Renville Public Library

2012-01-05T11:52:00.000-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Libraries

This past weekend, I traveled north to Alexandria to visit my parents. While spending some quiet time at my childhood home, I had the chance to catch up on some reading. I had been slowly reading a history book from the Olivia Library; it was going nowhere. I wanted to finish the book, it covered the previously untold story of the fate of American Loyalists following the Revolutionary War. It was fascinating, but a little dry and reading it was a chore. Finally, I gave up. As it was a library book, I knew I could get it again. Putting down the book, I felt a mix of sorrow and relief that was quickly assuaged by the next book in my hands False Mermaid by Minnesotan Erin Hart. This deep and rich mystery was exactly what I needed to start the year right. That’s one of the joys of the library; it’s easier to dabble and experiment when a reading experience that isn’t going as planned can quickly be replaced by another with minimal cost and inconvenience to the reader.

On a different subject - a quick reminder to readers who have e-reading devices new and not-so-new. If you are being blocked from logging in to the Pioneerland Overdrive website and checking out ebooks from the library, it’s quite possible that your library card may have expired If that’s the case, all that is needed is to call or visit the library and have the card renewed for another year.

Upcoming Events:

The Renville e-book and e-reader night will be on Thursday, January 5th at 6PM at the Renville Public Library. There will be an e-book and e-reader night in Olivia on Monday, January 9th at 6:30PM at the Olivia Public Library. All are invited. Contact the library with any questions.

New Books:

“The Art of Fielding” by Chad Harbach - A baseball star at a small college near Lake Michigan launches a routine throw that goes disastrously off course and inadvertently changes the lives of five people, including the college president, a gay teammate, and the president's daughter.

The Angel Makers” by Jessica Gregson - Enjoying freedom with neighbor women in her village when their abusive men go off to war, medicine woman Sari uses her skills to kill her returned husband and is quickly sought by her new friends for the same service, with dire results.

“The Alpine Winter” by Mary Daheim - Christmas is anything but quiet in Alpine, Washington, after a body turns up in a cave and Emma Lord and her beau, Milo, are stalked by a killer.

“The Lady of the Rivers” by Philippa Gregory - When the death of Joan of Arc shows her the dangers faced by strong women, Jacquetta, a psychic descendant of a river goddess, studies alchemy and becomes the secret wife of Richard Woodville before returning to the court of Henry VI.

Library News 12-29-11

2012-01-03T11:07:00.000-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

The Olivia and Renville Public Libraries will be hosting e-book and e-reader nights in early January. Do you have an e-reader device? Bring it to the e-book night! It doesn’t matter if you are fully converted to reading all of your books on a electronic device or if you are a new owner of a device and still learning the ins-and-outs. We’ll share what we have and compare and contrast. If you are considering buying one of these gadgets, come with your questions and get a hands-on trial with some of the newest models.

After we’ve had a chance to look at and try out the different devices, we’ll learn tips and tricks that anyone with access to such a device can use to get the most out of their devices. I’ll also show how to download e-books from the Pioneerland Library System Overdrive e-book library. And we’ll take time to answer as many questions as possible about e-books and e-readers.

The Renville e-book and e-reader night will be on Thursday, January 5th at 6PM at the Renville Public Library. There will be an e-book and e-reader night in Olivia on Monday, January 9th at 6:30PM at the Olivia Public Library. All are invited. Contact the library with any questions.

New DVDs:

“Sarah’s Key” - In modern-day Paris, a journalist finds her life becoming entwined with a young girl whose family was torn apart during the notorious Vel d'Hiv roundup, which took place in Paris, in 1942. She stumbles upon a family secret which will link her forever to the destiny of a young Jewish girl, Sarah.

“The Help” - Mississippi during the 1960s: Skeeter, a southern society girl, returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends' lives, and a small Mississippi town, upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter's best friend's housekeeper, is the first to open up, to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community.

“Super 8” - In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witnesses a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon they suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local deputy tries to uncover the truth, something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

“Monte Carlo” - Get ready for an awesome adventure of a lifetime in Monte Carlo! Grace, a high-spirited high school grad, is looking forward to a vacation in Paris with her best friend Emma and stepsister Meg. Just as the girls think their trip is ruined when their hyperactive tour guide leaves them behind, Grace is mistaken for a wealthy socialite and the trio is whisked away to Monte Carlo for a thrilling week of glitz, glam, and unforgettable fun.

Library News 12-22-11

2011-12-22T11:04:00.000-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

One of my favorite tasks each week is finding new books to highlight in this column. Getting new books in at the library is exciting; each day when a new books arrives feels like Christmas. I’m always so happy to be able to offer new things for my patrons to read. Sometimes we get new books that come in on standing order - when it’s printed it comes directly to us. When that happens I don’t always get a chance to know what the book is about before it gets on the shelf. I know that it will be a good book - we choose our standing order authors carefully - but sometimes I don’t get a chance to read the front cover before giving it to a patron. Thus when I take the time each week to pick out books for the column, I sometimes discover books that are so interesting that I make sure I’m the next on the list.

So for the Christmas column this year I offer everyone an extended list of new books that are in at the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries. Enjoy!

New Books:

“Soft Target” by Stephen Hunter - A follow-up to "Dead Zero" finds retired marine sergeant Ray Cruz confronting a band of terrorists who have taken over the Mall of America, where they begin to systematically execute more than one thousand hostages.

“The Scottish Prisoner” by Diana Gabaldon - In the eighteenth century, paroled prisoner-of-war Jamie Fraser and his old fried Tobias Quinn must travel from London to Ireland on a mission of intrigue surrounding a packet of documents and an ancient relic.

“The Drop” by Michael Connelly - LAPD detective Harry Bosch simultaneously investigates a killer who has been operating undetected for thirty years and a political conspiracy that has its origins in his police department.

“Longing” by Karen Kingsbury - While Bailey Flanigan gets closer to her one-time Hollywood co-star, Brandon Paul, Cody finds himself much closer to a woman who seems to better understand him and his new life, but even so, never does much time go by without Bailey and Cody experiencing deep feelings of longing for each other, longing both for the past and for answers before they can move forward.

“Lost Melody” by Lori Copeland - Hundreds of lives depend on Jill King's willingness to warn her small town in Nova Scotia of a looming disaster, but doing so could cost Jill her reputation, jeopardize the political career of the man she loves, and ruin their plans for a future together.

“Silver Girl” by Elin Hilderbrand - Facing homelessness and a loss of social standing after her husband cheats rich investors out of billions of dollars, Meredith and her best friend, Connie, who has troubles of her own, escape to Nantucket to heal.

Library News 12-15-11

2011-12-15T10:55:00.000-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries.

Being a librarian, my ears are extra sensitive to news about books and reading. Headlines, rumors and the occasional overheard conversation in the check out line at Target always seem to capture my attention. And recently all I’ve been hearing is about e-books and e-readers. Both Barnes and Noble and Amazon have recently released a slew of new devices. Barnes and Noble’s new Nook Tablet will let a user read books and magazines, surf the Internet over wifi and watch movies and TV with Hulu Plus and Netflix. Interestingly enough, the Barnes and Noble Nook Color has a new software update that will let the user read books and magazines, surf the Internet over wifi and watch movies and TV with Netflix. If you are a Nook Color user, be on the lookout for this update over the next few weeks. It should come over wifi, but anxious users can download it from the Barnes and Noble website. I’d tell you how my update went, but the usb cable that came with my Nook Color shattered - I should be getting a replacement in 4-7 days.

Amazon’s new machines have been getting their fair share of press also. The Kindle Fire has been hailed as a new standard in lower priced tablets - at about half the price of an iPad. While it has been a bestseller, many complaints have been raised about the design of the device and its software. Some are reporting trouble with navigating websites on the smaller screen, others are frustrated with the lack of a volume control button on the side of the device. Amazon is promising updates that will attempt to fix some of these concerns.

E-readers are expanding our reading options. It has been fascinating to see how people react to the availability of the devices. I’ve heard many people say that they will never read an e-book. Others have fully embraced the e-reader and e-books. Most seem to be in a holding pattern, like the lady in the lane next to mine at Target in West St Paul who doesn’t want to buy an e-reader but feels that with the world moving in that direction she will have no choice. In my opinion, we will continue to have choices as to how we can read what we want to read. If you need help in making an informed choice, feel free to ask us at the library.

New Books:

“Red Mist” by Patricia Cornwell - As she investigates the murder of her former deputy chief, Kay Scarpetta discovers links to a series of otherwise unrelated killings, and soon finds herself unraveling a global terror conspiracy.

“Explosive Eighteen” by Janet Evanovich - Stephanie Plum finds herself in trouble when her seatmate on her Hawaii to Newark flight winds up dead and a motley collection of thugs, as well as the FBI, search for a photo the man was reportedly carrying--a photo that only Stephanie has seen.

2011-12-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

I had the pleasure of spending the past weekend with my grandma in the Cities. She’s in her eighties and has been a voracious reader for decades. As she’s gained years, she’s decreased the number of activities that she is able to do. One of the activities that she has yet to let go has been reading. Fortunately, she is still able to read books that we get from her library. When I call or visit her we always talk books. She’s given me some great ideas for books to buy for the library.

Spending time with Grandma has give me good insight into the ways that family’s support the continued reading habits of older library patrons. The staff at your local libraries love to help patrons of all ages and we have items and services for all patrons. To assist our older readers, we offer large and larger print books. These books are easier to read and most bestsellers are printed in large print. Let us know if there is a specific title that you are looking for; if we don’t have it on the shelf, it very well might be at one of our other libraries in Pioneerland. Same goes for books on tape and books on CD. They can help patrons who struggle to read any sized print continue to enjoy their favorite authors.

If any patron or family member has questions or special requests for library staff, feel free to contact the library.

New Large Print Books:

“Hotel at the Corner of Bitter and Sweet” by Jamie Ford - When artifacts from Japanese families sent to internment camps during World War II are uncovered during renovations at a Seattle hotel, Henry Lee embarks on a quest that leads to memories of growing up Chinese in a city rife with anti-Japanese sentiment.

“The Leftovers” by Tom Perrotta - When a bizarre phenomenon causes the cataclysmic disappearances of numerous people all over the world, Kevin Garvey, the new mayor of a once-comfortable suburban community, struggles to help his neighbors heal while enduring the fanatical religious conversions of his wife and son.

“The Cat’s Table” by Michael Ondaatje - Boarding a 1950s ship and sequestered to an out-of-sight dining table with other marginalized children, an 11-year-old boy shares rollicking adventures while traveling to various world regions, learning about jazz, women and a shackled prisoner along the way.

“Her Rodeo Cowboy” by Debra Clopton - Everything accountant Montana Brown thought she knew about love and marriage goes topsy-turvy when her parents split up. Shaken, she heads to Mule Hollow, Texas, to stay with family and take a chance on an old dream: being a cowgirl. With all her might, she tries to resist the charms of a too-handsome cowboy. Luke Holden is going after his own dream of expanding his ranch. A wife isn't on his wish list. But the Mule Hollow matchmakers are fixin' to lasso Luke and Montana together—with a little faith and love.

Library News 12-1-11

2011-12-01T10:39:00.001-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Your local public library has a special feature that may not be widely known. It’s very low cost and can save patrons time, money and hassles. This somewhat hidden treasure is the bookdrop. Located just outside the front entrance to the library in Renville and just to the right of the 10th Street entrance in Olivia, the bookdrop is the place to return your checked out items when the library is closed. Each day when the library is opened, a staff member will empty the bookdrop and check in the items that have been returned since the library was last open. Those items are checked in as if they were returned the previous day. So if a book is returned Wednesday morning before the library opens it counts as being checked in on Tuesday. If you are a person that has the occasional late fee, the bookdrop can help save you money!

