Nearly 23 years ago, I sat in Mrs. Brinkman’s fourth grade classroom listening attentively to my first truly gripping mystery, The View from the Cherry Tree by Willo Davis Roberts. The tale was suspenseful, and I couldn’t wait to hear the end. The story follows how Rob, our young hero-protagonist, witnesses a murder from his perch in the neighbor’s cherry tree. No one believes him, not friends and not his family. He has to solve the crime alone, and for a young boy, it’s a tall order.
Clear your schedules of all those "need-to-dos," because we’re going to fill them right back up with much better choices. Trust us, leaf-raking can wait. Do you ever notice the never ending stream of diverting family fun offered in fall? Well, it’s almost too much to sort through on your own. That’s where we come in! We did it for you. This fall will not disappoint. There are sporting events, bbq cook-offs, Halloween-themed excursions, and festivals galore. Here’s a list of our favorites!
Never underestimate the potential for a wonderful surprise to occur.
When we set out to plan our upcoming Pink Party: Breast Cancer Awareness, all we were sure of was that we wanted to make it a great day. The "how" wasn’t as clear. The Pink Party is an afternoon set aside for information, education, and a little pampering. We aim to keep the tradition of fun going from previous years as well.
This summer saw the conclusion of several blockbuster young adult series. Like so many of our customers, I tracked my progress through the holds list on a daily basis, waiting for the anticipated conclusions to roll in. With that admission comes another if you hadn’t guessed it already. I am an adult who reads young adult fiction, and I know I’m not alone.
When I was 17 years old my best friend snuck me into my first jazz club, and that was all it took. Not exactly love at first sight – more like at first sound, but it was love just the same. With the choice to love jazz came another to spurn the more en vogue selections of the day. At that, I was officially a weird teenager. Okay, maybe there may have been some inherent strangeness prior to that, but jazz over grunge did not help me blend.
It was sad to hear of the passing of a personal heroine recently. Sally Ride, at the age of 61, died of pancreatic cancer. She was the first female to escape Earth’s orbit when she joined the astronaut crew of the shuttle, Challenger. After leaving NASA, she returned to private life as a scientist and physics teacher. In a horrific twist of fate, it was on the Challenger that another teacher, Christa McAuliffe, lost her life.
Ah, the quiet. You may enjoy it, but we just don't know what to do with it. Despite the old stereotype of the librarian shushing excited children, libraries generally aren't like quiet places anymore. We have programming for adults, teens, and kids. That can be movies, music...the occasional parrot, but it's rarely followed by shushing.
But right now, it is quiet. What can I say? With the kids back in school and shift in weather seemingly moving from summer straight to fall, we're left with downtime.
What is the soundtrack for your life? Will you swing dance to those songs, or two-step?
What are the songs that take you back—all the way back? The tunes you love now as much as you loved then?
Maybe, you are a little more of the moment and your playlist changes daily. What’s the song you just can’t get out of your head? We can guarantee you no one else can stop singing it either.
Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Chris. I am a Library Clerk at the Claycomo Branch of the Mid Continent Public Library system.
I have been employed at MCPL for five years. There are a couple of reasons why I like working at MCPL. First, as an avid reader, I get to be around one of the things I love…BOOKS! Secondly, I get to help our customers in a variety of ways: answering computer questions, placing holds for items customers want, and answering the ever popular question, "Do you have the book Fifty Shades of Grey”?
The Olympics are coming to England. I couldn’t be more excited, and I’m sure I am not alone.
If one were to plan a party for them, now would be the time.
What would you place on your menu? Sure, you could default to the English stand-by of fish and chips, or maybe you want to try your hand at tea. Beware the clotted cream. I may enjoy it, but it isn’t for all.
