Beltane - May Day

Bring in May! It is time to gather flowers! Create your own May basket! Read a spring book!
May Day was a pagan festival to mark the return of spring in ancient Celtic/Gaelic traditions. Quarter day festivals celebrate the change of seasons, each with special rituals and symbols (Imbolic, Beltane, Lagnnasadh, Samhuinn). May first was the first day of summer (hence the solstice June 21st is Midsummer), and many bonfires were lit to mark a time of purification and transition. The community bonfire also supplied the flame to renew each home hearth with hope of good harvest, health and to bring good luck. It was the second most important festival of the Druids.

Celebrate the Return of the Sun:
Various traditional May Day celebrations included the gathering of wildflowers and green branches, the weaving of floral garlands, Morris dancers (who wake Jack in the Green-I always think of Jethro Tull and will be playing this music!), crowning the queen of May, and decorating the Maypole, around which people danced. May Day, is a day on which you should wash your face with morning dew at sunrise to keep yourself looking young and beautiful. You should also gather wildflowers and green branches, make floral garlands and bouquets with ribbons to decorate your home. May baskets were a particular charm, small bouquets that were left anonymously on a doorstep as a token of the season, although if you caught the person, you got a kiss. Lily of the valley and violets were often used; the lily of the valley is also commonly called May flower and is a lucky charm. Flowers were pressed in books and given as gifts. Both fragrance and pressed plants recalled the token years later when you revisit the book. Bookmarks are often of flowers and make a delightful gift at this time of year.

Visiting Author Series - Catherine Friend

Friends' Bookstore

There are a few more changes at the Bookstore - Paige Approved!
She would like you to start using a new door from inside the Library - we are hoping more library patrons will become aware of the bookstore and stop in to browse.

Near the book donation bin!

From inside the store looking into the Library

April was Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month
Inaugurated by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month is now held every April, when publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools and poets around the country band together to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture. Thousands of businesses and non-profit organizations participate through readings, festivals, book displays, workshops, and other events.

Emily Dickinson (1830-1886)
"If it makes my whole body so cold no fire can warm me, I know it is poetry."

Robert Louis Stevenson, Scottish writer, poet and essayist said "Wine is bottled poetry."
Perhaps now is time to pair a bottle of the Library wine, with a loaf of bread, a poem, and your sweetheart!

Catherine Friend - Author Visits

Calling ALL KNITTERS!

Don't miss the chance to see Catherine Friend at the Rochester Public Library as part of our Visiting Author Series!

Library of Congress

The Library of Congress was created on April 25, 1800. In a Congressional bill that provided for the transfer of our nation's capital from Philadelphia to Washington, there was a provision for a reference library containing "such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress — and for putting up a suitable apartment for containing them therein ..." Originally the library was housed in the Capitol building, until British troops burned it in 1814. Thomas Jefferson replaced it with his own personal library: nearly 6,500 books, the result of 50 years' worth of "putting by everything which related to America, and indeed whatever was rare and valuable in every science." I have always loved his quote "I cannot live without books." Indeed a lovely friend just gave it as a plaque to me and it hangs on my computer.

First opened to the public in 1897, the Library of Congress is now the largest library in the world. It houses more than 144 million items, including 33 million catalogued books in 460 languages; more than 63 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world's largest collection of films, legal materials, maps, sheet music, and sound recordings.

It is a fabulous place to visit, to do research (read the author of My Name is Mary Sutter experiences in the Library of Congress), to just be aware of our nation's history.

Easter

Easter is always the 1st Sunday after the 1st full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). The dating of Easter is based on the lunar calendar that Hebrew people used to identify Passover, which is why it moves around on our Roman calendar.


The Easter Bunny or Easter Hare (sometimes Spring Bunny in the politically correct U.S.) originated in Alsace and Upper Rhineland, Germany (sometime in the 1500s). The bunny brings baskets filled with colored eggs, candy and sometimes gifts to the homes of good children. I always got a book!! The Easter Bunny was introduced to the United States by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 18th century.

