By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

February is National Library Lovers’ Month, and we at Mary J. Barnett Library are working hard to give you a reason to celebrate. A huge cause for celebration is that we have had another young patron who finished 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. Blair reached her goal of reading 1,000 books before starting school.

Another reason to love the library is the after-school programs available to our elementary-age patrons. The Guthrie County/ISU Extension office presented a STEM workshop on Feb. 13. The topic of the activities was color connections. 

Upcoming events

Cribbage Players meet weekly at the MJB Library. They play each Monday morning from 9-11 a.m. On Wednesday mornings, Bridge Club meets from 9-11 a.m. each week. New players are encouraged and welcome to join the fun. 

Card-making club meets monthly to work on hand-crafted greeting cards. Led by Judi Zimmerline, this creative group works on the third Thursday of each month. Feb. 20, from 9-11 a.m. will be the next class. All materials are provided for a $5 fee. 

Cookbook club will be meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20. “Does This Taste Funny?” by Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert will be the source for February’s recipes. Anyone who would like to participate should stop by the library to select a recipe from the book to make for the meeting. 

MJB Library is excited to have two book clubs. Reads Well With Others evening book club will be meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. to discuss “Part of Your World” by Abby Jimenez. After a wild bet, a gourmet grilled-cheese sandwich and a cuddle with a baby goat, Alexis Montgomery has had her world turned upside down. The cause: Daniel Grant, a ridiculously attractive carpenter who is 10 years younger than her and as casual as they come — the complete opposite of sophisticated city-girl Alexis. And, yet, their chemistry is undeniable. This fast-paced romantic comedy will keep readers entertained. Copies are still available for checkout for anyone who would like to join.   

Between the Covers book club which meets at 3 p.m. will be reading “The Secret Book of Flora Lea” by Patti Callahan Henri. This historical fiction novel centers around Hazel and her sister, Flora. When Hazel stumbles across a mysterious children’s book, long-held secrets about her missing sister Flora and their childhood spent in the English countryside during WWII are revealed. 

Preschoolers and their caregivers are invited to join us for Story Hour at the MJB Library each Friday morning beginning at 10 a.m. Parents and caregivers of preschool-age children are also reminded to sign up for the free program 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, intended to help children with reading readiness by reading 1,000 books before they start school. 

The MJB Library gives a big shout-out to Blair for reading 1,000 books before kindergarten. She is showing off her new T-shirt and one of her favorite books.

Ainsley and Merrick are pictured here working on their project at the STEM workshop on Feb. 13.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

February is National Library Lovers’ Month, and MJB Library is giving you plenty of reasons to love our library. Last Saturday, Guthrie Center Friends of the Library hosted their annual Trivia Night competition. Team Buzz Kill edged out Team Rolling with Mahomies (clearly, it was a rough weekend for all associated with Mahomes).  

Youth Programming

The Guthrie County ISU Extension will be presenting an after school STEM program on Thursday, Feb. 13 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. for elementary age youth. Preschool story hour continues each Friday, beginning at 10 a.m.  

Adult Activities

Card making club will meet from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20. All supplies are provided for the $5 fee. Cookbook club will be sampling recipes from Stephen Colbert and Evie McGee Colbert’s cookbook “Does This Taste Funny?”Individuals who would like to attend are encouraged to stop by the library to choose a recipe to share at the meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 20. 

The Evening Book Club got off to a great start with 17 in attendance. The group has chosen the name Reads Well With Others for their book club moniker. The next meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m. Stop by the library to check out a copy of “Part of Your World” by Abby Jimenez, which is our book to discuss. 

We are the Champions! The Buzz Kills took the 2025 Trivia Night Championship. The Team consists of, front row: Jackie Willms, Kari Laughery Bradley, Kaylie Laughery, Shaun Finnegan and Karter Laughery. Back row, Payden Willms, Daine Needham and Kevin Laughery.

Pregame strategies are discussed.

Rolling with Mahomies came in second with the team of Mike Underwood, Cara Underwood, Brenda Rumelhart, Melia VanMeter, Jennifer Danker, Rod Rumelhart and Shaun Danker. Both of the top two teams donated their winnings back to the Friends of the Library.

The Range Goats team, AKA as the Hawkins family, looks frustrated that the quiz master guarded the questions so closely.

Practicing for our Jeopardy Appearance Team has mixed reviews about the team’s progress.

Library Director and Trivia Quiz Master Jerri Hawkins ran the trivia questions for the evening.

The Google Queens debate an answer.

Shaun Finnegan is all smiles as his team takes the lead.

Dinner, catered by Cabbage Rose, was served before the trivia contest.

Dinner was a great social time for everyone at Trivia Night.

Trivia night participants read and deliberate the questions before deciding on an answer.

Friends of the Library President Vicki Crannel presided over the beverages at Trivia Night.

The Brilliant Blasters relax after choosing their answer.

Kelly Bast of the Brilliant Blasters explains why he thinks his answer is the right one.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

February isn’t just about Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day; it’s also National Library Lovers’ Month. This month presents countless opportunities to celebrate the invaluable services and resources our library offers to the community.

Why not take time this February to read a book set in or about a library? During National Library Lovers’ Month, immerse yourself in one of our diverse programs designed for patrons of all ages. Set aside a day to explore the library — admire our curated displays, engage with our community jigsaw puzzles, cozy up by the fire with a newspaper, or lose yourself in our extensive book collection. Consider joining the Friends of the Library or find other meaningful ways to support this cherished institution. You might even want to create a bucket list of special libraries you’d love to visit in the future.

In this age of technology, many people mistakenly think the library is obsolete, but to the contrary. The local library is more relevant than ever. In this time of economic stress, the library provides so many free resources. We have families who saved between $5,000 and $6,000 in the last fiscal year by using library resources rather than purchasing everything. For myself, I saved $578 during that last fiscal year, and that does not count the 30-plus audiobooks I borrowed from Libby, which were also free with my library card.

The library has a vast selection of adult, children and young adult fiction and nonfiction. We also have read-along books and children and adult audiobooks. The collection of movies and series on DVD is extensive. If you need something new for a family night, we offer a huge selection of board games for children and families, as well as jigsaw puzzles that may be checked out. We have a telescope, cake pans, DVD projectors and screens available for checkout. iPads and the Nintendo Switch are popular things to check out for in-library use.

The library has a small meeting room if you need a quiet place to work, hold a small meeting or a Zoom call; the small meeting room is open during regular library hours and is free. There is also a large meeting room that can be reserved for events and meetings; the meeting rooms may be reserved online.

We have a lot of activities happening at the library. Preschool story hour, which takes place each Friday morning at 10 a.m., is open to all ages of preschoolers and their caregivers. Feb. 7, the topic will be love.

The Friends of the Library are sponsoring their annual Trivia Night at the Activity Center. Dinner, which begins at 6 p.m., will be catered by Cabbage Rose. The trivia competition will start at 7 p.m. Teams may be up to eight people, and the cost is $35 per person.

Between the Covers Book Club will meet on Feb. 11 at 3 p.m. to discuss “The Phoenix Ballroom” by Ruth Hogan. Copies are still available to check out for those who wish to attend.

After-school STEM activities presented by the Guthrie County ISU Extension will be Thursday, Feb. 13 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Color Creation will be the theme of the activities.

The first meeting of the evening book club was an exciting group of book lovers who seemed open to reading a lot of new things. The group chose the name Reads Well with Others for our group. The first book, “Part of Your World” by Abby Jimenez, is available for checkout at the library. If you missed the first meeting, feel free to jump in and join us on Tuesday, Feb. 25 at 5 p.m.

Craft time is a popular part of story hour. Last week, each person painted and decorated a pair of mittens.

Library Director Jerri Hawkins enjoyed a chance to read to the group gathered for story hour last week.

The story hour crowd loved the book called “The Naked Mole Rat.”

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.

Stop by the MJB Library to look at Donna Benton’s display of her cardinal collection. The collection will be on loan to the library through the end of February.

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.