First Came the Book

 

12-6-2024

Conclave is not just a movie.

A few months ago, I saw a trailer for the movie starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, and John Lithgow. Since I adore two of those actors, I’ll let you guess which two, and knew a story that intriguing must have originated as a book. Not only was I correct, but ETLPL owns a copy. Robert Harris’ book was published in 2016 so it’s been around long enough we keep it in the Lower Level. Proof that good books you may have missed can be found down the stairs too. I finished it last week. It was a good book  

While we’re talking movies, I should mention that Wicked also started out as a book series by Gregory Maguire. There are four books in the series and we do own a version of them all. It’s been over two decades since I read the first one. I don’t remember my impressions of it, but it was highly recommended to me.

I’ll be interested in seeing both movies, but not yet. I’m just finishing listening to Dune and that movie series is available for free checkout at the library. It will be a few months before the above movies will be available on DVD.

Speaking of my recommendations, Mom has to wait once more for Joy Ellis books as I’ve started more ETLPL readers on her series. A new Nikki Galena book was just released in November. Place your holds for Echoes on the Fens.

The recent drop in temperatures may have been the inspiration for this article. Books and movies with a soft blanket seem and excellent way to spend the evening. The weather hasn’t turned wintery enough to consider closing the library, memories of last January and 29 hours without power (read heat) at my home tells me it is best to be prepared.

Prepared means having electronic access to any required means of posting the closure from home. Those postings include the East Troy Village website, East Troy Lions Public Library website and Facebook page, and Today’s TMJ4. If I made the drive to work before making the decision, there will also be a posting on the door.

Our incredibly long answering machine message states that we do not close just because the East Troy Community School District has done so. There are many reasons for this beginning with the fact that the schools often close the night before based on weather predictions. Late starts aren’t as likely given the library already opens two hours after the start of most school days. Instead, I usually base it on my drive to work and how well the snowplows are able to keep up. DPW and Benchmark do an excellent job cleaning the snow for us, but there are times when the library parking lot cannot be a priority.

Hopefully we won’t need to put this information to the test anytime soon, but I’ll make certain to have some movies handy just in case.

Reading Now: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes (Book club meets next week December 10th or 13th.)

Listening to Now: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller (Quite honestly, it's on the PBS Great American Read list and my first reaction is listening is less painful than reading this one. We'll see if I making it past the first chapter changes my impressions.)

Community Calendar

 

11-29-2024

All polar bears are left-handed. That’s the fun fact we’re discussing in the library today courtesy of Jerry Pallotta’s Who Would Win series. Specifically, it was from the Polar Bear vs. Grizzly Bear section of Ultimate Showdown. Little tidbits like that are enough to keep us going all afternoon with questions and trivia.

We like to be in the know at the library whether it’s considered trivia or not. One area of knowledge we are currently working on is what’s going on in the East Troy area. Goal 1 of our Strategic Plan’s goals is to “Expand communication with area residents and organizations in order to strengthen relationships and promote library services.” One of the activities is to create a community calendar for nonprofit organizations to post their events. A sort of one stop shopping for what’s happening in ET.

The calendar went live just a few weeks ago. So far it is difficult to distinguish it from the ETLPL calendar as, of course, I entered all of our programs first. Next, I reached out to the East Troy Intergenerational Community Center to work out the logistics of a shared calendar. So far only their weekly Tai Chi class is listed as that’s the one I used as a trial reoccurring event. They have promised to add others soon. Village of East Troy Board and Plan Commission meetings are also entered, at least for December.

On the website, all events are blue (no matter how many times and ways I try to add variety, once shared it reverts to one). Clicking on the event opens a bubble with any additional information attached to the event. There are Month, Week, and Agenda tabs which allow for visual opItions. Residents who use a Google calendar are invited to add the calendar to their existing ones that is viewable as part of the larger calendar or as a side bar when Gmail is open. That’s how I view it. It gives me an overview of the day’s events as I work.

I have a list of organizations to invite to participate. They include service organizations such as the East Troy Lions Club and Kiwanis as well as churches for their fundraisers and festivals. Our website lists the participating organizations with links to their websites for additional information. Watch for that list to grow as we partner with more East Troy community organizations.

Reading Now: The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes

Listening to Now: Dune by Frank Herbert

Winter Reading Program

 11-22-2024

The library elves are working behind the scenes preparing for Christmas and the Winter Reading Program. Christmas books came out of storage three weeks ago. They’ll remain available until the New Year. Everything else needs to be in place by 7:00 pm on November 27^th as that is when we close for Thanksgiving weekend. The next time we are open, Monday, December 2^nd, is the first day for Winter Reading Program sign up.

The past two years we have hosted a sing-a-long event as the kickoff event. This year we have the Charcuterie Demonstration and Cheese Tasting instead. That will be on Wednesday, December 4^th at 6:00 pm. Katie and I will be putting our heads together on Thanksgiving when I hand off the Hill Valley Dairy cheese and enjoy her creation for the Bartoli gathering. There is no sign up required for this event; however, that is the day we’ll start the sign up for January’s Sourdough Made Simple. (That’s called a teaser as I’m not giving out any more information about that in this article.)

Last week we ordered the prizes for the WRP. In addition to gift cards from local restaurants Kelly’s Pot Pies, LD’s, and Culver’s, we have ones for Ink Link and Amazon. Purchased items include National Geographic’s Super Gross Chemistry Set and an electric fondue maker. The picture of melted chocolate and strawberries on the box sold that to us last spring when we shopping for the Summer Reading Program. The other items are not yet sitting in my office to remind me, but rest assured there will be a LEGO kit.

