Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Winter Reading Program 2013


Pipestone County Star – 12-20-12

“Hot Reads for Cold Nights: Connecting Minnesota Writers and Minnesota Readers” Winter Reading program begins on January 1st, 2013!!

Your public library and the Plum Creek Library System have teamed up once again for a chance for you to win great prizes just by reading, which everyone wants to do in the winter anyway, right?  The more you read, the greater your chances for these HOT prizes.  Simply keep a reading log and punch card and when the card is full, turn it in at the circulation desk for an awesome prize. Prizes this year include the fabulous mugs for hot tea while reading (they are dark blue and white this year), really nice post-it note sets that are great in library bags or purses, and chocolate bars.  How can you go wrong with chocolate!?

Meinders Library has never won the participation trophy which is awarded for the library with the most participating readers.  We should try for it this year!!  Tell all your friends to come and get signed up and let’s make this the best Winter Reading Program we’ve ever had!  The program doesn’t end until march 31st, so there is a lot of time to participate.

This winter reading program is funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota’s arts and cultural heritage.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library! The Book Sale is THIS COMING WEEK from December 26 until December 28!!  Stop in and find some good deals today!!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club meets the fourth Thursday of each month (except December) in the Meinders Library conference room.  The next meeting is January 24th at 7:00 PM and the book is The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman.  Everyone is welcome. 

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Have a Holly Jolly Holiday


Pipestone County Star – 12-20-12

There are some plants that I associate with the holidays because they’ve always been there.  People always put up mistletoe, there are holly berries in all the wreaths I see, Christmas trees are in abundance and you can buy bright red amaryllis for everyone on your Christmas list.  Why those plants?  Is there a special meaning behind them?

Mistletoe:  Mistletoe was considered by the ancient Celts as a remedy for bareness and an antidote to poison, though the actual reason for kissing under it is unclear.  According to the legends, the mistletoe can’t touch the ground between the time of its harvest and the time it is finally thrown away.  If a young man and woman kiss beneath it, he must remove one of the berries from the plant and when all the berries are gone, kissing is no longer allowed.  Medically, mistletoe has several uses, both for circulatory diseases and for cancer treatments.

Evergreen trees:  Because evergreen trees are just that, ever green, they have been a symbol of eternal life for thousands of years.  Garlands, trees, and wreaths have been used as decoration as far back as the Egyptians, the Chinese, and Hebrew culture.  They were made popular by the Germans and were typically decorated with nuts, dried fruits and apples that the children could pick off and eat.  Colorful glass balls replaced the apples at some point, and history took over from there.  Now there are so many colors and shapes of ornaments, I don’t know where to start!

 Most often, Fir trees are used since they have the added bonus of not shedding their leaves when they dry out (note that for next year) and it has become more popular now to either have a tree that grows in a pot and remains alive, or to have an artificial tree to decorate.

Holly:  It turns out that holly has no deep meaning at all – it’s just the right color at the right time.  Holly leaves are evergreen, glossy and dark, and the berries, typically red, ripen in the winter, providing a beautiful contrast of color with the snow on the ground.  Once the frosts have reduced the berries toxicity, birds eat them happily.  They are toxic for humans and will cause vomiting, though some species of holly are used to brew teas that have the highest caffeine content of any natural substance.

Amaryllis:  The bulbs sold in stores as Christmas gifts are from the species Hippaestrum and are easy to grow indoors.  Their colors are typically dark pinks and reds, giving color to indoors during the winter seasons since they will grow as long as they have water and light – they do not need to be outdoors to be beautiful and hundreds of thousands are sold each year to grace dining room tables around the holidays.  They do not have a specific meaning to the holiday, but I LOVE getting one from my mother every year!

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that you have great plans coming up for the New Year.  Happy Holidays!!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library! The Book Sale is THIS COMING WEEK from December 26 until December 28!!  Stop in and find some good deals today!!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club meets the fourth Thursday of each month (except December) in the Meinders Library conference room.  The next meeting is January 24th at 7:00 PM and the book is The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman.  Everyone is welcome. 

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Monday, November 26, 2012

For Your Shopping List Part 2


Pipestone County Star – 12-6-12

There are always more books than one can shake a stick at, especially during the holiday season.  Because so many authors release books right around Christmas, I’ve continued my article from two weeks ago with a few more that are bound to make readers happy.  Check these out at the library for some extra awesome holiday reading!!

Empire and Honor, W.E.B. Griffin
Part of the Honor Bound series.  It’s October 1945 and the Germans and Japanese have surrendered. For Cletus Frade and the OSS, it should be time to hang up their hats and move on, but… In the closing months of the war, the United States made a secret deal with the head of German intelligence’s Soviet section. In exchange for intelligence, including the identity of the Soviet spies in the American atomic bomb program, his people would be spirited to safety. If word got out, the US could lose some valuable secrets.  It’s up to Frade and his company to keep them safe, but we all know that’s not going to happen easily.  This one is a nail-biter.

Private London, James Patterson
Hannah Shapiro, a lovely American student, fled to London after a nightmare in Los Angeles that almost took her life.  She believed she’d leave it all behind, but she was wrong.  Now it’s up to Dan Carter, head of Private London, to save her all over again.  Dan’s ex-wife, Kirsty Webb, is a detective involved with a string of abductions and murders, leaving bodies of young women mutilated in strange ways and the cases are most likely linked together.  Private has a lot of resources, but possibly not enough time to get the job done and save Hannah.  A little holiday suspense!

