By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

What’s new at the MJB Library? First of all, using the ALA grant, round one money, the library has acquired new audiobooks for the juvenile section. We purchased 36 new Playaway titles and 32 Vox and Wonderbooks.  

The Vox and Wonderbooks are all reading levels including picture books, beginning readers and chapter books. Vox and Wonderbooks are print books with an audiobook permanently attached. 

Playaways are audiobooks that are preloaded to a device that requires no internet. Some of the new books include “Marley,” “The Tale of Despereaux,” and “The Wolves of Beyond Series.” 

Also purchased with the ALA grant money are new large-print books. Each month for the next year, MJB Library will be receiving 10 new large print books of various genres. There will be cozy mysteries, best sellers, romance and westerns.

Friends of the Library voted to sponsor a new Adventure Pass, which will provide admission for up to four children (adults are free) to the Des Moines’ Children’s Museum at the Valley West Mall.  Library card holders with a Guthrie Center address may reserve the pass per venue once per calendar year by going to the library website. Now you have access to three venues which also include the Blank Park Zoo and the Des Moines Science Center.

Friends of the Library Meeting

Friends of the Library will be meeting at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7. Anyone interested in supporting the library is invited to attend. The Friends will discuss the golf fundraiser scheduled for June 15.

Lunch and Learn

Nutritionist Carol Laughery, owner of Ignite Nutrition, will be the featured speaker at the May Lunch and Learn on Wednesday, May 8 from noon to 1 p.m.  A light lunch donated by Cafe on the Hill will be served. Pre-registration is required.

Between the Covers

Between the Covers book club will meet May 14 at 3 p.m. to discuss The Widows of Braxton County by Jess McKonkey. Copies are available for those who want to attend the book club to check out.

Card-making Club

Card-making club will meet from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, May 16. All materials are provided for a $5 fee.

Cookbook Club

“Not That Fancy” by Reba McEntire is May’s featured cookbook for Cookbook Club.  Cookbook Club will meet on Thursday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. Stop in the library to choose a recipe to make and share with the group at the meeting.

May StoryHours

StoryHour for preschoolers and their caregivers is Friday at 10 a.m. May 3 the theme will be “Food,” while May 10 will highlight weather. Flowers will be the topic for May 17, and May 24 will focus on nature. The theme for May 31 will be Earth. 

After School STEM

The Guthrie County Extension is presenting an afterschool program on Monday, May 20 at the MJB Library. The program will feature reading and a STEM activity. 

Herb Garden workshop

Be sure to sign up for the workshop presented by the Guthrie County Extension on May 21 from 4-6 p.m. Create your own herb garden, learn how to harvest herbs, and learn about the Spend Smart, Eat Smart program. The cost of $5 per herb garden is payable on the day of the program. Pre-registration is required.

Closed for Memorial Day

A reminder, the MJB Library will be closed on Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day. Plan to get your reading materials early.

Registration for the Summer Reading Program

Registration for the MJB Library Summer Reading Program is open now. Sign up at the MJB Library website for a month of exciting programming and reading.

Special to the Times Vedette

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

The MJB Library is using funds from Round 1 of the ALA LTC Library Grant to increase the Large Print book collection. Each month for the next year, the library will receive 10 new Large Print titles, adding to our collection of large print cozy mysteries, romance novels, best sellers and westerns.  

Additionally, Round 1 of the ALA Grant also funded the purchase of 18 new Playaway titles in the juvenile section. Playaways are audiobooks that are downloaded on a battery-operated device that requires no internet. Guests just connect their headphones to the universal jack, and they are ready to listen. These are also great for car trips; just plug in with your car’s aux cord, and you’re set.  

Charcuterie class

Be sure to register for the charcuterie class being offered on May 4 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required. The class is also offered at the Linden on May 4 from 9-10:30 a.m. Presented by Charcuterie to Go, participants will learn not only pairings of meats, cheeses and crackers but also tips for creating beautiful charcuterie boards. Everyone who participates will take home a board that they made. The cost of the boards is $25 for a 6-inch by 6-inch size and $45 for an 8-inch by 8-inch size board. 

