MUSIC AT YOUR WASHINGTON COUNTY LIBRARY

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With inspiration from the “Buffalo Gals” folk song, children’s book author Joanne Ryder wrote the words to the picture book “Dance by the Light of the Moon.” In the story, she has animals gathering for a barnyard dance organized by Farmer Snow. I recently re-read the book to a favorite little person. Charlotte said, “Sing it, Gramma!” And I did, because somehow it’s best that way.

Researchers who investigate how children learn say that music is one way to inspire learning and creativity. And so librarians are saying, “Sing together!” Baby and preschool storytimes around the County feature not just reading, but singing, as well.

Children’s picture books, or sometimes phrases from them, just beg to be sung. In “Dooby, Dooby, Moo” by Doreen Cronin, the author has the animals practicing for a talent show; Duck takes home first prize with his rendition of “Born to be Wild.” It’s so much fun to sing in duck-speak!

Many of Sandra Boynton’s board books, like “Snuggle Puppy” and “Belly Button Book,” are written in rhyme. But check out Boynton’s “Philadelphia Chickens” book with its accompanying CD to hear them sung. You’ll never read “Snuggle Puppy” again!

The text in many picture books is actually song lyrics – “Puff the Magic Dragon,” “Playing Right Field,” “The Wheels on the Bus,” and more. If you know the song, sing the story. Better yet, sing it together!

As a part of Washington County Library’s 2013 Summer Reading program children and their families will be treated to musical performances. They include:

Choo Choo Bob Songs and Stories – 11 a.m. Saturday, June 8 at R.H. Stafford Library
Choo Choo Bob Songs and Stories – 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8 at Hardwood Creek Library
The Bazillions – 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 12 at R.H. Stafford Library
The Okee Dokee Brothers – 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 18 at R.H. Stafford Library
The Okee Dokee Brothers – 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 18 at Wildwood Library
The Okee Dokee Brothers – 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20 at Oakdale Library
The Teddy Bear Band, appearing at BIG TRUCK DAY, 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday, June 22 at Hardwood Creek Library
Folk Singer Paul Spring – 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 25 at Hardwood Creek Library
Choo Choo Bob Songs and Stories – 2 p.m. Saturday, June 29 at Park Grove Library
Music with Ross Sutter – 2 p.m. Saturday, July 27 at Oakdale Library

Finally, kids aren’t the only ones who will be inspired by musical performances this summer. “Listen at the Library” musical programs are being offered once again at the Oakdale Library — on Wednesday, June 12 hear “Sheltered Reality,” on Wednesday, July 10 hear “The Half Steps,” and on Wednesday, August 7 hear “33 Degrees North.” These are evening (6:30 p.m. start times) outdoor programs for the whole family, perfect for lawn chairs and friendly conversation. Folks may not be dancing, but they are sure to be clapping or stomping or clicking to the beat of the music.

Put the dates on your calendar now, and join the crowd. No tickets or registration required for any of the programs. Enjoy!

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

WAS IT GOLDILOCKS?

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Just the other day as my two-year-old granddaughter was packing up to go home, she asked if she could take home a stuffed-animal froggy. I replied, “No, actually froggy needs some repair; one of the seams on his body needs to be re-sewn.” Her reply: “Who did it? Was it Goldilocks? Did she get in here?” She had learned some information from a recent read of “The Three Bears” and transferred that knowledge into solving the question of why the frog needed repair. We thought it was pretty cute. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Now Goldilocks is getting blamed for anything that is damaged!

We are all seeking a little useful information from time to time, and Washington County Library users have been using magazines as one source of information through the years. The library is expanding its offering of magazines with a subscription to a digital magazine service called Zinio. More than 120 popular magazine titles in digital format are now available to library card holders.

Find relevant, up-to-date information on a wide range of topics using magazines. Want to know the latest trends in fashion or home decorating? Interested in finding out about new car models in preparation for a new-card purchase? Looking for gardening tips, meal-planning suggestions, and more? Or do you just want to relax and explore the latest in pop culture?

