Monday, June 24, 2013

That Darned Dewey

Pipestone County Star - 07-04-2013

The summer heat has finally arrived and once again it feels good to sit outside on the porch with a really good book.  Sometimes, instead of fiction, it feels nice to read something a little more grounded in reality, so for this article, I am going to give a breakdown of the Dewey Decimal system.  Yes, I know, it sounds confusing, but it’s really not that bad.  Once you get used to it (or have a cheat sheet), it’s pretty easy to find the subjects you are looking for.

Dewey Decimal uses a series of numbers from 0 -999.99 to organize books into similar subjects.  Inside the number values, the books are organized by author’s last name.

000 – 099.99 Information: At the beginning of the numbers, you will find books on computers, library science, books of facts (Guinness World Record books are very popular here!) , journalism and the media, quotation books, and any rare books.  We don’t have rare books and manuscripts at the Pipestone Library, but other libraries in bigger communities might have some.

100 – 199.99 Philosophy and Psychology: These numbers contain philosophy, metaphysics, astrology and the occult, psychology, logic, and ethics – all the things for light summer reading, right?  I know, I know…very few people actually want anything out of this section, but some of the material in there is really fun.

200 – 299.99 Religion: Here we get a little more interesting.  Religion, religious theory, Bibles (found in the 220s), the history and organization of the Christian church, and all other religious denominations can be found in these numbers.  Spiritual counseling also falls into this area, as well as the other holy books from other religions.

300 – 399.99 Social Sciences: Anthropology (my major in college) is found here, as well as statistics, political science, economics, law, public administration and military science, education, commerce, etiquette, and folklore.  Some great stuff if you enjoy thinking while you read (sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t!).

400 – 499.99 Language: Language and linguistics make up the 400s.  English and Old English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Latin, and many others are found in this section, both learning to speak those languages and books written in those languages.

500 – 599.99 Science:  Just what you were waiting for, right?? Science, mathematics, astronomy, physics, chemistry, astronomy, geology, fossils (DINOSAURS!!) biology, plants, and animals are all found in this area.  Kids LOVE these books, especially the dinosaurs and animals.  Plant and bird lovers are BOUND to find something that excites them, as well as gardeners.

600 – 699.99 Technology: Medical science, technology, engineering, agriculture, home and family management, business, chemical engineering, and building and construction are found here.  If you have a remodeling project or are keen on reorganizing your home, this is the place for you.  Cookbooks are also found here (641.5).

700 – 799.99 Arts and Recreation: Landscaping, architecture, sculpture, ceramics, drawing, painting, graphic arts, photography, music and sports are all found in the 700s.  Comic collections (Calvin and Hobbes, the Far Side, for example) are in the 740s and sports and game occupy the 790s.  Young and old sports fans alike will find things to make them happy, as will anyone working on a major outside renovation!

800 – 899.99 Literature: When you want to find the classics, look no further.  The 800s hold American literature, rhetoric, Old English literature (Shakespeare), classic and modern Greek literature (the plays), and poetry.  Literature in other languages such as French and Italian is also found here – some beautiful reading if you have the patience for it.

900 – 999.99 History and Geography: Really, what is more fun than history?  Geography, travel guides, biographies, genealogy, and the history of the world are found in the 900s. The biographies are my favorite, but if you are interested in the history and customs of other countries, this is the section for you.

And there you have it – an easy cheat sheet for searching the non-fiction.  Of course, there will always be books that are placed where it makes no sense, nothing is ever perfect.  And, as always, the librarians are happy to help you!  Come by and see us.

The next two articles will be reprints from earlier editions as I will be out of the country for the rest of July – stay tuned for new articles in the middle of August!  Have a great summer!

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.  Call us for the date of the next meeting!

Book Club Reminder: The book club takes a break during the summer months and they are currently on hiatus until September.  Their meetings are the fourth Tuesday of the month and over the summer, they read what they want to and report back to the club on those tomes during their first meeting.  If you enjoy reading, you should try it out!  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 from 10 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 10AM to Noon.  Summer hours are in effect from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day Weekend.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Summer Events at the Library

Pipestone County Star  - 06-20-2013

The sun is finally shining.  My children can go outside in tank-tops and I don’t feel guilty about them possibly being a bit chilly.  My plants have exploded in happiness.  And it’s time for SUMMER at the library!!

Readers of all ages will explore all things underground this summer as Meinders Community Library presents “Dig Into Reading” during their summer library program. Activities may include programs on dinosaurs or construc­tion vehicles, animals that live underground or Ancient Egypt, caves, rocks and more.  We may even be panning for gold and making our own cave paintings!!

The 2013 Summer Reading Program is open to young people, ages 5 through 12, with programs, story hours, and more.   Activity days will be Tuesdays, beginning on June 11 and ending on July 23rd.  All activities will be at 2:00 PM and are free and fun!!  We ask that any child younger than 8 be accompanied by a parent (or guardian or older sibling) when attending activities – they might need a little extra help.

Kids do not need to attend the activities to participate! Prizes will be awarded for a certain number of books read (we’re still determining how many) and kids can earn more than one prize!  Keeping active in reading throughout the summer is a great way to keep your skills up to snuff for the coming school year.  And besides, reading is awesome!!

There is also a teen program based around the theme BENEATH THE SURFACE.  While the teens will not have special activity days, there will be special prizes just for them to be rewarded for a certain number of books read (which we are still determining).  Stop in to sign up and get a reading log!  We’ve got loads of ideas for books to keep you busy during the summer!

In addition to the kids and teens, we are once again having an Adult Summer Reading contest!  While it may not be as exciting as the kids’ activities, it’s still fun!!  The theme of the Adult Program is GROUNDBREAKING READS and the packet has some silly quizzes and activities as well as a reading log and an answer sheet, in case you need them.  Stop by and pick one up today!!  Prizes will be awarded through a drawing of book reviews submitted by readers and the prizes are great, I promise.

We also have a great event coming up on June 29th at 10:00 AM – “My Family Tree” is a scrapbook workshop designed for families interested in their history and participants will take a frame-worthy family tree home with them at the end of the two hour event.   Families can bring their own photographs to use, or can simply bring their creative talents and add photographs later if they would prefer.  Minnesota Historical Society staff will assist with the creation of the family trees and everyone will have a great time.  Children and teens are welcome to join with parents in order to make it a true family activity.

Susan Hoskins, director of the Pipestone County Historical Museum will also be on hand to talk about the museum’s resources for genealogists, to help families get a jump start on researching some of their ancestors.

All programs are FREE and open to the public.  Come and join the library for FUN this summer!!

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.  Call us for the date of the next meeting!

Book Club Reminder: The book club takes a break during the summer months and they are currently on hiatus until September.  Their meetings are the fourth Tuesday of the month and over the summer, they read what they want to and report back to the club on those tomes during their first meeting.  If you enjoy reading, you should try it out!  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 from 10 AM to 5 PM and Saturday from 10AM to Noon.  Summer hours are in effect from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day Weekend.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.