Stocking Stuffers

Everyone knows that books are the best presents at Christmas.  Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating and not everyone thinks that way, but they should!!  Here are some ideas for the stockings you need to fill this year.

The Valley of Amazement, Amy Tan

From the author of The Joy Luck Club, this book is something to get lost in.  no one does the mother-daughter relationship like Amy Tan and this is no exception.  From the parlors of courtesans in Shanghai, to a remote Chinese village, to San Francisco at the turn of the 19^th century, Tan weaves them all together in a fantastic story of three generations of women whose lives are torn apart by circumstances they can’t control.  A beautiful story, sure to keep you enthralled during cold winter nights.

Fifteen Minutes, Karen Kingsbury

Many people want to experience their fifteen minutes of fame, which is just what Zack wants when he competes on a popular television series.  Overnight, he is suddenly the most popular singer on the show and, though he swore it wouldn’t change him, he is discovering he might be wrong.  His college sweetheart, left at home, isn’t sure what to do and when she receives an offer that would take her half-way around the world, there are choices to be made.  Can their relationship survive his fifteen minutes?

Command Authority, Tom Clancy (December 3)

Tom Clancy passed away on October 1 of this year and this is the final book that he authored.  Someone new is holding the cards in Russia and he’s got a dark secret that has remained hidden for years.  Can President Jack Ryan be the one that can provide a solution to that mystery?

Hunted, Karen Robards (December 10)

New Orleans Cop turned outlaw Reed Ware is holding the city’s elite hostage at a Christmas party to solve a drug case cover-up that could be the biggest department secret ever seen.  To get to the bottom of things, Ware creates a situation that traps the mayor, city council members, and other top dogs inside a posh mansion, causing the city to bring in a hostage negotiator whose father is also trapped inside.  But she’s got her own secret – she’s got a thing for Reed that’s lasted for years.  How will this work out for them?

Innocence, Dean Koontz (December 10)

He lives beneath the city, outside its rules and limitations, hiding from a community that would certainly destroy him if it had the chance.  She lives in hiding, desperate to keep herself secret from enemies that are out to get her.  But the two of them are bonded by destiny as a reckoning approaches and only the two of them can do what needs to be done.  An edge of your seat read!

Have a hard-to-buy-for person on your list?  Ask them if they have a library card and tell them to get on over there to give themselves their own present! J  or, you could always go buy them a book or a gift card and get reading.  After all, what else is there to do when the sun goes down at 5 and TV doesn’t cut the mustard?

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.  Call us for the date of the next meeting!

The booksale is coming up (December 26 – 28) and people will be able to start dropping off books on the 16^th of December.  If you have any books lying around you want to get rid of, please bring them on down to the library!  We do not take encyclopedias or text books, but other than that, everything is fair game!

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 to 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Therapy Dogs in Libraries

Pipestone County Star 11-21-2013

Meinders Library will be hosting a Read to a Dog session on Saturday, November 23^rd, from 1-3 PM.

Why do children like to read to dogs?  Besides the obvious reason (it’s a dog!), a dog doesn’t care if you pronounce things right, he just likes to hear your voice.  A therapy dog is a non-judgmental listener and kids relax and begin to enjoy reading when they don’t feel as if someone might correct them.  It gives them a chance to learn that reading is fun and often leads to improved reading skills!

While the visits can be short ones, the effects typically last longer than just the time spent with the dog.  Since reading was made more fun by the presence of a furry friend, children learn to associate reading with enjoyment and will be more willing to pick up a book on their own.  In fact, research is showing that five or six visits with a dog can help a child gain two reading levels.

There are many libraries that are beginning to develop dog programs and some whose programs are very well established.  Both children and adults respond well to reading with dogs and seeing a dog in a library always ups the excitement, not to mention getting a non-intimidating reading partner.

Between 1 and 3 in the afternoon on November 23^rd, families can sign up for 15 minutes of quality reading time with an exceedingly happy listener.  Come and join us – it’s guaranteed to be a good time!  If there is enough interest in a program like this, we will try to schedule monthly visits with Marian and Montana and maybe there are more dogs in the community that would like to help!

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!

The booksale is coming up (December 26 – 28) and people will be able to start dropping off books on the 16^th of December.  If you have any books lying around you want to get rid of, please bring them on down to the library!  We do not take encyclopedias or text books, but other than that…

Book Club Reminder: The book club meets the fourth of the month and the next meeting will be November 21^st  (the fourth Thursday this month is Thanksgiving).  The next book is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  If you don’t have a copy, let the library know and we would be happy to order one for you.  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 to 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

NaNoWriMo

Pipestone County Star 11-07-2013

NaNoWriMo is short for National Novel Writing Month – have you ever wanted to write the next great American novel?  Now you can!  November is the month to get started and NaNoWriMo challenges you to write 50,000 words in 30 days.  It doesn’t have to be the best literature to be written in years – you can always edit later.