Read the latest issues of magazines such as “Consumer Reports,” “Popular Mechanics,” “Good Housekeeping” and “Seventeen” on a personal computer or mobile device. You just need a library card registered with Washington County Library. See the entire magazine in a digital form. Checkout digital magazines for as long as you want to keep them. There are no due dates.

To begin using the service at Washington County Library you will need to set up two accounts, one a library account and one a Zinio account. Find instructions on the Library’s “READ” page.

Washington County cardholders are encouraged to call branch libraries with questions about the service. Find library locations and phone numbers on the Library’s web pages at: www.co.washington.mn.us/library

Digital magazines – enjoy this new source of information!

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

My Birthday, OMG! Turning 65…

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Never in my tenure on this planet have so many been looking forward to my birthday. For several months now I’ve been getting reminders of the impending occasion in the mail. How does EVERYONE know that I’ll be turning 65?

Of course turning 65 means that I become eligible for Medicare and need to think about how that applies to me. I’m learning. The tools that I have found most helpful are the Medicare (http://medicare.gov/) and Social Security (http://www.socialsecurity.gov/) websites. If you don’t have Internet access at your home, Internet search stations are available at all Washington County Libraries. All you need to login is the barcode from your library card and a PIN number, the last four digits of your phone number. Persons eligible for Medicare are encouraged to signup online.

A wonderful resource – and a more personal approach — for seniors trying to make a decision about health care choices is the Metropolitan Area Agency on Aging (MAAA). MAAA offers health insurance counseling services through the Senior LinkAge Line® to Medicare beneficiaries of all ages and their caregivers in the Metro area. Counseling is provided by state-certified Health Insurance Counseling staff or volunteers and may take place over the phone at 1-800-333-2433, or in-person at community sites, or in seniors’ homes.

Two community sites that offer health insurance counseling in Washington County are: South Washington County Senior Community Center, 8400 E Point Douglas Rd S, Cottage Grove, with appointments scheduled by calling 1-800-333-2433; and Community Thread, 2300 W Orleans St, Stillwater, with appointments scheduled by calling 651-439-7434; appointments there are offered on the 2nd Mondays of each month from 9 a.m. to 12 noon.

Want to hear someone talk about the basics of Medicare? MAAA will present the program “Understanding Medicare – An Overview” on Monday, March 18 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Park Grove Library, 7900 Hemingway Ave S, Cottage Grove. The presentation reviews what is covered by Parts A, B, C and D of Medicare, as well as Medicare supplement options available. Recent changes to Medicare as a result of health care reform will also be reviewed as well as examples of Medicare fraud and abuse.

Deciding about Medicare seems like a daunting challenge with its myriad alphabet of offerings, but with some careful reading and re-reading, and perhaps a conversation with a counselor, the path forward doesn’t seem quite so formidable.     

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

Need a winter fix?

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I’ve got a couple of ideas. Washington County Library kicks off its Winter Reading program for adults – Winter Jackets – on February 1. Sure it’s great to get outdoors during the day to participate in all of the fun activities available to folks who live in our zone, but at night — when the house is cold because you’ve purposely turned down the thermostat to save on the heating bill, donning a “winter jacket” of some sort and reading a book is a good way to spend the evening.

For me, winter reading has always been a pleasure. At home on our Wisconsin farm in the fifties and sixties  – when the only heat was a couple of space heaters, one in the kitchen and one in the living room – our house was  cold in winter, especially since the stoves ran out of fuel in the middle of the night. The upstairs where my brother and I had bedrooms only had a bit of heat coming from a tiny register in the floor. It was bone chilling to get up and get dressed in the cold. During cold snaps, the windows were completely frosted over – a slate for young artists! Maybe even more so then than now, it was good to crawl under the covers in my bedroom – away from the noise of the TV and the humdrum below – and read a book.

