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.

Special to the Times Vedette

The Mary J. Barnett Library briefs from Jan. 30 incorrectly stated the dates of two upcoming events. The proper date for the February Book Club is Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m., and the February Lunch and Learn is on Wednesday, Feb 14 at noon. 

Special to the Times Vedette

Recently I have been reading about hygge. Hygge is a word used in the Danish and Norwegian languages, and according to Webster’s Dictionary, it is a “cozy quality that makes a person feel content and comfortable. During the long, dark winters when Danes retreat inside their homes, hygge is what brings them a great sense of comfort and joy.”

Maybe as a result of being confined in our homes during the pandemic, or maybe people just long for simplicity, there seems to be a multitude of sources promoting hygge. There are books about how to achieve hygge and Facebook pages and magazine articles promoting hygge in one’s daily life. Candlelight and fires, cozy warm drinks and snuggly blankets all are promoted as hygge things. Ultimately, though, it seems hygge is about creating a warm atmosphere and spending good times with good people, making time to slow down and enjoy things in life that bring joy.

Although hygge is something that one does year-round, we often think of it during weather like we have been enjoying the past couple of weeks. During the winter, when it is dangerously cold and the snow drifts so high we are forced to stay inside, it can be a time to enjoy hygge. Should you be looking for ways to create hygge in your life right now, the Mary J Barnett Library can help you out with this.

One of the most hygge things for me is to curl up with a warm blanket, a mug of hot tea, and a good book. While hygge is different for everyone, we have such a wide selection of books that you will be able to find something that feels like a comforting thing to read. Many people enjoy a genre of books called cozy mystery — crime novels that keep violence, sex and cursing to a minimum. These mysteries are often light, infused with some humor, and generally feel comforting to read. A couple of new cozy mysteries at MJB Library include “Death by Foodtruck” and JoAnne Fluke’s “Pink Lemonade Cake Murder.”

For others, rereading childhood favorites, or sharing favorite books from our youth is very hygge. The “Little House on the Prairie” books, “Harry Potter,” “Anne of Green Gables,” “Peter Rabbit,” “Winnie the Pooh,” or “The Wind in the Willows” are feel-good books.

If current best-sellers are a source of hygge, we have that covered, too. “Tom Lake” by Ann Patchett, “The Villa” by Rachel Hawkins, “The River We Remember” by William Kent Krueger, “The Housemaid” by Frieda McFadden, “The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell” by Robert Dugoni, “Remarkably Bright Creatures: A Novel” by Shelby Van Pelt are some new books that have been flying off our shelves. “Oath and Honor: a Memoir and a Warning” by Elizabeth Cheney is a popular nonfiction book for anyone missing the political scene.

For those who like to curl up and thumb through a magazine, MJB Library has a great selection available for checkout. People, Consumer Reports, Quilter’s World, Better Homes and Gardens, Country Living, Sports Illustrated, and Family Handyman are a few of the many options the library offers.

If cooking is hygge for you, we can help with that, too. In addition to Taste of Home Magazine, we have several new cookbooks including “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready” by Ree Drummond and Winemakers “Guide to Winemaking.” For those who are eager to be able to garden, check out “Vegetable Gardening Made Simple” by Resh Gala.

Another aspect of hygge is spending time with people who bring us joy. Family game night could be a lot more fun with some different board games; stop in and peruse our collection of games available to check out. While you’re here, take a minute to look at our jigsaw puzzles that can be checked out, too.

Winter is a good time to catch up on what’s out on DVD. MJB Library has a fairly extensive collection of movies and popular series.  We have the “Yellowstone,”  “1883,”  ”1923,”  “George and Tammy” and “Tulsa King” series. We have everything from “A Man Called Otto” to “Cocaine Bear.” “Silent Night in Algona” is a new movie based on a true story set in Algona in 1944. The story centers around an injured farmer who comes up with a plan to save the corn harvest by using German POWs. The story is relevant to modern times in that the story illustrates that despite our differences, people of all backgrounds are really very similar.

The MJB Library also has an ongoing book sale if you’d like to shop for reading material or if you want to use old books for craft projects.

MJB Library is a very hygge place for people who are tired of being home and want a cozy getaway for a bit. Stop in, get a cup of coffee, and sit next to our fireplace and read the newspaper or put a puzzle together.

Cookbook Club

Stop in and choose a recipe from this month’s selection “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinner’s Ready” by Ree Drummond. The Cookbook Club will meet at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 15. Bring your prepared dish to share with the group.