NaNoWriMo started in 1999 in San Francisco and had just 21 participants that year.  It has grown steadily each year since and more than 200,000 people took part in 2010, writing more than 2.8 billion words.  Any sort of novel can be written, from fan-fiction to verse novels, and in any genre – the only requirement is it be at least 50,000 words.   Instead of completing the novel, participants can write the first 50,000 words of a novel that can be finished later.

A novel is any sort of fictional work that is more than 40,000 words long.  Less than that and you’ve written a novella.  The Great Gatsby and The Hitch-hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy are both novels of right around 50,000 words, to give you an idea.  Those aren’t particularly long books, so that may make this entire thing seem more doable.  Of course, to even think of starting, you have to realize you need to write on average 1,667 words a day.

Starting on November 25^th, participants can start uploading their entire novels for word count and verification.  If they have succeeded, they “win” and get a printable certificate, a special desktop icon, and inclusion in the list of winners.  There’s no protection against cheating, but since the only reward is basically the knowledge that you’ve done it, not many people actually cheat on their results.

Believe it or not, there are some pretty famous books that started out this way:

Water for Elephants, by Sara Gruen (Great book!)

The Night Circus, by Erin Morgenstern (this month’s book club selection!)

The God Patent, by Ransom Stephens

Fangirl, by Rainbow Rowell

Persistence of Memory, by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

BreakupBabe, by Rebecca Agiewich

There are a few writers (or wannabes in my case) that are participating this year – we might even have a few write-ins in the library just for fun.  Come by and join us!!

If you feel the inspiration, go ahead and sign up at their website, www.nanowrimo.org.  It only takes a few minutes and if you don’t make it to 50,000 words this year, there’s always next year!

Book Club Reminder: The book club meets the fourth of the month and the next meeting will be November 21^st  (the fourth Thursday this month is Thanksgiving).  The next book is The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern.  If you don’t have a copy, let the library know and we would be happy to order one for you.  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 to 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Friends of the Library

Pipestone County Star 10-24-2013

This week is National Friends of Libraries week!!  Libraries always need friends.  And most libraries also need Friends, a library-specific group of people that work hard to support the library’s needs.  For Pipestone, that group is the Pipestone Area Friends of the Library.

Why does a library need friends?  Because there’s only so much the library staff can get done on their own.  A friends group supports quality library service in their community through a large variety of ways:

·         They help with fund-raising – if they are a 501(c)3, then any donation made to them is tax deductible, unlike donations made straight to some libraries.

·         They help with volunteering – sometimes extra hands are needed for special events and the friends group usually helps with that.

·         They advocate for the library and the programs sponsored by the library – they help spread the word about what the library is currently working on.

·         Friends groups also help with long-term planning for the library, both with physical help and financial support of projects, and are kept in the loop about those projects.  They also maintain a liaison to the Library Board, which means they are included in all library decisions.

Friends groups are invaluable to the library.  Not only are they a group of smiling, supportive faces, they work hard to make sure that the library’s special needs are met, thereby taking good care of the community.  A large friends group means even more programs and services available to the people of the town or county in which the library functions.

In Pipestone, the Friends group hosts an annual book sale in December which helps to fund special projects.  They also apply for united Way money to help with the Summer Reading program, offer special programs and authors for patrons, and assist with special events that the library hosts.   They are an amazing group of people.

Pipestone Area Friends of the Library is always looking for new members.  If you want to participate in volunteering or just want to give financially, you are more than welcome to join!  We have membership cards out at the library or you can mail membership fees (listed below) to PAFL, 1401 7^th Street SW, Pipestone, MN 56164.

PAFL Membership Fees

·         Student $5

·         Individual $20

·         Family $30

·         Benefactor $100

·         Life $250

·         Patron $500

PAFL  will be having a fundraiser at the Pipestone Pizza Ranch on Wednesday, October 30^th, from 4:30 until 8:00 PM.  From 4:30 until 5:00, the library will be having a craft activity for any interested children to celebrate the season.  Come join us for great food and a spooky fun craft to take home with you!

Book Club Reminder: The book club meets the fourth Thursday (my apologies that the past few months have said Tuesday) of the month and the next meeting will be October 24^th.  The next book is In The Woods by Tana French.  If you don’t have a copy, let the library know and we would be happy to order one for you.  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 to 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

True Crime

Pipestone County Star 10-10-2013

Most people enjoy a good mystery novel.  For most of those readers, part of the charm is that it is fictional and the story didn’t really happen.  But some mystery and crime readers prefer to read the true accounts of murders and crimes that are found in the non-fiction section of the library.   Here are a few true crime novels that might spark your interest.

Safe Harbor: A Murder in Nantucket, by Brian McDonald

Elizabeth Lochtefeld thought she had found Mr. Right.  Thomas Toolan III was a Wall Street mogul, handsome, rich, and devoted.  Supposedly.  As it turns out, Tom had lost his job after trying to steal a very valuable piece of art from an antiques show and that was only the tip of his bad behavior.  As she began to notice the downward spiral, Beth made the decision to end the affair and two days later, she disappeared, never to be seen alive again.  But who did it?

