Month: March 2022

Join The Spring Fling Reading Challenge!

March 30, 2022 Reading Challenge, Reading Suggestions

Spring forward into a new reading challenge for adults, running April 1- May 15 at Algonquin Area Public Library.

The Spring Fling Reading Challenge invites you to give your reading a seasonal refresh, with a BINGO game that combines reading and simple activities, to complete up to five horizontal, vertical, or diagonal rows. For each completed row, you’ll be entered into a drawing for a $50 gift card from a local restaurant. (Drawing is exclusively for AAPLD cardholders).

To get started, log into Beanstack and select the Spring Fling Reading Challenge. You can also pick up a BINGO card at the Adult Services desk, or at the Eastgate Branch. After reading one book, you'll receive a Jersey Mike’s coupon. Track your progress on paper, or in Beanstack. The Challenge concludes on May 15. All BINGO cards/squares must be recorded in Beanstack or at the Adult Services desk by May 16 to be eligible for the gift card drawing.

The Spring Fling Reading Challenge display at the Main Library features books that fit many of the themes on the BINGO card.  Each book on the display contains a bookmark that shows which theme the book fits. For more suggestions, just ask a staff member, or browse our Spring Fling Reading Challenge online catalog to place a hold.

Bonus tip-- some books fit more than one theme, so you can count the same book for up to two different squares!

Read on for some book suggestions.

Library Reads Pick

The Maid by Nita Prouse - Molly Dunn throws herself with gusto into her work as a hotel maid. But Molly's orderly life is turned on its head the day she enters the suite of the infamous and wealthy Charles Black, only to find it in a state of disarray and Mr. Black himself very dead in his bed. Before she knows what's happening, Molly's odd demeanor has the police targeting her as their lead suspect and she finds herself in a web of subtext and nuance she has no idea how to untangle. Fortunately for Molly, a medley of friends she didn't realize she had refuses to let her be charged with murder--but will they be able to discover the real killer before it's too late? (This also counts as a Debut Novel).

Debut Novel

Carrie by Stephen King -  Even mega-bestselling authors have to start somewhere! This 1974 novel about a lonely misfit teen girl whose telekinetic powers unleash terror and death at her high school prom, launched Stephen King's career, and brought horror fiction to the mainstream. If you've never read this one, here's your chance. (This book also counts as a Book with Flowers on the Cover)

Set In Illinois or Written by an Illinois Author

The Kindest Lie by Nancy Johnson - It’s 2008, and the inauguration of President Barack Obama ushers in a new kind of hope. In Chicago, Ruth Tuttle, an Ivy-League educated Black engineer, is married to a kind and successful man. He’s eager to start a family, but Ruth is uncertain. She has never gotten over the baby she gave birth to—and was forced to leave behind—when she was a teenager. She had promised her family she’d never look back, but Ruth knows that to move forward, she must make peace with the past. (This book is also a Debut Novel, and a Library Reads Pick)

What is a First Cousin Once removed?

March 25, 2022 Genealogy

First Cousins, Once Removed?

"What does it mean when a cousin is 'once removed'?" This is a very common question! Family relationships can definitely be confusing, and not just for the beginner genealogist. I've put together this ladder image to help explain how "once removed" refers to the generational separation between two cousins. Let's take a look:

At the top of the image, the "family ladder", we have an ancestor couple, Grandma and Grandpa.

On the next level are their children, who are siblings to each other.

The next step down (or generation) contains the children of the siblings on the step above. These people are 1st cousins to each other.

The next generation, pictured on the next step of the ladder, are the children of all the 1st cousins on the step above. These people are 2nd cousins to each other.

When you consider your relationship to your 1st cousin's child, this child is one generation "removed" from you and your cousin (1st cousins). Thus, you and the child are 1st cousins, once removed (1C1R) to each other.

Try this yourself by drawing your own family ladder. Place your grandparents at the top, their children on the next step, and so on. Next, draw it with your great-grandparents, instead. You will be an expert at figuring out cousins in no time!

Do you have other questions about genealogy? Attend the AAPLD Genealogy Interest Group on April 12. Register now!

