What’s happening this week at the Library
This week marks the end of this year’s Summer Reading adventure “Libraries Rock”. Don’t miss our final Summer Reading events:
- Monday – Friday at 11:30 am to 12:30 Summer Lunches – Lunches are still being served from 11:30 to 12:30 in the Downstairs Activity Area at the Library. USD 480’s Summer Food Service Program is open to all children and teens, ages 1-18. No registration or identification required. For more information, contact Connie Vogts at 620-604-1204.
- Tuesday at 11 am Storytime – This storytime is for newborns to 3 year olds. Join us for stories, songs, and a craft! Plus, every child gets a free book.
- Wednesday at 4 pm Teen Crafts and Video Games – For ages 12 & up. Play our X-Box, Playstation 4, or Wii! Or, make a cool craft! Free snacks and drinks will be provided.
- Wednesday at 5:30 pm Movie Musical Mayhem – Celebrate “Libraries Rock” Adult Summer Reading with us and watch some iconic movie musicals! Attending this event counts as a stop on your tour badge. Feel free to sing along and have fun!
- Thursday at 11 am Storytime – This storytime is for 4 to 6 year olds. Join us for stories, songs, and a craft! Plus, every child gets a free book.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – This evening storytime is similar to the daytime version but is for all ages.
- Thursday at 6 pm Yu-Gi-Oh – For Ages 12 and up. Play the fun card game with friends! Free snacks and drinks will be provided.
- Friday at Noon Adult Summer Reading Grand Prize Drawing – We will have our July grand prize drawing for Adult Summer Reading. This month’s grand prize is a guitar. Get your drawing slips in before Noon this Friday to be entered to win.
- Friday at 2 pm Friday Fun Day – Kids of all ages, come to a different fun event at the library every Friday at 2 pm during Summer Reading and enjoy free popcorn and drinks! This week we are showing a fun kid’s movie full of mermaids and creatures of the sea!
- Saturday at 1 pm End of Summer Reading Party – Enjoy Freddy’s Frozen Custard and toppings while celebrating the summer! Kids, remember to turn in your filled-in reading logs to get a prize!
Musically Themed Books
Our “Libraries Rock” Summer Reading program is about over, but there is still time to check out our musically themed book display.
Got No Friend Anyhow
by Peggy Ehrhart
From the book description
Maxximum Blues has a solid foothold in the Manhattan blues scene, but Maxx Maxwell (real name: Elizabeth) knows a CD will make the band irresistible to festival organizers. Prowling Rooster Records is her label of choice, but when the CD is nearly finished, producer Rick Schneider disappears.
When Maxx searches for the CD’s master in Rick’s studio, she finds his cherished memento, a framed album cover, knocked from the wall–and even more alarming, a pool of dried blood. The next day, she identifies Rick’s body at the county morgue.
The cops believe Rick was pirating CDs and was murdered in a mob territory battle. Maxx is determined to clear his name by finding his real killer.
In classic whodunit style, Got No Friend Anyhow takes the reader on a ride that keeps pages turning all the way to a dramatic and unexpected climax.
 Sweet Dreams Are Made of This: A Life In Music
by Dave Stewart and Mick Jagger
From the book description
A no-holds-barred look into the remarkable life and career of the prolific musician, songwriter, and producer behind Eurythmics and dozens of pop hits.
Dave Stewart’s life has been a wild ride—one filled with music, constant reinvention, and the never-ending drive to create. Growing up in industrial northern England, he left home for the gritty London streets of the seventies, where he began collaborating and performing with various musicians, including a young waitress named Annie Lennox.
For the first time, Stewart shares the incredible, high-octane stories of his life in music—the drug-fueled adventures, the A-list collaborations and relationships, and the creative process that brought us blockbusters from Eurythmics like “ Here Comes the Rain Again” and “Would I Lie to You” as well as Tom Petty’s “Don’t Come Around Here No More,” No Doubt’s “Underneath It All,” Golden Globe winner “Old Habits Die Hard” with Mick Jagger, and many more.
 More Featured Books
See more featured books using our new “Library Mobile” app. View the full list by selecting the “Books for Music Lovers” tile on the app.
With this app on your phone or other device, you can quickly see what’s new at the library (new books, new DVDs, etc.), put a hold on items you like, renew what you have checked out, and even pay library fines using PayPal. You can also create lists of books you’d like to read or other items you would like to check out. Look for “Auto-Graphics” or “Library Mobile” in your app store to get started.