Cruel Doubt, by Joe McGinniss

On a hot summer night in 1988, Bonnie Von Stein and her husband were brutally attacked in bed.  The husband died and Bonnie herself was stabbed and beaten, left for dead.  McGinniss set out to work on the crime at the request of Bonnie, and discovered a whole world of information she wanted to hold in denial.  Bonnie had defended her 21 year old son, a student at North Carolina State even when the evidence began to mount against him and pointed toward a bizarre attempt to recreate a Dungeons and Dragons adventure.  But was it really him?  Could it have been one of his friends or someone who coveted her 19 year old daughter and the fortune she might stand to inherit?

While They Slept: An Inquiry Into the Murder of a Family, by Kathryn Harrison

It was a lovely April morning when Billy Gilley Jr murdered his sleeping parents.  When his little sister Becky walked in on him, he killed her as well, then went upstairs to wake his sister Jody and tell her the good news.  They were free from a life of abuse – but could two people ever be free from such an act of violence?  Harrison writes a compelling narrative based on interviews with Billy and Jody, friends, police, and social workers to determine the true story of what really drove the young man to land himself in jail and make his sister an orphan.

A Cold-Blooded Business, by Marek Fuchs

Olathe, Kansas was made famous by Truman Capote when he wrote In Cold Blood about murders that happened in 1959.   But in 1982, another murder happened – David Harmon was bludgeoned to death while sleeping.  Suspicion fell on his wife and his best friend, but the church protected both and the case was quickly dropped.  Twenty years later, new evidence came to light and the two suspects, now leading law-abiding lives, suddenly found themselves once more in the spotlight.  Would the detectives be able to close the case once and for all?

Too Late To Say Goodbye, by Ann Rule

Ann Rule is rather famous for her true crime novels – we have more than 10 written by her alone.  This particular story centers around Jenn and Bart Corbin, a loving wife and a successful dentist, with two beautiful boys, a nice home, a houseboat, and everything a family could want.  But what was idyllic on the outside was dark on the inside.   Just before Christmas, 2004, Jenn is found dead, a bullet in her brain and a gun on the floor.  Suicide?  Ann untangles the story with interviews and evidence until the reader is left reeling with information and a stunning conclusion that involves another “suicide” years before…

The Devil in the White City, by Erik Larson

The World’s Fair is supposed to be the pinnacle of society – a place to showcase the talents of the famous minds of the day.  In 1893, the man in charge was Daniel Hudson Burnham, a brilliant architect who was responsible for the Flatiron building in New York and union Station in DC.  He brought the best minds of the decade together to build the White City, transforming Jackson Swamp into a thing of beauty.  Little did he know that a serial killer, Henry Holmes, would use the Fair to attract his victims and lure scores of young women to their deaths in his nearby “World’s Fair Hotel,” complete with a gas chamber and crematorium.  This story is peopled with famous figures, all of whom attended the fair, and a story that will glue you to your seat.

These stories are disturbingly chilling – they really happened and, in most cases, very little is made up (they are all found in the non-fiction section 364.1).  The crimes that were committed were committed by real people and the story reads like a train wreck – you can’t stop reading, can’t look away, no matter how disturbing it is for you.  Excellent reads for this spooky time of year.

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!

Pipestone Area Friends of the Library will be having a fundraiser at the Pipestone Pizza Ranch on Wednesday, October 30^th, from 4:30 until 8:00 PM.  From 4:30 until 5:00, the library will be having a craft activity for any interested children to celebrate the season.  Come join us for great food and a spooky fun craft to take home with you!

Book Club Reminder: The book club meets the fourth Thursday (my apologies that the past few months have said Tuesday) of the month and the next meeting will be October 24^th.  The next book is In The Woods by Tana French.  If you don’t have a copy, let the library know and we would be happy to order one for you.  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 to 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Upcoming Events

Pipestone County Star 09-26-2013

Meinders Library tries very hard to bring in programming that we think will be meaningful and well-received by the community.  We enjoy having local authors come and speak, as well as more famous authors from around the state, such as John Coy and Mary Logue.  We also work hard to have programs that benefit the children of the community and enrich the learning process, such as 1000 Books Before Kindergarten and the Summer Reading Program. 

Tune in below to some of the upcoming programs offered at the library!

1000 Books Before Kindergarten!

1000 Books Before Kindergarten is a program that encourages children who are not in school to get reading!  Meinders Library is a participant in the program and we will be having a kick-off party on September 28^th from 1 until 4 PM.

Stop in any time during those hours and sign up for the program – the child will receive a special bag and reading log and be able to do a few crafts!  We will be decorating paper crowns and making birdfeeders out of toilet paper rolls and peanut butter, which should be a huge amount of fun.

This program is open to all children, ages 0 – 5, who are not yet enrolled in school.  We look forward to seeing you!

Caryl and Ed Crozier

Join us October 5^th at 2:00 PM for an awesome documentary and book talk! 

Ed (Sherm) Crozier and his wife Caryl will be coming to talk about their books, Dream Hunter and Waking to Mourning Doves, and show their 20 minute award-winning film to attendees.  The couple will discuss their childhood in southwestern MN and talk about their journey into film-making. 

