OSCAR GRADY PUBLIC LIBRARY
THE LIBRARIANS’
BEDSIDE TABLE What your friendly librarians have been listening, reading, watching & MUCH MORE!
Oscar Grady Public Library Mission Statement:
The mission of the Oscar Grady Public Library is to provide high interest, high demand materials and make them readily available from the Library’s collection or through interlibrary loan. The Library supports lifelong learning, information and recreational needs for people of all ages and abilities. Special emphasis is placed on stimulating children’s interests and appreciation for reading and learning. The integration of new technology with traditional library resources is used to expand service beyond the Library’s physical walls.
Oscar Grady Public Library
Gardening with Native Plants with Susan Carpenter (Virtual)
Thursday, April 29th, 6PM Susan Carpenter is the native plant gardener at the University of Wisconsin–Madison Arboretum. Since 2003, she has worked with students and community volunteers to maintain and monitor a 4-acre garden representing the plant communities of southern Wisconsin.
Native plants are the basis of sustainable, diverse, and beautiful gardens supporting pollinators, beneficial insects, and wildlife. These gardens thrive without fertilizers, pesticides, mowing, or supplemental watering. We will share garden examples, plant sources, and practical tips for garden care.
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THIS PRESENTATION WILL BE CONDUCTED VIRTUALLY.
Oscar Grady Public Library 151 S. Main Street Saukville, WI 53080 (262) 284-6022
REGISTRATION REQUIRED. To register, visit our website or sign up
On this new issue of our “Librarians’ Bedside Table”, we compiled a list of really good titles recommended by your library friends. Each title can be accessed in electronic format for your convenience. Click or tap in the hyperlinks attached to each title that will take you right to them in the Monarch Catalog. We hope you enjoy this selection of books from your
librarians at the Oscar Grady Public Library!
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Debra Jo, Library Assistant and ILL Specialist would like to recommend the following titles:
The Lost Spells by Robert Mcfarlane & Illustrated by Jackie Morris I fell in love with this book's beauty the moment I laid eyes on it. Carry it on your next hike to add a little somethin'-somethin' to your outdoor excursion. "Since its publication in 2017, The Lost Words has enchanted readers with its poetry and illustrations of the natural world. Now, The Lost Spells, a book kindred in spirit and tone, continues to re-wild the lives of children and adults. The Lost Spells evokes the wonder of everyday nature, conjuring up red foxes, birch trees, jackdaws, and more in poems and illustrations that flow between the pages and into readers' minds. Robert Macfarlane's spell-poems and Jackie Morris's watercolor illustrations are musical and magical: these are summoning spells, words of recollection, charms of protection. To read The Lost Spells is to see anew the natural world within our grasp and to be reminded of what happens when we allow it to slip away."-- Provided by publisher.
The Pollinator Victory Garden: Win the War on Pollinator Decline with Ecological Gardening by Kim Eierman "The passion and urgency that inspired WWI and WWII Victory Gardens is needed today to meet another threat to our food supply and our environment-the steep decline of pollinators. The Pollinator Victory Garden offers practical solutions for winning the war against the demise of these beneficial animals. Pollinators are critical to our food supply and responsible for thepollination of the vast majority of all flowering plants on our planet.Pollinators include not just bees, butmany different types of animals, including insects and mammals. Beetles, bats, birds, butterflies, moths, flies, wasps, and even some mosquito species, can be pollinators. But, many pollinators are in trouble, and the reality is that most of our landscapes have little to offer them. Our residential landscapes, and many commercial landscapes, are filled with vast green pollinator deserts, better known as lawns. These monotonous green expanses are ecological wastelands for bees and other pollinators. By planting a bit differently and by tweaking your landscape aesthetic, you can transition your landscape into a pollinatorhaven. By using proper cultural practices in your garden, choosing the right plant for the right location, and by attracting "nature's pest control" (beneficial insects that act as natural enemies), you can keep nature in balance and give pollinators a fighting chance. The time is right for a new gardeningmovement. Every yard, community garden, rooftop, porch, patio, and corporate landscape can help to win the war against pollinator decline with The Pollinator Victory Garden"-- Provided by publisher.
Some of the titles listed in these pages are available in electronic format through the
Libby & RBDigital apps.
Hope, our Collection Developer would like to recommend these titles:
Glass Town by Isabel Greenberg A graphic novel about the Brontë siblings, and the strange and marvelous imaginary worlds they invented during their childhood
Glass Town is an original graphic novel by Isabel Greenberg that encompasses the eccentric childhoods of the four Brontë children—Charlotte, Branwell, Emily, and Anne. The story begins in 1825, with the deaths of Maria and Elizabeth, the eldest siblings. It is in response to this loss that the four remaining Bronte children set pen to paper and created the fictional world that became known as Glass Town. This world and its cast of characters would come to be the Brontës’ escape from the realities of their lives. Within Glass Town the siblings experienced love, friendship, war, triumph, and heartbreak. Through a combination of quotes from the stories originally penned by the Brontës, biographical information about them, and Greenberg's vivid comic book illustrations, readers will find themselves enraptured by this fascinating imaginary world.
