Spring poetry

April is National Poetry Month … and it’s also the month spring hits Oklahoma in earnest (although after yesterday, we are kind of wondering about that.)

The cheery tulips in our front flower bed made us think of this poem by William Carlos Williams, an American poet from New Jersey:

The Tulip Bed

The May sun–whom
all things imitate–
that glues small leaves to
the wooden trees
shone from the sky
through bluegauze clouds
upon the ground.
Under the leafy trees
where the suburban streets
lay crossed,
with houses on each corner,
tangled shadows had begun
to join
the roadway and the lawns.
With excellent precision
the tulip bed
inside the iron fence
upreared its gaudy
yellow, white and red,
rimmed round with grass,
reposedly.

How does your garden grow?

If you’re like me, this lovely spring weather has you itching to get out into the dirt – whether your taste runs to vegetables, flowers or herbs, there’s nothing like the satisfaction of growing things! And luckily for you, we have a fabulous collection of books to cover all your garden needs.

Need to know when to plant bulbs for next spring? How to prune your roses? Best vegetables to grow in containers? How to keep pests out of your prize tomatoes?

Guess what? You’re right … we have books for that. Here’s just a sampling of titles available:

The American horticultural society encyclopedia of gardening
The 20 minute vegetable gardener
The beginner’s guide to vegetable gardening : everything you need to know
The big book of gardening skills
Big ideas for small gardens
The book of gardening projects for kids : 101 ways to get kids outside, dirty, and having fun
Carrots love tomatoes: Secrets of companion planting for successf
The complete shade gardener
The handy garden answer book
The herb gardener: A guide for all seasons
Indoor gardening the organic way
Lasagna gardening: A new layering system for bountiful gardens1,001 old-time garden tips: Timeless bits of wisdom on how to grow everything organically, from the good old days when everyone did

See even more titles at our online catalog! And stop by soon to check out your favorites.

 

Hey! There’s a grocery store in the library!

A very special ribbon cutting with staff of the
Thomas J Harrison Pryor Public Library.

Why is there a grocery store in the library, you ask? Because it’s fun … and educational. This wooden grocery store set up (complete with all kinds of realistic food, a cash register, play money, and even a credit card!) is from Lakeshore Learning, a company that sells “products designed with learning in mind,” and it’s part of our library’s continuing effort to promote literacy. You see, this may look like a fun toy, but it’s actually an Early Childhood Literacy Center. This type of imaginative play encourages the skills children need to get ready to learn to read, as well as other skills that will help them succeed in life. For small children, work is play and there is a lot of learning that goes on in learning centers!

Public libraries are the only government-funded educational centers where service is available to all children free of charge. Everyone is welcome to drop by the library and see the wonderful things going on in the children’s area … but please do not disturb the smallest patrons who are hard at work in the Early Childhood Literacy Center.

Jackson was one of the first children to explore some the new things in the children’s area – from the look of concentration on his face, we think he approves!

Happy Birthday to Pride & Prejudice!

Jane Austen

Pride & Prejudice turns 200 today, and we think it’s looking pretty good for its age! Filled with Jane Austen’s razor-sharp wit and keen eye for the absurd, it remains as well-loved today as it ever was, spawning adaptations ranging from the stage to film … and now a webseries! There are even Jane Austen graphic novels and Jane Austen zombie mash-ups. Below are just a few of our favorites.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: In this webseries adaptation, Lizzie Bennet is a vlogging grad student, living with her sisters Jane and Lydia, her marriage-obsessed mother and mostly absent father. Told mostly in 4-6 minute episodes and accompanied by real-time character tweets and other social media activity, it has a huge fanbase and has been attracting lots of positive press. (Check out this article from The Guardian!) Start with the first episode:

 

Pride & Prejudice & Zombies, by Seth Grahame-Smith: The first line of this clever mashup says it all: it is a truth universally acknowledged that a zombie in possession of brains must be in want of more brains. Now doesn’t that make you want to read more?

 

Jane’s Fame: How Jane Austen Conquered the World, by Claire Harman: a thoughtful look at Austen’s impact on the world, focusing more on Jane the author than on the biographical details covered so well in other sources.

Welcome to our virtual library!

If you have an ereader, computer, tablet, or smart phone and you’re not taking advantage of our virtual library to check out completely free ebooks, audiobooks, and music  … then what are you waiting for? Here’s what you need to know to get started.

First, go to our online library website, OK Virtual Library. To log in, click on “account.”

To select our library from the list of participating libraries, click on the arrow by “select library” and choose the Thomas J. Harrison Pryor Public Library from the list.

If you have a library card, type the card number (found on the back of your card) in the top box. Your PIN is automatically set as your last name (all lower-case.) If you don’t have a card, bring a photo ID and proof of address to the library and we’ll have you fixed up within minutes! If you have a card but it won’t let you log in, call us at 918-825-0777 or shoot us a facebook message or email.

Now you’re logged in! Click on “menu” to see categories of materials, or type titles, authors or subjects in the search box. If you get stuck or have problems  getting items to work with your device, there’s useful information under the “help” icon. And of course, you can always contact us and we’ll do our best to get you set up and reading.

 

 

It’s the most wonderful time of the year

And that means some great holiday programs at your library!

Tomorrow, December 6th, stop by for cookies before the Christmas parade. The parade starts at 7:00 pm, and our front lawn is a great place to see all the action! While you’re here, feel free to take advantage of our free wifi… and of course, all the free books, movies, magazines, and other great things we have to offer. If you don’t currently have a library card, just bring a photo ID and proof of address, and we’ll fix you right up.

For toddlers (and their caregivers) we have special holiday-themed Saturday storytimes on December 8th, 15th, and 22nd, at 10:00 am. And don’t forget our regular storytimes on Wednesdays, also at 10:00 am.

On Monday December 17th, we’ll the hosting “Christmas, Chocolate and Cookies” – a fun night of games and food. Bring a $5 gift for Dirty Santa and 4 dozen cookies for the cookie exchange. We’ll provide snacks!

Book review: The Future of Us

The Future of Us

by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler

Young adult fiction

What if your teenage self could have seen what your life would be like as an adult? What if the future you saw was unhappy … would you try to change your destiny?

Popular young adult authors Asher and Mackler team up to create a book almost irresistible in its premise: it’s 1995, and teens Emma and Josh are exploring the internet for the first time when they run into something they’ve never heard of … something that hasn’t even been created yet. It’s Facebook, and it’s showing them their lives 15 years in the future. Who they’re married to, how many children they have, where they vacation, whether they’re happy or unhappy.

Josh is thrilled by his future with the hottest girl at school, but Emma’s future doesn’t look so rosy. When the pair discover that every choice they make in the real world has the potential to change their futures, Emma tries to see if she can improve her future self’s chance at happiness.

But it’s not that easy, and it’s driving Josh away. Is Emma willing to pay that price?