Treat Your Shelf!

Are you looking for something good to read?  Take a look at this post from the American Library Association:  

2016 Andrew Carnegie Medalist

Making your 'To Be Read' list? Checking it twice? #TreatYourShelf (or others) this holiday season with titles from RUSA's award lists selected and reviewed by our expert librarians.

The Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction<http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/carnegieadult> recognize the best fiction and nonfiction books for adult readers published in the U.S. the previous year. A longlist<http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/carnegieadult/longlists> comprised of no more than 50 titles is released in September. Six finalists (shortlist)<http://www.ala.org/awardsgrants/carnegieadult/short-lists>, three fiction and three nonfiction, are announced in October.

Notable Books List<http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/notablebooks> selected by the Notable Books Council, is a list of 25 very good, very readable and at times, very important fiction, nonfiction and poetry books for adult readers.

2016 The Listen List Selection

The Reading List<http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/readinglist>  seeks to highlight outstanding genre fiction from each of the current eight different categories including adrenaline, fantasy, historical fiction, horror, mystery, romance, science fiction and women's fiction.


The Listen List: Outstanding Audiobook Narration<http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/listenlist>, seeks to highlight outstanding audiobook titles that merit special attention and includes twelve titles including fiction, nonfiction, poetry and plays.

The Sophie Brody Award<http://www.ala.org/rusa/awards/brody> is given to encourage, recognize and commend outstanding achievement in Jewish literature. In the context of this award, Jewish literature is defined as fiction, nonfiction or poetry that has as its central purpose the exploration of the Jewish experience.


 --Susan Hoppe, Reference Services Librarian

Hot Reads for Cold Nights!

Hot Reads for Cold Nights Logo

When the weather is cold, it’s time to find a hot read and join Virginia Public Library’s annual “Hot Reads for Cold Nights” reading program.  This is the 17th year that "Hot Reads for Cold Nights" is being sponsored by the Friends of Virginia Public Library.  Area residents over 18 are invited to register in the library or online to participate.  To register online, click on this link and select the Hot Reads program.

This program is designed to promote reading for adults since reading is equally important for all ages. Each book read during the program will earn one entry in a big giveaway on February 27^th. Participants must visit the library to check out library books and submit their entries.

Hot Reads Tuesdays will continue on Tuesday mornings from 10:00-12:00. Each week, members of the Friends of the Library will provide coffee and bakery to area readers.  This is a great time to find out about new books and visit with your neighbors.

The Hot Reads celebration continues with the launch of the 2015 Winter Brown Bag Lunch Series beginning on January 15^th at noon with “Travels and Tribulations” by Melody Swenson and Coach Bob McDonald. On January 29^th, Paul Niemisto will present “Cornets and Pickaxes” a presentation on Iron Range brass bands.

This year’s Book Lover’s Tea on February 12th will feature celebrated author/artist Chris Monroe.  Please note:  Advanced registration for the tea is essential!  Reservations must be made by Feb. 6^th.

For more information on these events and more, visit the event calendar at www.virginia.lib.mn.us or call 748-7525.

--Dawn Heisel, Public Services Librarian

Winter 2015 Programs @ Your Library

We have had some wonderful programs this past year.  They ranged from Minnesota author Peter Geye in January and Master Gardener Carol Borich in March to musicians Briand Morrison in August and Sara Pajunen in September; from wonderful children's programs throughout the Summer Reading Program to Digital Photography 101 in October and our final 2014 program, a Henna workshop which will be at 10:30 on December 30th.


There is already a great line-up of programs slated for the Winter 2015 season.  Hot Reads for Cold Nights, the adult winter reading program, begins on Friday, January 2nd.  The Friends of the Library will be hosting Hot Reads Tuesdays during the program.  They are providing yummy goodies for everyone who visits the library on Tuesday mornings between 10:00 and noon.  Of course, this is first come, first served!

Travels & Tribulations

During the two months of the Hot Reads program, there will be a number of Brown Bag lunch and other programs for you to enjoy.  On January 15th at noon, local author Melody Swenson will be back with author--and Chisholm coaching legend--Bob McDonald.  They will be promoting their new book, Travels and Tribulations--A Coach's Journey. 

Cornets & Pickaxes

St. Olaf College professor Paul Niemisto will present a Brown Bag lunch at noon on January 29th.  His book, Cornets and Pickaxes -- Finnish Brass on the Iron Range, is about Finnish musicians who moved to the Arrowhead region.  It "measures the value and influence these Finnish bands had on cultural life of the early twentieth century Iron Range..."  Musicians and history buffs alike should enjoy this program!

Chris Monroe

Looking forward to Valentine's day?  Don't miss the Book Lover's Tea on Thursday, February 12th, at noon.  This year's speaker will be Chris Monroe, Duluth artist and author/illustrator of several children's books. This program has become so popular that we are forced to require reservations.  They can be made by calling 748-7525 before February 6th.  Space is limited to the first 50 participants. 