 

The Seed Library Journal #3, March 23

March 24, 2022 Library Programs

Another gray and blustery day, but spring is getting closer. Next week, I plant my seeds from the Seed Library.

Asters and Bee Balm will go in the butterfly garden we planted beneath our boys' old swing-set. Bees and hummingbirds love this garden, too. Put feeders out in April to attract these tiny wonders on their northern migration.

 

 

Giant delphinium will be planted in this bed near the driveway.

 

If you've planted your Seed Library seeds, we'd love to hear how they're growing!  Check out our Seed Library catalog online, or stop by the Adult Services desk and fill out a seed request form.

Genealogy Events

March 18, 2022 Genealogy

Your Guide to the 1950 Census

Join us at this entertaining and informative webinar for a look at the long-awaited 1950 census, recently released by the National Archives! 

In this session you will learn:

  • Interesting and little known stories behind the 1950 census
  • What this census can reveal about your family, (and who you will NOT find!)
  • The important documents associated with this census that you can access right now!

Register for this webinar HERE. You will receive a link to join the virtual Zoom meeting upon registration. This program will not be recorded.

Lisa Louise Cooke is author of several books including The Genealogist’s Google Toolbox, 3rd edition.

Lisa produces and hosts the popular Genealogy Gems Podcast, and weekly videos at the Genealogy Gems YouTube channel.

She offers a Premium Membership at her website featuring exclusive on-demand genealogy education, writes a regular column for Family Tree Magazine, and produces the Family Tree Magazine Podcast.

Discover Our Digital Library!

March 16, 2022 Digital Resources, Uncategorized

Did you know that AAPLD cardholders can check out and enjoy books, audiobooks, music, and video, anytime, anyplace? Using our digital library collections means that you never have to go without something to read or watch.

While our digital collections have plenty of fans, there are still lots of myths and misconceptions that might have discouraged you from trying Libby, Hoopla, Axis360 or Biblioboard.

In honor of the upcoming travel and road trip season-- which digital content is perfect for, by the way-- please join us for a bit of digital library myth-busting!

Myth #1- "I don't have an ereader."

You don't need one! Our Libby, Hoopla, Biblioboard and Axis360 digital library apps can be easily installed on a Smartphone or tablet. The apps are free. Our website has links and video tutorials to get you started. Just download, install, enter your library card number and you're good to go!

Prefer in-person assistance? Stop by the Adult Services Reference desk or Technology desk, and ask a staff member for help.

Myth #2- "I'd rather read print books."

Hey, we get it. We love print books, too. But sometimes, it's just not convenient to carry one around. Ebooks can go anywhere your phone can go.

And reading doesn't have to be an either/or experience. Consider checking out the digital version of whatever you're reading in print, so you can enjoy your book on the go. Sure beats mindless scrolling while you're waiting at the dentist's office.

Myth #3- "Who has time to read?"

And speaking of mindless scrolling, we spend roughly 3 hours or more per day on our phones. What if we used just a little of that time for reading? Now, those empty minutes in the waiting room can be spent devouring the latest must-read thriller, steamy romance, or this month's celebrity reading pick.

Myth #4- "Digital reading is hard on your eyes."

ebook and headphonesOur digital apps include options to customize your reading experience. Dark backgrounds, larger fonts and downloadable audiobooks help give your eyes a rest.

Downloadable audiobooks have the added benefit of being travel- friendly. Listen in the car, or on a plane, and watch the trip fly by!

 

A Month to Make Her-Story!

March 8, 2022 Book Lists, Library Programs, Reading Suggestions

A powerful and revered First Lady. The first Latina U.S. Supreme Court justice. A ground-breaking comedian. These are just a few of the fascinating women you can discover this month at Algonquin Area Public Library.

March is Women's History Month, and a great opportunity to learn about the contributions women have made to our nation, and to history. Whether its a biography, memoir or historical novel based on real life people and events, browse our online catalog for stories that are sure to inspire readers, regardless of gender.

