Tuesday, May 26, 2009

06-01-09 Summer Reading Program!

It is once again time for Summer Reading at Meinders Library! This year’s theme is Be Creative At Your Library, which has a lot of potential. We have so many exciting activities, ranging from paper masks and murals, to home-made sidewalk chalk and musical instruments. Our guest presenter this year is Ramona Larson and I’ve never participated in her activities, but she says we have to wear tennis shoes and comfortable clothes, so I bet it will be fun! Meetings for Summer Reading Program will be Thursdays at 2:00 PM, starting June 11. Come in and sign up!


Regular Summer Reading Program is for kids from 5 to 12, but this year we will also be having a Teen Summer Reading Program for older kids, from 12 to 18. The activities for the teen group include redesigning book covers, making movie posters, and watching a few books-become-movies, like Twilight and Inkheart. It promises to be very exciting and what teenager doesn’t need something to do during the summer? Meetings for the Teen group will be Fridays at 2:00 PM, staring June 12th. Come in and get signed up!


Both Summer Programs end at the end of July, with July 30th being the last day for the younger kids and July 31st for the teens.


We are looking for volunteers to help with both reading programs, for those adults out there who need things to do during the summer. We’d like to get a few adults to come in and help with each activity, since we frequently have 50+ kids attending. You don’t need to attend every week and if you only have time for once, we would be glad to have you. If you are interested, give the library a call at 825-6714 or stop on by and fill out a volunteer sheet. We would really appreciate it!


Summer Reading Program is always a very exciting time in the library. Seeing happy faces on happy kids makes all the planning worthwhile and we are so looking forward to the program!


If you have any questions about Summer Reading Program, or you have a book you need to reserve or renew, give us a call at 507-825-6714. Summer hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday, from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday from 10 AM to 5 PM. We are no longer open on Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

5-14-09 Article in the Pipestone County Star

Sacrifice By a Few Leads to Continued Service for All: Written by Kyle Kuphal

Rather than cut services or jobs, the director and the administrative staff of the Plum Creek Library System (PCLS), which provides interlibrary services to 25 libraries in a nine county region of southwestern Minnesota including Pipestone, voluntarily sacrificed money from their own pockets to continue operating as usual.

A projected five-to-six percent operating deficit drove the PCLS’s decision. With an annual budget of roughly $690,000 in state library funding, the deficit of roughly $40,000 could have resulted in fewer services to area libraries, a reduction to half-time hours for one or two staff members or even a layoff.

However, PCLS employees and director Mark Ranum began discussing alternatives in November and by January had reached an agreement whereby every administrative employee would cut one workday per month to help reduce operating expenses.“It’s really tremendous how the employees came together at Plum Creek,” Ranum said. “The employees solved the problem with that sacrifice.”

Ranum, in order to show leadership, decided to go one step further. He voluntarily gave up his position as director and continues to fulfill the same duties as a consultant. That decision cost him roughly $28,000 in salary and compensation.“I still have a great job,” Ranum said. “I’m as committed as the people that work for me to keep good library service in the state.”

It is the people that work for him, he said, that deserve the credit. By spreading the impact of the projected deficit among the entire staff, they were able to keep everyone’s job safe and continue to provide the services local libraries have come to expect. It also led to PCLS projecting a small surplus rather than a deficit for this fiscal year, which ends June 30.

PCLS Office Administrator Chris Lang said she speaks for all the staff at PCLS when she says they are a dedicated bunch. The main concern of the staff, he said, is to provide member libraries with the support necessary to provide quality service to library patrons in the nine-county region covered by PCLS.“We will continue to be creative and financially savvy as we strive to provide patrons of southwest Minnesota with the excellent library service they’ve come to expect and enjoy,” Lang said.

“They’ve done a great job,” said Stephanie Hall, director of Meinders Community Library in Pipestone. “It tells me that the libraries are the most important part.”

