text:
I'm not generally a fan of graphic novels, but author and illustrator Raina Telgemeier does a great job of convincing me to broaden my horizons. I just read her newest title, Sisters, which explores the complexity and humor of sibling rivalry and family relationships. Sisters evokes a universal familiarity. Who doesn't remember the family road trip as the perfect time to fight and bond?
Telgemeier's first autobiographical novel, Smile, continues to be incredibly popular. Booklist described it as "possibly the only universally embraced graphic novel on the planet." Sisters continues Raina's story, sharing how she and her sister Amara fight their way to common ground, against the backdrop of a family reunion, also filled with family fights and affections. Sisters left me with a smile and warm memories of my own sisters…and wishing for more. Perhaps Telgemeier will turn me into a graphic novel fan yet!
Sisters and Smile both have hold lists on them at the library, but they are worth the wait. (And the lists aren't too long!) While you're waiting, you could check out a couple of my other favorite sister books, touching picture books great for all ages: Big Sister, Little Sister by LeUyen Pham and Maple & Willow Together by Lori Nichols.
This week I get to see one of my sisters, and I'm excited to share Sisters with her. We can relate–it's surprisingly like our story!9780545540599]]>
If you really wanted to see the whole thing on paper, you can print it on 25 different pages (Print –>Page Size/Handling–>Poster). Of if you are in the neighborhood of the Johnson County Administration Building during business hours, you can try to stop in to see if they have what you're looking for. The Assessor's Office should have a small map at the very least.
Last year Foundation gifts to the Library paid more than half the cost of our building renovations, purchased library materials for all ages, supported huge growth in our Summer Reading Program (allowing us to continue to provide books to participants — see p. 8 of the annual report for a heartwarming story), supported programs, and improved technology.
You can give online or by mail (make checks payable to the Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation). You also support the Library through your purchases at the Arts & Crafts Bazaar (Saturday, December 6, 10-3) at special book sales (same day) or at The Book End.
At this time of year I am thankful for a great public library. What would our community be without it? Please consider a gift today.]]>
To activate "My Reading History," login to your online account at catalog.icpl.org and click on "Reading History." If you don't have a password, or don't remember your password, please give us a call during Library hours or stop by the Help Desk and we'll set one up for you.
Once you've logged in to the Catalog and selected "My Reading History," there is a toggle button to Opt In or Opt Out. The default is for accounts to be set-up to "Opt Out" so you must choose "Opt In" for the system to begin tracking your checkouts.
I enjoy browsing through "My Reading History" because it's a walk down memory lane. Some titles bring back memories of learning to draw with my children (Ed Emberley books are great for this) and favorite books while others remind me about planning a vacation, craft projects and driving in blizzards. I've used this feature for nearly 10 years so I have quite a long memory lane cataloged there.
We often get questions about "My Reading History" so here's the fine print if you have questions or concerns:
Library Staff may not access these lists so they are completely private. It is up to you to activate this feature IF you want the catalog to keep track of the physical items you check out.
If you checked out something you don't want to keep track of, you can delete the item from your list.
You can choose to Opt Out any time and opt back in later if you choose to.
My Reading History does not track any eMaterials checked out on other webpages like OverDrive and Zinio.
If an item is withdrawn from our collection, it no longer appears in My Reading History.
Some patrons come in hopeful that we track their circulation over time – this usually happens when they can't remember a book they checked out. We don't track specific items checked out because of privacy issues. IF the patron turned on My Reading History, the record will be there once they login to their Library Account. In most cases, though, they have not turned this feature on and so the information is not available.
If you wish to Opt In to "My Reading History" and need help, please stop by or give us a call. It's a nice feature for those who are interested in keeping track of materials checked out over time.0316789798]]>
Emma Straub's writing is clean and crisp. The books is funny, warm and realistic. Straub creates characters who are real and struggle with insecurities and secrets while ultimately triumphing over what life throws at them. I listened to the book and Kristen Sieh's narration is perfect.
As I look out my window I see it is snowing again. If you need a vicarious escape to Spain check out Emma Straub's Vacationers.9781594631573]]>
"The Journey Continues" in Aaron Becker's Quest. Fans of the Caldecott Honor winner Journey will be delighted and enthralled from the moment they open this second installment in the Journey Trilogy.
Becker picks up exactly where the friends left off and immediately readers are taken on an incredible journey to save a king and his kingdom. With vivid imagery, vibrant colors and an expert hand at illustration, Becker draws readers into his world and simultaneously ties it to our own.
Hank Finds an Egg, by Rebecca Dudley has been joined this month by the sequel, Hank Has a Dream. Dudley's work continues to amaze me, she works in diorama and photography–everything seen in any of the Hank books has been made by hand. Her craftsmanship and abilities as a storyteller are truly incredible.
One of my favorite additions to this work is the map of "Storywoods", Hank's world, within the endsheets. Another addition to this work, is words: Dudley juxtaposes Hank and his friend acting out the dream with an image of the dream itself on the opposite page. Honestly, everything about this work is beautiful, inspiring and original. Rebecca Dudley is a singular artist and definitely an author to watch!
Last, but certainly not least is another Caldecott Honor winner, Molly Idle, with her latest book about Flora. After dancing in the cherry blossoms with her pal the Flamingo, Flora gets ready for winter and ice skating with her pal Penguin. In what is becoming her signature wordless style, Molly Idle combines beautiful color illustrations, fun characters and flaps to tell a wonderful friendship story. The bodily expressions of Idle's characters tell the story and lead the reader through the growing friendship between Flora and the Penguin. Though things may get frosty, the two find a way to not only make their relationship work but have a ton of fun doing it.
Quest, Hank has a Dream, and Flora and the Penguin are great reads for the young and young at heart that leave us wanting more and excited about what's to come from these amazing Author/Illustrators.]]>
With updated technology and a larger touchscreen, the new machines make it easier for patrons to borrow Library materials. For instance, the new machines give patrons the option of no receipt, eMail receipt or printed receipt when checking out items and/or paying a fine. An eMail receipt will only be sent if the Library has a valid eMail address on file.
"The self-serve option is designed to ease wait times for patrons, freeing staff members to focus on borrowers with questions and requests for reserves, equipment loans, and other services," said Kara Logsden, the Library's Coordinator for Community and Access Services.
The Library also installed new DVD unlocking stations at each self-checkout machine.
Self-checkout machines are available on the Library's first and second floor, and in the Children's Room.
For more information, please call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
This project is a culmination of months of behind the scenes work by Library staff and completes a Strategic Plan goal to "Upgrade checkout equipment to provide more efficient service."
Highlights of the new equipment include a bigger, more responsive screen and new DVD Unlockers that give a GREEN LIGHT indication when the DVD has been unlocked. They also feature new credit card payment terminals that are easy to use and assure PCI Compliance for transactions.
A new feature is a "smart" barcode reader that reads barcodes on smart phone screens. We've received many requests for this feature and know our patrons will appreciate this enhancement. The scanner works with pictures of Library Cards on the smart phones or through barcodes generated by third-party apps such as CardStar.
Another option in response to patron requests is the ability to choose no receipt, a printed receipt, or an eMail receipt. We can only send an eMail receipt if we have a valid eMail address in the patron's record. If you wish to add an eMail address to your account, please give us a call or stop by the Help Desk.
As with many technology upgrades we are still working through a couple issues. The Self Checkout software is not communicating with our system to give information about holds in the queue. Patrons will be notified when a hold is ready for pickup but at this time we are unable to show holds at the Self Checkout stations. If you need help with holds, please go to a public service desk.
Nearly 70% of our checkouts run through the Library's Self Checkout stations so it is a critical tool for us to serve our community. We are delighted with the new product and the improvements the technology brings. While we offer the option of Self Checkout, please remember staff are just a couple steps away if you need help or prefer for staff to check out materials for you.]]>
Another plus for this collection is the chance to sample authors that you've been curious about. I've never read anything by Matt de la Peña or Stephanie Perkins, who also edited the collection, and I loved both of their stories. It made me want to read all of their books. Holly Black has a great story–called "Krampuslauf"–about a group of friends who want to throw the perfect New Year's Eve party and get revenge on a cheating ex. An unexpected guest makes the party even more memorable.
A lot of the stories fall into the "meet-cute during the holidays" category, but they're well done (except for a couple stinkers). It's a great book to read as a break from reading another book. If you like holiday stories, you won't go wrong with My True Love Gave to Me.978125005930]]>
Participate in the interactive "Take a Favorite – Leave a Favorite" display on the 1st floor during the month of November. When you decide to check out one of the books on the display, you may fill that empty spot with your own favorite. Write a note about why it is such a great book, and enjoy the thrill of knowing that you passed on your favorite to someone new!
The print version of Consumer Reports is available at ICPL both as a circulating magazine and as a Reference item to be used here in the Library.
If you have an ICPL Library card and live in Iowa City, Hills, Lone Tree, University Heights or rural Johnson County you can access Consumer Reports articles online through ICPL's online database "EbscoHost Magazine Index" by following these steps:
To get to the online databases, from the library's homepage (icpl.org) find the link to Reference and Research on the left hand side, and click to see the dropdown menu. From there choose Online Resources.
From the Online Resources page, choose Magazines & Newspapers.
On the Magazines & Newspapers page, you need to scroll down to find EbscoHost Magazine Index – and click on the link that says visit now.
EbscoHost itself is a very large product that provides access to a wide variety of databases. Consumer Reports is contained in the default search MasterFILE Premier, so simply click on the continue button at this step.
On the homepage of EbscoHost there is a search box, and you could search for your article here, but you will likely get a wide variety of results from a wide variety of magazines. To go directly to Consumer Reports, it is faster to do an Advanced Search.
From the advance search page, fill in the subject you're looking for at the top of the form then scroll down until you find the blank for Publication and put Consumer Reports in that blank. Then hit the green Search button.
The search results page will show you a list of articles to choose from. You can either click on the individual article to read more about it, or click directly on one of the full text options – either PDF or HTML to view as a web page.
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, so naturally my visits in November are about being thankful. I ask the kids what they are thankful for. Some kids don't understand this concept, so I start with a few examples: "I'm thankful for the time I get to spend visiting them at school" or "I'm thankful for the sun shining." The kids catch on quickly. They are thankful for their birthday, snow, toys, trains, and more toys! By now they're totally enthusiastic, so this is when I get the kids to settle down with one of my favorite books to read this time of year.
Bear Says Thanks by Karma Wilson is a sweet story about sharing, friendship, and giving thanks. Bear is bored and wants to throw a party for his forest friends. Each of his friends arrives with delectable gifts, and a repeated line encourages audience participation ("…and Bear says, 'Thanks!'"). Sadly, Bear finds his own cupboards are bare! But his friends remind him not to fret–there's no need for more food, because Bear's got his own gift of stories to share, "…and they all say, 'Thanks!'"]]>
Additional informational and enrollment sessions are offered on November 29th and December 6th from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the computer lab. All sessions are free. The library is also providing materials and books about the Affordable Care Act, heath care, and health insurance through its display on the second floor.
For more information about these sessions, click here or call the library at 319-356-5200.
If you are unable to attend these sessions but would still like to receive assistance with enrollment or get more information about the Affordable Care Act visit healthcare.gov.
Johnson County's Access Points
Navigator for Johnson County, Karen Wielert: 319-535-2679 or firstname.lastname@example.com
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics Enrollment Center: 319-356-2208 or firstname.lastname@example.com
For low income or individuals qualifying for Medicaid
Johnson County Public Health: 319-356-6042
Department of Human Services: 319-356-6050]]>
The blue bags feature two handles and light-weight material. They sell for $1 each and sport a great message: "Read More Books: It's good for you!" We've also had people purchase these to serve as gift bags – another green idea.
The canvas bags feature one over-the-shoulder strap. They sell for $9 and carry a message that can be interpreted in many ways:
Read Books
Eat Food
Read Food
Eat Books
The graphic encourages the imagination and deeper thought into the message. Regardless of how you interpret the message, it's a fun bag to carry home lots of great Library materials. I also know from personal experience that these bags can be tossed into the washing machine for easy cleaning.
If you are looking for other ways to reduce your use of plastic bags, check out the Iowa City Landfill/100 Grannies display on the first floor, through December 10, that shares many ideas for alternatives to plastic bags.]]>
The focus of Some Luck, the first of a trilogy, is the Langdon family; their farm, their kin and their lives for the next 33 years. And what a 33 years it is. The book begins with Walter and Rosanna and their five month old son, Frank. The novel explores their life on the farm outside the small town of Denby. It was a rural Iowa that many of us grew up hearing about from our parents and grandparents, a time when fields were plowed with draft horses, and hired men lived with the family, schools were one room and the students were the children of the nearby families. The pace of life had a rhythm and pattern. But change comes and Smiley illuminates the change chapter by chapter, with each each chapter covering a year in the Langdon family.