While the bookdrop is perfect for returning checked out items, if you come by the library when it is closed or if you don’t have the time to come into the building, we request that you bring your checked out items inside if you are coming into the building. We also request that books and other library materials be slid into the bookdrop one-by-one so the drop doesn’t clog with items. If you are returning multiple items and have them in a plastic bag, please take them out of the bag before putting them into the bookdrop. Please note that some items may be too fragile for the bookdrop - especially old books and DVDs with flimsy cases. If returning such an item in a timely matter is a concern, please contact your library to see if the return date might be adjusted or other arrangements made.

Thank you for your understanding of proper bookdrop management. See below for some fun new books that can be returned in the bookdrop after being read and enjoyed!

Upcoming Events There will be a holiday story hour at the Renville Public Library from 10:00-10:45 on Tuesday, December 6. The holiday story hour at the Olivia Public Library will be from 10:30 -11:15 on Friday, December 9. Contact the library for more information.

New Books:

“Zero Day” by David Baldacci - Combat veteran John Puller, now working as an investigator for the Army's Criminal Investigative Division, tries to solve the murder of an Army man and his Pentagon contractor wife in their isolated rural home.

“Valley of Dreams” by Lauraine Snelling - When Cassie Lockwood's father dies and the manager of his Wild West show drives it into debt before taking off with the remaining money, she decides to look for the hidden valley where her father dreamed of settling.

2011-11-25T12:51:00.001-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

“I’m thinking about buying one of those new e-readers, which one do you recommend?” has become a fairly common question around our libraries these days. While we do not sell or endorse any electronic reading devices, your friendly library staff heartily encourages reading in any form. The Pioneerland Library System does offer its patrons access to a small but growing collection of e-books that can be checked out for up to three weeks at a time. These can be read on pretty much any e-reader, including Kindles and Nooks. Library e-books can also be read on Apple devices that run the iOS software (iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone) and on Android tablets and phones. Stop into to your local library for more information.

So, that explains what you can get from the library to put on your e-reader, but it still doesn’t say which is the best for you. This gets to the tough part. My recommendation would be to test a few different models. Stop into a store or find friends that own a model that you are considering. At this point, Amazon is selling Kindles at eight different prices and Barnes and Noble is selling two different models. Both companies are also selling tablets: the Kindle Fire and the Nook Tablet. Just between the top two brands there are 6 different designs of e-readers, each with its own size, bulk and weight. Some of the readers are only wifi-compatible, others will allow for downloads over 3G. Some screens look like computer screens, others are e-ink and more closely resemble books. Given all of these variables, trying out the different models will go a long way to seeing which is best for you.

The other big part of the e-reader question is the store. Most Nook books come from Barnes and Noble. Almost all the Kindle books come from Amazon. If you are going to purchase an e-reader from one of these companies, I would recommend perusing each online e-book store to see that the books that you would be interested in reading sell at a reasonable price.

Best of luck with holiday shopping. Feel free to ask your friendly library staff questions about e-books, e-readers, and paper books. Also, keep your eyes open for future e-book and e-reader programming at your local library.

Upcoming Events

There will be a holiday story hour at the Renville Public Library from 10:00-10:45 on Tuesday, December 6. The holiday story hour at the Olivia Public Library will be from 10:30 -11:15 on Friday, December 9.

New Books

“Kill Alex Cross” by James Patterson - Detective Alex Cross is thwarted at every turn while he attempts to investigate the abduction of the president's son and daughter and also discovers a deadly contagion released in the capital's water supply that foreshadows a larger, more devastating attack.

2011-11-17T12:10:00.001-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Libraries

The library is a natural place to discover new authors. Library staff read and follow books for a living. Helping patrons find new books and get hooked on new series is one of the best parts of my job. However, there’s not nearly enough time in the day for us to read all of the books out there. So, we are turning to you, loyal readers, for some assistance. Each year we set a standing order list for our popular adult fiction authors. That means that any time a new hardcover book by Nora Roberts or John Sandford or James Patterson - to name a few examples - gets published, we automatically get a copy. This covers a good number of our new fiction books. We do leave a good amount of room in our budget to order other new and interesting books.

It’s the time of the year that we update the standing order list. I’ll look through our current selections to see who’s still writing books and if their books are circulating. I’ll also work with the staff to see if there are any new and different authors to add. And this is where you, loyal reader, have a chance to assist. Do you have a new favorite author that isn’t on the shelf at Olivia or Renville? Is it an author that you think others in the community would love to read? Let us know and we’ll consider it for the standing order list. We can’t guarantee that every suggestion will be added, but we’ll try our best and definitely take note of the interest in the community. Suggestions for book purchases are always welcome and we try hard to satisfy as many as possible.

Upcoming Events

There will be a holiday story hour at both the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries. Story hour at Renville will be held the morning of Tuesday, December 6th. Olivia’s story hour will most likely be the morning of Friday, December 9th. More information will be available at the libraries.

New Books:

“V is for Vengeance” by Sue Grafton - On her thirty-eighth birthday, Kinsey Millhone receives a facial punch that leaves her with a broken nose and two black eyes before she tackles a suspicious suicide involving a host of unscrupulous characters.

“Lonestar Angel” by Colleen Coble - When Eden Larson's estranged husband, Clay, delivers the news that their lost baby girl who was kidnapped years earlier may have been found, the couple's love for each other is rekindled as they investigate.

Library News 11-10-11

2011-11-17T12:06:00.001-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries.

The news this year that Best Buy and many other stores will be opening on midnight of Black Friday got me thinking about the Christmas season. While we won’t be opening at midnight the day after Thanksgiving, your local public library will be open our usual hours that day. We can help you find the perfect movie or book to help get you and your family into the Christmas and holiday spirit. If we don’t have it on the shelf, we can usually get it from another library fairly quickly.

To make Christmas book browsing easier, staff at the Renville and Olivia Libraries will be pulling our Christmas books out of our main collection and putting them in special display spaces. Keep an eye open for these displays, which will contain holiday classics and new favorites.

Upcoming Events: There will be a holiday story hour at both the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries. Look in this space for more information next week.

New Books “Christmas in Sugarcreek” by Shelley Shepard Gray - As the holidays approach, Judith Graber, feeling overwhelmed, overworked, and underappreciated, is attracted to her father's new employee, Ben Knox, Sugarcreek's own bad boy, but refuses to be another one of his conquests.

“The Christmas Wedding” by James Patterson - This is the story of Gaby Summerhill, a widow planning a holiday wedding to a groom whose identity remains a surprise to her four children.

“Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor” by Lisa Kleypas - After a radio DJ in the close-knit community of Friday Harbor reads a heartwrenching letter to Santa written by widower Zachary Nolan's daughter, Zachary's family and friends get caught up in a holiday matchmaking frenzy.

“The Christmas Singing” by Cindy Woodsmall - After her childhood sweetheart, Gideon Beiler, abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve, cake decorator Mattie Eash starts a new life in Berlin, Ohio, and eventually gives her heart to someone new, but three years after her painful ordeal, an unforeseen setback forces Mattie home and into painful proximity to Gideon.

2011-11-04T14:10:00.001-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

As a librarian, I check out a lot of books. It’s an occupational hazard. Most I’m able to finish in due course. Some end up getting returned half-read. My list of books to check out again is about as long as my list of books to check out. I supplement my reading habit with audiobooks that I download from the Pioneerland Library System Overdrive site. These go on my assortment of listening devices. Currently, I’ve been speeding through the “39 Clues” series, which is written by an all-star group of authors for teens and tweens. The series, currently at 12 books, follows 14 year-old Amy and her 11 year-old brother Dan as they chase around the globe on a clue hunt to uncover a secret that could make them the most powerful people in the world.

While written for middle and high school students, the “39 Clues” are a great adventure for adults too. Incredibly suspenseful, the books explore exciting parts of history in a fun way while letting the reader get to know the spunky and resourceful sibling duo. I listened to the first 10 and read the other 2 books. They were hard to put down and I can’t wait for the next one to be published. The Olivia Public Library is collecting the series. The audiobooks can be found at the Pioneerland Overdrive site or at other PLS libraries. Books average around 200 pages. The audiobooks are between 4-5 hours long.

New Teen Books:

“Virtuosity” by Jessica Martinez - Just before the most important violin competition of her career, 17-year-old prodigy Carmen faces critical decisions about her anti-anxiety drug addiction, her controlling mother and a potential romance with her most talented rival.

“Game Over” by James Patterson - In Tokyo, fifteen-year-old Daniel X faces two of the most dangerous aliens on the planet, who are plotting to use video games to control children and turn them into an army of doom.

“The Name of the Star” by Maureen Johnson - Rory, of Boueuxlieu, Louisiana, is spending a year at a London boarding school when she witnesses a murder by a Jack the Ripper copycat and becomes involved with the very unusual investigation.

“Queen of Hearts” by Martha Brooks - Shortly after her first kiss but before her sixteenth birthday in December, 1941, Marie Claire and her younger brother and sister are sent to a tuberculosis sanatorium near their Manitoba farm.

Library News 10-27-11

2011-10-27T10:37:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

I have been so incredibly excited by all of the new fun books that we have been receiving at the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries that I just couldn’t decide which ones to highlight in this weeks column. There is such a great variety of books on the shelf that fit any mood or occasion. Next week, I’ll share a bit about the book that held me spell-bound last night and kept me up way past my bedtime. Stop by your local library to find a great read for late-night or any other time of the day.

New Books:

“The Fatal Gift of Beauty: The Trials of Amanda Knox.” by Nina Burleigh - Presents an account of the highly publicized 2007 murder of British student Meredith Kercher that examines the controversial prosecution, conviction, and sentencing of her American roommate while critiquing vulnerabilities in the Italian legal system.

“Legacy Letters: Messages of Life and Hope from 9/11 Family Members “ - Presents a collection of inspiring letters from those affected by the September 11 terrorist attacks, who offer a unique perspective on that day and honor their loved ones by living with purpose.

“Lethal” by Sandra Brown - After Honor Gillette is visited by Lee Coburn, a suspected murderer seeking a valuable object that Honor's late husband left behind, they find themselves running from the FBI and untangling a web of corruption and depravity.

“Son of Stone” by Stuart Woods - Returning to New York after a reunion with his well-to-do ex Arrington Calder, Stone Barrington hopes to settle down, only to find his plans upended when Arrington introduces him to the child he fathered many years earlier.

“Book of Dreams” by Davis Bunn - Widowed psychiatrist Dr. Elena Burroughs must rely on an ancient manuscript to interpret the dreams of a mysterious client named Sandra, unleashing her own psychic abilities and experiencing a succession of insights and warnings that portend danger for Sandra, her husband, and even the global economy.

“A Stolen Life” by Jaycee Dugard - The author describes how she was held hostage for eighteen years by registered sex offender Phillip Garrido, who sexually abused her and fathered her two children, and how she was finally found by authorities.

“The Wonder of Your Love” by Beth Wiseman - Mourning the loss of her estranged husband, who died before their beautiful baby was born, Katie Ann Stoltzfus vows never to trust another man and resolves to fill the role of both mother and father to her son, but when Eli Detweiler arrives in Canaan, Colorado, to attend his niece's wedding, Katie Ann and Eli face an unexpected, hopeful future together.

Library News 10-20-11

2011-10-21T12:15:00.001-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Last week, I was fortunate to attend the Minnesota Library Association Conference in Duluth.
One of my favorite speakers was Anita Silvey, author of the book Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children’s Book. This fun book, which is on the shelf at the Olivia Public Library, is the result of a project where the author interviewed society leaders about the children’s books that shaped their lives and their life work. It’s fascinating to read about country star Brad Paisley’s decision to name his first child after his favorite book, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and to learn how many people were inspired by The Little Engine That Could and it’s famous phrase: “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”

Good children’s books have the power to change lives. They allow us to imagine all the different possibilities that life has for us. A great children’s book can take us around the world or to different planets without leaving the room. These books help us imagine what we might become and let us dream of a better world. The perfect book in the right hands might even inspire one of our young Renville County library patrons to become a future inventor, space explorer or president.

The public libraries in Olivia and Renville have wonderful books for children of any age. All that is required is an open mind and a library card.

New Books

“The Best of Me” by Nicholas Sparks - Two former high school sweethearts return to their hometown for the funeral of a mentor and confront the choices they have made since they last met.

“The Wonder of Your Love” by Beth Wiseman - Mourning the loss of her estranged husband, who died before their beautiful baby was born, Katie Ann Stoltzfus vows never to trust another man and resolves to fill the role of both mother and father to her son, but when Eli Detweiler arrives in Canaan, Colorado, to attend his niece's wedding, Katie Ann and Eli face an unexpected, hopeful future together.

“Heat Rises” by Richard Castle - In this third book of the New York Times best-selling series, NYPD Homicide Detective Nikk Heat, who has a passion for justice, teams up with hotshot reporter Jameson Rook to catch a sadistic killer.

“If You Give a Dog a Donut” by Laura Numeroff - Chaos might ensue if you were to give a dog a donut.

Library News 10-13-11

2011-10-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

I love to read mysteries. I’ve always loved to read mysteries. Both of my parents are avid mystery readers. When I order books for the libraries, I need to make sure that I don’t get too many mysteries. If you stop me in the library or on the street and ask for a book suggestion, I could talk for hours if it you ask about mysteries.

Right now, I’m feeling a little too surrounded by mysteries. While I will always take time to devour a novel by Lee Child, James Patterson, or Monica Ferris; I’m ready to start branching out in new directions. My first attempt is “A Game of Thrones” by George R. R. Martin. I have this fantasy fan favorite on my Nook - as a Pioneerland ebook - and am liking it so far. I’ll let everyone now how this goes in a furture column.

If you are feeling that you are in a little rut with your reading, stop by the library and we’ll help you branch out in a new reading direction.

New Books

“House of Secrets” by Tracie Peterson - When Bailee Cooper's father orchestrates a surprise trip to the summer house of her childhood, what is intended to be a happy reunion for Bailee and her sisters quickly becomes shrouded by memories from the past.

“The Affair” by Lee Child - Traces the story of Jack Reacher's early life in the military before the events that rendered him a vigilante hero on the road.

“Shock Wave” by John Sandford - When protests about a superstore chain's plans to build a location in a Minnesota river town escalate into bombing attacks at the construction site and the company's headquarters, Virgil Flowers races against time to find and stop the bomber.

“Caleb’s Crossing” by Geraldine Brooks - Forging a deep friendship with a Wampanoag chieftain's son on the Great Harbor settlement where her minister father is working to convert the tribe, Bethia follows his subsequent ivy league education and efforts to bridge cultures among the colonial elite.

Library News 10-6-11

2011-10-07T11:30:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Last week an area Red Hat Society club held a meeting at the Olivia Public Library. This group had contacted the library asking for a presentation on computers and the Internet. As it was a group of around a dozen, we let them into the library before it opened. The Red Hatters learned about all that the library had to offer and got a tutorial on the library’s e-books and downloadable audiobooks. This was followed by an interactive discussion on the Internet and programs such as e-mail and Facebook. Everyone there was able to share their tips and tricks for navigating these services. The whole experience was enjoyable.

In the near future, we plan on offering Internet and technology presentations/classes at both the Olivia and Renville Libraries. These will be open to the public and will be well publicized. In addition to these classes, we would welcome the opportunity to present to and work with community groups such as the Red Hat Society. If you are a member of such a group and you think your group would enjoy and benefit from a meeting/presentation at the library, feel free to contact me at jakeo@olivia.lib.mn.us or stop into either the libraries in Olivia and Renville. As long as there is enough advanced warning, we would work with your group to design something to fit your needs.

New Books

“Feast Day of Fools” by James Lee Burke - Interviewing an alcoholic Native American who witnessed a murder along the Texas-Mexico border, Sheriff Hack Holland and his deputy, Sam Tibbs, recognize the work of serial killer Preacher Jack Collins in an investigation that is assisted by the enigmatic Anton Ling.

“1225 Christmas Tree Lane” by Debbie Macomber - As the holidays approach, Christmas tree farm owner Beth Morehouse finds her life taking some surprising turns when someone leaves a basket filled with puppies on her doorstep, and her daughters invite their dad, her long-divorced husband, Kent, to Cedar Cove in hopes of a mom-and-dad reunion.

“Trial by Fire” by Don Pendleton - Mack Bolan must protect a group of American cadets who, after being shot down in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are being tracked by terrorists who will stop at nothing to make sure they do not leave the jungle alive.

“A Texan’s Promise” by Shelley Gray - Clayton Proffitt, foreman of the Circle Z Ranch, determines to help Vanessa Grant escape her abusive stepfather, his employer, and as they head west to Colorado and safety, a deep bond develops between them.

“Then Came You” by Jennifer Weiner - The plans of four women including a Princeton senior egg donor, a working-class housewife egg donor, a wealthy pregnant woman and her stepdaughter are thrown into turmoil when the pregnant woman's husband suddenly dies and names the stepdaughter the unborn baby's guardian.

Library News 9-29-11

2011-09-29T13:27:00.003-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Last Thursday morning, librarians across the land awoke startled by a seismic shift. Kindle users are now able to check out library e-books! This exciting news means that even more people will be able to try out - and hopefully enjoy - one more way to read books from your local library. A friendly patron with a Kindle agreed to help me test the download process; we both agreed that it was pretty easy. First, one needs to click over to pioneerland.lib.overdrive.com to find an interesting book. E-books on the site will be in a combination of formats: Adobe EPUB, Adobe PDF, and Kindle. As long as it says “Kindle Book,” it can be downloaded onto a Kindle or Kindle app. If an e-book is available, it will say “Add to Cart.” If another user has it checked out, it will say “Request It.” If the book is available, the Kindle user first needs to log in using their Pioneerland library card number. Once logged in, the user adds it to the cart, and proceeds to check it out. As soon as the book is checked out, the magic “add to Kindle” button will open the Amazon website and the book will be synced to the kindle over wifi. Below are a sample of books that any patron with an e-book reader or computer can check out from the Pioneerland e-book collection.

A selection of e-books available at pioneerland.lib.overdrive.com

“Minding Frankie” by Maeve Binchy - Agreeing to care for the baby that a terminally ill former girlfriend claims is his, recovering alcoholic Noel turns to a loving network of family and friends for help until a social worker attempts to place the baby in a foster home.

“Stupid Fast” by Geoff Herbach - Just before his sixteenth birthday, Felton Reinstein has a sudden growth spurt that turns him from a small, jumpy, picked-on boy with the nickname of "Squirrel Nut" to a powerful athlete, leading to new friends, his first love, and the courage to confront his family's past and current problems.

“Almost a Family” by John Darnton - A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist traces his investigation into the life of the father who died in World War II when the author was a baby, describing the devastating impact of his loss on the family and the myths about him perpetuated by the author's mother.

“How I Killed Pluto and Why It had It Coming” by Mike Brown - A dramatic account by the astronomer who inadvertently triggered the "demotion" of Pluto in his effort to officially recognize the solar system's 10th planet describes ensuing debates and public outcry while revealing the behind-the-scenes story of his discovery.

Library News 9-22-11

2011-09-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

By the time you read this, your friendly librarians in Olivia and Renville should be done with inventory. After scanning almost 60,000 items between the two libraries, we are just a little tired and are ready to not hear the beep of those scanners anytime soon. (Though we still love the beep of the circulation desk scanner when we are checking out books for our wonderful patrons!) My favorite part of inventory has been discovering fun and interesting things on our shelves. As I have only been with the libraries for about 18 months, I’m stilling learning the ins and outs of our collections. Since I’ve seen so many books over the past two weeks, I thought it wouldn’t hurt to look at a few more, so I give you a selection of new books at the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries!

New Books

“To Have and To Hold” by Tracie Peterson - A young woman struggles to keep her ancestral property in 1886 Georgia, and discovers the man her father hired to help is more than he seems.

“Killing the Blues” by Robert Parker - Massachusetts police chief Jesse Stone's investigation of a violent series of car thefts is complicated by political pressures, the summer tourist season, and the questionable goals of an ambitious PR executive.

“Trick of the Dark” by Val McDermid - After being barred from practice, disgraced psychiatrist Charlie Flint agrees to help her old professor at Oxford solve the mystery surrounding the death of her daughter's husband--a case that leads her into the arcane world of Oxford colleges.

“New York to Dallas” by J.D. Robb - When a formidable killer she brought down years earlier escapes, New York homicide cop Eve Dallas races to prevent him from resuming his attacks on child victims and exacting revenge on Eve herself.

“A Whisper of Peace” by Kim Vogel Sawyer - Clay Selby works as missionary to the Indians of Alaska in 1898, but after meeting Lizzie Dawson, a beautiful girl who has been ostacized from her tribe becuase of her white father, Clay worries that befriending her will ruin his mission.

“Only Yours” by Susan Mallery - Surgeon Simon Bradley, who moves from place to place to avoid emotional attachments, helping to heal children who need his skillful touch, is surprised to discover after meeting therapy dog trainer Montana Hendrix that he is in no hurry to leave Fool's Gold.

Library News 9-15-11

2011-09-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and the Olivia Public Libraries

Do you have a new iPad, laptop or other device, but lack an internet connection? The library is ready to help you out. Our Pioneerland Library System wifi is easy to connect to and offers up to four hours of wireless access per day. All you need to do is come to the library, log on to the internet, complete a quick registration, and you are ready to go. Our signals are not incredibly strong, but they can be reached inside the buildings and right outside the buildings. Our wireless internet is available every day from 5AM to 11PM.

New Books

“The Race” by Clive Cussler - Protecting a woman aviator whose violent husband has already committed one murder, Isaac Bell of the Van Dorn Detective Agency oversees the woman's participation in a daring 1910 cross-country race, which is being sponsored by a wealthy newspaper publisher.

“The Survivor” by Shelley Shepard Gray - After successfully battling cancer, 23-year old Mattie Troyer, now that she is healthy, enters into a relationship with her best friend, Graham Weaver, but her hopes for a happily ever after are dashed when it is rumored that Graham has fathered a baby with another woman.

“A Trick of the LIght” by Louise Penny - Investigating a murder at a solo artist's Quebec village home, Chief Inspector Gamache and his team encounter deceptive nuances in the art world that distort every clue they find with tales of duality and broken hearts.

“Heartwishes” by Jude Deveraux - Determinedly pursuing a job cataloging the documents of the old and prestigious Frazier family, Gemma Ranford stumbles on reference to a legendary stone reputed to grant wishes to family members that she begins to seek at the side of eldest son Colin Frazier, with whom she is falling in love.

“State of Wonder” by Ann Patchett - A researcher at a pharmaceutical company, Marina Singh journeys into the heart of the Amazonian delta to check on a field team that has been silent for two years--a dangerous assignment that forces Marina to confront the ghosts of her past.

“The Mercy” by Beverly Lewis - Rose Kauffman struggles with her feelings for Nick Franco, the bishop's foster son, who left the Amish community under suspicious circumstances, while her sister, Hen, tries to mend her marriage to her estranged "English" husband.

Library News 9-8-11

2011-09-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

This past weekend reminded me how quickly Minnesota seasons can change. As we move into what I hope to be a long and calm fall season, remember that the library is well stocked with books and audiobooks in several different formats. We can help you find a fun paperback to read as you wait for the beginning of a football game. We also have audiobooks on CDs that are perfect for a long drive to see fall colors. Our downloadable audiobooks can help pass the time while raking leaves and our e-books travel well if you have a compatible device.

Upcoming Events

The Olivia Public Library will be closed both Tuesday and Wednesday September 13 and 14 for inventory. It will reopen at 12 noon on Thursday, September 15th. When the Olivia Library is closed, patrons are invited to use the libraries in Renville and Bird Island. The Renville Library will be open Tuesday from 10 to 4 p.m. and 12:30 to 5:30 on Wednesday. The Bird Island Library is open 10 to 5 both Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Renville Public Library will be closed both Tuesday and Wednesday September 20 and 21 for inventory. It will reopen at 12:30 on Thursday, September 22th. When the Renville Library is closed, patrons are invited to use the libraries in Olivia and Granite Falls. The Granite Falls Library will be open Tuesday from 9 to 7 and 9 to 6 on Wednesday. The Olivia Library is open 12 noon to 8 both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Any items that are due during the time that the libraries are closed for inventory can be returned in the library book drop or returned to other Pioneerland Libraries.

New Books

“The Healing” by Wanda Brunstetter - Amish widower Samuel Fisher leaves behind Lancaster County for Kentucky's Bluegrass Country, where he meets Esther Beiler, a young woman who helps watch his children, and tries to build a new life for himself.

“Kill Me if You Can” by James Patterson - A poor art student in New York City discovers a duffel bag full of diamonds in the chaos during an attack at Grand Central Station and is pursued by the Ghost, an assassin who had murdered the bag's owner.

“Northwest Angle” by William Kent Krueger - Discovering a murdered teen while stranded by a gale on the remote Lake of the Woods, detective Cork O'Connor and his daughter, Jenny, also discover a mysterious baby boy whose life is threatened by powerful adversaries.

“The One Who Waits for Me” by Lori Copeland - Following the end of the Civil War, three young women flee a vindictive uncle, as they encounter a young pregnant slave who is looking for freedom, a Cherokee Scout who finds a place of refuge for them, and a group of war-weary soldiers who rescue them from a cotton field fire.L

Library News 9-1-11

2011-09-01T13:52:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

It’s time to count the books! All of the libraries in the Pioneerland Library System are doing inventory this year and it is now time for Olivia and Renville. This is done so we can have a better idea of what is on the shelves and what might be lost, missing or damaged. To get our inventories done as quickly as possible, we will need to close each library for two days. When a library is closed for inventory, all other libraries in the area will remain open.

The Olivia Public Library will be closed both Tuesday and Wednesday September 13 and 14 for inventory. It will reopen at 12 noon on Thursday, September 15th. When the Olivia Library is closed, patrons are invited to use the libraries in Renville and Bird Island. The Renville Library will be open Tuesday from 10 to 4 p.m. and 12:30 to 5:30 on Wednesday. The Bird Island Library is open 10 to 5 both Tuesday and Wednesday.

The Renville Public Library will be closed both Tuesday and Wednesday September 20 and 21 for inventory. It will reopen at 12:30 on Thursday, September 22th. When the Renville Library is closed, patrons are invited to use the libraries in Olivia and Granite Falls. The Granite Falls Library will be open Tuesday from 9 to 7 and 9 to 6 on Wednesday. The Olivia Library is open 12 noon to 8 both Tuesday and Wednesday.

Any items that are due during the time that the libraries are closed for inventory can be returned in the library book drop or returned to other Pioneerland Libraries.

New Books

“Flash and Bones” by Kathy Reichs - A latest entry in the series by the producer of the "Bones" television show finds forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan investigating a possible FBI cover-up with ties to the disappearance of a NASCAR crew member's sister, a right-wing extremistgroup, and a secret substance.

“The Most Dangerous Thing” by Laura Lippman - Once the best of friends until a terrible secret tore them apart, a group of friends are suddenly brought back together under tragic circumstances and wonder if their long-ago lie is the reason for their troubles today and if someone is out to destroy them.

“The Ideal Man” by Julie Garwood - After she witnesses the fatal shooting of an FBI agent, Dr. Ellie Sullivan is targeted by a shadowy criminal couple called the Landrys, and Agent Max Daniels pledges to protect Ellie until she takes the witness stand.

“The Dog Who Came in from the Cold” by Alexander McCall Smith - Terence Moongrove's estate is turned upside down by the cosmological experiments of two New Age operators, while literary agent Barbara Ragg takes on a companion of the Abominable Snowman and Pimlico terrier Freddie de la Hay is recruited by MI6.

Library News 8-25-11

2011-08-26T11:02:00.001-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

It’s been a busy summer at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries. Our Summer Reading Programs have been successful. We continue to be the place to go to get a paperback for the beach, to keep up with friends online, and to cool off on some of the hottest days of the summer. Now, with less than two weeks before school starts and summer subsides, we are all slowly preparing ourselves for fall.

As school projects and AR tests replace summer recreation and vacations on your family’s todo list, remember that the library stands ready to lend a hand and some good books. Both Olivia and Renville have good collections of age-appropriate books that can supplement books from the school library for reports and projects. The libraries also have access to the Electronic Library of Minnesota (ELM) www.elm4you.org. ELM, sponsored by the state of Minnesota, offers free access to magazines, journals, newspapers, encyclopedia articles, and other information resources.

Both libraries can help students that need to find good books for AR tests. AR books are marked with a sticker and the appropriate point levels are marked in each book.

Upcoming Events

The Renville Public Library will be hosting its annual Family Story Hour in August. Starting on Tuesday, August 9, it will run for four weeks through Tuesday, August 30. Each story hour starts at 10AM and lasts for 45 minutes. For more information, contact the Renville Library at 320-329-8193.

New DVDs

“Rio” - When Blu, a domesticated macaw from small-town Minnesota, meets the fiercely independent Jewel, he takes off on an adventure to Rio de Janeiro with this bird of his dreams.

“Ondine” - The story of an Irish fisherman who discovers a woman in his fishing net who he believes to be a Selke (a water nymph).

“Date Night” - In New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.

“True Grit” - A tough U.S. Marshal helps a stubborn young woman track down her father's murderer.

“African Queen” - In Africa during WW1, a gin-swilling riverboat owner/captain is persuaded by a strait-laced missionary to use his boat to attack an enemy warship.

“Cedar Rapids” - Tim Lippe has no idea what he's in for when he's sent to Cedar Rapids, Iowa to represent his company at an annual insurance convention, where he soon finds himself under the "guidance" of three convention veterans

Library News 8-18-11

2011-08-18T11:25:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

The Pioneerland Library System’s Overdrive catalog, which allows patrons to download e-books and audiobooks from the library, has been up and running for over two months. It is popular with patrons and getting used very well. We are continuously adding new items to the online collection. Staff and patrons are becoming more familiar with the way that this system works. When possible, I’ll be using this column to share tips and tricks and address frequently asked questions. The first such question is about returning e-books early.

If check out an e-book from the Pioneerland Library System you have the option of returning the book early if you’ve finished it before its due date. This option is not yet available for the downloadable audiobooks. To return a book early from Adobe Digital Editions, click on the cover of the book that you want to return. A small button should appear to the left of the book. Click on this button and a small menu should appear with the option to return the book. You would still need to delete the book from your e-reader. If you are reading the book on your phone or Apple iDevice, you can return a book early by pushing on the title, choosing “delete” from the menu, and then choosing “return, then delete.” If you have any questions, please contact your local library.

Upcoming Events

The Renville Public Library will be hosting its annual Family Story Hour in August. Starting on Tuesday, August 9, it will run for four weeks through Tuesday, August 30. Each story hour starts at 10AM and lasts for 45 minutes. For more information, contact the Renville Library at 320-329-8193.

New Books

“Back of Beyond” by C.J. Box - Struggling through early sobriety when his AA sponsor is murdered, police officer Cody Hoyt follows clues that point to a Yellowstone National Park guide who is leading Hoyt's son and other tourists into the wilderness.

“Woodcutter” by Reginald Hill - Imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, Wolf Hadda, a Cumbrian woodcutter's son turned hugely successful entrepreneur, retreats into silence until a prison psychiatrist makes a breakthrough that, revisiting a mysterious period in his youth, draws out the vengeful Woodcutter.

“Goodness Gracious Green” by Judy Christie- Journalist Lois Barker finds her second year in Green, Louisiana, challenging as her newspaper goes up in flames three times, she gets bit in the face by the mayor's dog and her love life goes nowhere.

“Those in Peril” by Wilbur Smith - An adventure set in the violent world of modern piracy and terrorism follows the kidnapping of an oil heiress's daughter for a multi-billion-dollar ransom and the efforts of Cross Bow Security head Hector Cross to secure her release.

Library News 8-11-11

2011-08-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Trying to remember that great book that you checked out of the library a few months ago? Can’t remember if you’ve read books five and seven in your favorite series? By turning on your reading history on your online library account, you can have a record of everything that you have checked out of the library. The record starts once you’ve turned on the history. Everything checked out before that time will not be included. To find the reading history option, start at iii.pioneerland.lib.mn.us. From that page, chose “My Record.” Log into your account using your name, barcode and pin number. At that point, choose, “Reading History.” It will prompt you at this point to “opt in.” Any questions? Ask your local library for help.

If you are trying to place a hold on your online library account or check out an e-book or downloadable audiobook and are having troubles, you may need to renew your card. Per Pioneerland Library System policy, cards expire every year. This is to ensure that cards are still being used and that addresses and phone numbers are still valid. Once a card has expired, all that you need to do is go to your local library and ask to have the card renewed. There is no charge to have a card renewed.

Upcoming Events

The Renville Public Library will be hosting its annual Family Story Hour in August. Starting on Tuesday, August 9, it will run for four weeks through Tuesday, August 30. Each story hour starts at 10AM and lasts for 45 minutes. For more information, contact the Renville Library at 320-329-8193.

New Books

“Burnt Mountain” by Anne Rivers Siddons - Thayer Wentworth marries an Irish professor and moves into her deceased grandmother's house in Atlanta a short distance away from the summer camp she attended as a child, where she begins to question whether her husband is the man she thought she knew.

“Justice” by Karen Robards - Taking a job with a Washington, D.C. law firm after witnessing the murder of the First Lady, attorney Jessica Ford investigates a rape victim's suspicious recant on the stand, a situation that is complicated by the disappearance of Jessica's predecessor.

Library News 8-4-11

2011-08-04T06:28:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

The Summer Library Program at the Renville Public Library is entering into its final month. This summer’s theme is “One World, Many Stories.” Participants focus on a different continent each week by doing a weekly craft, answering library challenge questions, and completing activity and coloring sheets that come from the weekly continent. Those who finish the activities get stickers and stamps in their reading passports. Those in the program are also reading a ton of books this summer. After five days of reading they are able to turn in a reading sheet in exchange for a fun reading reward. Those who are able to complete all six reading records will be invited to an end of summer party on August 30.

The Olivia Public Library has recently purchased a new projector and screen. These new items will be used to show movies in the library and to help with presentations and training. People and groups wanting to use the library meeting room for meetings and other events will soon have the opportunity to request the use of the projector and screen. The meeting room is available for public use during library hours if it is not being used for library events. Contact the library for more information.

Upcoming Events

The Renville Public Library will be hosting its annual Family Story Hour in August. Starting on Tuesday, August 9, it will run for four weeks through Tuesday, August 30. Each story hour starts at 10AM and lasts for 45 minutes. For more information, contact the Renville Library at 320-329-8193.

New Kids Books

“Now is the Time for Running” by Michael Williams - When soldiers attack a small village in Zimbabwe, Deo goes on the run with Innocent, his older, mentally disabled brother, carrying little but a leather soccer ball filled with money, and after facing prejudice, poverty, and tragedy, it is in soccer that Deo finds renewed hope.

“A Tale of Two Castles” by Gail Carson Levine - Twelve-year-old Elodie journeys to Two Castles in hopes of studying acting but instead becomes apprentice to a dragon, who teaches her to be observant and use reasoning, thus helping her to uncover who is poisoning the king.

“Grin and Bear It” by Leo Landry - “What do you get when a bear walks through a garden? . . . Squash!” With jokes like this, Bear is ready to perform—but how will he get past his stage fright?

“Tell Me the Day Backwards” by Albert Lamb - As Mama Bear tucks Timmy Bear in, he recalls seeing a fish, jumping off a rock, running from bees . . . all the way back to the very first thing he did that day.

