Dillsboro Public Library – Indiana – Aurora Public Library District

Published in Your Birth Year: 2021-2010

Posted on March 14, 2022March 11, 2022 by Sarah

Welcome to a new series, “Published in Your Birth Year”! We’ll be starting with 2021 and working backward in time, with each book being appropriate to the age of the reader born that year. For this initial post, we’re covering the years from 2021 back to 2010, and subsequent posts will cover 10 years each.

2021
A Day On the Farm with The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by: Eric Carle

2020
Wake Up, Let’s Play!
by: Marit Törnqvist

2019
Hey Diddle Diddle: Touch and Trace Nursery Rhymes
by: Emily Bannister

2018
Zoogie Boogie Fever!: An Animal Dance Book
by: Sujean Rim

2017
Imagine That!
by: Yasmeen Ismail

2016
A Tiger Tail: (Or What Happened to Anya On Her First Day of School)
by: Mike Boldt

2015
Pete the Cat’s Train Trip
by: James Dean

2014
Mr. Putter & Tabby Turn the Page
by: Cynthia Rylant

2013
The Notebook of Doom: Attack of the Shadow Smashers
by: Troy Cummings

2012
Claws
by: Mike Grinti

2011
Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes
by: Jonathan Auxier

2010
Touch Blue
by: Cynthia Lord

You can place any of these books on hold through your online library account or by calling the library at (812) 926-0646 for APL or (812) 954-4151 for DPL.

Feed Your Brain About Feeding Your Body

Posted on March 12, 2022March 9, 2022 by Sarah

Each March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics hosts National Nutrition Month® as a time to learn about healthy eating. Throughout March 2022 at both the Aurora Public Library and Dillsboro Public Library, you can find displays of nutrition-related books in the juvenile non-fiction and easy books sections of our collection. Here are just a few of the books you might find, which you can place on hold through your online library account or by calling the library at (812) 926-0646 for APL or (812) 954-4151 for DPL.

Juvenile Non-Fiction:

Easy Books:

New Location for Our Digital Content

Posted on March 4, 2022 by Peggy

You may have noticed on our Overdrive page that our digital content is moving to a new location. Don’t panic! The Library District will still be using Overdrive as our primary source for digital content, but most of the Public Libraries in Indiana have chosen to merge into a single digital consortium. The transfer of content to the new Indiana Digital Library is underway at this time. For the next few days, you can still download content from the Indiana Digital Download Center as before. Eventually, that web page will be discontinued and you’ll need to go to: https://idl.overdrive.com/ We’ll be updating the information on the Library webpage, so that new link will be active soon.

The first time you use the new site on each of your computers or devices, or on the Libby app, you’ll probably need your library card handy to enter the your number, along with your PIN.

Why the merger? Pooling the resources of so many libraries will allow us to make better use of your money. Also, the Indiana State Library has agreed to cover the Overdrive platform fee – that’s your taxpayer money at work again! The new Indiana Digital Library will also have a team of librarians actively managing the collection and making purchases of high-interest titles to keep wait times shorter.

If you have any questions or problems during the transition, just give us a call at 812-926-0646.

Making the Leap to Adult Fiction

Posted on January 26, 2022 by Peggy

When you’re used to reading books from the Teen Fiction area, it can be challenging to know how to get started with Adult Fiction. Of course, many adults prefer Teen Fiction for the fast pace, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But if you’re interested in switching things up and exploring a broader range of literature, you might want to start with books that have been named for the Alex Awards. The Alex Awards are given each year to ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults ages 12 through 18, and can be a great way to try something new. Here are the 2022 Alex Award books, just announced on 1/24/22.

The Witch’s Heart is perfect for everyone who loves stories based on mythology. It’s a retelling from the feminine perspective of a three-times burned witch in Norse mythology. The One Hundred Years of Lenni and Margot is a beautiful inter-generational story about an unlikely friendship that develops through an art class intended for patients under end-of-life care. If you liked The Fault in Our Stars, you’ll love this one!

Here’s another mythology-based book, this time in graphic novel format. Lore Olympus, Volume I depicts the love story of Hades, the god of the Underworld, and Persephone, the daughter of Demeter and goddess of spring. Described as both joyful and heart-rending, Light from Uncommon Stars brings together the lives of a young transgender runaway, a violin teacher who’s sold her soul to the devil, and a refugee alien star-ship commander.

