Blog Entries

Most of the players involved (authors, publishers, agents, book sellers) agree that the New York Times Bestsellers are the most well-known and prominent lists of books shared on a weekly basis. The list provides a common talking point for clubs and readers. They connect us on a social level supporting the “water cooler” discussions in person and virtually. Making the list is not that big of a deal for established bestselling authors but for the unknown or first time author it is a great benefit.

In conjunction with the 2021 Adult Summer Reading Program, library staff held a series of virtual workshops about Exploring the Library to help patrons best utilize the library and its resources. 

Programs in this series focused on Library platforms that provide digital content to our patrons including eBooks, Audiobooks, Magazines, Music, Comics, and streaming video. The three platforms explored were Libby (for iOS and Android, Hoopla, and Amazon Kindle).

Below is a list of the workshops with a link to the video recordings of each.

Science fiction is often a misunderstood genre. It's assumed to be universally chock-full of inscrutable scientific or technical jargon (no offense to those who enjoy such things, you are far more powerful than I will ever be), and lacking in things one usually likes to find in stories such as relatable characters, well-plotted stories, and readable prose. But it’s hardly true that such science fiction (often called “hard science fiction” or “hard SF”) offers nothing in the way of enjoyable stories and characters. 

If you’ve been using the Libby App recently within the past month, you may have noticed some changes in how the app looks. The app recently underwent a major update that not only looks a little different, but it also has some updated and newly added features. Below are some of the highlights with this update:

You can find our latest "Database Spotlight" on our YouTube channel. In April we highlighted "Mango Languages", an online language learning tool that offers courses in Spanish, Polish, English, Mandarin, and over 70 other languages. You can access "Mango Languages" free with your library card though our website. Learn key phrases, watch movies in the language you are learning and use the online translator.

Earth Day is Thursday, April 22nd – come celebrate with us! Whether you are interested in the latest science and conservation efforts; want to discover ways – both big and small – that you can help to preserve our planet; or simply want to bask in the beauty and diversity of life on Planet Earth, we’ve got an array of items to choose from.

April is National Poetry Month!  In April of 2019 I created a poster (from clip art) and selected books of poetry to display in the Bowman branch of HRLS. Sixteen books of poetry got checked out! In April of 2020 I wrote a blog to commemorate National Poetry Month. I thought I would take a year off from the topic in 2021. But it is April, a very poetic time of year.

It used to be that many scientists did not want help from non-scientists. They thought that a typical person/citizen did not have the skills, knowledge, or training to make a meaningful contribution to their discipline. Wrong! This was a common attitude even though history is littered with self-taught or non-professional people who did make important scientific contributions. The hundred plus years of data from the Christmas Bird Counts would never have been possible only relying upon scientists.

Part I of This blog is for the birds focused on the Great Backyard Bird Count that takes place each February. In Part II, I want to share with some you of the new titles (about birds) that have been added to our collection in the past year and remind you of related selections in our DVD collection.

Have you ever joined a book club? Wanted to but never had the opportunity? Never wanted to but thought you should? Still don’t want to but I am making you feel guilty?

Whatever the case, Brown Bag with Books is for you (it’s for everyone!) You can sit back quietly and listen in or talk as much as you want. Believe it or not, friendships have been created out of this club.

We held a special series designed to educate the public on different ways to use library services in March  titled Exploring the Library.  These virtual sessions offered through Zoom were ideal for new, prospective, and current users of all library system locations – Bowman Library, Clarke County Library, and Handley Library. 

I admire birds. They can fly under their own power and I cannot. In many ways I find them beautiful and in many more ways fascinating. Each February since 1998 Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society have sponsored the Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC.) This is a citizen science effort, created to collect data on wild birds and to display results in near real time.

Are you familiar with our adult graphic novel collection? Graphic novels are not just for children or teens. Whether you enjoy fiction, nonfiction, biographies or memoirs, these novels are a format that encompasses all genres and has something for everyone. It is one reason why I enjoy them, since the combination of text and artwork adds variety and something different to my reading list. In between the regular novels I read, it’s great to squeeze in a graphic novel, especially while I’m waiting for my next eBook hold to come in through our Libby app.

We’re very happy to announce that our After-Hours Game Nights for adults are making a comeback. By teaming up with Discord and the online gaming platform Board Game Arena, we can come together while still keeping our distance. We’ve really missed seeing you all at Game Nights this past year, so we hope you’ll join us again online.

How will it work?

The weather has gotten colder but that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck inside. We’re all at greater risk of cabin fever this year, so there’s no time like the present to break out your cold weather gear and a sturdy pair of shoes and hit the trail.