Moving on to March, we will have a program brought to us by the Arrowhead Library System with funding from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Legacy Fund.  Northern Gael, which is comprised of Laura MacKenzie and the Sutter Brothers, is sure to have everyone's toes tapping with their traditional Irish and Scottish tunes.  They  will be presenting their program in the library lobby on Wednesday, March 18th at 1:00. 

One Book, One Community

The month of April brings us the annual One Book, One Community program.  Working with the Duluth, Cloquet, and Superior public libraries, we will be hosting NE Minnesota author Linda Grover as we read The Dance Boots, her collection of short stories.  The program kick-off will be on Monday, April 13th, in Duluth.  The author will be here in Virginia at noon on Thursday, April 16th.  Stay tuned for information on other programs related to the 2015 One Book, One Community program.

Straw Bale Gardens

We will close the winter 2015 program season late, with a gardening program on Thursday, April 30, at noon.  Minnesota gardener and author Joel Karsten will tell us all about straw bale gardening.  This program is brought to us by the Arrowhead Library System with funding through the Legacy fund.

For more information on individual programs, check our website and online calendar.  You can also call us for more information at 748-7525.

--Susan Hoppe, Adult Services Librarian

More on the Season of Giving

It is nearly time for folks to panic.  Little Johnny only wants a pair of skates, so he isn't too difficult to buy for.  Susy wants a sled, but your budget allows for a Radio Flyer, not a Polaris.  Nellie wants a new story book, but you don't know which ones she hasn't read already.  What can you do?

Easy!  Pop on in to the library to find great ideas for everyone on your list.

The easiest thing to do for Nellie is to get her the gift that keeps on giving--a library card.  She can't get it herself, because she is too young, but you can bring her in, sign her up for a card, and watch her eyes light up as she enters the Children's room and sees all of the wonderful books.  There is sure to be at least one she hasn't read yet.

Taking care of Susy's sled is a little tougher.  If you can't convince her to accept a runner sled, you might convince her to get a job so that she can buy her own snowmobile.  Even better, if you have an old clunker in the shed that just needs a little work to run like new again, make sure she, too has a library card, and introduce her to our snowmobile repair books and the Small Engine Repair database.  She'll learn how to get that machine going in no time!

Have other people on your list that you need to find gifts for?  Look at our many craft books for ideas on beautiful gifts you can make yourself.  We have a variety books for crafts of all kinds.  Are you a knitter?  Take a look at Norwegian mittens and gloves:  Over 25 classic designs for warm fingers and stylish hands, by Annemor Sundbø.  Prefer crochet?  Try Crochet hatimals:  Creatures with features for all ages, by Rebecca Goldsmith.  Perhaps you'd like to try needle felting this year.  Jackie Huang's Woolbuddies:  20 irresistibly simple needle felting projects is the book to read. 

For those who are more interested in projects with more physical substance, we have books on wood and metal working, as well.  Stocking stuffer ideas can be found in Steve Tomashek's book, Tiny whittling:  More than 20 projects to make.  Larger projects can be found in Simply wood:  40 stylish and easy-to-make projects for the modern woodworker, by Roshaan Ganief. 

Metal workers can find ideas from jewelry-sized to yard ornament. Ready, set, weld!:  Beginner-friendly projects for the home & garden, by Kimberli Matin, has several project ideas, some of which are bound to please.  John Sartin's The complete photo guide to making metal jewelry has the information you need to make beautiful baubles for every family member.

Find these and many more books filled with gift ideas @ your library!

--Susan Hoppe, Reference Services Librarian

Reading Weather

Has this early cold weather been keeping you inside?  If you are like me, you want to sit in front of a warm fire with a good book, sipping your favorite hot drink.  Fortunately for all of us, the library has plenty of books.  In fact, we have new books going on the shelves every week, with about 1,000 books added to the collection since June.  

If you are a non-fiction fan, we have new books on biography, history, gardening, business, cooking, and many other subjects.  If you are interested in biographies, you may want to borrow John Quincy Adams:  American Visionary, by Fred Kaplan.  If you lean more toward entrepreneurship, take a look at Invent It, Sell It, Bank It!, by Lori Greiner.  We have Wood Heat:  A Practical Guide to Heating Your Home With Wood, by Andrew Jones, for those learning more about heating with wood.  For those of you interested in reading the Bard, we have a new set of Shakespeare for your reading pleasure, as well.

Are you more interested in fiction?  We have plenty of that, as well.  There is a new set of essential Charles Dickens titles on the shelf waiting for you to discover it.  In newer fiction, we have The Beekeeper's Ball, by Susan Wiggs.  In science fiction, Brent Weeks has a new title in the Lightbringer series:  The Broken Eye.  Prefer a good mystery?  Check out the newest title by Stuart Woods, Cut and Thrust.  There are many other good fiction gems waiting for you, as well.