The Library of the Dead is a dystopian novel set in Scotland. Ghost talker Roya uses her Zimbabwean magic to investigate the mysterious disappearances of missing children. Book two of this series is scheduled for publication in April of 2022. How Lucky is the story of Daniel who has a good friend, a routine that involves football game day in the South, and a debilitating disease that has robbed him of body control and speech. When he is the only witness to a kidnapping, it causes several issues that might risk his life.

If you enjoyed The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, you’ll also like Malice, a retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Kate Quinn is a great author for anyone who likes historical fiction with strong female leads. The Rose Code is set during World War II and revolves around the work done by the women at Bletchley Park. Read this, and then look for Quinn’s new book, The Diamond Eye, coming out in March 2022

Winter’s Orbit is science-fiction but combines the intrigue of a thriller and the passion of a romance. An arranged marriage between a prince and a diplomat is meant to strengthen alliances, but suspicions of conspiracy and murder force the new husbands to lay aside their own secrets and work together. The only non-fiction book on this year’s list, Crossing the Line tells about brothers from a disadvantaged neighborhood who find their passion in the sport of polo.

Although I’ve only read 2 of these books, so far, they all sound great for both teens and adults! You can find the titles from previous Alex Awards at https://www.ala.org/yalsa/alex-awards.

We don’t have all of these books yet, but we’ll do our best to get the book you want, if you just let us know!

The Newbery Medal Turns 100

Posted on January 15, 2022January 25, 2022 by Peggy

The most prestigious American award in the world of children’s literature is the John Newbery Medal. 2022 will mark the 100th time this award has been given to the author of the year’s most distinguished children’s book. It was the first children’s book award in the world, and today the selection process is administered by the Association for Library Service to Children (ASLC). The 2022 Newbery Medal will be announced on Monday, January 24th as part of the Youth Media Awards.

Through the years, the committees selecting the Newbery winners have truly highlighted some exceptional books for kids. There has also been a fair amount of controversy, and there have been years when librarians have groused that the wrong book was selected. Since selection as the Newbery Medal winner often means that the chosen book will stay in print for many years, another topic that is often raised today is the question of how to deal with books that have racial stereotypes or other matter that is unacceptable today. I guess you can state with certainty that librarians just like to discuss books! You can find a complete list of Newbery Medal winners and also the Newbery Honor books here.

Here are a few of my favorite Newbery medal books:

I read the 2021 winner When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller and loved it!

From 2013: The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.

In 2004, Kate DiCamillo took home the gold with The Tale of Despereaux.

She also won the Newbery Medal in 2014 for Flora & Ulysses.

Lois Lowry also has two Newbery Medals, winning in 1994 for The Giver (You should read the book, even if you disliked the movie!) and in 1990 for Number the Stars.

I love the characters E. L. Konigsburg created in From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler,

the story of two children who run away to New York City and hide out in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Konigsburg won Newbery gold 29 years later for The View from Saturday in 1997.

Do you have a favorite Newbery Medal book? Or do you have a favorite book that you think should have won the medal? Let us know below, and be sure to check back after January 24th to see the 2022 winner!

Update from 1/25/22: The Newbery Award for 2022 goes to The Last Cuentista by Donna Barba Higuera. I didn’t expect that! It sort of slipped in under the radar, but sounds great. Copies have been ordered. This title also won the Pura Belpre Award for best book representing Hispanic culture.

Don’t Overlook These Children’s Series

Posted on January 10, 2022 by Peggy

If you only look for the “new” books on the library shelves, you might miss some of the series that were popular ten or fifteen years ago (or even longer). Although not every book or series ages well, there are many that stand up well in comparison to our newest books. That may be especially true about fantasy series. Here are some fantasy series for elementary and middle school kids that will bring hours of reading enjoyment. Remember, you can also ask a library staff member for help if you need a book suggestion!

The Spiderwick Chronicles were written by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black and follow the adventures of the Grace children who discover a world of fairies. There were 5 books in the original series and three in the spin-off series Beyond the Spiderwick. These series are great for kids who want to read fantasy, but who aren’t ready for really long, complicated books.

Lloyd Alexander was a prolific writer of fantasy books during the 1960s and 1970s. His Chronicles of Prydain drew heavily from the legends of King Arthur and Welsh mythology. One book of the series was named as a Newbery Honor book and another won the Newbery Medal. Don’t let the well-worn covers stop you; these books have just been loved by several generations of kids.

