Reedsburg Public Library ~~~~ 370 Vine Street Reedsburg WI |
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The Inside Story @ Your Library (May 3)
Reedsburg Public Library
Remember that on Thursday May 3rd our e-Readers Users group will be meeting at 6:30 PM. The number of people with e-Readers or iPad devices has doubled in the last few months. Get together and share tips and tricks. Get the most out of your e-reader or discover what e-readers are all about. Maureen will also share the new features of the updated Overdrive site.
One of the most popular parts of the newspaper is the comic strip. There is a lot of work and effort that goes into creating that 3 or 4 picture strip. May 5th is National Cartoonist’s Day, a time to recognize the value of humor in our lives, and the people who create the cartoons that help to put that humor there. Grab your paper and your pencils as we have many books to help you start drawing. One of the greatest comedy artists American journalism has ever produced was born here in Reedsburg. Clare Briggs was the creator of “ When a Feller Needs a Friend”, “ Ain't it a Grand and Glorious Feeling?” and “ The Days of Real Sport”. His most popular cartoons depicted his boyhood in Reedsburg and made the town's "Old Swimming Hole" and his childhood friend "Skinny" famous. He died January 3, 1930, and according to his request his ashes were scattered over New York Harbor. The keen observation and gentle humor of Briggs are evident in his cartoons and make his work just as enjoyable today as when it first appeared.
Have you considered joining the Friends of the Library? Membership term is from January to December for only $5.00 for an individual. Complete information is available on our web site, or pick up a form at the library.
Top reasons to be a member include.
1) Helping raise money for the Library, a community gem.
2) Supporting children’s and adult summer reading programs.
3) Supporting the library’s many free programs for the community.
4) Helping the library purchase new materials.
5) Getting involved and serving the community.
6) Meeting other library and book lovers like you.
7) Enjoy the great feeling of helping your local library.
8) Coming to Members Only night at our Book Sales (4 Times a Year).
9) Supporting our Books for Babies and Homebound Library programs.
10) Gee, just being a Friend has such positive connotations!
The Inside Story @ Your Library (April 26)
Reedsburg Public Library
Remember the book sale is this weekend (April 27-29) during library hours. There will be hundreds of paperback and hardcover books on sale. Children’s and adult fiction and non-fiction will be available as well as magazines. This sale looks to be one of the largest sales we have had in years. The profits from this book sale benefit the library’s audio book collection. The Friends of the Library Preview Night is Thursday, April 26 from 6-7 PM. For $5 membership you can be the first person to look at our Book Sale before the public sale. We have two more sales later this year, each time on the Thursday before, the Preview night happens.
Are you planning your summer activities and don't want to miss our summer program events? Now available on our web site is a complete list of events and information on the summer library program. Our program has activities for all ages. Registration starts on Friday, June 1st.
Register now, for our next e-Reader Users group on Thursday, May 3 @ 6:30 PM. The number of people with e-Readers or iPad devices has doubled since this last holiday season. Share tips and tricks, get the most out of your e-reader and discover the exciting world of eBooks. The number of e-Book titles available to a library user is increasing as demand has been increased. Sign up today, as space is limited.
Last week television lost an icon, known as "America's Oldest Teenager" Dick Clark died at 82. His American Bandstand did more for music than any other show. He also starred on TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes and the game show $25,000 Pyramid. If you want to learn more about Dick Clark, we have his 1976 memoir “Rock, Roll & Remember” and his mystery novel “Murder on Tour” a rock ‘n’ roll mystery. Our music CD collection includes some of the music hits from the American Bandstand Show that was on the air for almost forty years
The Inside Story @ Your Library (April 19)
Reedsburg Public Library
Remember that the library will be closing early on Thursday, April 19th for staff training. This in-service is part of an effort to better serve library customers through staff training and development.
Last week former CBS news correspondent Mike Wallace died. For over sixty years he interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers as an original on 60 Minutes. He was considered to be one of America’s best-known broadcast journalists. We have his second memoir “Between You and Me”, where he shares interviews and personal observations he made along his career. Also in our collection on DVD is his interview with Frank Lloyd Wright. The interview was done in 1957 when Wright was 90 years old. Also last weekend famous painter, Thomas Kinkade died. He was America’s most-collected living artist before his death. Did you know he was also a best-selling author; we have a few of his Cape Light novels.
This past week the Titanic has been back in the news, with the 100th anniversary of it's sinking. We have many books about the “unsinkable” luxury liner. Overshadowed by the coverage of the news in 1912 was the first game played at Fenway Park. The Boston Red Sox defeated New York Highlanders (later named Yankees) on April 20, 1912. Throwing out the first pitch was Mayor John F. Fitzgerald, grandfather of President Kennedy. Fenway Park is America’s oldest and perhaps most storied ballpark. We have books about the park as well as a number of films that have featured it. Our lobby display case is featuring Fenway as well as other Green Cathedrals (Ballparks) this month.