Friends of the Library meeting

Friends of the Library will be meeting at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7. Anyone interested in supporting the library is invited to attend. The Friends will be discussing the golf fundraiser, which is scheduled for June 15.

Lunch and Learn

Plan to attend the May Lunch and Learn which will be on Wednesday, May 8, from noon to 1 p.m. Nutritionist Carol Laughery, owner of Ignite Nutrition, will be the featured speaker, and a light lunch donated by Cafe on the Hill will be served. Pre-registration is required. 

Between the Covers

Between the Covers book club will meet May 14 at 3 p.m. to discuss “The Widows of Braxton County” by Jess McKonkey. In this novel, Kate, a city woman, is ready to settle down and marry. She moves to her new husband’s Iowa farm where she finds country life filled with chores, judgmental neighbors, and the surprise of discovering that her mother-in-law will be living in her new home, which is more difficult than she anticipated. Soon, Kate begins to hear from the town gossip that her new family has secrets that include a mysterious death, and then unexplainable events start happening. Copies are available for those who want to attend the book club to check out. 

Card-making club

Card-making club will meet from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, May 16. All materials are provided for a $5 fee.

Cookbook club

“Not That Fancy” by Reba McEntire is May’s featured cookbook for Cookbook Club. Cookbook Club will meet on Thursday, May 16, at 6:30 p.m. Stop in the library to choose a recipe to make and share with the group at the meeting. 

By Karen Kelly | Special to the Times Vedette

For the past few weeks, I have been reading darker books than usual. I have been sucked into the vortex of Freida McFadden’s psychological thrillers. My husband, who rarely comments on my eclectic reading tastes, pointed out that I had been reading “a lot of murdery stuff lately.” He also wondered if this should concern him. So, to allow my husband to sleep with both eyes closed and because spring often feels like a time to read lighter subject matter, I have put aside the “murdery” books filled with protagonists of questionable ethical and moral fiber. I will suggest, however, if you’re a fan of a dark, twisty, suspenseful, psychological thriller, you can’t go wrong with “The Housemaid” and “The Housemaid’s Secret” by Freida McFadden. 

Lately, I have been enjoying some of the new romance novels that we have at the MJB Library. “The Unhoneymooners” by Christina Lauren was an entertaining romp. Olive Torres seems to be the jinxed twin while her sister Ami seems to have the Midas touch. Winning a series of contests, Ami managed to finance an elaborate wedding for next to no money; she even won a free honeymoon in Maui. Due to Olive’s extreme seafood allergy and the best man’s phobia of buffets, Olive and Ethan Thomas are the only guests who didn’t immediately become ill from food poisoning from the reception’s seafood buffet. With the bride and groom too sick to travel, and the dream vacation that couldn’t be rescheduled, Olive and Ethan find themselves both vying for the trip. Refusing to let her nemesis nab the free trip for himself, the pair agree to a truce to enjoy 10 days of all-inclusive paradise. Will this trip lead to a change of luck for Olive? Check out the book and see.

Additionally, we have added several titles by bestselling author Lucy Score, including “The Worst Best Man,” another romantic comedy novel. For those who love a love story but also enjoy a mystery, check out Score’s novel “The Dead Guy Next Door” (the best of both worlds). 

There are some new displays to peruse to look for book ideas. Check out the “Read It Before You Watch It” display which features many novels that have recently been adapted for the screen, including  “A Gentleman in Moscow”written by Amor Towles. Set in 1922 Russia, this historical novel tells the story of an unrepentant aristocrat who is confined to house arrest for life in a luxury hotel across the square from the Kremlin after being convicted by a Bolshevik tribunal. Readers will be captivated by the cast of unique characters, the brilliant writing style and the Count’s resilience and ability to find purpose and community as he adapts to his new life in the Metropol Hotel. This book is, in my opinion, a fantastic read. Ewan McGregor and the cast of this miniseries airing on Paramount Plus have their work cut out to capture the humor and delight of this novel. Come in and get this book before you watch the miniseries. You know the book is always better.

