It's Raining, it's Pouring Young Adult Books in Litchfield!

The young adult section is an interesting place to find books that can be surprisingly provocative.  These aren’t the safe, comfy stories about nurses or college students I remember from back in the day.  Here are some new titles that promise some great summer reading.

When Katarina Bishop was three, her parents took her on a trip to the Louvre…to case it. For her seventh birthday, Katarina and her Uncle Eddie traveled to Austria…to steal the crown jewels. When Kat turned fifteen, she planned a con of her own—scamming her way into the best boarding school in the country, determined to leave the family business behind. Unfortunately, leaving “the life” for a normal life proves harder than she’d expected.”  Ally Carter’s description of her character, Kat Bishop, makes me want to read both “Heist Society” and “Uncommon Criminals,” the second book in the series.  I think of movies like Ocean’s Eleven, or “The Thomas Crown Affair” with criminals that you just have to like in spite of their vocation. 

In the city of Jewel, safety and temperance are prized above all other virtues. Goldie, an impetuous girl with a talent for petty thievery, is eagerly awaiting her Separation, in which her silver guard chain connecting her to her parents for safety is finally cut. When tragedy strikes and the city’s sly and deceptive ruler, the Fugleman, cancels all Separations indefinitely, Goldie decides she’s had enough of safety and runs away to the fascinating, mysterious Museum of Dunt. Yet this museum is no dusty educational edifice, as Goldie soon learns: it has moods and feelings like a living being. Its shape-shifting rooms house not historical artifacts, but great and terrible powers that, if unleashed, could destroy the city. “Museum of Thieves” begins a new series by Lian Tanner, an author who lives in Tasmania with her tabby cat. Interesting characters, twists and turns and a plot full of action make this a promising series to follow.

“Between Shades of Gray,” by Ruta Sepetys, is a novel based on the real experiences of Lithuanians deported to Siberia, whose only crime was that they were Lithuanian, forcibly deported by Stalin in 1941.  The harrowing experiences of Lina, whose life is forever changed, give an authentic voice to people who, according to the official Soviet version of history, don’t exist.  I found this to be one of those books I just had to pick up and scan a few pages while trying to work at the desk.  I’ll just have to bring it home, because I can’t do justice to the subject or characters by reading a page now and then. 

Neal Schusterman, who has written many young adult novels, imagines a terrible future in which teenagers can be forced to give up organs for transplant.  In Schusterman’s horrific society, the second civil war was fought over abortion. To end the war, a compromise was reached that ends the practice of abortion but creates an alternative called "unwinding." Between the ages of 13 and 17, parents or guardians can choose to have their child unwound, which involves having every part of their bodies harvested to be "donated" to another person so, technically, they don't really die. The complex and compelling plot follows three teens whose stories intertwine when they escape while on their way to the harvest camps. Fifteen-year-old Connor's parents can no longer control him. Lev, a tithe, was raised by religious parents for the sole purpose of being unwound. Risa, a ward of the state, is a victim of shrinking budgets since she is not a talented enough musician to be kept alive.  “Unwind” asks the question, “What if your parents could unwind you?” 

Avid readers have recommended many titles to add to the collection, and young people are extremely good at suggesting purchases that fly off the shelves.  Because of the recommendation of a brilliant young man, we have added the five books in “The Chronicles of the Imaginarium Geographica,” by James A. Owen.  Three Oxford men, brought in for questioning in a London professor's death in 1917, become companions on a voyage through the Archipelago of Dreams where they vanquish a usurper and restore the rightful king, proving themselves worthy to be Caretakers of the Imagination of the World. The three men are Jack (C. S. Lewis), John (J. R. R. Tolkien), and Charles (Williams–a lesser known writer of fantasy thrillers who belonged to the same Oxford literary discussion group, the Inklings). Their identities aren't revealed until the end, along with the premise that their journey became the wellspring for their subsequent fiction. Reviews for this series were lukewarm, but my young advisor is usually absolutely right about great fantasy novels for young adults. Look for “Here, There Be Dragons,”  “The Search for the Red Dragon,” “The Indigo King,” “The Shadow Dragons,” and “The Dragon’s Apprentice.”  These great books, and more, are waiting for you at Litchfield Library – see you there!

