Self Improvement in the New Year

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.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Since tomorrow is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I thought I would tell you about some Children’s books about him:

Who Was Martin Luther King, Jr.? by Bonnie Bader: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was only 25 when he helped organize the Montgomery Bus Boycott and was soon organizing black people across the country in support of the right to vote, desegregation, and other basic civil rights.

Maintaining nonviolent and peaceful tactics even when his life was threatened, King was also an advocate for the poor and spoke out against racial and economic injustice until his death – from an assassin’s bullet – in 1968.

With clearly written text that explains this tumultuous time in history and 80 black-and-white illustrations, this book celebrates the vision and the legacy of a remarkable man.

Dream March: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the March on Washington by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson: Young readers can now learn about one of the greatest civil rights leaders of all time, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in this Level 3 Step into Reading Biography Reader.

Set against Dr. King’s historic march on Washington in the summer of 1963, a moving story and powerful illustrations combine to illuminate not only one of America’s most celebrated leaders, but also one of America’s most celebrated moments.

We March by Shane Evans: On August 28, 1963, a remarkable event took place–more than 250,000 people gathered in our nation’s capital to participate in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

The march began at the Washington Monument and ended with a rally at the Lincoln Memorial, where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his historic “I Have a Dream” speech, advocating racial harmony. Many words have been written about that day, but few so delicate and powerful as those presented here by award-winning author and illustrator Shane Evans.

When combined with his simple yet compelling illustrations, the thrill of the day is brought to life for even the youngest reader to experience.

The library will be closed tomorrow (Monday) for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. But, we still have some fun events coming up in the next few weeks:

  • Budding Bookworms Storytimes are Tuesdays at 11 am and Thursdays at 6 pm! Join us for stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home at every storytime.
  • Do your kids need something to do when they’re out of school on the 25th and 26th? Don’t worry, the Library has you covered! Thursday the 25th at 2 pm, build something great at Lego Day! Friday the 26th at 1 pm, join us for board games, followed by a fun children’s animated movie at 2 pm. Free popcorn and drinks will be served during the movie.
  • Recipe swap is on Tuesday the 30th at 6:30 pm! Bring something you’ve made (along with the recipe) to share and enjoy everyone else’s dishes! This month, to help us keep our New Year’s Resolutions, we’re making healthy foods.

Christmas at the Library

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 Sweater 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.

Christmastime at Your Library

Since Christmas is coming fast, I thought I would tell you about a few of the newest Children’s Christmas picture books in our collection:

  •  The Littlest Reindeer by Brandi Dougherty: Dot is the littlest reindeer at the North Pole. Too little to jump. Too little to kick. And too little to fly with Santa. But she’s not too little to help save the day!
  • Pick a Pine Tree by Patricia Toht: With warm joyful art and a rhythmic, read-aloud text, here is a celebration of every festive step in taking home and decorating a Christmas tree.
  • The Christmas Star by Marcus Pfister: From the author of the beloved classic The Rainbow Fish comes a book where various people and animals are drawn by a magnificent star to Bethlehem to see the newborn Christ.

December is a great time to check out a book you can snuggle up with or attend one of our fun, holiday-themed events. Here’s what’s happening at the library through the end of December:

  • Santa is coming to Storytime this week! Join us on Tuesday at 10 am or Thursday at 6 pm to visit with Santa and listen to a story.
  • Library & Lunch is Tuesday at noon! Bring your lunch and join us for a discussion of Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan.
  • Tuesday at 6 pm, come enjoy Christmas music at the Library! The library will be hosting the Liberal High School Redskin singers under the direction of Tony Claus. Contemporary and classic selections will be performed.
  • Our Ugly Christmas Sweater party is on Thursday at noon. Wear an ugly Christmas sweater for this fun party for adults! Bring a White Elephant gift that costs $10 or less, play games, and eat snacks. Adults only. Sign up on our website, lmlibrary.org or at the front desk.
  • If you signed up, don’t forget to bring your kid(s) to our Gingerbread House Decorating, this Saturday at 12:30 pm and 2:30 pm! Children ages 4-11 and their parents can come decorate a gingerbread house! Frosting and all kinds of toppings will be available.
  • Come to our Beginner’s 3D Printing Workshop on Monday the 18th at 6:30 pm to learn how to use the library’s 3D printer. We will walk through the process of finding a print-ready file online that you can print as is or alter to fit your needs. Sign up online at https://lmlibrary.libcal.com/event/3541376 or at the front desk.
  • Don’t forget our regular storytimes, every Tuesday at 10 am and Thursday at 6 pm! Stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home at every storytime.
  • Do your kids need something to do over the long Christmas break? Don’t worry, the library has you covered:
    • On Friday the 22nd at 2 pm, we will be playing video games! Play the library’s Playstation 4, Xbox, or Wii.
    • On Wednesday the 27th at 2 pm, build something great on Lego Day!
    • Thursday the 28th at 2 pm, make a fun craft!
    • Friday the 29th, we will be playing board games at 1 pm, followed by a Children’s animated movie at 2 pm! Free popcorn and drinks will be served during the movie.
    • The Library will be closed on Dec. 25 & 26 for Christmas. We wish all of you a very happy holiday season!