Find out about participating in Winter Jackets at www.co.washington.mn.us/library. Librarians have put together a list of suggested titles for the program — available online or pick up a paper copy when you visit your local library. If those titles don’t suit your fancy, ask a librarian to help you hunt down a title that does!

Another activity that I find particularly helpful in winter is knitting. The temperatures fall, and my thoughts turn to knitting needles and yarn. For me, the yarn conjures up a feeling of warmth. I love the feel of the strands of yarn in my fingers. I have to make a trip to my local yarn shop in Mahtomedi – Lila and Claudine’s – to look at the fine array of yarns, to get ideas for projects, to revel in the spirited conversation of the knitters present there, shopping or sitting together to knit and chat.

Washington County Library has help for knitters, too. Find your next knitting project in the pages of one of our books, or search magazines online for a pattern. I have to admit, I go for the simple projects – mittens and scarves and such, but the task of knitting is ever so rewarding: my granddaughter arrived at our house a few days ago, announcing, “Look, gramma, I’ve got your mittens on!”

Not everyone will be enamored with my knitting fix, but I hope everyone will find some time to read away the cold.

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

SOLDIER STORIES AT WCL

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It was my experience growing up with a WWII Navy-veteran father that soldiers didn’t talk much about their military experiences – at least, not my Dad. He sometimes shared stories about the men he served with, but not much about the combat.

In the next few weeks, two soldier stories will be told at Washington County Library.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, January 29 in Woodbury’s City Center Amphitheater, local author John Kriesel will discuss his book, “Still Standing”, as a part of the Library’s annual One County, One Book reading event, a time when county residents are all encouraged to read the same title and talk about it. 

SSG Kriesel was serving in Iraq in 2006 when he and two fellow soldiers were hit by a roadside bomb. His buddies died. Kriesel was gravely wounded, but survived despite losing both legs. Kriesel’s story is not just about the combat action that caused his wounds, but about the resiliency it took to survive.  He expresses gratitude for the quick action of fellow soldiers and the skilled medical care that kept him alive, together with the unqualified support of family and friends that kept him going.

Audience members will be inspired by Kriesel’s ability to deal with adversity, and his ability to move forward in life. Hear about his accomplishments following recovery, and find out what he’s doing now.    

Just a few days later, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 2 at the Park Grove Library in Cottage Gove, another event takes place — the performance of local folk singer and songwriter Charlie Maguire. Maguire has a soldier story, too. It’s a story about how a song that he wrote and performed became an inspiration to a young MN soldier. I read about it in an October 29, 2005 Star Tribune article by Doug Grow. It seems that the MN soldier first heard Maguire’s song “When’s That Train a-Coming?” when he was in grade school. While in Iraq, the MN soldier sang the song in tense times. It helped get him through.

I’m hoping Charlie Maguire will tell that “soldier story” to his audience on Feb. 2, and sing the song.

It’s important that soldier stories are told. You’re invited to hear these two stories first-hand. We can count ourselves extremely fortunate for the work of our soldiers and their sacrifices that help to keep us safe and free.

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

WHAT GIFT SHOULD I GIVE?

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I got to thinking about the best gift I’ve ever received, and I would have to put the gift of reading right up there at the top. As it happened, my one-year-older brother came home from school with his first Dick and Jane reader, and proudly displayed his newly acquired reading talents for my parents. To put it mildly, I was jealous.

I begged my Mom, “Teach me to read!” Empowered by her teaching degree and a word chart she attached to the handle of the refrigerator, my mother showed me how. It’s a skill I have put to good use for 60 years.

I would suggest that everybody can give the gift of reading. It’s not just teaching someone to read, but it can be reading stories to a small child, reading a book or selections from books to a parent or grandparent or neighbor, and more.

What grandparent or neighbor wouldn’t be delighted with a reading presented by a child:  a story read by a grade school student, a “first reader” read by a beginning reader, an original essay read by a high school student.  Make the event special with invitations and photos and treats to mark the occasion.

