By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

In December, we encouraged patrons to explore some of our new books by entering them into a drawing for reading titles that had not been previously checked out. Congratulations to the following winners:

• Adults: Sandy Mortensen, Camille Ellis, Teresa Kent, Sarah Langgaard, Trudy Rutledge  
• Youth: Ashley Keonen, Izzy Adams, Israel Adams, Henry Bloomquist  

Winners are reminded to visit the library to pick up their prizes.

Trivia Night

Attention, trivia lovers. It’s time to rally your team and sign up for the Friends of the Library Trivia Night on Saturday, Feb. 8. This thrilling event will take place at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. Dinner, expertly catered by The Cabbage Rose, begins promptly at 6 p.m., followed by the trivia competition at 7 p.m.

Don’t wait. Register your team by the deadline of Feb 3. Sign up online or visit the library to secure your spot for this exciting event. The cost is $35 per person, and teams can consist of up to eight members. Join us and show off your trivia skills.

Kids Programs 

Join Us for Preschool Story Hour. Every Friday at 10 a.m., we have a fun and engaging story hour just for preschoolers and their caregivers. Mark your calendar for Jan. 31, when our exciting theme will be clothes. We can’t wait to see you there.  

Have you heard about our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program? If you have a little one who hasn’t started preschool yet, this free program is perfect for you. It’s designed to help children build their language skills and get ready for reading by sharing 1,000 books before they enter kindergarten. If you’re interested in signing up, just ask at the library.

Also, don’t miss out on the hands-on STEM program presented by the Guthrie County ISU Extension. Join us after school on Thursday, Feb. 13, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Kids will enjoy a story and get to participate in some fun STEM activities all about “Color Creation.” We hope to see you there for a great time.

Clubs

Between the Covers Book Club will be meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 11, to discuss “The Phoenix Ballroom” by Ruth Hogan. “The Phoenix Ballroom” tells the inspiring story of a wealthy widow who decides to purchase a local landmark and in doing so, adds joy and meaning to her own life. Stop by the library to check out a copy of this engaging novel. 

If you missed the first meeting of the Evening book club, you can still participate. The group will be reading Abby Jimenez’s novel “Part of Your World” to discuss at their Feb. 25 meeting. “Part of Your World” is a romantic comedy novel with witty dialogue and warm characters. After a wild bed, a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich, and a cuddle with a baby goat, Dr. Alexis Montgomery has her world turned upside down by Daniel Grant, a ridiculously hot carpenter who’s 10 years her junior and as casual as they come. Stop in and check out a copy if you want to join the book club discussion. 

You’re invited to stop by and select a delightful recipe from the cookbook “Does This Taste Funny?” by Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert. Join us for our Cookbook Club meeting on Thursday, Feb. 20, at 6:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to explore unique dishes and share your culinary experiences with fellow enthusiasts. 

Additionally, we will be hosting a card-making class on the same day, Thursday, Feb. 20, from 9-11 a.m. All the necessary materials will be provided for a nominal fee of $5, allowing you to unleash your creativity and make beautiful cards to take home or share with friends and family.

For those who enjoy card games, our vibrant cribbage club meets every Monday morning from 9-11 a.m., where players of all skill levels are welcome to join in on the fun. Similarly, our bridge class takes place every Wednesday from 9-11 a.m. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a beginner looking to learn the ropes, we encourage newcomers to participate and enjoy the camaraderie of card playing.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette 

Here’s a newsflash that isn’t news to anyone who has stepped out of their front door recently —it’s cold. Not just chilly but rather cut-to-the bone, freeze-your-nostrils-shut kind of cold. When it gets this cold, my husband begins to share his dream of moving to New Zealand where the temperature averages around 70 degrees (and there are no snakes). No thanks. While I love the prospect of snake-free living, I would miss winter.

