Author: Shelby

Teen Movie Night: The Hate U Give

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Teens are invited to join us for the first of two movie nights this summer. We’ll be watching The Hate U Give, based on the novel by the same name by Angie Thomas, on Thursday, June 20 upstairs at the Aurora Public Library starting at 5:30 p.m.

From IMDB:

“Starr Carter is constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white, prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what’s right.”

The movie is rated PG-13 for mature thematic elements, including some violent content, drug material, and language.

Before you watch the movie, check out the book and join the discussion with Stuck Between the Pages, the young adult book discussion group. We’re reading the book for the June discussion, which will take place on Tuesday, June 11 at 6 p.m. at the Aurora Public Library.

The 2019 Summer Reading Program is Here!

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Get ready to blast off into A Universe of Stories this summer! The Aurora Public Library District has so much stuff planned for you and your family, from a first person’s living history of life on the Ohio River,weekly Storytimes, StarLab Dome, a tour of the solar system, Daytime Sky Viewing, a Harry Potter Essential Oils class, teen movie nights, cupcake decorating, tween book discussions, and more! Be sure to check the blog, social media, and the newsletter for all of the information about programs.

Stop in anytime on or after May 23 to sign up. Everyone gets a book bag for free, and children eighteen and under will also get a book in their bags to keep. In your bag, you’ll find your summer Tic-Tac-Toe sheet. As you complete three-in-row, you’ll get a prize and also a chance to put your name in for a prize drawing of your choice. On top of that, every time you come into the library, you’ll also get to put your name in for prizes. There will also be door prizes featured at programs this summer, so be sure to come to as many of those as you can!

We can’t wait to see what this summer has in store for everyone! Remember, a some of our programs require advanced registration, so be sure to get your spot early before they’re all gone.

Happy Reading!

“With Every Good Wish,” Save the Date!

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The Aurora Public Library District Board of Directors and staff would like to cordially invite you to attend a statue dedication ceremony in honor of longtime Director Mary Alice Horton. Please join us at the Aurora Public Library’s lower level entrance on Saturday, June 1 at 1 p.m. for the statue’s unveiling. Executive Director of Main Street Aurora Nancy Turner will be speaking.

Mary Alice was the Director of the Aurora Public Library District for 35 years, from 1982 to 2017. Under her administration, the Library expanded to include the additions of the East and West Wings at the Aurora Public Library, the acquisition and absorption of the Dillsboro Public Library and building, and the purchase of the old train depot to house the Local History Library @ the Depot. She was extremely involved in the community, participating in various community events over the years while promoting the Library. Chances are, if you lived in Aurora or Dillsboro, you knew Mary Alice.

“Mary Alice’s love and passion for the Aurora Library and its patrons and her town are evident throughout our community, and will be for years to come.  It is under her leadership and dream that we have this great library to provide life-long learning for all.” ~Rose T.

 

The statue has been commissioned from the Randolph Rose Collection, which is the same designer of the statues featured near the entrances of both the Aurora and Dillsboro branches. The statue will be installed and uncovered on Saturday, June 1 at 1 p.m. The public is invited to attend the unveiling ceremony followed by a butterfly release.

Rainy Day Reads

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April showers brought the May flowers, but it’s been pretty rainy still. With the weather as fickle as it’s been, I don’t want to leave my driveway. With OverDrive, it’s possible to lounge around my house all day without ever running out of things to read, watch, or listen to.

Here are some just-added items from the Indiana Digital Download Center:

Compulsion by Martina Boone

The Dysasters by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast

Captive Heart by Glynnis Campbell

Rage Becomes Her by Soraya Chemaly

Boy Erased by Garrard Conley

The Spy and the Traitor by Ben Macintyre

Two Can Keep a Secret by Karen M. McManus

Come Find Me by Megan Miranda

A Sucky Love Story by Brittani Louise Taylor

The Year We Left Home by Jean Thompson

Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagan

The Silent Invader by Thomas Wood

Place these upcoming releases on hold to read in your blanket fort!