If you have been waiting for another novel from this Pulitzer Prize winning novelist you will be thrilled to read Some Luck. And as luck would have it, there are two more books to follow.
A staple of the Library's tween programming, the tournament is held in honor of Steve Young, who was active in the community's chess population until his death in 2012.
This is a free event, available to students in third through sixth grades. Younger children may participate if they are a member of the United States Chess Federation.
Registration is required. Children can register at the Library the day of the event from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., or by e-mailing Eric Vigil at email@example.com.
For more information, please call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
I looked in our catalog to see if we had any books about him, and we don't. However, there is a new book about his brother, Commander Will Cushing: Daredevil Hero of the Civil War, that is just about ready to go on the shelves. Will also played an important role in the Civil War, in the Navy, and led a distinguished military career for several years afterwards.
If you're a fan of military nonfiction, or looking for an interesting biography, this book might be a good choice for you. Put a hold on it and get to it first!
Stop by the Storytime Room anytime between 2 and 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, to donate non-perishable items for The Crisis Center of Johnson County. Then stick around for stories, songs, snacks, and activities.
The Crisis Center's Food Bank provides weekly food assistance to Johnson County residents. Of all the households served, one third has children in the home. The Food Bank always welcomes donations of peanut butter and canned meat, pasta and rice, soups and stews, canned vegetables, toilet paper, baby formula, diapers, and laundry detergent. Read to Feed also will collect new children's books for The Crisis Center.
Read to Feed is sponsored by the Iowa City Public Library and Rock & Read volunteers from RSVP, Elder Services, Inc.
For more information, please call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
The Library's Express collection is comprised of popular fiction, non-fiction, and DVD titles. Collection Services Coordinator Anne Mangano says these are the items staff knows will be highly circulated or have received a lot of attention in the media.
Items in the Express collection have a shorter check out time (two weeks for books, two days for DVDs) and can't be renewed. The Library has anywhere from 200 to 400 titles in the Express collection at a given time.
"It's always a great place to go and look for the title you just heard about," Mangano said.
Mangano also points out that while most popular titles come with a long holds list, holds can't be placed on Express items. That means there's always the chance that the book or DVD a patron wants is available on the Express shelf.
"Anytime you visit the Library, the Express collection is a great place to start," Mangano said. "I like to call it the serendipity collection because you never know what will be available."
For more information, please call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Voices of Experience will open the program, followed by poetry reading presented by members of Reading Aloud from the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center.
Local historian Loren Horton will present "Europe on the Edge of Catastrophe." Horten worked for the State Historical Society of Iowa for nearly 25 years.
The program will end with songs of the period, performed by members of Voices of Experience from the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center. The group is directed by Joyce Brokke.
"On the Centenary of the Great War: Poems, History and Songs of World War I" is sponsored by the Iowa City Public Library and the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center. The program is free and open to the public.
For more information, please call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
A Library's technology specialist will talk about the differences between eReaders and tablets at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22; 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25; 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 5; and 10 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 10.
Attend a session to learn more about what each of the major brands offer consumers and which of these brands work best with the Library's eMedia collections Overdrive and Zinio. After each presentation, a handful of devices will be available for participants to try out.
All classes for adults are held in the Library's Computer Lab on the second floor. Classes are free, but space is limited to 10 people per program, so patrons should register early. Visit www.icpl.org/classes to register online. You can also register by calling the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
There are two remote book returns in Iowa City – one on the east side at the First Avenue HyVee Pharmacy Drive-through and one on the west side at the Mormon Trek University of Iowa Community Credit Union Drive-through (far right lane). More information is available here on the Library's webpage. Items returned at the remote book returns must be in the box by 1:00 PM each day or the item is considered returned the next day.
Four times a year we count the number of items returned through the Library's remote book returns so we have an idea of the level of service they are providing. During the week of October 12-18, 2014, 15.6% of all items returned to the Library were returned through the two remote book returns.
Remote books returns are one of the many conveniences that make the Library easy to use. If you have questions, please give us a call at 319-356-5200 during Library hours or contact us through our "Ask a Librarian" link.]]>
I never got excited about Superman because I couldn't relate to him. I have a friend who felt the same way, until he read Superman For All Seasons. He said I should give it a shot. He was right – this book changes everything for me. Well, no, not everything, but Superman For All Seasons casts the man who masquerades as Clark Kent in a whole new light. Suddenly he is complex and relatable, and perhaps more heroic for it.
This book is made up of a four issue series written by Jeph Loeb and with art by Tim Sale. Bjarne Hansen is the colorist, using watercolors that move between bold primary, easter-eggy, and sad purples. The art style is Rockwellian and evokes a simple life – the graphics are all Americana, with gentle subtleties provided by both the coloring and the writing. Each issue is told from the point of view of a different main character, and with each switch the reader gains a new bit of insight into our hero. I was left with an image in my mind of someone utterly more conflicted and connected and brave than I had thought.
We begin with a farm boy, a dog, a dear mother and father, and a highschool sweetheart. There's that simplistic Superman I have no patience for. Only, highschool is ending, his powers are growing, and Superman, like many American teenagers, has the scary and exciting task of deciding, "what next?" The decision is more complicated that he wants it to be, and no matter what he must give some things up.
The story unfolds from here with standard comic book elements – heroics, races against time, feats of strength, villains. But in this story too are questions about honesty and making connections. About what you leave behind when you go and what good it will do to return. About the impressions a person leaves, and about figuring out who we really are. Teenage Superman has a lot to figure out. He gives something up when he decides to be Superman, and it's hard for him. Even though he is Superman, he has to live with his choices, and they are the kinds of choices we can all relate to.
Other superheroes may have more shadowy appeals, and I like that. But in Superman For All Seasons we realize that just because Superman is from another planet and possesses what for earthlings are super powers, it doesn't mean he doesn't struggle like the rest of us, and it doesn't mean he isn't human after all.156389528]]>
Episode 5: "Favorite Picture Books & The Book Genre Dating Game"
01:15 Brian talks the TV show Arrow
02:26 Jen is watching Inspector Lewis
04:00 Jason is listening to the new Caribou album
06:30 Meredith is watching The Walking Dead and reading This is Where I Leave You
07:52 It's National Picture Book Month so the staff are recommending both old and new favorites.
Old favorites: Jen shares Just Grandma and Me by Mercer Mayer, Brian likes Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina, Jason loves the Berenstein Bears series, and Meredith likes the Eloise series by Kay Thompson.
New favorites: Jason recommends Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers, Brian likes Warning: Do Not Open This Book! by Adam Lehrhaupt, Jen shares The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson, and Meredith is a fan of The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt and Oliver Jeffers.
30:39 It's the Book Genre Dating Game – Jen will ask the other panelists questions and they will answer as the book genre of their choice. At the end Jen promises to choose one and read a recommended book!
You can find your polling station with the Johnson County Auditor's nifty locator!
This is a new version of their locator, and it utilizes their awesome GIS viewer, which is itself a fantastic tool for viewing maps and information about the area. This locator also gives you directions on how to get to your polling place from your street address.
Of course, you can call us at 356-5200, and we'll look up your polling place for you!
According to my research the real Biggest Book in the World is literally carved in stone. It resides at the foot of Mandalay Hill in Mandalay, Myanmar (Burma) on of grounds of the Kuthodaw pagoda (kuthodaw, "royal merit"). It has 730 leaves and 1460 pages; each page stands upright and is 3.51 ft wide, 5.02 ft tall and 5.1 in thick.Each stone tablet has its own roof and precious gem on top in a small cave-like structures which are arranged around a central golden pagoda.If you are interested in reading the longest and probably most tedious book, it would most likely be the U.S. tax code with some 74,000 pages.
The Iowa City Public Library has added more than 30 new digital magazines this month. I am particularly excited that we were able to add great magazines by well-established publishers like Conde Naste and the Meredith Corporation, whose own headquarters are in Des Moines, Iowa.
Never used our digital magazines before? Get started with these instructions on how to use ICPL's Zinio collection.
News, Science and Technology
The New Yorker
The Atlantic
Vanity Fair
New Scientist
Sports, Cycling, Outdoor, and Fitness
Bicycle Times
Baseball America
Golf Tips
Food and Cooking
Bon Appetit
Clean Eating
Cook's Illustrated
FineScale Modeler
WOOD Magazine
Woodcraft Magazine
Car Craft
Hot Rod
Better Homes and Gardens
Midwest Living
Old House Journal
Black Belt Magazine
XXL Magazine
5280 Magazine
Conde Nast Traveler
Vogue Mexico
L'Officiel Paris
American Girl Magazine
Destination Weddings and Honeymoons
Dr. Oz The Good Life
Mister Max: The Book of Secrets is the recently released second title in the trilogy, which follows Max on his most important case yet. The problems are bigger and more complex, but Max is sure he can handle them. Fires have been springing up in small businesses, but no one will talk to the police, and with a visit from the Royal family approaching, the Mayor is desperate stop the fires without a fuss. Enter Mister Max and his ability to get people talking without knowing who they are really talking to. But with the appearance of an old schoolmate, for the first time he must deal with the possibility of being recognized, which could ruin Max's independent lifestyle. Help is provided in the form of his librarian Grammie; his tutor Ari; and the sometimes irritating, very talkative Pia, who insists she is his assistant. All the while Max continues to receive troubling hints on the whereabouts of his parents. A great follow-up to the first, this story manages to leave some solutions open-ended while setting up the last book and what readers will hope to be Max's reunion with his parents.9780307976819]]>
With November just around the corner, I am starting to think about FOOD! Holiday menus, edible gifts, cookie exchanges, hot chocolate…and Read to Feed!
Read to Feed is a library program that gives your family an opportunity to kick off the season with true holiday spirit—by giving! Join us in the Storytime Room on Wednesday, Nov. 12, anytime between 2-4 pm for stories, songs, activities, and snacks—and a food drive for The Crisis Center of Johnson County, hosted by The Iowa City Public Library and Rock & Read volunteers from RSVP, Elder Services, Inc. Did you know that one third of the people in households served by the Food Bank are children? Read to Feed gives kids a chance to show they care.
Take advantage of a no-school day (for students in the Iowa City Community School District) for some mid-week entertainment. Rock & Read volunteers will share some of their favorite books, and library staff will lead the group in campfire songs and chants. Throw in some fall snacks, and it's sure to be a great time!
Drop in anytime and stay as long as you can! The only admission requested is a donation for The Iowa City Crisis Center, such as nonperishable food items or new children's books. We invite you to join us—partnering together to feed the minds and bodies of Johnson County!]]>
According to Library Board Policy, "The purpose of the Library's meeting rooms is to provide space for library programs and community events, to fulfill the Library's role as a community center, where the public can attend informational, educational, cultural events and to champion the principle of intellectual freedom by providing a forum for the free exchange of ideas."
The Library's meeting rooms are designed to host small groups as well as large community gatherings. There are eligibility requirements for using the rooms. Groups using the rooms must be a non-profit corporation, candidate campaign committee, political committee, governmental subdivision or non-profit citizens group. Groups who do not meet these guidelines are encouraged to use the Library's study rooms on the 2nd floor or check out a list of alternative meeting room sites in the community.
We recently updated our webpage with information about Library meeting rooms. You can see more information here. Groups are welcome to reserve meeting rooms online or call the Library at 319-356-5200 for staff assistance.
The Library has several plastic suggestion boxes for patrons to deposit a slip of paper with the title of a book (or movie, CD or video game) they loved. We recently emptied the suggestion box in the Children's Room and here are the books they think you should add to your reading list:
We keep a running list of all patron suggestions on our goodreads.com account (www.goodreads.com). We also have reviews written by staff members on this site. Take a look and maybe you'll find your next book to check out!]]>
Below are a list of some of my favorites that I'd love to read again. Some are new and some are older. Many I have have listened to while others (A Paris Apartment) were so good I wasn't patient enough to listen to them so I either downloaded the eBook or checked out the print book. You can't go wrong with any of these titles.