 What’s happening this week at the Library
- Monday – Friday at 11:30 am to 12:30 Summer Lunches – This summer lunches will be served from 11:30 to 12:30 in the Downstairs Activity Area at the Library. USD 480’s Summer Food Service Program is open to all children and teens, ages 1-18. No registration or identification required. For more information, contact Connie Vogts at 620-604-1204.
- Tuesday at 11 am Storytime – This storytime is for newborns to 3 year olds. Join us for stories, songs, and a craft! Plus, every child gets a free book.
- Tuesday at 6 pm Recipe Swap – Bring something you’ve made (along with the recipe) to share and enjoy everyone else’s creations! Every month is a different theme! This month’s theme is “5 ingredient recipes”.
- Wednesday at 4 pm Teen Crafts and Video Games – For ages 12 & up. Play our X-Box, Playstation 4, or Wii! Or, make a cool craft! Free snacks and drinks will be provided.
- Thursday at 11 am Storytime – This storytime is for 4 to 6 year olds. Join us for stories, songs, and a craft! Plus, every child gets a free book.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – This evening storytime is similar to the daytime version but is for all ages.
- Thursday at 6 pm Yu-Gi-Oh – For Ages 12 and up. Play the fun card game with friends! Free snacks and drinks will be provided.
- Friday at Noon Adult Summer Reading Grand Prize Drawing – We will have our June grand prize drawing for Adult Summer Reading. This month’s grand prize is a ukulele. Get your drawing slips in before Noon this Friday to be entered to win.
- Friday at 2 pm Dan Dan the Magic Man – Dan’s magic show will guide you on a journey full of musical adventures! Silly songs, live animals, and tons of audience participation will have you Rockin’, Rollin’, and Reading!
New Library Mobile App
Check out the new free app for our library catalog! Now you can use your mobile device to view your library account, quickly see what’s new at the library (new books, new DVDs, etc.), put a hold on items you like, renew what you have checked out, and even pay library fines using PayPal. You can also create lists of items you would like to check out, books you would like to read.
Suppose you are at a store and see a book you’d like to read, but don’t want to buy it if the library already has a copy. You can use the Library Mobile catalog app to scan the book’s ISBN barcode (usually on the back of the book towards the bottom) and instantly see if the library owns it.
Look for Auto-Graphics Library Mobile in your app store to get started. Once you’ve installed the app, type in the zip code to find your library and login using your library card number and password. You have the option of setting the app to remember your library card number and password for you so you won’t have to enter it again.
Teen Area
We’ve added computers to the library’s teen area that are exclusively for the use of our teen patrons. The computers and the lovely new computer tables they sit on are a welcome addition to our vibrant teen area, which includes comfy furniture and a good selection of books and graphic novels that are sure to engage even reluctant readers.
 What’s happening this week at the Library
- Tuesday at 11am Storytime – Stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home at every storytime. Story times are open to children of all ages.
- Thursday at Noon Bunco – Come Join the Bunco Party! Seating is limited so sign up now. (Snacks will be served). Bunco is a popular game played with nine dice and a whole lot of luck. It requires twelve players.
- Thursday at 4 pm Water Candle craft for adults – Make a water candle! Seating is limited, so sign up at the front desk. Adults only.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – If you can’t make it to the morning storytime on Tuesday, you can come to the evening Thursday one instead.
Mother’s Day
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you Moms out there. I hope you were able to make it to our Mommy & Me teatime with your younger kids yesterday.
You deserve a break on your special day. If you’re looking for a good read, check out our “Chick Lit” book display. It includes old favorites and new. Here are a few examples:
 Babyville
by Jane Green
From the book description
Meet Julia, a wildly successful television producer who appears to have the picture-perfect life. But beneath the surface, things are not as perfect as they seem. Stuck in a loveless relationship with her boyfriend, Mark, Julia thinks a baby is the answer . . . but she may want a baby more than she wants her boyfriend.
Maeve, on the other hand, is allergic to commitment. A feisty, red-haired, high-power career girl, she breaks out in a rash every time she passes a stroller. But when her no-strings-attached nightlife leads to an unexpected pregnancy, her reaction may be just as unexpected.
And then there’s Samantha – happily married and eager to be the perfect June Cleaver mother. But baby George brings only exhaustion, extra pounds, and marital strife to her once tidy life. Is having an affair with a friend’s incredibly sexy husband the answer?
By turns witty, rollicking, and tender, Babyville isn’t really a story about babies it’s about three friends whose lives are suddenly turned upside-down by that life-changing event that hangs over the head of every single girl: motherhood.
