Reading by the River

Women's History Month

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:28:00 +0000

March is National Women’s History Month
Check out the top ten famous women in history.

1. Mother Theresa

2. Cleopatra

3. Joan of Arc

4. Queen Victoria

5. Indira Gandhi

6. Marie Antoinette

7. Marie Curie

8. Eleanor Roosevelt

9. Mary Magdalene

10. Harriet Tubman

Do you like poetry or art?

Emily Dickinson is a famous poet in history. Did you know that her poems did not become famous until after her death?

Georgia O’ Keefe is a famous artist in history.

Come check out books on these great women at our library.

Book Club Titles

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 13:25:00 +0000

Starting a book club?

Need a title for your next meeting?

Compiling your list for next year’s book club?

Having trouble finding enough copies of a selected title?

We may have the answer!

Waterford Library’s Book Club Collection

This new collection is in the stacks, if we have 4 or more copies of a title, we are shelving them together in this special location.

Located at the end of the Adult Fiction Q thru Z aisles.

Help Identify a Superhero Librarian

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 14:29:00 +0000

Help Identify a Superhero Librarian

Turn Your Clock Back Saturday Night

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:34:00 +0000

During Daylight Saving Time, which begins in the spring, clocks are turned forward an hour, shifting an hour of light from the morning to the evening. When Daylight Saving Time ends in the fall, clocks are set back an hour and Standard Time resumes.

According to the present schedule—determined by the Energy Policy Act of 2005—the United States springs forward at 2:00 a.m. on the second Sunday in March, and falls back at 2:00 a.m. on the first Sunday in November.

United States 2012 Daylight Saving Time Schedule: In the United States, Daylight Saving Time will begin on Sunday, March 11 and revert to Standard Time on Sunday, November 4. Time changes in the United States take place at 2:00 a.m. local time.

Incidentally, the correct term is daylight saving time, not daylight savings time. If you had it wrong, don't feel bad. More people Google the incorrect phrase than the correct one!

http://www.squidoo.com/daylightsavingstime

Thoughts on the Academy Awards

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 04:03:00 +0000

While watching the Academy Awards, I was thinking about the vital relationship between movies and books. This year several of the nominated films were based on books I had read. One of these was Hugo based on the book Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. This movie was directed by Martin Scorese known for R-rated films. He made this movie because of the encouragement of his 12-year-old daughter who loved the book and wanted her dad to make a movie age-appropriate for her. I appreciated his efforts in bringing this book to life in a stunningly beautiful visual movie. On Tuesday, March 13, you can see this movie at the Waterford Library at 6:00PM. Remember, adults can come with or without children. Another winner at the Academy Awards for best short animated film was The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. This film based on the book by William Joyce pays tribute in a magicial way to the joy of books and libraries.

Why Do We Need Leap Years?

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:33:00 +0000

Leap Years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the sun.
It takes the Earth approximately 365.242199 days – or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds (a tropical year)– to circle once around the Sun.

However, the Gregorian calendar has only 365 days in a year, so if we didn't add a day on February 29 nearly every 4 years, we would lose almost six hours off our calendar every year. After only 100 years, our calendar would be off by approximately 24 days!

