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.

Silly Holidays

April 2^nd was National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, but you all knew that, didn’t you?  It amazes me that most days have a holiday attached to them, even if it’s not popularly celebrated.  In April, on any given day, there are at least three celebrations you could participate in if you were so inclined.  Instead of giving you a long list (which you could find at http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/april.htm) , I think I’ll just list some of my favorites.

April 12^th, Big Wind Day:  No, this isn’t something just celebrated in Pipestone.  As far as the holiday recorders can tell, this day celebrates the highest wind speed ever recorded: 231 miles per hour at the Mount Washington Observatory on April 12, 1934.

April 14^th, Moment of Laughter Day:  The idea behind this day is to get people to laugh more often, so to celebrate it, do something that will make someone else laugh.  Smiles don’t count, it has to be an all-out laugh.

April 16^th, National Librarian Day: This is a day to celebrate your librarian!  Am I biased? Maybe.  Today is also National Eggs Benedict Day, so take your pick.

April 17^th, National Cheeseball Day:  All right, I admit it.  It’s impossible to eat just one cheeseball – cheeseballs are awesome.  It doesn’t specify what kind of cheeseball, so if those electric orange ones don’t do it for you, maybe make a nice spicy one from the Pampered Chef mix in the cupboard.  It’s also my birthday…

April 20^th, Volunteer Recognition Day:  Most Volunteers don’t ask for recognition, but they certainly deserve it.  Without volunteers, many non-profit organizations (the Library included) would have a hard time functioning.  Hats off and lots of cheers to Volunteers!!

April 22^nd, Girl Scout Leader Day: On April 22, 1982, a flag was flown over the White House to recognize the thousands of volunteer Girl Scout Leaders that make the organization as incredible as it is.  Thank your Girl Scout leader today!

April 23^rd, National Zucchini Bread Day:  The organizers of the website thinks this happens in April because gardeners and families are not sick of all the zucchini they’ve harvested yet and are having fond thoughts of the vegetable.  I tend to agree…

April 27^th, Tell A Story Day: Celebrating stories of all kinds, it’s a great night to make sure you get in a good story before bedtime!

April 28^th, Kiss Your Mate Day:  Does this really need explanation?

April 30^th, National Honesty Day: This day was first celebrated in the early 1990s after M. Hirsch Goldberg, a former press secretary in Maryland, finished writing The Book of Lies and thought the end of April would be a good time for honesty.  Since the month starts with a day of fools and jokes, it’s a good thing to end on a “higher, moral note.”

Enjoy your April – it’s fun to know some obscure holidays because every once in a while, you need a reason to celebrate just to make the day brighter.  This list can certainly help you with that!!

Winter Reading Program: The Winter Reading Program ended on March 31^st and so far, we’ve had 804 books read by our participating patrons!!  You guys ROCK!  If you have not yet turned in your card and log, please do so soon.  Keep reading!

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, April 18^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.  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.

April Fools!

April Fools Day is not a national holiday (thankfully) but it is certainly celebrated.  Frequently, radio shows, newspapers, and magazines put in “joke” articles on that date involving topics and situations that can’t possibly be true.  Of course, ultimately, there are people who take it seriously, but hopefully those people are few and far between.  Most people can recognize an April Fools joke and take it for what it is, a cause to laugh.  The more you laugh, the longer you live.  Since I find everything funny, I fully expect to live to be 200 (that’s a joke!).  This year, April Fools is also Easter Monday, so that might impede some jokesters, but keep your eyes peeled just in case.

No one is quite sure when it became popular to play jokes on one another on April 1^st, known as April Fools Day in the United States.  We’re also not the only country to use this day as a day for hoaxes and pranks, either.  Italy, France, and Belgium follow the tradition of sticking paper fish on unsuspecting people’s back and shouting “April Fish!” (Aprilvis! In Dutch, in case you need to know).  A Flemish tradition allows children to lock out their parents and teachers, only letting them in if they promise to give treats.   Don’t share that with your children!

Iran, Poland, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden, and Spain also celebrate joke days.  In Poland, serious activities are so frowned upon that a 1683 treaty signed by Leopold I on April 1^st had to be backdated to March 31^st because it was  too serious to take place on a day of silliness.  In Iran, the joke day falls on the 13^th day of the Persian New Year, which happens to coincide with April 1^st or 2^nd.  The day is called Sizdah Bedar and is the oldest pranking tradition in the world.  In fact, it is entirely possible that their tradition spread throughout the world, beginning the entire holiday.

There have been references to April Fools Day in literature going as far back as the 1390s.  In Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Chauntecleer the vain rooster is tricked by a fox in the Nun’s Tale, which begins “Syn March bigan thritty dayes and two,” which could very well mean April 1^st, or thirty two days after the beginning of March.  The year 1508 marks the first reference of April Fish, and 1698, several people were tricked into going to the Tower of London to see someone wash the lions. 

Please remember that if you decide to play a joke, it should be in good fun and not intended to hurt feelings or harm anyone – yes, that’s a disclaimer.  Do NOT try this at home…

For those of you who are Harry Potter fans, April 1^st is George and Fred Weasley’s birthday.  So were Ali McGraw (1939), Debbie Reynolds (1932), Annette O’Toole (1952), and Jon Gosselin (1977). 

You never know when your local librarians may go crazy…there might be a joke just for you!

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: Tonight, March 28^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!

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 March 28^th at 7:00 in the Meinders Library conference room.  Please don’t hesitate to call the library for a copy of the next book, Quiet by Susan Cain.

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.