By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

Lent, the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, is a time of self-sacrifice, reflection and prayer in preparation for the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus. Many people choose to sacrifice or give up things for Lent. Sometimes the sacrifice is a favorite food like chocolate, meat or desserts; or bad habits that may involve gossiping, drinking alcohol or soda; or fun activities that may include social media, shopping or watching TV.  

When I was in junior high school, I had a friend who gave up peas for Lent. I asked if it was his favorite food, to which he replied, “Nah, I hate them. I just needed to find something that I could successfully give up for 40 days.” Sometimes, I guess we just need a win.  

Reading is the one thing I have never heard of anyone giving up for Lent. So this Lenten season, regardless of your sacrifice or your motives, consider using your extra time to engage in some self-care and spend a bit of time with a good book. 

Consider one of our new books, “Growing Slow: lessons on un-hurrying your heart from an accidental farm girl.” This book reflects on how learning to “grow slow” can improve one’s life. Following the rhythms of the natural growing season, “Growing Slow” will help you to find the true relief that comes when you stop running and start resting in Jesus; to embrace the small, good things already bearing fruit in your life; and to engage in slow growth through reflection and simple steps. 

“Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting off your Boots” by Reba McEntire shares what the author values in her life. This book includes photographs from Reba’s childhood, career and personal life; never-before-told stories from rodeoing with her family to pranks with Brooks & Dunn; behind the scenes anecdotes from her career, with inspiration on following your own passions; more than 60 recipes from Reba’s kitchen and her restaurant; and lighthearted lifestyle tips. 

Come in and browse, as we are sure to have a book that will interest you. If your family gave up phone time for Lent, check out our ever-growing collection of jigsaw puzzles or take home a board game to fill the void and promote some quality family time.

Story Hours

Miss Cass has some special fun planned for our preschool Story Hours in March. On March 8, the theme is alphabeasts and kids will do an animal alphabet craft. Miss Iowa, Alyssa Goethe, will be our guest for Story Hour on March 15. We’ll be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day on March 22. March 29 will be centered around Easter. Preschool Story Hour is each Friday at 10 a.m.  

Book Club

Between the Covers book club will be meeting Tuesday, March 12, to discuss “Killing the Legends: the Lethal Danger of Celebrity” by Bill O’Reilly. The library has copies available to check out for those who would like to participate in the book club.

Lunch and Learn

If you haven’t already signed up for the March 13 Lunch and Learn, call or go online today to pre-register. Farm Bureau and Erin Swalwell from Advanced Markets are presenting Changing Hands: Practical Tips in Farm Estate and Succession Planning. This session will provide education and resources for farm families planning to transition the farm to the next generation, in addition to basic real estate and business succession strategies. If your farm may be changing hands in the next five, 10 or 15 years, this session is one you won’t want to miss. The lunch and learn will take place from noon to one with a light lunch provided. Pre-register by calling the library, clicking on the website calendar event, or emailing the library at mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us.

STEM Program

Monday, March 18, the Guthrie County ISU Extension will present a STEM program from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Taylor Meeting room. The program will feature spring-themed STEM activities for elementary-aged children. 

History of Farming program

On Tuesday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m., the Living History Farms will be presenting a program at the MJB Library about the History of Farming in Iowa. Learn how agriculture has evolved over the past several centuries in Iowa, from Native American farmers to 1850s settlers to the golden age of horse-powered farming. Photographs from the museum’s historic working farms will highlight the changes in what was grown on an Iowa farm, what tools and power were necessary, and the impact on farming families. Sign up online or by calling or emailing the library as we have a 50-person limit for this special event. 

Cookbook Club

“Big Bites: Wholesome, Comforting Recipes that Are Big on Flavor, Nourishment, and Fun” by Ashmore will be the source for the recipes that will be samples at cookbook club on Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. If you would like to participate, stop in the library to sign up for a recipe. Bring your dish and your appetite and come to the cookbook club to discuss the merits of this month’s selection. 