Happy reading and listening!
|Blum, Jenna
Those Who Save Us
|What would you do to survive during a war? What if what you did elicits a legacy of shame? Jenna Blum explores these themes through the stories of Anna Schlemmer, a German woman who survived WWII in Germany and her daughter, who is now a professor of German history in the United States. The story is a mother/daughter drama about love, passion, survival, and choices.
|Bodensteiner, Carol
Go Away Home & Growing Up Country
|Carol Bodensteiner is an Iowa author from Des Moines. Her first book (Growing Up Country) is a memoir of growing up on an Iowa dairy farm. From milking cows to giving a 4-H presentation, it captures rural farm life from a bygone era. It is also a wonderful book for our Iowa City Hospice reading partnership where volunteers present programs planned to help residents of care centers focus on memories. Go Away Home is Historical Fiction and also has a rural setting and captures the hopes and dreams in a coming-of-age story about a young woman from Iowa.
|Dallas, Sandra
Prayers for Sale & The Bride's House
|Sandra Dallas is a versatile author. Although all her books can be characterized as Historical Fiction, they are all different. Stories include Pioneer life in Colorado (Diary of Mattie Spenser), Gilded Age life in Denver (Fallen Women), and the lives of Mormons starting out in Iowa City and traveling to Salt Lake City (True Sisters). All books are recommended but Prayers for Sale, set in the mountains near Breckenridge, CO and The Bride's House, set in Georgetown, CO, are my favorites.
|Doerr, Anthony
All the Light We Cannot See
|Set in World War II, it is the story of Marie-Laure, a young French girl who lost her eyesight when she was six and must escape from Paris with her father during WWII. It is also the story of Werner, a young German boy who has a special talent for building and fixing radios. As the war rages, Marie-Laure and Werner cross paths. Doerr received a National Book Award nomination for this book.
|Gable, Michelle
A Paris Apartment
|The stories of two women in Paris. One is a modern-day Sotheby's furniture specialist (April Vogt) and the other is renowned courtesan during the Belle Époque period in Paris just before World War I (Marthe de Florian). April is summoned to Paris and jumps at a chance to escape her crumbling life in the United States. In Paris she discovers an apartment that has been shuttered for more than 70 years and full of priceless furniture and paintings collected by Marthe but abandoned by her family.
|Glass, Julia
Three Junes & And the Dark, Sacred Night
|All of Julia Glass' books are recommended but these two are my favorite. I first read Three Junes while I was in Positano, Italy looking out over the Mediterranean. I was swept away by the compelling story, lyrical writing, and strong characters. I was happily surprised when her newest book was a sequel to the story that started in Three Junes. Julia Glass' novels feature strong characters and compelling plots that make the reader want more books from this author!
|Hillenbrand, Laura
|The true story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini. He enlisted in the US Army Air Forces in 1941. When the plane he was assigned to crashes into the South Pacific, Louis survives the crash and 47 days at sea in a plastic life raft. He was captured by the Japanese and sent to a labor camp. I refer to this books as the, "I will never complain about anything ever again book." An older title but highly recommended.
|Horan, Nancy
Loving Frank & Under the Wide and Starry Sky
|Readers fell in love with Horan's Loving Frank, a fictionalized story that captures the life of Frank Lloyd Wright and his second wife. Under the Wide and Starry Sky is the fictionalized story of Robert Lewis Stevenson and his American wife, Fanny Van de Grift Osbourne. The story takes readers around the globe and, like Loving Frank, centers on the love story between the main characters.
|McLain, Paula
The Paris Wife
|The fictional story of Ernest Hemingway and his first wife, Hadley Richardson. After a whirlwind courtship the couple marries and moves to Paris so Ernest can pursue his writing career. The Hemingways are drawn into Parisian life and meet many other writers and artists. There is a constant friction, though, between Ernest the writer and Ernest the husband.
|Orringer, Julie
The Invisible Bridge
|Sometimes books come along and leave a lasting impression, forcing the reader to ruminate about events and characters long after the book is done. This is one of those books. Andras and Tibor Levy are Jewish brothers who grew up in a small village in Hungary. It is the 1930′s and both aspire to do great things. The book focuses on Andras, his adventures and studies in Paris, and the relationship he establishes with the mysterious Klara Morgenstern, a Hungarian ballet instructor.
|Rosnay, Tatiana de
Sarah's Key & The House I Loved
|Tatiana de Rosnay's writing features solid characters, a strong sense of place, and a time of significant historical events. Sarah's Key is unforgettable and haunting. It begins with the Vel' d'Hiv roundup of Jews in German-occupied Paris in 1942 and contrasts that story with a modern-day American journalist living in Paris. The House I Loved is a fictionalized story of Rose Bazelet and her opposition to the destruction of her family home during Haussman's renovation of Paris, 1853-1870. Haussman's radical plan was criticized for the large-scale destruction it caused; however, in recent times he has been credited with establishing Paris as a modern city.
|Rutherfurd, Edward
|Rutherfurd presents a multigenerational story that moves between time, character, and story. With Paris as the background, this approach brings characters to life, presents an understanding of historical events, and makes this reader really want to visit Paris and explore the geographical areas of the story. I also want to read Rutherfurd's other stories including London and New York.
|See, Lisa
Shanghai Girls, Dreams of Joy & China Dolls
|Lisa See's books are full of details, family, love and complications. The characters are well developed, there's a strong sense of place, and the reader cares about the characters and their journey. Shanghai Girls, and its sequel, Dreams of Joy, take readers on a journey from China to California and back again. China Dolls focuses on the 1930's and 1940's Chop-Suey Circuit in the entertainment world and focuses on three girls from diverse backgrounds who form a strong bond.
|Vreeland, Susan
Clara and Mr. Tiffany
|Because of this book, I went to New York City to the Metropolitan Museum of Art and other places to see Tiffany Glass. Fictionalized story of Clara Driscoll who worked with Louis Comfort Tiffany at his New York studio and possibly the person who conceived the idea for the iconic Tiffany stained glass lamps. Set with the turn-of-the-century New York City backdrop with issues such as the rise of labor unions, women in the workplace, and advances in technology.
|Zevin, Gabrielle
Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
|A.J. Fikry owns a book store and he loves books. He's not just any bookseller, though. He is picky, contrite, a wee bit arrogant, and has poor customer service skills. Despite these faults, he has a passion for books and a capacity to love. When his life takes turns he never imagined, and A.J. Fikry finds himself in the depths of despair, his redemption is his capacity to love. And love is what makes this book so wonderful. A love for people, community, literature, and most of all, a love of family.
I had vaguely heard about ICPL's digital magazine stand in the past; I decided now was the time to finally learn to use it. I was afraid it would be complicated, slow, and an all-around hassle. I happily learned, though, that this was not the case at all. From this page on our website, I learned how to access our Digital Magazine Stand, Zinio, on computers as well as personal devices. The service allows you to set up your own personal Zinio account where you can download magazines and sync your devices. During my 15 minute work break I learned about Zinio, created my own account using a computer, downloaded the most recent Rolling Stone to that account, downloaded the Zinio app on my tablet, logged in, and began reading about the creator of one of my favorite TV shows! Now, before I fall asleep at night, I am able to read my favorite magazines on my tablet in the comfort of my own bed. My only disappointment: Realizing I could have been enjoying free magazine downloads for months!
I was astounded by the amount and the variety of magazines available through the Library's Zinio service. Whether you're looking to keep up on your entertainment news or you're interested in the latest literary publications, ICPL's Zinio selection has something for you.
If you're like me, you'll find TOO many magazines on Zinio!]]>
My oldest daughter is nine and she's a super reader. She'll be still for long periods of time and the book is all she needs. My other daughter is on her way to being a super reader too, but the being still part is tough. Part of it is her age, she's six, but part of it is just who she is. Jumping, kicking, punching the air, or striking a pose is what she's doing.
So I read this article about children riding exercise bikes in school while reading. There's more on the program here. Apparently, kids like it and it helps them learn. There's not enough research presented to satisfy a skeptic, but it fits with my experience of listening to books or podcasts while exercising. It's a good combination.
Imagine if we had these in your school or here in ICPL. My six-year-old would love it. Maybe yours would too.]]>
A Paris Apartment by Michelle Gable is based on true events and tells the story of two women in Paris. One is a modern-day Sotheby's furniture specialist (April Vogt) and the other is renowned courtesan during the Belle Époque period in Paris just before World War I (Marthe de Florian). April is summoned to Paris and jumps at a chance to escape her crumbling life in the United States. In Paris she discovers an apartment that has been shuttered for more than 70 years and full of priceless furniture and paintings collected by Marthe but abandoned by her family. April also meets a solicitor who agrees to share Marthe's journals. Through these journals, April learns about the woman behind the collections.
I'm also reading Anthony Doerr's All the Light We Cannot See. This historical fiction novel is set in occupied France during World War II and is the story of Marie-Laure, a young French girl who lost her eyesight when she was six and lives with her father who is a locksmith at the Museum of Natural History in Paris. It is also the story of Werner, a young German boy who has a special talent for building and fixing radios. As the war rages, Marie-Laure and Werner cross paths. Doerr recently received a National Book Award nomination for this book. The writing is lyrical and foreboding and I can't wait to start reading again.
If you are looking for a good book this weekend, head to the Library. And remember …. You can't read all day if you don't start in the morning!
The winning pieces and artists are: Buffalo Bill, duct tape on wood, artist Jaimie Tucker; Champagne, digital rendered 3d art, artist Jared Williams; Girl In Aqua Top, oil on canvas, artist Bekah Ash; Magma Carta, color lithograph, artist Amanda Johnson; Raven and Untitled, monoprint, artist Cheryl Graham; and Untitled, charcoal, artist Maureen Jennings.
The new artworks will be on display on the North Wall of the second floor during the months of December and January, and then they will go into the Art To Go collection of circulating art. Patrons may place holds on the art while they are on display.
Congratulations to the winners, and many thanks to all artists who participated in this year's contest. The Art Purchase Prize is an annual contest to purchase original art by local artists, and is funded by gifts from the Library Board and the Library Friends Foundation.
Under the Affordable Care Act, all United States citizens and non-citizens with a qualifying immigration status are required to have health coverage for the entire year of 2014 or pay a penalty. This penalty will be assessed when individuals file their 2014 income taxes. The Library's "Understanding the Affordable Care Act" series aims to help both the uninsured and insured know how the law will impact them.
From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, insured individuals can come and learn about the standards health plans must meet to comply with the Act, and learn how to determine if their current plan is considered affordable or if they qualify for Marketplace coverage.
Sessions from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6will focus on how to assess tax penalties for not having coverage, determine if an individual qualifies for a penalty exemption, and underlines the kinds of plans available based on income. After each session, individuals are encouraged to ask questions or seek assistance enrolling in the Marketplace.
"These sessions will give consumers the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the Affordable Care Act and the importance of having health insurance. I am looking forward to being able to help consumers enroll in affordable coverage that will meet their needs," Wielert said.
All sessions of this series will be held in the ICPL's Computer Lab on the second floor. These sessions are free.
For more information about this program, visit www.icpl.org or call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
As the holiday approaches and our collection of jHoliday books begins to dwindle keep the following titles in mind for spooky reading
Brown: A Dark, Dark Tale, Chaperon: Eerie Dearies, Cole: Bony Legs, Cyrus: Your Skeleton is Showing, Ehlert: Boo to You!, Gorey: The Gashlycrumb Tinies, Idle:Zombelina, Kohara: Ghosts in the House & The Midnight Library, Rohmann: Pumpkinhead, Schwartz: A Dark, Dark Room, Van Allsburg: The Witch's Broom, Wilson, Who Goes There?
For more spooky titles outside of the Halloween collection, stop by the children's department!
It's true, and right now we have a lovely little display of some of our cats on the second floor…well, photos of our cats, not the actual cats. I would NEVER bring a cat to work. No.
Also, today is National Feral Cat Day. This is a day to bring attention to the situation of cats living wild in the outdoors, and a method of controlling cat populations with trap-neuter-return. If you're interested in learning more about it, check out Alley Cat Allies. You can also learn how to build a nifty outdoor shelter for cats, which I did, and not only was it useful and sturdy, it was also a really nice father-daughter bonding experience — this is something my love for cats does not usually produce. Many of my cats were born feral and socialized at a young age, and became wonderful, loving, (large) indoor cats. It happens.
So, come in to the Library, check out some books on picking out a cat, on understanding your cat, or grab the latest, wonderful addition to our section of poetry by cats, I Knead My Mommy. This is the sequel to the well-reviewed I Could Pee On This, and coincidentally, dedicated to "…all the stray cats that need a loving home."
In the past few weeks, we've had several 8th grade volunteers helping to straighten books on the shelves, keep the magazines in order, and put together the Begin With Books packets that are distributed to the families of newborns. Thanks to those volunteers!
If you are an 8th grader who hasn't done your volunteering yet, there's still time! Contact the Library right away to make your October 20 or 21 deadline. And if you are taking Personal Development later in the school year, consider ICPL as a fun place to make a difference.]]>
National Novel Writing Month, often referred to as NaNoWriMo, is an annual, international challenge to write the first draft of a 50,000 word novel during the month of November. Younger writers have the option of choosing their own, less daunting, goal.
Seasoned teen writers, first-timers and the merely curious are welcome to attend ICPL's kick-off party where Teen Services Intern Ella will describe the NaNoWriMo process. You may even find writing allies to help you through the month. The Library will provide tea, hot chocolate and light snacks to fuel teens' creativity.
For more information about NaNoWriMo, visit nanowrimo.org.