Summer Reading Program

For our preschool through middle school patrons, Summer Reading Program registration is open now. Go to the webpage to sign up. Read, Renew, Repeat is the theme for this summer.

Preschool Story Hour 

Remember that story hour for preschoolers and their caregivers is every Friday starting at 10 a.m.  April 19 will focus on Pets, and the theme for April 26 is Seasons.

Charcuterie Class

MJB Library is hosting a charcuterie class on Saturday, May 4 from noon-1:30 p.m. The class will be presented by Charcuterie To Go. Participants will take their charcuterie skills to the next level by learning perfect meat, cheese and cracker combinations. Everyone who participates will take home a board that they made. The cost of the boards is $25 for a 6-inch by 6-inch size and $45 for an 8-inch by 8-inch size board. Pre-registration is required by April 30. If you want to attend but can’t make the noon workshop, the same class is available at the Linden Library on May 4 from 9-10:30 a.m.

Special to the Times Vedette

Spring Fever is starting to kick in, so it’s the perfect time to stop in the library to check out some of our gardening books. We have resources to help with vegetable gardens, herbs, flowers, perennials and container gardens, to name just a few. Stop in and take a look.

Summer Reading Program

For our preschool through middle school patrons, Summer Reading Program registration is open now. Go to the webpage to sign up. Read, Renew, Repeat is the theme for this summer, and we have exciting things in the works for the month of June when our events are scheduled.

Lunch and Learn

Be sure to pre-register for our  April Lunch and Learn, which will be presented by Dementia Friends of Iowa. It will be Wednesday, April 10 from noon to 1 p.m.  Dementia Friends, a global movement started in the U.K., is spreading to the U.S. By helping everyone in a community understand what dementia is and how it affects families, each of us can make a difference to families touched by dementia. Information and a light lunch will be shared during the hour.

Plan to attend the May Lunch and Learn, which will be on Wednesday, May 8 from noon to 1 p.m. Nutritionist Carol Laughery will be the featured speaker. Pre-registration is required.

Narcan Workshop

New Opportunities will be presenting a workshop about Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan, which is used to treat opioid overdoses. The informational event will be held in the library’s Taylor Meeting Room beginning at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 11. Not only will the workshop explain how to recognize signs of an overdose and how to administer Naloxone, Narcan will be available for distribution.

Story Hour

Preschool Story Hour is every Friday beginning at 10 a.m.  This week, “Family” will be the theme. On April 12, the topic is going to be “ME!” Pets will be the subject of story hour on April 19. Story Hour participants will learn about seasons on April 26.

Cookbook Club

Cookbook Club participants are reminded that they can stop in the library to select a recipe to share at the meeting on Thursday, April 18, at 6:30 p.m. This month’s featured cookbook is published by Taste of Home and is entitled “Make It! Take It 2023.”

Card Making Club

Card Making Club will meet from 9-11 a.m. on Thursday, April 18. The cost is $5 to cover the cost of materials.

STEM After School

The Guthrie County ISU Extension will be presenting a STEM workshop from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 15. There will be reading and STEM activities. Students of all ages are welcome.

Charcuterie Class

MJB Library is hosting a charcuterie class on Saturday, May 4 from noon – 1:30 p.m. The class will be presented by Charcuterie To Go. Participants will take their charcuterie skills to the next level by learning perfect meat, cheese and cracker combinations. Everyone who participates will take home a board that they made. The cost of the boards is $25 for 6-inch by 6-inch size and $45 for an 8-inch by 8-inch size board. Pre-registration is required by April 30. If you want to attend but can’t make the noon workshop, the same class is available at the Linden Library on May 4 from 9-10:30 a.m.