http://www.timeanddate.com/date/leapyear.html

Fun Facts about the Leap Year

The Egyptians are responsible for our knowledge that the solar and human calendars are not in sync.
Instead of 365 days, the Earth takes an extra 5 hours, 48 minutes and 46 second to go around the Sun.
The Romans (Julius Caesar) added February 29th as a leap day in the Julian calendar, with the once every 4 years rule. It took another 1500 years (till 1582) for the Gregorian calendar to apply the system we use now.
Only years divisible by 4 have leap days.
No year that can be divided by 100 has a leap day unless it is also divisible by 400. That’s why 1900 was not a leap year but 2000 was.
Leap day is the day when women are allowed to propose to men (though these days most women don’t wait if that’s what they want to do.) According to tradition, this practice started in the fifth century.
Since those born on February 29th only have a birthday every 4 years (most celebrate the day before or day after), they can claim to be much younger than their calendar years. Here’s a handy chart to work out your age in leap years if this applies to you.
Even decades usually have three leap years (e.g. 2000, 2004, 2008); even ones have two (e.g 1992, 1996)
Want to know what day of the week Leap Day will be? It occurs on the same day every 28 years. That means it will be 2040 before Leap Day is on a Wednesday again.
According to the Guinness Book of Records, one family in the UK has three generations born on February 29th. They are Peter Anthony Keogh (194), Peter Eric Keogh (1964) and Bethany Wealth (1996).
Not everyone follows the Gregorian calendar. For example, the lunisolar Chinese calendar adds a leap month approximately every 3 years. This month takes place at different times in the calendar.
Sweden once had an extra leap day, February 30th, in 1712.

http://www.parkrideflyusa.com/blog/2012/02/01/fun-facts-leap-year-2012/

Google glasses, due this year, turn seeing into searching

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 19:00:00 +0000

Google glasses, due this year, turn seeing into searching

Got dirt?

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:47:00 +0000

Last week was exciting. The first plant and seed catalog arrived in the mail. I enjoy paging through these catalogs, learning about new varieties of roses, hydrangea, tomatoes, herbs and shrubs. Perennials are a special favorite. They provide color and interest to the garden and once established require minimal care. But how is this goal of "once established" achieved and are the requirements for "minimal care" the same for all of these beautiful plants? How are they planted and when?

This is Wisconsin after all, so there is plenty of time before planting season begins. Plenty of time to research plants and plan gardens. The library has many books to help.

The Garden Book For Wisconsin by Melinda Meyers, 635,0977 MYE

Gardening in Wisconsin Month By Month by Melinda Meyers 635.0977 MYE

Perennials For Every Purpose by Larry Hodgson, 635.9 HOD

Tending Your Garden by Gordon & Mary Hayward 635.9 HAY

These and many more titles are available at the library.

President's Day 2012 - Tweets from the Presidents

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:03:00 +0000

Each of the Presidents from Washington to Obama share a bit of philosophy in less than 140 characters as a tweet. Quotes are as actually spoken by the person with whom they are displayed. Music is "Celebration" by Helen O'Hara from her album "Southern Hearts".
Uploaded by HerBunk on Jan 4, 2011

What Happens When the Library Closes

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:41:00 +0000

The library is such an inviting place to visit. There are books for all ages, magazines, videos, places to gather to study or work on hobbies. You will find a wealth of information including computers and the latest info on new technology. For those of you that are library lovers, we dread the final call from the librarian that yes indeed the library is closing for the night.

But do you ever wonder what happens in the library after it closes??????

No one really knows do they……..

Random Acts of Kindness Week: February 12 – 18, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 22:05:00 +0000

Around Christmas, do you remember reading about the kindly, anonymous people who paid off the lay away bills for total strangers? Their kindness spoke to my heart – especially since they were anonymous acts with real power behind them to remind us all that our world includes more than “just me.” The acts were unusual enough that the idea of helping others was foremost in the news for some time. I wonder what other random acts of kindness (RAK) happened as a result of these inspired gifts.

Did it motivate you to do anything in your own sphere of influence? It did for me.

I was reminded of those Christmas acts of kindness when I saw that this week has been designated “Random Act of Kindness Week.”

RandomActsofKindness.org explains:

“RAK Week is the second full week of February each year. Random Acts of Kindness Week is designed to give those who are either not currently aware of Random Acts of Kindness or those who wish to call attention to the value of kind actions a chance to experience the joy of passing along kindness. The week’s purpose is to raise awareness about kindness and to invite people to give and receive kindness daily.

“Celebrations vary widely. An individual may celebrate kindness by performing anonymous kind acts all week long. An educator may lead a discussion about kindness and involve students in a brief kindness activity. Some celebrations are school wide. Some celebrations are community-based rather than school-based. The choice is up to you. For hundreds of ideas, consult our Kindness Ideas resource, or the Educators and Community sections on this website.”

