Oscar Mania

Pipestone County Star 02-27-2014

It’s that time of year, when an actor’s fancy turns to thoughts of golden statues.  The 86^th Annual Academy Awards will be held on March 2^nd at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.  Ellen DeGeneres will be hosting and the full awards list can be found on-line.  It’s a night of parties and excitement, where those who watch from home sit around the television holding their breath as they wait for the winners to be announced.

Okay, not everyone watches with that amount of fervor and attention.  I’m lucky to see a few acceptance speeches while I try and keep my kids occupied, but I’ve always enjoyed it. 

You might say “Wait, what is the Librarian doing writing about the Oscars?  Aren’t those movies?”  You are completely right.  They don’t have an awards show for books and if they did, I suspect it would be rather boring.  However, Meinders Library does have an extensive DVD section.  In fact, we order about five new releases ever month!

For those of you who don’t follow the announcements, here are the Nominees for Best Picture.  As these movies come out, we will be ordering them (especially the winner!).  Many of these pictures have nominations in other categories – some of them even come out this month!

12 Years A Slave: Solomon Northup was a free man in the North, but since he was black, he was captured and sold into slavery in the south.  Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, and others.

American Hustle: Crime and Comedy in the late 70s.  Need we say more? Christian Bale and Amy Adams.

Captain Phillips: Tom Hanks stars as the man who was captured by Somali pirates.

Dallas Buyers Club: Matthew McConaughey stars as an AIDS patient who smuggles drugs to help other AIDS sufferers.

Gravity: The longest opening shot (17 minutes) ever filmed – Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

Her: Can you fall in love with Siri? Joachin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson

Nebraska: Bruce Dern stars in a touching comedy-drama about an old man, a scam, and the stories he has to tell those who try and help.

Philomena:  Judy Dench stars as an Irish woman looking for a son she gave up for adoption under duress.

The Wolf of Wall Street: Securities Fraud perpetrated by Leonardo DiCaprio.

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

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!

Winter Weather:  We tend to follow the lead of Pipestone Area Schools.  If the school is closed, we will also be closed – if there are no students, they put off plowing until later in the day, which includes our parking lot.  If the school closes early, we stay open for about a half hour afterwards to make sure all the kids can get picked up.  If the school has a two hour late start, we are not affected and will open at our regular time of 10 AM.

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.

Oscar Mania

Pipestone County Star 02-27-2014

It’s that time of year, when an actor’s fancy turns to thoughts of golden statues.  The 86^th Annual Academy Awards will be held on March 2^nd at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.  Ellen DeGeneres will be hosting and the full awards list can be found on-line.  It’s a night of parties and excitement, where those who watch from home sit around the television holding their breath as they wait for the winners to be announced.

Okay, not everyone watches with that amount of fervor and attention.  I’m lucky to see a few acceptance speeches while I try and keep my kids occupied, but I’ve always enjoyed it. 

You might say “Wait, what is the Librarian doing writing about the Oscars?  Aren’t those movies?”  You are completely right.  They don’t have an awards show for books and if they did, I suspect it would be rather boring.  However, Meinders Library does have an extensive DVD section.  In fact, we order about five new releases ever month!

For those of you who don’t follow the announcements, here are the Nominees for Best Picture.  As these movies come out, we will be ordering them (especially the winner!).  Many of these pictures have nominations in other categories – some of them even come out this month!

12 Years A Slave: Solomon Northup was a free man in the North, but since he was black, he was captured and sold into slavery in the south.  Starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, and others.

American Hustle: Crime and Comedy in the late 70s.  Need we say more? Christian Bale and Amy Adams.

Captain Phillips: Tom Hanks stars as the man who was captured by Somali pirates.

Dallas Buyers Club: Matthew McConaughey stars as an AIDS patient who smuggles drugs to help other AIDS sufferers.

Gravity: The longest opening shot (17 minutes) ever filmed – Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

Her: Can you fall in love with Siri? Joachin Phoenix and Scarlett Johansson

Nebraska: Bruce Dern stars in a touching comedy-drama about an old man, a scam, and the stories he has to tell those who try and help.

Philomena:  Judy Dench stars as an Irish woman looking for a son she gave up for adoption under duress.

The Wolf of Wall Street: Securities Fraud perpetrated by Leonardo DiCaprio.