Dead Man’s Mistress by David Housewright

Two Weeks by Karen Kingsbury

Middlegame by Seanan McGuire

Murder in the City of Liberty by Rachel McMillan

The Peacock Emporium by Jojo Moyes

Tightrope by Amanda Quick

The Five by Hallie Rubenhold

Neon Prey by John Sandford

Emily Eternal by M.G. Wheaton

So many books, so little time! Do you have a go-to rainy day read? My favorite might have to be Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë if only for the opening paragraphs:

“There was no possibility of taking a walk that day. We had been wandering, indeed, in the leafless shrubbery an hour in the morning; but since dinner (Mrs. Reed, when there was no company, dined early) the cold winter wind had brought with it clouds so sombre, and a rain so penetrating, that further out-door exercise was now out of the question.

I was glad of it: I never liked long walks, especially on chilly afternoons: dreadful to me was the coming home in the raw twilight, with nipped fingers and toes, and a heart saddened by the chidings of Bessie, the nurse, and humbled by the consciousness of my physical inferiority to Eliza, John, and Georgiana Reed.”

Happy Reading!

Netflix and Read: You

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If you’ve been paying attention to the Netflix world these past few months, you might have heard of a little show called You starring Penn Badgley, Elizabeth Lail, and Shay Mitchell. What you might not have realized (because I didn’t until after the fact) is that it is based off of the novel You by Caroline Kepnes. The novel is available to check out as a digital copy or as a physical copy; follow the link to reserve your spot!

What appears to be a chance meeting for Guinevere Beck in Brooklyn has actually been carefully orchestrated by East Village bookstore owner Joe Goldberg, who had Googled the name on her credit card when she visited his shop. Beck’s social media profiles are all public and tells Joe everything he needs to know without doing much besides scrolling through her posts. Joe begins obsessively taking over Beck’s life by choreographing event after event to make Beck fall into his waiting arms over and over again, and wedging himself so deeply into her life that he becomes her boyfriend. There is no limit to what Joe will do to remove any obstacle standing in his and Beck’s way, even if it means murder.

Reminiscent of Humbert Humbert of Lolita, You will have you darkly rooting for Joe while also being kind of terrified by how easy it is to stalk people (or be stalked!) in today’s world, where lots of your information is readily available with a simple Google search. The Netflix show is equally creepy, if not more so because Joe’s actions are placed directly in front of your eyeballs.

Psychological thriller fans (and anyone who uses social media) will love being creeped out by this duology by Caroline Kepnes. Be sure to look for the second book, Hidden Bodies, which continues Joe’s story.

Happy Reading (and Watching)!

Quick Reads

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I thought I knew what being busy meant, but then I had a baby in December, and life is definitely not the same! Maybe you like to read but you don’t like the commitment of a series or a 400-page book. Or maybe you are too busy to pay complete attention to a book for too long. Since I’m trying to get back into the groove of reading regularly again (besides fantasizing about what sleep used to be like), I thought that I would compile a list of quick reads to get started.

The majority of these books have 200 pages or less and all are designed to keep your attention from the very beginning. You could also try reading plays or poetry to pad your reading belt or to try something new.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Teen Idol by Meg Cabot

Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote

The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before by Jenny Han

The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

The Wife Between Us by Greer Hendricks

Sunburn by Laura Lippman

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

The Giver by Lois Lowry

Only Child by Rhiannon Navin

A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

This Is Where It Ends by Marieke Nijkamp

Animal Farm by George Orwell

Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell

The Little Prince by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry

Night by Elie Wiesel

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon

Many of these books are considered Young Adult. If this is a genre you have never read before, you’re definitely missing out! I’m kind of a slow reader anyway, but Young Adult fiction tends to move quickly and has language that is easy to follow. The next time you’re here, browse the Teen section of the library or ask a staff member to help you find your next great read.