Library News 7-28-11

2011-08-01T13:44:00.000-07:00

by Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

The Olivia Public Library has experienced another successful Summer Reading Program. The program officially ends on July 31st. Besides being rewarded for reading each week, the children enjoyed weekly visits by various “tour guides” sharing information about a specific country. The presenters that we had for these programs were: Michal Haakenson, Julie Remer, Sarah Hausken, Ric & Joy Jacobsen, Judi Seehusen, Holly Hotovec, and Sue Hilgert. All who were present enjoyed this learning opportunity.

Upcoming Events

The Olivia Public Library will be holding its annual booksale during Corn Capital Days. Booksale hours are Thursday, July 29 from 12:00 - 6:00PM; Friday, July 30 from 12:00 - 4:00PM; and Saturday, July 31 from 9:00AM - 1:00PM. All types of books will be available. There will be no set prices, a freewill donation is requested. The library will be open from 9:00AM to 1:00PM on the Saturday of Corn Capital Days to accommodate the book sale. For more information, contact the Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

The Renville Public Library will be hosting its annual Family Story Hour in August. Starting on Tuesday, August 9, it will run for four weeks through Tuesday, August 30. Each story hour starts at 10AM and lasts for 45 minutes. For more information, contact the Renville Library at 320-329-8193.

New Books
“Split Second” by Catherine Coulter - While FBI agents Savich and Sherlock track down a female serial killer with possible ties to Ted Bundy, Special Agent Lucy Carlisle learns from her dying father that the murder of her grandmother may be connected to a mysterious group called The Protectors.

“Stories I Only Tell My Friends: An Autobiography” by Rob Lowe - The 1980s Brat Pack founder presents an account of his life in show business and politics, tracing his counter-culture youth in Malibu, his work on such productions as "The Outsiders" and "The West Wing" and his pursuits of family and sobriety.

“Quinn” by Iris Johansen - Navy SEAL-turned-cop Joe Quinn is at the mercy of Eve Duncan's former lover, John Gallo, who plays a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse with CIA agent Catherine Ling, as Joe and Eve make a shocking discovery about the abduction of Eve's daughter.

“The Protector” by Shelley Shepard Gray - Ella, after being forced to auction off most of her late father's belongings, including her family's land, must find the courage to risk her heart when Loyal Weaver, the new owner of her family's old farmhouse, asks for her hand in marriage.

Library News 7-21-11

2011-07-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

The Olivia Public Library will be holding its annual booksale during Corn Capital Days. Booksale hours are Thursday, July 29 from 12:00 - 6:00PM; Friday, July 30 from 12:00 - 4:00PM; and Saturday, July 31 from 9:00AM - 1:00PM. All types of books will be available. There will be no set prices, a freewill donation is requested. The library will be open from 9:00AM to 1:00PM on the Saturday of Corn Capital Days to accommodate the book sale. For more information, contact the Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

The Renville Public Library will be hosting its annual Family Story Hour in August. Starting on Tuesday, August 9, it will run for four weeks through Tuesday, August 30. Each story hour starts at 10AM and lasts for 45 minutes. For more information, contact the Renville Library at 320-329-8193.

New Young Adult Books

“Middle School, The Worst Years of My Life” by James Patterson - When Rafe Kane enters middle school, he teams up with his best friend, "Leo the Silent," to create a game to make school more fun by trying to break every rule in the school's code of conduct.

“The Trouble With May Amelia” by Jennifer Holm - Living with seven brothers and her father, who thinks girls are useless, a thirteen-year-old Finnish American farm girl is determined to prove her worth when a enterprising gentleman tries to purchase their cash-strapped family settlement in Washington State in 1900.

“The FitzOsbornes in Exile” by Michelle Cooper - In January 1937, the members of Montmaray's royal family are living in luxurious exile in England, but remain determined to free their island home from the Germans, despite growing rumors of a coming war that might doom their country forever.

“What Happened to Goodbye” by Sarah Dessen - Following her parents' bitter divorce as she and her father move from town to town, seventeen-year-old Mclean reinvents herself at each school she attends until she is no longer sure she knows who she is or where she belongs.

Library News 7-14-11

2011-07-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Librarians love it when new books arrive at the library. We’ve had a ton of new books come in recently. If you are taking a vacation, a stay-cation, or a lake-cation - remember to stop by the library first to get something new to read. If we don’t have it on the shelves, we’ll be able to request it for you. If you have an ebook reading device, remember to check out pioneerland.lib.overdrive.com for our Pioneerland library e-books.

New Books

“Now You See Her” by James Patterson - After building up a successful life in New York and hiding her past, Nina Bloom returns to Florida to confront the terrible secret that shattered her life 18 years ago and protect an innocent man who is framed for murder.

“Smokin’ Seventeen” by Janet Evanovich - Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum leans on her network of friends and supporters, including Grandma Mazur and mentor Ranger, when an assignment brings more trouble than anticipated.

“Long Gone” by Alafair Burke - When her dream job turns into a living nightmare, causing her to become the prime suspect in a murder investigation, art gallery manager Alice Humphrey must prove that she has been set up--a deadly mission that plunges her into a high-tech criminal conspiracy that is shockingly linked to her own family.

“Lion of Babylon” by Davis Bunn - Marc Royce, an American operative sent to rescue two vanished soldiers in Iraq, finds himself in the midst of a centuries-old conflict of religion, violence and hatred.

“Escape” by Barbara Delinsky - Languishing in her career as a business lawyer after relinquishing her dream to defend victims of corporate abuse, Emily Aulenbach impulsively abandons her husband and returns to a New Hampshire town where she spent a watershed college summer.

“The Silent Girl” by Tess Gerritsen - Discovering primate hair at the scene of a grisly murder in Chinatown, Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and medical examiner Maura Isles discover clues linked to the fable of the Monkey King.

“Betrayal of Trust” by J.A. Jance - When the governor of the state of Washington asks him to investigate a snuff film found on her grandson's phone, J. P. Beaumont, no stranger to human depravity, is shocked by this horrific crime and discovers that this murder has much wider implications.

“Adrenaline” by Jeff Abbott - When his pregnant wife and child are kidnapped and he discovers that he has been set up as a traitor, brilliant CIA agent Sam Capra begins a desperate hunt for the unknown enemy who he believes has targeted the wrong man.

Library News 7-7-11

2011-07-07T11:13:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Downloadable ebooks and audiobooks are now available at your public library! http://pioneerland.lib.overdrive.com is the magic link. Anyone with a Pioneerland Library System library card can access, check out, and download ebooks and audiobooks from this site. The system is very similar to that for physical books and audiobooks. The digital branch has one or two copies of each item. When that copy is checked out, patrons can place a hold on the item and check it out once it is returned. Audiobooks and ebooks can be checked out for up to 21 days at a time. Renewals are not currently possible.

eBooks and some audiobooks can be downloaded directly to phones and tablet devices that run Android, Blackberry, iOS, and Windows software. If you want to read an ebook on a Nook, Sony eReader or (eventually) a Kindle - you’ll need to download the ebook to a personal computer and transfer it to the eReader by a cable. Same goes for listening to an audiobook on an MP3 player. Library computers can be used to browse the digital branch and to check out items, but they can not be used for downloading or connecting to devices.

Library staff are available to answer any eBook or downloadable audiobook questions you may have.

New Books

“Committed: A Love Story” by Elizabeth Gilbert - The author chronicles how the U.S. government gave her and her Brazilian-born lover, Felipe, an ultimatum--marry or he cannot enter the country again--and how she tackled her fears through research and reflection on the institution of marriage.

“The Kingdom” by Clive Cussler - Searching for a missing investigator friend, treasure hunters Sam and Remi Fargo travel through Tibet, Italy and other countries only to find themselves embroiled in a black-market fossil operation with ties to a potentially history-altering skeleton.

“The Reading Promise” by Alice Ozma - A series of vignettes describes how the author's father challenged himself to read aloud to her for one hundred consecutive nights when she was in fourth grade and how they decided to continue "the streak" until the day she left for college.

“The Best Advice I Ever Got” by Katie Couric - The anchor of CBS evening news collects the best life tips from a host of accomplished leaders, thinkers, artists and others, including Chelsea Handler, Malcolm Gladwell, Mario Batali, Colin Powell, Barbara Walters, Google's Eric Schmidt, and Mike Bloomberg.

Library News 6-30-11

2011-06-30T16:35:00.001-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

This past weekend, I was in New Orleans for the American Library Association’s Annual Convention. I had previously attended the 2009 convention in Chicago when I was at library school at the University of Illinois, but this was the first time that I was at this worldwide gathering of librarians as a professional. Since it was my first time in New Orleans, I took some time to mix in beignets, jazz, and the French Quarter with the conference’s sessions, exhibits and networking opportunities. At the sessions, I learned about library marketing strategies, best practices for safety and security, organizing programs at smaller libraries, and a national standard for computers in libraries. In the exhibit hall, I sampled some of the new library technology and got a heads up on the newest books to be published.

Library Conferences like ALA and the Minnesota Library Association Conference are excellent avenues for learning new skills and ways to improve myself as a librarian and the libraries that I manage. I hope to continue attending them as long as I can, especially when they are in fun locations like New Orleans and Duluth - the site of MLA 2011!

New Books

“Learning” by Karen Kingsbury - Bailey Flanagan finds her life in New York exciting as she grows closer to becoming an actress and dancer but feels something is missing since she is separated from Cody Coleman, who is coaching a small town high school football team.

“When Passion Rules” by Johanna Lindsey - Raised by the assassin hired to kill her in infancy, Princess Alana of Lubinia unsuccessfully contacts her father, the king, and is imprisoned as a pretender by the handsome captain of the palace guards.

“One Summer” by David Baldacci - Jack, terminally ill and preparing to say goodbye to his family, has a miraculous recovery after his wife is killed in a car accident and struggles to reunite his family at her childhood home on the South Carolina oceanfront.

“Highway 61” by David Housewright - Reluctantly agreeing to help his girlfriend's ex-husband in a case involving a girl's murder and a blackmail scheme, former police officer Rushmore McKenzie struggles to discern the truth when the case puts him on the wrong side of powerful adversaries.

“The Tiger’s Wife” by Tea Obreht - Struggling to understand why her beloved grandfather left his family to die alone in a field hospital far from home, a young doctor in a war-torn Balkan country takes over her grandfather's search for a mythical ageless vagabond while referring to a worn copy of Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.

Library News 6-23-11

2011-06-28T13:24:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries.

It’s a wet week in Renville County this week and your public library is ready to help you through this stormy spell. As usual, we have entertaining and informative books, movies, and audiobooks. Our computers are hooked up to the internet - some of them even have games that are perfect for our younger patrons.

The libraries in Olivia and Renville continue to run our summer reading program for elementary kids. But, did you know that we also have offerings for teens? At Renville, the summer reading program is open to patrons through twelfth grade. At Olivia, there is a special summer reading program for teens. Participants read and write down the amount of time spent reading. For each 300 minutes read - up to 900 minutes total- another reading reward is given out. Participants are free to read more than 900 minutes. The person who reads the most number of minutes gets an extra prize.

Other Upcoming Events

Family Story Hour at the Olivia Public Library.Every Tuesday in June at 6PM. (June 7, 14, 21, 28) Registration is recommended but not required. Story Hours will take place in Renville in August.

Bus trip to see Annie at the Theatre in Pipestone. June 25. Register at Olivia or Renville Public libraries. (MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund)

New Books

“In the Garden of Beasts” by Erik Larson - The best-selling author of Devil in the White City documents the efforts of first American ambassador to Hitler's Germany William E. Dodd to acclimate to a residence in an increasingly violent city where he is forced to associate with the Nazis while his daughter pursues a relationship with Gestapo chief Rudolf Diels.

“Bringing Adam Home” by Les Standiford - Relates the full, twenty-seven-year story behind the abduction and murder of Adam Walsh, the six-year-old son of "America's Most Wanted" host John Walsh, as well as the decades-long search for the boy's elusive killer.