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

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!

Winter Weather:  We tend to follow the lead of Pipestone Area Schools.  If the school is closed, we will also be closed – if there are no students, they put off plowing until later in the day, which includes our parking lot.  If the school closes early, we stay open for about a half hour afterwards to make sure all the kids can get picked up.  If the school has a two hour late start, we are not affected and will open at our regular time of 10 AM.

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.

Dead Presidents

Pipestone County Star 02-13-2014

The third Monday in February is Presidents’ Day, which most people know.  For some reason, I always thought that this celebrated Washington, Lincoln and Jefferson, though I have learned that it’s really just the first two.  Jefferson was born in April and, while Alabama includes him in their celebration, technically he gets left out.

Before 1971, Presidents’ Day was actually George Washington Day and was celebrated on February 22^nd (1732), Washington’s actual birthday.  A bill in 1971 moved the holiday to the third Monday in February and renamed it – because of its placement in the month, the third Monday will never actually fall on February 22, so calling it Washington’s birthday would be silly.

Since Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809, naming the date Presidents’ Day made sense - being on the 3^rd Monday puts it smack dab between the two men.  It is a holiday, which means that school has it off (except in cases of snow day make-up) and most government offices are closed, but it has become far more commercial than it was ever intended.  Now there are car and furniture sales, specials at grocery stores, and all sorts of other attachments that were probably never intended.

In honor of two amazing Presidents, here are two books that will help you get to know their history a little better:

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Lincoln has become famous for the make-up of his cabinet, an unusual mix of men, many of whom were rivals of his in the presidential election.  Lincoln was such an effective President because he was able to work with the different personalities and see the talents they had, even if they disagreed with him.  This book is a testament to the power of a great leader and we should probably send several copies to Washington DC.

His Excellency, George Washington, by Joseph J Ellis

Ellis draws heavily on the Washington Papers, which were cataloged at the university of Virginia in the early 2000s.  Because of his access to information, Ellis recreates a rich view of Washington’s private and public lives, stripping away much of the legend to reveal the very competent, real-life man beneath.  The book is excellent and very informative – a must for anyone who adores American History and the powerful figures that populate it.

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!

Winter Weather:  We tend to follow the lead of Pipestone Area Schools.  If the school is closed, we will also be closed – if there are no students, they put off plowing until later in the day, which includes our parking lot.  If the school closes early, we stay open for about a half hour afterwards to make sure all the kids can get picked up.  If the school has a two hour late start, we are not affected and will open at our regular time of 10 AM.

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.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

Pipestone County Star 01-30-2014

Wow.  The term “Polar Vortex” isn’t one I’d ever care to hear again.  The weeks of sub-zeros were brutal for everyone, adults and children both.  My kids were trapped in the house and bored out of their minds, I was trapped in the house and tired of listening to them say how much they wanted to go outside!  With any luck, we’re through that, even though winter still has us firmly in her grasp.

I can handle the snow, as long as I’ve got wood to burn and a good book to read.  Here’s a few that will get you to spring, with a little luck.  You’ll have to find the wood yourself.  I’d put in a joke about burning the books, but as a librarian, those just aren’t funny…

The Invention of Wings, Sue Monk Kidd

This book centers around two women who were infamous in their time, but now hardly remembered.  Two sisters, Sarah and Angelina, rebelled against society in the 1830s – against their family, against gender roles, and most shockingly, against the institution of slavery.  Through historical research, Kidd brings these women to life on the page, along with Sarah’s handmaid Hetty, who was a “gift” when she turned 11 and died from a beating after Sarah taught her to read.  For anyone who enjoyed Twelve Years a Slave and relishes stories of underdogs standing up for what they believe in, no matter the cost.

Andrew’s Brain, EL Doctorow

This book takes place in the form of conversation, between Andrew and another person he refers to as ‘Doc.’  As the story is told, we are given glimpses into Andrew’s life and why he is revealing what he is, though he casts doubt many times on whether anything he is saying is true.  This is a compelling novel, taking us on a ride through the memories of one man in a post 9/11 world, from the basement of the White House to other seedier places.  Is he telling the truth? Does it matter?