Please come and hear them speak – the movie is excellent!

PAFL  Fundraiser

Pipestone Area Friends of the Library will be having a fundraiser at the Pipestone Pizza Ranch on Wednesday, October 30^th, from 4:30 until 8:00 PM.  From 4:30 until 5:00, the library will be having a craft activity for any interested children to celebrate the season.  Come join us for great food and a spooky fun craft to take home with you!

In addition to these exciting events, there are several more speakers in the works for November and December and we are even planning for next year.  Do you have any ideas?  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.  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 and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Banned Books Week 2013

Pipestone County Star 09-12-2013

Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read.  This year, the dates of Banned Books Week are from September 22 until September 28^th and it highlights the value of free and open access to information.  Banned Books Week brings together the entire book community –- librarians, booksellers, publishers, journalists, teachers, and readers of all types –- in shared support of the freedom to seek and to express ideas, even those some consider unorthodox or unpopular.  

  

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. 

What is the difference between a challenge and banning?

A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group.  A banning is the removal of those materials.  Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others.  Due to the commitment of librarians, teachers, parents, students and other concerned citizens, most challenges are unsuccessful and most materials are retained in the school curriculum or library collection.

Why are books challenged?

Books usually are challenged with the best intentions—to protect others, frequently children, from difficult ideas and information.   Censorship can be subtle, almost imperceptible, as well as blatant and overt, but, nonetheless, harmful.  

Often challenges are motivated by a desire to protect children from “inappropriate” sexual content or “offensive” language. The following were the top three reasons cited for challenging materials as reported to the Office of Intellectual Freedom:

·         the material was considered to be "sexually explicit"

·         the material contained "offensive language"

·         the materials was "unsuited to any age group"

Although this is a commendable motivation, Free Access to Libraries for Minors, an interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (ALA's basic policy concerning access to information) states that, “Librarians and governing bodies should maintain that parents—and only parents—have the right and the responsibility to restrict the access of their children—and only their children—to library resources.” Censorship by librarians of constitutionally protected speech, whether for protection or for any other reason, violates the First Amendment.

If we are to continue to protect our First Amendment, we would do well to keep in mind these words of Noam Chomsky:

“If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.”

Who Challenges Books?

Throughout history, more and different kinds of people and groups of all persuasions than you might first suppose, who, for all sorts of reasons, have attempted—and continue to attempt—to suppress anything that conflicts with or anyone who disagrees with their own beliefs.

According to the Challenges by Initiator, Institution, Type, and Year, parents challenge materials more often than any other group.

Top Ten Challenged books of 2012:

Captain Underpants (series), by Dav Pilkey
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, by Sherman Alexie
Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher
Fifty Shades of Grey, by E. L. James
And Tango Makes Three, by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson
The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
Looking for Alaska, by John Green
Scary Stories (series), by Alvin Schwartz
The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls
Beloved, by Toni Morrison

If you would like to know the reasons for the challenges, come in to the library and we can show you on our Banned Books Flyer.  Or better yet, check one of them out and read it for yourself!!

Upcoming Events: I will be doing a travelogue about my trip to Kilimanjaro on September 21^st at 2:00 PM at the library.  The event is free and open to everyone, so come and join us!  I will be doing a powerpoint presentation of pictures and have some maps, other items, and gear on hand as props.

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 and Saturday from 10 AM to 5 PM.  Meinders Community Library is located at 1401 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Back to School Drama

Pipestone County Star  - 08-29-2013

It’s almost time.  The kids go back to school in less than a week, which means that school supplies are probably scattered all over your house and the realization has suddenly hit you that none of their clothes fit anymore.  My daughter had ONE pair of pants that still fit her and my son only had a few, so we made a trip to Once Upon a Child to stock up.  It’s amazing, those growth spurts.

To satisfy your need for high school drama (I know you have an urge to read these and even if you’re an adult, that’s okay!), here are some books to tide you over.  They are young adult fiction, but the plots and characters are just as well developed as most adult fiction and they are great reads!  Check one out today!

Academy 7, by Anne Osterlund

Aerin Renning and Dane Madousin have nothing in common.  The two most competitive freshman at Academy 7 both have secrets and their safety depends on them staying apart.  Of course, since this is dramatic, they can’t quite manage that and their friendship turns into a romance that could cost them both their lives.  But what’s the secret?  You’ll have to read it to find out!

Kiss and Blog, by Alyson Noel

This is an old story told a new way: two nerdy girls make a pact to do whatever it takes to become cool their sophomore year in high school.  The one who becomes cool first will help the other one along.  But Sloane likes being cool more than she likes Winter and she leaves the other girl behind when she gets in with the popular crowd.  Winter, as revenge, starts an anonymous blog and reveals all of Sloane’s best-kept secrets.  Will vengeance mean more the friendship in the end?