TV: Star Trek Picard: Season One At the end of the 24th century, and fourteen years after his retirement from Starfleet, Jean-Luc Picard is living a quiet life on his vineyard, Château Picard. When he is sought out by a mysterious young woman in need of his help, he soon realizes she may have personal connections to his own past.
Miss Julie, our Children Librarian would like to recommend this title:
Felt Flower Workshop: A Modern Guide to Crafting Gorgeous Plants & Flowers from Fabric by Bryanne Rajamannar “The moment I saw this book, I knew I needed to check it out and attempt to create these flowers. I love that it requires minimal supplies (felt, wire, hot glue, scissors) and the patterns are easy to follow.”
Back-cover blurb: Learn to make felt plants and flowers so rich with detail; they look freshly picked! Aimed at absolute beginners―the book starts with an overview of basic techniques and then progresses on to simple lessons for making flowers, plants, leaves, and branches. Each lesson comes with a detailed reference photograph, easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions, and pattern. Once the lessons are complete, the reader can progress on to a series of beautifully-designed projects (featuring the plants and flowers previously practiced). Each project is introduced with a styled photograph showing the item in an attractive modern setting along with easy instructions for assembly.
Sunflower sample made by Miss Julie.
Lynn, our Cataloging and Circulation Services Specialist, would like to recommend these titles:
Peony: the best varieties for your garden / David C. Michener & Carol A. Adelman. In The Peony, David Michener and Carol Adelman help spread the joy of gardening with peonies. They share the history of this beloved plant, highlight the different types of peonies available, and profile the best 193 varieties of both. Growing information includes details on climate, soil, light, planting, and water needs. Helpful lists detail the best peony variety for specific needs and a resource list shares the best places to buy peonies and the best public gardens to see them in. Description provided by publisher.
Grow your own Herbs by Susan Belsinger Nothing tastes better than herbs harvested fresh from the garden! Grow Your Own Herbs shares everything you need to know to grow the forty most important culinary herbs. You'll learn basic gardening information, including details on soil, watering, and potting. Profiles of 40 herbs including popular varieties like basil, bay laurel, lemon verbena, tarragon, savory, thyme, and more feature tasting notes, cultivation information, and harvesting tips. Additional information includes instructions for preserving and storing, along with techniques for making delicious pastes, syrups, vinegar, and butters. If you are new to gardening, have a limited space, or are looking to add fresh herbs to their daily meals, Grow Your Own Herbs is a must-have." -Description provided by publisher.
Martin, our Collection Developing and Adult Services Coordinator would like to recommend these titles:
PAPER BULLETS by Jeffrey H. Jackson "The true story of an audacious resistance campaign undertaken by an unlikely pair: two French women -Lucy Schwob and Suzanne Malherbe -- who drew on their skills as Parisian avant-garde artists to write and distribute wicked insults against Hitler and calls to desert, a PSYOPs tactic known as "paper bullets," designed to demoralize Nazi troops occupying their adopted home of Jersey in the British Channel Islands"-Provided by publisher
DEEP SOUTH: Four Seasons on Backroads by Paul Theroux "One of the most acclaimed travel writers of our time turns his unflinching eye on an American South too often overlooked. Paul Theroux has spent fifty years crossing the globe, adventuring in the exotic, seeking the rich history and folklore of the far away. Now, for the first time, in his tenth travel book, Theroux explores a piece of America--the Deep South. From the writer whose 'great mission has always been to transport us beyond that reading chair, to challenge himself--and thus, to challenge us' (Boston Globe), Deep South is an ode to a region, vivid and haunting, full of life and loss alike"- Provided by publisher.
Rita would like to recommend these titles:
The Overstory by Richard Powers The Overstory (2018), Richard Powers’ environmental novel, is layered with wide-ranging stories and characters that eventually focus on the preservation of trees and the diversity of life supported by old growth forests. Several of the characters converge to become part of a radical environmentalist movement. Throughout the novel, Powers emphasizes the interconnectedness of trees and the life forms on Earth. Powers’ theme is that life and consciousness are not isolated to the human experience; if humans could empathize with other life forms, such as trees, better solutions to our ecological failings could be found, thereby improving the quality (and quantity) of life. At times, this novel may have readers wondering how all the separate characters relate, but eventually all the stories do coalesce around the theme. When the narrative starts moving, it results in a satisfying conclusion.
The Overstory was the winner of the 2019 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
The Art of Taking it Easy (2019), by Dr. Brian King is a book that might be useful to readers experiencing stress (perhaps from a pandemic, among other things?). King uses a corny, folksy style to educate readers on how the brain processes stress and to give specific, easy ways to reduce stress and its negative effects. Stress is the brain’s reaction to a perception of threat. King advises, “Learn to tell the difference between a bear [an actual threat] and traffic [not an actual threat]. The first thing we should do when we start to feel agitated or stressed is stop and ask ourselves, ‘Is this situation actually threatening?’” Some of the calming tips King offers are somewhat obvious, for example, to breathe deep, focused breaths or to exercise. Other calming tips may not be as obvious, for example, to smile, or even hold a pen or pencil in the mouth sideways with one’s teeth to create a facial configuration like a smile; this movement should elevate the mood in most people. Just don’t bite down too hard on that pencil! Dr. Brian King trained as a psychologist and neuroscientist. He is also a comedian and public speaker. The Art of Taking it Easy is the Big Library Read for April 2021.