Prefer a different format?  We have many of these new titles on both digital audio and compact disk in our Media Department.  Some of them are also available as downloadable audio- and e-books from OverDrive.  Even more tantalizing, many of today's movies are based on books.  You can look for either the movie version of your favorite book or the book version of a great movie in our online catalog. 

The library has thousands of titles for you to choose from in formats that include books, DVDs, magazines, online resources, and more.  Relieve the early freeze blues with some good reads from your library!

--Susan Hoppe, Adult Services Librarian

Summer Reading

Summerland Cover

The Summer Reading Program here at the Virginia Public Library is well under way with children eagerly visiting the library to borrow more books, participate in Craft-TASTIC Tuesdays, and enjoy interesting programs.  Children aren't the only ones reading, though, and we have some suggestions and tips for finding library items for kids of all ages.

There are many summer-related books in the library.  One way to find them is to look for the word summer using a Subject Keyword search in the library's online catalog.   A few of the  titles from such a search include Beach House Memories, by Mary Alice Monroe;  The Accidental, by Ali Smith; and Summerland, by Elin Hilderbrand

Blueberry Summers Cover

If you prefer non-fiction, you can limit the search by choosing Adult non-fiction in the "Limit by" box.  Some titles from that search include  Blueberry Summers:  Growing Up at the Lake, by Curtiss Anderson; Mary Engelbreit's Summer Craft Book, by Mary Engelbreit; and Resorts of Minnesota:  Exploring the Heritage and History of Minnesota's Family Resorts, by Neil E. Johnson and Adam Swenson.

Country Living Cover

For those who like magazines more than books, many of them have seasonal issues.  Some to keep in mind are Lake Superior Magazine, Country Living, and Backwoods Home.  To find these and other magazine titles, you can do a Title Search on the basic search page of our online catalog. 

There are many other ways for you to find summer entertainment at your library.  Let us know how we can help you fill the long summer days ahead!

Susan Hoppe, Reference Services Librarian

Annual Book and Bake Sale

The Friends of the Virginia Public Library will hold their annual book sale in the library auditorium from Wednesday, September 19th through Friday, September 21st. Books, DVDs, paperbacks, and more will be available for sale from 10:00 - 5:30 on Wednesday and Thursday and from 10:00 - 4:30 on Friday. 

 

This year there will be a lot of books on cassette available.  If you or someone you know likes to listen to books while traveling or working around the house, now is a good time to stock up! 

 

Want more than books?  There will be lots of delicious goodies to choose from at the bake sale on Wednesday.

 

Browsing Available Non-Fiction

Chatting About Books

--Dawn Heisel, Public Services Librarian

The “Perfect” Memory

Just the other day I had a young mother visit the library and say, "There are so many picture books!  It's pretty overwhelming to know which one my daughter will love."  When I probed a little further, I discovered that she wanted to find the one book her daughter would remember reading when she was older.  Unfortunately, I can easily say that's probably not something Moms can control.

Child and READ Dog Katie

This mother wasn't in the wrong; she made the same mistake as many other young parents who think that every book is a gem waiting to be polished by the love of a parent’s lap and the gentle sound of a parent’s voice.  I almost hate bursting this bubble, but that just ain't the way it happens.  After decades of working with children and books, let me tell you that the book you think your child will remember tenderly is almost certainly not going to be the one they mention when someone asks "What was your first favorite book?" when they are in their teens. In fact, in most cases, it won't even be one you remember reading.  

Franklin and Friend with Picture Books

What can a young parent do to create those warm fuzzies around books?  The answer is simple: read, and then, read some more. Read until you are blue in the face and dreaming about The Poky Little Puppy while you sleep.  Your child will thank you for this.  Why?  Because, the children who do best, the ones who learn to love reading, and the ones who take to it much more easily than others, are the ones who have had thousands of books in their life BEFORE they even start school.  And, when I say thousands, please note, that wasn't a typo. I mean THOUSANDS.  And, while it's nice for your child to have their own little library and learn how to take care of their books, unless you are a millionaire, thousands of books just aren’t in the budget of many young families.  Hint: This is why we have a humongous checkout limit of 20 books per card.

The perfect book?

So, to make our world a better place, we want children to read lots and lots of books.  Some families visit the library daily, others weekly and still others come every three weeks when their books are due.  Many of these families check out their limit and laugh about how fast their children plow through the titles.   Throughout the years, the one thing I've noticed most is that the children of these families often become very good readers and have learned to love books almost by osmosis.  Feel free to look for that perfect book, but don't make it your biggest goal.  After all, when I would have pegged The Poky Little Puppy -- a book I still remember every single doggone syllable of to this day -- as my son's favorite childhood read, it didn't even make his top ten.  Sigh.   

--Dawn Heisel, Public Services Librarian