The arrival of the Easter Bunny was considered one of "childhood's greatest pleasures". Traditionally, children would build brightly colored nests, often out of caps and bonnets, in secluded areas of their homes. The Easter Bunny would lay brightly colored eggs in the nest of good children. In time, nests became the modern Easter baskets; placing of the nest in a secluded area has become the tradition of hiding baskets. Our family always hid the eggs outdoors, in the lawn, into the woods (never in my mother's flower beds) or into the barn. Given spring weather, they were often wrapped in cellophane or tinfoil. One reason for the abundance of eggs at Easter time was that eggs were forbidden during the fast of Lent. The first edible Easter Eggs were made in Germany during the early 19th century and were made of pastry and sugar, now they are primarily chocolate in all sizes!

The media often uses the Easter Bunny in various Easter advertisements and films, such as Hop, or Here Comes Peter Cottontail: The Movie. The Tale of Peter Rabbit (Beatrix Potter) will forever remain the naughty rabbit that barely escapes Macgregor’s garden!

Doug Ohman - Libraries of Minnesota

Over 50 people attended this presentation in the Library, as part of the Yaggy Colby Lecture Series. This popular programme also appeals to authors, as this was a repeat visit for Doug Ohman. The timing of the book is so appropriate as we need to raise awareness of the importance of our libraries - it is SO much more than books. Doug provided a great deal of historical information, along with fabulous photos of 70 libraries in Minnesota. I was pleased at the number that I have seen (Pipestone, Duluth, Winona St Paul), and made a list of many more that I will visit. I have always been a fan of the Carnegie Libraries, partly because he sponsored free access to education for all members of the community, a tradition at the library which continues today. It even spurred other communities to build their own libraries without his monies. Some of the modern ones are equally fascinating. I need to check out Doug's "Cozy Factor"!

From Rochester's earlier library (now Mayo Medical Library)

These are some of his books, all of which are wonderful representations of facets of Minnesota.            Highly Recommended!!

Earth Day

Earth Day


Margaret Mead (1901-1978)
We are living beyond our means. As a people we have developed a life-style that is draining the earth of its priceless and irreplaceable resources without regard for the future of our children and people all around the world.

Earth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth’s natural environment. Earth Day was founded by United States Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in first held on April 22, 1970. While this first Earth Day was focused on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes, who was the original national coordinator in 1970, took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year. Numerous communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues. In 2009, the United Nations designated April 22 International Mother Earth Day.

2011 This year, Earth Day's theme is after A Billion Acts of Green: our people-powered campaign to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy before Rio +20.

Ready to take part in Earth Day 2011? Get Involved! Recycle, reuse, reduce! Raise awareness, organise an earth day event in your community or take part in another event!

Practice random acts of green!

Unusual and Special Books

Lovely new display of Unusual and Special books donated
to the Rochester Library.

These books and others are also available online - check out
their website (through the Friends website).

Visiting Author Series - Kamala Nair

Save the DATE:: Thursday July 28th at 7pm in the Library Auditorium.

Books will be available for sale in the Friends' Bookstore from June 15th. (details to follow).

Literary History of America

A New Literary History of America (2009) edited by Greil Marcus and Werner Sollors
I was alerted to the publication of this book from a Phi Beta Kappa article that I saved last year. Wonderful to find it in our Library - brilliant to have this large, dense tome to digest over weeks and weeks. So much so I think this is now a perfect book for Kindle (only it isn't on it!). There are so many stories to read, such wonderful writing, essays and history from 1507 to 2008. So many vignettes that I never learned about in my history classes, so many new facets of people I admire (Jefferson, Thoreau, Hawthorne, Muir, Cummins, Lincoln, Obama) or events that are presented in illuminating light (the Blues, the SF Earthquake, Washington's farewell address, the Cherokee Nation, the atom bomb).  I will never forget this account of Katrina (New Orleans is lost in the flood). I am haunted by many of the passages - excellent writing.
There are 200 original essays that expound on what it means to be American, made in America, American made, the American story,  in literature, music, film, art, history, science, philosophy, politics, etc. "...a history of America in which literary means not only what is written but also what is voiced, what is expressed, what is invented, in whatever form."
Harvard published  A New History of French Literature (Hollier) in 1989 and A New History of German Literature (Wellbery) in 2004. It will take me all year to travel through them, but what a journey.