“Murder for Hire” by Jack Ballentine- An undercover operative shares the story of his career, during which he donned the identity of a biker and hit man to develop a network of sources on both sides of the law in his efforts to prevent killings and convict murderers.

“All That We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons” by Jay Walljasper- A collection of essays that offers unique strategies for dealing with the economic, political, and cultural issues that are shaping the global community at the start of the twenty-first century.

Library News 6-16-11

2011-06-16T14:04:00.000-07:00

by Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

The Olivia Public Library is sponsoring a special talk and tea party in conjunction with the Civil War Era events that will be taking place in Olivia this weekend. Jaclyn Theis, an expert on the Victorian Era, will be at the library to give an entertaining talk on the life and habits of the Victorian Era. Come and learn the secret language and customs of the time. Participate in a Tea Party—learn the special meanings of the placement of silverware and napkins. Who knew a simple fork could say so much?

The talk and tea party starts at 12PM on Saturday, June 18. It is free, open to the public, and funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Other Upcoming Events

Family Story Hour at the Olivia Public Library.Every Tuesday in June at 6PM. (June 7, 14, 21, 28) Registration is recommended but not required. Story Hours will take place in Renville in August.

Bus trip to see Annie at the Theatre in Pipestone. June 25. Register at Olivia or Renville Public libraries. (MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund)

New Books

“The Final Storm: A novel of the War in the Pacific” by Jeff Shaara - A fictional account of the struggle for Okinawa through the eyes of combatants on both sides: Private Clay Adams, Admiral Chester Nimitz, General Simon Bolivar Buckner, Jr., and General Mitsura Ushijima, the Japanese general in charge of defending the island.

“Hope Rekindled” by Tracie Peterson - On the cusp of finally marrying Christopher, the man who claimed her heart, Deborah Vandermark is devastated when her fiance receives an urgent telegram, forcing him to travel to Kansas City, but when Christopher returns to Texas, Deborah finds herself plagued with questions and uncertainty about marriage, motherhood and her passion to train as a physician.

“Trader of Secrets” by Steve Martini - While in Paris to find a former NASA employee whose name has been found on papers left in his nemesis's apartment, Paul Madriani stumbles upon a plot to harness the destructive forces of nature using stolen technology that foreign powers will stop at nothing to get their hands on.

“The Jefferson Key” by Steve Berry - Cotton Malone battles a group of families whose influence dates back to the American Revolution and who seek to crack a code devised by Thomas Jefferson himself in their quest for power.

Library News 6-9-11

2011-06-14T08:49:00.001-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

It’s hot this week. Come in and cool off at your local library! Our buildings are climate-controlled. Take a break from the sun and the heat. Find a great book, maybe a biography of a polar explorer? Watch a video of penguins on the Internet. Be it books, movies or computers, your library is filled with stories that take you around the world without leaving the building. Kids can sign up for our summer reading program. Anyone with a library card can take out a book such as “Travels in Siberia” that will instantly transport you to the far corner of Russia or “33 Men” which takes you inside the mine that held the trapped Chilean miners. (Don’t worry, when you finish the book, it will let you right out!)

Upcoming Events

Book Sale at Renville Public Library. Starts Thursday, June 9, 6PM. Ends Wednesday, June 15 at noon. Proceeds are used by the library to purchase new books and materials.

The RAD Zoo Live Reptile and Amphibian Demonstration. Renville Community Center. June 10. 5PM. (MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund)

Acting classes for kids. June 13. 10AM in Renville and 1PM in Olivia. Taught by an instructor from the Guthrie Theatre, these classes are for children ages 7 - 10. Registration required. Classes limited to 20 participants. Both age and number requirements strictly enforced by Guthrie Theatre. (MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund)

Family Story Hour at the Olivia Public Library.Every Tuesday in June at 6PM. (June 7, 14, 21, 28) Registration is recommended but not required. Story Hours will take place in Renville in August.

Bus trip to see Annie at the Theatre in Pipestone. June 25. Register at Olivia or Renville Public libraries. (MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund)

New Books

“The Cypress House” by Michael Koryta - When Arlen Wagner, who can see impending death in people's eyes, warns fellow rail passengers that the train is going to crash, only 19-year-old Paul Brickhall heeds his warning, but the two end up stranded at The Cypress House, an isolated Gulf Coast boarding house where death awaits them yet again.

“The Paris Wife” by Paula McLain - Follows the life of Ernest Hemingway's first wife, Hadley, as she navigates 1920s Paris.

“Little White Rabbit” by Kevin Henkes - As he hops along a little rabbit wonders what it would be like to be green as grass, tall as fir trees, hard as rocks, and flutter like butterflies.

“If You're Hoppy” by April Pulley Sayre - In rhyming text reminiscent of the traditional song, "If you're happy and you know it," presents various animals that are hoppy, sloppy, growly, flappy, or slimy, scaly, and mean.

Library News 6-2-11

2011-06-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

by Jake Odland, Head Libarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

It’s the beginning of June and things are starting to heat up at your local library! Fun new events keep showing up on our calendar. During Sugar Beet Days, the RAD Zoo Live Reptiles and Amphibians Demonstration will be held at the Renville Community Center on June 10 at 5PM. Come learn about reptiles and amphibians that live in Minnesota and around the world! If you’re brave, you may even be able to pet some of them. This event is funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

The Renville Public Library will also be holding a used book sale during Sugar Beet Days.

As you make your summer plans, remember the library. We have the perfect books to read on the beach and in the cabin. We also have audiobooks for the road. Very soon we will also have downloadable ebooks and audiobooks! I’ve had a chance to preview our downloadables site, I can’t wait to be able to share it with the rest of you when we unveil it to the public!

Upcoming Events

Pint Size Polka Concert at Nester Park in Olivia. June 8th. 7PM. Fun for all ages. (MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund)

Acting classes for kids. June 13. 10AM in Renville and 1PM in Olivia. Taught by an instructor from the Guthrie Theatre, these classes are for children ages 7 - 10. Registration required. Classes limited to 20 participants. Both age and number requirements strictly enforced by Guthrie Theatre. (MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund)

Family Story Hour at the Olivia Public LIbrary.Every Tuesday in June at 6PM. (June 7, 14, 21, 28) Registration is recommended but not required. Story Hours will take place in Renville in August.

Bus trip to see Annie at the Theatre in Pipestone. June 25. Register at Olivia or Renville Public libraries. (MN Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund)

New Books

“The Company We Keep: A Husband & Wife True-Life Spy Story” Robert and Dayna Baer - A CIA operative and his CIA sharpshooter wife describe how they unexpectedly fell in love during a mission and the complicated challenges they faced in their shared effort to return to civilian life.

“33 Men” by Jonathan Franklin - Presents an account of the 2010 San Jose mine rescue in Chile, in which all thirty-three miners miraculously survived, providing intimate details of life inside the mine as well as the dramatic rescue operation above ground.

“Heaven is For Real” by Todd Burpo - Presents the story of the 4-year old son of a Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven.

“Franklin and Winston” by John Meacham - A definitive account of a historic friendship provides a close-up look at the complex relationship between Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill and its seminal influence on the course of World War II, examining each man and their feelings toward each other, their families, and their individual attempts to manage and influence each other.

LIbrary News 5-26-11

2011-05-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

"Once Upon a Time Kid Storytelling" Guthrie Theatre educational class Offering June 13. 10AM in Renville. Taught by an instructor from the Guthrie Theatre, these classes are for children ages 7 - 10. Registration required. Classes limited to 20 participants. Both age and number requirements strictly enforced by Guthrie Theatre. This event coincides with the start of the annual summer reading program and is funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

Other Upcoming Events

Story Time will take place in Renville at 10 A.M. Aug. 9, 16, 23, 30.

Bus trip to see Annie at the Theatre in Pipestone. June 25. No cost to ride bus or for tickets. Register at Olivia or Renville Public libraries.

New Books:

“The Body in the Gazebo” by Katherine Hall Page - While trying to find out who is pilfering money from the church and keeping an eye on her friend's elderly mother, Ursula, Faith Fairchild is drawn into a decades-old mystery when Ursula receives a letter linked to her brother's murder during the Depression.

“Southern Comfort” by Fern Michaels - Now sober, Atlanta homicide detective Patrick "Tick" Kelly, still haunted by the murder of his wife and children, gets an unexpected second chance at happiness when he works with former DEA agent Kate Rush to expose a local human trafficking ring.

“Miles to Go” by Richard Paul Evans - Continues the walking journey of Alan Christoffersen and recounts more of the experiences of betrayal and tragic loss that motivated his travels.

“The Devil’s Light” by Richard North Patterson - Sidelined after a colleague's blunder, CIA agent Brooke Chandler envisions a way to halt an Al Qaeda plot to set off a massive nuclear explosion and begins a race against time that returns him to Lebanon, where nothing is quite as it seems.

Library News 5-19-11

2011-05-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Your local library is busy gearing up for the summer and preparing a number of fun activities. June 7th is the first day to sign up for the Summer Library Program will start at the Renville Public Library . The theme this year is “One World, Many Stories.”   Fun events, activities and crafts will be available at the library. Come in to the library or call us to ask questions or register your children.

Renville Public Library will have a Story Time this summer.   Story time will take place on Tuesdays, Aug. 9, 16, 23, and 30. Registration is recommended but not required.

The Pioneerland Library System, in conjunction with the Plum Creek Library System, is sponsoring a bus trip to see “Annie” at the theatre in Pipestone. The show is at 2PM on Saturday, June 25. The bus will pick up attendees at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries. Cost of the ticket and the bus trip is free. Registration is required.   "This project is funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund."

RADZoo June 10th at 5:00 at the Renville Community Center (more details next week)

"Once Upon a Time Kid Storytelling" Guthrie Theatre educational class Offering June 13. 10AM in Renville. Taught by an instructor from the Guthrie Theatre, these classes are for children ages 7 - 10. Registration required. Classes limited to 20 participants. Both age and number requirements strictly enforced by Guthrie Theatre.

New Books
“Sixkill” by Robert Parker - Investigating a suspicious charge against a notorious actor who has been accused of murdering a young woman, Spenser forges a bond with the celebrity's bodyguard, Zebulon Sixkill, who reveals secrets about both the actor and the victim.
“Buried Prey” by John Sandford - Investigating the discovery of two bodies in a house demolition, Lucas Davenport identifies the victims as two girls who disappeared in 1985, a cold case that overshadowed the early years of his career.
“Libraries of Minnesota” by Doug Ohman - A rich exhibition of Minnesota’s beloved libraries, with stunning photographs by the popular Doug Ohman and library stories by seven of Minnesota’s best-known writers of books for children and young adults.

Library News 5-12-11

2011-05-13T15:20:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

One of the many features of today’s public library is Internet access. The Renville and Olivia Public Libraries, as members of the Pioneerland Library System, offer both wired and wireless Internet access. Both libraries have computers available on a first come - first served basis. The computers are equipped with Internet Explorer and Microsoft Office. Computer sessions are limited to one hour per day.

The libraries also offer wireless Internet access. Users are asked to complete a brief web-based registration on their computer or wireless device before using the library’s wireless. Access to the wireless Internet is limited to four hours a day.

Library staff are able to help with basic computer, Internet, and wireless questions.

Upcoming Events

Faith Sullivan Author Visit at Olivia Public Library. May 19th. 6PM. Faith is the author of seven novels, many of which deal with small town life in Minnesota. Faith’s books are available at both the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries.

Acting classes for kids. June 13. 10AM in Renville and 1PM in Olivia. Taught by an instructor from the Guthrie Theatre, these classes are for children ages 7 - 10. Registration required. Classes limited to 20 participants. Both age and number requirements strictly enforced by Guthrie Theatre.

New Books

“A Heart Divided” by Kathleen Morgan - After Sarah Caldwell helps distract Cord Wainwright while her family robs the Wainwright ranch, Cord performs a citizen's arrest and takes her back to his ranch, where they fall in love despite the feud between their families.

