Monday, April 29, 2013

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 16th 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 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

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 16th 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 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Silly Holidays


April 2nd 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 12th, 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 14th, 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 16th, 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 17th, 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 20th, 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 22nd, 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 23rd, 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 27th, 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 28th, Kiss Your Mate Day:  Does this really need explanation?

April 30th, 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 31st 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 18th 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 7th Street SW, on the south side of the high school.