As I get older, I have really begun to reflect on what it is about the winter that I enjoy so much. Pristine, new-fallen snow has a magic that makes the world look fresh and new. Walking in the evening as snow falls gently has always made me feel like I was living inside a paperweight. So many of my favorite memories center around snow: Christmas morning when I was 5 and my brother was 4 and Santa’s sleigh tracks and reindeer hoof prints were in our front yard, riding in Grandpa Tallman’s horse drawn bobsled, my boys and I collecting falling snow to make snow ice cream. 

Years of teaching made me appreciate an unexpected snow day. Snow days felt like stolen vacations; I knew I had to make up the day later in the spring, but in that moment, there is no more glorious feeling to me than being given permission to just enjoy a day off.

I think that might be the crux of why I love winter so. The weather is giving me permission to slow down and enjoy life. Summer demands action — mowing, gardening, doing all those outside projects. Days are longer, so there’s more time to work. Winter expects nothing more than survival. I can enjoy the things that summer doesn’t allow — a roaring fire, hot chocolate, flannel sheets, lingering in bed to read a book, snuggling up on the couch to watch a movie.  

Scandinavian people get my love of winter. They embrace the season and even have a word for it. Hygge is the word that they use which roughly translates to coziness in English. Books have been written about this topic. Meik Wiking shares 10 principles of Hygge in his book “The Little Book of Hygge: The Danish Way to Live Well.” The principles are Atmosphere, Presence, Pleasure, Equity, Gratitude, Harmony, Comfort, Truce, Togetherness, and Shelter.  

We at the MJB Library encourage you to embrace the Scandinavian way of enjoying the winter months. We have so many things that can help you on your way to practice hygge. Stop in and check out some jigsaw puzzles or board games. Magazines are also available for check out.

Maybe you want to enjoy the time inside by watching a movie. Check out our selection of new DVDs which include “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” “Deadpool and Wolverine,” “It Ends with Us,” “Beetlejuice/Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Reagan,” “House of Dragons” and “Liones.” 

If cooking or baking comfort dishes is a way for you to deal with the cold, take a look at our extensive collection of cookbooks. Some of our popular new books include “Good Looking Cookin’ ” by Dolly Parton; “Nourish: Simple Recipes to Empower your Body & Feed your Soul” by Gisele Bundchen; “Big Bites: Wholesome, Comforting Recipes that Are Big on Flavor, Nourishment, and Fun” by Kat Ashmore; and “Yellowstone: the Official Dutton Ranch Family Cookbook” by Garial Gator Guilbeau. 

Light a candle, grab a blanket, pour a warm cup of tea and open a book that you checked out from the library. Ina Garten’s new book “Be Ready When Luck Happens – a Memoir” is on my to-be-read list. A few of our other new books include “More or Less Maddy: A Novel” by Lisa Genora; “The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store” by James McBride; “Where the Creek Bends” by Linda Lael Miller; “The Invisible Life of Addie Larue” by Victoria Schwab; and “The Wedding People” by Alison Espach.  

If you’re feeling brave enough to venture out in the cold, the library has cozy events planned. Our preschool StoryHour is embracing the cold weather at 10 a.m. on Friday mornings. The theme for Jan. 24 is Winter Animals. 

An evening book club will begin  with its first meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28. The first meeting is an organizational meeting to discuss how everyone would like the group to work and what they would like to read. We will also be passing out the first book that the group will discuss in February which is “Part of Your World” by Abby Jimenez. The group will meet the fourth Tuesday of the month at 5 p.m. Please contact the library if you are planning to come so that we will have enough materials. 

Friends of the Library’s fundraising Trivia Night will be Saturday, Feb. 8 at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. Get your team organized and be sure to sign up online or by calling the library. Tickets may be purchased at the library. The cost will be $35 per person. Teams may be up to eight persons. Dinner, which is catered by The Cabbage Rose, will begin at 6 p.m. with a trivia competition commencing at 7 p.m. Adult beverages will be available at a free will donation price. Sign up deadline is Feb. 3.