Shadow Woman, Linda Howard
Almost a female Jason Bourne story, this one has twists and turns you won’t see coming and will keep you guessing until the end.  Lizette Henry wakes up one morning and no longer recognizes her own face in the mirror.  To top that off, years seem to be missing from her life and no one seems to be able to tell her why.  It doesn’t take long for a natural paranoia to seep in and Lizette begins to discover unusual talents, not the least of which is the ability to evade surveillance.  There ARE people watching her, you see, and this new man in her life, Xavier says he’s there to help.  Is he?  Or is he in league with the assassins that seem to want to take Lizette out of the picture…

Shiver, Karen Robards
Samantha Jones is a tow-truck driver.  She doesn’t really want to be, but being a Repo Girl pays the bills for herself and her young son, so crappy truck is the choice.  Her latest repossession brought her something more than she bargained for.  Trapped in the trunk is a man beaten bloody and tied up, obviously left for dead.  Out of the goodness of her heart, she unties him, only to be taken hostage along with her young son.  But the man seems like a protector rather than an abductor and, even though he’s forcing her to help him, she’s beginning to feel a strange attraction to Danny.  Suspenseful and romantic at the same time, a good read for a cold day!

Two Graves, Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
The latest in the Agent Pendergast series beings some surprises.  For years, Pendergast has believed that his beloved wife Helen is dead.  In this installment, he finds her still alive but their joyful reunion is cut short abruptly when Helen is kidnapped from right under his nose.  Pendergast must embark on a crazy journey to save her, only to find that his rescue unleashes someone who has planned the entire thing.  Stopping this new threat will take him deep into the jungles of South America and reveal some secrets that were better not known.   I love this series and highly recommend it for the fast-paced storytelling and engrossing plots.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club meets the fourth Thursday of each month (except December) in the Meinders Library conference room.  The next meeting is January 24th at 7:00 PM and the book is The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman.  Everyone is welcome. 

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

For Your Shopping Lists



Ah, the insanity of the holidays.  I saw a cartoon the other day of a turkey yelling at Santa Claus to wait his turn, but I don’t think that’s gotten through to retailers.  Walmart already has their Christmas trees and decorations out, complete with the strong spicy smell I think they pipe through their air system.  I like it, honestly, but I’m starting to get confused as to how close to Christmas we really are…

In honor of the upcoming holidays, take a moment to check out some of these new books.  I bet there’s someone on your list who might need one or two, OR you could let them know they can get into the spirit by checking them out at their local library!

Angels at the Table, Debbie Macomber
Shirley, Goodness, and Mercy are three wonderful angels, excited about spreading around a little divine intervention.  In this touching story, they have an apprentice angel, Will, to take under their wings and show the ropes.  During New Years Eve in Times Square, Will finds a couple he thinks MUST be together, so he gives them a gentle nudge in the right direction.  Soon after, circumstances pull them apart, but a year later, the angels find that they have a chance to correct the problem and give the young couple a chance at true happiness and a real Christmas miracle.

Flight Behavior, Barbara Kingsolver
Kingsolver has always been a magical storyteller, from the Poisonwood Bible to the Lacuna, she manages to tackle social interactions with a deft hand, creating stories that transfix readers.  Flight Behavior is no different.  It follows the story of Dellarobia Turnbow, a woman who became pregnant too early and changed her life plans to take care of the child.  Now caught in a domestic situation she doesn’t enjoy, she starts flirting with a younger man.  On her way to a tryst, she sees a raging forest fire and the story continues from there.  Is it a cautionary sign from God?  Or is it the proof that scientists need to point out their theories of climate change?

The Last Man, Vince Flynn
Mitch Rapp is at it again, this time in Afghanistan.  The head of Clandestine Operations for the CIA has gone missing and his four bodyguards are found murdered.  Rapp needs to find the man, but just a short time into the mission, he discovers the FBI is hunting for the agent, too, and seem far more keen on placing the blame for the disappearance on Rapp.  He’ll have to be just as deceitful as his enemies in order to keep ahead of them and complete his mission.  This will have you at the edge of your seat!!

Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Book Store, Robin Sloan
Everybody knows that bookstores have secrets.  Clay Jannon, a one-time computer programmer, has no job until he manages to land a night gig at Mr. Penumbra’s Bookstore.  But after a few days, he starts to realize that something is going on.  There are only a few customers and they only seem to *borrow* books, not purchase.  Clay beings to rope his friends into helping him figure things out, only to find the secrets are much bigger than he thought they were!  Anyone who is a fan of modern fantasy will LOVE this book.

Notorious Nineteen, Janet Evanovich
Right.  Who can go wrong with Stephanie Plum?  She’s funny, she’s talented, and she’s involved with too many men.  The only case with enough money to get her back on track is a con man who has disappeared from the hospital after an emergency surgery.  Unfortunately, the staff isn’t talking.  So Stephanie enlists Grandma Mazur (God help us all) to go undercover.   Because she needs the money, Stephanie also takes another job guarding her mentor, Ranger, from an adversary.  We all know Stephanie has a way of finding trouble, but just how much trouble is she bent on finding?

