Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Preview Shelf -- Dana Ellis to Entertain "Young Ladies" at Special Library Event

Beginning today, May Day, girls aged six to fourteen are invited to register for the Crawfordsville District Public Library's Fourth Annual "Blossoms & Brunch" on Saturday, May 24th from 10:30 to noon. Light pastries and beverages will be served to these young patrons and their guests. The featured speaker will be Montgomery County acrylic artist Dana Ellis, who will help the group create their own souvenir mementos. The special event will take place in the Donnelley Room on the library's lower level. Just call Linda Brady, 362-2242 in the Youth Services Department, extension 114. Here is some newly-available fiction. "Home to Holly Springs" is Jan Karon's pre-sequel after many books in the Mitford Series, now tracing where Father Kavanagh had been born and raised, to find the missing pieces of his life. It is the first of the Father Tim novels. "Queen of Broken Hearts" is an uplifting tale by Cassandra King telling about women helping each other in a small Alabama town. "Sabrina" by Lori Wick features Denver, Colorado in 1880 when a young lady redeems herself from crimnality to useful Christian womanhood. "Summer Hill Secrets-2" takes us to Pennsylvania's Amish country where enlightening experiences help a youngster grow up. In "The Manning Sisters" by Debbie Macomber a young woman accepts a teaching job in Montana, bringing adventures far different from life in Seattle. The book is part of The Manning Family series. Susan Mallery's "Accidentally Yours" pits a woman who believes in the power of love against a man believing in the power of money. "Swept Away" by Toni Blake is a "lonely island" romance as a bride-to-be escapes to be alone and meets a man in his own dangerous position. "The Year of Fog" by Michelle Richmond centers around the aftermath of a six-year-old's disappearance in thick San Francisco mist. Whitley Strieber incorporates his research in "The Grays" a fictional account of the conspiracy behind alien presence on Earth. Joyce Carol Oates' "The Gravedigger's Daughter" is a struggle in post-World War II upstate New York by the daughter in a family who escaped the Nazis in 1936. "The First Patient" by Michael Palmer is "An exciting thriller…full of surprises; captures the intense atmosphere of the White House" said President Bill Clinton. In "Lady Killer" by Lisa Scottoline a young woman searches for her missing rival from high school in a thriller about opposite personalities. "L.A. Outlaws" by T. Jefferson Parker paints a picture of theft and big personalities in a "dance around the secrets that brought them together". Down-to-earth helps are "The Essential Guide to Mold Making & Slip Casting" by Andrew Martin, and "Scrawny to Brawny" about building muscle the natural way by Michael Mejia and John Berardi. "Careers with Animals" comes from Ellen Shenk. "Don't Miss Out" by Anna and Robert Leider is the "ambitious student's guide to financial aid". How about "365 TV-Free Activities You Can Do With Your Child" by Steve & Ruth Bennett, or a traveller's guide to making a difference around the world called "Volunteer" from Lonely Planet. Linda Rosenkrantz and Pamela Satran's "Beyond Jennifer & Jason, Madison & Montana" looks like a very complete supply of ideas to help you name your baby. "All the Math You'll Ever Need" is a self-teaching guide by Steve Slavin. "Simply Face Reading" by Jonathan Dee has the purpose to "deepen your understanding of friends, family, co-workers, and other people in your life". "Simply Palmistry" by Sasha Fenton says "Our hands provide a glimpse of our personalities, health, aptitudes - and even what might happen...in the future".

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Preview Shelf -- More New Books About Our State