February’s Cookbook Club will feature “Does This Taste Funny? Recipes We Love” by Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert. Stop in and choose a recipe to share with the club when it meets on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6:30 p.m.  

Guthrie County/ISU Extension will present an after school STEM workshop on Thursday, Feb. 13 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Taylor Meeting Room. The program will be entitled “Color Creation.”

By Rich Wicks | Times Vedette

Join the fun Saturday, Feb. 8, as the Friends of the MJB Library is once again holding a Trivia Night at the Guthrie Center Activity Center with dinner at 6 p.m. followed by the trivia contest at 7 p.m. Teams of up to eight will compete to answer trivia questions from a variety of categories. Winners will receive a cash prize.

The cost is $35 per person, and adult beverages will be available for a freewill donation. Individuals in need of a team can leave their names and contact information at the library.

Come out to Trivia Night and show how much you know.

By Karen Kelly

 If you have stopped in the library lately, you might have noticed a new face. Lynda Menefee recently joined the library staff. She took this job because she loves reading, wants to meet new people, and wants the opportunity to work with children.

 After earning her bachelor’s degree in education at Northwest Missouri State, Lynda taught first and second grades in Perry for eight years. She then came to Guthrie Center where she taught fourth grade for a year before moving to first grade. Lynda retired after 35 years in Guthrie Center. After retiring, she missed being in the classroom, so she worked as a substitute and an associate.  

 Lynda has one son, AJ Menefee, whose family includes his wife, Jen; son, Quint (AJ Menefee V); and daughter, Sadie.  

 Lynda reads “a lot of books” and especially enjoys historical fiction about WWI and WWII as well as mysteries. Jan Karon is Lynda’s favorite author.  

 When asked what she enjoys about working at the library, Lynda said, “The people I work with and the people I’m meeting.” So far, her greatest challenge is “Checking out books, learning where things are located, and all the little things my co-workers do that no one is aware are being done.”

 Lynda said, “ I’m thankful for this library and how it’s such an active part of our community. Everyone has been so kind and patient as I’m training. It will take time, but I will keep trying to improve.” 

 “Lynda is an amazing addition to our team. She brings so much experience and knowledge that enhances our work environment. We’re so lucky to have her on board,” stated Library Director Jerri Hawkins.

 Clubs and Classes

The card-making class will meet from 9-11 a.m. to create unique, hand-made greeting cards. If you’re interested in participating, all the materials you need are provided for a $5 fee. 

 Cookbook Club will be sampling recipes from Tieghan Gerard’s book “Half-Baked Harvest Quick and Cozy” this month. Stop in and choose a recipe to prepare and bring to the meeting on Thursday, Jan. 16 at 6:30 p.m.

 Cribbage players will meet each Monday morning in the Taylor Meeting Room from 9-11 a.m. Bridge Club meets each Wednesday morning from 9-11 a.m. in the Taylor Meeting Room. Players of all skill levels are welcome to join. 

 The New Evening Book Club will meet for the first time on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. This book club is open to anyone who likes to read and is available at 5 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month. Our first meeting will be a chance to get to know each other and discuss 

administrative details like a name for the club, a meeting format and what we will be reading. The February book will also be handed out. If you’re interested, please call or message the library so we have enough books available. 

 Friends of the Library

Friends of the Library will meet Monday, Feb. 3 at 6:15 p.m. at the MJB Library to finalize plans for the Trivia Night Fundraiser which will be held Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. Teams may be up to eight people, and the cost is $35 per person. The cost includes dinner catered by Cabbage Rose. Dinner will begin at 6 p.m. with trivia commencing at 7 p.m. Alcoholic beverages will be available for a donation. Teams can sign up and get tickets at the MJB Library. 

 Kids Events

Preschool StoryHour meets each Friday at 10 a.m. for preschoolers of all ages and their caregivers. On Friday, Jan. 17, cold weather is the theme. Winter animals will be the topic for Jan. 24, and clothes will be the subject of the Jan. 31 storytime. 

