Audiobook Options

 

10-18-2024

The second weekend of the play kicks off without me as it is also Parent’s Weekend at UW-Eau Claire. I shall be taking Emma her new winter coat per her request, which means I’ll probably be covering my Eau-Claire Mom gear with my own.

It’s a long drive, but I hope to negotiate with my husband on a good audiobook. Listening to a Joy Ellis mystery on my way home from dropping Emma off in August is what stopped got me home safely: focusing on the investigation distracted me from the empty passenger seat. Being able to select what I listened to went a long way to reconciling me about leaving Emma behind.

In all likelihood I’ll use my phone and my car’s Bluetooth capabilities to listen to an audiobook on Libby. Gone are the days most vehicles allowed for books on CD. That includes mine. I love the Bluetooth option, but sometimes the waits on Libby are discouraging. We’ve been exploring viable options for listening to Playaways without headphones and CDs in a time when even home CD players are disappearing.

The easiest way to use a Playaway in the car is through an auxiliary cord. The one complication with that method is programming newer cards to play from the auxiliary port. Playaways are also compatible with FM Transmitters. They plug into the Playaway. The transmitter and the vehicle’s radio are then tuned to the same otherwise static filled station. Of these two methods, I prefer the auxiliary cord as the FM Transmitter purchased for the library didn’t block out all of the static.

We also searched for a portable CD player. Amazon reminded us, portable CD players were popular after the Walkman and before vehicles had CD players. We have come full circle. Too bad I didn’t keep mine. Today’s models have a few upgrades beginning with the built-in rechargeable battery that saves money if not time. My circa 1990’s model used a cassette adaptor to play through the car stereo. A new model can use the auxiliary port, Bluetooth, or a built in FM transmitter.

Frequent audio book listeners will probably want to own their own devices and cords. However, the library does have an FM Transmitter, a portable CD player, and a portable speaker (for Playaways at home) available to try before you buy or for use on the occasional road trip.

 

Honoring Women Veterans - I Am Not Invisible

 

10-11-2024

The article will run on the opening day of Wine, Cheese and Murder. You know where I am; however, even though the play still pulls my focus, it is time to turn at lease some of my attention to our next program. Since Veterans Day is exactly one month away, it’s time to announce that program.

This will be ETLPL’s third year hosting a military program in November. We started with Ace of Aces: The Dick Bong Story by Mike O’Connor. Last year Mike came back to talk about his second book, Badger Aces: Wisconsin Fighter Aces, 1917-1972, paired with the traveling exhibit Wisconsin Remembers: A Face for Every Name from the Wisconsin Veterans Museum.

This year we will again host a traveling exhibit from the WVM paired with two guest speakers. I Am Not Invisible began in Oregon as an awareness campaign highlighting the role of women veterans. It is now a nationwide program. The traveling exhibit is composed of pop-up banners each featuring a different veteran. More information about these women can be found on the museum’s website which hosts the oral history interview.

On November 4^th at 4:00 pm we are pairing the banners with a presentation from two local women. Commander Michelle Himsel is in charge of East Troy’s American Legion Loomis-Martin Post 188. She will be joined by 3rd Class veteran Eleanor Montano.  Himsel and Montano will give a talk about their experiences in the military.

One of the goals in our strategic plan reads, “Create solutions to minimize facility shortcomings.” With that in mind and knowing a portion of our target audience includes patrons who find the stairs to our lower level difficult to manage, we have asked the East Troy Intergenerational Community Center for use of their space. Located in the back of the East Troy Community School Districts business office, the former Doubek Elementary building, the Community Center is one level and offers plenty of parking.

The exhibit will be set up for the November 4^th talk at the Community Center. Afterwards it will be on display at the library November 5^th through November 16^th. It is important to note that the ETICC entrance is accessed from a driveway on Division Street rather than the district’s entrance on Beulah Avenue. It is set back quite bit so don’t let the open grass areas confuse you.

We hope to see you there as we honor these and all military women for their service.

