’s.

Can you suggest some books my teen might like to read?
The theme for this year’s Teen Summer Reading program is “Beneath the Surface.” There is a list of books relating to this theme on a bookmark in the YA area of the library. This list can also be found on our website under the “Teen” tab.  If your teens are still struggling to find something to read, have them fill out our Personalized Reading List form. The form can picked up at the library or on our website. Once teens fill it out, they will receive a list of 10-15 recommended books.

Is there anything else for my teens to do at the library?
We have teen events going on throughout June and July. These are listed on our website under the “Teen” tab. One of the new things we are doing this summer is Maker Workshops. Teens can come in and learn how to create some new things and take them home with them. For instance, on June 19th, the Beach Museum will be teaching teens some basics of printmaking. We will also have Teen Gaming twice a month. Tomorrow’s Teen Gaming will be free video game play on the Xbox (Minecraft is available) and Wii as well as a Spoons card game tournament. These are only a few of the events that are offered all summer, so be sure to check them all out. No pre-registration is required.

 

Books and Movies to Help Us Along Our Journey Toward the End of Life

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Mary Newkirk, Adult Services Librarian

Manhattan Public Library offers a wealth of life-long learning opportunities, and Manhattan is replete with life-long learners.    I have had the pleasure of becoming friends with many special life-long learners through the library’s Outreach Services.
As an Adult Services librarian, I have met wonderful people who have enjoyed reading into their nineties and up until their imminent death.   Adult Services librarians deliver books to many of their residences when they find that they can no longer safely drive to the library.  Many have moved into retirement or assisted living facilities where we continue to offer either homebound delivery right to their doors or a rotating collection of large print books that is located in their centers’ libraries.
Recently, I have experienced the passing of three wonderful homebound patrons.  I miss my regular visits with them.  In December I also lost my mother who spent the last two weeks of her life in the gracious care of our local Good Shepherd Hospice House staff.   Freshly reminded that we are all touched by this end-of-life subject, I have compiled a short list of books and movies available at Manhattan Public Library which can help us deal with this sensitive issue.
final gifts 2Final gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying by Maggie  Callanan.   This book was available in each room at Manhattan’s Hospice House and was highly recommended.  My sister and I appreciated the way the authors, both hospice nurses with many years of experience,  walked the reader through the experiences of hospice patients and showed how we can help them live full lives till the very end.
The Last Pilgrimage: My Mother’s Life and Our Journey to Saying Goodbye by Linda Daly is a very new book first available this May.  This is a story of a high-profile mother/daughter relationship as the mother is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and seeks a cure.  Living a charmed life, the mother Nancy was married to a Warner Brothers’ executive and, after a divorce, married the mayor of Los Angeles.  The author, daughter Linda Day (a former teacher) is very involved in philanthropic work.  The two traveled around the country seeking treatment and after a last chance try with a visiting Brazilian healer, headed home in a rented rv and faced the end of life together.
Making Rounds with Oscar by David Dosa has been out for a couple of years, so if you missed it earlier,  try this heartwarming story of a sweet nursing home cat that has the ability to seek out and comfort  those who are very close to death.
Now a novel that stretches a bit to fit this topic but happens to be my newest personal favorite novel –Calling Me Home  by Julie Kibler.  I could not put this tragic loveCapture story down without continuing to dwell on the power of love and the tragedy of racial discrimination. In the South during the 1930′s, a wealthy white doctor’s daughter, Isabelle, falls in love with the handsome black son of their family maid. This story combines two time periods,  as years later now eighty-nine year old Isabelle, asks her young black hairdresser, Dorrie, to drive her to a funeral  1000 miles from their homes. The two women share their troubled family stories with Isabelle’s secrets unfolding at the same time Dorrie’s teenage son calls with his own life-changing problems. Calling Me Home kept me mesmerized till the very end. I hope for more by this debut author.
Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg is another new fiction book that touches on this same topic of death.  This time it is the loss of a best friend that sends a middle-aged motivational speaker seeking monumental  changes in her own life.  She puts her career aside, sells her home and furnishings and finds a group of women to share a home and a road trip.  She spends time as a hospice volunteer and we sit through a training session on how to be a good listener to those who are terminally ill.  This beautifully written novel is a sensitive and hopeful story of women supporting each other through life’s trials.
bestEntertaining movies with aging issues : How to Live Forever- Results May Vary, The Trip to Bountiful, On Golden Pond, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Autumn Spring, Cocoon and Lovely, Still.
In honor of their memory,  I dedicate this column to Dr. George Wilcoxon, Jean Hansen and Norma Morrison and all the other wonderful patrons of the Homebound Program at Manhattan Public Library.

Great Summer Reading for Grown-Ups

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Susan Withee, Adult Services Department Manager

groundbreaking reads

This coming Saturday, June 1, is the official kick-off for summer reading programs at Manhattan Public Library and the beginning of our busiest season.  Thousands of people come through the library’s doors every summer, and hundreds of them – children, teens, and adults – participate in a reading program.  There’s a program for each age group, and each has their own events, activities, and prizes.  If you’ve never participated in the adult summer reading program, this is the year to start!  Like we always say, “Why should the kids have all the fun?”

For busy adults, this summer reading program couldn’t be simpler or more tailored to your individual reading choices.  Readers from age 18 and beyond can sign up for the Adult program and you may register and track your reading online through the library’s website.  Through June and July, you read whatever you wish and in whatever format you prefer – printed book, e-book, or audiobook – and you keep track of the number of books read or the hours spent reading.  For each book read or every four hours spent reading you’ll fill out a drawing slip for great prizes.

Prize drawings are held each we’re very grateful for their support.week and final grand prizes will be drawn when the program finishes up at the end of July.  There are lots of great prizes to be given away, including gift certificates to local businesses, eateries, and agencies.  Sponsors of the adult program this year include the Manhattan Library Association (the Library Friends), the Flint Hills Discovery Center, Bed Bath & Beyond, Freddy’s Frozen Custard, and Panera Bread.

The theme of our program this summer is “Groundbreaking Reads,” focusing on people, ideas, inventions, films, books, and so on that have been innovative, noteworthy, and world-changing.  Adult readers who are up for a challenge may earn additional drawing chances in various ways.  Read a book from one of our “groundbreaking” reading lists, something by an author who is new to you, or a selection from our list of National Book Award winners of the past 40 years.  Check out a library movie on our list of groundbreaking and classic films, including A Clockwork Orange, Blazing Saddles, The Princess Bride, The French Connection, The Magnificent Seven, and many more.

You can also win extra drawing chances by going on one of our in-library scavenger hunts for books about people who changed history or about events that changed the world.  We’ll show four Oscar-winning films for adults here in the library in June and July, and attendance wins you more chances in the weekly prize drawings.  Stop by the library’s Information Desk to pick up reading lists, film lists, scavenger hunt guides, and a flyer about the free films, dates, and show times.

If you’re stumped for what to read this summer and looking for help discovering new authors and titles, it’s a great time to request one of our Personalized Reading Lists, created just for you by one of our librarians and based on your individual reading tastes and preferences. First, you’ll fill out an individualized reading survey, found at either the library’s Information Desk or Reference Desk, or available to fill out online at the library’s website under “Books, Movies & More.”  The survey is an easy questionnaire that will guide you in describing your reading tastes, including types of fiction and non-fiction you like to read as well as other important considerations like book length, time period, and setting.  You’ll be asked to list some of your favorite books and authors, to give us an idea of what you’ve enjoyed reading. Give us two weeks to work on your request, and you’ll receive a list of at least ten books, fiction and/or non-fiction, along with detailed summaries and descriptions, all tailored to suit your individual tastes and needs.  A new list can be prepared for you once a month and you’ll work with a librarian to fine-tune your reading profile over time.  And remember our favorite adage:  Never apologize for your reading tastes!  Chances are excellent that our librarians share them.  Let us help you find your future favorite books.

Happy summer reading, Manhattan!

Get Your Fingers Dirty at the Library this Summer

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Jennifer Adams, Children’s Services Manager

Get ready to Dig Into Reading all summer at the library for our summer reading theme.  Storytimes and clubs will be focusing on underground animals, dinosaur fossils, gardens and worms, construction trucks and more.  June 29 is International Mud Day, so this year our Saturday storytime that day will be all about glorious mud, with a mud pie-making contest at the end (outside).  But there’s lots more going on, so be sure to add the library to your summer schedule.

Our summer reading kick-off party is June 1 from 10:00-12:00, and all ages are invited to visit the library to sign up for summer reading and find treasure!  We will provide a treasure map for anyone interested in seeking out various desks and locations within the library, playing fun games for prizes and learning to talk like a pirate.  Kids can create pirate costume pieces for themselves and watch Pirate Pete’s Puppet Show in the auditorium.

The library’s summer reading program is a fun way to motivate kids to read during the break from school.  Continuing to read on a regular basis is critical for kids to maintain and improve their reading skills so they are prepared to enter the next grade in the fall.  Summer reading also motivates parents to read aloud to their younger children, and teens to read books, magazines or graphic novels that interest them and that don’t come with any assignments or reports attached.  Adults can also join in and have some extra incentive to tackle some titles from their “Too many books, too little time” list.

Participating is easy.  You can register at the library or online, and then just keep track of your reading time to earn prizes like free books, restaurant or store gift certificates, toys, mugs, etc.  Our sponsors are amazingly generous, with Vista Drive-In donating 1000 free ice cream cone coupons, as they have done for more than 10 years, and many other fabulous donations.

Storytimes begin June 3rd with options for babies, toddlers and preschoolers throughout the week, including Saturdays.  Baby Rhyme Time for ages 0-18 months meets Mondays at 11 and Thursdays at 10.  In addition to bouncy rhymes, songs and music, each parent/baby pair gets to read a “choral reader” book together during each session. One week will focus on construction vehicles with our new choral reader board book Dinosaur Dig, which has lots of fun language and colorful pictures.

The “Move & Groove” storytimes for toddlers and preschoolers will feature lots of great story books, flannelboards, action rhymes and dancing to music, parachute play, and digging for treasures or crawling through our cloth tunnel to go along with the “dig” theme.  Our goal is for kids to emerge excited about books and reading every day.

Summer clubs for kids going into kindergarten through 6th grade will be busy with lots of cool stories, games and crafts.  The youngest set will join the Precocious Prairie Dogs Club and will feature some funny and strange underground animals, and one week will include a wiggly-jiggly worm relay outside.  The Digging Detectives Club for 2nd-3rd graders will focus on dinosaurs one week, and they will make their own mini dinosaur island using play dough, sticks, grass, and other natural materials.

Ms. Rachel likes to come up with fascinating and “very grown up” activities for the 4th-6th graders, who can attend the Archaeo-Paleo-Anthro-Pologists club on Wednesdays or Thursdays.  Each week will cover a different ancient culture, plus one week on dinosaur fossils. When they learn about ancient China, Rachel will show the terracotta warriors and then allow kids to try to piece together pottery shards.

We’re showing free kids’ movies every Friday afternoon at 2:00, including several titles based on popular children’s books that involve digging, living underground, saving burrowing animals or traveling inside a giant fruit.

A couple of special treats for animal lovers include the Milford Nature Center program on June 14, and the monthly ZOOfari programs on June 28 and July 26.  Staff from Milford will present “Can You Dig It? Life in a Dog Town,” with amazing facts about prairie dogs and all the animals that depend on them.  Did you know prairie dogs have kitchens, bathrooms and bedrooms in their homes? Learn about burrowing owls, turtles and salamanders that call these tunnels home, too, and meet a black-footed ferret.  The June ZOOfari Tails will focus on animal dads, and in July the stories will be about pond animals with a visit from a live salamander or toad.