What a difference we could make if we each asked ourselves, “How might I touch one or more lives with RAKs this week and beyond—not done to benefit “me” but to truly benefit the receiver?”
--Deanna

Wedding Bells are Ringing

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:54:00 +0000

It's almost that time of year again...Wedding season!! Are you planning or helping to plan a wedding? For some tips and tricks, come to the library and check out some books or magazines. We have something for everyday whether you're the bride, groom, or part of the wedding party. We even have stuff if you're one who's giving a toast to the lovely couple!

Or are you in charge of the bridal shower, but not quite sure where to start? We've got books on different themes, games, decorations and more to help give you some ideas.

Best of luck throughout the wedding planning experience!!

On This Day in History...

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:04:00 +0000

According to the History Channel's This Day in History Calendar, John Grisham was born on this day, February 8, in 1955. He is known for his best-selling legal thrillers. His first novel, A Time to Kill, was published in 1989. To date, he has written more than 20 books. Nine of his books have been made into movies. Check out one today! You can also follow the "This Day in History" calendar on Twitter. Other historical events for today include: Irish Race Horse Stolen in 1983; Mary Queen of Scots is beheaded in 1587; & Spud Webb wins dunk contest in 1986.

Valentine’s Day Trivia

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:13:00 +0000

St. Valentine's Day is a holiday observed on February 14 honoring one or more early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards. The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished. It was first established by Pope Gelasius I in 496 AD, and was later deleted from the General Roman Calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI.

More cool Valentine’s Day Trivia can by found here.

New to the Waterford Library’s fitness collection

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:44:00 +0000

Keep those New Year's Resolutions! Check out the newest fitness videos at the library!

Hatha & Flow Yoga for beginners
Hatha: Increase Flexibility & Dissolve Stress
Flow: Build Strength & Stamina
613.7046 ELE DVD 1-DISC

Yoga for stress relief & flexibility

Two easy to follow programs that dissolve tension,
relax muscles & rejuvenate the spirit.

613.7046 ELE DVD 1-DISC

Dance off the inches: Hip Hop Party
Drop inches & get dancer’s abs!

613.71 DAN DVD 1-DISC

Dance off the inches: Cardio Hip Hop
Dance your way to a leaner body & amazing abs

613.715 DAN DVD 1-DISC

10 minute Solution

Fat blasting dance mix. 10 minute dance workouts to shape your body.

613.71 DAN DVD 1-DISC

Why is Punxsutawney Phil top groundhog?

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 20:01:00 +0000

The Los Angeles Times Nation Now section ran a great article on why Punxsutawney Phil is the most famous groundhog who gets the most coverage. It states that he is the first groundhog to give predictions. He's been at this business for 126 years. Read the full article here.

Still, I will put my faith in Jimmy - Wisconsin's very own Sun Prairie groundhog - who predicted an early spring. Sun Praire officials have stated that Jimmy has never been wrong. Fingers crossed!

Parenting Resources

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:16:00 +0000

In the library we have different sections for different groups of people. One area that often gets overlooked is our parenting section. There are books and magazines for parents on raising, not only your baby or toddler, but also on your teen and tween. There's even some family cookbooks, and different cooking magazines for families who are on a budget. Food & Family or All You are both great magazine choices. If you're a family that homeschools, there are items for you like The Homeschool Handbook or Practical Homeschooling! If you're a parent and you're looking for new ideas, this is the spot you want to check out. And even though it's just a small section, it has lots of knowledge to lend out. Stop by the library today and have a peek!

Cabin Fever

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:26:00 +0000

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Cabin fever is an idiomatic term for a claustrophobic reaction that takes place when a person or group is isolated and/or shut in a small space, with nothing to do, for an extended period (as in a simple country vacation cottage during a long rain or snow). Symptoms include restlessness, irritability, paranoia, irrational frustration with everyday objects, forgetfulness, laughter, excessive sleeping, distrust of anyone they are with, and an urge to go outside even in the rain, snow, dark or hail.

