One of my favorite things is pairing someone up with a great book. Sure, I do it while working at the library, but I do it a lot when I hang out with friends and family, too. Because everyone is different, it can sometimes be a challenge. Some folks stick to one genre, while others are into the overall tone of stories — or other factors entirely. At the risk of no one needing me anymore, I thought I’d share some of the websites I use to make book matches (and find my own next read).
Don’t you hate it when you learn about a book only to find out it’s incredibly popular so there is a wait list to get it from the library? One of the great things about NoveList Plus (a book database you have access to with your library card) is that it provides read-alikes. You could look up that really popular book you placed on hold and see some similar books to read while you wait. Another cool thing about these read-alikes is that they are often hand-picked, and a real, living person explains why a particular book is recommended — no algorithms here! The read-alikes are located on the right side of the page when you’re looking at the detailed view of the book. Continue reading “Behind the Scenes: Book Recommendation Resources”
Last night, our monthly book club met, and
once again, it was full of fun, energy, discussion and lots of laughter. Each month I come away with such a sense of gratitude for being a part of this group, and I wish everyone could have this experience. You see, our book club is completely made up of individuals that live in our neighborhood, and that unique element takes the connection between us to a whole different level. Before our meeting begins, women can be seen walking through the neighborhood on their way to the home of whomever is hosting the current month’s discussion, with their dish to share. As we arrive, there is fun discussion of neighborhood happenings, family news and updates on remodeling projects. (And yes, we even discuss the book.) I like to think this is what neighborhoods used to be like, before the onslaught of technology, transience and shifting school boundaries. Or maybe what it was like when women got together to work on a quilt or to do the canning for the winter. It is more than a book club; it provides a sense of community that was certainly missing for me. Continue reading “Book Clubs: The Community They Create and Resources to Start Your Own”
For the first time in the United States’ 240-year history, a woman had a real chance at the presidency and put a significant crack in the highest glass ceiling. Hillary Clinton was the first female presidential candidate nominated by a major party. But she didn’t rise, a lone woman, out of the void. Other women paved the way, and eventually a woman will follow who makes it into the Oval Office. Wouldn’t now be a good time to read about some of the trailblazers?
The following titles are by or about women who broke (or at least chipped away at) a glass ceiling in politics:
“The Highest Glass Ceiling” by Ellen Fitzpatrick covers three American women who pursued the highest office in the country. Victoria Woodhull ran for president on the National Radical Reformers ticket in 1871, decades before women gained the vote. Margaret Chase Smith, the first woman elected on her own to the U.S. Senate, made an unsuccessful run for the Republican nomination in 1964. Eight years later, Shirley Chisholm would become the first African-American woman to run in the Democratic primary. Continue reading “Glass Ceilings in Politics”
Here we are at the start of November — where does the time go?! For those folks intending to host a Thanksgiving meal, or for those who want to pitch in and bring a dish to someone else’s gathering, you know what time it is — it’s time to plan your menu! Never fear–there are plenty of resources here at DBRL to help you conjure and organize the preparation of this revered feast. Continue reading “Planning Your Thanksgiving Meal”
“Your baby will arrive at 7 tomorrow morning…” and thus, our first day of being parents was about to begin. Of course, the process started much earlier with the adoption application, home study visits, being cleared through immigration and basically being evaluated by what felt like a gazillion people. Although our process was relatively easy to negotiate, it did involve many steps, lots of preparation and extensive research. Decisions have to be made regarding the type of adoption (domestic, international, private, special needs, etc.) and choosing an adoption agency, as well as financing the adoption.
Additionally, preparing and educating yourself, your friends and family about adoption and how best to navigate the transition for yourself and your child is extremely important. Working with an excellent adoption caseworker and speaking with other adoptive parents is invaluable (and we did), but equally as helpful were the many books that we read. Besides, reading gives you something meaningful to do while you are waiting (patience wasn’t my strong suit), and let’s face it – you won’t have much time to read once your child arrives. Continue reading “November Is National Adoption Month”
If you have even glanced at any newspaper, website, television show or your social media accounts, then you know that it’s election season. With all of the media attention on the presidential election, it can be easy to forget that on November 8, we will also be electing local representatives, from county commissioners to state senators.