 Surprise Me
by Sophie Kinsella
From the book description
After ten years together, Sylvie and Dan have a comfortable home, fulfilling jobs, and beautiful twin girls, and they communicate so seamlessly they finish each other’s sentences. They have a happy marriage and believe they know everything there is to know about each other. Until it’s casually mentioned to them that they could be together for another sixty-eight years . . . and panic sets in.
They decide to bring surprises into their marriage to keep it fresh and fun. But in their pursuit of Project Surprise Me—from unexpected gifts to restaurant dates to sexy photo shoots—mishaps arise, with disastrous and comical results. Gradually, surprises turn to shocking truths. And when a scandal from the past is uncovered, they begin to wonder if they ever really knew each other at all.
With a colorful cast of eccentric characters, razor-sharp observations, and her signature wit and charm, Sophie Kinsella presents a humorous yet moving portrait of a marriage—its intricacies, comforts, and complications. Surprise Me reveals that hidden layers in a close relationship are often yet to be discovered.
 Remember Me?
by Sophie Kinsella
From the book description
When twenty-eight-year-old Lexi Smart wakes up in a London hospital, she’s in for a big surprise. Her teeth are perfect. Her body is toned. Her handbag is Vuitton. Having survived a car accident—in a Mercedes no less—Lexi has lost a big chunk of her memory, three years to be exact, and she’s about to find out just how much things have changed.
Somehow Lexi went from a twenty-five-year-old working girl to a corporate big shot with a sleek new loft, a personal assistant, a carb-free diet, and a set of glamorous new friends. And who is this gorgeous husband—who also happens to be a multimillionaire? With her mind still stuck three years in reverse, Lexi greets this brave new world determined to be the person she…well, seems to be. That is, until an adorably disheveled architect drops the biggest bombshell of all.
Suddenly Lexi is scrambling to catch her balance. Her new life, it turns out, comes complete with secrets, schemes, and intrigue. How on earth did all this happen? Will she ever remember? And what will happen when she does?
What’s happening this week at the Library
- Tuesday at 11am Storytime – Stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home at every storytime. Story times are open to children of all ages.
- Tuesday at 6:30 pm Recipe Swap – Bring something you’ve made (along with the recipe) to share and enjoy everyone else’s creations! Every month is a different theme! This month’s theme is comfort foods.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – If you can’t make it to the morning storytime on Tuesday, you can come to the evening Thursday one instead.
- Friday at 1 pm Games and a Movie – Play board and card games at 1:00 p.m. followed by a fun new family friendly movie at 2:00 p.m.
- Saturday at 1:30 pm Dia de los ninos & Dia de los libros – Children and their parents, come to our Día de los niños / Día de los libros (Children’s Day / Book Day) celebration! Make crafts, play games, and eat free snacks! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home.
Earth Day
On April 22 of every year, we celebrate our home, the planet Earth, and recognize the need protect our environment. Earth Day began in 1970, partly in response to a massive oil spill that took place in 1969. Since then Earth Day has spread across the globe. More than a billion people worldwide now celebrate it.
If you want to learn more about how to reduce your negative impact on the environment, here are a few books from our Earth Day display that could be enlightening and entertaining.
 It’s Getting Hot in Here: The Past, Present, and Future of Climate Change
by Bridget Heos
From the book description
Temperatures are inching up. Glaciers are melting. Ocean levels are rising. The climate is changing – and it’s only going to get worse from here. Because the past affects the present and everything we do today will turn directly affect what happens to our planet and its inhabitants in the future.
We are changing our global environment – but it’s not too late to take action now to ensure a brighter future for us all.
 Rubbish!: The Archaeology of Garbage
by William Rathje
From the book description
It is from the discards of former civilizations that archaeologists have reconstructed most of what we know about the past, and it is through their examination of today’s garbage that William Rathje and Cullen Murphy inform us of our present.
“Rubbish!” is their witty and erudite investigation into all aspects of the phenomenon of garbage. Rathje and Murphy show what the study of garbage tells us about a population’s demographics and buying habits.
No Impact Man: The Adventures of a Guilty Liberal Who Attempts to Save the Planet, and the Discoveries He Makes About Himself and Our Way of Life in the Process
by Colin Beavan
From the book description
Is it really possible to live eco-effectively?
With No Impact Man, Colin Beavan tries to find out. He swears off plastic, goes organic, becomes a bicycle nut, turns off his power, and generally tries to save the planet from environmental catastrophe while dragging his young daughter and his Prada-wearing wife alone for the ride.
He is No Impact Man, and this is his adventure.
Kids can be even more enthusiastic than their parents when it comes to caring for the planet. Here is a classic for young readers that is just as informative and fun now as when it was new.