The Crawfordsville District Public Library has four more new books about Indiana. "Indiana Cooks!" holds great restaurant recipes for the home kitchen gathered by Christine Barbour and Scott Feickert. One chapter is about Maize, An American Grill in Lafayette. Other nearby places are the Limestone Grille and Truffles in Bloomington, and Dunaway's, Elements, Oakleys Bistro and R Bistro in Indianapolis. After the introduction to Maize, the recipes offered are its Indiana Corn and Potato Chowder, Buffalo Rock Shrimp Salad with Roasted Indiana Corn Relish and Maytag Blue-Cheese Dressing, Skewered Salmon on Indiana Corn Cake with Shagbark Hickory Glaze, and Blackened Ribeye on a Double-Stuffed Potato with Grilled Vegetables - in case you'd like to whip them up. "The Indiana Rail Road Company" by Christopher Rund features America's new regional railroad, originally part of the Illinois Central, reborn as a profitable carrier. "Kickin' Hoosiers" by Kathryn Knapp profiles Jerry Yeagley and Championship Soccer at Indiana University, 40 years of determination. " Frank Hohenberger's Indiana Photographs" is a down-home tour taken between 1904 and 1950, with delightful looks at common and special sites both rural and urban. John Hart's mystery "Down River" describes a boy with a turbulant childhood that turned him into a fighter, barely acquitted of murder, exiled unjustly, hiding in New York City , then returning to Rowan County, North Carolina where he is accused and must prove his reformation. Bernard Cornwell's "Sword Song" is the recreation of the Battle of London in 885 A.D. written as the fourth volume in his Saxon Tales built around Alfred, the only English king to have "the Great" added to his name. "Creation in Death" by Nora Roberts writing as J D Robb features a detective named Eve in the year 2060 and how she captures an illusive mass murderer. "The Cameleon's Shadow" by Minette Walters features a disturbed British lieutenant just back from Iraq, who cuts all ties and moves to London where accused of crime he must heal himself to prove innocence. Andrew Greeley's "Irish Tiger"is a Nuala Anne McGrail story of a senior engaged couple in danger, helped by the singer turned Warrior Woman of ancient Erin. "A Lick of Frost" by Laurell Hamilton is fantasy about a onetime private investigator in the mortal world now heir-apparent to the faerie throne, endangered by a wicked aunt Queen. "Every Secret Thing" by Ann Tatlock is a biography of a new English teacher at the preparatory school she attended, who finds new friendships and a captivating mystery. In "Dream When You're Feeling Blue" (remember that song lyric?) Elizabeth Berg takes us to Chicago during World War II and profiles three sisters and their Irish family, bringing alive the atmosphere of that era. Luanne Rice has written "Light of the Moon" traveling across the sea for a magical tale of a lonely woman with a promise to keep. "Between Sundays" by Karen Kinghsbury features three characters: a star athlete, another player with a promise he made years ago, and a young woman caring for a foster child who thinks the star athlete is his father; the plot unites them all. James Grippando's "Lying with Strangers" forces a young doctor to prove the accident forcing her car into a pond was a deliberate crime.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Genealogy Club meeting

The Genealogy Club of Montgomery County, Indiana Corp. at 7:00 pm, on May 13th, 2008. The program is entitled "Proper Way to Repair Broken Tombstones" by Kim Hancock, Cemetery Restoration Volunteer.

Kim has done a lot of tombstone work on the Oneal Cemetery in Ripley Twp. This program will be held at the Crawfordsville District Public Library in the Donnelly Room. Public invited. Call (765)362-2242, Ext 4 for more information.

Fourth Annual Blossoms and Brunch

Coming in May: Fourth Annual Blossoms and Brunch

Saturday, May 24: 10:30 - Noon

An elegant Saturday morning "girls day out" event for young ladies (ages 6-14) and their favorite adult lady.

The Youth Services Department will provide a brunch of light pastries and beverages
followed by a guest speaker who may inspire you to a new hobby. Each participant will
make a keepsake craft to remind her of this memorable morning.

Space is limited. Sign up early to join us for this popular spring-time event.

Sign-up will begin May 1.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

Preview Shelf -- How the Library's Popularity Has Grown

Recently issued statistics about the Crawfordsville District Public Library (available on the web page at cdpl.lib.in.us) show an amazing increase in program attendance from 12,313 in 2005 (last full year in the Carnegie) to 27,264 in 2007. Circulation of items rose from 157,695 to 175,063 (both locations have had good activity). Adult media circulation (cassettes, CDs, DVDs etc) in 2007 shows a collection of 7,925 items with a circulation of 37,295. Busy place. The new history "My Dearest Friend" contains letters by Abigail and John Adams beginning with his flirtatious 1762 note to "Miss Adorable," the 17-year-old Abigail Smith and ending in 1810 when she wrote to wish him a safe journey heading home to Quincy, Massachusetts as retiring President. Their "My Dearest Friend" correspondence referred to family affairs as well as to the unfolding founding of our nation. The significance of this book is its inclusion of some letters never seen before. Editors are Massachusetts Historical Society managers of the Adams papers Margaret Hogan and James Taylor. "Focus on the Good Stuff: The Power of Appreciation" comes from Mike Robbins and Geza Vermes. "The Nativity" history and legend untangles centuries of varied storytelling and places the birth and events surrounding it within their historical context. "The Misunderstood Jew" is Amy-Jill Levine's treatise of humorous insight into Jewish-Christian relations by seeking to understand and affirm Jesus' Jewishness. "The Sisterhood" is Dorothy Solomon's portrait of the lives of Mormon women from 1830 to the present era. Two craft books are "Knitting for Baby" with 30 heirloom projects by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas and "Big Girl Knits" 25 bold projects shaped for "women with curves" by Jillian Moreno and Amy Singer. Memoirs begin with Dang Thuy Tram's "Last Night I Dreamed of Peace" (a translation) saved for 35 years before being published in Vietnam, made by a volunteer doctor in a Viet Cong battlefield hospital sharing her thoughts during the two years she served before being killed in that war. A wartime memoir from Anne Frank's best friend, Jacqueline van Maarsen who still lives in Amsterdam is "My Name is Anne, She Said, Anne Frank". "William & Rosalie" is also a Holocaust testimony by two Polish survivors now in their 80s in Texas, who have waged an effective campaign against prejudice and discrimination. "Iraq and Back" by Colonel Kim Olson USAF (Ret.) is subtitled Inside the War to Win the Peace; the author now travels our country speaking about leadership, political-military insights, and educational issues. Good reads are "Animals of Asia & Australia" by Tom Jackson, and "Whalewatcher" a global guide to studying dolphins and porpoises as well as whales in the wild by Trevor Day. "Teach Your Own" by Holt and Farenga is The John Holt Book of Home Schooling. "America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money" comes from the experiences of Steve and Annette Economides. "Don't Panic - Dinner's in the Freezer" by Susie Martinez makes your mouth water any time of day. Paul Harvey says, "Of all the how-to books ever written, the best …are the Bible, Voltaire's 'Candide' and this one". It's a top-sergeant's lesson in practical economics.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Preview Shelf -- Those Liberal Arts

The Crawfordsville District Public Library, with all kinds of reading, listening, and "doings", offers the public a generous and full education. This week's book listings, as always, are an example. Requested books arrive each week. The first book weighs six pounds. It's called "The Rembrandt Book" and Gary Schwartz, who lives in the Netherlands and writes a biweekly Internet article (The Schwartzlist), includes information about the artist's life, homes, portraits, and paintings. It could be called "Rembrandt 101". Next for contrast come other arts. The piano/vocal scores called "Billy Joel's Greatest Hits" offer Piano Man and Just the Way You Are. There is Eric Clapton's "Clapton" the autobiography telling us about surviving his difficult boyhood when his "solace was the guitar". Laurie Swim's "Quilting" is from the World of Crafts and includes exercises like fabric sketching and fabric bouquet; she shares some novel ideas. "Quilt Masterpieces" by Susanna Pfeffer presents stories and plates of 48 specific fine quilts from the distant and recent past. "The Art of Landscape Quilting" by Zieman and Sewell shows patterns with depth and designs that mimic fine painting. "The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques" by Nancie Wiseman is spiral-bound and directs button holes, woven seams, borders, bands, and finishes helpful in many situations. On to history. "Leviathan" by Eric Dolin holds the details of whaling in America, from identifying a stranded whale on the Dutch shore in 1598 to showing the British factory ship, the Balaena, hunting in the Antarctic in 1946. "15 Stars" by Stanley Weintraub profiles Eisenhower, MacArthur, and Marshall, three generals who saved the American century, showing how much of a difference three men can make. "Marine Air" by Robert Dorr gives the history of the Flying Leathernecks in words and photos. Bill Yenne's "Rising Sons" identifies the Japanese-American GIs who fought World War II for the United States, a special segment of the Greatest Generation. "The Indiana Legion: A Civil War Militia" by John Etter, of Westfield, Indiana includes the good bibliography and footnotes made by this re-enactor, graduate student in history at Butler, and researcher of the Indiana Militia; he honors the 50,000 men believed to have served in the active home guard and the many thousands more in the Minute-man militia. :Images of Civil War Medicine" is a photographic history of facilities and the scientists active during the war. "The Frank Family That Survived" by Gordon Sander is told by the grandson of the head of the family showing how Anne Frank was betrayed and how her family eventually survived the Nazi war in Holland."Blood Struggle" is Charles Wilkinson's story about the rise of the modern Indian nations in America. The "Encyclopedia of the Great Plains Indians" edited by David Wishart has many new entries focusing on contemporary tribes and lots of new photos."Women of Courage" holds intimate stories from Afghanistan with colorful pictures of that culture and one-page articles about 40 women in all walks of that life. Two books about the "dark continent" are "Africa on Six Wheels" a semester on safari by Betty Levitov, and "A Continent for the Taking" in which, after 24 years of study, Howard French talks of the tragedy and hope on that continent

Saturday, March 29, 2008

Scrapbook Workshops

April 5, 2008
Presented by Susan B. Griffith at the Crawfordsville District Public Library

Crop Workshop, 9:30-4:30
$10.00 ($5.00 for half day)

Tools and some supplies available for purchase

Beginners Class, 10:00-12:00
$8.00, materials charge

Register at Circulation Desk 362-2242, by April 3.Questions can be directed to Sue at 307-7738 or cmsuegriffith@comcast.net

Monday, March 24, 2008

Genealogy Club meeting

The Genealogy Club of Montgomery County will meet at 7:00 pm, April 8th, 2008. Our lecture is "Getting Organized" by Linda White (Local History/Systems Librarian for Thorntown, Indiana). The program will be in the Donnelly Room. The Public is invited. Call: (765) 362-2242, Ext 4 for more information.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Library's Gallery Hosts Sugar Creek Quilters

Quilter's winter hibernation-retreat has ended! At the first sign of spring, freshened by their "pieceful" winter quilting adventures, our Sugar Creek Quilt Artists are consumed with a desire to share their fantastic fabric forays with the outside world. In a not-so-quietly blooming profusion of color and beauty, these magical quilts are dancing for joy on the walls of the Public Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery. They patiently await the expressions of delight bursting forth as you these works of art from Monday, March 17 until Thursday, May 1, 2008.

With a core of 60 active members, Sugar Creek Quilters try to learn about and enjoy everything relating to the art of quilting. Member's interests range from those who enjoy simply being around or under quilts, to those who create bed quilts, art-quilts, patterns, clothing and everything in between. Members' fun-loving camaraderie, whether visiting a quilt shop, taking a class or quilting together, is an amazing thing to see and is always stimulating.

The group meets in the Public Library's Lower Level on the third Monday of each month at 6:45. Everyone is welcome! Cost for membership is $15.00 per year. This includes a monthly newsletter, the opportunity to take workshops and to hear state-of-the-art speakers at every monthly meeting. Each meeting includes member's show-and-tell.

Quilters come in all shapes and sizes! Their unique and unusual ideas also come in all shapes and sizes, from king-size bed quilts to teeny wall hangings. However the quilter's inspiration comes, the quilt is always fascinating to see and learn from. Color choices reflect personal preference; difficulty of design depends on the individual quilter's skill and proficiency. Some members are quick to finish quilts, others take their time. Some enjoy beading and sparkling things up and others like plain and not so fancy. The beauty of this exhibit is in its uniqueness, with something for everyone to enjoy and perhaps want to emulate.

Come as often as you would like and stay long as you can during the six weeks of this quilter's expose. I promise you'll enjoy yourself each and every time!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Preview Shelf -- Waynetown Native's Book Available

It is a special pleasure to add books of local interest to the Crawfordsville District Public Library collection. Recently, patron Robin Pebworth donated "Perfect Justice" by his friend D. Thomas Johnson, a Texas lawyer and Indiana University ATO fraternity brother. Johnson is a Waynetown native and 1957 graduate of Waynetown High School. His father was a doctor there for many years and his sister, resident Etta Ruth Fruits is retired from the Waynetown Clerks office. The novel is a clever, fast-moving medical malpractice law case with a reasonable number of interesting characters, and a satisfying but surprise conclusion. The library receives many purchase requests. Here are some new books ready to borrow. Rebecca Shaw offers three Barleybridge novels, "A Country Affair", "Country Wives", and "Country Lovers" which mix ingredients of picture-postcard village life in the Yorkshire hills of England. Sherryl Woods' two stories called The Sweet Magnolias (a group of women) are "A Slice of Heaven" and "Feels Like Family" about her town called Serenity in South Carolina. L. A. Banks' two episodes in A Vampire Huntress Legend are "The Bitten" and "The Damned"; enough said. "74 Seaside Avenue" by Debbie Macomber is a beautiful house with a view of Puget Sound where a beautician is the main character in a good-spirited gossip "ring". "Inferno" by Karen Harper describes an isolated town in Montana where a serial arsonist is sought by the FBI. JoAnn Ross' "Impluse" takes place in Hazard, Wyoming, a mountain town invaded by a deadly hunter. "Don't Scream" by Wendy Staub takes us to the Berkshires in Massachusetts where four friends pledge never to reveal what happened in those woods. Carla Neggers' "Abandon" explains a vicious attack at a lakefront cottage in New Hampshire. There's "A Merry Heart", "Looking for a Miracle", "Plain & Fancy", and "The Hope Chest" in Wanda Brunstetter's series Brides of Lancaster County about Amish life. Joan Medlicott's "At Home in Covington" embraces life in a small North Carolina mountain town. Gilbert Morris' "The Miracle" tells how a young woman struggles to uphold her faith, family, and dreams during the Great Depression. Here's some lively nonfiction. In "A Commonwealth of Thieves" Thomas Keneally explains the improbable birth of Australia. John Tayman offers "The Colony" the harrowing history of the exiles of Molokai, the Hawaiian island American leprosy settlement, beginning in 1866 when twelve men and women and a small child arrived aboard a leaky schooner with little food, and little hope. "The French & Indian War" is presented by Walter Borneman. "Empire of Blue Water" is Stephan Talty's story of Captain Morgan's great pirate army, the epic battle for the Americas, and the catastrophe that ended the outlaws' bloody reign. "Challenging China" is a group of essays by independent Chinese voices describing their struggle and hope in this era of change; its publisher is Human Rights in China and its editors are Sharon Hom and Stacy Mosher. Other new studies are "Road from Ar Ramadi" by Staff Sargeant Camilo Mejia, who rebelled as a conscientious objector to the Iraq war. A Central America native, he served the U.S. military at the age of 19 for three years, then transferred to the Florida National Guard and fought in Iraq for five months. "Imperial Life in the Emerald City", a National Book Award finalist, by Rajiv Chandrasekaran, tells about Iraq's green zone and how the American liberation of Iraq involved chaos, calamity, and civil war. Barbara Kingsolver's "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle" encompasses a year when she and her family moved from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vowed to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood.