For more information about the Teen NaNoWriMo Kick-Off Party, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
The exhibit will be on display in the Library's first floor gallery Nov. 1 through Nov. 8. The exhibit's stop at the Library is supported by U.S. Bank.
"Remembering Our Fallen" was created to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Photo exhibits exist in 18 states so that the men and woman who made the ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.
In addition to the exhibit, the Library will host a book reading with Miyoko Hikiji from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 5, in Meeting Room A.
Hikiji is the project director for the non-profit group Veterans National Recovery Center in Iowa and an instructor for the "Writing My Way Back Home" workshop. She served with the Iowa National Guard for nine years, and earned 14 military decorations for service. Her memoir, "All I Could Be: My Story as a Woman Warrior in Iraq," details more than 70 missions throughout the northwest quadrant of Iraq in 2003 and 2004.
For more information, contact the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
The National Book Awards were established in 1950 by the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization. Each year, the Foundation selects a total of twenty Judges, including five in each of the four Award categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature. Historically, Judges are published writers who are known to be doing great work in their genre or field, and in some cases, are past NBA Finalists or Winners. As of 2013, judging panels will no longer be limited to writers, but now may also include other experts in the field such as literary critics, librarians, and booksellers. One of the five Judges on each panel is selected as the panel chair. This person acts as the voice of the panel and the liaison to the Foundation. The Foundation staff takes no part in the Judges' deliberations, except to verify a submission's eligibility.
Each April, the Foundation sends the official National Book Awards guidelines and entry forms to the publishers in its master database.
In order to be eligible for the Award, a book must be written by an American citizen and published by an American publisher between December 1 of the previous year and November 30 of the current year. Self-published books are only eligible if the author/publisher publishes the work of other authors in addition to his own. Books published through services such as iUniverse are not eligible for the Award.
Each publisher must submit a completed entry form to the Foundation by May 15. They must then mail one copy of each entered book to the Foundation, as well as one copy to each of the five Judges in the appropriate category, by July 1. The entry fee is $135 per book.
Each panel reads all of the books submitted in their category over the course of the summer. This number typically ranges from 150 titles (Poetry) to upwards of 500 titles (Nonfiction). As of 2013, each panel will now compile a "longlist" of ten titles, to be announced in mid-September. They will then narrow down that list to five Finalists, to be announced in mid-October. They may arrive at these choices using whatever criteria they deem appropriate, as long as they do not conflict with the official Award guidelines.
The Finalists Announcement has taken place at various literary sites around the country, from William Faulkner's front yard in Oxford, Mississippi (2005) to the Flannery O'Connor Childhood Home in Savannah, Georgia (2010). In 2011, the Finalists Announcement was made on Oregon Public Broadcasting's morning radio program "Think Out Loud," and in 2012, the announcement was made on TV for the first time, on MSNBC's "Morning Joe." This year the finalists were announced on NPR's Morning Edition.
No one, not even the Foundation staff, learns who the Winners are until the day of the National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner, which takes place in mid-November in New York City. That afternoon, over lunch, each panel collectively decides who the Winner in their category will be. Often, this decision has been made ahead of time, but occasionally the panel works to come to a consensus until the very last minute. The panel chair announces the Winner at the Ceremony that evening.
The night before the Awards, each Finalist receives a prize of $1,000, a medal, and a citation from the panel at a private Medal Ceremony. Immediately following the Medal Ceremony, all twenty Finalists read from their nominated books at the Finalists Reading. The four Winners in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People's Literature are announced the following evening at the National Book Awards Ceremony and Benefit Dinner, where each Winner receives $10,000 and a bronze sculpture.
Once an author has been a National Book Award Finalist or Winner, he or she becomes a permanent member of the National Book Foundation family. We do our best to keep in touch with both the authors and publishers, promote the authors' new books and upcoming readings, and invite them to future National Book Award-related events. (nationalbookaward.com)
I can see by that look on your face that you want to know what else you can find on Ancestry.com. There is so much more and you can find out just what is available under Quick Links:
City directories are found in the link, Schools, Directories & Church Histories which has a wealth of other listings too:
As you can see there is a tremendous amount of information available and we haven't even narrowed it down to only city directories. At times it feels like one has fallen into a rabbit hole with so many options and so very many possibilities.
At the very bottom of the above image is the link to the mother lode – the Card Catalog. The options displayed under Card Catalog show the full breadth of Ancestry.com.
The Card Catalog uses facets, features on the left side of the screen that give users the options in filtering a search. A search can be filtered by Collection, Location, Date and Language or a combination of any of the four.
As you can see Ancestry.com can be used for many kinds of searches besides a genealogy inquiry. Come visit us at the library, we can show you how to use Ancestry.com. And if you still can't find the answer to your question using Ancestry.com, come and ask us. We are after all, trained reference librarians.]]>
The next meeting of ICPL's Teen Comic Book Club will be on Thursday, October 30 from 4-5 in the Teen Center. We're discussing all things Green Lantern related. Pick any Green Lantern comic to read and we'll geek out about it at the meeting. Need some ideas? Here are a few comics about the emerald knights:
Green Lantern : Rebirth - Hal Jordan was considered the greatest Green Lantern of them all. But Jordan lost control, allowed himself to be corrupted and transformed into the villainous Parallax. Later, Jordan reappeared and made the ultimate sacrifice —and became the Spectre, the Wrath of God. See how a man born without fear and seeking to rebuild his life, puts cosmic forces into motion that will have repercussions not only on Earth but across the universe.
Green Lantern : Secret Origin - While Hal Jordan is inducted into the Green Lantern Corps, the Green Lantern called Sinestro investigates the death of Hal's predecessor, Abin Sur. Who–or what– could have killed this Lantern? And what does it all have to do with the "Blackest Night"?
Green Lantern Vol. 1 : Sinestro - In the aftermath of a deadly showdown between the Green Lantern Corps and a mysterious foe from the past, Hal Jordan has been stripped of his ring. Left standing is an unexpected new Green Lantern in town: Sinestro! And now, this renegade GL has set a course for Korugar with one purpose: To free his homeworld from the scourge of his own Sinestro Corps, with the not-so-willing help of Hal Jordan!
Green Lantern Corps Vol. 1 : Fearsome - When a new menace, The Keepers, begins to march across the space sectors and devouring not only their natural resources but their entire populations, it is up to The Corps, severely outnumbered, to stop them. The Corps soon find one of their own held by the ruthless Keepers and must figure out a way to save their comrade and defeat the Keepers without the Green Lantern's most powerful weapon, their power rings.
Where to begin, right? I'm not very familiar with the collecting and/or research of letters and stamps, and we had little to go on. The cancel mark itself looked like the letters 'JIC' and didn't appear to be handwritten. I didn't even know what to call the mark, so I started by looking at some general resources about the postal system. I found that, before the advent of machine-generated stamping and marking, postmasters would cancel postage in various ways, including uniquely-carved stamps that were often made of cork. The marks that these stamps made are often called 'fancy cancels.' I then started looking for other postcards that had been recorded or auctioned that were sent from Iowa City, as well as looking though numerous different fancy cancels from Iowa. I eventually did find one other postcard that had been sent from the area that had a very similar cancel, but was unable to find any specific information about it. However, that was enough to make me think that we were indeed dealing with a stamp that was regularly used by one of our postmasters.
Without ever being able to positively identify what the initials stood for, a good guess would be 'Johnson Iowa City.' Other fancy cancels served a similar purpose of identifying place of origin. I also wondered that it might be the initials of a postmaster…but how would I find that out? I started browsing some of the resources contained in the database Ancestry, and lo and behold, it contains the aptly titled Appointments of U.S. Postmasters, 1832-1971. I was easily able to view all of the postmasters from Iowa City who had appointments during the time this postcard was sent, and…nothing. No names matched those initials. What I did find, though, was that several of the area's well-known people were appointed as postmasters, including Samuel Trowbridge, Chauncey Swan, and Edward Lucas, son of Robert Lucas. There were other notable names too, such as landowners Jacob Ricard and George Clark, and store owner John Whetstone. Finding these names in this database tells a little more of the story of Iowa City, of the people who lived here and helped build it.
In the end, I was not able to provide a definitive answer for our patron, but I did enjoy trying. If you have any information or ideas related to old postage marks from Iowa City, please leave a comment.
Want to try out Ancestry Library Edition? Stop by the Info Desk for help!
Want to see some old letters mailed to Iowa City? Check out our Digital History Project!
Want to read an oddly fascinating book about postal systems? Check out The Crying of Lot 49!]]>
Totally Tweens is a once-a-month program featuring hands-on activities specifically for students in third through sixth grades.
Monday, Oct. 20: Tweens are invited to join Morgan in the Storytime Room for Totally Tweens: They're Alive. Tweens can paint and decorate a mask to bring their Halloween costume to life. The program begins at 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 15: The annual ICPL Kids Chess Tournament will be held from 1 to 5:15 p.m. in Meeting Room A. Students in third through sixth grade are invited to complete; younger children are welcome if they are a member of the United States Chess Federation. You may register the day of the event from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or e-mail Eric Vigil at firstname.lastname@example.com. Registration is required.
Wednesday, Dec. 10: Tweens are invited to get crafty at Totally Tweens: Holly Days Crafts. Supplies will be provided for tweens to create unique holiday crafts to take home. The program begins at 3:30 p.m. It will be held in the Storytime Room.
Tween Minecraft at ICPL
In addition to these special Totally Tween events, the Library also has Tween Minecraft Time from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. and 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 3, and Monday, Dec. 1.
Registration is required for Tween Minecraft Time. You can register online at calendar.icpl.org by clicking on the date of the event you wish to attend. Each participant may only register for one time slot.
Tweens need to have a Minecraft account to play in multiplayer mode. Players without an account may use a library account, but these are limited and first come first serve. Otherwise players without an account may still play in single player mode.
For more information about any of the Totally Tween events, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Join ICPL staff and puppeteers Deanne Wortman, Dave Panther, Kevin Coble, and Buffy Quintero for a delightfully haunting morning full of jumps, squeals, laughter and activities.
Halloween costumes are optional.
This event will be broadcast live on The Library Channel, Iowa City cable channel 10.
For more information, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Strutz has traveled far and wide vising haunted battlefields, deserted asylums, historic locations, and known haunted residences. Come to Meeting Room A on Oct. 24 to learn more about his experiences.
Due to the nature of the material covered, including some of the haunting activity and not-so-pleasant history of some of the locations, this program is recommended for teens and adults only.
For more information, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Studies show that when more women are at the political decision-making table, their presence makes a difference. The problem, though, is that many women don't want to run for office, saying they are underqualified. This is despite the fact that women make up more than 50 percent of the population and workforce, are college graduates, and have higher earning power before their reach their 30th birthday.
"Raising Ms. President" looks at where political ambition begins and how to get more women to run for office in order to create a stronger country and world.
This screening is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by the Library, the League of Women Voters of Johnson County, Girls on the Run of Eastern Iowa, and the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.
For more information, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
The Press-Citizen has an overview of what to expect from a description of the parade route to street closures. You can find it here: http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/local/2014/10/08/iowa-city-announces-closures-changes-ui-homecoming/16948975/
For detailed street closures, no-parking areas, changes to bus routes, and parade parking, check out the City of Iowa City's announcement from last week: http://www.icgov.org/?artID=10008&navID=1515&type=M
For a map of the parade route, visit the Homecoming Iowa website: http://homecoming.uiowa.edu/parade/
Expect the parade to end around 8 pm.
If you do go, make sure to cheer for the Iowa City Public Library 's Book Cart Drill Team, as well as our parade mascot, Book Man.
At 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 15, the Library will screen "Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock?" in Meeting Room A.
"Who the #$&% Is Jackson Pollock?" follows the story of Teri Horton, a 73-year-old woman from California, who spent $5 on a painting she discovered in a thrift shop, only to find out that it may be a Jackson Pollock painting. Horton had no idea who Jackson Pollock was; hence the name of the film.
Released in 2006, this documentary by veteran filmmaker Harry Moses exposes the controversy in the world of high priced artwork, painting a vivid picture of how art is bought and sold in America.
The screening is free and open to the public. Popcorn will be provided.
At 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 21, Yvonne Szafran, Senior Conservator and Head of Paintings Conservation at the J. Paul Getty Museum, will present a visual exploration of "Mural," the University of Iowa's landmark painting by Jackson Pollock. This presentation is part of The University of Iowa Museum of Art's Smart Talk series.
"Mural" traveled to the Getty Museum in Los Angeles for two years of intensive analysis and treatment by scientists and conservators. Szafran's presentation also will include a review of the painting's creation and early history.
This event is free and open to the public. It is co-sponsored by The University of Iowa Museum of Art, Prairie Lights, and the Library.
For more information, contact the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Iowa City has six local access channels that will convert to digital-only format at the end of the month. However, The Library Channel is the only channel that also will change channel number.