“Indelible” by Kristen Heitzmann - After rescuing a boy from a mountain lion, Trevor MacDaniel's life changes as he and sculptor Natalie Reeve build a relationship and a fanatic decides to target Trevor and his loved ones.

“A Turn in the Road” by Debbie Macomber - Three women--Bethanne Hamlin, her daughter Annie and her former mother-in-law Ruth--go on a road trip across the country, in an adventure that changes all of their lives as they each contemplate taking different paths in their romantic lives.

“10th Anniversary” by James Patterson - Detective Lindsay Boxer's anniversary celebration is forgotten when she is called to investigate a badly injured teenage girl whose newborn baby is missing in this new novel in the Women's Murder Club series.

Library News 5-5-11

2011-05-05T12:35:00.001-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

The Olivia and Renville Public Libraries are excited to announce two beginning acting classes for young children that are funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Each of the libraries will be offering a class and patrons may chose to sign up at either library. Registration for both classes will open on May 13. The phone number for the Renville Public Library is 320-329-8193 and the phone number at the Olivia Public Library is 320-523-1738.

The acting classes are taught by an experienced instructor from the Guthrie Theatre. Both classes will be held on June 13. At 10:00 AM, the “Once Upon a Time Kid Storytelling Class” will be held at the Renville Public Library. A class called “Acting Games for Beginners” will be held at the Olivia Public Library at 1:00 PM. Each class is limited to 20 participants between the ages of 7 and 10 per requirement of the Gutherie. There is no cost to take part in the class.

New Books

“Bel-Air Dead” by Stuart Woods -After his ex-girlfriend--and mother of his child--asks for his help in dealing with some Centurion studio stock, Stone Barrington finds himself dragged into a deadly web of intrigue amidst the glitz and glamour of Hollywood.

“Wild Man Creek” by Robyn Carr - Recovering from a horrific helicopter crash in Virgin River, artist Colin Riordan finds what he needs to soothe his troubled soul when he meets PR guru Jillian Matlock who, after an ill-advised affair destroyed her reputation, is searching for a place to start over.

“Against the Wind” by Kat Martin - Forced to return to the town she was desperate to escape, widow and single mother Sarah Allen rents a tiny cottage from Jackson Raines, with whom she went to high school, and discovers that he is the only one who can save her when her late husband's criminal past comes back to haunt her.

“Angel Sister” by Ann Gabhart - As her family suffers from the Great Depression, Kate Merritt tries to shoulder the emotional load, and finds that an abandoned little girl named Lorena Birdsong might be just what her family needs.

“The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey” by Walter Mosely - At 91 years old, Ptolemy Grey is one of the world's forgotten. Marooned in a cluttered Los Angeles apartment overflowing with mementos from his past, Ptolemy sinks deeper into lonely dementia and into a past that's best left buried. But everything changes when he meets Robyn at his grandnephew's funeral.

“Larkspur Cove” by Lisa Wingate - Andrea Henderson, who moves home to Moses Lake to recover her shattered faith, and game warden Mart McClendon, who is trying to forget a tragedy, are drawn together when a mysterious girl is seen with the town recluse.

Library News 4-28-11

2011-04-28T14:25:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Big news continues to break in the world of electronic books. Starting in 1971 with the advent of Project Gutenberg, which placed books that were in the public domain on the Internet, e-books started to gain traction in 2006 when Sony released the first Sony Reader and in 2007 when Amazon released its first Kindle. Less than five years after the release of these early devices, e-books continue to evolve. Pioneerland Library System, of which the libraries of Renville County are members, will allow patrons to check out e-books in several months. These books will be able to be read on computers and e-readers, which now include the Amazon Kindle. Last week it was announced that Amazon would change its long-standing policy and allow library e-books to be read on Kindles. Most details, such as the date when library e-books can be read on Kindles, are still unknown.

Not to be left behind, Barnes and Noble updated its Nook Color e-reader to include e-mail, apps, and and improved web browser that makes it resemble a combination of an e-reader and a tablet computer like the iPad.

These news reports highlight the importance of reading in our digital age. E-reader devices and e-books give all of us greater options in how we read. In offering e-books to our patrons, the library continues to meet the information needs of our changing world. While our collections will include more and more electronic books over the next few years, we will continue to offer our patrons books printed on paper- such as those listed below - that don’t need a battery to operate.

Amazon News: http://bit.ly/hEIOIw
Barnes and Noble News: http://bit.ly/hYXD9X

New Books

“The Sixth Man” by David Baldacci After the lawyer of institutionalized alleged serial killer Edgar Roy ends up dead, Dean King and Michelle Maxwell must figure out whether Roy is really a killer or if other evil is afoot. (Renville and Olivia)

“Eve” by Iris Johansen - Eve When a CIA contact discovers possible information about Eve Duncan's long-missing child, the forensic sculptor struggles to piece together clues about a believed-dead person and her own early life. (Renville)

“Heads You Lose” by Lisa Lutz - Pot-growing siblings Paul and Lacey Hansen must investigate why the headless corpse of Lacey's ex-fiancee turned up on their property, in a metafictional mystery where the authors disagree as to how the story should progress. (Olivia)

“Crunch Time” by Diane Mott Davidson - Inviting fellow chef Yolanda to stay with her in the wake of two arson fires that ended the life of a local private investigator, Goldy Schulz reluctantly accepts protection from the police and dons her sleuthing cap when the killer targets her home. (Olivia and Renville)

“Chasing Fire” by Nora Roberts - When a dark presence stalks female smoke-jumping firefighter Rowan Tripp in Montana, she wonders if she can get help from rookie smoke jumper Gulliver Curry (Olivia and Renville).

Library News 4-21-11

2011-04-21T10:54:00.001-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

When words are printed in a book, it can seem as if the story ends. Unless there updated editions of the book, what is on the page is seen as true and final. One of the biggest factors that I consider when purchasing non-fiction books for the library is reliability of the author. The author should be able to provide evidence to back up claims and other people should be able to verify what is claimed.

Recently, questions have been raised about the reliability of the story that is told by Greg Mortenson in his book “Three Cups of Tea,” which describes the events that led the author to devote his life to building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Another author with experience in that part of the world, Jon Krakauer, has alleged that stories that play a major part of the book are not true. CBS ran a story on 60 Minutes last Sunday that provides evidence to back up the claims that some of Mortenson’s stories are not true and also questions the way that Mortenson’s charity that builds schools in Central Asia spends its money. Mortenson has offered his response to the allegations on his website: www.ikat.org. (60 Minutes Story: http://bit.ly/g0CfQW)

These questions do not change the story that is being reported in “Three Cups of Tea.” Greg Mortenson has built schools and promoted education. However, if these questions are valid, the way that we read “Three Cups of Tea” changes. “Three Cups of Tea” is a very popular book that is in both the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries. It has been read by a number of book clubs. It is another example of how a story may not be finished once it has been printed on the page.

Note: bit.ly is a service that shortens website addresses. For example the link http://bit.ly/g0CfQW is a shortened version of http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/15/60minutes/main20054397.shtml. To save space I used the shortened version. By typing the shortened link into the address bar of a web browser such as Internet Explorer, the longer version will automatically appear.

New Books:

“The Journey” by Wanda Brunstetter - When Titus Fisher moves to Kentucky, escaping the girl who broke his heart, he finds his calling in woodworking, as well as a new friendship with secret artist, Suzanne Yoder. (Renville)

“The Fifth Witness” by Michael Connelly - Mickey Haller must defend a client who is accused of killing the banker involved with her foreclosure, a case that reveals strong suspicions, black-market dealings and a threat to Mickey's own life (Olivia)

Library News 4-14-11

2011-04-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian of the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

There are a number of excellent websites that library staff use every day that help us help you find great books and audiobooks. One of the best is Fantastic Fiction. (http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/) On this site, users can search for fiction books by author and title. I love Fantastic Fiction because it lists book series in order and gives publication dates for new and upcoming books. So many of us enjoy starting a series and reading it all the way to the end. We get to know the characters and become involved in their lives. Fantastic Fiction is an easy way to know what book comes next in your favorite series.

Stop You’re Killing Me! (http://www.stopyourekillingme.com/) is a fun online database of mystery books. The standard author and title searches are available, but it goes well beyond that. You can search by location, historical period, and occupation. So if you are interested in reading mysteries set in Minnesota, in the 1940s, or involving crime-solving gardeners; Stop You’re Killing Me! is worth a try.

The Pioneerland Online Catalog (iii.pioneerland.lib.mn.us) is always an excellent resource. On this website you can see what books we have in the library and - if you have a library card with one of our libraries - request that something be put on hold for you, see what books you have checked out, and renew books and other materials. If you are having trouble with accessing your account on the website, let us know at the library and we can help.

New Books:

“Thai Die” by Monica Ferris - Back from a trip to Thailand, Doris Valentine is eager to show Betsy, owner of the Crewel World needlework shop, her souvenirs. Later when the souvenirs are stolen from Doris's apartment, Betsy thinks there is something more to some of this exotic embroidery than meets the eye. (Needlecraft Mysteries, Book 12)

“The Saturday Big Tent Wedding Party” by Alexander McCall Smith - Hoping to reclaim a van that was featured in a possible prophetic dream, Precious and Grace find themselves helping an apprentice of Phuti Radiphuti, investigating a cattle poisoning and considering Grace's possible marriage to Phuti. (No 1 Ladies Detective agency, book 12)

“Scones and Bones” by Laura Childs - Indigo Tea Shop owner Theodosia Browning is lured into attending the Heritage Society's "Pirates and Plunder" soiree. But it's an antique diamond skull ring that gets plundered by someone who murders a history intern in the process. Theodosia knows she'll have to whet her investigative skills to find the killer among a raft of suspects.(Tea Shop Mysteries, book 12)

“False Mermaid” by Erin Hart - Convinced that her brother-in-law was responsible for her sister's murder, Nora Gavin returns to Minnesota when her brother-in-law prepares to marry again; while her sometime partner, Cormac, confronts the return of his estranged father. (Nora Gavin, book 3)

Library News 4-7-11

2011-04-11T07:49:00.001-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

One of the ways that the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries help local schools is through the support of the Accelerated Reader (AR) program. Students who need to find AR books to read for school can come to the library to discover a good read.

Staff at the Renville Library consult a website provided by Renville County West and place stickers on books that are AR and mark the corresponding point numbers inside the books. Staff at Olivia do the same work with information provided by BOLD and St. Mary’s.

While students can not take Accelerated Reader tests at the library, library staff enjoy helping students and parents find interesting AR books that match their requirements.

New DVDs:

Renville

“Care Bears to the Rescue” - Everyone is invited to the biggest celebration of the year, the Care-a-Lot Awards. All the Care Bears come together to award their heroes who have spread caring and sharing throughout the year!

“Unstoppable” - A runaway train, transporting deadly, toxic chemicals, is barreling down on Scranton, Pennsylvania, and only two men can stop it: a veteran engineer and a young conductor. Thousands of lives hang in the balance as these ordinary heroes attempt to chase down one million tons of hurtling steel and prevent an epic disaster.

“Secretariat”- Behind every legend lies an impossible dream. Witness the spectacular journey of an incredible horse named Secretariat and the moving story of his unlikely owner, a housewife who risked everything to make him a champion.

Olivia

“Ramona and Beezus” - Ramona is a little girl with a very big imagination and a nose for mischief. Her playful antics keep everyone in her loving family on their toes, including her older sister Beezus, who's just trying to survive her first year of high school. Through all the ups and downs of childhood, Ramona and Beezus learn that anything's possible when you believe in yourself and rely on each other.

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid” - Greg Heffley is headed for big things, but first he has to survive the scariest, most humiliating experience of any kid's life: middle school! That won't be easy, considering he's surrounded by hairy-freckled morons, wedgie-loving bullies, and a moldy slice of cheese with nuclear cooties!

“The Fighter” - Micky Ward is a struggling boxer long overshadowed by his older brother and trainer, Dicky, a local legend battling his own demons. Their explosive relationship threatens to take them both down. However, the bond of blood may be their only chance to redeem their pasts and, at last, give their hard-luck town what it's been waiting for: pride.