Reading Now: Twilight by Stephanie Myer (I WILL finish this book. Maybe after the play.)

Listening to Now: Graves on the Fens by Joy Ellis

Library Field Trips

 

10-4-2024

We go on a lot of field trips at the library. To the lower level, to the kitchen area, to the storage/bookdrop room, to the spider (there aren’t actually any there)/Kostopolis/periodical room, to the Lion’s Club room, to the Friend’s room.  After years of teaching, the phrase comes out anytime I want to show a staff member an idea I have to use the space differently and, hopefully, more efficiently. It’s actually reached the point that staff has begun calling out, “Field trip,” to announce a move to a different room. They even manage to sound excited.

This past week has sent Friends and me on several actual, leave the building field trips in preparation for next week’s play. Mary Hubbard Nugent and part of the cast took a field trip to the Honey Creek Collective’s Brown Barn. Formerly the property of Michael Fields and still home to its office space, the Brown Barn is a beautiful space housing several other businesses, a folk school, and two churches. The play will use the same space in which the churches congregate. Mary and cast visited to familiarize themselves with their performance space as rehearsals move into run-throughs and solidify blocking.

Another group with Friends and me met with Jason Neu, HCC’s owner, to plan the logistics of the lower level for placement of ticket/will call, tables, bar, and cheese plate sales as well as a layout of the parking spaces. A note on parking, we are limiting ticket sales to 85 each performance not because of the space, but because of the parking. There are more parking spaces than a drive by the site might indicate; however, we want to be certain to use the space efficiently. Therefore, Don Roberts has volunteered to direct traffic. Before the performance the north entrance will be an entrance only, the south entrance an exit. Between the entrance and exit is the white barn. After the performance, all driveways will be available for exit.

Our next field trip was to Hill Valley Cheese Shop and Cheese Bar. There we selected the three cheeses that will make up the bulk of the auction’s cheese baskets. In addition to selling those cheeses at wholesale cost, Hill Valley donated 10 blocks of cheese for the cheese plates and a $40 gift card for the Cheese Bar which will also be auctioned.

Individual field trips took place to Global Glass, Kelly’s Pot Pies and Yaya’s Skordalia. Yaya’s, also located at Honey Creek Collective donated containers of their almond spread for the cheese board. Kelly’s Pot Pies donated six gift cards, one for each performance, for the cheesecake in the cheesecake basket. Rather a pivotal donation. The gift card will allow the auction winners to choose when to bring a cheesecake home. Whether that is during a family gathering or when the family is all far away is their call. Also in that basket will be a Wine, Cheese and Murder apron. Melanie at Global Glass helped select the majority of the wines in those auction baskets.

Thank you to all the business that are partnering with our Friends and Off the Square Players. We look forward to two fun-filled weekends. October 11, 12 & 13, and 18, 19 & 20. Tickets are still available at the library.

Reading Now: A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (PBS Great America Reads title)

Listening to Now: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin

If You Hate Waiting

 

9-27-2024

I heart Libby. I have hearted Libby since it was OverDrive, I had a Kindle with the OverDrive app that allowed easy downloading, and Emma had me waiting in her dance studio lobby multiple nights a week for rehearsals to finish. Now it is Libby, Amazon makes downloads to my Paperwhite annoying, and Emma is enjoying her freshman year of college four hours away. I still heart Libby.

A pandemic and worldwide shut later and a large number of my fellow library card holders also love Libby. Testified to by the wait times of popular titles.

The other day I was researching the likelihood of a patron checking out a copy of Kristin Hannah’s The Women in time for her private book club at the end of October. Knowing that a week earlier we’d checked the holds list for the print copy and that it was over 300 patrons strong, I turned to electronic copies. The hold lists on Libby’s 127 book copies and 119 audio book copies were both estimated to take over six months.

I don’t heart Hoopla. We provide access, but unlike Libby which allows us to pay for and maintain access to a book, Hoopla charges for every use. That’s why patrons are limited to the number of checkouts per month and the have a price cap on accessible items. However, in cases like this when other venues are not available, it’s my next suggestion. Not available there at all.