Proof of Heaven, Eben Alexander
This is a story of the remarkable turnaround in belief of a neurosurgeon.  Up until his illness, Dr. Alexander did not believe in God – there was no way he could reconcile a divine being with his science knowledge.  Following a rare brain illness, Dr. Alexander’s body and brain shut down, leaving him in a coma.  This book tells the story of his amazing journey into the afterlife and why he now believes wholeheartedly in God.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club meets the fourth Thursday of each month (except December) in the Meinders Library conference room.  Everyone is welcome.  Give us a call for the title of the next book!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Daylight Savings


Pipestone Star 11-08-12

Hopefully, everyone remembered to set their clocks back one hour on Saturday night.  I’ve always noticed that there are always a few people late for church the following morning and that just brings back memories of the times I’ve forgotten, which is really only a problem when you have a plane to catch the next morning.  No laughing, please.

Daylight savings time annoys me, I’ll admit that right now.  I don’t like having to remember it and my children always seem to take a few days to reorient themselves, which makes bedtimes painful.  I used to love the gained hour, now I just want to free myself of the hassle of the change in the first place.  Not that this is likely to happen anytime soon, mind you.  I caught myself wondering about the reasons behind the change, so I thought I’d share them with you, now that the trauma is over.

I always thought it was just the United States that participated in changing the clocks, but it’s not.  Most of Europe and parts of Australia, South America, the Middle East, and Africa also set their clocks backward and forward, though not necessarily at exactly the same time as we do.  Daylight Savings was first proposed in 1895, but it wasn’t implemented until World War One.  The reasoning behind DST is that people are more active in the evening, so it is better to put some daylight hours there, rather to waste the daylight in the early morning, when people tend to be sleeping.

Honestly, I had no idea of the effects this switch could have.  I thought of the sleep pattern disruption, but I never thought about the effect that some dairy farmers say it has on a cow’s milking schedule (remember, I’m originally a city girl).  There are contradicting reports as to whether it reduces or increases energy costs: it can cut down on the lighting needed to do outdoor activities, but can increase the power needed for cooling in the summer time.  DST is great for retailers, especially those in the sports equipment business, since people tend to participate in afternoon sports because of the increased daylight, but prime-time television suffers, as do theaters since people would rather be outside while the sun is up.   Not surprising, then, that many shows take a hiatus in the summer, with the new season starting in late September as summer activities wear to a close.  I never related that to the time change, but it makes sense!

The time itself does not actually change until 2:00 AM, both in the spring and the autumn, though I change my clocks before we go to bed on Saturday night.  That means, if you have a flight scheduled to take off at 1:45 AM (crazy, but it happens), you may land earlier than when you took off, depending on how long the flight is and where you’re headed.  In the spring, the clock changes from 1:59:59 straight to 3:00:00, and in the autumn, from 1:59:59 to 1:00:00.  In Great Britain, they change at 1:00 AM instead of 2:00, and other countries also have different times at which they change.  Start and end dates also differ, with some parts of Europe observing daylight savings AFTER the United States has switched over, and Europe switches back before the US does.  In the southern hemisphere, their DST occurs from October to March (not the other way around) to coincide with their summer season.   I have never been less jealous of airline schedulers as I am right now.  Imagine the nightmare of trying to coordinate all those time zones and changes!

Have a great week, everyone!  Look at it this way, the election is over (when I write this, I have no idea what the outcome will be) and the political adds are over.  Thanksgiving is on its way, and books are coming out for Christmas.  Stay tuned for the next article when we’ll look at some of the blockbusters that you could put under your tree!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!  PAFL will be having a fundraiser on November 5th at Pizza Ranch.  Come have some great pizza and support your local library!!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be meeting November 15th at 7:00 PM in the Meinders Library Conference room.  The book is The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht.  Please contact the library for a copy of the next book and feel free to join up with our readers!  Everyone is welcome!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Zombie Obsession


Pipestone County Star 10-25-12

A few years ago, I purchased a copy of Max Brooks A Zombie Survival Guide: Complete Protection from the Living Dead as a lark – it’s got to be a funny read, right?  Oh my word, it was hysterical.  And it came out right at the beginning of a brand new phase of American Zombie Obsession.   I’m sure you won’t be surprised when I say I went along with the flow.  I even have a garden zombie sculpture in my back yard and green vinyl zombies on the back of my van.  I know I’m weird, I’ve already been told.

Despite that, there is some brilliant zombie fiction out there, both on the big screen and on the pages of a book.

I kissed a Zombie and I Liked It is a young adult novel by Adam Selzer with a vastly different romantic hero than most love stories.  When a high school music critic meets up with a singer, she finds him kind of cute, if very quiet, and begins to fall in love.  She overlooks the flaws that others see, such as his lack of clothing changes, the odd angle of his head, and his lack of speech, and it takes someone else to point out his zombie nature.  She breaks up with him, but the spark is already there.  What’s a girl to do?

Patient Zero tells the story of a detective that has to stop terrorists from turning the world population into zombies with the release of a new bio-weapon.  Written by Jonathan Maberry, this is the first of a series of books centering around Detective Joe Ledger and they promise to be doozies.  The thought of a biologically weaponized zombie plague gives me the heebie-jeebies.

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is for all our classic literature lovers out there.  Seth Grahame-Smith and Roberto Parada didn’t change all that much of Jane Austin’s original work.  In fact, Miss Austen is still listed as one of the authors, since the characters are entirely hers.  Nouns and verbs were changed within the story to make it a tale of destroying the undead and some interesting illustrations were added to make it more captivating, but you’d be surprised how much of the story remains intact.  I recommend it, especially for those of you who need a little zest to make Austen palatable.

The Walking Dead, which is in its third season on AMC, is possibly one of the best (and possibly only) television series centered around zombies.  I watch it with my shirt pulled partway over my face and always have to watch something funny afterwards in order to go to sleep, and yet I keep watching.  Why?  Because the acting and the character development is astounding.  The television show is based on a series of excellent graphic novels which are worth the read for anyone who is a fan of the genre.

World War Z, also by Max Brooks, is currently being made into a movie starring Brad Pitt in the leading role of a man traveling the world to record survivor memories of the zombie apocalypse during which at least ¾ of the planet was completely wiped out.  The book is fantastic and I have high hopes for the movie.  If you like zombies, this book is a must read.

There are also several tongue in cheek guides to fighting the undead available on the internet.  Remember, if the zombies come, I don’t have to run all that fast.  I just have to run faster than you.  Happy Halloween, everybody.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!  PAFL will be having a fundraiser on November 5th at Pizza Ranch.  Come have some great pizza and support your local library!!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be meeting November 29th at 7:00 PM in the Meinders Library Conference room.  Please contact the library for a copy of the next book and feel free to join up with our readers!  Everyone is welcome!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Changing Leaves


Pipestone County Star, 09-27-12

I love fall.  It’s my favorite time of year.  The crisp air, the fact that I can wear my favorite yellow jacket, and the pumpkin flavoring that gets put in everything all combine to make me one very happy librarian.  I’ve always loved to look at leaves, but I’ve never given much thought to how they change color.  This year, I thought I would check into it.

Plants use sunlight to make oxygen and sugar from water and carbon dioxide.  They use a chemical called chlorophyll to accomplish this process.  Chlorophyll happens to be green, which is why leaves are green throughout the spring and summer.  In the fall, when the leaves begin to turn, the chlorophyll is going away and the trees are no longer making food.  As trees go dormant, their leaves change colors.

The beautiful red that is my favorite is caused by the leftover glucose turning color in the sunlight.  The brown of oak leaves is the result of waste products left behind from photosynthesis (turning sunlight into food) in the leaves.  Purples and yellows are caused by other chemicals and pigments left behind in the leaves as the chlorophyll fades away.

Weather also has an effect on leaf color.  If the weather is cool, more colors will form, but freezing will dull them.  This would be why we have brilliant colors for only a short period around here – it doesn’t take long to go from cool to freezing in Minnesota.  The best time to enjoy leaves is late September to early October, when the weather is clear and cool, but we haven’t (hopefully) had any frost yet.

As the leaves change color, the trees also get ready to lose them.  Small groups of cells form at the base of each leaf and gradually separate them from the tree, sealing the bark behind them.  When the leaf gets blown away or falls because it’s too heavy, it leaves behind a tiny leaf scar, already healed by the tree.

Go out and enjoy the leaves this year – hopefully they will be beautiful!  Happy fall, everyone!!

Ebooks!! Ebooks have now gone live and you can check out a book to your Nook, Kindle, or other Ereading device.  If you have trouble accessing Overdrive through the Meinders Library catalogue, please call the library and let us know!!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be meeting September 27th at 7:00 PM in the Meinders Library Conference room.  The book this month is Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.  Please contact the library for a copy and feel free to join up with our readers!  Everyone is welcome!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  (The Saturday of Labor Day Weekend, the library is only open from 10 until Noon).  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

El Nino versus La Nina


As I write this article, South Dakota has dozens of schools closing early because, once again, our temperatures are getting awfully close to 100 degrees.  It has been a HOT, dry summer and I think we’re all eager for it to be over.  But WHY has it been so hot and dry?

I’ve heard the words El Nino (‘The Boy’ in Spanish) and La Nina (‘The Girl’) tossed around a lot over the years and I always knew it had something to do with the water in the Pacific Ocean, but I never really paid attention to the specifics or why it would have any effect on us up here in the Midwest.  So here’s a very simple crash course.  And I say simple because half of the things I researched, I don’t think anyone could understand without an oceanography degree.

El Nino is the one that is responsible for hotter, drier summers around these parts.  El Nino begins when the trade winds weaken and a series of Kelvin waves (shallow, but very wide) travel across the Pacific and create a large pool of warm water near South America.  Normally, the water along South America is cold from upwelling, bringing the nutrients up from the seafloor and leading to great fishing.  During El Nino, that water warms up and creates all sorts of problems.  The Pacific Ocean is a heat sink, meaning its water is warmer than the Atlantic and since it covers so much of the surface of the earth, when its temperature changes, the weather all over the world changes with it.