Speaking of Baseball, did you know that on April 15, 1947 sixty five years ago Jackie Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier. Jonathan Eig’s book “Opening Day: The Story of Jackie Robinson’s First Season”, recalls the events of 1947 when under intense media and public scrutiny, Robinson made history. This account of the inaugural season includes his experiences (good and bad) with fellow players and fans throughout the National League. Jackie had a key role in leading the Dodgers to the World Series at the season’s end, while also winning the first-ever Rookie of the Year award for his stellar play. He proved that a black man could combine courage with skills and earn respect on his own terms. Check our display of books on Jackie Robinson and our web page for a list of books on Jackie Robinson and the integration of baseball.
The Inside Story @ Your Library (April 12)
Reedsburg Public Library
Happy National Library Week! This nationwide observance is to celebrate the contributions of libraries, librarians and library workers to their schools and communities. Our library is the heart of the community, a place where people come together for meetings, programs, research, job searching, homework assistance, a good book and a nice cup of coffee. People of all ages and backgrounds find entertainment, develop skills and come to find their place in the community. You can gather for book discussions, storytimes with your children, and join the Friends of the Library. This is not only a great time to see what’s new at your library, but also a time to stand up and speak out as a library advocate. During this week we will be holding a food drive for the local pantry. For each food item brought into the library, we wave 50¢ in overdue library fines. This is an opportunity to clear up your fines and help the local Food Pantry. You may drop off food items even if you don’t have fines. The Food Pantry appreciates your help.
In April, we have our minds on money and money on our minds! April 21-28 is Money Smart Week a nationwide financial literacy event by the Federal Reserve Bank and Libraries across the country. We will kick off the week this Saturday, April 14th with our 2nd Saturday Program at 10:30 AM where families will be making piggy banks. In the afternoon, we invite college bound students who need help applying for financial aid. We will have computers and experienced assistants to answer questions and help complete the FAFSA forms. It’s 1-3 PM on Saturday, April 14. Also mark your calendar for Saturday, April 21 as we host a program focused on Household Budgets and Smart Credit Card Use.
Remember that on Thursday, April 19th that the library will close early (at 5 PM) for a staff in-service.
We are still accepting donations of books, magazines, movies and music for our Spring Book Sale. If you have been spring-cleaning and discovered materials that you no longer use, we will accept them to either add to our collection our put in our sale. The sale, which looks to be one of the largest in years, will be happening on Friday April 27 through Sunday April 29, during regular library hours.
The Inside Story @ Your Library (April 5)
Reedsburg Public Library
Remember that the library will close Friday, April 6th at Noon and is closed on Sunday, April 8th. We are open Saturday April 7th from 9 AM – 4 PM. The book return will be open all weekend. (It is located on the Locust Street side of the building.) LINKcat, our online catalog will be available to renew books and place holds. Also mark your calendar: the library will close early (at 5 PM) on Thursday, April 19th for a staff in-service.
“Sunday and Monday, April 6 & 7, 1862” wrote Union Major Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, “has been perhaps less understood, or, to state the case more accurately, more persistently misunderstood, than any other engagement between National and Confederate troops during the entire rebellion”. The battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing was fought one hundred and fifty years ago. During the second year of the Civil War, Grant along with Major Gen. Don Carlos Buell, engaged the Army of the Tennessee and Army of the Ohio against Gen. Albert Sidney Johnson and Gen. Beauregard of the Army of the Mississippi. When it was done, about 24,000 men had died, including Gen. Johnson, with the Union forces emerging the victor. The battle was a resounding blow to the Confederacy. Today the site is a National Military Park set on about 4,000 acres on the banks of the Tennessee River one of America’s best preserved battlefields. Timothy Isbell’s book “Shiloh and Corinth” is filled with over 90 striking photographs and will bring the battlefield to life with the present-day landscapes. It also includes photographs of the site including the cemetery were the graves of six Wisconsin flag-bearers are buried together, as they were all killed keeping Old Glory aloft during the fighting. You can learn more about Wisconsin soldiers at the battle in our Local History Room with the book “Wisconsin at Shiloh”. This 1909 report tells the regiment’s role in the battle and the history of the beautiful Wisconsin Monument in the park. This month our lobby display case is featuring this battle as well as others during the 2nd year of the Civil War, 1862.
Next week is National Library Week (April 8-14) a time to celebrate the contributions of libraries, librarians and library workers to their schools and communities. National Library Week is not only a great time to see what’s new at your library, but also a time to stand up and speak out as a library advocate. During the week we will be holding a food drive for the local pantry. For each food item brought into the library, we will waive fifty cents in overdue library fines. This is an opportunity to clear up your fines and help the local Food Pantry. Also you may just drop off food items even if you don’t have fines.
The Inside Story @ Your Library (March 29)
Reedsburg Public Library
You don’t have to be a die-hard fan to appreciate the start of the baseball season. Next week is Opening Day for Major League Baseball. Opening Day is a sign that spring has finally sprung. As we hear those immortal words for the first time this year, “Play Ball!” We have a variety of books and videos on playing baseball, life of legendary players and games and even some beautiful picture books. We have just added a DVD set of the ten greatest games, with complete broadcast of some the most memorable moments of Baseball. From walk-off World Series wins to mind-numbing comebacks.