After we ended the call, I looked into physical audiobook copies and realized we already owned The Women on Playaway. To top it all off, it was on our shelves.

The moral of the story is twofold.

First, physical copies are a viable alternative to the long waits. A group of directors from Prairie Lakes Library System are currently meeting to explore the best way to reduce these waits, but the simple truth is libraries don’t have the budget to purchase enough copies to do so. Being open to physical copies can reduce the wait for some titles.

Second, Playaways are often overlooked. For those who don’t know, they are small devices that contain the MP3 copy of a book and can be played on its own unlike CDs. The downside as compared to Libby and using a tablet or smart phone is that a Playaway has neither speakers nor Bluetooth capabilities. They have a 3.5 mm port for headphones. Yes, the kind with a wire. However, the port also allows for an FM transmitter for use with a radio or a cable that plugs into a car or speaker’s auxiliary port.

I would be happy to demonstrate any of those technologies for the next person to ask for The Women or any other Playaway.

Reading Now: A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (PBS Great America Reads title)

Listening to Now: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin

A Word From Our Director

9-20-2024

The lights have been on late at the ETLPL this month. That’s because it is rehearsal time for our Friend’s annual play fundraiser. This delightful tradition made it’s post-Covid comeback last year, which helped fund the new furniture in our programming space as well as the Experience Pass Which Must Not Be Named. Stop in and I’ll explain what that means.

This is the Friends largest fundraiser and will help support next summer’s reading program as well as the renewal of the Not Named pass. Below is a description from our director, Mary Hubbard Nugent. All I’d like to add is that the hospitality hour will offer a cheese plate for two for sale created by me and Claudia Felske. I can’t wait for the taste testing.

The Friends of the East Troy Lions Public Library in collaboration with Off the Square Players are pleased to present Wine, Cheese and Murder by Michael Druce.  This play is a perfect pairing of comedy and fund raising for the Friends.

                To publicize her new wine, vineyard owner Chardonnay Boudreaux invites wine expert Beau Jolie to host a wine tasting. The tasting immediately turns sour when Beau discovers the wine is contaminated with gasoline. Before anyone can cry sour grapes, Beau drops dead. Police Chief Moscato Paul launches an investigation only to be faced with another murder. Are the two murders and the ruined wine the work of one person or more? Could it be Chardonnay’s sister Brie or their estranged stepbrother Marlowe? Perhaps French cheese master Henri Chablis or longtime manager Madeira Lambrusco had a hand in the crimes. Ripe with suspects and motives, this mystery is looking like a vintage murder.

                The cast includes Judy Atkinson, Don Barshinger, Ruth Tozer, Mark Gontscharow, Joan Hay, Kathy Anderson, Emma Wegner, Jack Weiber, Steve Hay, Jody Pogorzelski, Paul Sleeman, Kelly Romel and Liz Atkinson.  Mary Hubbard Nugent is directing the production; Chuck Dimick is the producer.  Audiences will be familiar with some of the cast members who were featured in the 2023 Friends Fundraiser production of Murder at the Pie Auction, also written by Michael Druce.

                The murder mystery will be performed at the Honey Creek Collective in East Troy on October 11, 12, 13, 18, 19 and 20.  Friday and Saturday performances will be at 7:30 pm and while Sunday’s will be at 2 pm.  Audiences will be able to participate in a live auction during the show featuring wine, cheese, and cheesecake as well as a hospitality hour previous to the performance. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the East Troy Lions Public Library. 

Reading Now: A Man of Two Faces by Viet Thanh Nguyen, Twilight by Stephanie Meyer (PBS Great America Reads title)

Listening to Now: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin

Fall Programming Kicks Off

 

9-13-2024

Fall program changes kicked in at the library this week. Monday saw our first Pokémon Open Card Battle. On hand were Bryan, owner of 2To16 Games, and his fiancée Harlie who helps out at the shop. The two patrons who came after school already knew how to play so it was all about battles this week; however, Bryan and Harlie were fully prepared to teach and feed participants. They brought starter decks and cookie cake to share.