The Library Channel originates from the Iowa City Public Library. Its primary mission is to extend Library programs for children and adults to a wider audience and to inform the community about Library services.
The Library Channel's schedule focuses on Storytimes, Children's Specials, and a variety of adult programs produced at the Iowa City Public Library. Other programming includes live coverage of meetings and events of local non-profit organizations taking place in the Library's meeting rooms, or local programming provided by the City's Cable Television Services office which may be of interest to the local community.
The switch from Channel 10 to Channel 20 only affects Mediacom subscribers. A digital converter is needed to view The Library Channel on Channel 20. Most newer televisions have a digital converter. If needed, customers may pick up a digital converter (DTA) device from Mediacom at 546 Southgate Avenue in Iowa City for use for one year at no charge. After that, subscribers will be charged $0.99 per month per unit. They may also call Mediacom at 1-844-274-6753 to arrange for a converter to be sent to their home. Customers may install the Mediacom converter box themselves or contact the company to schedule an installation at a cost of $49.99. Digital-to-analog converters are also available for purchase from local or online retailers.
Mediacom office hours are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
The Library Channel is not available to satellite customers; however, programs may be streamed online at video.icpl.org.
For more information, call the Library at (319) 356-5200 or email email@example.com.]]>
Knitted scarves, recycled stationary, beaded jewelry, and other handmade treasures are appearing at the Library each day as we prepare for the Library's 3rd annual Arts and Crafts Bazaar.
If you want to show your creativity and support of the Library "on your sleeve," purchase an Arts & Crafts Bazaar T-shirt!
You can pre-order your shirt by visiting www.icpl.org/artsandcrafts and clicking on the pre-order button. These exclusive shirts feature an inspirational quote from Maya Angelou, "You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have."
Shirts are available in charcoal-black tri-blend, women's and unisex sizes XS through XXL. Each shirt is $16 and will be available for pick up at the Library on Saturday, December 6 during the Arts & Crafts Bazaar from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. All shirts must be picked up on this date, so stop by the Bazaar to do your holiday shopping for a great cause!
Proceeds from the sale support the Iowa City Public Library Friends Foundation to benefit Library programs and collections.]]>
The Dewey Decimal Classification scheme, used in many public libraries, provides a framework for grouping materials together by subject. More than 100 years old, the scheme has been resilient and adaptable. But sometimes it conspires to keep similar things apart, if the approach to the subject matter differs. I think the best illustration for this is the 500s and 600s. The 500s are "Pure Science" and the 600s are "Technology," sometimes referred to as "applied science".
Some examples:
The Dewey Decimal classification numbers in the 530s are about physics, with electricity at 537. But if you are interested in wiring your house, you would look at applied physics in 621.31924.
In the 580s you find books about the natural history and identification of plants; and in the 600s, you find the books about gardening and cooking with plants.
In the classification number 590, you find books about animals—their history and biology. But look in the 600s to find books about animals in the subject areas of farming, cooking, and keeping animals as pets.
Doing a subject search in the catalog will help you identify all the places you can look for what you need. If you do a subject search for "parrots", the catalog will send you to 598.71 for "Parrots of the World: An Identification Guide" and also to 636.6865 for books on training and caring for a pet parrot. If you do a subject search for "prairie plants," as I did for the students last week, the catalog will direct you to 581.744 for "An Illustrated Guide to Iowa Prairie Plants" and also to 635.95 for "A Practical Guide to Prairie Reconstruction".
Browsing an area of the collection that you know is one way of finding what you need, but there may be similar items of interest in other areas. We hope that you will check with staff at the Reference Desk whenever you have a question about where to find a subject that interests you. Chances are there is more than one place to look, and we can help you find them all.]]>
Staff at the Help Desk are the stewards of Lost and Found and can share many interesting stories about items left behind. Today's items feature one crutch, a cell phone, a wallet, miscellaneous IDs, a few umbrellas, some homework assignments, and a bag full of wet swimsuits and towels (must have been at the Rec Center pool before stopping at the Library). A clue to that lost item: "Anderson" is a monogrammed on the bag.
When we are able to identify the owner of an item (often through their Library Card account) we call or eMail to let the person know the item is at the Library. Library Cards left at the Library are "stopped" and then mailed to the patron. Stopped cards must be activated again via a call to the Library or visit to the Help Desk.
Unfortunately we can also tell stories about liquids oozing out of lunch boxes, mold growing in sippy cups, and other unsavory tales of woe. Because of this, we have a new procedure to throw away anything that goes into the mouth (sippy cups, pacifiers), personal grooming items, and anything else that may illicit an "eeeewww" or strong gag reflex.
So you might ask, "What happens to all the unclaimed items?" Photo IDs and any items of value that have not been reclaimed after a period of time are sent to the Iowa City Police Department. Clothing and other miscellaneous items are donated to Goodwill. Papers are recycled and books are considered a donation to the Library.
If you are looking for a lost item that may have been left at the Library, please give us a call or stop by the Help Desk. If you are curious about found items around the world, there are a number of webpages that catalog found items including Found magazine and foundinbooks.wordpress.com (I should pass along a general disclaimer to the content of these two webpages. They are not related to the Library and not guaranteed for all audiences. They are amusing though … )]]>
According to the "Circulation and Library Card" policy, "Library cards expire regularly to confirm address and other contact information." We expire cards so that we may periodically check with patrons to assure we have updated information. Many people are dropping their landlines so this gives us an opportunity to update to a new telephone number. Also, if you've been in the area long, you might feel like half of the town moves on August 1 when leases typically expire. Cards with apartment numbers expire annually in August so we can touch base with the patron and update an address when needed.
Beyond returning items left in books, we want to make sure Hold Notices are delivered (either via eMail, telephone notification, or U.S. Mail) or we can contact you if you accidentally forgot to return a disc or a puzzle piece that was part of a set.
We also often have keys turned into the Library that have a Library Card attached to the keychain. Many patrons have breathed a huge sign of relief when the Library calls to tell them a good Samaritan returned their keys to the Library.
We also have contracts with vendors such as OverDrive (eBooks/eAudio) and Zinio (eMagazines) who stipulate we must limit access to people who live in our service area. The Library's service area is Iowa City, rural Johnson County, Hills, University Heights, and Lone Tree. Basically this means that people who live in these areas directly support the Library through their property taxes (thank you!). Keeping Library accounts updated assures we are meeting the contractual obligations with our vendors.
To help patrons understand why cards expire, we added information to the Library webpage. If you are wondering what your account expiration date is, you may login to your account. The date will be listed under your name in the upper left-hand corner. You may also call us during regular Library hours at 319-356-5200.
If your card is expiring soon, please give us a call or stop by the Library's Help Desk. Hopefully you'll never leave something in a book or lose your keys, but you never know …
Teen Read Week is a time to celebrate reading for fun while encouraging teens to take advantage of reading in all its forms — books, magazines, e-books, audiobooks and more. Thousands of libraries, schools and bookstores across the country will hold similar events centered on this year's theme, Turn Dreams into Reality @ your library. ICPL has several events planned for the annual celebration.
Teen Read Weekis a national adolescent literacy initiative created by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. It is held annually during the third week of October.
For more information about Teen Read Week, visit www.ala.org/teenread.
For more information about the Iowa City Public Library's Teen Read Week activities, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
The story mostly follows a path around the life of Holly Sykes, beginning with her angsty teenage years living above a pub with her raucous family and ending in a all-too-believable post-climate change crash Ireland. Her brother vanishes early-on and she finds out it is probably a supernatural kidnapping. She soon encounters various people that are sort of immortal, they are being reborn into new bodies but retain prior knowledge. They are secretly battling another form of predatory immortals who have devised a way to harvest innocent souls in a special ancient church to grant extended life.
Despite my reservations about some of the chapters, Mitchell remains a master of language and character building. There are many positive reviews out there for this novel (and a 2014 Man Booker Prize longlist nod) so it's probably one to try if you're a fan of Mitchell's earlier books. If you're new to him, I would instead recommend the classic Cloud Atlas.9781400065677]]>
By popular demand, Bob Books by Bobby Lynn Maslen and John R. Maslen are back on our shelves. I'm so thrilled these wonderful readers are available. They fit perfectly in a child's hands, have brightly colored jackets, and have colored illustrations throughout which makes reading so much more fun for our youngest patrons!
I'm frequently asked by families and homeschoolers for early reader recommendations. We have a variety of readers marked with all reading levels, but levels on these books can be confusing. One publisher labels a book level 1; another publisher marks a similar book as level 2. Many early readers contain words that are too difficult for a child who has just learned the sounds of the alphabet. So many parents are looking for readers to help make this process simple, positive, and fun, which is why I recommend the Bob Books.
Parents, do you want to capture your child's interest in reading? Do you want your child to feel confident reading? It's so good to hear your child say, "I read the whole book all by myself!" The Bob Books series makes learning to read so simple. I think these are the "best learning to read on your own," books.
The next time you visit the Children's Room, look for fun Bob Books apps on our children's ipads and AWE Early Literacy Station. This app makes Bob Books characters come alive!]]>
The Library will start things off with Beginning Graphic Design at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 4. Learn how to use GIMP, a free, graphic design and photo editing software, to make invitations, cards, or other graphics.
Want to enhance or correct your digital photos? Join us from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 13, for Digital Photo Editing. Find out how to make basic corrections like red-eye removal, cropping, and sharpening blurred images.
Digital Photos: Organizing, Sharing, and Basic Editing will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 24. Getting all of your digital photography organized and in print worthy condition can be pretty daunting. Bring in your digital photos and learn how to batch process and tag items to quickly and easily edit and organize your images.
Our digital devices make it easy to capture the great moments of our lives, but making keepsakes you can share with others out of these videos can be tricky. Bring in your digital video and learn to upload and use YouTube to safely edit and share your videos online. Join us from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 28 for Editing Digital Video.
All classes for adults are held in the Library's Computer Lab on the second floor. Classes are free, but space is limited to 10 people per program, so patrons should register early. Visit www.icpl.org/classes to register online. You can also register by calling the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
One of the original books in this genre is The Monster at the End of This Book by Jon Stone, featuring Grover from Sesame Street. Readers are instructed to not turn the pages because Grover has heard about the monster at the end of the book and he's scared. Or course, this just makes us turn the pages until we discover what kind of monster is at the end of the book—Grover himself! First published in 1971, this book stirs nostalgic memories for many parents.
The concept of including the reader as part of the story has become more popular with children's pictures books in the past few years. Jump into this genre with these titles:
Press Here and Mix It Up by Herve Tullet—Learn about colors and design while playing with paint splotches in these two books.
Can You Make a Scary Face? By Jan Thomas—A bossy ladybug initiates a game of pretend.
Shout! Shout It Out! By Denise Fleming—Show off your knowledge of numbers, letters, colors, and more by shouting it out!
Count the Monkeys by Mac Barnett—Embark on crazy escapades in an attempt to count monkeys.
Warning: Do Not Open This Book by Adam Lehrhaupt—Really? Who can follow that advice? But beware of letting the monkeys out!
On October 18, I'll be featuring some of these titles during our family storytime. Join us to play a leading role in some favorite picture books!9781416985815 ]]>
One of our strategic plan goals for us this year is to improve our self-checkout stations. There are currently six of these stations, four near the main entrance of the library, one on the second floor near the info desk and one in the children's room. Patrons can check out materials at these stations, access account information and pay fines. The goals for this project are two-fold: to improve the experience for our patrons and to make the payment of fines more secure.
Within the next few weeks we will be rolling out the new updated self checkouts. We believe that the software will be easier to use and the touchscreen monitors more responsive. In order to pay fines, there will be a credit card terminal next to each machine that looks similar to those you see at other retail places. These terminal will make the payment of fines more secure.
There are quite a few steps to putting all this into place including additional wiring at each station, putting together a hardware profile, network configurations, integration with our library system, configuring each station and setting up the credit card processors among many others. With any change at a well-used service point, there will undoubtedly be frustrations, kinks in the system and adjustments that have to be made. I ask for your patience and help as we try to bring these new self-checks on line. Stay tuned and feel free to send me questions.]]>
The Graveyard Book follows the story of young Nobody Owens, or Bod for short. His entire family was murdered when he was just a toddler. He would have been killed too, if not for wandering into a graveyard and being adopted by the resident ghosts. He grows up under the tutelage of his two ghost parents and his guardian Silas, who may or may not be a vampire. As a child given the freedom of the graveyard Bod learns lessons both practical, moving through shadows, and personal, how to do what is right even when it is hard. At times scary, this is great coming of age story for grades 3rd-6th.
