From Our Blogs

Book and activity ideas for all ages.

  • Helping Kids Understand Dementia

    I first heard of Alzheimer’s disease at age thirteen, when my father’s uncle moved in with my grandmother, next door to us. We quickly realized why he could no longer live alone. His diminishing memory meant he needed someone to remind him how to dress for the weather and when it was time to brush … Read more

  • Q&A With Kennon Sheldon, Author of “Freely Determined”

    Kennon Sheldon is a Columbia, MO author whose latest book is “Freely Determined: What the New Psychology of the Self Teaches Us About How to Live.” In the book he argues the case for free will from a psychological perspective, and also draws on research into motivation and goal setting as a guide to how we … Read more

  • Season’s Readings

      When the nights are long and cold, there are few things better than cozying up with a good book, and with the holiday season upon us, I have some festive (or not) recommendations to while away the dark winter days. If you want that adventure vibe, give Winter, White and Wicked by Shannon Dittemore … Read more

  • Nonfiction Roundup: December 2023

    Below I’m highlighting some of the last nonfiction books coming out this year in December. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new … Read more

  • Handprint Calendar 2024

    I don’t know about all of you, but 2023 has flown by for me. I have definitely felt the truth behind this wonderful quote from Gretchen Rubin: “The days are long but the years are short.” Being (miraculously) at the end of 2023 means it’s time for us to bring back our handprint calendar once … Read more

  • Leftovers? No Problem!

    Holiday meals are supposed to leave foods in the refrigerator for other meals. Plentiful leftovers. In my family, it’s for grazing when you come back to the same meal later to have a bit more of something and another slice of pie. The next day is often sandwiches and sides and the third day is … Read more

  • Happy Birthday Madeline L’Engle

    Madeleine L’Engle Camp was born on November 29, 1918. She would be 105 today. You may know her name from her most famous book, “A Wrinkle in Time,” first published in 1962. The smart and awkward protagonist, Meg, was a beacon of hope for my adolescent self. It was not only okay to be smart … Read more

  • Pinegrove’s Best Album

    Among the more unexpected social media trends of summer 2023, to me, was the “Pinegrove shuffle,” a viral dance described by the New York Times as floppy, hypnotic, sad, and cathartic. We have 19-year-old Garrett Lee to thank for the dance trend, set to the aching, quietly frantic “Need 2,” first released nearly a decade ago as … Read more

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