 The Berenstain Bears Don’t Pollute (Anymore)
by Stan Berenstain and Jan Berenstain
From the Book description
When careless citizens pose a threat to Bear Country’s environment, Brother and Sister Bear form the Earthsavers Club. Their spirited ecological efforts deliver a timely message about the urgent need to mend our polluting and wasteful ways.
 It’s Earth Day!
by Mercer Mayer
From the Book description
Little Critter is on a mission! After watching a film about climate changes at school, Little Critter decides to do his part to slow down global warming. With the help of his family and friends, Little Critter begins to reduce, reuse, and recycle. Together they learn about the importance of not wasting water or energy. Join Little Critter as he plants a tree, makes a climate control machine, and helps the polar bears.
Check out a Kill-A-Watt EZ power meter
Have you ever wondered how much electricity your TV, DVD player, sound system, or household appliances consume? Even when you are not activity using them? Just how much money could you save by unplugging your computer or TV when you’re done with them? You can find out by using a Kill-A-Watt EZ power meter, available for checkout from the library compliments of Southern Pioneer Electric Company.
Plug the Kill-A-Watt EZ into your electrical outlet and follow the included instructions to reset it for use. Plug whatever devices you want to test into Kill-A-Watt EZ to find out just how much they cost you in dollars and cents a month.
What’s happening this week at the Library
- Tuesday at 11am Storytime – Stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home at every storytime. Story times are open to children of all ages.
- Tuesday at 6:30 pm Recipe Swap – Bring something you’ve made (along with the recipe) to share and enjoy everyone else’s creations! Every month is a different theme! This month’s theme is “Make ahead and freeze” recipes.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – If you can’t make it to the morning storytime on Tuesday, you can come to the evening Thursday one instead.
- Friday and Saturday Closed – The Library will be closed for Good Friday and Easter. We will reopen on Monday for our regular hours.
 March Book Madness
This is the last week of our March Book Madness contest. Right now we are down to just two book contestants in each of the tournaments, Adult, Teen, and Children’s Books.
You decide who will be the winner. Vote for your favorites, either on our website http://lmlibrary.org or in person at the library.
We will tally the votes and discover which books will be the 2018 books of the year. Normally we do this on Friday, but because the library will be closed for Good Friday, we will tally our votes and do our last prize drawing on the next Monday instead.
So, if you don’t get a chance to vote in person before Thursday night, you can still vote online over the coming Easter weekend. Remember, each time you vote, you’ll be entered into our fun prize drawings, one for each tournament, Adult, Teen, and Children’s Books.
New Releases
Here are some of the library’s newest books on the adult side.
 The Flight Attendant: A Novel
by Chris Bohjalian
From the Book Description
Cassandra Bowden is no stranger to hungover mornings. She’s a binge drinker, her job with the airline making it easy to find adventure, and the occasional blackouts seem to be inevitable. She lives with them, and the accompanying self-loathing. When she awakes in a Dubai hotel room, she tries to piece the previous night back together. She quietly turns over in bed, careful not to aggravate her already pounding head, and looks at the man with whom she spent the night. She sees his dark hair. His utter stillness. And blood, a slick, still wet pool on the crisp white sheets.
Set amid the captivating world of those whose lives unfold at forty thousand feet, The Flight Attendant unveils a spellbinding story of memory, reckless self-disregard, and of murder far from home.
 The Affliction: A Novel
by Beth Gutcheon
From the Book Description
Since retiring as head of a famous New York City private school, Maggie Detweiler is busier than ever. Chairing a team to evaluate the faltering Rye Manor School for girls, she will determine whether the school has a future at all.
At a reception for the faculty and trustees to “welcome” Maggie’s team, no one seems more keen for all to go well than Florence Meagher, a star teacher who is loved and respected in spite of her affliction—that she can never stop talking.
Florence is one of those dedicated teachers for whom the school is her life, and yet the next morning, when Maggie arrives to observe her teaching, Florence is missing. Two days later, Florence’s body is found in the campus swimming pool.
Maggie is asked to stay on to coach the very young and inexperienced head of Rye Manor through the crisis. She is soon joined by her madcap socialite friend Hope, who is jonesing for an excuse to ditch her book club anyway, before she has to actually read Silas Marner.
What on earth is going on in this idyllic town? Is this a run-of-the-mill marital murder? Or does it have something to do with the school board treasurer’s real estate schemes? And is it possible that someone killed Florence just so she’d finally shut up?
Come to the library and enjoy these books or find some other type of books to read. Have a Happy Easter and don’t forget to vote for your favorite book!
 What’s happening this week at the Library
- Tuesday at 11am Storytime – Stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home at every storytime. Story times are open to children of all ages.