Clubs

Cribbage meets every Monday from 9-11 a.m. in the Taylor Meeting Room while the bridge class is every Wednesday from 9-11 a.m.  Card-making class is the third Thursday of each month from 9-11 a.m.; March card-making class is March 21.  Card-making class charges a $5 fee for supplies. 

April Events

Mark your calendar for a fun and informative program at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2. Joan Wells and Kris Simon will be presenting Up the Nebraska Cattle Trail and Songs of the West as part of the Speakers Bureau Living History Program. Wells and Simon will share the story of cattle drives on the Western Trail from Texas to Nebraska while sharing the origin of Western music and singing the songs of the early day cowboys. Be ready to learn some history and enjoy some bluegrass music.

The Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library is located at 400 Grand St. in Guthrie Center. Contact us at 641-747-8110 or mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us. Visit us online at www.guthriecenter.lib.ia.us.

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

With the unseasonably warm weather, the staff at MJB Library has begun to think about summer. More specifically, we are thinking about the summer reading program, which will have the theme Read, Renew, Repeat. As we look forward to the upcoming events of our summer, we have been reflecting on the fantastic participation we had last summer and the fun we had.

One of the highlights of our summer reading program was the finale, which was the foam party followed by pizza and prizes afterward. Our library is grateful for all the groups that support these events. Communities 4 Children: Audubon, Carroll, Greene and Guthrie County is an organization that supports our reading program through grants. Our foam party, many of the books and prizes were possible through funds received through Communities 4 Children and Community Partnerships for Protecting Children Neighborhood/Community Network Mini-Grant.

New books

Thanks to an ALA LTC grant, we are able to purchase more new large print books. We will be getting new titles each month that will include Inspirational/Amish books, thrillers, cozy mysteries, westerns and best sellers. Stop in and see our new titles.

Fans of psychological thrillers might be interested in the new books from author Frieda McFadden. McFadden’s fast-paced dark and twisty books are hard to put down and harder to predict. “The Housemaid” and “The Housemaid’s Secret” have been flying off the shelf, so we added “The Coworker” and “The Teacher.”

Another anxiously anticipated thriller that is available now is “The Fury” by Alex Michaelides. This masterfully paced thriller is about a reclusive ex-movie star and her famous friends whose spontaneous trip to a private Greek island is upended by a murder — from the No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of “The Silent Patient” and “The Maidens.”

From celebrated New York Times bestselling author Steve Berry comes the latest Cotton Malone adventure, in which Cotton unravels a mystery from World War II involving a legendary lost treasure, worth billions, known as Yamashita’s Gold. “The Atlas Maneuver” is ready to check out.

Readers hooked on the Joe Pickett series, come in for the latest in the series entitled “Three-Inch Teeth.” Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett faces two different kinds of rampaging beasts — one animal, one human — in this riveting new novel from No. 1 New York Times bestseller by C.J. Box.

Friends of the Library

Friends of the Library will be meeting on Tuesday, March 5 at 6:15 p.m. If you have an interest in supporting the growth of our library, please consider joining us. Yearly dues are $25.

Adult programs

MJB has much to offer adults in the way of programming. Each Monday, the Cribbage Club meets from 9-11 a.m. while the Bridge Club meets at the same time each Wednesday.

Between the Covers book club will meet at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12 to discuss Bill O’Reilly’s book “Killing the Legends: The Lethal Danger of Celebrity.” Copies are available to check out at the library. Cookbook Club will meet Thursday, March 21 at 6:30 p.m. to sample recipes and discuss “Big Bites: Wholesome, Comforting Recipes that Are Big on Flavor, Nourishment, and Fun” by Kat Ashmore. Be sure to stop at the library to choose your recipe to bring to the meeting.

The next Lunch and Learn is Wednesday, March 13 from noon to 1 p.m. The Farm Bureau and Erin Swalwell from Advanced Markets will present the program entitled: Changing Hands: Practical Tips in Farm Estate and Succession Planning. A light lunch will also be served. Be sure to call or go online to pre-register for this valuable event.