We are right in the middle of Washington D.C. Cherry Blossom Festival as thousands of visitors from around the world come to witness this each year. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the famous trees (3,000) given to us by Tokyo, Japan in 1912. Rooted strongly and surviving outside elements, the trees have withstood the test of time. If you can’t be there we have books and videos about Washington D.C. as well as Ann McClellan’s “The Cherry Blossom Festival”. This excellent book tells the development, meaning and symbolism of the Cherry Blossom Festival. Visit the web site www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org for a web cam of the blossoms and complete festival activities.
It’s the time of the year when high school students prepare to take exams for the ACT or SAT? Do you need study resources or practice tests for your real estate exam or nursing exam? If so you should discover the Learning Express Library (on our web site under Databases/Research). With your library card you can find college prep needs, practice tests for graduate school entrance, the GED, Praxis, ASVAB, civil service jobs, U.S. citizenship and much more.
The Inside Story @ Your Library (March 22)
Reedsburg Public Library
Happy 65th Birthday to author James Patterson who was born March 22, 1947. He is famous for his vast number of bestseller novels. In the past three years, he has sold more books than any other author, since 2006 one out of every seventeen hardcover fiction books sold was a Patterson title. He is also the first author to have #1 new titles simultaneously on the New York Times adult and children’s bestsellers lists. Also is the first author to have five new hardcover novels debut at #1 on the list in one year, a record-breaking feat he’s accomplished every year since 2005. We have many of his series novels, from Alex Cross to the Women’s Murder Club, Maximum Ride to his many stand-alone thrillers and romance novels.
Well it’s that time of the year for you to plan your springtime projects. We can help you think about planting your garden, grilling, organizing your closets or help you find some fresh cleaning ideas. If you have been doing your spring-cleaning already and discovered books, cds and DVDs that you no longer use, we will accept them to either add to our collection or to put in the book sale. The Friends of the Library use the proceeds from the book sale to purchase new items for our collection. We will be having a large sale this spring on the weekend of April 27th.
Thirty-five years ago Elvis Presley kicked off his second tour of the year in Tempe, Arizona on March 23, 1977. We have just added “Amarillo Elvis 77” his March 24th concert in Amarillo, to our music collection. Recorded five months before his death, these recordings prove that Elvis is not in very good overall health during this year. To learn more about Elvis and Hawaii try Jerry Hopkins book “Aloha Elvis”. From 1957 to 1977 Elvis had an enduring relationship with the islands, this book includes over 100 photographs describing Elvis love affair with the islands.
The Inside Story @ Your Library (March 15)
Reedsburg Public Library
The Girl Scouts of America are celebrating their 100th anniversary this year. Juliette Low founded the group on March 12, 1912 in Georgia. They have been a memorable part of the lives of Reedsburg girls since 1942. You can see some early Reedsburg Girl Scout pictures from the 1950’s in our historical photo collection. (Our online collection of historic photographs includes over 5,000 images from Reedsburg, LaValle, Loganville, Rock Springs, Plain and Ironton.) Did you know founder Juliette Gordon Low’s grandmother lived in Portage? Juliette Kinzie lived in Portage from 1832-1834 at the historic Indian Agency House. She wrote her Portage experiences in her book “Wau-Bun” the early days in the Northwest. Check out our copy.
Well we've had spring weather this last week or so and you may be ready to start those spring projects. If so, we can help you find information that can help you plant a garden, start walking for exercise, organize your closets or give you some fresh cleaning ideas. Stop by the library and choose some books to inspire your spring. It won’t be long and summer will be here. We have already planned our Summer Library Program for Adults, Kids and Teens. We have big plans to celebrate and encourage reading all summer long for the whole family.
Overdrive is an American digital distributor of downloadable eBooks and audiobooks. Libraries in Wisconsin are members of The Wisconsin Public Library Consortium and they are adding lots of titles each week to our Overdrive collection. This is a collection of downloadable eBooks and audiobooks. This helps make our library a 24/7 service. You can download books any time of day or night with no worries about overdue fines. When books are due they just disappear from your devise. Do you have an eReader (Kindle, Nook, Sony or one of many other devices) or do you need help deciding which eReader would be the best for you? Overdrive may be of interest to you. Use the link on our home page to find help on the Overdrive site.
Did you know that one hundred years ago, on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, Thelma Catherine Ryan Nixon was born? She was nicknamed Pat by her father, referring to her birth date and Irish ancestry. It was not her legal name but she used the name Patricia and it’s even on her tombstone. Learn more about Richard Nixon’s wife here at the library. We have many books on the first ladies and first families. Her daughter, Julie Eisenhower published the book “Pat Nixon, the Untold Story” where you will become part of the close-knit Nixon family scenes that Julie describes throughout the book.