Minnesota Book Awards

(From their website)
The winners of the 23rd Annual Minnesota Book Awards were announced at the annual gala held on April 16, 2011. In addition to winners in the eight categories, nearly 2,000 voters from across Minnesota selected the Reader's Choice Award. The winners are:


Award for Children's Literature   Michael Hall - My Heart is Like a Zoo
Award for General Nonfiction   Michael Nordskog and Aaron W. Hautala, photography - The Opposite of Cold: The Northwoods Finnish Sauna Tradition

Award for Genre Fiction   Wendy Webb - The Tale of Halcyon Crane

Award for Memoir & Creative Nonfiction  Bonnie J. Rough - Carrier: Untangling the Danger in My DNA

Award for Minnesota  Mary Lethert Wingerd – North Country: The Making of Minnesota

Award for Novel & Short Story  John Reimringer – Vestments

Award for Poetry   Lightsey Darst – Find the Girl

Award for Young People's Literature  Pete Hautman – Blank Confession

The Reader's Choice Award Laurie Hertzel – News to Me: Adventures of an Accidental Journalist

Books written by a Minnesotan and first published in 2010 were eligible for the 23rd annual Minnesota Book Awards. 293 books were nominated for awards this year, and 32 books were selected as finalists. The winners were chosen by panels of judges from the list of finalists. Nominations for next year’s Awards will open in early fall, 2011. Click here to see the all the past Minnesota Book Award finalists and winners by year.

RBC Wealth Management presents the Minnesota Book Awards a project of The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library, in consortium with the Saint Paul Public Library and the City of Saint Paul. Outreach partners and supporting organizations include:3M Company; Anchor Trust; Beaver’s Pond Press; Books For Africa; Capstone; Coffee House Press; Common Good Books; Lerner Publishing; The Loft Literary Center; MELSA; Milkweed Editions; Minnesota AFL-CIO; Minnesota Center for Book Arts; Minnesota Crime Wave; Minnesota Educational Media Organization; Minnesota Library Foundation; Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association; Red Balloon Bookshop; Saint Paul Almanac; Wellington Management, Inc.; Xcel Energy. Media sponsors include Minnesota Public Radio (MPR); Pioneer Press and TwinCities.com; Saint Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN); Swank Audio Visuals; Twin Cities Public Television (TPT) Minnesota Channel. Generous support has been provided by The Boss Foundation; Harlan Boss Foundation for the Arts, Huss Foundation, The Katherine B. Andersen Fund of The Saint Paul Foundation; City of Saint Paul - Cultural STAR Program; Minnesota Department of Education---State Library Services.

Visiting Author Series - Catherine Friend

Everyone is invited to the Rochester Public Library Auditorium on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. to meet author Catherine Friend as she presents her latest publication, Sheepish: Two Women, Fifty Sheep, and Enough Wool to Save the Planet.
In addition to Catherine Friend’s presentation, members of the Zumbro River Arts Guild will demonstrate spinning, weaving, and other fiber arts.
It has been fifteen years since Catherine Friend left her quiet, urban existence and became the proud owner of two ducks, four goats, fifty sheep, and several acres of Minnesota farmland. Now, caught in a chronic love/hate relationship with her flock, Friend reevaluates life on the farm and discovers that her sheep—and sheep around the world—may be much more important than anyone gives them credit for.
Discover the advantages of having sheep as the planet’s “self-propelled lawn mowers” and the scary truth behind “wrinkle free” clothing as Friend reveals what it really means to be “sheepish”—and how it might not be such a bad thing after all.
Catherine Friend is the author of Hit by a Farm and The Compassionate Carnivore, as well as seven children’s books and three novels. She farms in Minnesota with her partner of twenty-seven years.

These books will be for sale in the Friends' Bookstore.

The Visiting Author Series is sponsored by the Friends of the Rochester Public Library.

Book Review - The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating

Elisabeth Tova Bailey 2010 The Sound of  A Wild Snail Eating
This was my very first ebook from the library. I was on the wait list for the hard copy and it pushed me over the edge to download the Overdrive software, attend a class (thank you so much Pam for walking me through this!) and finally learn how to e-read.
I also reread it when it arrived in hardback as it is a profound, moving, elegant novella. I continue to think about this book several weeks after having first discovered it. And indeed that is a story in itself. I recommend so many books (and love doing so, especially when I read one that I know will suit a particular person). The English daughter of a friend of mine gave it to his wife for Christmas. She was slowly reading it when he became curious of its title. When he recommends a book to me, I must find it, as we share a deep appreciation for nature and good writing.
There are so many aspects of this book to recommend it. The writing is engaging, the observations of both humble woodland snail and human frailties are revealing, the thought provoking nature of the book will haunt you for weeks and involve an examination of your own life. This is an appreciation of what it means to be fully alive - and here and now, in spring, we need to reaffirm this within ourselves. Her endurance through her illness, aided with the companionship of this woodland snail, confronts our daily chaotic lives - and forced me to reexamine myself. I learned far more than I ever expected to know about snails, but more importantly, was reconnected with my own natural world. Carpe Diem.

My birthday book money is going to add this book to my collection. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the Whittemore Peterson Institute for Neuro-Immune Disease and to a national conservation organisation.

Minnesota Book Reads

It's TIME!!

Yaggy Colby History Lecture - Doug Ohman

This event will start at 2:30 pm on Apr 17, 2011 at Rochester Public Library

Doug Ohman is a freelance photographer and popular public speaker. Doug has traveled throughout the upper Midwest photographing historic architecture. His work has been widely published in magazines, calendars and books. Over the past few years he has been working with the Minnesota Historical Society on the popular book series, “Minnesota Byways”. Travel the state of Minnesota as he explores many historic sites and structures. Doug will share stories and interesting historical information about some of Minnesota’s most treasured Libraries. You will have a chance to purchase his book too!

Book Reviews - mysteries

Deanna Raybourn The Dead Travel Fast

If you like vampires, Victorian mysteries and strong female characters, this will be a quick, delightful read. It reminded me a great deal of the Gail Carriger Soulless series(to which I am impatiently awaiting the next installment in July!), as well as the Historian (Kostova). It starts off in Edinburgh in the 1860s then takes you to Transylvania, and ends up in London with stunning evocative descriptions of the countryside, the cultures, society and human foibles, some not so harmless...

Dark Road to Darjeeling (2010) “the honeymoon has ended but the adventure is just beginning” !
This is another Lady Julia Grey novel (Silent in the Grave, Silent in the Sanctuary). How absolutely lovely to find a new series! Having been an Amelia Peabody fan for decades (Elizabeth Peters), Raybourn continues in this funny romp, gothic style suspense series: we aren’t in Egypt anymore, but we are still dealing with British aristocracy, changing 19th century values, strong determined, intelligent, interesting female leads and exotic places. Lady Julia Grey married a man in trade (detective/investigative) much to the dismay of her family, however eccentric they are. Nicholas Brisbane is much like Emerson of the Peabody series, highly intelligent, dark, brooding, analytical, mysterious, solving crimes for the British Government (and others), and struggling to keep his protective (of his wife) cloak so as not to suffocate his demanding wife. I await the next installment.
Both were Library books! Available for check out during National Library Week!

National Bookmobile Day

This is National Library Week!
Join the American Library Association (ALA), the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Service (ABOS), and the Association for Rural & Small Libraries (ARSL) as we commemorate the second annual National Bookmobile Day on Wednesday, April 13, 2011!