Do or Die, Suzanne Brockmann (February 4)

This is a treat for my romance readers out there – part of the Reluctant Heroes series that Brockmann has written in before.  It follows a traditional format of a strong hero (Ian) and a heroine that can help herself (Phoebe), but the action is good and the romance is even better.  If you need something to help keep you warm, this is the one you want!  For fans of Brockmann, a character from her Troubleshooters series plays a pivotal role in this book as well.

After I’m Gone, Laura Lipmann (February 11)

When a man disappears, who knows the truth?  Felix Brewer, a man that at least five women loved, vanishes one day, leaving his wife and their three children without a clue.  Does his mistress know where he is?  When she, too, vanishes ten years to the day that Felix did, everyone assumed they ran off together, until her body is found.  Now, more than 25 years later, a detective investigating cold cases begins to unravel the truth – of the four remaining women, ONE of them must know what happened.

Moving Target, JA Jance (February 18)

A young hacker is set on fire one night hanging Christmas decorations in the detention facility where he’s locked up.  Ali Reynolds’s fiancé, B. Simpson, was responsible for putting the young man in there in the first place and he feels responsible now.  Since Ali is in England investigating a murder, B turns to her best friend, Sister Anselm for assistance.  Of course, even being across an ocean doesn’t stop Ali from getting drawn in.

Stay warm – we’ve only got a few more months until the weather gets better, hopefully!

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!

Winter Weather:  We tend to follow the lead of Pipestone Area Schools.  If the school is closed, we will also be closed – if there are no students, they put off plowing until later in the day, which includes our parking lot.  If the school closes early, we stay open for about a half hour afterwards to make sure all the kids can get picked up.  If the school has a two hour late start, we are not affected and will open at our regular time of 10 AM.

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.

Year In Review

Pipestone County Star 01-16-2014

And so it has begun.  The new year means we all have to pay attention to our checks again, we’ve made resolutions that many of us are still sticking with (that’ll change soon), and we’re full of hope that this year will be better than the last one.  I’m hoping that’s the case for all of us, since we all need a little pick-up from the past few years of difficult economic times.  But things ARE looking up, so let’s see the glass half-full.

If you’re anything like me, you made a resolution to lose weight, budget better, spend more time with your kids, travel more, and other things like that.  It would probably go better if only one resolution was made, but most of us make a whole bunch and count ourselves lucky if even one sticks.  I read this morning that only 8% of resolutions are ever fully realized.  Only 8%?  We better work hard, people!

This is also the time that many of us look back on the year that just ended and wonder what the heck happened while we weren’t paying attention.  There were a lot of big news stories, many of them depressing – a lot of people lost their lives.  But there were others that lifted the spirits of everyone who read them, some triumphs of the human spirit that were enough to instill a little more faith in humanity.  Let’s have more of those this year, okay?

Every year, the new York Times does a special quiz of more than 100 questions regarding the year that just completed.  Below are 15 of the questions, without answers, for some fun.  If you really need the answers, you can either google them or stop by the library if your curiosity gets the better of you.  Enjoy!!

1.       Which animal says “Ring-ding-ding-ding-dingeringeding?”

2.       What new name did Jorge Mario Bergoglio take?

3.       Where is the island of Lampedusa?

4.       How old was Nelson Mandela when he died?

5.       2013 marked which anniversary of the birth of Mao Tse Tung?

6.       What did Kim Kardashian and Kanye West name their baby?

7.       Into what did the 5-year old Miles Scott transform?

8.       Who grabbed a drink after the State of the Union address?

9.       Who was “Carlos Danger?”

10.   Where will the 2020 Summer Olympics be held?

11.   Who is Bo’s new playmate?

12.   Which movie opened with a continuous 17-minute shot?

13.   As what does the world know the querulous feline Tardar Sauce?

14.   What feat did Diana Nyad perform for the first time without a shark cage?

15.   Which area did the C.I.A. finally acknowledge?

Enjoy the beginning of 2014 – hope you had a safe and happy New Year and that things look up for you!

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!

Winter Weather:  We tend to follow the lead of Pipestone Area Schools.  If the school is closed, we will also be closed.  If the school closes early, we stay open for about a half hour afterwards to make sure all the kids can get picked up.  If the school has a two hour late start, we are not affected and will open at our regular time of 10 AM.

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.

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.