The List, by Siobhan Vivian

Eight girls, with very different reactions to a list that is posted just before homecoming.  Not an official list, but it gets posted every year – one girl from each grade is the “prettiest” and one is the “ugliest.”  Abby, Danielle, Lauren, Candace, Bridget, Sarah, Margo, and Jennifer all have a story to tell and this book goes in deep into the relationships that are formed and broken because of the List.

A Match Made in High School, by Kristin Walker

A class to practice marriage?  You’ve got to be kidding…Fiona has been paired with jock Todd Harding and her best friend has been paired with a very goofy Johnny Mercer.  How will they survive an entire year “hitched” to boys they can’t stand?  Todd even has a girlfriend, who quickly becomes Fiona’s arch-enemy.  A series of pranks leaves all the kids wondering if there’s more to their partners than meets the eye…very well-written, very funny.  A good end of summer read.

Prom and Prejudice, by Elizabeth Eulberg

A re-write, yes, but a good one.  If you enjoy Jane Austen, you will probably really enjoy this retelling of her classic story Pride and Prejudice, set at a very prestigious school where all the girls become obsessed with prom after winter break.  Who will take who?  Are there other plots that will get in the way of romance?

A Tale of Two Centuries, by Rachel Harris

The sixteenth century can be boring for a teenager.  Very, very boring.  And when a girl has a teenage cousin who can travel through time, why wouldn’t she want to try that, too?  Alessandra casts a spell that takes her to modern day Beverly Hills, right to her cousin Cat’s doorstep.  And what a world it is – the clothing is scandalous, the technology is confusing, and Less can hardly keep her head on straight.  And to top it all off, there’s a SURFER boy that’s really infuriating…and strangely attractive.  How can she go back to her time when she wants to stay here??

So that’s it for me today – I think I need to go buy more folders, spiral tablets, and a year long supply of pencils.  If I’m not out of Target in five minutes, send a search party.  Have a great first day of school!!

Upcoming Events: I will be doing a travelogue about my trip to Kilimanjaro on September 21^st at 2:00 PM at the library.  The event is free and open to everyone, so come and join us!  I will be doing a powerpoint presentation of pictures and have some maps, other items, and gear on hand as props.

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 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Useful Swahili

Pipestone County Star  - 08-15-2013

Some of you are aware that I just came back from Tanzania on July 27^th after climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with my husband.  There is no way I would be able to write a column about the trip considering there’s just not enough space, BUT I thought I’d pass off a few words in Swahili that might be vaguely useful.  All right, they’re not even remotely useful around here, but they are interesting!

Jambo! (JAM-bow): Hello!!

Hakuna Matata (Ha-KUN-ah Ma-TA-ta): Sorry, now you’re probably singing the song from the Lion King and you probably already got to the part “It means no worries…”  Hakuna Matata is a good phrase to remember – stop worrying about everything.  Worrying doesn’t help fix anything at all – try telling that to a professional worrier like myself.  I think this was the biggest lesson the mountain had to teach me.

Trende Sasa!  (TREN-day SA-sa): Might actually be useful for you – it means Let’s go NOW! and was a phrase used to get us moving if we stopped too long.  Stopping was fine, but when it was time to move, sometimes we needed a little extra boost to get us going.  Try saying it, it’s fun!  You can, of course, just say Trende (let’s go), but it’s not nearly as fun as adding the NOW.

Asante Sana (a-SAN-tay SA-na): Thank you very much.  Asante is thank you, but it sounds better if you use the whole phrase.

Maji (MAH-gee):  Water.  Since we were drinking three to five liters of water a day while we were hiking, this was a good word to know!

Pole pole (POE-lee POE-lee): Slowly!  You can try using this on people walking faster than you, but if they don’t speak Swahili, it might be useless.  We were told this time and time again on the mountain since we had to walk very slowly (like a mile an hour) to allow our bodies time to acclimate to the altitude.  Try it on the treadmill sometime – it’s really hard to walk that slow.

Words for farm animals:  We saw a lot of cows, sheep, goats, and donkeys on our trip, being herded and overseen by younger boys usually, and I couldn’t resist learning all the words.

Ng’ombe (n-GOM-bay): Cow (if you can do the glottal stop, you’re amazing)

Mbuzi (m-BOO-zee): Goat

Kondoo (KON-doo): Sheep

Punda (POON-dah): Donkey

Words for Animals on Safari: And more animal words – try teaching these to small children.  The words are very fun to say!

                Twiga (TWEEG-ah): Giraffe

                Tembo (TEM-bow): Elephant

                Simba (SIM-bah): Lion (Disney totally cheated naming the Lion King “Lion”)

                Tumbili (toom-BEE-lee): Vervet monkey

                Sokwe (SOCK-wee): Chimpanzee

                Kiboko (Key-BOW-koe): Hippopotamus

Mbuzu (m-BOO-zoo): The final word is a good one for me.  It means white person.  You may feel free to refer to me as Crazy Mbuzu for writing this article.

I will be speaking about the trip in a travelogue at the library in September – stay tuned for more details on that as we get closer.  I’ll have some of my 485 pictures and some of my equipment with me for a laugh.