- Tuesday at 6:30 pm Recipe Swap – Bring something you’ve made (along with the recipe) to share and enjoy everyone else’s creations! Every month is a different theme! This month’s theme is slow cooker recipes.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – If you can’t make it to the morning storytime on Tuesday, you can come to the evening Thursday one instead.
March Book Madness
This week is the official start of our second annual March Book Madness contest. We’ve taken our sixteen most popular books from each area of the library: adult, teen, and kids, and pitted them against each other in a battle to see which books will become our 2018 Books of the Year.
You decide who will be the winner. Vote each week during March for your favorites, either on our website or in person at the library.
You can also fill out a bracket, online or in person, to predict the winners. If you correctly predict the winner of any of the three tournaments and turn in your bracket before March 9th at 4:30 p.m., you will win a 2018 March Book Madness trophy!
When you vote each week, besides helping determine which books will move forward in the tournament of books, you will also enter yourself into weekly drawings for fun prizes.
So have a little fun and maybe win a prize at the library by participating in this year’s March Book Madness.
 Year of the Dog
In honor of Chinese New Year, which was earlier this month, we’ve put together a special “Year of the Dog” book display, featuring all kinds of dog related books.
Here are a few:
 The Dog Who Saved Me
by Susan Wilson
From the book description
Cooper Harrison of the Boston K-9 unit thought he would never go back to his hometown. Then his canine partner, Argos, is killed in the line of duty, and Cooper is mired in grief. Jobless and on the verge of a divorce, he accepts a job as animal control officer in Harmony Farms – back where he started.
Where his father was the town drunk. Where his brother was a delinquent and bully. Where he was “one of those” Harrisons. Cooper does his job with deliberate detachment until he encounters a wounded and gun-shy yellow Lab gone feral.
 Being a Dog: Following the Dog Into a World of Smell
by Alexandra Horowitz
From the book description
In Being a Dog, Alexandra Horowitz, a leading researcher in dog cognition, continues to unpack the mystery of a dog’s nose-view, in order to more fully understand our irrepressibly charming companions. She follows the dog’s nose – exploring not only its abilities but the incredible ways it is being put to use.
By observing everything from her own dogs to working detection dogs and human sniffers, Horowitz takes us along on her quest to make sense of scents, combining a personal journey of smelling with a tour through the cutting-edge science behind the olfactory powers of the dog.
Dog on It: A Chet and Bernie Mystery
by Spencer Quinn
From the book description
Meet Chet, the wise and lovable canine narrator of Dog on It, who works alongside Bernie, a down-on-his-luck private investigator. Chet might have flunked out of police school (“I’d been the best leaper in K-9 class, which had led to all the trouble in a way I couldn’t remember exactly, although blood was involved”), but he’s a detective through and through.
Their search for a missing teenaged girl takes them into the desert to biker bars and other exotic locals, with Chet’s highly trained nose leading the way. With his doggy ways and his endearingly hardboiled voice, Chet is full of heart and occasionally prone to mischief.
 One Nation Under Dog: Adventures in the New World of Prozac-Popping Puppies, Dog-Park Politics, and Organic Pet Food
by Michael Schaffer
From the book description
When Michael Schaffer and his wife drove to a rural animal shelter and adopted Murphy, an emaciated, dreadlocked Saint Bernard, they vowed that they’d never become the kind of people who get facials for their dogs or shell out for expensive hip replacements. But then they started to get weird looks from the in-laws: You hired a trainer? You had our dog implanted with a GPS chip? Murphy is on antidepressants?
It turned out Murphy wasn’t alone: yesteryear’s pooch has moved from the backyard doghouse to the master bedroom, evolving from man’s best friend to bona fide family member. The pet industry has ballooned from $17 billion to an estimated $43 billion in barely a decade. Schaffer provides a surprising, lively, and often hilarious portrait of our country.
What’s happening this week at the Library
- Tuesday at 11am Storytime – Stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home at every storytime. Story times are open to children of all ages.
- Tuesday at 6:30 pm Recipe Swap – Bring something you’ve made (along with the recipe) to share and enjoy everyone else’s creations! Every month is a different theme! This month’s theme is healthy food.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – If you can’t make it to the morning storytime on Tuesday, you can come to the evening Thursday one instead.
Self Improvement in the New Year
Have you made any resolutions this year? If you want to get started tackling those resolutions, we may be able to help.
 Universal Class, available free to all Kansas residents courtesy of the Kansas State Library, offers hundreds of online classes covering all kinds of subjects.