Meinders Community Library, she said, has not felt the pinch of the poor economy and budget cuts as has PCLS. That is due in part to the unique relationship between the Meinders Community Library and PAS High School. Because the library also serves as the high school library it receives funding from the city, county and school district, which has helped prevent budget shortfalls.

“It hasn’t affected us nearly as much as the Plum Creek Library System,” Hall said.About one third of the libraries in the nine-county system have had to make budget cuts. Ranum said he expects that will be the case for the next few years. In a way, it is a bit of a Catch-22 because typically, when the economy takes a downturn, people tend to turn to the local library for entertainment and information. “Consumer information becomes a more valuable commodity,” Ranum said. “People want to continue to live the life they live, but at a cheaper cost.”

Hall said she too expects library use to increase because libraries offer the goods and services that in good times are taken for granted, but in difficult times are considered luxuries. Already she has heard library patrons say they turned off their cable or Internet to save money. Fortunately, they have the local library to fill those needs.

“We are in the business of taking care of the needs of the community and Plum Creek is definitely doing that too,” Hall said. “They keep us all connected. I think it would be very difficult to be a library on your own without that support.”

All citizens need to stay connected, she said, is a library card — and that’s free.

5-18-09 Boardgames at the Library

One of my favorite memories as a child was sitting down with my family to play Trivial Pursuit. Sure, my father always beat me and my mother seemed to know every literature answer in the whole game, but it was still a really fun way to bond with my parents, more so when I got an answer right (My father can still beat me, by the way, 30 years later - darnit).

I know you can buy Trivial Pursuit at Toys-R-Us, but with the recent economic situation, wouldn’t it be nice if you could check it out at the library? Especially if you think you might not play it enough to warrant purchasing it.

I would love to have a small selection of board games that patrons could come in and check out to take home for a game night. It would also be nice to have some games on hand for when it gets colder and we hold game nights here at the library, perhaps even a championship if we’ve got more than one copy for people to play at a time.

Take a look in your closet – you know, the one you put stuff in when you want to forget about it. Are there any games in there? Do they have all their pieces? If so, I would like to encourage you to donate them to Meinders Library so we can put them out on our shelves to be checked out. Good games should never just collect dust in a closet, they were meant to be played!

Also, when you have a chance, come in and check out our new books, both fiction and non-fiction. We’ve got some really great titles in right now and I’d like to encourage everyone to try reading something they normally wouldn’t pick up. I tried that recently and it turned out to be a great experience! For those of you who don’t know, I am an avid fantasy reader (weirdo!) and I rarely, if ever, will choose anything else, much less fiction geared specifically towards women. If it doesn’t have swords and dragons, I usually won’t read it. Maybe I’m just growing up (heaven forfend), but I read Confessions of a Shopaholic and I really liked it! In fact, I plan on reading the rest of the series. If it worked for me, it will work for you! So stop by and try something a little different.

Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you would like to place a book on hold or have any questions, please give us a call at 825-6714.

5-4-09 Adopt a Book For Children's Book Week!

One of my favorite times here at the library is story time. Though I am not the reader (usually), I love to hear the small voices raised in appreciation or participation in the story. There are few things better than that sort of noise. Encouraging children to read is one of the major missions of a library, or at least it should be. And believe it or not, there’s a week of the year that specifically exists to support that endeavor.

Children’s Book Week was started in 1919, with Children’s Book Council coming onto the scene in 1944. Since then, the Council has administered the celebration week and chosen the dates. Traditionally, Children’s Book Week has been the week before Thanksgiving, but the dates were changed in 2008 and now, the celebration takes place in May, which is just around the corner!

The Children’s Book Council encourages libraries and bookstores, as well as parents, to show children how beautiful the written word can be by introducing them to new books and new worlds, beyond what they can experience here at home.

Children’s Book Week for 2009 will be May 11- 17 and to celebrate, Meinders Library is having a Book Adoption Fair from May 5 until May 22. Over 100 children’s and young adult books will be on hand for adoption at the library during those three weeks.