Your Privacy, A Librarian's Duty

by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian

I’m going to take the same route as my last column and give you a quick explanation to a common question first.  We have changed the link on our Chamber of Commerce library page so that it now leads you to our blog.  I know this has confused some people, because the “Litchfield Public Library” link used to lead directly to the Pioneerland catalog.  But it makes more sense for a link about the Litchfield Library to lead you to further information on our library, and I’d like our patrons to get familiar with going directly to http://litchlibrary.blogspot.com/ as our primary website.  On our blog, you’ll see “Library Catalog” as a choice on the right side of the screen.  This link will lead you to the catalog and the ability to view your account.  You can add either the Litchfield Library site or the Pioneerland catalog, or both, to your favorites on your computer, and then you can go directly there without following such a long path.

The main topic I want to cover today is privacy and how it applies at the library.  Maybe you’ve gotten frustrated in the past about not being able to check out a family member’s books with your card or without a card at all.  Part of the reason we require a card is to make sure that the person checking things out is the person to whom the library account belongs.  If someone comes in and claims that they’re you or that they’re checking things out for you, and we go along with that, you could have books or movies checked out on your card without your knowledge.  The other risk is that we could check things out to the wrong John Smith if we look you up instead of using your card.  If you think of it like a credit card, it may make more sense that you need to have the card with you.  You’re financially liable for the materials you check out.

But beyond identity issues, there are also privacy issues.  The books you order with your card are your business.  Most of the time spouses wouldn’t need to keep library books a secret from each other.  But can you imagine a situation in which someone is looking into divorce without having brought it up to their spouse?  Or a woman who is in an abusive relationship who is checking out self-help books on getting out of such a situation?  We certainly wouldn’t want to hand those items over to their partners, not knowing whether or not they need to be kept private.   Or just imagine that, when we call your house, we tell the person who answers which books have come in for you  --  but it’s your mother-in-law who answers and you’ve ordered books on pregnancy when you haven’t yet shared the fact that you’re pregnant.  Or if someone’s child is in the library picking up their own books and they ask, “Does my dad have any books in?”, we could be violating his privacy by saying yes and handing over a book that he ordered on cancer or another health concern that he has not told his child about.  Now if that child comes in with Dad’s card and says, “My dad has a book in and he asked me to pick it up for him”, we can certainly send that with the errand runner.  

Pioneerland Library System has a patron confidentiality policy in place, and all of our employees are bound by that.  We cannot share with anyone, not our spouses or our best friends – or yours--, what you checked out at the library, what materials you ordered or looked at, or what reference questions you asked us.  If you have to worry that we’ll tell people what you’re researching or reading, you might not come to us to find information.  That would be a barrier to your freedom to read and to your access to information. 

The American Library Association’s Code of Ethics states:

We protect each library user's right to privacy and confidentiality with respect to information sought or received and resources consulted, borrowed, acquired or transmitted. 

Librarians are ethically required to keep your information requests and your check-out history private.  It is no one’s business what you research, what you order, or what you’ve checked out from the library.  This is why we cannot bring up a list of what you’ve checked out in the past.  Unless you enable check-out history on your account, once you return it, it disappears so that no one could ever access it. 

ALA’s statement Libraries: An American Value says, “Free access to the books, ideas, resources, and information in America’s libraries is imperative for education, employment, enjoyment, and self-government.”  I take that principle of protecting your privacy to protect your freedom very seriously.  It’s important for our democratic society.  Librarians don’t have quite the same legal privilege as lawyers and doctors as far as protection of the professional-client relationship.  But if you come to me with an information request, I promise I’ll keep it just between us.  It's my duty as your librarian.