Living History Farms will present History of Farming in Iowa on Tuesday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m. Learn how agriculture has evolved over the past several centuries in Iowa. Photographs from the museum’s working farms will highlight the changes in what was grown on an Iowa farm, what tools and power were necessary, and the impact on Iowa farming families.  Space is limited to 50 people, so be sure to call the library to get registered for this event right away.

Bluegrass music lovers should mark their calendars for Tuesday, April 2.  At 1 p.m., a program will feature Cattle Trail and Songs of the West.

The Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library is located at 400 Grand St. in Guthrie Center. Contact us at 641-747-8110 or mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us. Visit us online at www.guthriecenter.lib.ia.us.

Our 2023 summer reading program kids had a fantastic time at the summer reading program finale as they played in the foam. Funds received through Communities 4 Children and Community Partnerships for Protecting Children/Neighborhood/Community Network Mini-Grants.

Friends of the Library Trivia night was a huge success. The first-place team, Brilliant Blasters, generously donated their winnings back to the Friends of the Library.

The Crazy Old Farts team took second place in the Friends of the Library Trivia Night. The team helped the fundraising by donating their winnings back to the Friends of the Library.

Special to the Times Vedette

Guthrie County Hospital (GCH) welcomes Dr. Austin Bancroft, who will be providing ear, nose and throat (ENT) services starting in March 2024.

Dr. Bancroft completed his otolaryngology (ENT) residency at Michigan State University and his doctorate of osteopathic medicine at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences. He will provide services for pediatrics and adults, including examination, diagnosis and treatment of issues with the ears, nose and throat.

Bancroft will be consulting with patients and performing surgeries. He will be accepting new patients beginning in March 2024. For more information on this service or to schedule an appointment, contact the GCH Specialty Clinic at 641-332-3900.

Merrick and Ainsley Schreiber show off the puzzle they finished at the Mary J Barnett Library.

Special to the Times Vedette

February is the month of Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day and Presidents’ Day. Even bigger than these events, February is Library Lovers Month. It is unclear if there is a sponsor of Library Lovers Month, but there are a lot of reasons to be a library lover.

Libraries, contrary to popular fallacies, are not obsolete. In fact, the modern public library is more vital and important than ever before. Libraries have moved from being just a place to borrow books to community hubs.

People frequent the public library for many reasons besides checking out books, though that is still an important and vital service we provide. In addition to best sellers, cookbooks, children’s books, graphic novels, fiction and nonfiction books, patrons can check out magazines, DVDs, audiobooks, board games, cake pans, candy molds, video games, puzzles, Wi-Fi Hotspots and more.

In addition to the materials we have on our shelves, library patrons can access books from libraries across the state through SILO loans. Libby (Bridges) is an app that anyone with a library card can download on their devices; with this app, patrons can borrow more than 50 magazine titles, electronic books and audiobooks. Libby provides thousands of children’s, young adult, and adult books of every genre. Readers who use Libby ebooks can adjust the size of the text as well as the light settings. Using audiobooks, patrons can change the playback speed or set a sleep timer. Using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto support, audiobooks can be enjoyed in the car. Best of all, Libby (Bridges) is completely FREE to patrons with a library card, which is also free.

Educational opportunities are available at the library. We provide several after-school programs for young people. Working with the Guthrie County Extension, the library provides STEM workshops after school. For young people who enjoy creative opportunities, Boredom Busters provides a chance to make creative projects each month. The next Boredom Busters will meet on Wednesday, March 20 at 3:30 p.m.

The library also provides maker space activities and STEM kits from the library’s STEM cart for use by young patrons. Coloring pages are also always available. We have two educational computers for children as well as iPads for checkout. Nintendo Wii and Nintendo Switch game systems are available for use in the library.

For preschoolers, there is weekly story time each Friday at 10 a.m. Little people and their caregivers can join us for stories and crafts weekly. The library offers an extensive collection of picture books and board books geared toward preschoolers. We also have toys and puppets that can be used in the library.