Adopting a Book? How do you do that? Any private person or business is welcome to come in to the library and select a book that they enjoy or that speaks to them in some way. (My personal favorite – Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!) Each book will have a sheet inside with the price. Once that price is paid, a bookplate will be placed in the book before it is put on the shelves, indicating who purchased it.

This idea is great for birthdays, memorials, or just plain fun! We will have single books on hand, and series books (three to five in a group) that families can adopt – one for each member – which is a fun idea for a Book Week present! And come on, who doesn’t need an excuse to buy presents, much less to buy books!?

Come in and visit us, even if you don’t feel like adopting, and treat yourself to a good spring read. We’ve got new books coming in every day, both for children and for adults, and we can find something for any sort of reader, from the serious mystery fan, to a non-fiction sort of person. We’ve got the perfect book for you!

Remember, if you don’t see it on the shelf but you simply have to read it, please let a staff member know so we can get it for you through our interlibrary loan.

Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you would like to place a book on hold or have any questions, please give us a call at 825-6714.

4-20-09 Baby's First Book

I think everyone with children treasures the time spent reading stories before bed, but did you know that babies love to hear stories, too? Of course, babies love eating books, too, but science has proven that interacting with books, even with their mouths, is very important for developing reading skills later on.


The library is working on a new program called Baby’s First Book. With the help of the local hospital and through word of mouth, flyers will be handed out to new families asking them to come to the library, where they will receive a free book and a library card, if they don’t already have one. The book will be a simple board book, ideal for new babies. The only catch to the deal is families need to bring along proof that they live inside Pipestone County.


I first started reading to my daughter when she came home from the hospital, and I remember thinking that there was no way she was learning a darn thing. All she wanted to do was chew on the book and stare at the pictures, she wasn’t listening. But I realize now that she was, and those first stories helped her really come to love books. Now, we have to have at least two stories before bed and both books have to sleep in the bed with her. In fact, many is the time I’ve gone in after she’s asleep for awhile and the book is open and across her chest from where she was looking at pictures on her own.


Judith Shickedanz was the first to describe the behavior of infants when experiencing a book:
Book Handling behavior is related to how a child interacts physically with a book, either turning the pages or chewing on it.


Looking and Recognizing behaviors are important because an infant learns to focus on something, to laugh at a picture they like, and to form recognition skills.


Infants learn that books are exciting if they are exposed to them early, which leads to a love of books and stories later in life (even if it doesn’t last to adulthood). If children learn that books are fun, they will be more likely to enjoy learning to read as they grow older.


Infants (0-6 months) enjoy books with very simple, large pictures or designs with bright colors. Stiff cardboard books work well, or books that fold and can be propped up in a crib for easy viewing. Cloth and vinyl books are great, too, especially if they can go in the bath or get washed.


It’s easy to get an infant involved in a book! Using voices to portray characters or different words will engage the infant with you and keep them excited about this time with their caregivers. Pointing out the words and the pictures helps the infant to learn focus, and helping them to turn pages (once they’re a little older than newborn, of course) will help get them even more involved.


Help us raise a new generation of readers! If you or someone you know is a new mother or father, send them to the library for their free Baby’s First Book!


Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM (while school is in session). If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call us at (507) 825-6714.

4-06-09 New Children's Books

Now most of you know we don’t just have adult books at the public library, we’ve got children’s books, too. And some of the new children’s books we’ve gotten in lately are fabulous!

If You Give A Cat A Cupcake, by Laura Numeroff
This beautifully drawn book tells all wary readers of the consequences of giving delicious small cakes to felines. If you enjoyed If You Take A Mouse To School and If You Give A Pig A Pancake will love this new book in the series!

Melvin Might? By David Shannon, Loren Long, and David Gordon
Poor cement mixer Melvin – he can’t stop worrying about things that might go wrong. But when his friend Rita the Ambulance is in trouble, he has to stop worrying and save her! Any truck lover is sure to enjoy!