La Nina is the opposite of El Nino.  More cold water is in evidence off the coast of South America and the trade winds blow more strongly than normal.  During La Nina times, more precipitation is recorded in the Midwestern states – heavier winters and more rainfall. 

Pipestone County Star

The cycle for these events averages to about every five years.  When El Nino or La Nina last for less than nine months, they are referred to as “conditions.”  If they last for more than nine months, they are referred to as “periods.”  Our last La Nina was 2011, which was probably part of the reason we had a very wet year.  This year, not so much… During the summer, meteorologists stated there’s a 50% chance of El Nino taking hold.

Please keep in mind, this was a very simple explanation.  There are many more factors to take into account for both El Nino and La Nina.  If you are interested, I encourage you to go online and read more about these weather patterns – then come and explain it more to me!

A tiny bit of trivia: During non-El Nino conditions, the trade winds move from the east to the west, pushing the warm water towards the South Pacific islands.  This aids in the upwelling I mentioned earlier along South America and actually means that the Pacific Ocean is 60 centimeters higher on the west side. 

Ebooks!! Ebooks have now gone live and you can check out a book to your Nook, Kindle, or other Ereading device.  If you have trouble accessing Overdrive through the Meinders Library catalogue, please call the library and let us know!!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be meeting September 27th at 7:00 PM in the Meinders Library Conference room.  The book this month is Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.  Please contact the library for a copy and feel free to join up with our readers!  Everyone is welcome!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.   Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.


Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Books To Look Forward To!


Sometimes, there are books that you wait for.  It might be the next book in a series, something new from a favorite author, or something that someone has told you about time and time again.  We’ve got some good ones coming in the next few months, books that I KNOW people are waiting for.  If you’re like me, some of these might even be noted on your calendar, so you can be the FIRST to read it. 

If you want to place a hold on any of these now, please call me at the library so I know you’re waiting.  We can place the hold as soon as the books are in the system!

Bones Are Forever, Kathy Reiches (August 28, 2012)
Temperance Brennan is one of my favorite forensic anthropologists and these books are ones I wait for eagerly.  A woman shows up in an ER with uncontrollable bleeding, but before the doctor can determine if her recent pregnancy was the cause, she disappears.  A follow up on the address leads to a pile of bloody towels and Brennan is called in to investigate.  The trail leads to an apartment in which decomposing bodies are found, leading the investigators on an even longer chase which will land them somewhere they never expected.  Reiches’ best Brennan novel yet!

Delusion in Death, J.D. Robb (September 11, 2012)
Airborne hallucinogenic pathogens are the latest crime Eve Dallas has to deal with.  A normal night at a bar has turned into a bloodbath, with eighty people dead once the smoke clears.  Survivors have nightmarish tales of monsters, swarms of bees, and no story is the same.  Tox screens show they were contaminated with …something…and Dallas has to work fast.  Like I said, it’s airborne.  It could strike anytime, anywhere, and only speedy detective work is going to save lives.

A Wanted Man, Lee Child (September 11, 2012)
Jack Reacher only wanted to hitch a ride to Virginia.  The four others in the car are odd, but he has no idea how odd until he’s already involved.  Three men and one woman may have fled a crime scene that left another man stabbed to death one hour behind them at a pumping station.  Has Reacher gotten himself in over his head?  In typical Child fashion, this book will keep you at the edge of your seat!

Low Pressure, Sandra Brown (September 18, 2012)
During a dark and stormy day, Susan Lyston was murdered.  Her sister, Bellamy, knows what has happened, but many of the memories are locked up tight, swirling around with a fear of the tornadoes that wiped the crime scene clean all those years ago.  Bellamy writes a fiction novel, based on the remaining memories, but it isn’t long before a reporter finds out it’s based on facts and it all goes downhill for poor Bellamy.  Someone is stalking her – does that person want to make sure the truth never comes out, or is there some unfinished business they need to attend to…

Mad River, John Sandford (October 2, 2012)
Who can resist Virgil Flowers?  Sandford’s coming novel follows a teenage murder spree with three suspects and cell phones.  The teens are capturing footage of their crimes and sending it to local news stations, but no one can guess what they’ll do next!  A perfect read for an autumn thrill.

Bone Bed, Patricia Cornwell (October 16, 2012)
Kay Scarpetta is a favorite investigator for many readers and Cornwell rarely disappoints.  In this latest installment,  a paleontologist vanishes while digging in a remote area of Canada.  The evidence makes its way to Scarpetta and seems to possibly be connected to some crimes closer to home.  But Scarpetta’s plate is overflowing with other problems while she works on the case – her partner and her husband both have secrets, her niece is being cryptic, and Scarpetta feels alone enough to possibly do something drastic…will she?

Ebooks!! Ebooks have now gone live and you can check out a book to your Nook, Kindle, or other Ereading device.  If you have trouble accessing Overdrive through the Meinders Library catalogue, please call the library and let us know!!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be taking its summer break until September.  The date of the meeting will be included in future articles.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the book club, give us a call and we can sign you up!  Everyone is welcome and they have a great time!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, and Friday and Saturday from 10 AM – 5 PM.  (The Saturday of Labor Day Weekend, the library is only open from 10 until Noon).  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.