 

 

Biography

Elizabeth & Margaret: the intimate world of the Windsor sisters by Andrew Morton

Queen Elizabeth II and her sister Princess Margaret were the closest of sisters and the best of friends. But when, in a quixotic twist of fate, their uncle Edward Vlll abdicated the throne, the dynamic between Elizabeth and Margaret was dramatically altered. Forever more Margaret would have to curtsey to the sister she called 'Lillibet.' And bow to her wishes. Margaret's struggle to find a place and position inside the royal system—and her fraught relationship with its expectations—was often a source of tension.

Memoir

Just As I Am: A Memoir by Cicely Tyson "Just as I Am is my truth. It is me, plain and unvarnished, with the glitter and garland set aside. Here, I am indeed Cicely, the actress who has been blessed to grace the stage and screen for six decades. Yet I am also the church girl who once rarely spoke a word. I am the teenager who sought solace in the verses of the old hymn for which this book is named. I am a daughter and mother, a sister, and a friend. I am an observer of human nature and the dreamer of audacious dreams. I am a woman who has hurt as immeasurably as I have loved, a child of God divinely guided by His hand. And here in my ninth decade, I am a woman who, at long last, has something meaningful to say."

Non-Fiction

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly - Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of NASA professionals worked as ‘Human Computers’, calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women. Segregated from their white counterparts, these ‘coloured computers’ used pencil and paper to write the equations that would launch rockets and astronauts, into space. Moving from World War II through NASA’s golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War and the women’s rights movement, ‘Hidden Figures’ interweaves a rich history of mankind’s greatest adventure with the intimate stories of five courageous women whose work forever changed the world.

Historical Fiction

Enchantress of Numbers by Jennifer Chiaverini - The only legitimate child of Lord Byron, the most brilliant, revered, and scandalous of the Romantic poets, Ada was destined for fame long before her birth. Estranged from Ada’s father, Ada’s mathematician mother provides her daughter with a rigorous education. When Ada is introduced into London society little does she realize that her friendship with inventor Charles Babbage will shape her destiny. Intrigued by the prototype of his first calculating machine,  and enthralled by the plans for even more advanced inventions, Ada resolves to help Babbage realize his extraordinary vision, unique in her understanding of how his invention could transform the world.

The Seed Library Journal #2

March 7, 2022 Library Programs

Okay, today’s snow put a…chill on warm hopes for an early spring, but I wanted to share some pix I took Saturday, which WAS a taste of spring! I hope you were able to get out and enjoy it.

We’ll plant our Seed Library sunflowers on the east side of our house, where they’ll get lots of morning sun. With luck, they’ll be tall enough to see from inside the front porch.

And unrelated to the Seed Library, but still pretty cool, our lilac bush has buds!

Any signs of spring you’d like to share?

Dig Into A Gardening Adventure!

March 2, 2022 Library Programs

AAPLD's new Seed Library offers a  bounty of vegetable, herb and flower seeds free of charge! Whether you're an experienced gardener, or just getting started, it's not too early to prepare for growing season! Learn more about the Seed Library, and request seeds online. We'll fill your order and notify you when your seeds are ready to pick up.

This season, Adult Services Library Associate Elizabeth Harmon will share her experiences planting her Seed Library flower seeds, and watching her garden grow! Follow Elizabeth's gardening journal through the Adult Services Blog and AAPLD's Facebook page.  And if you're planting seeds from the Seed Library, let us know how it's going by leaving a comment on social media.

 

 

The Seed Library Journal- February 23

I picked up our seeds today. We have Morning Glories, Moonflowers, Delphinium, Bee Balm, Asters, and one of my favorites, Sunflowers.  My husband Tom and I discussed where we'll plant the flowers in our gardens, and how many seeds we'll be starting indoors--36. As a kid, I remember starting seeds in cardboard egg cartons. Though I haven't tried it in a really long time, we're going to this year! Time to eat more eggs.

We want to transplant our seedlings outside Memorial Day weekend, so we need to plant the seeds inside by mid-March.  Our next challenge is to find a warm spot that gets good sun, and where our curious kitty won't try to eat the baby plants. And, do we need to buy a grow-light?