 The Guthrie County/ ISU Extension will present an after-school STEM workshop entitled Color Creation on Thursday, Feb. 13 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. 

The featured quilt this month is on loan from Brenda Wickland. This quilt is special because Brenda finished it shortly before the fire that destroyed Jim and Brenda’s home and most of their possessions. Amid the ashes and rubble, they found this quilt. A symbol of resilience and a testament to the fact that blessings are found in unexpected places, the quilt is even more impressive in person. Stop in during January to enjoy it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The young people in the library made Valentine’s Day decorations and transformed the Christmas tree to a Valentine’s Day Tree. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This young man is hard at work on his project during the January STEM meeting.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Code across Iowa was the theme of the January STEM meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The STEM activities are some of the favorite activities at the library. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The participants worked hard on their STEM projects.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

After a couple of weeks disrupted by holiday breaks and winter weather, the library is back to normal hours and bringing some exciting programs to serve you in the new year. In the event that your New Year resolutions require some resources, the library is here to help you. We have books on topics related to better health, weight loss, time management, organization and hobbies. Did you get a new device for Christmas that you can’t figure out? We offer tech assistance by appointment. We have cribbage and bridge groups, a card-making club, and a cookbook club. Starting this month, we will offer both an afternoon and an evening book club. If your resolution is to spend time relaxing, the library offers a peaceful refuge to read new magazines, work on the community puzzle, or find some new authors.

The new year is a fun time to reflect, so here is some interesting library data. In 2024, the library checked out 12,619 materials, which included books, audiobooks, computers, a telescope, DVDs, CDs, hotspots, CD and DVD players and a portable screen. We had 1,495 patrons — 145 of those were new patrons and 138 were renewed patrons. In 2024, the library saved its patrons $580,495.

Our top five adult fiction books for the year were: 1. “The Women” by Kristin Hannah; 2. “The Teacher” by Frieda McFadden; 3. “Things We Never Got Over” by Lucy Score and “The Coworker” by Frieda McFadden; and 5. “Twisted Love” by Ana Huang.

The library’s top five non-fiction titles were 1. “Fast Like a Girl: A Woman’s  Guide to Using the Healing Power of Fasting to Burn Fat, Boost Energy, and Balance Hormones” by Dr. Mindy Pelz; 2. “The Situation Room: the Inside Story of Presidents in Crisis” by George Stephanopoulos; 3. “Lillian’s Legacy – Marriage and Murder in Rural Iowa a true story” by Guthrie Center native Carroll McKibbin; 4. “Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning” by Liz Cheney; and 5. “What Really Happens in Vegas: True Stories of the People Who Make Vegas, Vegas” by James Patterson.

The top five juvenile fiction books include the following titles: 1. “Love from Bluey”; 2. “On the Job, Rumble & Crew (Step into Reading)”; 3. “Pop-Up Peekaboo! Disney Princesses”; 4.  “The Smart Cookie”; and 5. “I Survived the Great Chicago Fire, 1871.”

Favorite young adult titles included 1. “If Only I Had Told Her” by Laura Nolin; 2. “American Royals” by Katharine McGee; 3. “A Thousand Boy Kisses: a novel” by Tillie Cole; 4. “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets” by J.K. Rowling; and 5. “A Court of Thorns and Roses” by Sarah J. Maas.

Our most checked-out DVDs are 1. “Yellowstone seasons 1-4”; 2. “Barbie; 3. Sound of Freedom”; 4. “Oppenheimer”; 5. “Yellowstone Season 5.” So if you find yourself wondering what to read or watch next, you might consider an option from these lists; 1,495 patrons can’t be wrong.

Trivia Night Details

Save the date and round up your teams. Friends of the MJB Library are sponsoring their annual Trivia Night Fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. The cost will be $35 per person. Teams may be up to eight persons. Dinner, which is catered by The Cabbage Rose, will begin at 6 p.m. with a trivia competition commencing at 7 p.m. Adult beverages will be available at a free will donation price. Teams can sign up and pay at the MJB Library.