Saint John's Arboretum, a Natural Resource You May Not Know

By Jan Pease

I’m always happy to schedule a visit from Saint John’s Arboretum, because the Arboretum educators present an educational program that is both creative and entertaining.   Each summer they develop a summer program that corresponds to the summer reading programs of area libraries.  Because this year’s theme is “One World, Many Stories,”   Saint John’s Arboretum is presenting “Animal Stories: Learn the stories of the animals around us,” Friday morning at 10:00 in the children’s department of the library.   Animal Stories is a one-hour program geared towards children ages 3-12. Hands-on activities and materials are included. 

Have you visited the Arboretum?   The Saint John’s Arboretum website, http://www.csbsju.edu/Arboretum  states that the Arboretum is:

“A partnership between Saint John's Abbey, its 2,830 acres and Benedictine tradition of stewardship, and the mission of Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict to provide environmental education.  Saint John's Arboretum celebrates the unique beauty and richness of God's creation in central Minnesota and fosters the Benedictine tradition of land stewardship, education, and environmental respect.”  Their mission is to “Preserve native plant and wildlife communities of the Arboretum lands, provide opportunities for education and research, model practices of sustainable land use, and make accessible a natural environment that invites spiritual renewal."

The following information is directly from the St. John’s website.  The Arboretum includes all seven lakes, the prairie, the oak savanna, and all the woodland in the 2830 acres around Saint John’s Abbey & University. The 2830 acres of land surrounding Saint John's Abbey & University is privately owned and managed by Saint John's Abbey. The Abbey welcomes the public to enjoy the trails and natural beauty of the land. There is no charge to walk around the trails, but they ask that you respect the land.  No pets or unauthorized vehicles should be on the trails at any time, and they ask that visitors walk during daylight hours.  Contact the Arboretum by calling (320) 363-3163, especially if you are planning to bring a large group to visit.

Best of all, this natural gem is only about 40 miles from Litchfield.  Come to the library Friday, July 15^th at 10:00 to hear great animal stories, and to learn about this wonderful resource that is only a few miles away.  Be sure to visit the Arboretum website to see upcoming events!

Are You Interested in American History?

by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian

This week, I should first let you know that the library is open for business, even though the state government is shut down as I write this.  The regional library systems aren’t state agencies, and most of our funding comes from our counties and cities.  Perhaps by the time you read this, everything will be resolved and back to normal; we can hope.

Since the 4^th of July was this week and the sesquicentennial of the beginning of the Civil War is this year, I thought we could take a look at American history resources in this week’s column.  We have some interesting new books, and I’d also like to share an online resource that’s great if you enjoy history.

The Library of Congress has a wonderful digital library called American Memory.  You can find it at http://memory.loc.gov.  This online library has a large collection of digitized photos, maps, sound recordings, videos, print documents, and sheet music, from the collections of the Library of Congress and other institutions.  It’s a free way for anyone to view these primary historical documents that otherwise are tucked away in archives around the country. 

You can browse the collection by topic, such as advertising, cities & towns, and war/military, by time period, by type of material (maps, manuscripts, motion pictures, etc.) or by region of the U.S.  I think it’s fascinating to browse through the George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, or Abraham Lincoln papers, viewing scans of letters and other documents in their own handwriting.  You can browse a collection of over 1000 Civil War photographs.  Many, many resources are available for you to explore.

The digital library works best when you browse it by topic or collection, but it is possible to search it, as well.  If you search “Litchfield Minnesota”, you will find several photos from the 1940s and text from various Congressional publications from the 1800s that mention Litchfield.  Unfortunately, the text searching in the “Century of Lawmaking” collection does also bring up documents about Litchfield, Connecticut, when the Senate report or House bill also includes the word “Minnesota”.  The photos are classified by subject, United States—Minnesota—Litchfield, so the photo results are accurate.

If you’d like to find some good books on American history, we have some new ones in our library that you may want to check out.  The Union War, by Gary W. Gallagher, has been described as a revisionist history of the Civil War.  One review I read described it as “the Civil War: Northern edition”.  Gallagher, a professor at the University of Virginia, draws upon original documents from the time to present the viewpoint that the North fought the war with massive numbers of volunteer soldiers primarily in order to preserve the union, and that they also happened to free the slaves. 