Children’s librarians at Washington County Library are promoting the five practices that are important first steps in teaching children to read: talk together, sing together, read together, write together, play together. And they are not just for parents! So if you have a little person in your life, any time is the right time to pump a child up with a pre-reading activity.

Starting 7 p.m. Thursday, November 29 at Hardwood Creek Library in Forest Lake and continuing around the County every Thursday during the month of December, guest story reader Timothy Claussen will be treating adults to short stories by Minnesota authors. Rediscover the joy of listening to great stories read aloud! Check the Library’s Events Calendar for a storytime near you – “Holiday Storytime for Grownups”.

The winter holidays sometimes evolve into a buying frenzy, but remember you can borrow books for free from the library and share them with the folks around you. You are not only sharing words and stories, but you are giving your time and attention, as well.

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

 

 

 

A Time to Read and a Time to Listen

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There are some good times to listen to (NOT READ!) a book…

  • You’re in a car headed to work, and it’s a half-hour drive. Or they’ve closed the Stillwater bridge, making your commute even longer.
  • You’re at home alone and you’re devoting your day to making a quilt. It’s hard to cut and pin and read, but it may be relaxing to have a story going on in the background to keep you company.
  • You find it difficult to hold a heavy book, but you’re anxious to know the story.

These times — and others– lend themselves to listening. And Washington County Library has just the tools to help.

Audio cassette tapes, they’re history.  But the library has a wonderful collection of books on CD. Some of my favorite LISTENS come to mind: “The Hobbit” by Tolkien; “White Oleander” by Janet Fitch; “Prodigal Summer” by Barbara Kingsolver; “Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress” by Dai Sijie. Many times I’ve been happily transported to another place and time while transporting myself to work. I can remember the narrators’ voices and recall their accents. The stories stay with me much longer than books I’ve read.

Listening to books on CD using a CD player is not your only choice. Downloadable eAudiobooks made available through OneClickdigital is another service the Library provides. Set up an account with OneClickdigital and you can checkout and download books to your computer or a portable listening device.

Getting to that book that you’ve always wanted to read just got easier. Don’t worry about those folks who say listening is not reading; listening has its advantages. Enjoy!

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

 

 

What Are You Going to Be?

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I was wondering. What are you going to be for Halloween? Most years I try to come up with a costume to wear to work. Most recently, I’ve been a witch, a clown, and a cowgirl. My grandchildren always ask what I’m going to be, but it’s a surprise until I show up at their door.

Having recently watched with great interest all four seasons of “The Tudors,” I would like to dress in the finery of Anne Boleyn, wearing a beautiful ball gown and flashing beautiful jewels. But, alas, I do not have the svelte figure necessary to carry that one off, nor the gown, nor the jewels! And considering the demise of Anne Boleyn, it might be a jinx on my longevity!

The costume will have to be something simple, something I can rustle up from closets and dresser drawers at home. But I will get some help from my Washington County Library.

These are just a few examples of titles I found using the Library’s catalog:

“Halloween Costumes” (Singer Sewing Reference Library)
“Creative Costumes & Halloween Décor: 50 Projects to Sew & Craft”
“The Halloween Handbook: 447 Costumes” by Clark
“A Halloween How-To: Costumes, Parties, Decorations, and Destinations” by Bannatyne

And don’t forget magazine articles. The Library’s Electronic References contain a treasure trove of information — available from a library location or remotely.

So? What will you wear? If you haven’t put on a costume in years, do it. Co-workers will smile, grocery store clerks will laugh, bankers will chuckle when they see you! People who never talk to you will say hello and start up a conversation. Makes my day!

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us

Book Club Kits Added at Washington County Library

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Fall is soon coming on with cooler temperatures. And with cool nights, there is nothing like hunkering down with a good book. Some individuals take it a step further, saying: “There’s nothing like reading a good book, and then discussing it with others!”