Odd and the Frost Giants introduces Odd, a perpetually grinning Norse boy with a bit of bad luck. His leg has been crippled, his father died in a Viking raid, and winter has gone on much too long. In an attempt to get away from it all, he retreats to his father's old woodcutter's hut in the woods. While out walking he befriends a bear, a fox, and an eagle, who quickly reveal they are the gods Thor, Loki and Odin. They have been trapped in animal bodies by a Frost Giant who has taken over Asgard and is the cause of the long winter. With his usual good humor Odd decides he has nothing to lose by attempting to defeat the Frost Giant, returning the gods to their true forms, and ending winter. Nothing too scary here, good fantasy adventure for grades 1st-5th.
Fortunately the Milk is a shorter story about the extraordinary adventure a father endured in order to bring his children some milk for their breakfast. Dinosaur scientists, volcanic sacrifices, time travel, pirates, aliens, and even ponies are all a part of this very funny book. An amusing tale that can be enjoyed by the whole family, particularly grades 1st-5th.]]>
Watch actor and rug connoisseur Jeff Bridges read from Lois Lowry's young adult classic "The Giver" as part of the American Library Association's Banned Books Week Virtual Read-Out! Bridges stars as the titular Giver in the movie version, which you can place a hold on here.
And teens, remember you can complete an online scavenger hunt about young adult books that are challenged and banned in the U.S. Teens with the most correct answers will be entered into a drawing to win a Downtown District Gift Card. The scavenger hunt can be accessed here: http://goo.gl/0qB85W]]>
I have had the chance to flip through parts of the essays while cataloging it, and it's been quite a treat. She's like the even-more-feminist David Sedaris.9780812994995]]>
DIY Mason Jars – 35 Creative Crafts & Projects for the Classic Container by Melissa Averinos. This book actually contains two types of crafts – things you do TO or WITH a Mason Jar, and novel uses FOR a Mason Jar. From creating a vintage looking ceiling light to planting plants in them, Melisaa Averinos 35 craft ideas will fuel your imagination and your creativity.
Beer Crafts: Making the Most of Your Cans, Bottle Caps, and Lables by Shawn Gascoyne-Bowman. With eight pages of hints on how to work safely with cans and bottle caps, followed by 39 surprise craft projects, this is the book for you if you're into both crafting and beer. None of the projects look very complicated – from a string of beer can lights, to bottle cap jewelry, a bird house, fishing lures, and a cowboy hat made from a 12pack box – but they all look like fun.
Duct Tape Discovery Workshop by Tonia Jenny. Duct tape crafts are all the rage, and not just with boys. Duct tape is now available in all sorts of colors and designs, and crafters have come up with lots of great new ways to use it. From versions of the obligatory wallet, to shopping bags, lunch sacks, coasters, luggage tags, and paint brush or knitting needle cases this book as lots of great ideas for using one of America's most popular products.
Never Been Stitched: 45 No-Sew & Low-Sew projects by Amanda Carestio. Not all fabric or fiber craft projects require owning a sewing machine. Carestio has put together a collection of fun projects that, if they require sewing at all its a simple and can be done with a needle and thread. One of her secrets is using fabrics with raw edges that don't ravel like felt, fleece or vinyl. And if you combine that with fusing, gluing, braiding, knotting or tying you'll have some cute craft projects good for both adults and kids (with some assistance).
I've had strong reactions to listening to other authors read since then, but nothing as powerful for me as that experience. I love listening to authors because I always learn something new. A couple years ago, at the Iowa City Book Festival, I had the opportunity to ask Robert Goolrick why he chose a story theme for one of his characters in A Reliable Wife. His explanation was logical but sparked a reaction for me because I didn't agree with him. At an outreach program for the Library, I saw a person with dementia brighten up and connect with author Carol Bodensteiner over a story from Bodensteiner's childhood about ironing. Who would have guessed a story about ironing would awaken such a strong response?
Each year the Iowa City Book Festival brings an amazing group of authors to town and we have the opportunity to listen to them speak … and it's free. I can't guarantee the programs will be as transformational as my experience with Madeleine L'Engle, but you never know :) The Festival is a couple weeks away so there's plenty of time to read a book or two written by one of the authors who will be speaking. Here's the list to help you get started: 2014 FESTIVAL READING LIST.
Schulein's "Historical Tour of the Longfellow Neighborhood" presentation will include information and images about an 1855 railroad line, a Civil War camp, streetcars, Moffitt homes, and other historical places and events that make the Longfellow neighborhood rich in local history.
Sponsored by the Iowa City Public Library and the Iowa City Johnson County Senior Center, this presentation is free and open to the public. It also will broadcast live on The Library Channel, Iowa City cable channel 10.
For more information, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Beginning Oct. 1, the Iowa City Public Library offers drop-in Teen Homework Help from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays in the Koza Family Teen Center.
Tutors from the University of Iowa will give one-on-one assistance to students in seventh- through 12th-grades. Teens are expected to bring all materials needed to complete their assignments.
Teen Homework Help won't be offered when the University is not in session.
For more information, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Fromartz learned a great deal in the boulangieries of Paris, but it also prompted several questions. He wanted to know more about the history of bread, how leaven (sourdough culture) was developed, how flour was milled, how whole grain fell out of (and now back into) favor, and how wheat and other grains are grown. He explores all of these questions, traveling to France, Germany, California, Kansas, and small farms in the Northeast to gain information. In In Search of the Perfect Loaf, Fromartz turns these questions into an interesting exploration of the components that comprise bread. But this is only half of the story. Fromartz is on a quest to make great bread and he uses what he learns to adapt his baking techniques. The book is filled with several recipes of breads highlighting different types of wheat and whole grains. It is a fun book and might just help you bake the perfect loaf.9780670025619]]>
Now in its sixth year, the annual celebration of books and writing leverages the unique mix of local resources that helped Iowa City earn the UNESCO City of Literature designation.
The festival will include readings and discussions at multiple locations throughout Iowa City. Below is a list of events that will be held at the Library:
Panel: Writing in a Country at War
12:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, in Meeting Room A
What are a writer's duties, privileges and obligations when his or her country is at war? What should writing be when a day is measured in units of life and death—whether in the place one lives, or, as importantly, when the writer is safe from the ongoing fighting? Panelists are International Writing Program participants Mujib Mehrdad (Afghanistan), Sadek Mohammed (Iraq), and Boaz Gaon (Israel).
Author Reading: Scott Phillips and Jon McGoran
10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in Meeting Room A
Authors Scott Phillips (Hop Alley) and Jon McGoran (Deadout) read from and discuss their latest books.
Author Reading: Sean Strub and Terrence Holt
11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in Meeting Room A
Authors Sean Strub (Body Counts) and Terrence Holt (Internal Medicine) read from and discuss their new books.
Irish Poetry Reading
1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in Meeting Room A
In this second of three programs presented in partnership with the Dublin City of Literature, three Irish poets — Siobhan Campbell, Joseph Woods, and Stephen James Smith — will read from their work.
Author Reading: Edward Carey
1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in the Teen Center
Edward Carey reads from and discusses his new YA novel, Heap House.
A Tribute to Donald Justice
2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in Meeting Room A
Ten years after his passing, the work of Donald Justice continues to resonate. A panel of poets, led by 2013 National Book Award winner Mary Szybist reads from and discusses the work of the late poet in this special event.
Author Reading: Jessie Ann Foley
2:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in the Teen Center
Jessie Ann Foley will read from and discuss her 2014 Helen Sheehan YA Book Prize-winning novel, The Carnival at Bray.
Author Reading: Paddy Woodworth and Jeff Biggers
4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4, in Meeting Room A
Paddy Woodworth (Our Once and Future Planet) and Jeff Biggers (Reckoning at Eagle Creek) will read from their work and discuss the idea of regeneration as it relates to climate change.
Panel: At Language's Edge
3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, in Meeting Room A
International Writing Program participants Natasha Tiniacos (Venezuela) and Sabata-Mpho Mokae (South Africa) join poet Marilyn Chin and Waukon-based translator Mary Jane White in a discussion about what it means to translate, and to have their work translated into other languages.
Panel: Religion and Writing
4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, in Meeting Room A
International Writing Program participants Binayak Banerjee (India), Gerður Kristný (Iceland), Enrique Serrano (Colombia), and Abdullah Al Wesali (Saudi Arabia) discuss how religious heritage shapes an author's writing.
For a full schedule of events, visit www.iowacitybookfestival.org/schedule/.]]>
During Banned Book Week we have many interesting programs and displays to offer (http://blog.icpl.org/2014/09/22/iowa-city-public-library-celebrates-banned-books-week/), but it's also a good time to think about the role public libraries play in supporting the full range of first amendment rights.
It's easy for us to take for granted that materials expressing many viewpoints and opinions are available in our public library, and that we can use those materials without fear that we will be monitored, chastised or punished. Many people have fought bitter and sometimes dangerous battles to protect the right to say and read what you want. Librarians have lost jobs for purchasing and circulating information that someone didn't approve.
The very form of "government" of most municipal libraries in Iowa, a semi-autonomous library board, was designed to create a barrier between the politicians (city councils) who are more likely to be swayed by public opinion or current political trends and the information providers (library staff) who work to represent all points of view through collections and hold confidential who uses what (a confidentiality that is also protected by state law in Iowa). The Library Board sets policies, has budget authority to spend money as they approve, and hires a library director. Typically other city departments' budgets, policies and hiring/firing of executives are under the authority of the City Council and/or City Manager. The primary reason for an independent library board is to ensure that an enraged phone call from a constituent to a City Council member, or a demand from law enforcement does not result in a book being removed from the collection, or records being turned over without a subpoena.
Over the years we have had a variety of complaints about materials people did not think were appropriate – and that they should be kept from some group of people, usually children. Staff who select library materials continue to work to ensure all points of view are represented.
So, look at the books you take home and consider that there is someone who probably thinks some of them shouldn't even be in the library. It's not hypothetical.]]>
Would your community group like to put up a display at the Library?
There are spaces on the Library's 2nd floor that are designated to show off your organization, agency, or club. You might present an interesting topic, display your high-quality creative work, or simply explain what your group is all about. Enrich our community by sharing your passion with the thousands of people visiting the Library each day!
Find more details about Community Displays at ICPL, or contact new staff member Stacey McKim at firstname.lastname@example.com to discuss your display idea.]]>
During October, a free screening of a James Bond movie will be shown every Thursday in Meeting Room A.
Thursday, Oct. 2: Dr. No
Released in 1962, the first James Bond movie remains one of the best. Starring Sean Connery as James Bond, watch as the M16 agent is called to Jamaica where a colleague and secretary have been mysteriously killed. With an American CIA agent, portrayed by Jack Lord, they discover that Dr. No (Joseph Wiseman) is scheming to blackmail the U.S. government with a device capable of deflecting and destroying U.S. rockets launched from Cape Canaveral. Directed by Terence Young; 110 minutes.
Thursday, Oct. 9: Goldfinger
Sean Connery returns as James Bond in this 1964 film. This time, Bond must go to Fort Knox and stop Auric Goldfinger and his henchman from obliterating the world economy. Goldfinger not only contains many of the series' most memorable scenes, it is the film that introduces Desmond Llewelyn as Q. Directed by Guy Hamilton; 110 minutes.
Thursday, Oct. 16: The Spy Who Loved Me
Roger Moore dons James Bond's tuxedo in this 1977 film that introduced the steel-toothed Jaws (played by Richard Kiel) as one of the most memorable Bond villains. In this movie, Bond teams up with yet a Russian agent (Barbara Bach) to track a pair of nuclear submarines that the nefarious Stromberg (Curt Jürgens) plans to use in his plot to start World War III. Directed by Lewis Gilbert; 125 minutes.
Thursday, Oct. 23: GoldenEye
This 1995 film was a box-office success, thanks to Pierce Brosnan's portrayal at the suave, danger-loving 007. When a deadly satellite weapon that can fire a devastating electromagnetic pulse toward Earth falls into the wrong hands, only James Bond can save the world from certain disaster, but he is up against an enemy who anticipates his every move. Directed by Martin Campbell; 130 minutes.
Thursday, Oct. 30: Casino Royale
This series reboot released in 2006 established a new timeline and narrative framework to show a less experienced and more vulnerable Bond, portrayed by Daniel Craig. On his first mission as a 00, Bond travels to Madagascar, the Bahamas and eventually to Montenegro to face Le Chiffre, a ruthless financier attempting to recapture funds in a high-stakes poker game at the Casino Royale. Directed by Martin Campbell; 144 minutes.
All films begin at 7 p.m. and popcorn will be provided.027616060204]]>
The annual event was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, book stores, and libraries. Banned Books Week brings together all members of the book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers –- in support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas.
This year's Banned Books Week celebration will be held September 21 through September 27.
According to the American Library Association, more than 11,300 books have been challenged since 1982. There were 307 challenges reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom in 2013. A challenge is defined as a formal, written complaint filed with a library or school requesting that a book or other material be restricted or removed because of its content or appropriateness.
