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Recent Reads

I’ve been on great reading streak lately. Here are a few of my recent favorites. I loved “Seasonal Work,” a collection of short stories by Laura Lippman. She cleverly spins tales of spouses wronged, book thieves, scamming stepfathers, and more, with devilishly surprising conclusions. Some of these characters are downright rotten, but many more are recognizably human; the kind of people you might interact with daily, but who have just reached their limit. Lippman plays with the idea of “seasonal work,” whether that might be a detective solving a small-time case, or a woman ...

Do Your Best Work

The library offers books and resources to support professional development, work and business. Perhaps you want to improve your workplace culture, change a facet of your business, build stronger teams or bolster your emotional intelligence to become a stronger leader. Maybe you are curious about what cutting-edge organizations are doing to be successful. There is always something new to learn when you work with other people and the library can help. In addition to finding books at the library, check the library website at www.newulmlibrary.org to access digital resources including ...

Planning for spring

“Spring is the time of plans and projects.” — Leo Tolstoy As I’m writing this, the weather outside is sunny and 80 degrees. It is one of those spectacular bonus days we sometimes get in early spring. The shorts and sandals have come out, and everyone is outside enjoying the weather. The promise of spring has me thinking about gardens, so here are a few of the new library books about growing flowers and vegetables. Step by Step Greenhouse Gardening for Beginners: Easy DIY Setup Anywhere, Eco-Friendly Tips to Grow and Protect Plants in Every Season, and Harvest Produce Like a ...

Recent Reads

I recently enjoyed these books and think you might, too! Annie is seeking a fresh start after being dumped by her boyfriend. She moves to rural New York, settling in Rowan. The first person she meets in town is Sophie. Sophie is beautiful, a wonderful cook, a skilled seamstress, and a whiz at making lotions and other potions. She makes the small town fun and magical for Annie, even though the other citizens of Rowan seem wary of Sophie. But strange things seem to happen when Sophie is around and Annie can’t help but wonder what Sophie really is . . . and if she and Annie may be more ...

Cloisonne develops global appeal from artisans

Cloisonne gets its name from the metal “cloisons,” French for “partitions,” that are filled with enamel, creating the multicolor designs. Despite the French name, the technique has been used in many parts of the world. It was revolutionized in Japan in the 19th century, when artist Kaji Tsunekichi, working as a metal gilder to supplement the stipend he received as a former samurai, deconstructed a piece of Chinese cloisonne to develop his own techniques. He soon began training other artists in cloisonne, which exploded in popularity in Japan, where it was called shippo. Many ...

Audiobooks are Awesome!

Did you know that listening to an audiobook can help a child build literacy skills? Students can develop reading skills such as decoding and comprehension, as well as critical thinking by listening to audiobooks. By engaging in listening skills, readers enhance their ability to process information and build a larger vocabulary. For those reluctant readers or those learning a different language, audiobooks can improve comprehension skills and introduce new words in context, improving both understanding and retention. Audiobooks build crucial listening skills for children. They build and ...