Holiday Fine Forgiveness at the Library

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.

Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week

This week is Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week, and libraries across the state will celebrate the event with storytimes and activities.  According to the State Library of Kansas, “Kansas Reads to Preschoolers highlights the importance of reading to children with a goal that every Kansas child from birth to age five is read to during the week.” This is an opportunity for libraries, preschools, daycare providers, parents, and guardians around Kansas to all share a book with the young children they care for and/or work with.

This year, everyone in Kansas is reading The Napping House to preschoolers. The book is about a cozy bed, a snoring granny, a dreaming child, a dozing dog, a snoozing–WAIT! There’s a surprise in store, and little ones will want to discover it over and over again. So pull on your sleeping cap and snuggle in for a timeless cumulative tale that’s truly like no other.

My fellow Children’s Librarian, Zuki, and I will be going around to the different preschools in town, reading The Napping House along with other books and making crafts.  We will also be giving out a free copy of the book to every child!

The library is having a special Pajama Party on Saturday at 1 pm to celebrate Kansas Reads to Preschoolers Week!  Kids and their parents are invited to wear their favorite PJs while they enjoy free snacks, games, crafts, and stories. Every child who attends the party will receive a free book to take home.

The library has several other activities coming up through the end of November:

  • Storytimes are every Tuesday at 10 am and Thursdays at 6 pm. All ages of children are welcome as we share stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book at every storytime, thanks to our Budding Bookworms program.
  • Tuesday at noon, bring your lunch and join the Library & Lunch discussion. This month, we’re discussing books by authors we’re thankful for.
  • Jerry Barlow will be at the library on Tuesday at 6:30 pm for a free concert! Enjoy Celtic guitar, history and humor as heard on NPR and PBS. His music consists of a synthesis of traditional music from the British Isles and his own original Celtic-inspired compositions. Barlow brings the songs alive by sharing the history, legend and humor behind the music.
  • Adults, join us for a fun time at Game Day on Friday at 2 pm! Play Mexican Train Dominoes, the card game “5 Crowns,” or Spoons! Adults only.
  • Have you ever wanted to learn how to use a 3D Printer? Then come to our Beginner’s 3D Printing Workshop, next Monday (20th) at 6 pm! We will walk through the process of finding a print-ready file online that you can print as-is or alter to fit your needs. Sign up at the front desk or on our website, lmlibrary.org
  • The library will close at 1 pm on Nov. 22 and be closed on Nov. 23 & 24 for Thanksgiving. We wish you and your family a wonderful holiday.

 

Lunch with visiting authors Jodi Thomas and Linda Broday

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)
b
y 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.

Halloween Happenings

Fall has arrived, and it’s a great time to curl up with some hot chocolate and a good book from the library! We even have audiobooks on CD and self-contained mp3 players, if you would rather listen to a story. And, don’t forget about our wide selection of DVDs, if you want to watch a movie and relax.