Lunch and Learn

Be sure to pre-register for the Wednesday, Feb. 14 Lunch and Learn presented by the Guthrie County Extension Office. Meghan will be highlighting the Spend Smart, Eat Smart program and also will share some recipes including a Valentine’s Day snack. A light lunch will be served; the event will last from noon until 1 p.m.

After School Programs

Guthrie County Extension will be presenting a STEM program after school on Monday, Feb. 12 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. In addition to reading a story, the program allows participants to build a catapult to try to knock down a structure. Boredom Busters will meet on Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. to make a craft project.

Trivia Night

The second annual Friends of the Library Trivia Night will be Saturday, Feb. 24 at the Guthrie Center Activity Center. Tickets are $35 per person and include dinner catered by The Cabbage Rose, as well as the trivia entry fee. Team sizes can be up to eight people. Stop in the MJB Library today to register your team and buy tickets. You will not want to miss this fun evening.

These are snowman jar projects from the January Boredom Busters after-school programs. Boredom Busters is open to young people who want to make creative projects. They meet monthly from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The next workshop is Wednesday, Feb. 21 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.

Special to the Times Vedette

Future Engineers is offering contest opportunities to students of all ages. The first opportunity is Power to Explore Radioisotope Power Systems. This contest is open to K-12 students. Sign up for the challenge (it’s free), learn about nuclear “batteries” that power space exploration, and dream up a new space mission. Everyone who submits an entry will be able to attend a virtual event with NASA. Applicants are also eligible to win a trip to NASA and a NASA prize pack. Teachers can sign up an entire class. For more information, go to http://rps.nasa.gov/stem/power-to-explore. Entry deadline is Feb. 9.

The other STEM opportunity is Battelle Climate Challenge. This is open to students in grades 9-12. Submit an entry and you could win a $5,000 STEM grant, a trip to the Climate Resilience Conference in Washington, D.C., and a sustainable prize pack. Sign up for the challenge, develop a proposed action to help build a more resilient community at: www.futureengineers.org/battelleclimatechallenge. Entries must be submitted by Feb. 2.  

Bryan and Teresa Mowrer have generously loaned their vintage toy trains to the MJB Library to display during January.

For those of us who were disappointed that we didn’t have a white Christmas, be careful what you wish for. Mother Nature sure made up for the lack of snow in December; consequently, the blizzard played havoc with our library programs.

Boredom Busters

Now that everyone has finished digging out and the roads are safe, we have programs ready for our patrons. Boredom Busters will meet from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on Jan. 17 to make a craft. Youth of all ages are invited to participate.

Card-making Class

On Thursday, Jan. 18, card-making club will meet from 9-11 a.m. Judi Zimmerline will lead the class and provide all necessary supplies. Participants will need to pay a $5 fee for materials.

Cookbook Club

Cookbook Club will be sampling treats from the “Beautiful Brunches” cookbook. Anyone who would like to join is invited to stop by the library and choose a recipe from this month’s cookbook to bring to share with the group on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m.

Story Hour

Appropriately, the theme for story hour on Friday, Jan. 19 will be cold. All preschoolers and their caregivers are invited to participate starting at 10 a.m.  Participants will be crafting penguins from cotton balls.

Friends of the Library

It’s not too late to become a member of Friends of the Library. The yearly membership cost is $25. The regular February meeting will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 6:15 p.m.

February Book Club

The next book club meeting will be Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m. “The Paris Daughter”, a historical fiction selection by Kristin Harmel, is this month’s pick. Stop by the library to get a copy if you want to participate in the book discussion.

Lunch and Learn

Feb. 14 is the date for the next Lunch and Learn, held from noon to 1 p.m.  Meghan from the Guthrie County ISU Extension Office will be offering money-saving strategies for meal planning, shopping and cutting back on food expenses using the Spend Smart, Eat Smart program. Additionally, economical recipes for meals and snacks will be shared, including a Valentine’s Day snack. Please be sure to pre-register for this event. A light lunch will be provided.

Trivia Night

Get your trivia teams ready. Saturday, Feb. 24, Friends of the Library will be hosting their second annual Trivia Night. We will have more details soon.

Displays

Stop in the library to take a look at this month’s display case, which features vintage toy trains on loan from Bryan and Teresa Mowrer, as well as a beautiful quilt created by Cindy Steensen. Both will be displayed until the end of January.