First the Egg, by Laura Vaccaro Seeger
This book is the 2007 Caldecott Winner! It doesn’t answer the question of which came first, but it uses very bright colors to show that very small things can become much larger things, such as an egg becoming a chicken, and a word becoming a story. Beautiful colors, simple story, and very entertaining.

Listen to the Wind: The story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea, by Greg Mortenson and Susan Roth
There once was a man named Greg, who was climbing mountains and got lost. He was very sick when he got to the village of Korphe in Pakistan and the villagers nursed him back to health. When he asked their wise man what he could do for them in return, the wise man told him to “Listen to the wind.” Greg could only hear the voices of the children, and he realized the best way to repay them would be to build a school. This book is told with beautiful collage pictures and tells the story in a simple, heartfelt way that children will understand.

We’re also thinking of redecorating the children’s area to make it more exciting. If you have any giant cardboard tubes, or access to some (we’re talking a foot in diameter or so), please let us know! They would make great tree trunks! We’re also looking for vines, branches, leaves, and stuffed animals if you have any of those things just lying around. Also, if you have extra time and/or artistic talent, please consider giving us a hand as we try and turn a section of the library into a forest for reading exploration, complete with trees, animals, and a mural or two.

If you are doing any spring cleaning and have any children’s books, movies, music, or even games you would like to donate, please bring them by! If we don’t put them straight into our collection, they can be used for our book sale.

Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you want to place one of these books on hold, please don’t hesitate to call us at 825-6714.

3-23-09 Branching Out!

It’s almost spring. It might not feel like it yet, but its in the air and will be here before we know it. In honor of the coming season, perhaps its time to take a look at what you’re reading and perhaps try something new! If you’re anything like me, you stick to the old tried and true and rarely decide to venture outside your comfort zone. Recently, my husband and my mother have convinced me that non-fiction is really not all that bad and I should try a few. And the ones I read, I really enjoyed! Now it takes me even longer at the bookstore, but I’m far more likely to find something I enjoy.

A month ago, the column was on science fiction and fantasy novels but this column will be concentrating on a few subjects that you have probably never even thought of reading. Well, perhaps its time you did!

Some of the books you might want to take a look at are:

Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis
Sesame Street began airing on November 10, 1969, and since then has touched millions of children. This is the story BEHIND the amazing show, of the people involved, and the sometimes crazy things that happened during production. Sesame Street has taught so many over the years, and not just their ABCs. The show taught cooperation, creativity, self-respect, and tolerance to several generations and it continues to touch children today.

Riding Dirty on I-95 by Nikki Turner
Whether you like it or not, hip-hop culture is fast becoming more popular day by day and has become integrated into the lives of American youth. This book centers around a young woman’s difficult upbringing, involving the murder of her father, the neglect of her mother, and years in foster care. Those formative occurrences led her to become a drug runner in the inner city, though eventually she fought her way free to a better life. The book is gritty and vivid, a testament to unbroken spirits.

True to the Game by Teri Woods
Another popular hip-hop author, Woods has written a vicious love story, involving a girl from the projects and a millionaire drug dealer. The plot of the book comes from the struggle of holding on to ill-gotten gains: the drugs, the man, the car, and the house. And both partners learn there’s a price to the game they’re playing. Once you’re in, you stay. There’s no way out.

Too Fat to Fish by Artie Lange
If you are a fan of the Howard Stern show, you know exactly who Artie Lange is. If you don’t listen to the show, you still might enjoy this book. Lange became a permanent member of Stern’s program in 2001 and has continued to delight the audience with his humor. Using material gleaned from his own life, from his weight struggles to issues with his mother, Lange turns everyday happenings into comedic genius. He has worked as a cab-driver, a longshoreman, and he has toured with the USO and he uses all of his experiences to write a laugh-out-loud narrative.

Behind the Yellow Tape: On the Road with Some of American’s Hardest Working Crime Scene Investigators by Jarrett Hallcox
If you enjoy CSI or other crime drama shows that involve forensic investigation, you will enjoy this book. Eight stories of true crimes with gripping text and photographs show what life and work are really like in crime scene investigations. The crimes range from Puget Sound to the Alamo and are sure to grip tight to any avid crime reader.