Friday, August 10, 2012

The Olympics


On August 3rd, as I was walking on the treadmill at Anytime Fitness, I had the privilege of watching the qualifying rounds for the women’s 100 meter sprint.  For the first time, a young woman from Qatar raced for her country.  Though she was injured in the race and was heartbroken, her appearance at the games is a victory.

Three countries sent women to the Olympics for the very first time this year: Saudi Arabia, Brunei, and Qatar.  For the first time, every country at the Olympics has at least one woman on their team.  During the qualifiers this morning, I saw a woman race from Libya and one from Afghanistan, in long pants, long sleeves, and a headscarf colored like the Afghani flag to protect her modesty.  I was humbled and amazed by the courage of these women, competing in an area that is traditionally reserved for the men of their country.  Even if they don’t win any medals, they are pioneers and represent the true spirit of the Olympic Games.

By the time I turn this article in to the paper to be published, the Olympics will still be going.  I’ve tried to keep track of the athletes and coaches that went to compete in the games from the state of Minnesota.  The following is a list of our representatives and the medals that have been won so far:

·         Seimone Augustus, 28, women’s basketball  (Gold Medal Game 8/11)
·         Lindsey Berg, 32, women’s volleyball  (Gold Medal Match 8/11)
·         Ali Bernard, 26, women’s wrestling – 72-kg freestyle (Did not qualify)
·         Chas Betts, 26, men’s wrestling – 84-kg Greco-Roman (Did not compete in finals)
·         Rachel Bootsma, 18, women’s swimming – 100-meter backstroke GOLD
·         Kelci Bryant, 23, women’s diving – 3-meter synchronized SILVER
·         Kara Goucher, 34, women’s track and field – marathon (11th place)
·         Megan Kalmoe, 28, women’s rowing – quadruple sculls BRONZE
·         Kevin Love, 23, men’s basketball (Semi-final 8/10)
·         Hugh McCutcheon, 42, women’s volleyball head coach
·         Maya Moore, 23, women’s basketball (Gold Medal Game 8/11)
·         Susie Scanlan, 21, women’s fencing – individual epee BRONZE
·         Alise Post, 21, women’s cycling – BMX (Semi-finals 8/10)
·         Amanda Smock, 29, women’s track and field – triple jump (Did not compete in finals)
·         Roberto Sobalvarro, 54, women’s fencing – head coach
·         Brittany Viola, 25, women’s diving – 10-meter platform (Ranked 15 in Preliminary)
·         Lindsay Whalen, 30, women’s basketball  (Gold Medal Game 8/11)


Ebooks!! Ebooks have now gone live and you can check out a book to your Nook, Kindle, or other Ereading device.  If you have trouble accessing Overdrive through the Meinders Library catalogue, please call the library and let us know!!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be taking its summer break until September.  The date of the meeting will be included in future articles.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the book club, give us a call and we can sign you up!  Everyone is welcome and they have a great time!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The summer hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, Friday from 10 AM – 5 PM, and Saturday from 10AM to Noon.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.


Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Have Your Cake and Eat it, Too!




Lots of parents, myself included, want to make awesome themed birthday cakes for their kids’ parties.  All right, maybe not lots, but there are definitely some of us.  I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but buying a cakepan that’s JUST RIGHT in the hobby or grocery store can be very expensive, not to mention having to buy the decorations and the cake mix, the frosting and the candles.

Meinders Library can help!  Did you know that we check out cake pans?  That’s right, there are more than 200 cake pans in the Plum Creek system, ranging from Alf to Yogi Bear with all sorts of things in between.  We have Mermaids, rabbits, Batman, Hockey Players, Dora, and more.  Stop in and see what we have on site – we’ve also got a list of the pans held at other libraries!

It takes about a week for a pan to come in if we don’t have it and you can check it out for a week; depending on when you need it, we can extend the date a little.  Some of the pans come with decorating suggestions and instructions.  All we ask is that they come back clean, or with enough cake that the staff can have some (just kidding!).

The cake pans rotate every three months, with new pans coming in from other libraries.  We do have some pans that do not rotate, those that were donated specifically to us and are not part of the joint collection.  If you have any pans at home that you no longer need or want, please consider donating them to the library – there are people out there who need exactly that design!

Hope you’re having a great summer and just remember, libraries have more than just books!  If you have questions about anything we might offer, please give us a call.

Ebooks!! Ebooks have now gone live and you can check out a book to your Nook, Kindle, or other Ereading device.  If you have trouble accessing Overdrive through the Meinders Library catalogue, please call the library and let us know!!

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be taking its summer break until September.  The date of the meeting will be included in future articles.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the book club, give us a call and we can sign you up!  Everyone is welcome and they have a great time!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The summer hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, Friday from 10 AM – 5 PM, and Saturday from 10AM to Noon.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

It's the End of the World As We Know It

Pipestone County Star  - 07-19-12

They disproved the end of the world, you know.  A few days ago, a Mayan expert came out and said that the world was not ending this year and everyone was confused.  So just in case you were worried, you can stop.  Of course, according to someone else, the world should have ended a few months ago if we were paying attention to the Mayans, since their calendar never accounted for Leap Years. 

It has always amazed me how some people are bent of knowing exactly when the world will end.  Do we really want to know?  Wouldn’t it be better to just live our lives and enjoy ourselves without worrying about a date at which everything we know will come to an abrupt and screeching halt? 

