Staff-recommended reading from the KPL catalog.
I found Gifts of War, Mackenzie Ford’s first novel, an enjoyable historical fiction/romance that combined a World War I history lesson (including an amazing “you are there” description of the “Christmas Truce”) with interesting romantic intrigue. It’s a moral tale, exploring unintended consequences without being too preachy. Ever hear of an “Alice band?” If not, it’s something you’ll be compelled to check out on Wikipedia as you read the book. I enjoyed the book, but prefer tidy, though not necessarily always happy endings – you’ll understand if you read it. I also found it somewhat difficult to like the main characters. See what you think. I would definitely try another book by this author. Despite my reservations I thought this was an intriguing story....
Posted by Martha, Nov 5, 2009
Staff-recommended viewing from the KPL catalog.
The recent “balloon boy” hoax that had citizens across the country glued to news outlets late last week brings Billy Wilder’s 1951 film classic Ace in the Hole back to my mind, in a big way. Ignored in its time, the film predicted the modern-day “media circus” that persists around human interest stories - true or otherwise....
Posted by Karl, Oct 20, 2009
Staff-recommended listening from the KPL catalog.
The current season for “spooky” stuff brings to mind a time honored classic – Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells. Oldfield was an unknown English teenager in 1973 when the haunting opening sequence from his highly acclaimed debut gained worldwide attention as the backdrop for Friedkin’s film version of William Peter Blatty’s The Exorcist....
Posted by Keith, Oct 26, 2009, 1 Comment
Library news and happenings.
“National Bookstore Day” is Saturday, November 7. It is a day to celebrate bookselling and the vibrant culture of bookstores....
Posted by Ann, Nov 5, 2009
Recent library events, news and more.
Nostalgia, recession-induced frugality, and a desire to have more control over what goes into food are reasons why many cooks are trying homemade versions of their favorite condiments.
Julie Stanley, owner of Food Dance Café, demonstrated how easy it is to make your own ketchup, ranch dressing, chutney and butterscotch sauce. All four were made in less than one hour without causing a load of dirty dishes....
Posted by Lisa, Nov 5, 2009
News, comments, resources, and more.
Don't be worried if you see less classes offered for the fall--we are simply in the mode of preparing for new and exciting things! In the next few months, we will be upgrading our staff computers to Microsoft Office 2007 which means the librarians and staff you rely on to help you with all your information needs at KPL need a little learning time! We look forward to eventually offering such software as Word and Excel in the 2007 version to patrons. The computer classes will change in the future to reflect this as well....
Posted by Jennifer, Sep 4, 2009
Today I woke up to the morning radio DJ announcing that there are only 52 shopping days left until Christmas. Time seems to go so fast! I think I hear this statement or say it myself almost every day. Today, as we do every Tuesday in the bookstore, we talked about what to spotlight this week. We all agreed it’s time to put out the Christmas and Hanukah books. So, if you are ready to plunge (or maybe just wade) into the holiday season, we have the books to help you do just that. Our Holiday Books cart includes fiction, both children and adult, and holiday crafts and cooking....
Posted by Carol, Nov 3, 2009
News, events and happenings from the Children's Room.
Do things like mutant animals, villainous scoundrels, a bird-drop artist, and magical inventions spark your reading appetite? Do you think your family is weird? Have you ever wanted to go to a boarding school and never come home?...
Posted by Ann, Oct 1, 2009
Kalamazoo is a great place to live if you are into genealogy or history. Not only do we have numerous places close by for doing research, but there are also many area organizations, societies and commissions devoted to preserving or researching history in various ways. Groups like the Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society and the Oshtemo Historical Society meet monthly and often offer informative and entertaining programs for the public. The Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Western Michigan University and, of course, the Library all offer events of interest to history buffs. So, wouldn’t it be great if there was one place to look for all the area meetings and programs related to history? Well, now there is! KPL’s Local History Community Events Calendar, which can be accessed from the Local History and Genealogy pages of the website, provides information on events happening locally and even some bigger events taking place a little farther away. Be sure to check it often because new items are added regularly and don’t forget to contact us with information on events you would like included in the calendar. With this new calendar you’ll never have to miss any of the great local history events our community has to offer....
Posted by Beth, Oct 17, 2009
Opportunities for Nonprofit Excellence
NOTE: Attending an Orientation session for the programs is mandatory. ONEplace is hosting an orientation session on Friday, October 30, from 10 to noon in the Van Deusen Room of Kalamazoo Public Library, Central. Additional Orientation sessions will be held between October 26 and November 5 across the state. See the websites below for additional information or contact ONEplace at 553-7910....
Posted by Bobbe, Oct 12, 2009
What a delight to receive this nice note from Rick Bragg. Honestly, he’s the one to be thanked....
Posted by Lisa, Apr 23, 2009
The competition is heating up for the 9th Annual Great Grown-up Spelling Bee! Twenty corporate sponsored teams are poised to participate in the event on Wednesday, November 18, 6-9 p.m. at the Radisson Hotel. This wild and wacky event benefits Ready to Read and 100% of the net proceeds will be used to purchase gift books for children aged birth to five in Kalamazoo County. The competition is guaranteed to be fierce as spellers battle it out for the Spelling Award and their cheerleaders compete for 6 team spirit awards – Most Enthusiastic Team, Most Creative Cheer, Best Costumes, Rookie Team of the Year, Judge’s Choice and Best Bribe for Judges! Here’s the 2009 team line-up:...
Posted by Jeremy, Nov 4, 2009
Teen Read Week started yesterday, and we’re celebrating down in the Teen Area. You may have noticed our banner and a list of fun themes for each day, but even if you haven’t stopped by there’s still plenty to do. If you don’t do anything else this week, why not grab one of our science fiction and fantasy-themed books from our display and try out a genre you’ve never read before? If the sci-fi/fantasy thing doesn’t do it for you, why not vote for next year’s theme? Finally, what we’ve really been waiting for down here is the announcement of this year’s Teens’ Top 10 Awards! The full list of winners can be found at the ALA’s Teens’ Top 10 page(did any of your favorites win?) but here in the Teen Area we’re very excited that Wake by Lisa McMann is one of this year’s winners! You can see Lisa speak in person about her books and more on November 12, when she visits Kalamazoo as part of the Youth Literature Seminar. Congratulations to Lisa and to all of the Teens’ Top 10 winners!...
Posted by Stewart, Oct 19, 2009, 1 Comment