Kosher Sutra: 8 Sacred Secrets for Reigniting Desire and Restoring Passion for Life by Rabbi Shmuley Boteach
A Rabbi wrote a sex book? That was my first thought when I ordered this, but after reading inside the cover, I think Rabbi Boteach is on to something. Also the counselor on a successful show on TLC (Shalom in the Home), Rabbi Boteach investigates how advertising and the rest of the media have so inundated us with sex that we’ve become over-exposed, leading to lack of mystery and boredom within our intimate relationships. The style is easy to read and engaging, very friendly and frank, and the stories of real-life couples and their struggles will be informative for any reader.

Come in and check out one of these books, or something else that you have been chomping at the bit to read. Just as a reminder, if you know a book has come out, but you don’t see it on our shelves, let us know! We can get it for you through interlibrary loan, or we can place a Hold for you so you’ll be on the list. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you want to place one of these books on hold, please don’t hesitate to call us at 825-6714.

3-10-09 Children's Library

A lot of people think that libraries are places to be quiet and stodgy, where you go to get a book but can’t really have any fun. That is NOT true at Meinders Library! We have a wonderful children’s section, with all sorts of materials ranging from audio books and video tapes to the latest graphic novels and manga from Japan. And don’t forget the classics, such as the American Girl series, or the Boxcar children!

Meinders Library also has a story-time program:
Wednesday at 10:30 is Preschool Story time, for ages 3-5.
Thursday at 10:30 is Infant Story time, for our very small patrons under 1 year of age.
Thursday at 11:30 is Toddler Story time, for children from 12 to 36 months.

Please bring your children down if you are looking for something to do! We have a coloring table, games to play, CDs to listen to and, occasionally, we put in the movies and let the kids choose from an assortment of brightly colored cushions so they can gather on the floor.

We also have children’s activities that we publicize either in the paper or with flyers out at the library. In December, we had a movie day where we showed the movie Horton Hears a Who with Jim Carrey on a large screen we borrowed from the school. We even made popcorn! In the future, we are planning more movie days and other exciting things that children and their families can come and experience here at the library.

And while its true that libraries are supposed to be quiet, no one seems to mind the laughter of small children, or the inquisitive question (and occasional tantrums) that occur. A library is a safe, exciting place to learn and we here at Meinders firmly believe that.

2-23-09 Upcoming Events

Dennis Weidemann – This Water Goes North
February 28th, 2009 at 2:00 PM
In the summer of 1979, Dennis and three friends canoed their way from Fergus Falls, MN to Hudson Bay, a journey of 1400 miles. They had leaky tents, very little experience, and old canoes and the trip took more than two months.
Come hear Dennis talk about his experience, complete with a stunning slide show. He will also have copies of his book to sell and sign for those who are interested.

Celebrate Dr. Seuss’ Birthday!
March 7th, 2009 at 3:00 PM
“No, No, Sam I am. I do not like Green Eggs and Ham!” Everyone knows that famous line from a very famous book. Dr. Seuss’ birthday is March 2nd so join us in our celebration of this fantastic children’s author! We will have several Pipestone “Celebrities” reading Dr. Seuss books (including the Mayor and the Sherriff), special coloring activities, and, of course, we will have treats. Come one, come all, and enjoy some of your favorite books!

Bruce Weigel – Native American Flute and Story-telling
March 14th, 2009 at 2:00 PM
Bruce is a local flute player and looks forward to sharing his music and stories at the library. Self-taught and inspired by nature, he uses his music to inspire peace and a sense of connectedness to those listening. He spends time at the Pipestone National Monument nearly every day and enjoys teaching classes on flute-playing, making dream-catchers, and meditation.

And keep this in the back of your mind for something to do in April: The Plum Creek Library System owns a Wii and Meinders Library has reserved it for the middle two weeks in April. We will be hosting a few gaming nights for kids, teens, and adults during those weeks. Dates will be publicized later, so keep watching!