April Quilt

Jean Densmore shared a quilt for our April display. This intricate pattern is called Grandma’s Victory and was made as a graduation gift for Jean’s granddaughter, Hannah. Featuring fabric in shades of green and blue, this lovely quilt will be on loan to the library for the month of April.

Special to the Times Vedette

April is finally here, and so is National Library Week, which is April 7-13 this year. Sponsored by the American Library Association, the theme for National Library Week 2024 is “Ready, Set, Library!” 

“Ready, Set, Library” promotes the idea that in our digital world, the library still offers something special to its patrons. The library also offers a gathering place, a place to connect with others, to learn new skills, and to focus on what matters most. Check our community calendar on the website to see what events are scheduled and to sign up. No matter what stage of life you are in, the library can provide something for you.  

Our library offers you a place to access free Wi-Fi. We have computers, tablets and game systems that can be used. Mobile hotspots are available to check out for those who need internet at home. 

For those who are looking to begin a new career or look for a job, remember that the library offers extensive career resources online.  To access, go to https://www.guthriecenter.lib.ia.us/ and click Online Resources. Then choose Brainfuse. Under Brainfuse, select JobNow from the pulldown menu. In JobNow, patrons can access live resume coaching and live interview coaching. Additionally, there is assistance with unemployment, including how to complete paperwork to access benefits. SkillsFirst is award-winning software to help with resume creation, job interview prep and more. Resume templates are also available for patrons’ use. For  those who are considering a career change, eParachute helps users discover college majors and careers that match skills and interests. The best part of this program is that it is free. All that is required is a library card, and those are free, too. 

To celebrate National Library Week, consider using one of the many services the library has to offer.

Cribbage, bridge and card-making

Every Monday from 9-11 a.m., cribbage players compete in the Taylor Meeting Room. Bridge class meets every Wednesday morning at the same time and place. Players are welcome to join, regardless of skill level. Card Making Club meets the third Thursday of each month to create one-of-a-kind greeting cards. The group is led  by Judi Zimmerline. There is a $5 fee, which covers the cost of all needed supplies. 

Book Club

On Tuesday, April 9, Between the Covers will  meet to discuss this month’s book club selection “How Beautiful We Were” by Imbolo Mbue. Copies are available for check out by anyone who would like to participate. Book club meets at 3 p.m.

Lunch and Learn

Be sure to pre-register for the April Lunch and Learn, which will be from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, April 10. Dementia Friends of Iowa will be presenting a workshop to help people who want to help someone living with dementia. The program explain the basics of dementia such as what dementia is, what it’s like to live with the disease, and some tips for communicating with people who have dementia. A light lunch will be served. Pre-register by calling or emailing the library or signing up online. 

New Opportunities Naloxone Training

New Opportunities will be presenting a workshop on Thursday, April 11 at 5:30 p.m. An overview of opioids and Naloxone distribution training will be the topic of this program. Issues addressed in the program will explain what opioids are and how they impact physical functioning, the consequences of opioid misuse, what Narcan is, what Narcan is used for, and how to obtain and administer NARCAN properly. Naloxone (NARCAN) will be onsite and available for distribution provided by New Opportunities. If you have questions, call New Opportunities at 712-792-9266.

After-school STEM Program

Students of all ages are invited to attend the after-school STEM program presented by the Guthrie County ISU Extension Office. Participants will be working on spring-related STEM activities. The workshop is from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 15.

Charcuterie Class

Charcuterie To Go will be presenting a charcuterie class at the MJB Library on Saturday, May 4 from noon to 1:30 p.m. Participants will take their charcuterie skills to the next level by getting an overview of perfect meat, cheese and cracker combinations and then having a chance to make their own board. The cost is $25 for a 6 x 6 board and $45 for an 8 x 8 board. For those who would like to attend but are not able to make the noon class, the same class is offered at the Linden Library on May 4 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Pre-registration is required by April 30.