The 10 most challenged titles of 2013 were:
The Iowa City Public Library has Banned Books Week buttons for sale through September 27. They are available at the Help desk for $1 each. The Library also invites patrons to share photos of them reading banned books on twitter and Instagram, using the #caughtreadingatICPL hashtag.
Teens in grades seventh through 12th can celebrate Banned Books Week by participating in an online scavenger hunt about young adult books that are challenged and/or banned. Teens with the most correct answers will be entered into a drawing to win a Downtown District Gift Card. The scavenger hunt can be accessed at: http://goo.gl/0qB85W
For more information about Banned Books Week, visit www.bannedbooksweek.org.]]>
Banned Books Week is here! Sept. 21 through Sept. 27, Iowa City area teens in grades 7-12 can complete an online scavenger hunt about young adult books that are challenged and banned in the U.S. Teens with the most correct answers will be entered into a drawing to win a Downtown District Gift Card. The scavenger hunt can be accessed here: http://goo.gl/0qB85W
For more info on banned and challenged books, visit the ALA's banned books website.]]>
Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since was published anonymously in 1814 to great acclaim; for the next thirteen years Scott continued publishing novels which were known as "by the author of Waverley" and he only officially claimed authorship of them in 1827. Some of Scott's better-known titles today are Rob Roy, Ivanhoe, and the long poem The Lady of the Lake.
Waverley often is called the first historical novel, and is about a young Englishman–Edward Waverley–who is posted to Scotland, and whose loyalties become torn between his English origins and the Scottish Highland clans in the Jacobite rising of 1745. Scott is a terrific story-teller, bringing to life characters from all levels of 18th century society and painting beautiful pictures in my mind of the Highland lochs, stones and mountains. I was prepared for the long, descriptive sentences but surprised—happily—by Scott's dry sense of humor; I found myself smiling often as I read. Reading Waverley now, as modern-day Scotland is voting on whether to separate from the United Kingdom, reinforces just how old and complex this quest for independence is.
Scott was a contemporary of Jane Austen and she had this to say about Scott and Waverley: "Walter Scott has no business to write novels, especially good ones. – It is not fair. – He has Fame & Profit enough as a Poet, and should not be taking the bread out of other people's mouths. – I do not like him, & do not mean to like Waverley if I can help it – but fear I must…" I should have taken Austen's word for it a long time ago. And I will definitely read more of the Waverley novels.
Don't miss learning more about Sir Walter Scott and the Waverley novels at ICPL's program at noon on Friday, September 19th, and on October 5 at the Iowa City Book Festival.9780140436600]]>
Using a variety of drama techniques to bring popular children's stories to life, October Improv! will explore the many ways there are to tell stories, and how actors can experience the character, action, and themes inside of stories.
These weekly drama sessions will be led by AmyRuth McGraw and students from the University of Iowa's "Drama in the Classroom" course. AmyRuth has a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University. She spent four years as the Associate Director of Education for Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York, and was an Outreach Specialist for Sunshine, Too, a touring theatre company sponsored by the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.
Caps for Sale, designed for children in grades kindergarten through second grade, will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 5 in the Storytime Room, in conjunction with the Iowa City Book Festival. Children are invited to take on the role of monkeys and experience this well-loved story in a new way. They'll also learn to build a story with their bodies, voices, and an empty room.
The Legend of the Shooting Star, designed for students in third through sixth grades, will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 in the Storytime Room. Participants will explore how storytelling devices prepare them for drama work, music inspires movement, and playing broadens the creative mind.
The Little Engine That Could, designed for children in grades kindergarten through second grade, will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 19, in the Storytime Room. Participants will use their bodies as building blocks, creating machines and exploring how to give trains personalities.
Stone Soup, for students in third through sixth grades, will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 26, in the Storytime Room. Participants will explore the difference between drama and reader's theatre, learning how an actor communicates character and action by blending narration, vocal work, and limited movement.
October Improv! The Story's the Thing is free to attend, but registration is required. To register, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
And speaking of bus rides, we recently received information from Iowa City Transit staff about utilization of the Summer Library Bus program. We think this program is awesome, and many others thought so too because 2,943 people hopped on the Summer Library Bus and caught a ride downtown this summer. What's even more awesome is that utilization of this program was spread throughout Iowa City – the busiest routes were Lakeside and Oakcrest. There's a chart below that shows how use was spread across the Transit routes..
|Bus Route
|# Rides
|Court Hill
|N Dodge
|Manville Hgts
|Westside Hosp
|Plaen View
|Eastside Exp
|Melrose Exp
|7th Avenue
|Total Rides
The next meeting of ICPL's Teen Comic Book Club will be on Thursday, September 25 in the Teen Center. We're discussing all things Iron Man. Pick any Iron Man comic to read and we'll geek out about it at the meeting. Need some ideas? Here are a few comics about Marvel's Armored Avenger:
Iron Man Season One - Re-tells the origin and early adventures of billionaire weapons manufacturer Tony Stark and his superpowered alter-ego, Iron Man.
Extremis - Extremis has created a new generation of twenty-first century technologies which threaten Earth, and it is up to Iron Man to save humankind.
Armor Wars - Tony discovers that the same technology he used to create the Iron Man armor is now in the hands of several deadly super-villains. In the face of objections from his friends and fellow super heroes, Stark swears to use the power of Iron Man to bring the evil to an end – and to take back what's his.
Enter the Mandarin - Iron Man battles the Mandarin, a Chinese revolutionary leader with strange powers acquired through alien technology who is bent on world domination.]]>
We harvest food from the garden every Wednesday, and all produce is donated to Table To Table. Our annual rain dance with the pre-schoolers ultimately worked. Perhaps a bit too well. It seems to be feast or famine with rainfall this year. A good rain soaker can often take a gardener through a couple of weeks, and is much more preferable than using tap water. Luckily, we haven't had to water supplementally that much. Raised beds typically dry out quicker, but the better we take care of the soil with plenty of organic matter, the more effectively it holds onto water molecules to get through dry spells. And, as anyone who knows my teaching knows, it's all about the soil. We also did a fun "balanced diet promise" with the kiddos the other day. They all put their hands over their hearts before we read some carrot stories, and promised me that they'd eat their veggies!
The bumper crop this year has been eggplant. That purple is the color of summer. Cherry Tomato jungle got a haircut recently. And, of course, the ever-popular natural trellis of cucumbers climbing the sunflowers continues to be a big attraction. That discovery, by the way, like many discoveries, was a serendipitous accident: a couple years ago on children's day at Arts Fest, when we were planting, some cucumber seeds fell out of my pocket near the sunflower seeds and, voila! Cukes climbing sunnies. Companions forever. Next year I'd love to do one bed just with root crops: more 'taters, beets, onions, carrots and garlic. It's important to remember the distinction between above and below ground plants.
It hasn't all been sunshine and roses. This has been the first season that we've had a bit more vandalism and theft. Some plants ripped out and signs stolen. But, overall, as I say every year, I'm still so grateful for the respect this space is given. And you know what? Those rare events of disrespect, in my experience at least, have been valuable, teachable moments. I even had one person come up to me this year and apologize for removing one of the two celery bunches.
The city is still on track to remodel the ped mall, likely in the next couple of years or so. City Staff has been very supportive of the children's garden, and have told me that they indeed plan to retain enough sunlight-adequate space to continue this precious community resource. I will never tire of watching families walk around the beds, identifying veggies. But I'm a man of simple pleasures.
Soon to come, as well, will be the annual "Putting The Beds To Bed" routine: broadcasting a cover crop of rye seed. I recommend this for any gardener. Soil should never lay bare. Rye is a regenerative cover that will return in spring, unlike oats & peas, for instance, which are "winterkill" – both methods, however, do their job: building organic matter to provide chemically-available nutrients to root systems. So, to come full circle, let's return to the essential theme of taking care of the soil first. Then we have plants. Then we have food and oxygen for people and animals. And then we're here.
Thanks again, Iowa City, for honoring the City Plaza Children's Garden. And a huge thank you to Rachael Carlson, Scott Spak and Mara Cole who help each summer tremendously with Children's Day planting, produce deliveries and signage! As I always tell all of my students, the best is yet to come. – Scott Koepke, New Pi Soilmates.]]>
Totally Tweens begins Tuesday, Sept. 16, with Knit-In. This program will teach beginners how to knit. Already know how? Experienced knitters will be on hand to help you with your current knitting project.
Yarn will be available along with a limited number of knitting needles for those who don't own their own. Knitting books will be available for check-out and refreshments will be provided.
Knit-In will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, in the Storytime Room. The event is free and registration is not required.
For more information, call the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
His journey begins with Pomelo Begins to Grow in which our little elephant wonders if, when and how he'll grow and what will come with this new stature. "Could it turn out that one day Pomelo is the biggest of all?"
Next, Pomelo Explores Color. From"the silent white of the blank page" and "the comforting white of the dandelion" to "the magnificent black of fade-out endings", Pomelo sees and knows it all, especially the shades in between.
In Pomelo's Opposites we take a deeper look at his character, his world and consequently at ourselves. Exploring opposites from up and down through dream and reality, this whimsical page turner will keep you laughing from start to finish.
The latest installment in the Pomelo series, Pomelo's Big Adventure, sees our little friend off into the wide world after packing everything he needs, of course. Aside from adventure, Pomelo discovers much along the way and perseveres through a "world ruled by chance". These are books that I can read over and over and not only are they always enjoyable but each one brings a little more of Pomelo to the table showing his readers combined whimsy and verity. I can hardly wait for the next installment in the series and am in fact thinking of finding all of the original publications, in French, of which there are eleven.
Join Anne Stapleton, Lecturer in the Department of English at the University of Iowa, from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, in Meeting Room A as she presents "Sir Walter Scott's Legacy in the Midwest: Why are so Many Towns Named Waverly?"
Come learn why Scott's fiction captured the imagination of nineteenth-century readers across the globe, including citizens in our own Waverly, Iowa. This wee bit of background will pave the way for the Scottish literary and musical extravaganza to be held at The Englert Theatre at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 5. This event will feature readings, music, songs, and dances from and inspired by Scott's work.
"Sir Walter Scott's Legacy in the Midwest: Why are so Many Towns Named Waverly?" is a free event and is open to the public. It will be broadcast live on The Library Channel, Iowa City cable channel 10.
For more information, call the Iowa City Public Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
This annual celebration is named for former librarian Carol Spaziani in honor of her 26-year career at ICPL and for her life-long commitment to the freedom of ideas. This year, the Library is collaborating with University of Iowa Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, the Reading Aloud Group from the Iowa City/Johnson County Senior Center, the University of Iowa Library and the Departments of English, Cinematic Studies, and Journalism and Mass Communications and the University of Iowa International Writing Program to present a series of programs designed that celebrate our right to think.
Monday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m.: A screening of "Diagram or Delinquents." This documentary captures the zeitgeist of late 1940s and early 1950s America, and investigates how comics went on trial.
Wednesday, Sept. 24 at noon: The Reading Aloud Group from the Iowa City Johnson County Senior Center will read the poetry of Edgar Allan Poe, some of whose poems were censored until well after his death.
Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 7 p.m.: Carol L. Tilley, an Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, will present "When Comics Almost Died – Readers, Censors, and Innovation." Tilley's lecture is based on her research regarding Fredric Wertham, who blamed juvenile delinquency on reading comics.
Thursday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.: A screening of "Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing." This documentary follows the Dixie Chicks over a period of intense public scrutiny, fan backlash, threats, and pressure from both corporate and conservative political elements after lead singer Natalie Maines publicly criticized then President of the United States George W. Bush during a live 2003 concert in London.
Friday, Sept. 26 at 10 a.m.: An adult education class, Social Media Safety: Protecting Your Online Privacy, will be held in the Library's second floor Computer Lab. This class focuses on the advantages and disadvantages of using privacy settings on several social networking sites.
Friday, Sept. 26, 7 p.m.: Maureen Freely, a 2014 Ida Beam Visiting Professor at the University of Iowa International Writing Program, will speak on censorship. Freely also is the president of English PEN, a global literary center that defends and promotes free expression.
Whenever possible, the Festival coincides with Banned Books Week, an annual event celebrating the freedom to read sponsored by the American Library Association, the American Booksellers Association and the American Society of Journalists and Authors, among other groups and associations.
During Banned Books Week, Sept. 21 through Sept. 27, teen patrons will be able to complete an online scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt is designed to increase awareness of young adult literature that is challenged and banned in the U.S.
Teens with the most correct answers will be entered into a drawing to win a Downtown District Gift Card. The scavenger hunt will be accessible at teens.icpl.org beginning Sunday, Sept. 21.
For more information on the Iowa City Public Library's Carol Spaziani Intellectual Freedom Festival, visit icpl.org/iff.