Hope you’re having an awesome 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 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

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 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

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 23^rd.  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 29^th 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 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Spring Has Sprung? Weather Records in MN

Pipestone County Star 06-06-2013

Wait, someone told me spring was coming.  Better yet, isn’t summer supposed to start in three weeks?  So where is the nice warm weather – so far all we’ve seen is copious amounts of rain.  Don’t get me wrong, we’re not complaining.  For the second month in a row, we’ve succeeded in getting above average rainfall, and not so far above that we are flooding.  That’s great news for the soil, but there’s very little growth out there for us gardeners who like to see our seeds burst forth with enthusiasm.  Everything simply seems to be waiting for the sun, kind of like me.

So what are some of the weather records set in the State of Minnesota?

Warmest temp: On both July 29, 1917 and July 6, 1936, the ambient air temperature reached 114 degrees Fahrenheit in Beardsley and Moorhead, respectively.   Talk about warm!  And trust me, kids, it’s NOT a dry heat!

Coldest Temp:  In a state that, in my opinion, is usually always cold, Minnesota set their record in 1996 at the Embarrass Tower of -60 degrees Fahrenheit.  Wow.  And that doesn’t include the windchill.

Most Rainfall: St. Francis had 53.52 inches of precipitation in 1991 – that’s more than one inch a week!  The statewide record (averaged with everyone) was set in 1977 and we had 33.92 (average) inches that year.

Least Rainfall: Our driest place in the state was Ortonville in 1976.  The poor town only had 6.37 inches of precipitation over the entire year.  The longest dry spell in our state’s history was recorded in Marshall, lasting 79 days, from November 9, 1943 until January 26, 1944.

Snow records: The earliest recorded trace of snow happened in Duluth  on August 31, 1949.  Since that was only a trace, International Falls has the record for the earliest measurable snowfall - .3 inches on September 14, 1964.  The latest recorded snowfall happened on June 4, 1935 in Mizpah.  As for snow amounts, Lake County gets the honors of having the largest amount of snow within 24 hours – 36 inches on January 7, 1994.  Collegeville got 66 inches of snow during the month of March, 1965, giving it the record for most snow within a 31 day period.  And the deepest snow ever recorded in Minnesota? Meadowlands was measured at 88 inches on February 21, 1962.

Tornadoes: The most tornadoes the state had in one month was in June of 2010.  71 tornadoes ripped through the state during those four weeks.  In fact, 48 of them hit on June 17^th.  During the course of the entire year of 2010, we actually had 110 tornadoes.

Largest Hailstone:  Our marvelous neighbor, Edgerton, has the dubious record (tied with Reading) of the state’s largest hailstone: 6 inches in diameter on July 4, 1968.

On that note, hopefully by the time this is published, the sun will be out and my little seeds will be basking in the warmth of a good late spring day.  It will be nice to see growth! 

Have a great spring and enjoy whatever you have planned for the 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 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Tales Retold

Fairy tales are recycled, did you know that?  Originally, the tales of Cinderella and Snow white, not to mention the others, were stories for adults, filled with violence and lots of blood and awful occurrences.  As adults got bored with those stories, they were sanitized for children.  For instance, in the real Little Mermaid, Ariel is told that in order to get her voice back, she must kill the Prince and his new bride on their wedding night.  She goes in with the knife and finds she is unable to kill him.  In her despair, she flings herself from the window and dies on the rocks below the tower.  Let’s see Disney do a version of that! 

Fairy tales are coming back into popularity for older readers, this time for young adults.  Of course, older adults are welcome to read them, too, and we won’t tell if you decide to take a look through the Young Adult section – you’d be surprised how many older readers do!  The plots are just as complex as the regular adult fiction.

Here are some retold tales to get you started!

Cinder, by Marissa Meyer

In this retelling of Cinderella, the heroine is a cyborg – a human being with robotic parts.  She is viewed poorly by society, but she has a knack for fixing anything robotic, including herself.  At her weekly market booth, the Prince appears with an android that needs fixing before the annual ball and Cinder gets the feeling it’s more serious than it sounds.  She would love to go to the ball, but instead of managing it, she ends up as a guinea pig for plague research when her step-mother volunteers her body for science.  It doesn’t take long for the scientists to learn how miraculous her integration really is.  Can she still make it to the ball and steal the heart of the prince?  After all, cyborgs have feelings, too!

Cinderella, Ninja Warrior, by Maureen McGowan

I know, two Cinderellas, but they couldn’t be more different!  In order to escape from her step-mother, Cinderella hides the fact that not only does she know magic, she’s a ninja.  While I would love to tell you more, this book is also a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure kind of books, where you get to decide what sort of decision Cinderella should make – the tale is different every time!!

Ice, by Sarah Beth Durst

White Bear King Valemon is retold in this beautiful story.  Cassie lives in an Artic research station with her father.  Her grandmother tells her stories to explain her mother’s absence, that she made a deal with a polar bear king and disappeared.  Cassie simply believes this is an allegory for death, until her eighteenth birthday when she meets a polar bear out on the ice.  The bear speaks to her, telling her that her mother is still alive and imprisoned and that he can rescue her if Cassie agrees to marry him.  What follows is the journey of a life-time, not only physically, but emotionally as well.  Will Cassie meet her mother again and learn the true meaning of love and family?