Do you have your own suggestions of quick, attention-hogging reads? I’d love to hear them!

Happy Reading!

Urban Fantasy on OverDrive

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If you use OverDrive with any regularity, you might have noticed that the featured books that scroll on the homepage change all the time. Right now, the featured books fit into Urban Fantasy, a subgenre of Fantasy.

Sometimes people hear the word “fantasy” and run in the opposite direction; it can be hard to imagine entire worlds and creatures beyond what our world is already filled with. Urban Fantasy happens in the real world with magical elements and creatures added, usually blending in with regular humans. While this genre is super popular with children and teens (think Harry Potter and Isabella Swan), there are plenty of adult titles for those of us who still choose to believe that anything is possible.

Here are a few of the titles that are featured on OverDrive:

Kim Harrison’s The Hollows series takes place in Cincinnati and features bounty hunter Rachel Morgan, a witch whose job is to make sure the vampires all get along.

Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson series features the namesake, a mechanic who also has the ability to shapeshift into a coyote with neighbors ranging from a gremlin to a werewolf.

Kevin Hearne’s The Iron Druid Chronicles features Atticus O’Sullivan, the last of the Druids who runs a bookshop and shapeshifts in his spare time to hunt with his Irish wolfhound.

Jim Butcher’s The Dresden Files series follows wizard Harry Dresden as he works for the Chicago Police Department, catching all things paranormal.

Karen Marie Moning’s Fever series is about MacKayla — Mac for short — who is a seer of the Fae trying to solve her sister’s murder.

Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires series follows Merit, a former graduate student turned vampire who has to navigate the treacherous Chicago nightlife.

(And that’s just to page three of the featured books!) Chock-full of action and intrigue, these books will hook you and won’t let you put them down.

If you’re a fan of fantasy and the impossible with likable, realistic characters, then give Urban Fantasy a try! You can download any of these books to any device to read anywhere without the bulk of a physical book. All you need is an Internet connection (which you can use for free at any of our branches), the OverDrive app, your library card, and your pin number. If you’re unsure what your pin is or if you’ve never set one up before, stop by and see us and or give us a call. We can also walk you through downloading digital titles at the desk if you bring your device in.

Don’t forget about downloading the Libby app! Libby will put all of your library cards, downloads, and holds in one spot for your convenience. Ask us how!

Happy Reading!

National Library Week

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It’s here! The week you’ve been waiting for all year! National Library Week is April 7 — 13 this year! Yay!

Libraries are full of so much more than books. Our shelves are full of fiction, nonfiction, picture books, early reading books, juvenile chapter books, teen books, audiobooks, DVDs, magazines, newspapers, and CDs. Our items are simultaneously full of reference and escape at the same time.

You can come in and connect to our WiFi for free, or hop onto one of the public computers to print copies or scan documents to your email. Need to make a copy of something? Find our public copy machine, and don’t be afraid to ask a staff member for help.

Visit our community information centers to learn about events taking place throughout the community. Or sign up for our newsletter either by visiting our website or by stopping by one of the desks to keep up-to-date on all things library-related. You can also like and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, or read more blogs! Learn about upcoming programs and events for all ages and interests. You’ll be the first to know (and sign up!) about all the cool stuff we have planned.

Have you checked out our digital collection yet? You can use your library card and pin number to access the Indiana Digital Download Center, a digital library full of thousands of titles, including videos and audiobooks. If you don’t know what your pin is or haven’t set one up yet, just stop by the desk or give us a call. Then you’ll be able to read on the go with your tablet or smartphone while not worrying about late fees, because when your loan has ended, the item will automatically check itself back in!

The Local History Library @ the Depot contains historical books and documents, yearbooks, newspapers, maps, and more on Aurora, Dillsboro, and the surrounding communities. The staff there would be happy to help you research your house or genealogy, or leave you alone to let you work in the quiet. The Dillsboro Public Library also houses the Local History Room downstairs with even more local history artifacts, photographs, and documents.