The book Lincoln on War is an edited collection of the writings and comments of Abraham Lincoln on the topic of war from his days as an officer to his years as the commander-in-chief.  Lincoln’s speeches, letters, memos, orders, and spoken remarks are presented in chronological order, so that the development of his ideas on war through the years can be seen. 

The Civil War: A Visual History is published by DK Publishing in association with the Smithsonian Institution.  It’s a large, comprehensive book filled with photos and illustrations from the Smithsonian’s collections.  Timelines, first-person accounts, and examinations of broader issues in the war all add to the very thorough coverage of the war.  Reviewers from School Library Journal to the Wall Street Journal have praised this book.

Going back to the beginning of the United States, the book Was America Founded as a Christian Nation? A Historical Introduction looks at the history of a controversial issue of today.  The author, John Fea, holds a Ph.D. and is the chair of the history department at Messiah College in Pennsylvania.  Reviewers say that the book is a very balanced view of the debate, providing no easy answers and allowing the reader to decide for him or herself.  Fea draws upon primary sources from throughout America’s history, tracing the development of the idea of America as a Christian nation, examining the effects of religion on the American Revolution, and studying the beliefs of the founding fathers.

If you need some help finding books or websites on American history, come and talk to us at the library. 

An Unexpected Journey

Pioneerland Library System is making its first foray into the world of eBooks, and so am I.  More on the Pioneerland announcement later, but first I have to confess that I am a reluctant eBook reader.   I like the feel of a book, the smell of a new book opened for the first time, and the comfy feeling of settling down with a cup of coffee and a good read.  I love to sit on the beach beside Lake Superior and lose myself in Jane Austen’s cozy world while the waves crash and the seagulls squawk.

The knowledge that I could easily carry fifty books on the eReader that fits in my purse pushed me into this new journey, and it’s been interesting, to say the least.  I’ll summarize what I’ve learned.

First, I knew I wanted to be able to borrow eBooks from libraries that are willing to lend them.  This eliminated one of the major ereaders, although Amazon.com has announced that their Kindle will be compatible with library borrowing later this year.  Second, I had to decide from the many options available, depending on how much I wanted my device to do.  I decided to get a basic, black and white device that doesn’t let me browse the internet or check emails.  I just want to read books.

Here is the announcement: Pioneerland has just launched a website that allows patrons to download eBooks and audio books.  The address is http://pioneerland.lib.overdrive.com/.  (Don’t add a “www” before the word Pioneerland.)  This site contains everything you need to equip your home computer to download audio books and eBooks.

You will download the Overdrive Media Console if you are interested in downloading audio books.  You will download Adobe Digital Editions if you are planning to download eBooks.  A guided tour is available, which takes you through the process step by step.

 When you’re ready to start, click on “Getting Started” on the digital media homepage.  I followed the instructions, and was surprised at how easy it was.  For eBooks, after the free software is installed on your computer, visit adobe.com and set up a user name and password for digital editions.  This lets you authorize your computer, and you then authorize your device with the same user name and password.

  When you check out an eBook from Pioneerland, it opens in Adobe Digital Editions.  To put the eBook on your device, you connect the device to your computer, and as if by magic, the name of your device shows up on the bookshelf of Adobe Digital Editions.  You just drag the title over to the name of your device, and you’re ready to read.  You may return your book early, or wait until the due date, when your eBook will automatically be returned.   You must delete the title from your device, which is easy to do while your device is connected to your computer. 

Be aware that the Pioneerland website has this disclaimer: “Please note that you may download Audio books and eBooks to your personal computer or mobile device at your home or office but it is not possible to download them at Pioneerland Library System workstations.”   You can, however, register your device on the wireless connection in the library and download a purchased or free book directly to your device.