Are you registered to vote? You have until October 12 to sign up! Applications must be postmarked or submitted online by that date. Check out the Secretary of State’s website for more information and to register.
Want to know more about the candidates and proposed constitutional amendments? Attend upcoming election forums at the Columbia Public Library, on Tuesday, October 11 and Wednesday, October 19. (Both events start at 6:30 p.m., but come early for coffee and cookies!) These forums are co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Columbia-Boone County. Continue reading “Election Day Is Coming! Get Registered and Informed”
October 10, 2016 is World Mental Health Day, a day designated to raise awareness of and organize support for mental health issues. Millions of Americans (let alone the rest of the world’s population) are affected by mental illness; it is so prevalent that either we are affected ourselves, or we know family members and/or friends who struggle with mental health issues.
This year’s theme is psychological first aid. What is psychological first aid (PFA), you ask? PFA is an approach used by mental health care providers and emergency/disaster response workers to help people function and cope in the immediate aftermath of natural or man-made disasters (for example, devastation from hurricanes, tornadoes, fires or mass shootings). Interventions are designed to offer support and practical assistance to those who are affected and can come in the form of providing food, water, shelter and counseling, among other things. These interventions help reduce the initial distress caused by traumatic events, addressing the physical, psychological, behavioral and spiritual effects suffered. Continue reading “World Mental Health Day”
I have a great story about this blog post. The same day I started work on it, I began de-cluttering at home, organizing the piles of books my family tends to amass. As I picked up an old paperback Star Trek novel, bought used, a newspaper clipping fell out. The headline read “Roddenberry Fills Heroic Void.” The article discussed a talk given in Jesse Auditorium by Gene Roddenberry, creator of the Star Trek television series. I could find no mention of the date or even the name of the newspaper, but with a bit of sleuthing through the library’s collection of University of Missouri yearbooks, I confirmed the event happened on February 17, 1976.
Among quotes from the talk, this one stood out: “Roddenberry predicted giant and efficient telecommunications systems will be available within 12 years that will make TV look primitive.” He was off by only three years, as the World Wide Web went public in 1991. Quite a visionary. His mid-sixties TV series featured communications devices that looked a lot like cell phones, information storage devices that looked a lot like iPads and a starship crew that looked a lot like the entire human race had learned to work together cooperatively. Continue reading “Star Trek, Boldly Going for 50 Years”
Truer words have never been spoken (and don’t worry, I’m not biased). I got my own library card in the first grade. I signed it (with my beginner’s cursive), looked at it lovingly and promptly handed it to my dad for safe-keeping in his wallet. Sure, I had been a regular fixture in my local library since I was too young to remember, but the books I took home were always checked out to my mom or dad. That all changed once I got my own library card. It would take a few years for me to fully appreciate what my library card could do for me, though. September is Library Card Sign-Up Month, and it’s also a time to consider what brings you “library happiness.” Continue reading “September Is Library Card Sign-up Month!”
The brain is not really a muscle, but there’s a lot of advice out there to treat it like one and exercise it. A huge industry has been built around this concept. But this post comes with a disclaimer: I recently read an article stating that “brain-training effects might be nothing more than placebo effects” and questioning how long those positive effects last. So you might think twice about spending a lot of money on brain-training programs and gurus, but there’s a lot you can find for free at the library to boost your brain power. What could it hurt to do a little mental calisthenics? Continue reading “On Your Mark, Get Set, Exercise Your Brain!”
Don’t you hate it when you learn about a book only to find out it’s incredibly popular so there is a wait list to get it from the library? One of the great things about NoveList Plus (a book database you have access to with your library card) is that it provides read-alikes. You could look up that really popular book you placed on hold and see some similar books to read while you wait. Another cool thing about these read-alikes is that they are often hand-picked, and a real, living person explains why a particular book is recommended — no algorithms here! The read-alikes are located on the right side of the page when you’re looking at the detailed view of the book. Continue reading “Behind the Scenes: Book Recommendation Resources”
If you have even glanced at any newspaper, website, television show or your social media accounts, then you know that it’s election season. With all of the media attention on the presidential election, it can be easy to forget that on November 8, we will also be electing local representatives, from county commissioners to state senators.