If you would rather get out of the house, you can come to the library and have fun inside at one of our great events!  Here’s what’s coming up at the library in October:

  • Storytimes are Tuesdays at 10 am and Thursdays at 6 pm. Join us at Storytime for stories, songs, crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home at every Storytime.
  • We have a special Fire Prevention Month Storytime this Saturday (14th) at 1 pm! Come learn about fire safety with the Liberal Fire Department and Sparky the Fire Dog! Listen to stories, make a fun craft, and see a real fire truck!
  • Join our Beginning Computer Class every Tuesday at 11 am! It’s a fun morning of learning how to use a computer, presented in both English and Spanish. For more information, call us at 626-0180.
  • Come to our Beginner’s 3D Printing Workshop on Monday the 16th at 6 pm to learn how to use the library’s 3D printer. We will walk through the process of finding a print-ready file online that you can print as is or alter to fit your needs. Sign up online or at the front desk.
  • The Friends of the Library are having a Book Sale Oct. 16 – 20th! Monday evening, October 16th from 6 pm – 8 pm, will be the Book Sale reception for Friends of the Library and Library Board members only. The Book Sale will be open to the public Oct. 17-20 during regular library hours. Books will sell for $1.00 each on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Thursday everything will be 1/2 price. Everything that’s left on Friday will be free. Funds from the Book Sale go to the Friends to help support library programs including Baby’s Bookshelf, Budding Bookworms, and our Summer Reading Program.
  • Tuesday, October 17 at noon is Library & Lunch! Bring your lunch and join us for a discussion of the books Welcome to Harmony, Sunrise Crossing, and Wild Horse Springs by Jodi Thomas.
  • USD 480 has no school on Oct. 20 and 27. We will be playing board games at 1 pm on those Fridays, followed by a family-friendly, Halloween-themed animated film at 2 pm! Free popcorn and drinks will be served during the movie.
  • Join us for our popular dice game, Bunco, on Thursday, Oct. 26 at noon! Registration is required, so talk to Shannon! Adults only, snacks provided.
  • Our Halloween Party for all ages will be on Saturday the 28th at 2 pm. Wear your Halloween costume! Make slime, play games, listen to spooky stories, and get candy!
  • This month’s Recipe Swap is on Monday the 30th at 6:30 pm! Bring something you’ve made (along with the recipe) to share and enjoy everyone else’s creations! This month, we’re making Halloween food.

The Duckling Gets A Cookie?!

At the library, we have a lot of great events for all ages. Here’s what’s coming up at the library:

  • Monday, USD 480 students are off from school. Come play board games at 1 pm, followed by a family-friendly movie at 2 pm! Free popcorn and drinks will be served during the movie.
  • Tuesdays at 10 am and Thursdays at 6 pm, join us for Storytime! Listen to stories, sing songs, make crafts, and more! Plus, every child gets a free book to take home with them, thanks to our Budding Bookworms program.
  • This Tuesday, the library will be holding a voter registration drive for National Voter Registration Day. If you have moved, changed your name, newly turned 18, or if you are a newly naturalized citizen, you may need to register or update your voter registration! Come to the library Tuesday and we can help you get registered.
  • Recipe Swap is on Tuesday at 6:30 pm. Bring something you’ve made (along with the recipe) and enjoy everyone else’s dishes! This month, we’re making Italian food.
  • Have you ever wanted to learn how to use a 3D printer? Then come to our Beginner’s 3D Printing Workshop, Monday, Oct. 2nd or 16th at 6 pm! Seating is limited, so sign up on our website at: http://lmlibrary.libcal.com/event/3541332
  • Saturday, October 14 at 1 pm, join us for a special Fire Prevention Storytime! The Liberal Fire Department will be here, along with Sparky the Fire Dog!

Since this Saturday is the Duck Festival, I thought I would recommend a few good books about ducks!

The Duckling Gets A Cookie!?
By Mo Willems
The pigeon from “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” is back, in all of his indignant, passive-aggressive glory. He is overwrought this time at one gross injustice: a cute little duckling is now on the scene and has been rewarded a cookie (with nuts) for doing nothing more than asking for it politely. Pigeon pulls out all of the usual pigeon stops—coy glances, cartwheels, and crocodile tears—in the hopes of securing a cookie for himself . . . but will it work?

Duck on a Bike
By David Shannon
Duck decides to try and ride a bike and soon influences the rest of the farmyard animals to try after a group of kids leaves their bikes outside the farmhouse. “[T]he result is one swell read-aloud, packed with freewheeling fun,” says Cahners Business Information.

