Explore and Discover
Science Fiction & Fantasy Go Global
Posted on May 31, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Brian Vander Veen Yes, science fiction and fantasy have been global phenomena for a long time, but it feels like the last few years have seen an uptick in the number of foreign SFF novels getting English translations. Last year, The Three-Body Problem by Chinese author Cixin Liu became the first novel in translation […]
Tags: adults, booklists, books, fantasy, fiction, science fiction, translation
Serious fun for K-3 readers
Posted on May 26, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Sheri Boggs If you’re a parent or teacher of a grade schooler, you’ve probably heard the term “summer slide,” sometimes also called “summer learning loss.” Summer slide refers to what happens to student brains when they are inactive over the three months of summer vacation. Although kids are getting a much needed break, they […]
Tags: booklists, books, family, kids, parents, teachers, young learners
Confessions from a book lover
Posted on May 24, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Erin Dodge Confession #1: I love books. I’ve had a book (or three) in my hand, in my backpack, or on my nightstand since the time I figured out letters combined to make words. Confession #2: I’m fairly new to eBooks. Seems contradictory, right? Even though I’ve had a Kindle for a few years, I […]
Tags: audiobooks, eBooks, overdrive, technology
The dirt on gardening with kids
Posted on May 19, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Rachel Edmondson I feel the need to start with a disclaimer: I do not have a green thumb. Nowhere close to it. That said, we have a small, raised garden bed in our backyard, and each year we’ve attempted to grow a few vegetables with varying success. Before our kids came into our life, […]
Islam 101: suggested reading from David Fenner
Posted on May 17, 2016 at 6:00 am
By David Wyatt What does it mean to be Muslim in a modern world? What if much of what we believe about Islam is incomplete or simply wrong? This Thursday, scholar David Fenner will speak on Islam and the many aspects that form the substance of its rich culture, traditions, and way of life. […]
Family mystery solved at the library
Posted on May 12, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Gwendolyn Haley Recently, my father and I were trying to solve a family mystery. He is the sole surviving grandchild on his mother’s side. So if he doesn’t remember something about the family, there is no one left to ask who would know. In our collective family knowledge, we were aware that his grandfather […]
Tags: ancestry, classes, digital library, DIY, family, genealogy, hobbies
The world is not ending: non-dystopian teen reads
Posted on May 10, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Kelsey Hudson The world is not ending—at least not yet—but sometimes it can feel that way, especially after I’ve read three or four dystopian novels in a row. I love a good dystopian tale as much as the next person, but I think there comes a time when even the most die-hard fan needs […]
The Last Full Measure: Q&A with Local Author Trent Reedy
Posted on May 3, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Sheri Boggs The United States are no longer united. In the wake of the Second Civil War, the once great nation is in shambles. And as the Republic of Idaho emerges alongside other newly formed, formerly American countries, the fate of the world hangs in the balance. Local author Trent Reedy concludes his stunning […]
Music and conspiracy theories: a primer
Posted on April 28, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Brian Vander Veen Sometime during the tail-end of the 80s, my middle-school youth group made us watch a grainy VHS documentary about the evils of contemporary music. The presenter played samples of music that, slowed down and backwards, might have sounded vaguely like blasphemous utterings. He picked apart various band names and album covers, […]
Tags: hoopla, music, musicians, pop music, r&b, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, the blues, violin
Get caught reading!
Posted on April 26, 2016 at 6:00 am
By Rachel Edmondson My first introduction to the Get Caught Reading campaign was the posters that adorned our libraries’ walls. Throughout the years, various celebrities have participated in this campaign by being photographed reading a favorite book and then allowing the celebrity posters to be distributed for free to schools and libraries. You […]