JOIN US for our VIRTUAL ADULT BOOK DISCUSSION ON WEDNESDAY, May 26th @ 11 AM
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett Please join us via Zoom! All are welcome! Registration is required! According to The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch (the world’s only completely accurate book of prophecies, written in 1655, before she exploded), the world will end on a Saturday. Next Saturday, in fact. Just before dinner.
So the armies of Good and Evil are amassing, Atlantis is rising, frogs are falling, tempers are flaring. Everything appears to be going according to Divine Plan. Except a somewhat fussy angel and a fast-living demon—both of whom have lived amongst Earth’s mortals since The Beginning and have grown rather fond of the lifestyle—are not actually looking forward to the coming Rapture. And someone seems to have misplaced the Antichrist … To register: https://forms.gle/1EQhnYaFPp11FBEa8 Limited copies of this book will be available at the circulation desk. All are welcome to attend!
If you enjoyed GOOD OMENS, you may want to check out these titles: FALLEN MASTERS by John Edward “A novel of metaphysical suspense traces the ultimate confrontation between good and evil as it unfolds on both the Earthly plane and the Other Side”.
Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett In Equal Rites , a dying wizard tries to pass on his powers to an eighth son of an eighth son, who is just at that moment being born. The fact that the son is actually a daughter is discovered just a little too late.
The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul by Douglas Adams When an explosion goes off at the passenger check-in desk at London's Heathrow Airport, the unexplainable event is deemed an act of God. For private investigator Dirk Gently, it's his job to find out which God would do such a strange thing.
Every week new books get added to our collections for your enjoyment. This week, Miss Julie is happy to share her book shelf, full of books that have just hit our shelves. To see them and request them, click on the following:
Miss Julie’s BOOKSHELF and click/tap on each title to learn more about them. Check it out!
MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH Mental Health Awareness Month (also referred to as "Mental Health Month") has been observed in May in the United States since 1949. The month is observed with media, local events, and film screenings. Mental Health Awareness Month began in the United States in 1949 and was started by the Mental Health America (MHA) organization (then known as the National Association for Mental Health). Each year in mid-March Mental Health America releases a toolkit of materials to guide preparation for outreach activities during Mental Health Awareness Month. During the month of May, MHA, its affiliates, and other organizations interested in mental health conduct a number of activities which are based on a different theme each year. This year, the theme is the same as the last year: TOOLS 2 THRIVE. The #Tools2Thrive theme was chosen in "a time of unprecedented anxiety about a world pandemic." On May 1st, Mental Health America announced the start of its May 2020 Mental Health Month campaign, with an emphasis on delivering "Tools 2 Thrive" to address the mental health needs of everyone.
Selected titles are available on a special display we have assembled in support of this initiative. Check them out next time you visit us or consider any of the titles listed on this page.
Spontaneous Happiness by Andrew Weil, MD. This book presents integrative treatment strategies for low mood and depression; offers advice on lifestyle, behavior, and dietary changes; and helps readers assess their own emotional wellness and build personalized plans to manage their moods.
Are U ok? By Kati Morton, LMFT [This book] walks readers through the most common questions about mental health and the process of getting help--from finding the best therapist to navigating harmful and toxic relationships and everything in between. In the same down-to-earth, friendly tone that makes her videos so popular, licensed marriage and family therapist and YouTube sensation Kati Morton clarifies and destigmatizes the struggles so many of us go through and encourages readers to reach out for help."--Back cover.
The Hilarious World of Depression by John Moe For years John Moe, critically-acclaimed public radio personality and host of The Hilarious World of Depression podcast, struggled with depression; it plagued his family and claimed the life of his brother in 2007. As Moe came to terms with his own illness, he began to see similar patterns of behavior and coping mechanisms surfacing in conversations with others, including high-profile comedians who'd struggled with the disease. Moe saw that there was tremendous comfort and community in open dialogue about these shared experiences and that humor had a unique power. Thus was born the podcast The Hilarious World of Depression. Description from publisher.
Now around town! Books for everyone. The Oscar Grady Library with the support of The Friends of the Oscar Grady Library has purchased three Little Free Libraries, which have been installed at three convenient locations: Quade Park, The Oscar Grady Library, and Village Hall. Check them out! Love them, enjoy them, treasure them.
Our ZOO PASS is now available for check out! While our policy guidelines for its usage have not changed due to the current situation, certain aspects in the Zoo's part have
changed. Please visit the following links for more information on what you should expect, in order to help you planning for a great experience:
Zoo REOPENING FAQ Changes regarding the usage of the ZOO PASS
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