Such as: • Accounting • Mathematics • Computer Training • Business • Health & Medicine • History • How to/Do it yourself • Pet and Animal Care
Kansas residents can access these online classes by going to http://kslib.info/221/Online-Databases and clicking on Universal Class. Once there you can register and create a username and password. After you’ve registered and confirmed your email address, you can enroll in up to six classes at a time. They are self-paced online classes that include video lessons, assignments and exams.
 LearningExpress Library is another helpful site you can access through the Kansas State Library website. You can use it to help you practice for tests for career advancement, college placement, GED, and to become a U.S. citizen. You can also use it to strengthen your skills in math, reading, writing, and computer skills.
 If you’ve always wanted to learn a second language or maybe improve on what you learned in high school, Mango Languages is just what you need. It is another of the online databases made available through the Kansas State Library website, http://kslib.info/221/Online-Databases, for free to Kansas Residents.
Mango prepares learners for realistic conversations and strengthens everyday communication skills in over 70 world languages, including English. If you use their mobile app, you can download lessons to study later when you don’t have an internet connection.
Here are a few books available for checkout to help with those New Year’s Resolutions
 Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up
by Marie Kondo
From the book description
Japanese decluttering guru Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up has revolutionized homes—and lives—across the world. Now, Kondo presents an illustrated guide to her acclaimed KonMari Method, with step-by-step folding illustrations for everything from shirts to socks, plus drawings of perfectly organized drawers and closets.
She also provides advice on frequently asked questions, such as whether to keep “necessary” items that may not bring you joy. With guidance on specific categories including kitchen tools, cleaning supplies, hobby goods, and digital photos, this comprehensive companion is sure to spark joy in anyone who wants to simplify their life.
 You: Staying Young: The Owner’s Manual for Extending Your Warranty
by Michael F. Roizen, Mehmet Oz
From the book description
The body is the most fascinating machine ever created, and nobody talks about it in ways that are as illuminating and compelling as Dr. Michael Roizen and Dr. Mehmet Oz. Most people think of the aging of our bodies the same way we think of the aging of our cars: the older we get, the more inevitable it is that we’re going to break down. Most of us believe that at age 40 or so, we begin the slow and steady decline of our minds, our eyes, our ears, our joints, our arteries, our libido, and every other system that affects the quality of life (and how long we live it). But according to Dr. Roizen and Dr. Oz, that’s a mistake.
Aging isn’t a decline in our systems. It’s actually very purposeful. The very systems and biological processes that age us are designed to help us when we’re a little bit younger. So what’s our role as part of the aging population? To learn how those systems work so we can reprogram them to work the way they did when we were younger. Your goal should be: die young at any age. That means you live a high quality of life until the day you die.
 The Useful Book: 201 Life Skills They Used to Teach in Home Ec and Shop
by David Bowers
This modern and energetically designed encyclopedia of DIY has everything you need to know to fix it, cook it, build it, clean it, and sew it yourself.
With illustrated step-by-step instructions, plus relevant charts, sidebars, lists, and handy toolboxes, The Useful Book features 201 practical how-tos and projects.
We may live in the information age, but that doesn’t mean the drain won’t clog. And there’s no app for that—only life skills.
 What’s happening this week at the Library
- Monday and Tuesday Closed – We will be closed for the Christmas holiday, but we will reopen for normal hours on Wednesday the 27th from 9:00 a.m.- 8:00 p.m.
- Wednesday at 2 pm Lego Day – Kids, come use your imagination to build something great!
- Thursday at 2 pm Craft – Kids, make a holiday themed craft.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – Listen to stories, sing songs, and do a craft. Storytimes are open to children of all ages.
- Friday at 1 pm Games and a Movie – Play board and card games at 1:00 p.m. followed by a fun new family friendly movie at 2:00 p.m.
Christmas at the Library
We’ve had lots of fun at the library over the last couple of weeks. The Liberal High School Redskin Singers came to the library to perform a holiday concert. They performed contemporary and classic selections under the direction of Tony Claus.
Santa also came to the library. He sang songs with the children and read them stories. The kids enjoyed getting their pictures taken with Santa and telling him their Christmas wishes.
 For the adults, there was an Ugly Christmas Swe ater Party with games and snacks. We also had a White Elephant gift exchange. At the end of the party, we gave out prizes for the winners of the best ugly Christmas sweater contest.
Our most popular event of the season by far was the Gingerbread House Decorating. People asked weeks ahead of time if we would hold it this year and when could they sign up for it. Seating was limited to fifty kids total including the morning and afternoon sessions. All fifty seats were reserved within a couple of days of registration opening.