Wednesday, March 05, 2008

Preview Shelf -- Booksale Soon!

Here comes another Second Saturday; beginning at 9 a.m. Friends of the Crawfordsville District Public Library will receive the public in their lower level bookstore suite where lots of good reading is available for donations. Right now they'd be especially glad to receive any children's books you'd like to contribute to their shop. Here are some recent nonfiction arrivals. "Home Sense" offers simple plans to enhance where and how you live, from Eduardo Xol who is a designer on ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. "Blind Spots" by Madeleine Van Hecke addresses why smart people do dumb things; Wendy Northcutt writes, "This book allows us to see ourselves more clearly and assess others more tolerantly". Malka Zipora's "Rather Laugh Than Cry" tells stories about Hassidic women living in large urban settings. "Is Religion Dangerous?" by Keith Ward handles questions like, Are religious beliefs irrational? Does religion do more harm than good? The Times Literary Supplement says he "takes the common sense view that while religion, like everything else (say politics, sex, science, knowledge, and life itself), can be dangerous, on the whole it contributes to human flourishing." "30 Days to a Simpler Life" by Connie Cox & Cris Evatt concerns improvements like Create a Serene Bedroom, Dress with Less, and Set up an Efficient Office. "Organize Your Life" by Ronni Eisenberg advocates freeing oneself from clutter. "Building Powerful Community Organizations" is Michael Brown's personal guide to creating groups that can solve problems and change the world. "Tabloid Love" by Bridget Harrison is about the quest to "have it all, a great job and true love", as she runs her own Sunday New York Post column and shares its adventures. Also new are "The Analects of Confucius" which is a literal translation with an introduction and notes by Chichung Huang. "Safari Living" from Mini Lifestyle Library is a group of Tim Beddow's photographs of interiors and exteriors of lodges and camps on the eastern reaches of Africa. "The Chocolate Tree, A natural History of Cacao" the 1,000-year-old Latin American bean, comes from Allen Young. Judith Hellman's "Mexican Lives" rich and poor, urban and rural, north and south, tells a different story than most Americans have heard. "Traditional Wooden Toys, Their History and How to Make Them" is told and shown by Cyril Hobbins. "Victorian Dolls' House Projects - A Day in the Life" by Christiane Berridge takes the reader through the day, from morning to night-time, as a highly original and effective way to bring that house to life, encompassing something for all levels of ability with 70 projects to challenge crafters. A step-by-step guide from concept to finished script makes up "Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting" by Syd Field. "Antique Trader Pottery & Porcelain Ceramics Price Guide" has full-color photos and is edited by Kyle Husfloen. Dodge Woodson's "Builder's Guide to Wells and Septics" can be very important sometimes. The National Underwriter Company's TaxFacts 2007 "Social Security Source Book" covers Medicare, Railroad Retirement, Military, Railroad and Federal employee benefits."The Golden Age of Advertising - the {19}60s" by Taschen books reproduces print ads for foods, cars, appliances, and plane trips that bring back that colorful easy domestic world, "a hefty nostalgia trip, & whether you're old enough to remember these gems, or just into retro, this is lovely stuff."

Monday, February 25, 2008

Ingenious High School Artists Embellish CDPL Gallery

December gallery at CDPL While not-so-patiently awaiting the first breath of spring "outside"; the Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery offers you an "inside" profusion of beauty to tide you over until real spring decides to descend. It is a fresh, energetic explosion of over 300 colorful images from the imaginings of young Montgomery County artists. This spring awakening will be exhibited in the gallery from Sunday, February 24th until Sunday, March 16th during regular library hours.

