Be Money Smart at the Library

 Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries. --Anne Herbert

Inflation is defined as the rate of increase in prices over a given period of time, and while most people can not do much about inflation, they can be money smart. Money Smart Week is a national public education program that empowers people with the knowledge and skills to make better-informed personal financial decisions. The American Library Association supports the program, which is scheduled for April 9-16, 2022, because the library is a great place to be money smart.

One of the most important reasons that the library is money smart is its location within the local community. A full tank of gas or more is not needed to make a trip to the local library. Programming is available for all ages at the library, from preschool story time to adult books clubs. Passive programming is also available at local libraries, including make-and-take crafts, drawings and guessing games for prizes, and handout activities to enjoy in the library or at home. One of the most advantageous programs for families is the Summer Library Program -- six weeks of free entertainment for the local community. With the sponsorship of local businesses, families can enjoy a variety of presenters and programs -- all free and all local -- at their community library. 

Not only is saving gas money a smart solution offered by the local library, but also saving money on books, DVDs, and other items available for checkout. Librarians love book stores as much as anyone who loves to read, but purchasing books during times of inflation might not be as important as buying groceries. (Some librarians might debate that point.) Why purchase the latest bestseller by your favorite author when you can check it out at the local library. And, if that bestselling book happens to be located at another library 40 miles away, it can be requested from home and delivered to your local library for pick up, usually within a week. The same is true for blockbuster movies, children's DVDs, and television series. Each month, libraries order the most current DVDs available. Another money smart solution for families is to trim the paid subscription services and check out the free collection at the local library.

Free is the best money smart option during times of inflation, such as free wifi at the local library. Almost everyone has some form of internet service at home, but an afternoon at the library provides the entire family an outing. Mom or Dad can read free board books with baby, while teens sit in comfy chairs enjoying a cool space to use their smartphones. Students can improve their reading skills with graphic novels, early readers, bilingual books, or the latest young adult series -- choosing the books they want to read. All of the above are money smart solutions for the entire family. With increased wifi speeds at CMRLS libraries, all residents are welcome to access the library's free databases  -- listening to downloads on Freegal, reading magazines on Flipster, or reading ebooks on cloudLibrary. 

While libraries might not solve the inflation issues facing families in our communities, we can offer money smart solutions. If you want to save gas money, enjoy free programs, and trim the family budget, the library is definitely a money smart start. 

National Library Week

 

National Library Week is this week, April 3 - 9. This is a time to celebrate and recognize our libraries, librarians, and all the great resources our library can offer. This year's theme is Connect with Your Library. This is a very fitting theme because that is what libraries do; connect people with other worlds, each other, the internet, and so much more. 

The Central Mississippi Regional Library System uses this week to recognize our local funding authorities and our loyal library patrons. There are many events taking place this week to celebrate National Library Week. 

There will be ribbon-cutting ceremonies to celebrate our new Little Free Libraries in Harrisville, Puckett, Pelahatchie, and Morton. There will be patron appreciation events all throughout our system. Visit our online calendar for the complete list of programs your library will be offering this week! 

The Power of Poetry

 "On January 20, 2021, Amanda Gorman became the sixth and youngest poet to deliver a poetry reading at the presidential inauguration. Taking the stage after the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden, Gorman captivated the nation and brought hope to viewers around the globe. Her poem, "The Hill We Climb: An Inaugural Poem for the Country" ...celebrates the promise of America and affirms the power of poetry.

--An excerpt from the book jacket of The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman

Most Americans watched as a young woman dressed in yellow as bright as sunshine stepped up to a podium and began to speak. For the following five minutes, the power of poetry entered into homes to fix the listener in rapt attention. The poet is Amanda Gorman, and the event was the presidential inauguration of Joe Biden. Despite all the pomp and circumstance that surrounded the inaugural festivities, poetry won the day and the heart of a country.

Therein lies the power of poetry -- to stir the soul, to soothe the heart, to embrace hope, and to empower the listener to respond or act. April is National Poetry Month, and according to the official website, it is the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K-12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, bloggers, and poets marking poetry's important place in our culture and our lives.