2To16 Games is in Mukwonago near Fork in the Road and in the same strip mall as Judd’s Designs. Along with their Corgi, Annie Mae, Bryan and Harlie provide a space for game play of Magic the Gathering as well as Pokémon. Contrary to their name, most patrons are actually in their 20s. Younger players do come in with their families. Board games are also available for free play. Play space is free; however, they do sell trading cards and supplies such as card sleeves, dice, and new player decks.

Our next Pokémon night is after school on Monday, September 23^rd. This program runs the same days as our Yarn & Stitch group: 2^nd and 4^th Mondays each month. This coming Monday, September 16^th is our first Serial Sampler Book Club. This month is The Wild Robot by Peter Brown to coincide with the movie release.

The October book is Magyk by Angie Sage. This was on my recommendation. The Septimus Heap series is one of my favorites. Emma and I listened to it before she was old enough for Harry Potter. I had to trick her into listening to it as the title gave her the impression it was a boy book. Our previous listen finished while we were on the way to Devil’s Lake. Lo and behold, Magik was the only other audiobook with us. The first chapter introduces a lost princess, which immediately made the book and its six sequels acceptable.

The series have some similarities in that they both involve young men raised without parents and whose life changes when they discover their magical abilities. Septimus Heap is not nearly as dark for all that he too has a nemesis from birth. Print and audio copies are available at the library.

For adults and older teens who like to write, our new Writer’s Workshop starts Tuesday, September 17^th at 3:00-4:30. This program is intended to create a safe space for writers to share their works in progress and provide feedback and support for each other.

Reading Now: 

Listening to Now: American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J Sherwin 

New on BadgerLink

 

9-6-2024

It seems fitting to write an article about BadgerLink resources the week school starts up again. The databases offered are very helpful for student research in most of my classes, which in previous years resulted in a number of how-to demonstrations in classrooms. However, with over 70 resources to offer on a variety of topic they serve all ages. In July a handful of those changed. Direct links to three of the new databases are now available on the ETLPL website. All three have a do-it-yourself component in common.

The first is a replacement for Auto Repair Source. As the name implies, this database provided repair manuals for auto repair. And the definition of uncomplicated it not complicated. ChiltonLibrary may not be as obvious a name, but it is a well known and respected one for do-it-yourself mechanics. Chilton’s have been so coveted in the past, that our print collection is literally stored under lock and key and not allowed to circulate. Instead, patrons were asked to make copies of the relevant pages. With this database, that is no longer an issue. The materials can be accessed immediately as the need arises rather than at the mercy of library hours. Plus, they advertise a video library as part of the collection.

Related, but not new, is the Small Engine Repair Source. Another obvious title for the mechanically inclined.

The second addition to our website, also for the mechanically inclined and obviously named, is Home Improvement Source. This draws from magazines and reference books on home improvement and repair projects. According to the BadgerLink website that includes electrical, flooring, gardening, design, plumbing, woodworking, and more.

The final hands-on database linked to our website is Hobbies and Crafts Source. Magazines are also the source for this database. They cover crafts, cooking/baking, gardening, indoor/outdoor recreation, and more.

The majority of the remaining BadgerLink resources are for research purposes. Not just papers but also health related information, genealogy, historical newspapers, and even book recommendations. All of resources are paid for by the state of Wisconsin and made available to all residents through their public and school libraries for free. As an experiment, I accessed Popular Science through the Popular Magazines database without logging in. That may be because the software recognizes the library’s IP address. That is the case for students at school. The first time use at home may require logging in with a library card. Give it a try.

Reading Now: The Yellow Bird Sings by Jennifer Rosner (September Adult Book Club Selection)

Listening to Now: One More to Die by Joy Ellis (Audible Original unrelated to her series)