High School Art Students, with the help of Art Teachers and Tri Kappa Sorority members, will again wow you with their rich talent and focused tenacious skills. Every art student who wishes to enter this event may do so, in one or several of the following categories; Ceramics, Computer Graphics-Graphic Design & Communication Arts, Drawing 1 and 2, Jewelry & Metalsmithing, Mixed Media, Painting, Photography 1 and 2, Printmaking, Sculpture and Textile & Fiber Design. The six High School Art Teachers, Sheila McCormick and Marianne Ballenger of Crawfordsville High School, JD Minch and Mike Strickler at North Montgomery, Eleanor Brewer and Janet McVay at Southmont, suggest categories which may challenge individual students, teach skills needed by those students, encourage artists to put forth their best effort and lastly, get pieces gallery-ready by matting and shrink-wrapping each one. Ribbons and Financial Rewards, in each of the fourteen categories, are given for first, second, third place and honorable mention. An Award is also given for Best of Show and People's choice. Each year Tri Kappa members hire an experienced, independent artist to judge student work. This year's judge is our very own local artist and member of the Hoosier Salon, Jerry Smith. Without the Tri Kappa volunteers this philanthropic event would not take place. Each year Tri Kappa women, most of who are employed full time outside the home, volunteer to work with high school art teachers creating categories, time-lines, student data bases for printing labels, labeling each piece upon receipt, hiring judges and last but certainly not least, placing each piece of art in a categorically artistic manner on the walls and in the display cases of the gallery. When you visit this amazing exhibit of artistic diversity, be prepared to be awed by the scope and depth of talent emanating from these high-spirited young artists. You will have the opportunity to vote for your favorite piece for the people's choice award! Enjoy!

Preview Shelf for CDPL

The Crawfordsville District Public Library now has an electric typewriter available for use within the building. The novel "The Gathering" by Anne Enright gives a brave look at Ireland and a sympathetic look at the characters of a large Irish family haunted by the past. "The Uncommon Reader" by Alan Bennett is a funny novella about the Queen of England whose new passion for reading leads to funny consequences for the country at large. Jim Butcher's "Captain's Fury" is book four of his Codex Alera in which forces of nature take physical form. Michael Chabon's "Gentlemen of the Road" brings back the rollicking spirit of legendary adventures as an itinerant physician and an ex-soldier make their way through the Caucasus Mountains circa 950 A.D. Linda Miller's "McKettrick's Luck" is the first in a new McKettrick Men series about a westerner whose ancestors tamed the wilds of Arizona. A tale of the American West rodeo, involving poison and rumors is Catherine Anderson's "Sun Kissed". Bret Lott has edited "The Best Christian Short Stories" of Homer Hickam, Larry Woiwode, Erin McGraw and others. Two mysteries are Maggie Sefton's "A Killer Stitch" finding holiday knitters in Fort Connor, Colorado mixed up in the death of an alpaca rancher, and Peter Tremayne's "A Prayer for the Damned" a mystery of Ireland in 668 A.D. when a King is accused of a crime on the eve of a wedding he is to attend. Nonfiction covers many vistas. "America's Best Value Colleges" 2008 edition describes 165 schools that The Princeton Review staff thinks give "the most bang for your buck without saddling you with loans". "What Color Is Your Parachute?" updated by Richard Bolles is the practical manual for job hunters that's been almost permanently on best seller lists. "Here If You Need Me" by Kate Braestrup is the inspiring story of pursuing her lost husband's dream and becoming a minister herself, seving as chaplain for search-and-rescue missions in the Maine woods. "Rachel in the World" is Jane Bernstein's memoir learning to accept her daughter's disabilities and finding unexpected pleasures locating a place for her in the world. "Rickles' Book" is an easy-to-read pleasureable memoir by the comedian and good man Don Rickles.
Laurie Steelsmith's "Natural Choices for Women's Health" gives secrets of natural and Chinese medicine for a lifetime of wellness. "12 Simple Secrets Real Moms Know" is Michele Borba's treatise on getting back to basics raising happy kids. Paul Coughlin's "No More Jellyfish, Chickens, or Wimps" proposes ways to raise secure, assertive Christian kids in a tough world. On that note, "Thanks!" is Robert Emmons' book about how the science of gratitude can make one happier. An important look at religious passions that are driving world politics is Mark Lilla's "The Stillborn God" revealing the sources of the quest to bring political life under God's authority, and its role in shaping Western thought. In "The Art of Power" Thich Nhat Hanh says power is only good for increasing our happiness and the happiness of others. Al Janssen and Brother Andrew who began taking Bibles to Christians behind closed borders in 1955 have joined to write "Secret Believers" telling what happens when Muslims believe in Christ. "Predators" by Gregory Cooper and Michael King tells how to recognize predatory behavior before it strikes, and how to deal with it if we find ourselves in its grasp. "Common Ground" by Cal Thomas and Bob Beckel shows how to get beyond partisanship, restore civility, and move our country forward.

Monday, February 18, 2008

Genealogy Club of Montgomery County, Indiana

Genealogy Club of Montgomery County, Indiana 7:00 pm, March 11, 2008.

Early Surveying Procedures & Indiana's 10 O'clock Line
By Jim Swift and Henry Swift, Boone County surveyor & H. S. student
Crawfordsville District Public Library , Lower Level in Donnelly Room.
Public Invited! Call (765) 362-2242, ext. 4 for more information.
Officers will met at 6:30 pm.

Preview Shelf -- A New Library Service!