We will also be continuing our Sunday afternoon “R.E.A.D. With Dogs” program during which kids can sign up to read to a Reading Education Assistance Dog (certified therapy dog) for 15 minutes or so.  The dogs are beautiful, kind and nonjudgmental, creating the perfect environment for reading practice. Of course, this time can be included on the summer reading logs as kids work toward earning their prizes.

You can already get a little taste of the summer theme this Saturday at our “Holey Moley” Stories on the Lawn at 11:00.  Just meet on the Poyntz side lawn, bring a blanket or chair or maybe a picnic lunch, and be entertained with funny stories and a cute craft to take home.

Hit the Road: Roadtripping at the Library

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By John Pecoraro     Assistant Director

With summer just around the corner, our thoughts naturally turn to that vacation ritual, the road trip. Load the car, load the map, then forget the map, but don’t forget the kids, for the gleaming highway awaits you. North, south, east, or west, all directions lead to adventure, new sights, new experiences, or homecomings. Manhattan Public Library has a large travel section on the second floor that includes hundreds of titles about venturing onto the open road in search of new and exciting places.

What was perhaps the first road trip was taken by Horatio Nelson Jackson who, to win a 50 dollar bet, claimed he could cross the country by automobile in 90 days. Jackson left San Francisco on May 23, 1903 and drove into New York City 63 days later. You won’t need quite as much time to drive coast to coast, but a good guide could come in handy. “Let’s Go: Roadtripping USA: The Complete Coast-to-Coast Guide to America” features eight classic cross-country road trip routes, along with hundreds of suggestions for places to eat, drink, and sleep along the way. For more about that first road trip, read “Horatio’s Drive,” by Dayton Duncan and Ken Burns.

If you want to get your kicks on Route 66, check out Tom Snyder’s “Route 66: Traveler’s Guide and Roadside Companion.” Manageable sections are highlighted for the entire 2,448 mile length of the Neon Road from Chicago to Los Angeles. The second half of the book features facts and trivia about places and people along the route.

The Interstate Highway System is the envy of the world, but sometimes those old narrow state and U.S. highways offer a truer picture of America. Try “Road Trip USA: Cross-Country Adventures on America’s Two-Lane Highways” by Jamie Jensen. The guide covers 35,000 miles of blacktop through the heart and soul of America.

Feel like rambling? Then “Ramble: A Field Guide to the U.S.A.,” by Eric Peterson is the book for you. Celebrating 250 American attractions and six mythic road trips, this travelogue describes each regional chapter using maps, out-of-the-ordinary statistics, and listings of not-so-run-of-the-mill tourist destinations. Chapters are divided into sections including Big Things and Other Road Art (unique sights), R.I.P. (famous graves), Vice (something naughty going on), Sleeps (where to stay), Grub (where to eat), and Huh (the unusual).

     “USA 101: A Guide to America’s Iconic Places, Events, and Festivals,” by Gary McKechnie, is a reverential yet lighthearted look at America in all its quirky diversity. From the Grand Ole Opry to Mount Rushmore, from polka festivals to monster truck rallies, this guide showcases legendary places and hometown events that identify America.

If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary, “Weird U.S.: A Freaky Field Trip through the 50 States,” will take you there. Author Matthew Lake shows you where to find the world’s biggest ball of twine, among other weird, freaky, and unbelievable creatures and places.

Summer crowds can be unbearable, so a guide to uncrowded spots is just what the doctor ordered. “Off the Beaten Path: A Travel Guide to More than 1,000 Scenic and Interesting Places Still Uncrowded and Inviting,” fills the prescription for an enjoyable road trip. The guide features quick day outings as well as longer vacation trips.

For the more historically inclined, there are several excellent guides from which to choose. “Progressive Nation,” by Jerome Pohlen, for example, is a travel guide to over 400 inspiring landmarks and left turns highlighting the Progressive Movement in the U.S. “America’s Best Historic Sites,” by B.J. Welborn lists 101 places to see, spanning more than 1,000 years of history.

Civil War enthusiasts will be interested in “The Complete Civil War Road Trip Guide,” by Michael Weeks. The book outlines ten suggested itineraries for short road trips that cover every major battle of the war and contains complete information on and reviews of almost 450 historical sites across the United States related to the Civil War.

Remember to visit the library before you leave, and be careful on the road. Just in case you’re wondering: That big ball of twine could be in Cawker City, Kansas or Darwin, Minnesota or even Branson, Missouri. It all depends on who you ask.

A Glimpse of New Documentaries at MPL

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Marcia Allen
Technical Services & Collections Manager

Judging by the circulation of films from Manhattan Public Library, most library customers are well aware of our holdings.  We’ve got multiple copies of “Lincoln,” Life of Pi,” “Les Miserables,” and “Wreck-it Ralph,” to name but a few of the many available films. Most folks who hear that the library owns some 8,600+ films are reluctant to believe it, as the shelving would not seem to have that capacity, but so many titles are always checked out at any one time.
In addition to features films, the library has an extensive collection of documentaries.  Those do not circulate as much as some of the other offerings, but there are treasures to be found among them.  Just recently added are the following which have received excellent reviews:

joffrey  “Joffrey”:  A favorite of the San Francisco Film Festival as well as the Dance on Camera Film Festival, this lovely piece of work follows the historical dance company’s founding in 1956 by creators Robert Joffrey and Gerald Arpino.  Dogged by financial woes, the dance company managed to re-create itself several times to become one of the premier organizations of the world.  Of special note is the wealth of historical footage of glorious performances.  Testimonials by some of the dancers, choreographers, and the founders themselves allow viewers to trace the growth and tradition-breaking techniques of this highly esteemed company.