This gorgeous quilt created by Cindy Steensen is on display at the MJB Library during January. Stop in and take a look.

Many people have begun the new year with goal-setting and resolutions. Several people I know have made resolutions around reading more. Some have set goals to read a certain number of books per year while others have daily reading goals. So how does one keep track of all that reading?  

Some people enjoy a reading journal where they record books they want to read and books that they have read; some truly ambitious readers even write reviews of the books they consumed. Others just use a habit tracker to record daily reading habits.  

Many people I know are fans of downloading an app on their phones to keep track of reading progress. Some apps that are available include Bookworm Reads, The StoryGraph, and Bookly. 

One of the best known apps for this is Goodreads. Goodreads allows readers to set goals, compile a record of books read as well as books they are reading and books they want to read. Readers can write reviews and access recommendations based on their reading history. Additionally, users of the app can friend other Goodreads users, thus seeing what books friends are enjoying and recommending. At the end of the year, readers are able to see their year in reading, which gives statistics about their reading habits. It also gives an end-of-the-year list of books that readers chose as their favorites in each genre.  

To help local readers, here are a few of the books we have at the MJB Library that are on the Goodreads list of best of 2023 books. Stop in and check them out.

“Fourth Wing” (Yarros)

“Iron Flame” (Yarros)

“Happy Place” (Henry) 

“Hello Beautiful” (Napolitano)

“Spare” (Prince Harry)

“Tom Lake” (Patchett)

“Romantic Comedy” (Sittenfield)

“The House of Eve” (Johnson)

Save the date

Friends of the Library are planning a trivia night fundraising event on Feb. 24. Start rounding up your team and put the date on the calendar. It will be held at the Guthrie Center Activity Center with Cabbage Rose catering the meal, which is included in the purchase of your ticket. More information will be coming soon. 

Early Literacy Story Hour

Remember that story hour for preschoolers and caregivers will be every Friday beginning at 10 a.m. “Books” is the topic for Jan. 12 while the Jan. 19  theme is “cold.” “Art” will be the focus of Jan. 26.  

Cribbage and Bridge

A reminder that each Monday from 9-11 a.m., cribbage players are invited to stop by the library to play cribbage. All players are welcome to join, regardless of skill level. Wednesdays are bridge day. From 9-11 a.m., bridge players are invited to join in the play. 

After School Programs

The Guthrie County Extension Office will be presenting a STEM program on Monday, Jan. 15 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. The program will feature a winter/snow themed book, STEM challenge, STEM experiment, and craft. Boredom Busters will meet Wednesday, Jan. 17, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. to make a craft project. Pre-registration is encouraged.  

Card Making Class

Card making class, led by Judi Zimmerline, meets on the third Thursday of each month from 9-11 a.m. All materials are provided; the cost is $5 to pay for supplies.

Cookbook Club

“Beautiful Brunches” by Cider Mill Press is the featured cookbook for the January Cookbook Club. Cookbook Club is open to anyone who would like to participate. Stop in the library where the book is on reserve. Choose a recipe, prepare it and then bring it to share with the group on Thursday, Jan. 18 at 6:30 p.m. The library provides plate/napkins/cutlery; you provide your chosen dish and serving utensils for that dish.

Book Club

Anyone who wants to join the book club should stop by the library to check out a copy of “The Paris Daughter” by Kristin Harmel, the February book club selection which is set in World War II France. This gripping historical novel tells the story of two mothers who must make unthinkable choices in the face of the Nazi occupation. Book Club will meet Tuesday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m.  

Friends of the Library

Friends of the Library will have their next  monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6 at 6:15 p.m. It’s not too late to join for 2024. The cost is $25 for the year. This may be paid at the February meeting, or it can be sent to the library. 

Lunch and Learn

Wednesday, Feb. 14 is the next Lunch and Learn. From noon to 1 p.m., Meghan McBride with Guthrie County ISU Extension will be sharing about the Spend Smart/Eat Smart program with a Valentine’s Day twist. A light lunch will be provided. Please pre-register by calling the library (641-747-8110), clicking the website event calendar, or emailing the library.

Cass Fronapfle reads a book about winter to preschoolers during the weekly preschool story hour on Friday mornings at 10 a.m.

Creating a puffy paint masterpiece is one of Johnny Maine’s favorite craft activities.

This is the library display for 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten. MJB Library staff remind parents to stop by the library desk to turn in reading logs every hundred books. Children 5 and younger are encouraged to sign up if they are not already.