National Bookmobile Day is an annual celebration of the contributions of our nation's bookmobiles and the dedicated professionals who make quality bookmobile outreach possible in their communities. We are fortunate to have a GREAT staff here at the Rochester Public Library.

Seminar and Irish Whiskey Tasting Benefit

There are a few seats remaining for the Irish Whiskey tasting event NEXT WEDNESDAY the 13th of April! The weather looks to be promising so the pipes will great you as you walk to the Plummer House entrance. There are fabulous bucket raffle items that will feature our Library wine, great books and many other items. We will have an ecclectic collection of older books for sale from our Unusual and Special Book Sellers (in the Plummer Library). Breads and Cheeses have been donated by Just Rite Foods. And a Great Whiskey Ambassador from Jameson will host the evening. A FINE time will be had by all if the recent Tartan Day benefit is anything to go by (see photos)! This event is only $20 per person (register at hwmciver@gmail.com), a tax deductible donation to the Library, and all proceeds directly benefit our local community.

 A regional selection of either beer or single malt whiskies were sampled in a tour around Scotland (on different nights!). Donated monies will support the Rochester Public Library reading programmes.



Visiting Author Series - Cary Griffith

 Cary J. Griffith, a freelance writer who specializes in writing about the outdoors, is the author of Lost in the Wild: Danger and Survival in the North Woods and the Minnesota Book Award-winning nonfiction adventure Opening Goliath: Danger and Discover in Caving.

Tomorrow: Sunday, April 10 - 2:00 pm in the auditorium.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Rochester Public Library.


Find Cary Griffith online

Library Wine Sale - new spring selection

Second Saturday Sale - April 9th

Join Paige Turner again
for another wonderful Second Saturday Sale
Library Foyer

Jameson Irish Whiskey Tasting

Another chance to try out your Celtic tastebuds! An Irish Ambassador from the Jameson Whiskey Group will be in Rochester on Wednesday the 13th April. This is a great chance to experience the range of their whiskies (some of the biggest sellers in Minnesota!). AND help support our local Library - proceeds will directly benefit the Rochester Public Library Reading Programmes. We appreciate this opportunity for a fun and educational evening.

Yaggy Colby Lecture - Doug Ohman

On Sunday afternoon,  April 17th,  the Rochester Public Library will host the Yaggy Colby Lecture in the Auditorium.
Event : Seminar Series
Date: 4/17/2011
Start Time: 2:30 PM
End Time: 3:30 PM

Don't miss this exciting opportunity to see Photographer Doug Ohman present on his new book, "Libraries of Minnesota."


Presented by History Center of Olmsted County in cooperation with Rochester Public Library with costs underwritten by Yaggy Colby Associates. The Friends of the Rochester Public Library also support this event.

Contact: Katherine Stecher

Contact Number: 328-2313

SE MN Poets

April 16th, Saturday, is a busy Poetry Day here in Minnesota. First there is a Spring Meeting at Assissi Heights in Rochester, followed by a reception and reading in Zumbrota at Crossing's.
Crossings’ Poet-Artist Collaboration reception and poetry reading will begin at 7pm. One of our Friends, Sue McMillan, will have one of her poems transformed into a painting.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy the evening and the exhibit, which will be on display April 4-30.

Visiting Author Series - Cary Griffith

 Cary J. Griffith, a freelance writer who specializes in writing about the outdoors, is the author of Lost in the Wild: Danger and Survival in the North Woods and the Minnesota Book Award-winning nonfiction adventure Opening Goliath: Danger and Discover in Caving.

Save the date: Sunday, April 10 - 2:00 pm in the auditorium.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Rochester Public Library.


Find Cary Griffith online

Friends Book Sale - April 2,3rd

Friends BOOK SALE

Join us for the Annual

SPRING CLEAN UP SALE!

April 2nd, Saturday the doors will open

at 1.30 for Friends Members

The Public may attend the sale

from 2:00 to 5:00 pm

April 3rd, Sunday Sale hours

will be 1:30 to 4:00 pm

Hope to see you there!