We have a large number of Vox “Books that Talks” and Wonderbooks available for checkout. These books are books combined with an audiobook. Children may enjoy the audiobook alone or read along with the audio. These require no internet connection, have adjustable volume, and universal headphone jacks. We also have a large selection of Playaway audiobooks in our juvenile fiction section. These self-contained audiobooks run on batteries, require no internet and can be used with headphones or in the car using an auxiliary cord.

In addition, all kids from preschool to eighth grade are invited to participate in our Summer Reading Program during the month of June this summer.

For adults, we offer cribbage each Monday morning from 9-11 a.m. and bridge each Wednesday from 9-11 a.m.. On the third Thursday of each month, the card-making club meets from 9-11 a.m. There is a $5 fee to cover the cost of all the materials. The next class will be March 21. Cookbook Club meets the third Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. Book Club meets the second Tuesday of each month at 3 p.m. The March 12 book, “Killing the Legends: The Lethal Danger of Celebrity” by Bill O’Reilly, is available for checkout.

Lunch and Learn, held the second Wednesday of each month, offers educational information, a light lunch, and social time with other adults. The March Lunch and Learn will be from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 13, and will feature a presentation by the Farm Bureau.

We offer educational programs for adults also. Our next program will be Tuesday, March 19 at 5:30 p.m. Presented by Living History Farms, this program will be about the history of farming. Pre-registration is appreciated.

Technical support is available with an appointment. We can help with portable devices and apps. The library has computers available to use as well as printing, faxing and laminating services available for a minimal fee.

Friends of the Library meet next on March 5 at 6:15 p.m. This is a great opportunity to get involved in promoting the library and also provides social time. They will be sponsoring a Trivia Night Fundraiser on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. The catered meal from The Cabbage Rose will be served at 6 p.m., and trivia will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets may be purchased for $35 at the library. Teams may have up to six members. Alcohol will be available for a free-will donation.

Many folks stop into the library just for a change of scenery or to socialize. A jigsaw puzzle is always started; newspapers and magazines are available to read. We have cozy spaces to read or study. Coffee is available, and the Wi-Fi is free.

We are constantly working to add new programs and services for the benefit of our patrons. In 2022, our patrons checked out 7,633 items while in 2023, 9,750 items were checked out from the MJB Library. It seems like patrons love our library. If you haven’t been here in a while, please stop by and see all that we have to offer. After all, it is Library Lovers Month! 

These earnest youngsters are waiting to try out the catapults they constructed during the February STEM activity at the MJB Library.

Using the catapult that she made during the STEM after-school activity, Hadley Knobbe attempts to knock over this pyramid of cups with a Valentine’s Day candy heart.

The storytime craft was making paintings of hearts using a stamp made from a cardboard tube. Some of the stamped paintings were enhanced by finger painting as well.

Special to the Times Vedette

MJB Library is working on adult programs for the upcoming months. Living History Farms will be presenting “The History of Farming in Iowa” on March 19 at 5:30 p.m. Learn how agriculture has evolved over the past several centuries in Iowa, from Native American farmers to 1850s settlers to the golden age of horse-powered farming. Photographs from the museum’s historic working farms will highlight the changes in what was grown on an Iowa farm, what tools and power were necessary, and the impact on farming families. Pre-registration is appreciated. Sign up on the library website or by calling the library.

Habitat for Humanity Home

Heart of Iowa Habitat program, which serves Boone, Greene and Guthrie Counties, is recruiting for a house built in 2025. See the poster on the library bulletin board for additional information. A brochure and application may be picked up from the information shelves in the library’s entryway.

Lunch and Learn

Wednesday, Feb. 14, the Guthrie County Extension Office will be sharing information about their Spend Smart Eat Smart program. The program and light lunch will start at noon. On Wednesday, March 13, the Guthrie County Farm Bureau will be presenting at the monthly Lunch and Learn. The presentation runs from noon to 1 p.m. A light lunch will be provided. Pre-registration is required for both events.

