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Periodicals at the library

You may have noticed that your magazine subscriptions are changing. Some are no longer being published in print form and are only available digitally and others have changed their subscription schedules by publishing fewer issues per year. This has, of course, affected the library’s subscriptions as well. But, we still have thirty-one magazines available for you to check out including a new one this month, Magnolia Journal. We have the latest issue of each magazine near the public computer area for you to browse. Once the newest issue comes we barcode the older one and it is available ...

Karl Drerup’s enamels have a distinctive style

Enamel has been used in decorative arts since at least the Middle Ages. It was especially popular in Europe and Asia in the 18th and 19th centuries. With this in mind, it may sound like an unlikely medium for the 20th century. But modern art embraces the unexpected. Karl Drerup, an artist who trained in painting, illustration and ceramics in Berlin and Florence, then emigrated with his wife in the 1930s to escape the rise of fascism, started making enamels in New York in the 1930s. Later, he would call himself “the first one in New York who made any enamels at all.” That may have ...

Off the Shelf

The great thing about working in a library is that you get to see so many books cross the service desk. After these books caught my eye I just had to check them out. The first two that got my attention were picture books. And yes, adults can check out and read picture books for their own enjoyment. The artwork catches me first, then a charming story. The aunts are visiting! They’ve arrived with their snapping purses, hand sanitizer, lip balm, and passion for quilting. They’re ready to see the sights, pinch your cheeks, and protect you from the monsters in your bedroom. “Oh No, ...

Saving money can be fun with mechanical banks

By Terry and Kim Kovel A mechanical bank like this “Two Frogs” bank used to put on a show for as little as a penny. Place the coin on the flat spot on the small frog’s chest, press the lever on the back of the bank, and the large frog opens its mouth to catch the coin as the small frog kicks it in. In the 19th century, mechanical banks taught children that saving money could be fun. Now, collectors save up their money to buy them: This bank was the top seller at a Morphy auction, bringing in $12,800. Cast-iron mechanical banks from the late 19th to early 20th century have been ...

Summer reading and beyond

This year’s summer reading program theme was Dig Into Reading. I want to take a moment to thank all of the parents, caregivers, children, and teens who participated this year. I would also like to thank the library staff. They did an excellent job helping to make the program happen throughout a very busy summer. We recorded 1027 people in attendance at the 39 programs scheduled this summer. 721 in-house scavenger hunts were completed, and 366 crafts were created during the eight weeks of the program. This summer we added the Wheel of Fun to our program. On each of the even weeks of the ...

Farmers’ wives know chicken comes before eggs

There’s a lot of housewives on the farm who must wish today they had never sold the flock of hens. It was their chore to feed the chickens, collect the eggs and take them to market. They got the money for groceries and a few glad items. The mistresses of flocks of 200 leghorns gave up the ...