Five Little Ducks
By Ivan Bates
Mother duck and her five fuzzy little ducklings venture out for a long walk one lovely spring day. One by one each plump little duckling wanders off in search of a very special present. When all have disappeared, lonely mother duck lets out a very sad quack and all her ducklings come waddling back! Each proudly carries a wonderful and thoughtful surprise for loving mother duck. A favorite children’s song brought to life with irresistible illustrations.

Ducks!
By Gail Gibbons
This non-fiction book describes how ducks swim, dive, feed, communicate, build nests, and raise their young as well as offers information about how conservation groups are trying to protect many ducks and their habitats. Kirkus Reviews says, “Young readers will enjoy this appealing introduction to the familiar waterfowl by the prolific science writer.”

International Talk Like a Pirate Day

What’s happening this week at the Library

  • Tuesday at Noon Library and Lunch – Bring your lunch and join in on the conversation. The September book discussion pick is “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly.
  • Tuesday at 10 am Storytime – This week daytime storytime is starting its new day and time. 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.
  • Saturday at 1 pm Mexican Independence Day Party – Kids, celebrate Mexican Independence Day at the library. Make a craft, play games, and enjoy free food & drinks!

 

Talk Like a Pirate

Ahoy mateys! Breakout your tricorne hat, eyepatch, and stuffed parrot. Next Tuesday, September 19th is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Be the best-spoken pirate on the block once you’ve taken advantage of the Pirate language course from Mango Languages. Mango Languages is offered free to Kansas residents through the State Library of Kansas. Just go to http://kslib.info/mango get started.

Besides learning to speak like a pirate, you can also choose from more than 70 other language courses. Have you always wanted to learn, French, German, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish? Maybe you’d like to brush up on your American Sign Language. Or maybe you’re drawn to something a bit more unusual. How about learning Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew, Scottish Gaelic, or Shakespearean English?

 

Pirate Books

Check out a few of these pirate themed books.

Pirate hunters : treasure, obsession, and the search for a legendary pirate ship
by Robert Kurson

Finding and identifying a pirate ship is the hardest thing to do under the sea. But two men—John Chatterton and John Mattera—are willing to risk everything to find the Golden Fleece, the ship of the infamous pirate Joseph Bannister. If Chatterton and Mattera succeed, they will make history—it will be just the second time ever that a pirate ship has been discovered and positively identified…But it’s only when they learn to think and act like pirates—like Bannister—that they become able to go where no pirate hunters have gone before.

Fast-paced and filled with suspense, fascinating characters, history, and adventure, Pirate Hunters is an unputdownable story that goes deep to discover truths and souls long believed lost.

 

The only pirate at the party
by Lindsey Stirling and Brooke Passey.

From the book description
Dancing electronic violinist Lindsey Stirling shares her unconventional journey in an inspiring memoir. A classically trained musician gone rogue, Lindsey is the epitome of independent, millennial defined success: after being voted off the set of America’s Got Talent, she went on to amass more than ten million social media fans, record two full-length albums, release multiple hits with billions of YouTube views, and tour sold-out venues across the world.

 

Golden Lion
by Wilbur Smith

From the book description
He saw his father executed in battle. He spent his youth avenging that death. And now Henry “Hal” Courtney is a man with a ship – and a family – of his own.

But fate had not finished with Hal. On a voyage among the eastern shore of Africa, a powerful enemy abducts his wife, the fearless warrior Judith… and with her Hal’s unborn child. Hal must track his nemesis across desert and ocean, through the slave markets of Zanzibar and the dangerous waters of the coast, in pursuit of the woman he loves, the child he sired, and the glorious destiny that awaits him.

Bursting with action and suspense, heroism and heartache, this unforgettable novel proves once more that Wilbur Smith is the world’s greatest adventure writer.

 

Pirate
by Clive Cussler

From the book description
Going on a treasure hung. X marks the spot. It’s a children’s rhyme for a reason. While wealth can be lost or stolen, and even found again – if husband-and-wife treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo are on the case – a long-forgotten map is just the stuff of bedtime stories. Like Long John Silver and Robin Hood.

But when Sam and Remi try the unthinkable – a relaxing vacation and a visit to a rare-book store – a very real dead body suggests what they hold in their hands is an actual, ink-on-paper guide to a historic fortune.

Buzzing with Sam and Remi Fargo’s chemistry and wit, Pirate reinvents the classic treasure hunt as only a Clive Cussler adventure can.