 “Deadliest Tornadoes”:  Though we don’t want to think about it, our region is already immersed in one of our most dangerous seasons of the year.  This NOVA PBS presentation recounts the incredibly high occurrences of tornadoes that took place in April of 2011.   Extended footage of Joplin’s horrific storm is a quick reminder of the potency of such winds.  Interviews with scientists and with weather forecasters demonstrate how wind rotation begins, and victim testimonials highlight an informative program.deadliest tornadoes

 “How to Survive a Plague”:  This historical documentary follows the path of AIDS activists in the early 1990s who demonstrated in the streets and who demanded that the Food and Drug Administration take immediate action to approve AIDS-fighting drugs.  They worked to help identify new treatments and move them through safety trials in record time.  Their determination reduced the numbers of AIDS-related deaths and offered new hope to sufferers.  This drama earned both the New York Film Critics Circle Award and the Gotham Award and was nominated for an Academy Award as well.

 planet ocean   “Planet Ocean”:  This beautiful film has a two-fold purpose.    Stunning footage of ocean currents taken from well above the Earth and shots of the feeding mouths of a coral reef are particularly striking.  But this film is also a plea for the protection of the ocean’s vast resources.  Researchers cite the drifting of crucial fish populations toward more temperate waters to the north as an alarming trend.  They also describe populations, like that of the Bluefin tuna, which are nearing extinction because of over-fishing.  This environmental gem was the 2012 Official Cinematography Winner at the Blue Ocean Film Festival.

“You’re Looking at Me Like I Live Here and I Don’t”:  This film has not yet arrived at MPL, but will be available shortly.  A documentary by Scott Kirschenbaum, this touching film recounts the life Of Lee Gorewitz  in the Traditions Alzheimer’s & Other Dementia Care Unit in Danville, California. This in-depth character study reveals that many of our perceptions of Alzheimer’s disease are misguided. The film premiered on PBS and has received much praise from physicians and university instructors for its content.

“Secrets of Highclere Castle”:  For the many fans of “Downton Abbey,” this PBS special is a rare treat.  Highclere Castle is the opulent location for the filming of the Masterpiece classic.  Interested viewers can learn about the current owners, Lord and Lady Carnavon, they can listen to the actual butler’s philosophy of service, and they can explore the beautiful rooms and grounds of one of England’s more famous estates.  They can also learn about Lady Almina’s huge investment in upkeep and restoration during the 19th century.  A visual delight.

   “The Abolitionists”:  This PBS drama follows the interactions of abolitionists like Frederick Douglass, William Garrison, Harriet Beecher Stowe and Angelina Grimke.  At a time when the country was fast approaching the Civil War, those individuals struggled to expose the horrors of slavery.  Their selflessness laid the groundwork for civil rights at a time when violence was a given.  This historic piece generates a lasting respect for those courageous few.

For these titles and a wide selection of others, take a look at the many fine documentaries your library has to offer.

National Hamburger Month

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bobby flayKeri Mills, Young Adult Librarian
I had to laugh when I found out that May is National Hamburger Month. But, when you think about the role the hamburger has played in American culture and cuisine, maybe it should be recognized on the calendar.  If you are interested in knowing more about the hamburger and its humble beginnings, the library has a couple of books on burger history.

“Hamburger Heaven” by Jeffrey Tennyson is a good one to get you started. This book details the beginnings of the hamburger steak from the Tartars of the 13th century, its immigration to the United States via Hamburg, Germany, and the Americans who claim to be the first to put the steak between two pieces of bread. Then, there is a fascinating look at the rise of burger restaurants and the famous burger battles that ensued. What also makes the book so enjoyable, is its numerous photographs of early restaurants, advertisements and burger memorabilia (yes, there really is burger memorabilia).

If you are not that into burger history, and would just like to eat some hamburgers, the library has plenty of cookbooks to choose from. One of my recent favorites is “Bobby Flay’s Burgers, Fries, and Shakes.” Flay has created a cookbook that is great for beginners and burger experts alike. The first chapter offers advice for choosing the right meats, cheeses, buns, cookware, and the best way to cook your burgers. Subsequent chapters offer burger recipes galore, many illustrated with full-page color photographs. After you’ve mastered the burger, try one of Flay’s recipes for fries, condiments, or milkshakes.  What washes down a burger better than a lemon meringue pie milkshake or a dark chocolate milkshake with coconut cream?

You could also try “The Book of Burger” by Rachel Ray.  With over 200 recipes, there are plenty of burgers to choose from. And, as usual, Ray makes her recipes very accessible for the average home cook. Her book includes recipes for beef, lamb, pork, veggie, chicken, turkey, and seafood burgers, not to mention fries and dipping sauces. There is also a selection of favorite burger recipes from other celebrity chefs. Many of the recipes are kid friendly, as well. If macaroni is a staple at your house, try the Chili Mac ‘N’ Cheese Burgers.rachel ray

 “Raichlen’s Indoor! Grilling” by Steven Raichlen is the cookbook for those who do not have an outdoor grill or for those who crave a burger in any kind of weather. Although this book does not contain a huge assortment of burger recipes, each recipe it does contain is fairly detailed. And, every burger recipe contains specific instructions for cooking on five different types of indoor grills: contact grills, grill pans, built-in grills, freestanding grills, and even fireplace grills. There are also chapters on sides, veggies, and desserts. Pound Cake S’mores,  anyone?

If you are an experienced cook and not easily intimidated in the kitchen, try “Burgers: from Barbecue Ranch Burger to Miso Salmon Burger” by Paul Gayler. This one is definitely not for the average cook. All recipe measurements are in metric, and the majority of the burgers take extensive prep and/or have difficult to find ingredients. Take, for instance, the Lamb Burger Briks, which are wrapped in spring roll pastry dough and then deep fried. If you are up for a challenge, you can even try pheasant, ostrich, or swordfish burgers.

 “Grilling Vegan Style” by John Schlimm is perfect for the vegetarians or vegans in your life.  The first couple chapters go over the basics of grilling and the different types of vegan foods and products that are available. There is one chapter devoted to burgers, plus several others on appetizers, marinades, sides, and various grilled dishes. There is even an entire chapter devoted to the perfect drinks to go with your burgers or other grilling masterpieces.