Are you looking to stock up your own library? On the third Friday and Saturday of every month, the Dillsboro Public Library promotes its $1 Per Bag sale, where you can visit the Book Sale in the basement and fill up as many bags as you want with items and only pay $1 per bag. But don’t worry if you aren’t able to make it in on the $1 Per Bag weekends; the Book Sale is ongoing during regular library hours. The most you’ll ever pay for any one item is $1.

These are just a few of the services our library offers! I could go on and on about book discussions, bags of books for teachers, the Summer Reading Program, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten and more, but you should really stop in and see for yourself. If you live in our district and have a valid I.D. showing your current address or a piece of metered mail, you will not be discriminated against getting a free library card of your own. You will not be judged on the items you check out or the questions you ask us; we are here to help you and to serve you.

We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for your patronage, and our staff loves to serve you!

Happy Reading, Watching, and Listening! And thank you!

Stuck Between the Pages

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Calling all young adults! Stuck Between the Pages will return in February, and we need you!

Do you like to read? Do you like to discuss what you read with others who like to read? Are you ready to make new friends from all over? Do you like snacks? (Because we always have snacks.) We’re always looking for new members to join our group!

If you’re in high school or college and would like to join Stuck Between the Pages, just stop by the Aurora Public Library to sign up. Then you can pick up your copy of the book for the following month’s meeting at the upper level desk! February’s book will be Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. Stop by anytime after the first of the year to sign up and get your copy. Click here for a brief excerpt from Goodreads.

Meetings always take place the second Tuesday of the month at 6 p.m. in the teen area upstairs at the Aurora Public Library. Even if you haven’t read the book but are interested in joining, come to one of the meetings to see what it’s like. Meetings usually last about an hour to an hour and a half, depending on the discussion. (Did I mention we have snacks? Because we always have snacks.) The first meeting of 2019 will take place on Tuesday, February 12 at 6 p.m.

Join us on Thursday, February 7 at 6 p.m. for a viewing of the movie Me Before You, starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin. Even if you don’t have time to read the book, come to the movie and discussion to compare and contrast the movie and the book. (Once again, there will be snacks!)

If you still need convincing, be sure to talk to one of our staff members!

Marvelous Magazines

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The Library has magazines!

While this isn’t anything new, one might not necessarily know that one can check out magazines from the Aurora Public Library District — I’ll admit, magazines aren’t the first materials I think of when I think about the items available to check out. But we do have them, and you can check out up to ten magazines at a time for two weeks, just like a book.

We have all sorts of magazines available, too, from history magazines, DIY magazines, celebrity and entertainment magazines, cooking magazines, science magazines, automobile magazines, animal magazines, magazines for children, health magazines, fiction magazines, news magazines, and so much more! There’s bound to be something to pique your interest!

Magazines are a great way to get the non-reader to read more because they can trick one into reading the articles with their glossy photographs and pages; you might not even realize that you’re reading when you’re casually thumbing through a magazine, just waiting for something to jump out at you. Since the writers of magazine articles have to stick within a strict word count to maintain the layout of the pages, the information is handed to the reader quickly, allowing the reader to jump from article to article as they interest them.

As we are thrown right into the thick of the busy holiday season, magazines are a great way for you to keep reading without consuming much of your time. Not to mention, they’re a great way to look up unique recipes and gifts for get-togethers everyone will be sure to love. You can’t go wrong!

Now you can check out magazines with OverDrive. If you haven’t already, download the OverDrive app to your device as well as the Libby app, which will make reading and checkout so much easier for you. The best part (besides no late fees)? There is no wait time for magazines! As soon as you check out a magazine, it will be available for you to download, even if other patrons have the magazine checked out. You will never have to wait!

Happy Reading!