For information about Banned Books Week, visit www.bannedbooksweek.org.]]>
Iowa City currently has 5 local television channels (4, 5, 10, 18, 21). These broadcast from Iowa City itself and are government or community channels like the City Channel, Library Channel, and PATV (public access).
The affiliate stations like CBS, ABC, FOX, and NBC broadcast from farther away, and that's why they don't come in as well without the right kind of antenna. PBS/IPTV is a little farther away as well, but word is it comes in a little better than the others.
For getting channels in, the type of TV matters. Digital TVs will already be equipped to receive the digital signals broadcast by both Iowa City channels and those further out. All Iowa City channels and area affiliates broadcast digitally. The stations have been phasing out their analog antenna systems since about 2009. Older TVs that use an analog antenna system require purchasing a digital conversion box.
Helpful Links
If avoiding paying for any cable service, you can check what kind of antenna to get through this website: http://antennaweb.org. With this website, you plug in your address and it will show you what channels you can get with which types of antennas. They are color-coded, so you click on the color next to the TV channel you want, and it uses a pop-up box to tell you what kind of antenna to get (e.g., "a large directional antenna").
The City of Iowa City website has a list of the area TV/internet providers about halfway down the page here: http://www.icgov.org/?id=1493.
Did I miss something? Please let me know in the comments!
Hat tip to Beth and Bond for helping me hash out this answer.]]>
If you want to do this too, here is the process.From the main catalog page above chose the Call Number tab and type in the words "on order." If you want to see everything just click "search" and you are done. If you are searching the new items regularly (like me) you can specify the sort of "newest first" or one of the other choices from the pull down sort menu.
You can also limit by type, say fiction books, or format using the Limit option shown below.
If an item catches your interest you can place a hold. Also if you know of something coming out that we have not yet ordered you can request that we purchase it through the link in the blue box on the right side of the screen.
A good deal all around. Give it a try.
Way Cool Chemistry is a new program designed to make chemistry accessible and fun for fifth- through eighth-grade students. The program is designed and taught by Sally Kessler, a University of Iowa graduate student.
Kessler previously hosted Chemists in the Library, a family science program which launched at the Library earlier this year.
"The Library fully supports STEM learning and wants to offer as much science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs as possible," said Brian Visser, Teen Services Librarian. "We want to help students of all ages get excited about science."
Way Cool Chemistry will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Sept. 23, Oct. 28, and Dec. 9. All programs will be held in Meeting Room A.
For more information, contact the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
TAG, the Library's Teen Activity Group, will meet from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sept. 20, Oct. 25, Nov. 15, and Dec. 20 in the Koza Family Teen Center.
TAG members help plan teen programs and give teenage students a voice in the Library. Members also eat a lot of snacks. Anyone wanting to make a difference in the Library, and earn volunteer hours at the same time, should give TAG a try.
The Teen Anime & Manga Club will meet from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 20, Oct. 25, Nov. 15, and Dec. 20 in the Koza Family Teen Center. Attendees will watch anime, talk about favorite manga, draw, and trade tips on cosplay.
Minecraft fans are invited to the Library's Minecraft Meetup from 4 to 6 p.m. Sept. 20, Oct. 25, Nov. 15, and Dec. 20 in the Computer Lab on the Library's second floor.
All teen events are open to students in grades 7 through 12.
For more information about any of these programs, contact Brian Visser, Teen Services Librarian, at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Have you ever gone to Amazon to find a new book to read? Maybe you viewed the page of a book you really loved and looked at the books in the "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" section. I know I have, but there's a better way! Behold: NoveList Plus. NoveList Plus is a tool created to connect readers with books they will enjoy. To access it, go to http://www.icpl.org/resources/ scroll down and click on "Novelist Plus." You can use the search bar near the top of the screen. Type your favorite author, series, or book into the bar, then click "Search." At the results screen, click on the title that you're looking for. Read-alikes are listed on the right side of the book's page:
These read-alikes are based on subject and genre, as well as "appeal factors" grouped by storyline, pace, tone, and writing style. For example, Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell appeal factors are:
Genre:Love stories; Multiple perspectives; Teen chick lit
Tone:Angst-filled; Bittersweet; Romantic
Like No Other by Una LaMarche is offered up as a good read-alike. Its appeal factors are:
Genre:Love stories; Multiple perspectives; Realistic fiction
Tone:Bittersweet; Moving
Sounds like a good match to me! Give NoveList Plus a try. You might find a new favorite book!]]>
Students in grades seventh through 12th are invited to read any comic about our selected characters and/or teams, and attend the Teen Comic Book Club meeting to geek out or dispute their greatness in the comic book world.
The discussion lineup is as follows:
All Teen Comic Book Club meetings are held from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Koza Family Teen Center.
For more information, contact the Iowa City Public Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
Gilbert is the author of My Prairie Cookbook: Memories and Frontier Food from My Little House to Yours. This piece of television nostalgia features 80 recipes and more than 75 pages of scrapbook images from the show. Gilbert also shares memories and behind-the-scenes stories.
Gilbert will be at the Iowa City Public Library at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 16, for a discussion and book signing. Her appearance is co-sponsored by the Library and Prairie Lights Books. Copies of the cookbook will be available for purchase. The cookbook is also available for checkout.
For more information, contact the Library at (319) 356-5200.]]>
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month and the Library is encouraging local residents to sign up for a free card. A Library card can be used to:
You can apply for a card online at www.icpl.org/cards. After completing the online application, stop by the Library within two weeks to pick up your card. You must have identification and proof of your residence address (current driver license, lease or voter registration card; mail with a current post mark; preprinted checks from a bank).
You also can apply for a card in person. Stop by the Help Desk any time the Library is open to apply for a card. You will need identification and proof of your residence address.
Children age 12 and under must have a parent or guardian with them to receive a card in their name.
If you've lost your Iowa City Public Library Card, visit the Help Desk on the Library's first floor for a free replacement during Library Card Sign-Up Month.]]>
Patrons may now place 10 (ten!) FREE holds. Login to your account, call the Library or stop by – there are many ways to place holds. We'll even let you place holds on items that are on the shelf. Periodically, throughout the day, staff pull items with holds that are on the shelf. We just ask that you give us a little bit of time to do this work. You'll know when the hold is ready when we send you a notice. Notices come by eMail, telephone or in the mail depending on your preference.
Overdue Fines changed too and we hope they are easier to understand. All fines are 25 cents per overdue day with the following exceptions: Express DVDs, Games and Equipment are $1.00 per overdue day and Wii Game Consoles are $5.00 per overdue day. Our goal is to make the collection as available to our community as possible. We view fines as a motivation to return items on time so others can enjoy them.
Patrons may now receive one free replacement card per year. We can also make a replacement card with the same number, so there's no need to worry if you have your number memorized. We need the original card in order to replace a card with the same number. Also, it takes us a few minutes to make the card, so please plan for a little extra time if you are getting a card replaced with the same number.
Videogames may now be renewed 1 (one) time. Patrons may still have a limit of 2 videogames checked out at a time, but they can be renewed once and the fine is now only 25 cents per overdue day.
We hope these changes will make it easier to use your Library and we hope to see you at the Library soon.]]>
Effective Tuesday, Sept. 2, patrons will be charged 25-cents per item per day for materials returned past their due date. This is effective for all items, except Express DVDs and circulating equipment, which will remain $1 per item per day, and circulating game consoles which remain at $5 per day.
The Iowa City Public Library Board of Trustees approved a policy change Thursday.
Library patrons also will be able to have 10 free holds in the system, an increase from eight. Holds may be placed for all types of circulating materials, except for the Express Collections. Patrons are notified when an item is ready for pickup.
Additional holds, beyond the limit of 10, may be placed for the patron by a Library staff member for 50-cents each.
"The purpose of fines is to provide an incentive for on-time return of Library materials. Our overarching goal is to assure materials are available for the community. One fine rate at 25 cents per day, with a couple exceptions, will be easy for our community to remember," says Kara Logsden, Community and Access Services Coordinator.
For more information, contact the Library at (319) 356-5200.
Fans of True Detective have heard of Carcosa and The Yellow King but might not know where they are originally from. I did not until Candice pointed it out to me.
Carcosa was first mentioned in the short story "An Inhabitant of Carcosa" by Ambrose Bierce in 1891. A few years later Robert W. Chambers used Carcosa, and a few other locations that Bierce mentions. It was in a collection of connected short gothic horror stories, "The King in Yellow", published in 1895. Four of the stories are connected by references to a work of fiction also titled "The King in Yellow". In the stories anyone who reads the this meta-book is purported to go completely insane.
The stories have a very gothic, Lovecraftian feel to them. They are tales of supernatural powers which are just out of sight and the madness that it brings. This little known book has influenced a lot of authors (as well as RPG game developers). Many authors have either mentioned Carcosa or expanded upon the Carcosa mythos. It has been used by H.P. Lovecraft and many writers of the Cthulhu Mythos. Other writers like Neil Gaiman, Alan Moore and George R. R. Martin have locations named Carcosa in their works.
Here is a short excerpt from the book within the book, hopefully it will not drive you mad. You may recognize it from the journal of Dora Lange, one of the characters from True Detective.
"Along the shore the cloud waves break,
The twin suns sink behind the lake,
The shadows lengthen
In Carcosa.
Strange is the night where black stars rise,
And strange moons circle through the skies,
But stranger still is
Lost Carcosa.
Songs that the Hyades shall sing,
Where flap the tatters of the King,
Must die unheard in
Dim Carcosa.
Song of my soul, my voice is dead,
Die thou, unsung, as tears unshed
Shall dry and die in
Lost Carcosa."
—"Cassilda's Song" in The King in Yellow Act 1, Scene 2
To inform my lawn and garden needs this fall and next spring, I will be using a "Plant by Number" system, inspired by the numbers in ICPL's nonfiction collection. The Dewey Decimal numbers will guide me to the best information in the library's collection for each part of my lawn and garden planning. Keep reading for the best numbers for perennials, trees, and specialty gardening topics.
All of these books live on the second floor at the library. The staff at the Info desk can also provide customized recommendations.
Happy fall and spring garden planning!
*The Iowa City Landfill and East Side Recycling Center both have compost available for very low cost. Bring a shovel and a container, or a huge truck bed if you have one.]]>
I was just perusing the most recent NYT Sunday Book Review, and I noticed that The Shortlist (brief reviews of current books on a specific topic) contains titles about 'the mind.' That is kind of exciting to me, because I am responsible for ordering books in the subject areas that would most likely contain books about the brain and thought processes. So, I went to order the books that had good reviews, and lo and behold, we already have them all! I must have been thinking ahead. Not only do we have them, but as I am writing this, four of the five books reviewed are on the shelf. Hot new books, ready for you, right now!
So, without further ado, I exhort you, thoughtful reader, to put on your thinking cap and come to the Library to check these books out–your mind will expand, you will build new neural pathways, and your brain will thank you!
Kidding Ourselves: The Hidden Power of Self-Deception by Joseph T. Hamilton
History Lessons: A Memoir of Madness, Memory, and the Brain by Clifton Crais
Struck By Genius: How a Brain Injury Made Me a Mathematical Marvel by Jason Padgett and Maureen Seaberg
Me, Myself, and Why: Searching for the Science of Self by Jennifer Ouellette
The Depths: The Evolutionary Origins of the Depression Epidemic by Jonathan Rottenberg
*edited to add that, by the time I published this, another book was checked out…so hurry!9780544045606]]>
Gilbert, (actually Toby), finds Armory Park and then the dogs and their human companions at the park. At first he just lets Toby play and doesn't interact with the others. But as anyone who goes to a dog park knows that if you come come to a park with a puppy others will be drawn to you like a magnet and want to talk. And talk leads to learning everyone's names and eventually their stories. Gilbert aptly describes the dog park denizens, including an older gentleman, Saul, who doesn't have a dog anymore but loves dogs and tries so hard to connect with the dogs and their owners. One of the most poignant parts of "Off the Leash" is when Saul no longer comes to the park. Saul was in the early states of Alzheimer's and had a minor car accident and had to move in with his brother. The dog park people track down Saul's brother and find out that he needs more care than his brother can give and that he is moved to a retirement home. There are other stories that tug at the heart. Stories of when a dog dies. The dog park family rallies around the companion and brings food and tells stories and witnesses with the bereaved about the loss.
At other times "Off the Leash" is laugh out loud funny; dog people have stories to tell and if you are at a park, you have time to hear their stories. You also learn who follows the rules, and who doesn't, who joins in and who doesn't, and how the dog park people use their dogs to express feelings they would never normally share with anyone else. Gilbert calls this sharing dog ventriloquism.
If you have a dog or had a dog or want a dog, you will enjoy "Off the Leash". Your dog might too, Nellie did, I read numerous passages to her. She did not pass judgment, she is a dog, I did, I am am a dog park person.1250014220]]>