If this has gotten you in the mood for a good burger, come check out one of these or our many other cookbooks from the library today!

Poetry is in the Air

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poemsI recently had a perfect moment.  How often do we get to say that?  As I was riding my bike down linear park surrounded by my family, with the sun on my face, I wished I could capture the moment, to acknowledge the wonder of it. I think that’s what poetry does – it takes the “moments” of life, whether every-day or marked occasion, and ponders them.  Poetry helps us to step away from the busyness of our lives and consider the essence of “what it’s all about.”

April is National Poetry Month and there is poetry in the air.  Some of us were forced to read poetry in school (although we secretly loved it) but then wandered away.  If you’ve lost touch with your poetic side, there are some fun web sites that enable you to explore with abandon.  The Poetry Foundation has a vast collection of poetry, both classic and new.  My favorite part is their video series Poetry Everywhere, which features poems read out-loud, most by the poets themselves.  The Academy of American Poets lists the most popular poets and poems, and will even email a Poem-A-Day to you.  I especially love the Poems for Every Occasion page which has you covered for everything from a break-up to a summer’s day.

If you’re ready to dive in a little deeper, we can help you out at the library with some collections of favorite poems.  Garrison Keillor, a promoter of poetry on his shows “A Prairie Home Companion” and “Writer’s Almanac,” has created collections of his favorites, all titles beginning with Good Poems.  Filled with classics as well as contemporary poems, these collections are meant for ordinary people to enjoy.  Caroline Kennedy was raised by a great lover of poetry and her first collection The Best-Loved Poems of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis honored that early influence.  She has gone on to create two collections for children, Poems to Learn by Heart and A Family of Poems and also a collection for women called She Walks in Beauty.  She talks about her reasons for compiling these poems:  “When you’re going through something, whether it’s a wonderful thing like having a child or a sad thing like losing somebody, you often feel like ‘Oh My God, I’m so overwhelmed; I’m dealing with this huge thing on my own.’ In fact, poetry’s a nice reminder that, no, everybody goes through it.  These are universal experiences.”

From there, poetry has a wealth of material to explore.  You can start with local poets like Jonathan Holden, Elizabeth Dodd, or Ann Carter or revisit the classics with Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, and Langston Hughes.  You might enjoy some of the poet laureates such as Nebraskan Ted Kooser, Rita Dove, or Billy Collins.  At Manhattan Public Library, we have a poetry display up for the month of April, but after that you can delve into poetry at call number 811.

The final question is how to best enjoy poetry.  You can quietly contemplate the words on the page, but reading it aloud adds greatly to the understanding and pleasure of reading poetry.  Find a quiet room or a rooftop (depending on your personality) and savor the words.  As we allow poetry to filter into our everyday lives, we see that opportunities exist everywhere that are just screaming for a poem to be read: family events, gathering of friends, worship services.  I wonder what a poetry flash mob might look like.  I have had several great poetry moments, but my favorite was at a Halloween party when a friend read part 3 of The Bells by Edgar Allen Poe.  It was creepy and haunting and kept us enraptured with wide eyes.  However you experience poetry, recognize it for the beautiful pause in life that it is.  As William Hazlitt said, “Poetry is all that is worth remembering in life.”

Thriving in the Happiest Places on Earth

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Susan Withee, Adult Services Department Manager

A while back I wrote about “The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest” a bestselling book by Dan Buettner, an explorer, scientist, and National Geographic Fellow. The book grew out of a cover story he wrote for National Geographic and from studies on health and longevity done in collaboration with the National Institute on Aging. Traveling to several places around the world where groups of people had been documented to live the longest, Buettner attempted to discover and distill down the essential elements of the path to vigor, long life, and health.

Recently, I read Buettner’s follow-up book, “Thrive: Finding Happiness the Blue Zones Way,” and, like his previous book, I found it engaging, thought-provoking, and very enjoyable – part travelogue, part sociological study, part self-help guide..  Using as his guide the King of Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Index and the World Database of Happiness from the Netherlands’ Erasmus University, Buettner traveled to some of the happiest places on earth – countries, regions, cities, and villages – and tried to discover the secrets of their success.  The following, according to Buettner, are some of the building blocks for happier individuals and communities.

More than any other factor, where people live affects their level of happiness. Places with economic freedom, high employment, tolerance of diversity, greater status equality, a fair legal system, and a strong democratic process provide people with security and purpose. People are happiest in neighborhoods that provide quiet and safe surroundings, that offer proximity to services, churches, shops, and culture, and that are walkable and bikeable, and they are happiest in communities that have plenty of parks and natural spaces, vibrant city centers, good public transportation, and lots of opportunities for social interaction. Limiting retail shopping hours and limiting the work week afford people time and energy for more beneficial pursuits and more social interaction, both big happiness factors in their own right. Support for the arts, opportunities for personal growth and learning at all ages, and plenty of nearby locations for contact with nature also increase emotional well-being.

In addition to living in a place with economic freedom and high employment, it’s fundamental to personal happiness to find a job that is optimally challenging, draws on one’s natural talents, feeds their passions, and provides for contact with friendly co-workers, while still leaving time away from work to spend on personal interests and family relationships. The happiest people limit their work week to 40 hours (or even work part-time), avoid long commutes, take their vacations, and socialize with colleagues.

The happiest communities are the most connected and those which offer plenty of opportunities for social interaction, whether formally in organizations or clubs or informally in common spaces like parks and public gathering places. The happiest people seek out positive, trustworthy, and supportive friends, are connected to a faith or spiritual practice and, no surprise, have a long-term legally-committed relationship with a spouse or partner.

The happiest people have sufficient money to meet their basic needs and feel secure, but they don’t overly aspire to great wealth and don’t dedicate most of their energy and time to acquiring it. They spend carefully and save automatically, and have less debt. They shop less, have less stuff, and have little preoccupation with the latest consumer products. They invest instead in experiences, by spending money on travel, activities with family or friends, hobbies or lessons.

