Readasaurus, the Monster Jam, and Charcuterie Boards

 

11-8-2024

I thought the monsters would leave the library after Halloween. While the monster, monsters did, they were quickly replaced by other monsters such as the six-foot-tall cardboard T-Rex in the lobby and the four-foot-tall blowup T-Rex in the library itself. Facebook followers are helping us come up with a name for that one. Personally, I like Readasaurus. Miss Maria thinks that sounds more like a type of dinosaur rather than a name. She may have a point.

Regardless, (s)he is looking for some friends to hang out in the library for Dinovember. Anyone willing to lend us a dinosaur for the month will receive heartfelt thanks.

The newest monster is an opportunity for patrons 2-12 years old to earn a free kid’s ticket to the Monster Jam at the Fiserv Forum on January 11^th or 12^th. This does require the purchase of an adult ticket for $20. To make this happen, families should pick up a “Rev Up To Read Club Card” for their young ones at the East Troy Lions Public Library and check out some books. The children will receive a stamp for every library book read and returned to the library. Five stamps are needed to earn the ticket.

It is suggested the voucher is redeemed before the nights of the Monster Jam to make certain tickets are available. The driving to Milwaukee early to secure tickets in advance seems like a lot of work for this homebody. Then I remember how many times Little Prairie Primary students asked me for help finding the Monster Truck books or the excitement with which seventh grade students my first-year teaching talked about going to Monster Truck shows.

This month we are also finalizing plans for the Winter Reading Program. Most of the planning for such a standard program is fairly routine; a matter of setting dates, updating paperwork, and selecting prizes. This year’s programs will be a bit different. Rather than the Caroling of the past, this year we will kick off the season with a Charcuterie Board Demonstration at 6:00 pm on Wednesday, December 4^th. Details on this will be finalized on Thanksgiving Day over my stepdaughter Katie’s annual charcuterie contribution to our family gathering.

Katie’s boards are always beautiful and delicious which is why I thought of her when the idea was suggested. She has agreed to give a demonstration and discuss pairings. My one criticism of her boards is the quick disappearance of the fruit. The cheeses and jams Katie selects are usually too sophisticated for the preschool set so they focus on the apples and grapes. I love pairing apples with cheese, which means I pout. To counter that, I am making a kid friendly option out of pure selfishness. If it goes over well, we’ll show that on the 4^th as well.

To answer the most important questions: yes, there will be tasting involved, and no, registration is not required.

Reading Now: Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench, A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen

Listening to Now: A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost

We Have Books Too

 

11-1-2024

Several books in the library’s collection are set up as continuous resources through our primary book supplies. This means they automatically send us the latest edition upon its release. This feature is used for all our NOLO Press. They publish do-it-yourself legal guides on topics such as divorce and child support/custody, selling your house and leases, wills and estate planning, Social Security, Medicare and government pensions. Each of these guides is updated on average every two years. On a lighter note, travel guides may also be set up as continuous resources.

Chase’s Calendar of Events is a continuous resource I have considered eliminating from our subscriptions. Previous directors would use it on occasion for article ideas. This week is the first time I have done so. I learned much November trivia appropriate for a library. The paper comes out on National Authors’ Day. I’ll may be found wandering the library saying, “Thank you,” to a list of authors too numerous to list here. Apparently on the top of that list should be Allen Ginsberg as Chase mentions this is the 68^th anniversary of Howl and Other Poems publication. November is also National Novel Writing Month and Picture Book Month. A little something for a variety of ages/attention spans.

I did enjoy learning it is Banana Pudding Lovers Month and that it is also the 65^th anniversary of the invention of the hockey mask. By and large, the information doesn’t appear to be as timely as the travel and legal books.

By and large, reference books are a difficult choice as we as a society rely more on the Internet than print. Most of the books listed above are likely to provide more easily located current information that the reader can use with confidence. Too often websites are less detailed or more difficult to navigate than a table of contents.

Walworth County has provided us with reference materials for the 2025 Budget. Their public hearing is On Monday, November 4^th at 6:00pm. A copy of the preliminary budget and 2025-2034 Preliminary Capital Improvement Plan is available for perusal at the library for anyone interested. In the accompanying cover letter, County Administrator Mark Luberda indicates distributing copies to public libraries will become a standard practice moving forward.

Other government and nonprofit organizations send information to the library as well. We have information for the Job Center of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Wayfinder: Children’s Resource Network and NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness, fliers and reference guides available. Then there are the reference questions. Today a group of siblings stopped by looking for information on the Lake Beulah family they summered with 50 years ago. Those are fun questions to investigate.

On Monday, November 4^th, we’ll learn more about two local veterans at our Veterans Day program. Remember to come to the I Am Not Invisible exhibit at the East Troy Intergenerational Community Center and listen to Michelle Himsel, Commander of Loomis-Martin Post 188 and Navy Hospital Corp. 3^rd Class veteran Eleanor Montano. The program will begin at 4:00 after which the exhibit will be moved to the library.

Reading Now: There Should Have Been Eight by Nalini Singh, Lady Tan's Circle of Women by Lisa See (November Adult Book Club Selection)

Listening to Now: The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid