Posted on Wednesday, June 25, 2025 by Dana
Night of the Living Queers
A collection of 13 horror stories all written by queer authors about the Halloween night that changed their lives forever. Continue reading “(Still) Reading With Pride”
Posted on Wednesday, June 11, 2025 by DBRLTeen
Happy Juneteenth everyone! This holiday, only recognized widely within the last few years, was established to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans and as a day to celebrate the influence and contributions that Black Americans have made to the culture and history of the United States. The list of Black people who have had an impact on this country is far, far too long to list, but the influence of many of these figures is felt even to this very day. In times like these, it is especially important, when racism and violence against the Black community, both individual and institutional, is on the rise, that we can take a day to honor both all that we have achieved and all the struggles that have been overcome on the way here. With that in mind, we have put together a book list with a variety of titles written by Black authors, with Black characters, that celebrate Black history, and joy!
You can find our book list at the link here. No matter what draws your eye, we hope that you have a wonderful Juneteenth! As a reminder, all of our locations will be closed on June 19th.
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 by Megan
Happy Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! It is that time of year when we look at all the contributions and achievements of our friends and family in the AANHPI community, both past and present. With the increased anti-Asian hate during the pandemic, it is more important than ever to recognize the many ways that they have helped to shape our modern world for the better. With that in mind, DBRL has created a list of titles featuring AANHPI characters and stories, including some graphic novels and memoirs from various voices and backgrounds. Click here for the full book list.
Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2025 by Grace
Readers…gather round.
We have long awaited a fail-proof method of sniffing out something new to read. You’ve probably tried everything: recommendations from friends and family, the viral hype of a BookTok series (or three), and Goodreads recommendations. All these have been…well, not unhelpful…but here, today, in the form of this blog post, I offer you the most reliable method of choosing a new read: following the stars. Continue reading “YA Books For Your Sun Sign: Part I”
Posted on Wednesday, April 23, 2025 by Grae
Back when I was studying for my MFA in the effervescently endless green of North Carolina’s Piedmont region, I was tasked with proposing a business that engaged with poetry in some way. A child of the “There’s an app for that” generation — and the exact opposite of what you might call a Shrewd Business Man™ — my idea was to create a location-based app that a user could turn to when in need of a poem to ground themselves in a particular place or landscape. 📲
What would it be like to read or listen to Matthew Arnold‘s 19th-century poem “Dover Beach” while standing near the Strait of Dover on its famous White Cliffs? 🌊
Or, in a more mundanely magical Mid-Missouri moment, to experience Mary Oliver‘s beloved poem “Wild Geese” while walking around the noisy gaggle that make their home at Stephens Lake? 🦢
A wonderfully wise poet-friend of mine often says each poem is only fully completed when it reaches its reader(s); I wonder how poems can be completed in the landscapes, places and moments we move through each day — and in turn, complete us in some small, necessary way. ✨ Continue reading “Poets Laureate We Love: Ada Limón 🌿”
Posted on Monday, March 31, 2025 by DBRLTeen
Today, March 31, is “Transgender Day of Visibility.” Everyone is welcome in the library – today and always! To celebrate, we are amplifying transgender books, characters and authors! Here are some of our new favorites! Continue reading “Transgender Day of Visibility”
Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 by Dana
You don’t have to be a woman to be angry with the current state of…*gestures vaguely at everything*
As we come to the end of Women’s History Month and you’d like some feminine rage and empowered girls to carry you through, check out some of the titles below. Continue reading “Sisters Are Doin’ It for Themselves”
Posted on Wednesday, March 19, 2025 by Megan
Are you looking for your next great read? Do you think the books on book tok are overrated? Have you read EVERY book at your school? Have you asked your friends and family for recommendations, but they have questionable taste in books and now you have trust issues? Do you find it annoying when blogs start with a bunch of rhetorical questions as a gimmick to keep you reading? Well look no further – we have something just for you! Continue reading “Ask Book Oracle”
Posted on Monday, February 10, 2025 by Dana
Every genre has its tropes, or a commonly used theme or device. Fantasy has the “chosen one” or “lost royalty” and horror/thrillers have the “haunted house” and the “final girl” trope. Part of why tropes are used so routinely is that there is comfort in knowing how the story will probably play out, especially in romance. But then, we also enjoy it when a predictable formula gets a fun twist.
Angst – Whether they are star-crossed or hit by some other tragedy, happily ever after may not be possible.
Why We Love It: Sometimes, you just want to be in your feelings. See also: Sad People Music
Give It a Try: Songlight by Moira Buffini
Posted on Wednesday, February 5, 2025 by Megan
Have you been curious about tarot but aren’t sure where to start? Starting anything new can be daunting, but don’t worry with a little practice you’ll be tapping into your intuition in no time!
Tarot has been around for centuries in various forms, early versions of tarot cards can be traced back to the late 14th century. However, the most commonly used Smith-Rider-Waite wasn’t published until 1908. Many artists still use the imagery and meanings of the Smith-Rider-Waite deck to this day. If you want to read more about the creation of this deck, you can read the biography of Pamela Colman Smith.