Most of the world’s happiest people don’t generally have large or luxurious homes.  Instead, most of them live in houses that range anywhere from modest to minimal, but their homes are places that foster a sense of well-being and contentment, that create space to engage in activities and interests and to gather with family and friends.  They serve as a refuge and often have areas, however small, set aside for spiritual practice and meditation.

There were a lot of takeaways in “Thrive,” just as I found there were in “The Blue Zones,” and much to inspire and instruct.  And food for thought at a national, community, and personal level.

 

Six by Six: Six Skills Kids Should Learn by Age Six

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kids.readingSix by Six: Six Skills Kids Should Learn by Age Six

By Jennifer Adams, Children’s Services Manager

Everyone knows that libraries have storytimes so young children can hear good stories read aloud.  People who have attended storytimes know that, in addition to stories, children will learn action rhymes, songs and even dance moves.  It is all great fun and leads to enjoyment of books and the library.  That alone may be reason enough to present ten storytimes or more each week at our library, but there is actually more to it than that.

Public libraries have a strong connection to early childhood education and “early literacy,” a term that does not mean learning to read early, but instead refers to the skills children master in preparation for learning to read when they are older.  It begins with babies – hearing language spoken and sung, touching our mouths as we speak, and beginning to recognize shapes and images.  Babies love books. They love to look at them, hear the words, chew on them, rip their pages. Books are full of wonderment!  A father in the library recently told me he got a kick out of his daughter, who is just a few months old, because she is such a book critic. He can open the page of a new board book to her laughter or her cries – she shares her opinions openly. But we know we need to be reading to our young children, and talking to them and playing with them.  How do these simple exercises translate into reading success?

The American Library Association (ALA) did extensive research into this topic several years ago and launched a nationwide program for librarians called “Every Child Ready to Read.” The research showed six early literacy skills that were key to children’s ability to learn to read when they got to school.  Not surprisingly, many of these skills have been a part of storytimes for ages.  Knowing the research, terminology and results associated with specific skills has helped us hone in on the activities that are best for early literacy. Additionally, we can easily pass this knowledge on to parents who attend our programs so their efforts at home are reinforced and encouraged.

Johnson County Public Library took ALA’s somewhat wordy program and transformed it into a fun, user-friendly version they called “6 By 6” – six skills kids need to know by the time they are ready to read around the age of six.  The State Library of Kansas adopted the 6 By 6 program, making it accessible to every library in the state (http://6by6.mykansaslibrary.org).

The six skills are:
1. Have Fun with Books (print motivation)

2. Notice Print All Around You (print awareness)

3. Talk, Talk, Talk (vocabulary)

4. Look for Letters Everywhere (letter knowledge)

5. Tell Stories about Everything (narrative skills)

6. Take Time to Rhyme, Sing & Play Word Games (phonological awareness)

In addition to weekly storytimes, we have been incorporating early literacy skills into fun 6 By 6 activity stations available in the children’s room all the time.  Our 6 By 6 stations include games, puzzles, felt boards and dress-up items that revolve around a picture book.

This month features “The Gruffalo” by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.  In the rhyming text, we follow a brave mouse who outsmarts all the animals in the forest who would like to eat him by telling them he is off to have dinner with his friend, the gruffalo, a terrifying monster the mouse makes up as he goes. Much to his surprise, the mouse does indeed meet a strange beast that matches all his frightening descriptions.  But once again, the tiny mouse is able to outwit the gruffalo and all the other critters.  Although this book is more than 10 years old, it has remained popular with a sequel, “The Gruffalo’s Child,” and a short, award-winning animated film.

Now you can visit the library with your child or grandchild to have some fun with this entertaining story.  Read the book together on one of our cozy chairs, then use the stuffed gruffalo and other puppets to retell it to each other.  Put together a funny Mr. Potato Head monster version with extra eyes, horns and other silly body parts.  Use a big magnet board to match words and letters, and pretend to mix up some interesting recipes.

These engaging activities will be available in the children’s room through May.  Librarians change the book and activities every two months, coming up with new and creative ways for children to explore language and stories.

Classic Western Films

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John Pecoraro
Assistant Director
Manhattan Public Library

true grit

What are the ten best Western films of all time? Well, that depends on who you ask. You can find many lists of top Western films on the Web, but Classic Western Films no two lists will include the same films. Gayot.com, Reelz.com, Amctv.com, IGN.com, the American Film Institute, the Internet Movie Database, Rotten Tomatoes, and many other websites have their own opinions on which are the best Westerns. Since there doesn’t seem to be any consensus among the experts, I’ve come up with my own list of favorite Westerns. My own top ten, in no particular order, are:

“The Magnificent Seven,” 1960, directed by John Sturges. In this western remake of Akira Kurosawa’s “Seven Samurai,” seven American gunmen take on the job of defending a Mexican village against marauding bandits. Elmer Bernstein composed the film’s iconic theme music, later used in commercials for Marlboro cigarettes. The film stars Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, and Eli Wallach to name a few.

“The Searchers,” 1956, directed by John Ford. Based on the novel by Alan Le May, the film stars John Wayne as a middle-aged Civil War veteran who spends years looking for his niece (Natalie Wood), who has been abducted by Comanches. Major themes running through the film are the issues of racism and genocide towards Native Americans.

“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” 1969, directed by George Roy Hill. Loosely based on actual events, the film tells the story of outlaws Robert Leroy Parker, aka Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman), and the Henry Longabaugh, the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford).

“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly,” 1966, directed by Sergio Leone. One of the “Spaghetti Westerns,” filmed in Italy and Spain, the plot revolves around three gunslingers competing to find a fortune in buried Confederate gold: Blondie, The Good (Clint Eastwood); Angel Eyes, The Bad (Lee Van Cleef); and Tuco, The Ugly (Eli Wallach). Ennio Morricone composed the recognizable and haunting film score.