As always, the WRP is open to all ages. In fact, I suspect more adults sign up in winter as we see more of them in the library during the school year. It doesn’t hurt that last winter, I moved the adult sign up to the circulation desk. I’m devious that way. The program runs through Saturday, January 11^th at 1:00 pm when all tickets must be submitted for the drawings.

Additional programs this year include a Life Size Candy Land on December 26^th and 27^th. I will be bringing the grandson to that for certain. It’s officially open 1:00-3:00 pm, but will also be used for the Preschool Play Group and Storytime those mornings as well.

To finish the year and keep those kids who are out of school busy, we have a Family Move Night (Afternoon?) scheduled for 3:00 pm on Monday, December 30^th.

Reading Now: Conclave by Robert Harris

Listening to Now: Dune by Frank Herbert

1000 Books B4K

 

11-15-2024

As a former English teacher, I have been exposed to many studies showing the importance of reading to children. The only one I can remember in connection to this week’s topic is about the relationship between the number of books in one’s home and a child’s grades, or is it IQ? Obviously, I don’t really remember it. At the time I certainly counted the number of books in my home and pondered the relationship between the study and library books that are in and out of a home. Then I probably grabbed a book I’d been counting and settled in to read.

Thankfully, Miss Maria has put together lovely packets of information for parents of truly young patrons as part of the relaunched 1000 Books B4K (before kindergarten). The program encourages reading through the use of coloring sheets each one representing 100 books. In the past, the title of each book was recorded. The relaunched simplifies tracking of the 1000 books thanks to the sheet created by Miss Anna. Each contains a bookshelf with 20 items bordered by 100 flowers. After every book, check off a flower. After every 5, color in an item on the bookshelf randomly run a crayon/marker over the page depending on the child’s artistic vision. Then record the best book read in that 100 and bring to the library.

The child will receive a sticker and a new coloring sheet after every 100 books read. At the end, the library will place a name plate in the child’s favorite book recommending it to others. That’s 10 stickers and the opportunity to influence other people. How many children would turn down that? No reading program such as this would be complete without a book as the final reward.

One of the flyers Miss Maria included in the packet does remember why reading to children is important. It’s not just the reading it’s the interaction with the book and the reader. Looking back at Emma’s youth, I wish I had paused more to ask her questions about the story or the illustrations. As a reader, I didn’t like to disrupt the story’s pace. She would have benefited from more opportunities to absorb the story at a younger age.

We started reading to Emma at bedtime when she was seven weeks old. Admittedly, she didn’t understand any part of them, but it gave her quiet time with her dad on a regular basis. Later those books may have acquired some bite marks. Proof she enjoyed them. As a toddler, her favorite book was a DK Publishing about babies. She was fascinated by the pictures of fellow little ones and their lives.

One of the saddest days of my life was shortly after Emma’s 10^th birthday. We had just finished reading the Harry Potter series together. She had really wanted to read the final book to herself, but pitied mom. When it was finished, she called an end to our nightly reading together.

Reading Now: Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent by Judi Dench and Conclave by Robert Harris

Listening to Now:  A Very Punchable Face by Colin Jost

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

Monsters and Dinovember

 

10-25-2024

In the interest of public safety, patrons need to be aware that next over the next several weeks the library will be overrun by monsters, dinosaurs and furry creatures. I’d say we are becoming a veritable Jurassic Park, but I can’t promise all the dinosaur will be from that period.

The danger begins on Wednesday, October 30^th at 1:00 pm with the showing of the most recent installment of the Hotel Transylvania series: Transformania. Hmm, actually that movie premise involves the old switcheroo. Instead of an all but one cast of monsters, it showcases an all but one cast of humans. Good thing, as the East Troy Community School District is closed for inservice. Impressionable young children may accidentally attend the viewing and wear the emotional scares for life. Perhaps the popcorn would make them feel better.

Thursday at 3:00 pm is the time for Teens & Tweens programming in our Lower Level. Each of the first four Thursdays of the month have a specific theme. The 31^st is the fifth Thursday of October. To celebrate, we have spooky board games available for groups of friends to play. Trick or Treaters are invited to wear their costumes and start the evening at the library where we will be passing out candy - hopefully not in the snow like last year.

The really big reptile ancestors take over the next day as part of Dinovember. We are inviting local dinosaur enthusiasts to bring in their dinosaurs to display in our glass case. They can be plastic, stuffed, Lego, etc. just not living as we don’t have the proper budget or staff to handle the feeding and cleanup required. They will be returned safely at the end of the month. Patrons of the smaller variety will receive a dinosaur sticker each week. Ms. Maria will stick to a dinosaur theme for that month’s Storytime on Fridays at 11:00 am.

Finally, the furriest event will be on Thursday, November 14^th at 2:00 pm when we’ll host a special dino-storytime. Mr Nibbles, a local bunny and sometimes library patron, will wear his dinosaur costume and share his favorite story. Snacks will be provided. I’ve been instructed to make them dinosaur shaped. Fans of Drew Daywalt’s The Legend of Rock, Paper, Scissors may be disappointed to learn, they will not be dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets. For those of you who don’t know the book, I highly recommend it and will happily do a read aloud upon request for patrons brave enough to visit us amidst the upcoming dangers.