Just as a reminder, if you know a book has come out, but you don’t see it on our shelves, let us know! We can get it for you through interlibrary loan, or we can place a Hold for you so you’ll be on the list. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you want to place one of these books on hold, please don’t hesitate to call us at 825-6714.

2-16-09 Library Column - The Oscar Edition

It’s that time of year, when an actor’s fancy turns to thoughts of golden statues. The 81st Annual Academy Awards will be held on February 22nd at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles. Hugh Jackman will be hosting and the full awards list can be found on-line. It’s a night of parties and excitement, where those who watch from home sit around the television holding their breath as they wait for the winners to be announced.


Okay, not everyone watches with that amount of fervor and attention. I’m lucky to see a few acceptance speeches while I try and keep my toddler occupied, but I’ve always enjoyed it.
You might say “Wait, what is the Librarian doing writing about the Oscars? Aren’t those movies?” You are completely right. They don’t have an awards show for books and if they did, I suspect it would be rather boring. However, Meinders Library does have a video section, both VHS and DVD. It’s not as extensive as we’d like it to be, so we’re asking you to take a look at your video library and see if there are any movies you would like to donate to us.


Below is a list of movies that the Library would love to have in our collection. Some of them are past Oscar Winners from 2006 and 2007. A few on the list have not yet been released. All of them were popular and we are hoping at some point to have copies that we can check out to those who didn’t manage to see them in the theater.


Appaloosa (2008)
Australia (2008)
Bolt (animated) (2008)
Burn After Reading (2008)
Changeling (2008)
Doubt (2008)
Eagle Eye (2008)
Flash of Genius (2008)
High School Musical (there’s 3) any
Igor (animated) (2008)
John Adams (HBO series) (2008)
Madagascar 2 (animated) (2008)
Miracle at St. Anna (2008)
Nights in Rodanthe (2008)
No Reservations (2007)
Quantum of Solace (James Bond) (2008)
Seven Pounds (2008)
Swing Vote (2008)
The Dark Knight (Batman­) (2008)
Twilight (2008)
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)
W. (2008)
Wall-E (animated) (2008)
Babel (2007)
The Departed (2007)
The Queen (2007)
Little Miss Sunshine (2007)
Letters from Iwo Jima (2007)
Capote (2006)
Good Night and Good Luck (2006)
Munich (2006)
Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
Revolutionary Road (2008)
The Reader (2008)
Milk (2008)
Frost/Nixon (2008)

We are not limited to the above movies. If you find something not on the list, we certainly won’t turn you down! If you decide you would like to donate one of the above movies, we will be happy to label the movie with the name of who donated it to give you credit where credit is due.


Come in and check out a movie, or something that you have been dying to read. And just as a reminder, if you know a movie has been released, but you don’t see it on our shelves, let us know! We can get it for you through interlibrary loan, or we can place a Hold for you so you’ll be on the list. We look forward to seeing you soon!


Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you want to place a hold on a movie or a book, please don’t hesitate to call us at 825-6714.

2-10-09 Science Fiction

So I’ve noticed that Pipestone has a very particular set of readers. Our most popular topics are mysteries/crime dramas and Christian Inspiration. Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s not a problem with those particular subjects, but what about some other subjects that get overlooked, such as science fiction and fantasy novels.

Science fiction and Fantasy? I can almost hear you telling me I must be kidding. But some of the science fiction and fantasy authors write a really good dramatic story, often involving mysteries and plenty of angst, perhaps even a moral.

The newest books in the genre on our shelves right now include:

A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
This book is the fourth in a wonderful series (A Song of Ice and Fire) rife with political intrigue. Told from the point of view of several different main characters, Martin manages to keep a coherent story even with action happening in many different places. Fans of a good mystery or drama will love the series and the author, who is not afraid to make terrible things happen to some of his characters. This is not a good-triumphs-over-evil type of fantasy, but a very human story, with all its twists and turns.