To that end, Washington County librarians have recently put together a new batch of book club kits. They are each a collection of 10 titles of the same book, along with a resource manual filled with tips for reading groups, some author information, and a set of discussion questions –  everything a reading group needs, except for the members!

Now I remember English IV with Mrs. Elaine Nelson at Gale-Ettrick High School in 1966. It was like pulling teeth to get a class of Senior English students to offer their opinions on a piece of literature that had been assigned.

My how that experience has changed for me, with age! Huh, put together in a room full of interested, grownup readers and watch what happens. You can’t STOP them from voicing their opinions!

It’s also gratifying to know that even with their whirlwind existence, grade schoolers and teens are getting together to read and discuss. (Hint/just one idea: the kits may be a useful tool for Scout groups working toward reading badges.)

One of the books chosen for this round of book club kits is “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot. It’s the story of a poor, black woman being treated for cancer at Johns Hopkins in the 50s. Cells removed from her cervix in a biopsy were cultured without permission. The cells replicated in a phenomenal, unexplained manner, and have become the basis for many studies, even to this day. Medical ethics will certainly be a topic of discussion when book clubs get together to discuss this title.

Other book club kits recently added to Washington County Library’s collection include: “The Hunger Games” by Suzanne Collins; “Maisie Dobbs” by Jacqueline Winspear; “State of Wonder” by Ann Patchett; “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova; and “Through No Fault of My Own” by Coco Irvine.

WCL circulates more than 130 book club kits, some with multiple copies. The selection includes fiction, nonfiction and juvenile titles, each with a loan period of 6 weeks. Enjoy!

 Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library.

Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us/library

Prince Charles in our outhouse!

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Yes, indeed, right on the wall inside our 2-holer, there was posted a magazine picture of Baby Prince Charles. Other than a few rolls of toilet paper and the picture, that was the decor. As I remember, the outhouse smelled like all outdoor facilities of that nature, and it was particularly odorous in the summertime.

I have fond memories of visiting the outhouse with my grandmother. The door was supposed to swing to the right, but it could only swing part way (heaved floor) and that did not allow for easy access. As a consequence, rarely did anyone occupy the hole behind the door. But when we two visited, GRAMMA always took the “inner” hole, with the picture on the wall in front of that space.  We always remarked about the picture. “What a pretty baby!” (My grandmother loved babies; she had had seven of her own, six who had grown into adulthood.) “Someday he will be King of England!”

This is certainly the year to spark this rather peculiar recollection of something English — no wonder, with all of the hoopla surrounding the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Summer Olympic games in London.

I know of several people making the journey across the pond this summer – most of them trying to avoid those events! But nonetheless, those happenings have been a part of our conversations.

For those of us not making the trip to England, the Washington County Library is an excellent alternative destination. And to fill your craving for all things English, there are excellent resources.

Some ideas:

  • Dig out that pretty tea pot and your finest linens (or the best you’ve got), serve yourself a proper cup of tea, and grab an English mystery. Some authors: Elizabeth George, Agatha Christie, P. D. James.
  • Or if you have small children to please, rustle up a tea set and some water, read a “tea story” like “Madeline’s Tea Party” (Marciano), and be prepared for lots of spills!
  • Find out about life as a servant in an English household: Read “Below Stairs: The Classic Kitchen Maid’s Memoir that Inspired ‘Upstairs, Downstairs’ and ‘Downton Abbey’” (Margaret Powell).
  • Research Stonehenge by reading “If Stones Could Speak” (Aronson, 2010), one of many titles available on the subject.
  • Watch “The Tudors” DVDs, a dramatic series about the reign and marriages of King Henry VIII.
  • Don’t forget the classic English tales by Dickens, Austen, Bronte, and more!

The list is endless. That should keep you busy. Why, with the hot weather, all one can manage is some reading and a trip to see your Mum, if you’re lucky enough to still have her.

Library Woman is Joey Halbach, Community Relations Librarian for Washington County Library. Contact her at: joey.halbach@co.washington.mn.us