Friends of the Library

January is the perfect time to join Friends of the Library. This group’s purpose is to support the library. Throughout the year, they run some fundraisers including the trivia night and the golf tournament to be able to financially support projects that the library is doing. Currently, Friends is helping to sponsor the Donor Tree Mural in the children’s area that Kelly Nielsen is painting. The cost of membership is $25 per year. The group meets on the first Monday of each month at 6:15 p.m. Call the library to join or come to the next Friends meeting on Monday, Feb. 3.

After School Programs

The Guthrie County/ ISU Extension will be presenting a STEM after-school workshop on Thursday, Jan. 9 from 3:30-4 p.m. in the library’s Taylor Meeting Room. The topic will be Code Across Iowa. The February STEM workshop will be on Feb. 13, and the theme will be Color Creation.

Cookbook Club

Cookbook Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 16 to share food from “Half Baked Harvest Quick and Cozy” by Teighan Gerard. If you want to participate in the Cookbook Club, stop by the library to select a recipe from this month’s cookbook. Prepare it and bring it to share with the group.

Book Clubs

The afternoon book club, Between the Covers, will meet on Tuesday, Jan. 14,  at 3 p.m. They will be discussing Katharine McGee’s “American Royals.” Copies are available to check out if you want to participate.

By popular demand, we are adding an evening book club in 2025. This group will meet on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. Our inaugural meeting will be Tuesday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. at the library. This meeting will be a planning meeting to determine organizational details such as a name for the group, the meeting format, and books to be read. We will also check out copies of the February book which will be “Part of Your World” by Abby Jimenez. If you would like to join us, please contact the library to sign up so we are sure to have enough copies of the book for everyone.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

It’s time to ring in the new year, and the MJB Library has exciting news. Amid all the flurry of New Year Resolutions, I’m going to propose a resolution for you, and I will give you a way to keep it. This year, your new resolution can be to read more books. 

In order to keep the resolution, you are officially invited to participate in the newest addition to the programs MJB Library offers — a book club that will meet later in the day. Our second book club will be the fourth Tuesday of each month and will run from 5-6 p.m. This club is open to teens and adults. The library will provide books for you to check out in advance, so there is no cost to participants. Our kick-off meeting will be at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 28 in the library’s Taylor Meeting Room. We look forward to seeing all of you then.  

Holiday hours

Patrons are reminded that the MJB Library will be closing at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31 for New Year’s Eve and will be closed on Jan. 1 for New Year’s Day.  

Festival of Trees

The MJB Library appreciates everyone who participated in our Festival of Trees. The trees were so impressive, and our patrons enjoyed the decorations. We ask that if you have a tree, please come in during our library hours the first week of January to take the tree down.  

Card Clubs

Cribbage Players meet every Monday morning from 9-11 a.m. Players of all skill levels are welcome. On Wednesday mornings from 9-11 a.m., Bridge Club meets. If you are an experienced bridge player or a novice, you are welcome to stop in and play. 

Friends of the Library

Anyone who is interested in supporting the Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library is invited to join the Friends of the Library group. The first meeting of the new year will be Monday, Jan. 6 at 6:15 p.m. The $25 yearly dues go toward the group’s fundraising efforts to assist with special projects. The primary topic of discussion will be the upcoming Trivia Night Fundraiser. 

Afterschool STEM Workshop

Guthrie County/ISU Extension Office will be sharing a STEM workshop for elementary and middle school age children on Thursday, Jan. 9 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. This workshop’s theme is Code Across Iowa. 

Between the Covers

Between the Covers Book Club will be meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. The January book, “American Royals”by Katharine McGee, is ready to be checked out, so stop in and pick up your copy.  

Preschool Storyhour

MJB Library Preschool Story Hour will meet each Friday beginning at 10 a.m. Preschool children of all ages and their caregivers are welcome.