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Famed English pottery traces history to 1775

John Aynsley founded his pottery in Staffordshire, England, in 1775 and initially made earthenware. Like many pottery makers, his son and, later, his grandson joined the business; its name changed to John Aynsley & Sons in the 1860s. About that time, the company began making bone china. The company has been a favorite of the British royal family from Queen Victoria onward. In 1970, Waterford bought the company and changed its name to Aynsley China Ltd. It has changed hands again since then, but still operates as Aynsley China. An Aynsley teapot with a matching trivet sold at an ...

Music for All

If you want to know the rest of the story about some of your favorite musicians, please consider the following titles from our new nonfiction shelf. Don’t Stop: Why We (Still) Love Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours by Alan Light (782.42 Light). The Rumours album became one of the most popular albums of all time, appealing to all ages. Take a deep dive into the history of this famous album. Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run by Peter Ames Carlin (782.4213 Carlin). You will learn the full story behind the songs, recording sessions, struggles and breakthroughs of this iconic ...

Poster provides glance into history of dry cleaning

This poster invites the reader to “Enjoy These Winter Days” with an illustration of a peaceful snow-covered path lined with trees. It’s not simply an encouragement to admire the beauty of nature, though; it also encourages the viewer to enjoy “your complete wardrobe dry cleaned in the modern manner.” The framed 48 1/2 x 28 1/2-inch poster sold for $65 at Ripley Auctions. As an advertisement for an unspecified dry cleaner, it suggests that its readers can enjoy the winter because of the convenience of someone else cleaning their clothes, and may also imply that the dry cleaner ...

Great Ways to Discover Books

Librarians always have their eyes peeled and ears perked in order to discover the next book to add to our to-be-read lists. Have you ever wondered how your New Ulm librarians discover all the books that we read and recommend? First, we’re always recommending books to one another, and to the public, through conversations, displays, and the TV display near the service desk. We also sneak our recommendations into our monthly News and Notes and weekly Wowbrary newsletters. News and Notes features the latest library news, programs, and staff book reviews. Wowbrary lists the newest items ...

Windsor chairs inspired by patriotic celebrations

With 2026 bringing the 250th anniversary of the United States, will we see a revival of interest in colonial American furniture? It’s happened with previous anniversaries. The Centennial celebration in 1876 saw furniture makers adapt early American styles to the manufacturing techniques of the Industrial Revolution and the tastes of the Victorian era. Windsor chairs were a favorite piece, but these spindle-backed chairs arguably never went out of style. They are believed to have originated in England in the late 1600s, but, like many English furniture styles of the time, they became ...

Off the Shelf

Did you know that sharing a wordless picture book can be a powerful way to build important literacy skills? Wordless picture books are books without text that rely solely on the pictures to convey the story. They are often dismissed as being too easy for any age reader. But they are outstanding tools to promote comprehension, vocabulary, listening skills, and they aid in the understanding of character development and story structure. A good reader needs good comprehension skills. They need to remember what has already happened and be able to predict what may happen next. Wordless ...