CLOSED for Columbus Day

APLD Closed for Columbus Day

The Aurora and Dillsboro Public Libraries will be closed for Columbus Day on October 9th.

As a reminder, our hours will be changed the week prior for the Farmers Fair. If you would like to renew items, please do so prior to our closing on Friday, October 6th before 4 pm. You may do so by visiting the library, calling us at 812-926-0646, or renewing through your account online by using your library card number and pin.

If you would like to return items, you may drop them in the drop boxes outside the lower level of the Aurora Public Library or on the front wall of the Dillsboro Public Library. They will be checked in according to the last day the library was open, Friday, October 6th.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call 812-926-0646 or visit the library and speak to a librarian.

Have a nice holiday!

Tell Us Your Tattoo Story

Tattoo Tales is on September 16th

September 16th is National Tattoo Story Day!

In the week leading up to it, please stop by any of our circulation desks, write up a quick story about why you got your tattoo, and use our mobile printing service to provide a photo for display. Then everyone, tattooed or not, will gather in our Local History Library @ The Depot to share stories of the tattoos they have or the tattoos they dream of getting.

The meeting time is 1 pm on Saturday, September 16th at the old Aurora Train Depot. We can’t wait to see your ink and hear your stories!

CLOSED for Memorial Day

The Aurora and Dillsboro Public Libraries will be CLOSED Monday, May 29th in observance and honor of Memorial Day.

Any materials returned in the book drop before opening the libraries on Tuesday, May 30th at 10 am will be checked in according to the last day the library was open, which will be Saturday, May 27th. Holidays also do not count toward late fees.

The Aurora Public Library District thanks all Americans in service to our country.

It’s a Library Celebration!

National Library Week is here and we want YOU to be rewarded for loving your library! Share what you LOVE about the library or what you would LOVE to see here once a day to enter to win a KINDLE FIRE HD 8!

This give-away will take place during National Library Week, April 24th-28th. You can submit your comments at either the Dillsboro or Aurora Public Library. If you attend our poetry program on the 27th, you will  get a chance to enter TWICE in one day!

We can’t wait to hear from you!

10 Poems That ROCKED the World!

Join Ron Nicholson, leader of our Between the Lines Book Club, as he shares 10 poems that permanently altered not only literary history but the world itself.

This program is part of a regional tour honoring National Poetry Month: April. Ron is thrilled to share his favorite famous poems with you as you venture into the world of creative writing.

This program will be held at the Aurora Public Library on April 11th at 6 pm. We hope to see you there, maybe with a pen and a pad of paper. You never know when inspiration may strike!

CLOSED for July 4th

The Aurora Public Library District, including the Aurora Public Library, Dillsboro Public Library, and the Local History Library, will be closed Monday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day. If you would like to return your items, please drop them in the return box at the front of the library. They will be checked in according to the last date we were open on the holiday weekend. If you would like to renew any items, please try to do so before we close for the weekend.

Have a fun, safe, and patriotic holiday!

It’s International Left-Handers Day!

August 13th is International Left Handers Day! This holiday was created to celebrate all the lefties that have mastered living in a right-handed world. Celebrate by taking your left-handed friends out for coffee or lunch! If you’re right-handed, try using your left hand all day! If you’re left-handed, show your pride by posting on social media with #LeftHandersDay!

  1. Four of the last 6 presidents were left-handed!
  2. Twins are more likely to be left-handed!
  3. Lefties make up about 10% of the population.
  4. Lefties have an advantage in sports because righties typically only train against other righties.
  5. The majority of lefties are male.

 


  1. Oprah Winfrey
  2. Queen Elizabeth II
  3. Tom Cruise
  4. Morgan Freeman
  5. Albert Einstein

Trying to find a left-handed desk in a sea of right-handed ones.

Using a can opener that clearly wasn’t made for you.

The dreaded ink and pencil smudge.


 

                          



			

It’s National Cheesecake Day!

July 30th is National Cheesecake Day! Take the time today to enjoy a slice. Stop by the store to pick one up, or stay tuned for a recipe to try at home!

The cheesecake is thought to have gotten its start in Ancient Greece. The earliest mention of a cheesecake is by the Greek physician Aegimus in a book he wrote on the art of making cheesecakes. However, a more modern version called a sambocade (pictured left), made with elderflower and rose water, can be found in Forme of Cury, an English cookbook from 1390. This has led to chef Heston Blumenthal to argue that the cheesecake is actually an English invention. The name cheesecake has been used since the 1400s; however, the cheesecake as we know it did not evolve until the 1700s when Europeans began removing yeast from the recipe and replacing it with beaten eggs instead. Modern cheesecake now comes in two forms: the regular baked cheesecake, and the unbaked cream cheese cheesecake on graham cracker crust that was invented in the United States.