Trivia Night

Friends of the Library will be sponsoring the second annual Trivia Night Fundraiser. Organized to raise money to support the Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library, the event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 24. The evening will begin at 6 p.m. with dinner catered by the Cabbage Rose followed by trivia at 7 p.m. Trivia Night will be at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. Tickets are on sale now at the library for $35 per person, including dinner and games. Adult beverages will be available for a free-will donation.

Between the Covers

The March book club book will be Bill O’Reilly’s “Killing the Legends: The Lethal Danger of Celebrity.” Book club will meet on Tuesday, March 12 at 3 p.m. Copies are available for checkout.

After School Program

Boredom Busters will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 21, at 3:30 p.m. to make some exciting craft projects. All youth are welcome.

Story Time

Preschool Story Time is each Friday at 10 a.m. On Friday, Feb. 16, the theme will be art. R is for Reading will be the topic of the morning on Feb. 23.

Preschool Story Time is each Friday at 10 a.m. On Friday, Feb. 16, the theme will be art. R is for Reading will be the topic of the morning on Feb. 23.

Jerri Hawkins shared her collection of Cherished Teddies and special teddy bears with the MJB Library. The collection will be on loan to the library through February.

The Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library is located at 400 Grand St. in Guthrie Center. Contact us at 641-747-8110 or mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us. Visit us online at www.guthriecenter.lib.ia.us.

During February, we have some books and movies reflecting Black excellence in America available for check out.

Special to the Times Vedette

February is Black History Month, which began in 1925 when Carter G. Woodson and the organization he founded, the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History (ASNLH), conceived and announced Negro History Week. Woodson’s intent was to raise awareness of African Americans’ contributions to civilization. The event was first celebrated in February 1926 during a week that encompassed the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. During the bicentennial in 1976, President Gerald R. Ford expanded the observation to a month. The theme for 2024 is African Americans and the arts.

MJB Library has several displays to highlight Black History Month. There is a display featuring biographies of Black Americans including Louis Armstrong, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, John Lewis and Martin Luther King, Jr, to name a few. Additionally, another display focuses on Black authors. The children’s section features displays highlighting civil rights leaders, Black scientists, leaders and athletes, as well as a timeline chronicling the evolution of Black History Month.

Another display at MJB Library highlights the best books from 2023, and another features some of the most popular new releases with our patrons. For those looking for a Valentine’s Day read, we have a display featuring books appropriate for the holiday. Finally, for folks looking to celebrate Valentine’s Day with a quiet evening at home, check out our display of Valentine’s Day movies.

Trivia Night

Get your teams registered for the second annual Friends of the Library Trivia Night, which will take place on Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. Dinner, catered by the Cabbage Rose, will begin at 6 p.m. followed by trivia at 7 p.m. Teams may be up to eight people. Tickets cost $35 for dinner and trivia and are available at Mary J Barnett Memorial Library.

Clubs and Classes

Lunch and Learn will be Wednesday, Feb. 14, from noon-1 p.m. The Guthrie County Extension office will present information about their Spend Smart, Eat Smart program. Recipes will also be shared. The event will also include a light lunch.

Judi Zimmerline will lead card-making class on Thursday, Feb. 15, from 9-11 a.m. The $5 fee includes all materials needed to create exquisite cards.

Cookbook Club members will be choosing a recipe from Ree Drummond’s newest cookbook entitled “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready.” Members will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15 to share their dishes and to discuss the book.

Boredom Busters will meet at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 21 to create an imaginative craft. All youth are welcome to attend.

New Materials

MJB Library has some new movies.  Stop in and check out “Barbie,” “Oppenheimer,” “Captain America: Winter Soldier,” “Indian Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” “Sound of Freedom”, or “Joe Pickett season 2.”

The Mary J. Barnett Memorial Library is located at 400 Grand St. in Guthrie Center. Contact us at 641-747-8110 or mjblib@guthriecenter.lib.ia.us. Visit us online at www.guthriecenter.lib.ia.us.

Stop in to look at the lovely quilt on loan from Jerri Hawkins. While you’re there, grab a book from our Valentine’s Day display or borrow a movie from our Valentine’s Day movie options.