Princess at the Midnight Ball, by Jessica Day George

Do you remember the tale of the twelve dancing princesses? Rose is the eldest of the twelve, enchanted to dance every night for a wicked King at his palace deep underground.  It began with a curse, and can only end with their deaths.  Then Rose meets a boy and things seem much less grave.  They only need a few items for an escape plan: an invisibility cloak, a magical chain, and true love.  Will it work?

A Kiss in Time, by Alex Flinn

Sleeping Beauty comes into a new life in this retelling.  Told from the point of view of both the kissee and the kisser, this book is quite entertaining.  She made the mistake of touching the spindle and ended up sleeping for nearly 300 years – now she’s stuck with the boy who kissed her, who is a bit upset that he did so in the first place.  Not only will they have to learn to get along, but they’ll have to win over his parents in the long run.  Will love triumph over time in this tale?

Have a beautiful day today – the sun is (hopefully) shining and gardening has started again.  And we can all build up those flip flop callouses that we lost during the winter!

Your Library Account: If you have an email, register it with your library card by calling the library at 507-825-6714 or by logging in to your account online and requesting a change!  By putting an email on your card, you will automatically get reminders when your books are overdue and you will also get an email the moment a book on hold is checked in for you at the desk!  We do not use your emails for any other purpose and our system is private.

UPCOMING EVENTS:  We will be having an upcoming Family Tree day where families attending will be able to create their own frame-worthy family tree with the help of volunteers from the Minnesota Historical Society.  Our local museum will also be on hand to tell you how you can begin researching your family right here in Pipestone.  Stay tuned for more information!!

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 to find out the date of the next meeting!

Book Club Reminder: The book club meets the last Thursday of the month.  Their next meeting will be May 23rd at 7:00 in the Meinders Library conference room.  The book is Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Board School by Adam Fortunate Eagle.  Please don’t hesitate to call the library for a copy 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 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Upcoming Books for Summer Reads

Pipestone County Star  - 05-09-13

As I write this, the sun it out, though we are being threatened with rain and possibly (gasp) snow on Thursday.  With all that beautiful light outside, that we’ve been waiting so long for, I have a hard time giving the weather man any credence today.  In my mind, it’s time for a ice-cold drink, flip-flops, and the lawnchair, not to mention a great book!  Here are some books coming in the next few months that I KNOW some of you can’t possibly live without!

Sweet Salt Air (June 18), Barbara Delinsky

Master storyteller Delinksy invites you to Quinnepeague, Maine, and into the company of two friends, back together after many years apart.  Nicole, in the midst of writing a book about island food, invites her friend Charlotte to stay with her, as they used to do years before when they were both less busy.  Charlotte has always been better with people and might be able to help with the locals.  What the two don’t realize is that secrets are about to come to light that will change their lives forever.  Will it cost Nicole her marriage?  Will Nicole be able to remain friends with Charlotte?  Will Charlotte finally find love with a reclusive island resident?  You’ll have to read to find out!

Second Honeymoon (June 24), James Patterson

A pair of honeymooners decides to spend some time in the sauna in their luxury suite and never come back out.  Another pair of newlyweds are killed just before boarding their honeymoon flight for Rome.  Is someone targeting just married couples?  Agent O’Hara finds himself deep into the case, while Special Agent Brubaker finds herself solving another case with a serial killer whose victims have something terrifying in common.  Can the two of them work together to solve both cases before anyone else gets the wedding jitters?  Wish them luck!

Bombshell (July 9), Catherine Coulter

Special Agent Hammersmith (seen last in Backfire) is back in this next thriller.  Savich has recruited him for his team in D.C. and while Hammersmith is on his way, he decides to visit his sister at college.   Just before he arrives, he is informed that she was found naked, unconscious, and covered in someone else’s blood after a wild party.  So whose blood is it?  Meanwhile, in DC, Savich and his team find themselves beset with a mysterious case – the grandson of the former Chair of the Federal Reserve is found frozen at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, every bone in his body broken.  Will Hammersmith be able to help with that case?  And better yet, will he be able to figure out what happened to his sister?

The Highway (July 30), C.J. Box

We all know we should stay away from remote roads, but that doesn’t stop two sisters from setting out into Montana to visit a friend.  Both girls and their car simply vanish from the highway, leaving not a trace behind.  Cody Hoyt, a former police investigator who has fallen off the wagon, is convinced by his former partner, Cassie Dewell, to check into it.  As they drive toward the girls’ last known location, Cassie discovers these aren’t the first girls to go missing on that stretch of highway.  They are about to enter the hunting ground of an exceptional killer and he might not be working alone…

Tamarack County (August 20), William Kent Krueger

Cork O’Connor is back in a tale that may be the most suspenseful yet!  As a blizzard rises before Christmas, the wife of a local judge in Tamarack County disappears, her car found at the side of the road.  Cork begins to notice small things about the disappearance that bother him, small things that seem to connect with other strange things happening all over the county.  And it all seems to connect back to a murder that happened twenty years prior – was an innocent man convicted? With the dark days of the year coming and everything obscured by blowing snow, Cork needs to find an answer fast!