“The Oxbow Incident,” 1943, directed by William Wellman, and starring Henry Fonda. Based on the novel of the same name by Walter Van Tilburg Clark, the film explores the theme of mob justice and vigilante law as two drifters are drawn into a lynch mob to find and hang three men presumed to be rustlers and the killers of a local man.

“Shane,” 1953, directed by George Stevens. Based on the novel by Jack Shaefer, with a screenplay by Western author A.B. Guthrie, the film tells the story of Shane, a drifter and reluctant gunslinger. Shane (Alan Ladd) stumbles into an isolated valley in Wyoming and becomes embroiled in a land conflict between a homesteader and a ruthless cattle boss.

“True Grit,” 2010, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. A remake of another classic Western from 1969, “True Grit” directed by Henry Hathaway, and based on the novel by Charles Portis. Fourteen-year-old Mattie Ross hires Deputy U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne in the original; Jeff Bridges in the remake) to bring her father’s murderer to justice.

“Unforgiven,”1992, directed by and starring Clint Eastwood. A dark Western that deals frankly with the uglier aspects of violence and the myth of the Old West. The film tells the story of William Munny, an aging outlaw and killer who takes on one more job years after he had hung up his guns and turned to farming.

“Little Big Man,” 1970, directed by Arthur Penn, and based on the novel by Thomas Berger. At age 121, Jack Crabb (played by Dustin Hoffman) recounts the story of his life, including capture by the Cheyennes and participation in the Little Bighorn fight against George Armstrong Custer.

blazing saddlesAnd last but not least, “Blazing Saddles,” 1974, directed by Mel Brooks, because it’s always fun to spoof the things you love. The campfire scene alone qualifies this film as “classic.” This film satirizes the racism obscured by myth-making Hollywood accounts of the American West, with the hero being a black sheriff in an all-white town.

All of my top ten appear on one or more lists of best Westerns. Most of these titles are available in DVD format at Manhattan Public Library.

The Joys of Gift Books

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The Joys of Gift Books
By Marcia Allen
Technical Services & Collections Manager
Manhattan Public Library

Throughout the year, Manhattan Public Library is the recipient of a great many gifts.  Often, donors will designate a determined amount to be spent and allow staff to make selections.  Other times, the donors have specific titles in mind and provide lists of materials they wish to be purchased.  Either way, staff members at the library are happy to accept those new materials, and gift plates are added to inside covers of books to indicate the donor or nature of the gift.
I bring this up because the library has recently received a lovely gift that arrived at the perfect time of year.  Town and Country Garden Club has once again presented a very generous gift which allowed for the purchase of ten beautiful gardening books that many folks throughout the area will truly enjoy.  If you are one of the many novice or accomplished gardeners dying to get back outside to dig and to plant, you’ll want to peruse the following:
“American Horticultural Society of Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers” edited by Christopher Brickell is an exquisite sourcebook.  This is an updated classic produced by Dorling Kindersley that offers design plans, hundreds of photographs of varieties, and detailed advice on care and planting. In fact, I don’t think there’s much in the gardening world that is not included in these 744 pages.  You might want to consult this excellent reference before even getting started!
“Gardening Projects for Kids” by Jenny Hendy is a parent’s delight.  This kid-friendly book has just the right layout and interest to get children outside and enthused about their own plantings and arrangement.  None of the tasks are labor-intensive, and all are lovely to view.  Some even encourage the building of simple little walls and color-coordinated designs.  There’s enough here to alleviate summer’s boredom and offer kids projects to please.
“Wildflowers of the Tallgrass Prairie” by Sylvan T. Runkel and Dean M. Roosa is a reprint of an older book, with a fresh, new layout and full-page color photographs of each plant.  Common and Latin names are included, and the origins of those names are explained.  And you’ll be surprised at all the unique uses that Native American and pioneer folks found for these plants.  This is a perfect companion for a long walk in the country.
“Seed to Seed” by Suzanne Ashworth is a vegetable-grower’s delight.  This handy book encourages the thrifty practice of saving seeds for next year’s planting.  Ashworth’s book offers detailed information about 160 different vegetables, along with instructions on collecting, storing and planting.  All of the detailed steps have been tested and refined by the author and a wide network of experienced gardeners.
“Fresh Flower Arranging” by Mark Welford and Stephen Wicks goes far beyond simply gathering a handful of flowers and placing them in a favorite vase.  The authors open the book with basic guidelines for the best containers, explain the accepted theory of flower colors, and discuss the shaping involved in an arrangement.  From there, they devote chapters to numbered sets of directions and breathtakingly gorgeous photos of completed arrangements.  It may sound odd, but one striking arrangement is an arresting mix of dahlias, sedum, broccoli florets and spring onions!
“Designing and Creating a Cottager Garden” by Gail Harland is a gardener’s dream.  Besides the expected layout design and construction tips, the book offers different seasonal views of well-planned growing spaces that offer year-long beauty.  In addition, the suggested plant varieties are grouped by tendencies to climb, cluster, or adorn borders of a growing space.  And the plant directory at the back of the book is stellar.flowers
 “Flowers” by Carolyne Roehm is a tribute to the beauty of flowers.  Missing from this book are the guidelines and suggestions of so many other gardening books.  This one is just plain pretty.  Full-page photographs of incredible flowers and the accompanying text by professional photographer Roehm make this a volume that transfixes the eye.  Nature’s colors at their best.
This is not a complete listing of Town and Country Garden Club’s latest generous gift,
but it gives readers an idea of excellent new resources for those who must be planting.  For these gardening books and hundreds of others in the library’s collections, come by and check us out.  Your garden awaits.

