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Off the Shelf

Did you know that New Ulm Public Library has many historical resources available for in-library use? Visit staff at our service desk and they would be happy to retrieve any of these items for you. We have many yearbooks from local schools, including New Ulm Public (Elementary – High School), Riverbend Area Learning Center, Cathedral High School, Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School and one copy of the Excelsior from Dr. Martin Luther College (1966). It is not a complete collection, but we might have the years that interest you. You can easily find them in our catalog by searching for ...

Figural cigar lighter shows sinister side of snakes

Whether it’s as subtle as the serpentine front of a Chippendale chest or as lifelike as the three-dimensional snakes that slither across, Palissy ware majolica, snakes and snake shapes often show up in decorative arts. They are among the oldest, most common symbols in history, standing for concepts like wisdom, healing and renewal. They can also have negative meanings, often appearing as mythological monsters and carrying the threat of poison. After all, St. Patrick’s Day honors a saint whose legendary feats include banishing all snakes from Ireland. The sinister side of snakes is ...

Recent reads

Here are few of my favorite recent reads. Library staff would be happy to help you place requests on these or any other titles. If you’d like to place your own request, visit www.newulmlibrary.org and choose Library Catalog. Cassandra is experiencing one of the worst days of her life: first her boyfriend breaks up with her, then she is fired from her PR job, then protesters throw paint on her faux fur coat. It’s overwhelming, and Cassandra passes out from a panic attic in the doorway of a bar. When she wakes up, she finds that the protesters have disappeared and her boss is calling ...

Stick clocks are just one way of telling the time

In 1905, Albert Einstein published his theory of special relativity, teaching the world that time is relative. In the science fiction novel “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” author Douglas Adams declared that “Time is an illusion, lunchtime doubly so.” And in March of every year, Daylight Savings Time begins, reminding us again that time isn’t absolute as we set our clocks ahead an hour. Historically, there have been many ways to track time and account for the changes in daylight hours that come with the seasons. In some systems, the length of an hour could vary ...

Wordless picture books

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 ...

The magic behind the Peacock sciopticon

According to science fiction author Arthur C. Clarke, “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” Look at magic lanterns, which even have “magic” in their name. They were used in Europe by the 1650s. Traveling showmen used them to apparently conjure ghosts and demons out of thin air to the shock and amusement of their audiences. Of course, these apparitions were projected by candlelight through the lantern’s lens. Audiences loved these devices, and over time, they received improvements and became more accessible. Oil and gas lamps replaced the ...