At this time, I know that Hennepin County Library, http://www.hclib.org/  is one of the few library systems in Minnesota who permit library card holders from other regions to register and use their extensive library of eBooks.   ELM, the Electronic Library for Minnesota, http://elm4you.org  offers netlibrary.org, a collection of mostly nonfiction titles.  I haven’t tried putting anything from ELM on my eReader.

Other sites that will inform you about free and inexpensive titles that are available to download are http://online-novels.blogspot.com; http://blog.booksontheknob.org; http://www.kobobooks.com; and http://dailycheapreads.com.   Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Google all have free and inexpensive books to download, as well as more expensive items to purchase. The Bartleby Project, http://www.bartleby.com, and the Gutenberg Project, http://www.gutenberg.org are also sources for free books. http://ebooksinlibraries.blogspot.com/ has all kinds of information and links about using eBooks from public libraries.  There are many, many more sites that you will find if you search.  I have learned that sometimes the free titles will open only online on your computer, but sometimes you can also add them to your device.   It simply involves trial and error.  

The most important thing I learned is this:  it is almost too easy to download and purchase eBooks directly on a reading device, especially for a book addict like me.  See you at the library!

Many family activities at the library

by Beth Cronk, Litchfield head librarian

We have a flurry of activity planned at our library in the coming weeks.  If your family is looking for something to do, we hope you’ll join us.

On Thursday, June 23^rd, the local Born to Read group is presenting a summer reading event at the library.  Storyteller Bob Gasch will perform at 6:30 p.m.  If you’ve ever seen Bob performing, you’ll know that he really entertains kids and draws them into the stories.  We’ll also do an ethnic craft and have a snack, both related to our “One World, Many Stories” summer reading theme.  This will be for families with children of all ages.

On Friday, June 24^th, we’ll have special guests for preschool story time at 10 a.m.  WonderWeavers Storytellers will be performing.  Tina Rohde and Colleen Shaskin, the WonderWeavers, are based in Eden Prairie and perform in libraries and schools all over the Midwest.  This is one of our Legacy events, which are wrapping up for the year.

If you enjoyed Robert Halbrook’s programs last fall, “Wizard’s School” and “Dark Tales of Mystery & Intrigue”, come see him again on Tuesday, June 28^th at 6:30 p.m.  He’ll be performing his new magic and reading show, “Professor Marvel’s World of Wonders”.   In the show, he’ll take the kids on an adventure through India, England, and other countries around the world, incorporating classic and contemporary children’s books.  This program is geared to kindergarteners through fifth graders, but even parents and grandparents enjoyed Wizard’s School in October. 

There’s no need to sign up for any of these programs; just come join us in the children’s department.

Our usual schedule of story times has resumed, with Toddler Time taking place on Wednesdays from 10:15 to 10:45; Family Story Time on Thursday evenings at 7:00; and Preschool Story Hour on Fridays from 10:00 to 11:00. 

The summer reading program is underway.  It’s open to kids ages 3 to 17.  If you haven’t signed up yet, ask us at the front desk or children’s desk, and we’ll help you get started.   If you have signed up, keep reading and count up to an hour a day of your reading time, and bring in your completed reading logs for prizes. 

Our two children’s book clubs are meeting this week and next.  The middle school book club is meeting on Thursday, June 23, at 3 p.m. to discuss Gulliver’s Travels (the group’s choice at last month’s meeting).  The after-school book club, which is for grades 3-5, is meeting the next Thursday, June 30, at 3 p.m.  There’s a book chosen for this month, but we might be spending most of our time on an art activity this time instead; you’ll have to drop in and find out.  Kids are welcome to join our book clubs at any time.  Just come to the meeting or ask at the library desk ahead of time to get a copy of the book. 

If you’re not a child but a senior citizen, there’s a library book club for you, too.   We have a book club for retirees/seniors that meets at Emmaus Place on the first Thursday of every month at 1 p.m.  We have decided to carry on through the summer this year.  Because of the renovation project beginning at Bethany Home, we will be meeting in the activity room in the basement of Emmaus Place instead of our usual meeting place, the Fireside Room.  For our next meeting on July 7th, we’re reading The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.  The books are not always that literary, but we do read classics from time to time.  Other recent books we’ve read include The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, The Haymakers, and They Named Me Marjorie.  If you’d like to join this book club, stop in to talk to me or give me a call at the library. 