Throughout history, the power of poetry has been recognized by some of the world's most famous citizens. Plato stated that poetry is nearer to vital truth than history. Emily Dickinson said, "If I feel as if the top of my head were taken off, I know that is poetry." Edgar Allen Poe defined poetry as the rhythmical creation of beauty in words. Samuel Beckett described poets as philosophers of the intelligence of humanity, and Wallace Stevens said the poet is the priest of the invisible. 

The CMRLS libraries certainly understand the power of poetry in all its many forms. An initial search of the system's card catalog lists 2,376 item records. A more advanced search displays a variety of poetry subjects from A to Z, from Tennesse to Thailand, from birth to death, from Hiawatha to Helen of Troy. The library collection includes popular works by American poets, English poets, Irish poets, and Scottish poets, but also a broader global community of Portuguese, Chilean, Greek, and Korean. One can find poems to suit all moods and interests, emotions and experiences, celebrations and sorrows, passions and protests.

In his essay, A Defence of Poetry, Percy Bysshe Shelley wrote the following: The most unfailing herald, companion, and follower of the awakening of a great people to work a beneficial change in opinion or institution is poetry. At such periods, there is an accumulation of the power of communicating and receiving intense and impassioned conceptions respecting man and nature. The persons in whom this power resides may often, as far as regards many portions of their nature, have little apparent correspondence with the spirit of good of which they are ministers. But even while they deny and abjure, they are yet compelled to serve, the power which is seated at the throne of their soul. It is impossible to read the compositions of the most celebrated writers of the present day without being startled with the electric life which burns within their words.

And a present-day nation listened as the youngest poet ever to speak at a presidential inauguration startled her audience with the electric life which burned within her words...the power of poetry. 

Your Personal Readers' Advisory Librarian

 Have you ever been looking for your next book, but you don't know where to start?  What about finishing a series and you want another one like it?  You ask your friends.  You ask your librarian. Or maybe you don't want to ask because that last series you read was a a little risque and you don't want to admit how much you liked it.  Well, whatever the situation, we are here to show you how to find your next great read.  It's right at your fingertips at your library's website!

We're going to take you through this step by step and you are going to wonder where this wonderful tool has been all your life.  First, click on the link above and go to our website. 

Choose Explore  and then Novelist Plus  and then get ready to spend a little time doing what we like to call "book window shopping."  And make sure you've got your library card ready for the next step.

Type your library card number into the Patron ID box.  If you have any questions or problems with this step, call or visit your local branch.  Stop by if you don't have or have lost your library card too.  

Now that you're in, let's have some fun! Most of us have a favorite type of book that we like to read, so this is a great place to start.  Under the Recommended Reads List you can search by age and genre in fiction and non fiction.  There are even sub-genres for each one if you want to get more specific. 

There are also suggestions under I'm in the mood for books that are...  These are more specific and change periodically.  

Maybe you have a favorite author but have trouble keeping up with all of the books they have written or you can't remember the order of the books.  Just type in the name of the author in the search box on the home page and you can find all the answers you need.  Under the authors information you will see a list of their books.  Search by books and you can get them listed alphabetically or by date. Choose series and then you can see each series the author has written and the order of the books in it. This is great if you read anyone other than Janet Evanovich or Sue Grafton.  

Maybe you just finished an epic, life-changing series and are heartbroken because the next book isn't coming out for two years or worse is finished. You want to read another book or series like it ASAP. We've got you covered.  Search for the series on the home page and you will see that each book not only has Title Read-alikes but author and series also.  Plus, there are always suggestions listed on the right side of your screen.  There is bound to be something to help you out in one of those lists. 

 Here is a sample of a read-alike list.  You can even print it out and hand it to your favorite librarian along with your library card and just tell them to pick one and surprise you.  Who knows?  You might find your next favorite series.

If you are the independent type, you'll love this feature.  When you choose a book to see more about it, it tells you how many copies are available in our library system.  If you click on that blue box, it will take you right to our library system's online catalog so you can order a copy and have it sent to the library of your choice.  

Now one more thing before we finish up. If you get in this website and get lost and can't remember all of the wonderful books you found to read, this will be your best friend.  Go to the top and create an account.  Then, when you find a book you want to remember, click on the folder (where the arrow is pointing) and it will save it for you.  

So the next time you get on the Novelist Plus site, all you have to do is sign in and click on the folder in the top right corner and all those great books you want to read are right there waiting for you.  

We hope you will learn to love this site as much as we do.  It such an easy way to find your next book.  Happy reading!