An Uncommon History of Common Things

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by Janet Ulrey, Adultuncommon Services Librarian

Living in the information age has made most of us want to know more.    “An Uncommon History of Common Things” by Bethanne Patrick and John Thompson is packed with tons of little known facts concerning all areas of life.  With the World Wide Web, we have information available to us with just a click.  But, I still enjoy sitting down with a book to find tidbits of information to stir up my curiosity, and this book does just that.  For instance, you may be interested in knowing that one of the first uses for Velcro was by NASA, as a nose-scratcher inside helmets.   Discovering that our everyday Saran wrap came about when a scientist was trying to develop a hard plastic car cover is another interesting story.  As the title suggests, some of the most common things in our lives have the most unusual stories.
What is more common in our lives than food?  We consume it every single day.   Corn Flakes, for instance, did not start out to be the first dried cereal; it was discovered by mistake when William Kellogg was trying to make bread dough.   Then there is the story of how Swanson and Sons came up with the TV dinner in 1953, all because they overestimated the amount of turkey they would sell for Thanksgiving that year.  And what was that “runcible spoon” in Edward Lear’s famous poem “The Owl and the Pussycat”?  Just maybe it was a spork, a utensil that was half spoon, half fork.   We may have the foot soldiers of Persia’s Darius the Great to thank for giving us pizza.  It is recorded that the foot soldiers baked dough on their shields and added available toppings while in the field.  It seems that man’s mistakes and measures of necessity have led to many great dietary treasures.
Customs and symbols have been and always will be a part of our lives.  Putting your hand in front of your mouth when you yawn is a polite gesture.  But the custom may have begun because it was once believed that one’s soul could slip out, or evil spirits could slip in, while you were yawning.  You can discover why storks were chosen as the bearers of babies or how bones can bring about one’s wish.   As a child, I remember competing with my cousins to find out who was the lucky one to wish upon the bone from the Thanksgiving turkey.  Yet, it was prior to 400 B.C. when the first wish was whispered over a bird’s clavicle.  Now that tattoos are such a popular form of body art, it is interesting to learn that they were discovered on the body of a man who had been frozen for more than 5,000 years.  It has been amazing to discover the history behind our reasons and ways of doing things.
With computer games and downloadable games so readily available, we are never in want of leisure fun.  Many of us remember spending hours playing board games with friends and family.  The first-known board games, found in the Babylonian tombs of Ur, dated from 3000 B.C.  These gaming boards are thought to be the forerunners of today’s backgammon.  It seems our game of checkers was first played in ancient Egypt around 1400 B.C.  A Hindustan game called chaturanga, played during the sixth century A.D. or earlier, is our counterpart to chess.  While these games may become obsolete with technological changes, the history behind them is fascinating.
I have found that the invention and production of common everyday objects really do have uncommon stories.  If you like history or enjoy trivia, you will find this book informational and entertaining.  It may even change the way you look at the world and the people who live here!

Technology Workshops at MPL!

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Susan Withee
Adult Services Department Manager

Spring Technology Workshops at the Library

Are you an e-rereaderseader novice in need of basic help in using your device and downloading free e-books from Manhattan Public Library’s Sunflower e-library?  Did you miss out on our earlier e-reader workshop series, or are you a previous attendee who’s now ready for a review and some reassurance?  You’re in luck!  Manhattan Pubic Library is happy to announce another set of free e-reader workshops featuring live demos and hands-on assistance from Library staff.

Working one-on-one with Library Technology Center staff and Adult Services librarians, you’ll be guided through the process of accessing e-books online and downloading them to your particular e-reader or device.  These stand-alone workshops will be offered on three Tuesdays, March 12, March 26, and April 2, at 2:00 p.m. in the Library’s Groesbeck Room.  You may register to attend a workshop by stopping by or calling the Information Desk at 776-4741 Ext 173 or by clicking on the E-reader Workshop announcement on the library’s website at http://www.manhattan.lib.ks.us   Workshop attendance will be limited, so register soon.

“But wait!” as they say on television, “That’s not all!”  Through the rest of April and May the library will continue to host twice-monthly technology training sessions that will focus on how to use the online services, information resources, and searching tools offered through the MPL website and online catalog.  We’re calling the series “Technology Tuesdays” and again, the programs will be designed to offer live presentations followed by hands-on assistance and guidance from library staff.  The dates for these spring programs are April 16, May 7, and May 21, at 2:00 p.m., and they will be informal, walk-in opportunities that will welcome all comers and all technology issues.

At Technology Tuesdays, you will explore the value-added features of the library’s catalog, such as creating a wish list or setting up your reading history.  You’ll learn advanced searching methods to help you navigate the library’s catalog to and find the best in books, videos, music, and more.  You’ll place your own holds on library books and videos, fill out a request for an interlibrary loan, reserve a meeting room, or send a suggestion about materials you’d like the library to consider purchasing.  All these and more can be done through the library’s website and catalog from wherever you access the Internet.  In addition to the highlighted topic of the day, Technology Center staff and librarians will be available to talk with you individually about whatever electronic or online issues you may bring to us.  We hope to make Tech Tuesdays a continuing series as we move into next fall, with topic possibilities such as genealogy searching, learning a foreign language, locating car repair information, and planning for your education and career, all possible through the library’s power-packed website.

If you prefer computerto learn individually, don’t forget that we continue to offer basic computer training by appointment, one-on-one with a librarian in the Adult Services Department.  Most training sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings, but we’ll be happy to make appointments to suit your schedule whenever possible.  Training options include basic keyboarding, introduction to computers, searching the Internet, and setting up and using e-mail accounts, but we can also tailor the sessions to fit your needs and interests.  As with all of our programs and services, these sessions are free.  Call the Adult Services Department at 776-4741 Ext 173 to make an appointment.

And finally, training in basic computer use, help with specific computer projects to enrich your life, or assessment of your own need for adaptive computer technology are also available on a one-time or a standing appointment basis in the library’s Assistive Technology Center.  If you would like to make an appointment to discuss the options available to you in the ATC, call or email the center’s instructor, Wandean Rivers, at 776-4741 Ext 202 or wandean@manhattan.lib.ks.us