The Crawfordsville District Public Library has begun to send out automatic e-mail reminders to patrons two days before their items are due. The system is using the e-mail address you provided when you registered for your library card. If you believe that we have an old or incorrect e-mail address, contact us so we can correct it. If you did not provide an e-mail address but wish to do so now so you can receive automatic reminders, contact us so we can add it. You can also request to add or change your e-mail address online by logging on to your account at the library's web site. Please note that the library does not share your personal data such as e-mail addresses with anyone.

"Household Secrets" by Frances Halahan comes as advice from National Trust experts aimed at keeping possessions looking good and devoid of deterioration; ceramics, metals, textiles, furniture, and paper goods are targeted. "It's About Time" is David Mermin's treatise about how Einstein's theory of relativity is accessible to readers without training in the sciences, revealing that some of our most intuitive notions about time are wrong. "Death in the Pot" is Morton Satin's documentation of several culinary mishaps and misdeeds from the ancient world to today, like Athen's contaminated cereals which lead to their defeat in the Peloponnesian War. "Salem Witch Judge" by Eve LaPlante tells the life and repentance of Puritan Samuel Sewall who sent 20 people to death on trumped-up witchcraft charges; this history includes his later very good deeds like authoring the first American antislavery tract, and supporting the education of Native Americans. It's important to note the author is the judge's 6th-great granddaughter. Yasmin Khan's "The Great Partition" is about the supposed blessed division of India in 1947, freeing India from British rule and creating the Muslim state of Pakistan; this brought displacement and death, benefitting a few at the expense of the very many, and the repercussions resound even 60 years later. "The Lost Men" is Kelly Tyler-Lewis' presentation of Sir Ernest Shackleton's harrowing 1914 expedition crossing Antarctica; he "had not anticipated that the work would present any great difficulties". Mildred Kalish's "Little Heathens" is about hard times and high spirits on an Iowa farm during the Great Depression. "The Game Within The Game"" by Walt Frazier shares his keys to success in basketball, his vivid memories, anecdotes, and his controversial opinions. "Getting Open" by Tom Graham and Rachel Graham Cody tells about Bill Garrett and the integration of college basketball. My Life In and Out of a Helmet is the subtitle of "The Bus" by Jerome Bettis who describes his troubled childhood in Detroit on the long road to ten glorious seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. "The Great Expectations School" by Dan Brown reports his first year experiences as a novice teacher of fourth-grade problem cases; he offered help by starting a Visual Arts Club to teach photography and film making. "Falling Forward" by Grammy Award winner Sandi Patty explains her fall from grace, how she got help, and how her life now is happy. It begins, "Moving ahead while being aware of the scrutiny of others is not easy." Davis, Jenkins, and Hunt's "The Bond" is the statement of three Doctors how they learned to forgive and reconnect with their absent fathers.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Scrapbook Workshops


Scrapbook Workshop presented by Sue Griffith

March 8, at the Crawfordsville District Public Library

Crop Workshop 9:30-4:30 -- $10.00 for whole day, $5.00 for half day

Beginner Class 10:00-12:00 -- $8.00 materials charge

"Celebrate!" theme class 1:30-3:00 -- $5.00 materials charge

Pre-register at Circulation Desk (362-2242) through March 6.

General questions regarding the workshop can be directed to the Reference Department at Extension 117 and specific questions can be directed to Sue at 307-7738 or cmsuegriffith@comcast.net

Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Automatic e-mail reminders

Do you want to be reminded by e-mail when your items are almost due? If so, be sure we have your correct e-mail address!

The Crawfordsville District Public Library has begun to send out automatic e-mail reminders to patrons two days before their items are due. The system is using the e-mail address you provided when you registered for your library card. If you believe that we have an old or incorrect e-mail address, contact us so we can correct it. And contact us if you did not provide an e-mail address but wish to do so now so that you can get automatic reminders.

You can also request to add or change your e-mail address online by logging on to your account in the Polaris catalog.

Note: The Crawfordsville District Public Library will not share your personal data such as e-mail addresses with anyone.

Monday, February 04, 2008

Fascinating February Fantasy Fills Library's Art Gallery


In 2006, the North Montgomery Community School Corporation introduced fifteen new curriculum reform initiatives meant to improve each student's educational experience. It is hoped that through these enhancing adventure experiences students will be even better prepared to reach their highest potential academically and in later life. These enterprising "Bratton Initiatives" were named for the outstanding Montgomery County resident, William E. Bratton, member extraordinaire of the famed Lewis and Clark Louisiana Purchase Discovery Expedition and later Montgomery County's first official Superintendent of Public Schools.

An important one of these initiatives is the sponsoring of a district-wide public art display showcasing these unique and unusual artistic adventures of Kindergarten through Twelfth grade students under the tutelage of NMSC art teachers Lisa Cosby, Debby Feldman, Kim Goebel, JD Minch, Mike Strickler and Angela Vinson. Over two-hundred imaginative images have been gleaned from this exciting and stimulating collaborative effort.