Bones of the Lost (August 27), Kathy Reichs

Temperence Brennan finds herself in the middle of it all once again.  A girl’s body has been discovered along a deserted road in Charlotte with a dead businessman’s card in her pocket – was she turning tricks?  Her body definitely shows signs of foul play.  The Chief Medical Examiner has also asked Dr. Brennan to examine the remains of a Peruvian dog mummy, smuggled into the country by, presumably, a Desert Storm Veteran.  Somehow, these two are connected.  And to top it all off, Tempe’s daughter impulsively enlists in the army and her (ex) husband is pushing her to finalize her divorce.  Will this ever end?

If there is a book here that you cannot live without, please give us a call and let us know.  We would be happy to make note that you are waiting!

Have a great few weeks – it’s finally sunny!!

Your Library Account: If you have an email, register it with your library card by calling the library at 507-825-6714 or by logging in to your account online and requesting a change!  By putting an email on your card, you will automatically get reminders when your books are overdue and you will also get an email the moment a book on hold is checked in for you at the desk!  We do not use your emails for any other purpose and our system is private.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Thursday, May 16^th we are having another technology night at the library!  Bring any device you need help with and we’ll see what we can do.  6:30 is our start time and we’ll go as long as we need to help everyone!  Call to reserve a spot as space is limited and if there are no reservations, the teacher isn’t going to be available.

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 to find out the date of the next meeting!

Book Club Reminder: The book club meets the last Thursday of the month.  Their next meeting will be May 23rd at 7:00 in the Meinders Library conference room.  The book is Pipestone: My Life in an Indian Board School by Adam Fortunate Eagle.  Please don’t hesitate to call the library for a copy 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 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

How Do I Get My Hands on That New Book?

Pipestone County Star  - 04-25-13

Recently, a few people have expressed a little sadness that we no longer have an extensive browsing collection of new books.  What I mean by that is there aren’t a lot of our brand new books on the shelves at any given time.  They get checked out very quickly and if we don’t know any of our patrons are waiting for them, chances are they may even have left to go to a different library in Plum Creek.    We get anywhere from 20-25 new releases, both fiction and non-fiction.  We also get six new large print every month: two westerns, two Christian fiction, and two popular fiction.  I try and order 4 or 5 new release DVDs each month and one or two popular music CDs as well.

Because we are a regional system, we share our books with patrons from 22 other libraries, which means that sometimes the holds lists for new books can get very long.  We try to make things easier by making a list of all the books (and movies and CDs) we’re ordering every month and have that list available at the desk, so all Pipestone patrons can see what’s coming over the next few weeks.  Typically, we place our orders at the end of each month and the list goes out right after the order has been placed.  Once you take a look at that list, if there’s a book you KNOW you’ll want to read, let us know so we can make sure your name gets on the holds list as quickly as possible.  Sometimes names can be placed on holds lists before the book is even at the library. 

There are some great books coming out this spring and summer from some favorite authors, including John Sandford, James Patterson, Stephen King, Wanda Brunstetter, Iris Johansen, and Tami Hoag.  And that’s just a few of them!  If you have a sneaking suspicion that one of your favorite authors is coming out with a new book (Amazon.com is a great place to check upcoming releases), give us a call!  Chances are, we’re ordering it, and we’d be more than happy to put you on the list for the book as soon as we enter it into the catalogue.  If you’re the first person that lets us know you’re waiting for a book, you’ll be the first person to read it and there’s NOTHING like a brand new book!

We also take suggestions for new books – you can either give us a call, stop by, or send us an email at meinders.library@pas.k12.mn.us.  The same goes for movies – if there’s a new release you think the library should have, give us a call or email us!

We want to make sure our patrons get first crack at our items, but we don’t know you’re waiting if you don’t tell us.  So let us know!  Let us make sure that you get the book you’ve been dying to read, or the movie you’re dying to see, as quickly as possible.

Your Library Account: If you have an email, register it with your library card by calling the library at 507-825-6714 or by logging in to your account online and requesting a change!  By putting an email on your card, you will automatically get reminders when your books are overdue and you will also get an email the moment a book on hold is checked in for you at the desk!  We do not use your emails for any other purpose and our system is private.

UPCOMING EVENTS: Thursday, May 16^th we are having another technology night at the library!  Bring any device you need help with and we’ll see what we can do.  6:30 is our start time and we’ll go as long as we need to help everyone!  Call to reserve a spot as space is limited and if there are no reservations, the teacher isn’t going to be available.

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 to find out the date of the next meeting!

Book Club Reminder: The book club meets the last Thursday of the month.  Their next meeting will be April 25th at 7:00 in the Meinders Library conference room.  The book is Calico Joe by John Grisham.  Please don’t hesitate to call the library for a copy 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 7^th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.