The Resurrectionist by Jack O’Connell
This story is science fiction, yes, but the underlying plot is that of a suspense-thriller with very gothic leanings. It centers around a pharmacist from Ohio who brings his comatose son to a clinic that promises assistance. Doctors there claim to have “resurrected” children like Danny before, though the actual reality is far more sinister. Taking place in two different worlds, this tale is sure to captivate any mystery fan and bring deep meaning to the reconnection of a father and a son.

Black Ships
by Jo Graham
A completely new retelling of the Aeneid, by Virgil. Ships with black sails left the sacked city of Troy on an epic quest and this novel tells that saga from the point of a view of a young oracle in service to the Lady of the Dead. This book is brilliantly written and a very compelling story, and any fan of dramatic tales will not be able to put it down.

Swallowing Darkness by Laurell K. Hamilton
This is Book 7 of the Merry Gentry series, all of which are available through interlibrary loan. Merry Gentry is an American citizen, but she is also half-Faerie and is in line to rule as the Queen of the Unseelie Faerie court, if only she can have children before her cousin does. In this installment, Merry is pregnant and struggling to stay alive long enough for her children to be born so she can claim the crown for herself. Of course, if her cousin has anything to say about it, that won’t happen. American politics have nothing on the Faery Court! And fan of a good thriller will enjoy this book, though beware that some of the adult interactions are explicit.

Come in and check out one of these books, or something else that you have been dying to read. When it’s cold outside, it’s always good to have a nice book to curl up with. And just as a reminder, if you know a book has come out, but you don’t see it on our shelves, let us know! We can get it for you through interlibrary loan, or we can place a Hold for you so you’ll be on the list. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Meinders Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you want to place one of these books on hold, please don’t hesitate to call us at 825-6714.

1-26-09 Escape to Book Island, Adult Winter Reading Program

Meinders Community Library and the Plum Creek Library System are once again having their adult Winter Reading Program. When we’ve got subzero temperatures outside, there are few better things to do than curl up on the couch with a book and have we got books for you!
The Winter Reading Program is open to anyone 16 years and older and here’s how you can participate: stop by Meinders Library and pick up a log form and a book! For every book read, the reader fills out an entry form to our weekly drawing and when the log form is full of twelve books, the reader receives a nifty prize. The prizes this year are nice six-pack coolers (for the weekly drawings) and your choice of the following for a full log form: a mug, a keychain pen, a tire gauge, or a giant chocolate bar.

We’ve got books for all sorts of readers, from those who want something serious to make them think, to those who use it for escape and only want to read fluff. You have from January 1st until March 31st to fill in your log form with twelve books to win a prize, but you only need to get one book finished to be entered in the weekly drawing or the grand drawing at the end of the program. So come in and give it a try!

And make sure to tell your friends! The more people that sign up, the more chance we have at receiving the Champion Readers Traveling Trophy and $500.00 to help us with new books for our patrons.

Meinders Community Library is open from 10 – 8 Monday through Thursday, and from 10 – 5 Friday and Saturday. We look forward to seeing you!

1-12-09 Westlaw Database

We have many amazing resources at the library, but one of the least used would have to be the Westlaw legal database. Both Meinders and the law library in the Pipestone County Courthouse have subscriptions to the database with the package Minnesota PRO plus.

The Minnesota PRO plus package provides researchers with access to MN case law, statutes, court rules and orders, administrative code, attorney general opinions, and law reviews and journals. It also provides access to federal materials for the Eighth Circuit Court of appeals, and U.S. District Court decisions for Arkansas, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, as well as the United States Code Annotated (USCA), the unannotated United States Code (USC), United States public Laws, federal court rules and orders, and U.S. Code Congressional & Administrative News.

While the database can be difficult to use for someone who does not have legal training, there is a tutorial website available as well as an instruction manual. The website needs an email address to log into, but it provides a list of topics and lessons as well as the time it takes to complete each lesson. Some patrons might find this easier than the wordiness of the manual.