Joining the NMSC student artwork this year will be the work of home schooled Montgomery County student artists exhibiting photography resulting from a home-school Photography Class taught by artist/photographer Dawn Meadows. This exhibit includes the work of Dawn's students Arlan R. Lucas, Chelsey Olson Brooke Raley and a piece of Dawn's photography.

Those yearning to experience this Fantastic February Fantasy will find it in the Library's Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery from Thursday, January 31 until Friday, February 22. Do come often and stay long. Find the scent of spring in a plethora of outstanding and varied images direct from the hands of these young artists, who hold our future in their talented hands. You won't want to miss a single piece! Enjoy!

Written for the Journal Review by
Diane Hammill, Coordinator
Mary Bishop Memorial Art Gallery
Crawfordsville Public Library

Monday, January 28, 2008

Scapbook Workshops in February


Scrapbook Workshops
February 9, 2008
Presented by Susan B. Griffith
at the Crawfordsville District Public Library

Crop Workshop, 9:30-4:30
$10.00 ($5.00 for half day)

Beginner's Class, 10:00-12:30
$8.00

Romance/love page class, 1:30-3:00

Bring photographs or other items to be entered.
Register at Circulation Desk 362-2242, by February 7.

General questions regarding the workshop can be directed to the Reference Department at Extension 117 and specific questions can be directed to Sue at 307-7738 or cmsuegriffith@comcast.net

Books in Memory of Daphene Daggy Morrison

The large print bookshelves on the main floor at the Crawfordsville District Public Library display 30 new volumes, mostly fiction, with bookplates "In Memory of Daphene Morrison", and then "Presented By" with the name of the individual or organization donor. Mrs. Morrison was a native of Thorntown, where she graduated from high school; she also graduated from DePauw University. Some of her generous Crawfordsville volunteer activities benefited First United Methodist Church, P.E.O., Delta Kappa Gamma, Montgomery County Retired Teachers, Wesley Thrift Shop and the FISH Food Pantry. Large print books all carry plain round yellow stickers. They are a constantly increasing portion of the CDPL collection, due in part to the generosity of those making memorial gifts to the library. The not-as-new large print books are available right ahead of the elevator on the upper level. A new list of large print books also appears on the library's website, www.cdpl.lib.in.us - the third item under "What is RSS?" Here are a few of the titles in the Morrison memorial collection. Steve Martin's "Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life" tells with his unique humor his experiences growing up and developing his comedy routines. In Brad Thor's thriller "The First Commandment" a covert counterterrorism agent chases a sadistic assassin, against the advice of superiors, because the criminal has a Guantanamo Bay background. "A Summer Smile" by Iris Johansen also spawns risky business, this time terrorist hostages. A journalist's assignment is to find a troubleshooter for the military in "Spook Country" by William Gibson. W.E.B.Griffin's "The Shooters" concerns a present day intelligence agent handling big dangers in South America. "The Elves of Cintra" which is Book Two in Terry Brooks' series Genesis of Shannara tells of fifty years from now, when the world is polluted, as a few heroes with magical power lead refugees from embattled Seattle to the Oregon wilderness. "Life's A Beach" by Claire Cook promises funny moments with diverse characters and humorous situations. Carola Dunn's Daisy Dalrymple mystery "The Bloody Tower" finds a mother of twins in 1925 writing an article about the Tower of London where as a visitor she spies a dead Yeoman Warder. Here's more of the memorial collection. "Lottery" by Patricia Wood deals with a simple boy, taught whom to trust, who, at 31 years old, wins the big prize and has new problems to consider. Colleen McCullough's "Antony and Cleopatra" is her follow-up to "The October Horse"; now Caesar is dead and Rome is divided. The historic novel has six Parts and seven maps. "The Chocolate Jewel Case" is JoAnna Carl's "Chocoholic Mystery with Tasty Chocolate Trivia!" featuring a murder plot and intersperced mini-reviews of what she calls Chocolate Books. "One-Way Ticket" is a Brady Coyne novel by William Tapply involving the Boston mob demanding debts never owed by their victim. Here are other new books at 205 S. Washington Street. The "2007 Indiana Football Digest" includes several paragraphs about North Montgomery, Crawfordsville, and Southmont on pages with their local advertising. The paperback, "ESPN Sports Almanac 2008" looks all-inclusive. Five Hal Leonard music books include one with beginning pianist versions of greatest hits labeled "ABBA Gold", "The Easy Classical Fake Book", and the piano scores of vocal selections "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "The Sound of Music" and "West Side Story". "First Lessons in Beginning Guitar" comes from Mel Bay. They're on the shelves 782 and 787.