The Ranger’s Apprentice series by John Flanagan has always reminded me of The Lord of the Rings, probably because of the Rangers. The series follows the adventures of Will, an orphan who is chosen as an apprentice Ranger, and includes skilled trackers, archers, and warriors in the service of the King of Araluen. Will strives to keep the Kingdom of Araluen safe from invaders, traitors, and threats. There was also a prequel series and a spin-off series.

The Inkworld trilogy by Cornelia Funke explores the question of what might happen if characters could come out of our storybooks.

In The Five Kingdoms series, Cole Randolph sees his friends whisked away to some mysterious place underneath a haunted house and he dives in after them. They end up in the Outskirts, five kingdoms that lie between wakefulness and dreaming, reality and imagination, life and death. With the magic of the Outskirts starting to unravel, it’s up to Cole and an unusual girl named Mira to rescue his friends.

Step into these fantasy worlds, but hang on to your hat! You’re bound for some exciting adventures.

Make A Holiday Ornament

Posted on November 18, 2021November 17, 2021 by Peggy

Adults and teens are invited to sign up for our Pearl Ornament program. This program will be held at both the Aurora and the Dillsboro Public Libraries. All supplies will be provided, and Jessica will be talking you through the process.

You must register for this program in advance. We only have space for 10 people to attend each session, so call 812-926-0646 to sign up and reserve your place. You must be 13 or older to attend this program.

Donating Used Books

Posted on October 25, 2021 by Peggy

I know how hard it is to say “Goodbye” to a book that you’ve enjoyed. And yet, there are always times when our personal libraries need to be pared down. When that happens, the Aurora Public Library District is happy to accept donations of your gently used books. As we receive donations, a staff member looks through the items to see if any items should be added to our collection. Other items are sent to the used book sale at the Dillsboro Public Library, if they are in good condition.

There are some items that we do not accept. We have a limited amount of space and these items can not be sold:

Old encyclopedias
Textbooks
VHS tapes
Anything dirty, moldy, or with mildew or bugs.

Just keep in mind that if you wouldn’t want to read it, probably other people feel the same way. Older non-fiction is also not a good thing to donate. We just don’t want our book sale customers to get bad information. The best-selling items in our book sale are children’s books and adult books by popular authors.

We are happy to give you a receipt stating how many bags or boxes of items you donated, but we cannot put a value on the donation.

If you have multiple boxes of items to donate, consider taking them directly to the Dillsboro Public Library, if possible. Otherwise, we have to re-box them to send out to Dillsboro.

Thanks for letting us pass your used books on to other readers! The next $1 per bag sale will be on Friday, November 20th and Saturday, November 21st.

Join One of Our Book Groups

Posted on June 18, 2021June 3, 2021 by Peggy

If you like to read a variety of books, and if you like to discuss the books you read, you should consider joining one of the Aurora Public Library District’s book groups. There is an evening group that meets at Carnegie Hall in Moores Hill on the first Monday of each month (second Monday, if the first Monday is a holiday). There are also afternoon groups that meet at the Aurora Public Library on the fourth Thursday and at the Dillsboro Public Library on the fourth Friday each month. The Aurora and Dillsboro groups are led by Ron Nicholson of Ivy Tech. All three groups meet monthly in January through October, and the Library provides the books a month in advance. Call the Library at 812-926-0646 to sign up for any of these groups!

Here are some of the upcoming selections for 2020. You can view past selections at: https://eapld.org/programs/.

For the Moores Hill Group For the Aurora and Dillsboro Groups

Storytimes Are Starting

Posted on May 20, 2021 by Peggy

The Aurora Public Library District will begin in-person Storytimes in June. We’re looking forward to exploring the Summer Reading theme “Tails and Tales.” So that we can still operate within social distancing guidelines, children must be registered in advance.

Here’s how it will work:

Registrations will be limited to 5 family units at Aurora Storytimes and 6 family units at Dillsboro Storytimes.
Each family will sit together at a table or on the floor.
Children need to remain at the table while stories are read.
Crafts will be provided and families may either make the craft at the library or take the kit home to complete.
Tables and chairs will be disinfected prior to and after each Storytime session.
Masks are strongly recommended for adults and teens who are not fully vaccinated.

Stephanie has missed all of our young patrons and is eager to share some of her favorite stories about animals. Everyone in the family is also invited to participate in our Summer Reading Challenges to earn prizes while enjoying all the fun of reading great books.

Aurora Public Library District

Locations

Aurora Main Branch

Dilsboro Branch

Local History Library @ The Depot

Tag: Dillsboro Public Library – Indiana