The phrase is also used humorously to indicate simple boredom from being home alone. The term was first recorded in 1918. Other references have the term in use at least to 1906.

Yup, this is the time of year it usually sets in. The best therapy: get out there! If that’s not possible make sure you have a pile of good reading!

Proposed therapy for cabin fever
One therapy for cabin fever may be as simple as getting out and interacting with nature. Research has proven that even brief interactions with nature can promote improved cognitive functioning and overall well-being.

In popular culture

Steven King's novel The Shining (and its film adaptation) involves cabin fever. The plot follows a family of three trapped in an isolated resort in the dead of winter. Cabin fever stories may also involve a person or group of people on a deserted island or on a long space voyage.
In Muppet Treasure Island, after spending weeks at sea with no breeze to move the ship, most of the crew begin to develop cabin fever; then spontaneously burst into the musical number "Cabin Fever" where they sing of how the madness is affecting themselves.
An episode of Lost in season 4 is titled "Cabin Fever", having to do with a literal cabin (Jacob's).
In a Diary of a Wimpy Kid book, Greg Heffley and his family are stuck inside his house during a snowstorm and Greg starts to develop cabin fever.
In the futuristic sci-fi film Pandorum, crew members of a space ship suffer from a fictional psychological condition called pandorum which has similarities to cabin fever.
"In a Far Country" is a wonderful short story by Jack London that chronicles how two men under the influence of cabin fever in the Far North winter devolve into murderous savages.

(source for comic strip: http://www.atpm.com/17.02/out-at-five.shtml)

Punxsutawney Phil

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:42:00 +0000

It's hard to believe that January is almost over. Maybe spring is just around the corner. I should check to see what the long range forecast is. I could watch the weather channel, look online, or consult the Farmer's Almanac. Better yet, I could wait until February 2nd for Groundhog's Day. Punxsutawney Phil's shadow has been predicting an early spring or six more weeks of winter for the last 125 years at Gobbler's Knob in Pennsylvania. February 2nd is the midpoint of winter and was originally celebrated as Candlemas in Germany with the hedgehog in the starring role. Did you know that Punxsutawney Phil actually lives in a climate controlled home at the Punxsutawney Public Library and dines on dog food and ice cream? Our library may not have a real groundhog, but we do have some fun books to read for Grounhog's Day or actually anytime of the year. One of my new favorites for children is Brownie Groundhog and the February Fox by Susan Blackaby. This charming picture book spins a delightful tale of friendship. Adults may want to check out the Groundhog's Day DVD with Bill Murray which was actually filmed in nearby Woodstock, Illinois. I'm just wishing everyone enjoys February 2nd this year minus a repeat of last year's snowstorm. One final note: you may not want to rely on the groundhog's prediction because according to the National Climatic Data, Punxsutawney Phil's prediction is only 39% accurate.

American Library Association announces 2012 Youth Media Award winners | American Libraries Magazine

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 20:54:00 +0000

American Library Association announces 2012 Youth Media Award winners American Libraries Magazine

Watch for a brochure with a complete list of winners in the Juvenile Department! Happy reading!

Send Your Love

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:24:00 +0000

Valentine's Day is approaching fast.

It’s always a special day to celebrate when you have little ones at home. Looking for some great ideas to do with your family? Check out this great resource! Family Fun magazine can be checked out at the library, or a lot of their fun, family-friendly ideas are online for you to search, download and print activities you can do with your whole family! Included you will find recipes, craft projects and printable activities that are all perfect for busy families looking for fun ways to celebrate!

Two of their suggestions for Valentine's Day were:

Gnome Sweet Gnomes! Adorable!

and Heartfelt Pancakes (BTW - Librarians love heartfelt pancakes, too!)

Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours!

