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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 ...

French table embodies art nouveau design

Art nouveau designs were based on nature. A close look at this table, which sold for $2,750 at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, shows that the side supports literally branch out at the top, where they meet the panels of carved flowers adorning the ends of the tabletop. The carvings at the base suggest twining roots. It is as if a pair of blossoming trees supports the table between them. The table is the work of French artist and cabinetmaker Louis Majorelle (1859-1926), one of the great designers of the Art nouveau movement. Along with other artists and industrialists in France, Majorelle ...

Time Turning Like a Page

In his early play, Love’s Labour’s Lost, William Shakespeare gave us this thought on time. In the opening act, Lord Berowne speaking to King Navarre declares, “At Christmas, I no more desire a rose, than wish a snow in May’s new-fangled mirth; but like of each thing that in season grows.” Such is one of only three references to Christmas in all of Shakespeare’s works. It is interesting that he chooses to tie Christmas to time. Centuries after Shakespeare but almost two centuries before today, Charles Dickens also connected Christmas with time by haunting Ebenezer Scrooge with ...

The evolution of the artificial Christmas tree

Artificial Christmas trees have been around since the 19th century, if not earlier. Trees made of dyed feathers originated in Germany and were introduced to the U.S. by the early 20th century. The mid- to late-20th century saw trees made from several new materials. There were some made of brush bristles. The famous aluminum Christmas trees, sparkling in silver before any lights or ornaments were added, were first made in the 1950s. New types of plastic that gained widespread use after World War II proved to be perfect for making durable, realistic-looking synthetic pine needles. But one ...