In addition to the database, there are many useful websites that a librarian could direct you to for legal information. Please keep in mind that a librarian is legally prevented from giving any legal advice by Minnesota Statute 481.02, but we can certainly point you in the right direction and provide you with the information you need to find what you are looking for.

The Westlaw database is available free to the public on a first come, first serve basis during regular library hours. If you have any questions, please give us a call at 825-6714 or stop by during our business hours. Meinders Library is open Monday-Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. We look forward to seeing you!

12-29-08

It’s been a few months since new books have been ordered for Meinder’s Library, but we are getting back on track quickly! For all you avid readers, keep your eyes glued to our shelves for all the new books that publishers are releasing now. And remember, if we don’t have it in our collections, we can get it in a few days through our fantastic Inter-Library Loan.

The newest books on our shelves right now include:

Against Medical Advice: A True Story by James Patterson
Cory Friedman woke up one morning when he was five years old with the uncontrollable urge to twitch his neck. From that day forward his life became a hell of irrepressible tics and involuntary utterances, and Cory embarked on an excruciating journey from specialist to specialist to discover the cause of his disease.

Black Ops, by W.E.B. Griffin
The much anticipated fifth book of the presidential agent series. Lt. Col. Charley Castillo tracks down the terrorists who murdered an American diplomat in Beunos Aires. His questions lead him to Russian spies, who give information on an Iranian bioweapons factory in the Congo. Griffin fans will be very pleased with the book.

Bodies Left Behind, by Jeffery Deaver
An aborted 911 call leads a police officer to a secluded vacation home, where a murder is doscovered and a game begins between the murderers and the officer that leads to several jaw-dropping plot twists. Fans of high energy books will love this story!

Brass Verdict, by Michael Connelly
This is Michael Connelly’s 20th book and his most intricate. LA Lawyer Mickey Haller makes another appearance, working alongside LAPD Detective Harry Bosch. Readers will delight in the interaction between the two and the beautifully executed plot (no pun intended…)

Dewey the Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World, by Vicky Myron and Bret Witter
Spencer, Iowa, is the setting for this story about a kitten who gets put into the after-hours book drop at the library. Told by the library director, Myron, the story is beautiful and heart-warming, about a cat who brought a community together by just being himself.

A Mercy, by Toni Morrison
This latest story from Morrison is set in the late 1600s, a story of pain and desperation brought about by the conditions of slavery. The daughter of a slave is given to a farmer as payment and the echoes of the decision are far-reaching. The farmer’s wife suffers miscarriage after miscarriage and strugles with her faith, a Native American servant craves the love of a family to replace the one she’s lost. When Jacob falls ill, each of these women suffer and their ways of life are threatenened. The story is poignant and powerful, in brilliant Morrison fashion.

YOU Being Beautiful, by Michael F. Roizen and Dr. Mehmet C. Oz
This book is the follow-up to YOU: Staying Young and includes tips for acheiving inner and outer beauty. They give advice on personal care, diet, exercise, cosmetic enhancements, and how to deal with stress. The book is entertaining as well as fulfilling. Readers will enjoy the humor and treasure the advice.

Come in and check out one of these books, or something else that you have been dying to read. January marks the start of a New Year and if you need a resolution, reading more is always a good one! We look forward to seeing you soon!

Meinder’s Community Library is open Monday – Thursday from 10 AM to 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you want to place one of these books on hold, please don’t hesitate to call us at 825-6714.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Very First Post

Hello, from Meinders Community Library! We are a small public library attached to the local high school and our collections are combined. We are located in Pipestone, Minnesota, a town of about 6,000 wonderful people (and no bad ones, we swear!) in the southwestern corner of the state.

We will be attempting, with this blog, to keep everyone updated about our latest news and future plans. We will be archiving all of our newspaper articles (which are biweekly) and press releases here, as well as notes on our summer reading program, other youth programs, and adult speakers. We hope you will enjoy reading and continue to visit!