 The kids had lots of fun decorating their houses and front yards with their own unique styles. There were marshmallow driveways and chocolate bar piece shingles. They decorated their upside-down ice cream cone evergreen trees with cinnamon red-hot Christmas tree bulbs and licorice garlands.
The library supplied the houses, frosting, and toppings and the kids supplied the imagination.
History & Genealogy online
Did you know that as a Kansas resident, you have free access to several online databases to help you learn more about your family history? If you visit https://kslib.info/221/Online-Databases you will find a section marked History & Genealogy with several helpful resources that are free to Kansas residents courtesy of the Kansas State Library. Two of these free resources are HeritageQuest and Genealogy Connect.
HeritageQuest, powered by Ancestry.com, includes access to U.S. Federal Censuses, digitized Genealogy and local history books, Revolutionary War records, and Freedman’s Bank Records. HeritageQuest Online provides genealogical and historical sources for more than 60 countries, with coverage dating back as early as the 1700s.
Gale Genealogy Connect includes over 1,500 reference works formerly available only in print or on CD-ROM. It allows you quickly search across multiple books and view the full text of the results. It also includes ebook versions of reference books that will help genealogy beginners learn how to get started.
 Food for Fines
For this week only, November 27th through December 2nd, you can donate any nonperishable food items or new toiletries (toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, etc.) to Liberal Memorial Library and we will waive your overdue fines! All donated items will be given to local charities.
This works for overdue fines only, fines for lost or damaged items will not be waived.
Database spotlight – Consumer Reports
Did you know that, as a Kansas resident, you could use the online databases from the Kansas State Library to access full text magazines and journals (such as Consumer Reports) for free?
What if, like me, your oven dies just weeks before Thanksgiving? Or suppose you want to find a new dishwasher in time for the big holiday get together aftermath but don’t know which to buy? You could:
- Go to the Kansas State Library’s website https://kslib.info/221/Online-Databases.
- Click on the link to Explora Multi-Search under General Research.
- Click on Advanced Search.
- Type Dishwashers (or whatever else you’re looking for) on the first line,
- And type Consumer Reports on the second line.
- Choose Publication Name under the drop-down beside the second line.
- Then click Search.
The first result in the list is “Dishwashers” from the Consumer Reports Buying Guide. 2017. If you click on the underlined title, you’ll go straight to the full text article.
After you bring up the article, you also have the option of looking at other articles in the same issue or looking at other issues of Consumer Reports.
Other Databases
Besides Explora Mulit-Search, the Kansas State Library offers access to many other great databases. You could use the Auto Repair Reference Center to find repair information for your car.
LearningExpress offers tutorials and practice tests for people at different stages in life, from elementary school through college prep. The Career Center and Job & Career Accelerator can help you study for and find a new job. Use the Computer Skills Center to learn new computer skills. And the High School Equivalency Center can help you get your GED.
Mango Languages can help you learn a new language. Universal Class offers over 500 online non-credit Continuing Education Courses. Use Heritage Quest and Genealogy Connect to learn more about your ancestors.
These are only a few of the great resources that the Kansas State Library offers free to all Kansas residents.
Christmas Fiction
Now that Thanksgiving is over, we’re all busier than ever, stressed out over getting ready for the holidays. If you need a little help getting into the holiday spirit, these books may help.
 The Usual Santas : a collection of Soho Crime Christmas capers
From the Book Description
Eighteen delightful holiday stories by a colorful lineup of favorite Soho Crime authors. This captivating collection contains laughs aplenty, the most hardboiled of holiday noir, and heartwarming reminders of the spirit of the season.
Nine mall Santas must find the imposter among them. An elderly lady seeks peace from her murderously loud neighbors at Christmastime. A young woman receives a mysterious invitation to Christmas dinner with a stranger…These and other adventures in this delectable volume will whisk readers away to Christmases around the globe, from a Korean War POW camp to a Copenhagen refugee squat, from a palatial hotel in 1920s Bombay to a crumbling mansion in Havana.
 The Christmas blessing
by Melody Carlson.
From the Book Description
She’s Determined to give her baby a better life. Could a Christmas miracle make it possible?
When she receives the news in late 1944 that her baby’s father was shot down in the South Pacific, Amelia Richards loses hope. Jobless and broke, she has nowhere to turn for help but her infant’s paternal grandparents. The only problem is, they don’t know that she–or their grandson–exists.
When Amelia discovers that the family is wealthy and influential, dare she disclose the truth of her relationship with their son? Or could the celebration of the arrival of another unexpected baby nearly two thousand years ago be the answer to her dilemma?
 Twelve slays of Christmas
by Jacqueline Frost.