Then, of course, there are some people that love a certain genre called Apocalyptic fiction, the stories about what happens to those that are left after the end.  Whether the end is caused by zombies, religious revelation, nuclear war, or global warming, if you enjoy stories of the end of the world, then these might be for you.  All of these stories are also movies or being made into movies – must be something about this particular form of fiction that catches the public attention!

The Road, by Cormac McCarthy (Also a movie)
This book is an amazing story of a father and a son who struggle to stay alive in post-apocalyptic America.  Desperately trying to make their way to the coast with only some scavenged food, a pistol, and each other, they must defend themselves against roving bands of other survivors as well as keep their hope in a world gone gray and cold.  The book centers around the relationship of the two, showing that love can be the greatest survival tool of all.  Beautifully written and highly recommended.

The Stand, by Stephen King (also a movie)
The flu is responsible for the apocalypse in this novel, bringing it far closer to home than many of the others, far more believable.  99% of humanity is wiped out in two weeks and the survivors find themselves wandering, lost, and in need of leadership.  Two emerge – Mother Abigail, 108 years old, and Randall Flagg, charismatic but who seems to delight in violence.   Mother Abigail appears in dreams to people, encouraging them to move towards Boulder, CO, where a new society can be constructed.  Flagg just wants everything destroyed, attracting the dregs of what is left to his cause.  A classic fight between good and evil with religious overtones, this book will have you at the edge of your chair.

World War Z, by Max Brooks (being made into a movie)
This is an Ebook in the Plum Creek Library digital catalogue and I’d heard a few things about it, so I decided to check it out – not only to get a feel for the way Ebooks worked, but also to have a good read.  I am so incredibly surprised by this book.  A zombie apocalypse has taken place and a good majority of the Earth’s population has been wiped out.  A scientist takes it upon himself to get first-hand, oral accounts from the survivors and this book is a compilation of those reports.   The book is amazingly detailed and very engrossing, an oral history of something that never happened.  I recommend it to anyone who enjoys this sort of thing!

I Am Legend, by Richard Matheson (Also a movie)
I’ve read both the short story and seen the movies (yes, there’s more than one) and I must say the story is much better.  Robert Neville is possibly the only man left on the face of the planet.  Or perhaps I should say only human.  Some sort of plague has transmuted every other man, woman, and child into ravenous blood-thirsty creatures that only roam at night.  During the day, Robert hunts them down and destroys any he can find.  At night, he barricades himself in his house, with his dog, and prays for the sun to come back quickly.  This story is haunting and intense, and the ending will shock you.

2012, starring John Cusack (2012) DVD
Perhaps a bit on the overdone side, this movie is classic big action, end of the world, storytelling.  Solar flares, earthquakes, and other strange weather phenomena tip off a scientist that the end of the world is imminent.  Not enough people listen, of course, and what we get are fantastic special effects of the coast of California breaking away, the destruction of the Vatican and other major cities, and all sorts of environmental mayhem.  The cast of actors is very watchable and the special effects are great, so if you like this kind of movie, you’ll probably really enjoy it!

Ebooks!! Ebooks have now gone live and you can check out a book to your Nook, Kindle, or other Ereading device.  If you have trouble accessing Overdrive through the Meinders Library catalogue, please call the library and let us know!!

Event Update:  We are considering having a pet storytime, a time where pets and kids can hang out and listen to stories.  If you have a pet you think might fit the bill (well-mannered, easygoing, friendly to children), please give us a call and let us know if you are interested!  All pets welcome – we are equal opportunity pet lovers.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be taking its summer break until September.  The date of the meeting will be included in future articles.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the book club, give us a call and we can sign you up!  Everyone is welcome and they have a great time!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The summer hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, Friday from 10 AM – 5 PM, and Saturday from 10AM to Noon.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Spare Time for Summer Reading? (Series)


Ah, summer.  Lawn chairs, iced tea, and perhaps a little extra time to read (who am I kidding?).  Some people really like to get involved with series, others prefer books with no attachments.  If you have some spare time and don’t mind getting involved with a book that has sequels, then this list is for you.   If you prefer to read one and be done with it, you might want to steer clear of these. 

Fifty Shades Trilogy by E.L. James
Who doesn’t know a little about these books with all the press they’ve been getting lately.  Though they are explicit in the sex department, the story is actually very engrossing and has kept readers coming back to the sequels to find out how it ends.  Ana Steele is unaware of the path her love life will take when she meets Christian Grey, a man who is tormented by the need to control.  Can Ana handle the ways things go for her?  I’ve heard nothing but good things about the series and I encourage anyone interested to pick up a copy and start reading!  Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, Fifty Shades Freed.

A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin
If you’ve talked to me about fantasy novels at the library, you know these are my favorites.  Made into an award winning series on HBO, these books are not sunshine and daisies fantasy.  Martin is not afraid to let you get attached to a character, only to have them experience terrible losses and other horrors.  The story follows many people during a war in a medieval type land and the character development is absolutely superb.  A must read for anyone who enjoys political machinations, romance, and dark fantasy.  A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast for Crows, A Dance with Dragons.