The Library Changed My Life

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:03:00 +0000

Thanks to Library Board Member and library patron Ingrid for submitting today's uplifting story:

Everybody has daily things that stress them out—whether it’s the child who insists on dressing like it’s Summer during January, the co-worker with annoying habits or that tag that scratches the back of your neck all day long! My daily stressor has to do with mass media and how much time I spend in my car. Between driving for work, caring for my aging Mom and my refusal to give up neither my dentist nor hairstylist in Illinois, I drive nearly 20,000 miles every year. THAT is a lot of time spent listening to radio sound bytes, or even light meals of news from NPR. After I’ve heard the same biased news reports over twice in the same day and weather reports that I don’t even care about, I get irritated. After that, I try some strong leaning talk show—argh! They’re usually more irritated than I am and I begin to think responsibly about my use of time. Being a classical musician, I could expand my listening knowledge and become familiar with more, lengthy works. But this is the one style of music that doesn’t work well in automobiles—between summers with the windows down or traffic or defrosters blaring, driving is just too noisy to hear the soft parts!

I open my car door ONE MORE TIME and wonder out of boredom what styles straight jackets actually come in. THEN it hits me! My Waterford Public Library. Audio books! That’s the answer! So I browse the audio books aisle, selecting usually two books at a time. This way, if I don’t like one, I’m not left stranded listening to mind-numbing radio in the car. While I like the old fashioned CD versions and rejoice that my car’s CD player retains the exact spot within a track (this is especially good during days of errand-running with just short stops), one of our librarians explained just how easy it is to get setup to use the MP3 books as well. Driving now feels like I’m on vacation….ahhh.

So, if you’re using a great deal of fossil fuels like me, check out the audio book aisle at the library! But beware, you might fall behind on some of the headliner news items or on your daily prayer time.

Guide to Frost

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:56:00 +0000

Frost crystals grow from water vapor in the air, just like snow crystals. But while snow crystals form on suspended dust particles high in the clouds, frost crystals form near the ground on window panes, blades of grass or other solid surfaces.

Snowcrystals.com offered lots of information on the different kinds of frost including the art of growing your own snowflakes and designer frost at: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/designer1/designer1.htm

You can also stop in at the library to check out books of fun things to do in the snow, or just check out a movie to watch from inside the warm house while admiring the frost designs on your windowpane.

New Year's Resolutions!

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:23:00 +0000

Happy New Year Everyone!

2012 has begun and many of us made New Year's resolutions. One of the top three resolutions on lists each year is "get organized". It's on my list this year, too. The January 2012 copy of Good Housekeeping magazine features several articles for organizing our homes and helping us make the best use of time each day. The One-Minute Organizer, A to Z Storage Solutions by Donna Smallin gives tips for storing every item in your home. And Lori Baird's Cut the Clutter and Stow the Stuff gives quick tips to bring order to the household. These and more are available for check out at the library. Stop in and get started on those resolutions today!

Devil in the White City - A Review by Hannah

noreply@blogger.com (About This Blog) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 22:45:00 +0000

I just finished The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. Although the book is nonfiction, it reads like fiction. Larson tells the story of two men in Chicago in the 1890s. One of them, Daniel Burnham, was the head architect of the 1893 World’s Fair. The other, H.H. Holmes, was a serial killer. For much of the book, the chapters alternate between the stories of the two men. Larson is a masterful storyteller, often ending a chapter with the hint of dark events yet to come. Before I started reading, I thought I would be most intrigued by the murder plot. I was mistaken. I didn’t realize how little I knew about the World’s Fair until I read the book. The fact that it even occurred is a small miracle. All of the buildings were erected and finished in roughly two years. That was no small feat given the size and technological advances of the buildings, further made difficult by the wet soil that constantly frustrated Chicago architects and builders. It’s mindblowing to realize that some things we are familiar with today debuted at the World’s fair nearly 120 years ago: Shredded Wheat, for example, as well as Juicy Fruit gum. In the other storyline, the reader gets a glimpse at a true sociopath, a terrifying serial killer. Holmes took advantage of the steady stream of young women flocking to Chicago for the fair, and with all of the excitement in the city at the time he managed to avoid detection for years. For fiction and nonfiction fans alike, The Devil in the White City is a riveting tale.