From the Book Description
When Holly White’s fiancé cancels their Christmas Eve wedding with less than two weeks to go, Holly heads home with a broken heart. Lucky for her, home in historic Mistletoe, Maine is magical during Christmastime―exactly what the doctor prescribed. Except her plan to drown her troubles in peppermints and snickerdoodles is upended when local grouch and president of the Mistletoe Historical Society Margaret Fenwick is bludgeoned and left in the sleigh display at Reindeer Games, Holly’s family tree farm.
When the murder weapon is revealed as one of the wooden stakes used to identify trees on the farm, Sheriff Evan Grey turns to Holly’s father, Bud, and the Reindeer Games staff. And it doesn’t help that Bud and the reindeer keeper were each seen arguing with Margaret just before her death. But Holly knows her father, and is determined to exonerate him. The jingle bells are ringing, the clock is ticking, and if Holly doesn’t watch out, she’ll end up on Santa’s naughty list.
 What’s happening this week at the Library
- Tuesday at 10 am Storytime – Listen to stories, sing songs, and do a craft. Storytimes are open to children of all ages.
- Thursday at 6 pm Storytime – If you can’t make it to the morning storytime on Tuesday, you can come to the evening Thursday one instead.
- Thursday at Noon Bunco – Join us for Bunco, a popular dice game. Seating is limited. Call 626-0180 or go to our website lmlibrary.org to signup.
- Friday at 1 pm Games and a Movie – Play fun board and card games at 1:00 p.m. followed by a fun Halloween movie at 2:00 p.m.
- Saturday at 2 pm Halloween Party – Make slime, play games, listen to spooky stories, and get candy! Fun for all ages.
 Lunch with the Authors
Join us for lunch with NY Times and USA Today best-selling authors Jodi Thomas and Linda Broday on Wednesday, November 8th at Noon. Attendance is limited, so sign up on our website, by phone 626-0180, or at the library.
Linda Broday is a bestselling author of historical western romance. She lives in the Texas, where she grew up watching TV westerns and wishing that the cowboy got to marry the pretty woman he fell in love with, instead of riding away into the sunset all by his lonesome.
Her newest book, an anthology “Christmas in a Cowboy’s Arms” was released in early October. Another book “To Marry a Texas Outlaw (Men of Legend)” will be released in early November.
Jodi Thomas is a bestselling author of over 40 novels and 13 short story collections. Her stories travel through the past and present days of Texas and draw readers from around the world. Jodi Thomas enjoys interacting with students at West Texas A&M University in Canyon, Texas, where she currently serves as Writer in Residence.
When not working on a novel or inspiring students to pursue a writing career, Thomas enjoys traveling with her husband, renovating a historic home, and “checking up” on their grown sons and four grandchildren.
Western Romances
In honor of our visiting authors, we’ve put together a display of western romances, including books written by Jodi Thomas and Linda Broday as well as other authors. Here are two.
 Indigo Lake: A Small-Town Texas Cowboy Romance (Ransom Canyon)
by Jodi Thomas
From the Book Description
Blade Hamilton is the last of his line. He’s never even heard of Crossroads, Texas, until he inherits land there. Riding in on his vintage Harley-Davidson, Blade finds a weathered ranch house, an empty prairie and a dark river that cuts a decisive path between the Hamiltons’ land and that of their estranged neighbors.
When Dakota helps a stranger on the roadside, she isn’t prepared for the charisma of the man on the motorbike—or for the last name he bears: Hamilton, of her family’s sworn enemies, representing all she’s been raised to loathe. The problem is, it looks like Blade is in town to stay, and there’s something about his wolf-gray eyes she just can’t ignore.
Lauren Brigman feels adrift. Unhappy in work and unlucky in love, she knows she ought to be striving for more, but she’s never truly at peace unless she’s at home in Crossroads. If the wider world can’t satisfy her, is home truly where her heart is?
 To Love a Texas Ranger (Men of Legend)
by Linda Broday
From the Book Description
Gravely injured on the trail of a notorious criminal, Texas Ranger Sam Legend boards a train bound for his family ranch to recuperate – only to find himself locked in battle to save a desperate woman on the run. Determined to rescue the beautiful Sierra, Sam recruits an unlikely ally. But can he trust the mysterious gunslinger to fight at his side?
Sam is shocked to discover his new ally is not only an outlaw, but his half-brother. Torn between loyalty to his job and love of his family, Sam goes reeling straight into Sierra’s arms. Yet just as the walls around his battered heart begin to crumble, Sierra is stolen away. Sam will risk anything to save her―his life, his badge, his very soul―knowing that some bonds are stronger than the law…and some legends were born to be told.
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