Bailey Flanigan series by Karen Kingsbury
This series is for those of us that desire inspirational stories with happy endings.  Follow Bailey Flanigan as she falls in love, falls out of love, falls in love again, and ultimately has to make choices for her future that will hopefully lead her in the right direction.  The story is heartwarming, full of rich characters, and something that will ultimately make you sigh and smile with enjoyment.  Leaving, Learning, Longing, Loving.

The Left Behind series by Tim Lahaye
This is your classic, End-of-the-World, apocalyptic fiction, courtesy of Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins.  These books tell the story of the seven year tribulation period suggested by Revelation and follow characters dealing with the end of life as we know it.  The books are engrossing and will keep you at the end of your seat, though they’re not exactly relaxing.  There is also a series for young adults (Left Behind Kids) and several other series that have sprung from this original set of books.  Left Behind, Tribulation Force, Nicolae, Soul Harvest, Appolyon, Assassins, The Indwelling.

The Edilean novels by Jude Deveraux
This series is multi-generational and the books span several centuries, from Scotland to the New World, ultimately focusing on the town of Edilean, Virginia.  The stories are romances, some are mysterious, and all involve marvelous men and women trying to find their way in life, and hopefully, love.  Jude Deveraux is a wonderful author and her special talent is writing stories that involve families over years of relationships.  Lavender Morning, Days of Gold, Scarlet Nights, The Scent of Jasmine, Heartwishes, Moonlight in the Morning, Stranger in the Moonlight (August 2012).

Ebooks!! Ebooks have now gone live and you can check out a book to your Nook, Kindle, or other Ereading device.  If you have trouble accessing Overdrive through the Meinders Library catalogue, please call the library and let us know!!

Event Update:  We are considering having a pet storytime, a time where pets and kids can hang out and listen to stories.  If you have a pet you think might fit the bill (well-mannered, easygoing, friendly to children), please give us a call and let us know if you are interested!  All pets welcome – we are equal opportunity pet lovers.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  For more information, please contact the library!

Book Club Reminder:  Book Club will be taking its summer break until September.  The date of the meeting will be included in future articles.  If you are interested in becoming a member of the book club, give us a call and we can sign you up!  Everyone is welcome and they have a great time!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The summer hours for Meinders Library are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, Friday from 10 AM – 5 PM, and Saturday from 10AM to Noon.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.


Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Summer Reading Programs


CHILDREN’S Summer Reading Program
Dream Big. Read! is the theme of this year’s Summer Reading Program and it opens up worlds of possibilities.  Signup starts for the summer reading program began on June 1st and all books read since then count if you get signed up a little late.  Once you fill up your reading log, we have tons of great prizes for you to choose from!

 Activity days start on June 12th at 2:00 PM in the library.  All children from age 5 to age 12 are welcome, though we do ask that children under 7 be accompanied by an adult.  Activities will run until about 3:00 PM and will involve lots of great crafts the kids can bring home.  Kids do NOT have to sign up for activity days – you can just show up!

Activities include bat puppets, glow in the dark fireflies, dream journals, marshmallow shooters, star streamers, constellation crafts, rockets, alien playdough, solar system mobiles, and much more!

Movie afternoons will be Thursdays, starting on June 14th at 2:00PM.  All of the chosen movies have space or dream themes and all are rated G or PG.  Popcorn and juice boxes will be available during the movies and we will be showing them on a large screen in the computer lab at the back of the library.  You do not have to sign up for movie days – you can just come and have fun.  For movie day, we ask that any child under the age of 10 be accompanied by an adult.

Movies are scheduled as follows: Journey to the Center of the Earth (6/14), Tangled (6/21), Daddy Daycamp (6/28), MegaMind (7/5), Bedtime Stories (7/12), Wall-E (7/19), and Galaxy Quest (7/26).

TEEN Summer Reading Program
The teen program runs the same dates as the children’s program, from June 1st to August 31st.  The theme this year is Own the Night.  There are no specialized activities, but teens are more than welcome to join us for movie afternoons on Thursdays.

ADULT Summer Reading Program
This year, we’re also adding an ADULT Summer Reading Program.  Did you feel left out because your kids had an awesome program and you didn’t?  Do you miss the winter reading program so much you want to do it again?  Now’s your chance!!  This is a rather informal program, so stop by the library and we can give you a packet of entertaining quizzes and a reading log.  In order to join in the prize drawing for the end of the program, all you have to do is turn in a review or two of books that you read over the summer.  Movies and Audiobooks count, too!

The theme of the Adult Summer Reading program is Between the Covers and we have some really cute bookmarks for you to pick up next time you’re in the library.  The Adult Reading Program will be held during the same dates as the Children’s, from June 1st until August 31st.

PAFL Update:  Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is looking for members – anyone who is a friend to Meinders Library is welcome to join!  The Friends group works hard to promote the library, raise money for projects, and organize their yearly book sale, in addition to the HUGE amount of support they provide throughout the year.  Give us a call for the date of their next meeting!

If you have questions or have a book you’d like to reserve or renew, please don’t hesitate to give us a call at (507) 825-6714.  The summer hours for Meinders Library (from Memorial Day to Labor Day) are Monday through Thursday from 10 AM – 8 PM, Friday from 10 AM – 5 PM, and Saturday from 10 AM - Noon.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.