Prep: 15 minutes

Inactive: 8 hours

Cook: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Serves 8-10


Ingredients

Crust

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch fine salt

Filling

2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 1/4 cups sour cream

6 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Topping

3/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract

Berries, optional


Instructions

  1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees F.
  2. For the crust: Melt the butter, covered in the microwave, in a medium microwave-safe bowl, or a saucepan. Brush a 9-inch springform pan with some of the butter. Stir the remaining butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt. Press the crumb mixture over the bottom of the pan, taking care to get the crust evenly into the edges. Bake until golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Wrap the bottom and up the sides of the pan with foil and put in a roasting pan.
  3. For the filling: Beat the cream cheese on medium speed with a hand-held mixer until smooth. Add the granulated sugar and beat just until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl and beaters as needed. Slowly beat in the sour cream, then eggs, vanilla and both citrus zests; take care not to over whip. Pour into the cooled crust.
  4. Bring a medium saucepan or kettle of water to a boil. Gently place the roasting pan in the oven (don’t pull the rack out of the oven). Pour in enough hot water to come about halfway up the side of the springform pan. Bake the cheesecake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes—the outside of the cake will set but the center will still be loose.
  5. For the topping: Stir together the sour cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla. Spread over the top of the cooked cheesecake and return to the oven for 5 minutes. Turn the oven off, cook the cheesecake in the residual heat in the oven for about 1 hour. This gentle finish minimizes the risk of the dreaded crack in your cheesecake.
  6. Remove cheesecake from the roasting pan to a rack. Run a knife around the edges and cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or overnight.
  7. Bring cheesecake to room temperature 30 minutes before serving. Remove the springform ring. Dip a knife in warm water, wipe dry before slicing each piece. Serve with berries, if desired.

Recipe taken from Food Network.

Prep: 20 minutes

Inactive: 8 hours and 20 minutes

Cook: 0 minutes

Serves 10-12


Ingredients

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 12-14 full sheet graham crackers)

1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar

1/2 cup (8 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted

Filling

1 and 1/4 cups heavy cream or heavy whipping cream

three 8-ounce blocks full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup sour cream, at room temperature

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

 


Instructions

  1. Make the crust: Stir the graham cracker crust ingredients together. Pour into a 9-inch or 10-inch springform pan and pack in very tightly. The tighter it’s packed, the less likely it will fall apart when cutting the cheesecake. I recommend using the bottom of a measuring cup to pack it into the bottom and up the sides. You can watch me do this in the video above. Freeze for 10-20 minutes as you prepare the filling.
  2. Make the filling: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip the cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
  3. Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk or paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese and granulated sugar together on medium speed until perfectly smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the confectioners’ sugar, sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat for 2-3 minutes on medium-high speed until smooth and combined. Make sure there are no large lumps of cream cheese. If there are lumps, keep beating until smooth.
  4. Using your mixer on low speed or a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream into the cheesecake filling until combined. This takes several turns of your rubber spatula. Combine slowly as you don’t want to deflate all the air in the whipped cream.
  5. Remove crust from the freezer and spread filling into crust. Use an offset spatula to smooth down the top.
  6. Cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate for at least 6-8 hours and up to 2 days. For best results, 12 hours is best. I chill mine overnight. The longer refrigerated, the nicer the no-bake cheesecake will set up.
  7. Use a knife to loosen the chilled cheesecake from the rim of the springform pan, then remove the rim. Using a clean sharp knife, cut into slices for serving. For neat slices, wipe the knife clean between each slice.
  8. Serve cheesecake with desired toppings. Cover and store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Recipe taken from Sally’s Baking Addiction.

Want more desserts? We have a book for that!

                            

It’s International Make Music Day!

June 21st is International Make Music Day! This holiday began in 1982 when France’s Ministry of Culture dreamed of a musical holiday. A day where free live music would be everywhere; street corners and parks, rooftops and gardens, store fronts and mountaintops would all be filled with the sound of music. And thus, Fête de la Musique, was born. A festival featuring free concerts in locations all around the city of Paris. Since then, the festival has become an international phenomenon. Make Music Day is now celebrated in more than 700 cities in 120 countries, including China, Germany, Greece, Brazil, Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Performers of any age and skill level are encouraged to join in on the music-making. The only caveats for these festivals are that the concerts must be free to the public, and all performers are to donate their time free of charge.

In North America

Twelve years ago, the Fête de la Musique crossed the Atlantic with the debut of Make Music New York. The event began as a grassroots initiative by a team of volunteers and quickly became a city-wide event. Today, around 5,000 New York musicians perform in more than 1,000 free outdoor concerts every year. The festival was so popular in New York that it soon spread throughout North America. In 2019, 85 North American cities organized free concerts at 1,862 locations. All on a single day.

Locally, the closest Make Music Day festival is located in Cincinnati. Last year, Make Music Cincinnati held concerts in over 100 locations throughout the city.

2020 Festival

Due to the threat of COVID-19, Make Music Day will look a little different this year. Make Music is exploring new ways to continue the tradition of making music, while also following all the appropriate guidelines. One of the ways they are doing this is by changing their Sousapalooza event (an invitation for hundreds of brass, wind, and percussion players to come together and sight-read the music of John Philip Sousa), to the World’s Smallest Marching Band. In this event, individual brass and wind players will parade through cities, by themselves, playing band repertoire to people listening from their homes or workplaces.

The organization is also encouraging musicians to utilize social media, and post videos of themselves making music. “In this time of social distancing, music’s powerful role to bring us together as a community is more important than ever,” said Make Music Alliance President Aaron Friedman. “While physical public gatherings may not be currently accessible, we can still stay connected and celebrate music with people around the world on June 21.”


Are you a musician? It’s your time to shine! You can participate in Make Music Day by posting a video or going live on social media with the hashtag #MakeMusicDay

Still honing your music skills? We have a book for that!

                    

 

It’s National Kitten Day!

When it comes to holidays, July 10th is the most puuurfect of all! It’s National Kitten Day! This holiday was created to raise awareness of the importance of spaying or neutering your pets and adopting shelter pets! Don’t know how to celebrate today’s holiday? Consider donating money or supplies to your local shelter! We’re celebrating with adorable kitten gifs!

Check out some of our books on cats and kittens right meow!