One activity that’s for all ages is our book sale.  Our monthly Friends of the Library book sale normally takes place on the third Saturday of every month.  In July, we’ll be holding it on the Saturday of Watercade instead, July 9^th.  Prices range from 10 to 50 cents per item, and the proceeds benefit the Friends of the Litchfield Library.

Look where you’re walking as you make your way here through the construction!  But we hope we’ll see you here at the library in the coming weeks.

What's That Fragrance in the Air?

Next to the fragrance of lilacs and peonies, I like the smell of new books!  Here are a few that just crossed my desk at the children’s department of Litchfield library.

Incredibly Alice, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, brings high school to an end for Alice, as she graduates and faces the age old “now what?” question.  Fans of the series begin with Alice in elementary school, and have grown up with her. This young adult novel is not for younger children, but if you’ve grown up with Alice, you will love this book.

Gail Carson Levine, winner of the Newbery Award in 1998 for Ella Enchanted,  has stirred up a plot that includes a clever heroine, a dragon detective, and a shape-shifting ogre.  What more could a fantasy reader ask of this talented writer?  Written for ages 9-12 A Tale of Two Castles has a touch of adventure, a hint of magic, and a bit of mystery, as Ms. Levine introduces us to her new heroine, Elodie.  I hope this is the beginning of a series.   It’s a promising beginning!

I was a socially awkward child with a huge imagination.  I remember pretending to ride a horse across the plains, and seeing and smelling and feeling like it was real.  I remember  Barbie and Ken having adventures in outer space or a deserted island, all real. Like magic.  But one day the “magic” ended. Suddenly my horse was just the railing of my bed, and my room had four walls and Barbie and Ken were just dolls.  Nora Raleigh Baskin captures that same feeling of girls growing up in her novel, The Summer Before Boys.  Two best friends, Julia and Eliza, share the magic of imagination, constantly pretending elaborate stories.  The girls are torn apart when Julia begins to grow up.  As the friends resolve their problems, they realize that boys will come and go, but friendship lasts. Their wait for Julia’s mother to return from military service in Iraq adds a poignant twist to the story.  This is simply a great read, written for ages 9-12, but sure to be enjoyed by anyone who has discovered that one day the magic ends.

Patricia Hermes writes the Emma Delimma series, and her new book, Emma Dilemma, the Nanny, and the Best Horse Ever, is one of the best. Written for ages 9-12, this series reminds of the Amber Brown books by the late Paula Danziger.  Whacky dilemmas, great characters, and a family that loves each other add up to a delightful series.

What do pirates cook?  Scurvy soup and peg leg pickles?  The Pirate Cookbook has six kid friendly recipes, introduces  basic cooking tools and techniques, and just might turn the young pirate at your house into a young chef.

 Several new picture books by beloved authors have been released. Slightly Invisible, by Lauren Child, is a hilarious book continuing the story of Charlie and Lola and lets us meet Lola’s invisible friend, Soren Lorensen.  Tricky creatures, beware.  Wordless picture books can be tricky, but Chris Raschka, a master at telling a story with very few words, pulls it off with A Ball For Daisy.    Learning to tell a story from beginning to end, called narrative skills, is an important step in developing literacy.  This book is a perfect choice to give a young pre-reader some experience in telling a story.  It’s also a beautiful story of loss and new friendships.

Finally, Douglas Wood, who lives in Sartell, has produced another lyrical picture book that is a feast for the senses.  The gorgeous illustrations by Irish artist P.J. Lynch, done in oil, are the perfect complement to Mr. Wood’s eloquent words.  No One But You can learn so many things about our world, and no one but Douglas Wood could write this perfect picture book.

These books, and more, are waiting for you at the library.  See you there!