Library News 3-31-11

2011-03-31T09:11:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Graphic novels are a small, but growing part of the collection for both the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries. Telling a story through both pictures and words, graphic novels are similar to comic books in style and format. Graphic novels are available in both fiction and non-fiction for adults and children.

Manga is a popular form of graphic novel from Japan.

The Renville Library has a Manga collection that includes “The Record of a Fallen Vampire” series, the “Stepping on Roses” series and the “S.A” series.

An easy way to start reading graphic novels is through graphic novel adaptions of well-known books. A graphic version of Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” can be found at Renville. The Olivia library has graphic versions of both “The Lightning Thief” by Rick Riordan and a number of Boxcar Children Mysteries.

A third type of graphic novel are those that are written to be graphic novels. There are many examples at both libraries. Examples include “Watchmen” by Alan Moore, “That Salty Air” by Tim Sievert, and “The Sons of Liberty” by Alexander Lagos.

If graphic novels pique your interest, stop in to your local library and the staff can help you find one that meets your interest and tastes.

Selected Graphic Novels:

“S. A. (Special A)” series by Maki Minami - Her whole life, Hikari Hanazono has been consumed with the desire to win against her school rival, Kei Takishima -- at anything. He always comes out on top, no matter what he does, and Hikari is determined to do whatever it takes to beet this guy -- Somehow!

“Record of a Fallen Vampire” series by Kyo Shirodaira - Thousands of years ago, Vampire King Akabara Rosered Strauss lost both his kingdom and his queen. Since humans were unable to kill the queen, they sealed her away, erecting thousands of fake seals so that the king would never find her true location.

“Watchmen” by Alan Moore - Chronicles the fall from grace of a group of super-heroes plagued by all-too-human failings. Along the way, the concept of the super-hero is dissected as the heroes are stalked by an unknown assassin.

“The Sons of Liberty” by Alexander Lagos - In pre-Revolutionary America, slaves Graham and Brody run away from their cruel master and are found by Benjamin Franklin's son, William, who performs strange experiments on them that leave them with superhuman abilities.

Library News 3-24-11

2011-03-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian at the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Your Pioneerland Library Card is a wonderful tool. With it you can check out books, audiobooks, dvds and videotapes. Your library card can be used in any of the 32 libraries in our nine county library system. Anything checked out at one of the Pioneerland Libraries can be returned to any of the other Pioneerland Libraries.

Your first library card is free. All you need is something that proves that you live in the area. If you don’t have a local driver’s license, a utility bill or piece of mail addressed to you would work. If you are under 18 years old, you need a parent’s signature to get a library card. If you lose your card, it costs three dollars to get a new one.

New Books:

“Hearts Aglow” by Tracie Peterson

The future should be bright for Deborah Vandermark, who is now pursuing her interest in medicine alongside Dr. Christopher Clayton, who is courting her. But the lumber town is resistant to the idea of a woman physician, and she feels thwarted at every turn. A more devastating blow occurs, however, when Christopher breaks off their relationship to return home to his troubled family. Despite her own love life going awry, Deborah is still intent to be a matchmaker for both her widowed mother and her brother, who has caught the eye of the spit-fire daughter of the local pastor. But what will Deborah do when faced with the truth about Christopher's family? Is there hope for the two of them...or will Jake Wyeth's attentions finally catch Deborah's eye instead?

“Bake Until Golden” by Eva Marie Everson and Linda Evans Shepherd

The ladies of the Potluck Catering Club may have thought that winning The Great Party Showdown reality show in New York City would be the biggest adventure of their lives. But they weren't counting on the strange goings-on they would confront when they returned to Summit View, Colorado. When a shocking event rocks their small town the ladies are stunned--especially when one of them is accused. And a 100-year-old legend about buried gold unearths some unsavory characters. Will old friends stick together through their trials? Or will they be torn apart by tragedy?

“Watch Over Me” by Christa Parrish

Deputy Benjamin Patil is the one to find the infant girl--hours old, abandoned in a field. When the mother can't be located, Ben and his wife, Abbi, seem like the perfect couple to serve as foster parents. But the baby's arrival opens old wounds for Abbi and shines a harsh light on how much Ben has changed since a devastating tour in Iraq. Their marriage teeters on the brink and now they must choose to either reclaim what they once had or lose each other forever.

Library News 3-10-11

2011-03-10T16:09:00.000-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian of the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

Your public library is a great resource during tax season. Both the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries have state and federal tax forms available for anyone to pick up. Almost all of the forms you may need are at your library. If you can’t find a form on the shelf, library staff can help you print it off of the IRS or Minnesota Department of Revenue Website. Library computers can also be used to file your taxes online. Just remember, library staff are not qualified to provide tax assistance. We can help you find the form, it’s up to you to fill it out!

New Books:

New Adult Fiction at Renville:

“Now You See Her” by Joy Fielding - Two years after her adult daughter's apparent death in a canoeing accident, Marcy Taggart thinks she sees her while on holiday in Ireland, and frantically tries to find her again, all the while hoping to finally put her own mind at ease.

“Betrayal” by Fern Michaels - When her husband is convicted of a crime he didn't commit, Kate plots her revenge on the people responsible.

“The Union Quilters” by Jennifer Chiaverini - Facing radical changes in their roles and outlooks when the men in their lives join the Union forces, the women of Elm Creek Valley's quilting bee begin an agonizing period of waiting that is shaped by their husbands' military duties and their respective circumstances.

“A Heart for Home: by Lauraine Snelling - Astrid Bjorklund tries to stop the horrific epidemic that is ravaging the Red Bud Indian Reservation in South Dakota, but when the man she loves cannot accept her calling to become a doctor, she faces a difficult choice.

“Though Not Dead” by Dana Stabenow - Inheriting a homestead from her late uncle, a stunned Kate Shugak receives a cryptic letter from him imploring her to discover his father's fate, a mystery involving a priceless tribal artifact for which Kate is targeted by murderous attacks.

(Book summaries taken from Baker & Taylor)

New Children’s Books at Olivia:

“Knuffle Bunny Free” by Mo Willems - Trixie is excited to visit Oma and Opa in Holland, until she arrives and realizes she left Knuffle Bunny on the plane!

“Mouse and Mole: A Winter Wonderland” by Wong Herbert Yee - It's snowing! Mouse wants to sled, skate, and build snowmen. Mole wants to stay warm in bed. Will Mouse have to play outside alone?

“Madlenka: Soccer Star” by Peter Sis - Madlenka wants to be a soccer star. She can beat a mailbox, a dog, and a parking meter. Now she's ready for a real game!

“April and Esme: Tooth Fairies” by Bob Braham- "You want US? We shall be there. I PROMISE." With great excitement, young tooth fairy sisters April and Esme set out on their first assignment.

“Ogg and Bob: Life With Mammoth” by Ian Fraiser - Three stories describe the antics of two cavemen friends and their stinky, hard-to-find, artistic pet who may like food more than anything else.

(Book summaries taken from Junior Library Guild)

Library News 3-3-11

2011-03-04T13:08:00.001-08:00

By Jake Odland, head librarian of the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

“A good book has no ending." R.D. Cumming

Ebooks and downloadable audiobooks are coming to the Pioneerland Library System. If all goes well, library patrons should be able to check out the downloadable materials in late May or early June. Currently, library ebooks will be able to be read on the Barnes & Noble Nook, the Sony eReader, iPads, iPod Touches, iPhones, Android Phones, and personal computers. The Amazon Kindle is not presently compatible with library ebooks. Library downloadable audiobooks can be played on a variety of mp3 players.

More information will come in the spring. Training will be available for patrons at that time. Any initial questions can be directed to me at jakeo@olivia.lib.mn.us or 523-1738.

New Books:

New Children’s Fiction at Renville:

“Mirror” by Jeannie Baker -”An innovative, two-in-one picture book follows a parallel day in the life of two families: one in a Western city and one in a North African village.”

“Fred and Ted Like to Fly” by Peter Eastman - Two friends who are dogs fly to an island for a day of fun and adventure.

“How Big is the World?” by Britta Teckentrup - Little Mole wants to know how big the world is. Everyone he asks during his quest gives him a different answer.

“Mahjong All Day Long” by Ginnie Lo - Two Chinese-American sisters learn valuable lessons while playing mahjong with their family.

“A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park - Two stories about life for two children who grew up in the Sudan.

“Ponyella” by Laura Numeroff - A fun retelling of Cinderella. Ponyella is a horse that gets help from her fairy godmare to show off her tricks to the Princess at the pony championship.

New Large Print Books at Olivia:

“Pursuit of Justice” by Diann Mills - FBI Special Agent Bella Jordan investigates claims of hidden treasure in Texas that are tied to shadowy events in her past.

“Somewhere Along the Way” by Jodi Thomas - Eighteen-year old Reagan Truman has her life thrown in to chaos and her new home town rallies to support her and make her one of their own.

“Great House” by Nicole Krauss - An American writer takes an amazing journey after learning the story behind the desk that she inherited from a writer who vanished at the hand of the Chilean secret police.

“Rose in a Storm” by John Katz - Rose, a sheepdog, watches over and protects every on her farm. She must conquer her fears when a storm threaten her master.

“The Crimson Cipher” by Susan Page Davis - After her father is murdered, Emma must take his place and help the US Navy break secret codes to protect America from sabotage in the run up to World War I.

“A Little Love Story” by Roland Merullo - Jake is still mourning his girlfriend who dies on 9/11. Janet is suffering from cystic fibrosis. Their love affair is charming, emotional and believable.

Library News 2-24-11

2011-03-01T11:14:00.000-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian of the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

“The road to knowledge begins with the turn of the page." Anonymous

Save the Dates: Both the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries will be hosting author visits as part of the Pioneerland Novel Connections Author Tour. This project is funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Monica Ferris, a Minnesota author who writes fun mysteries about needlework, will be at the Renville Public Library at 6PM on Thursday, April 7th. Faith Sullivan, a Minnesota author who writes novels about the fictional town of Harverster, Minnesota, will be at the Olivia Public Library on Thursday, May 19th at 6PM. Both authors have books at the Olivia and Renville Public Libraries that can be checked out and read prior to their visits.

New Books:

Heaven is High by Kate Wilhelm

In the latest mystery starring low-key attorney Barbara Holloway, former NFL player Martin Owens and his mute wife, Binnie, beg her to help prevent the U.S. from deporting Binnie back to Haiti as an illegal immigrant. Binnie’s mother, born in Belize, had been kidnapped and enslaved by pirates, and Binnie says she’ll kill herself before returning to certain slavery. Mere hours after taking the case, Barbara receives a visit from a DEA official who claims Owens is involved in drug trafficking and wants to force him to become an informant. She decides the only way to help her clients is to go to Belize and try to discover the real identity of Binnie’s mother. Once there, Barbara finds mystery, danger, and intrigue.

Growing a Farmer: How I learned to Live off the Land by Kurt Timmermeister

A bona-fide city dweller, Kurt Timmermeister never intended to run his own dairy farm. When he purchased four acres of land on Vashon Island, he was looking for an affordable home a ferry ride away from the restaurants he ran in Seattle. But as he continued to serve his customers frozen chicken breasts and packaged pork, he became aware of the connection between what he ate and where it came from: a hive of bees provided honey; a young cow could give fresh milk; an apple orchard allowed him to make vinegar. Told in Timmermeister's plainspoken voice, Growing a Farmer details with honesty the initial stumbles and subsequent realities he had to face in his quest to establish a profitable farm for himself. Personal yet practical, Growing a Farmer includes the specifics of making cheese, raising cows, and slaughtering pigs, and it will recast entirely the way we think about our relationship to the food we consume.

Library News 2-17-11

2011-02-17T10:37:00.000-08:00

By Jake Odland, Head Librarian of the Renville and Olivia Public Libraries

“Rainy days should be spent at home with a cup of tea and a good book.” Bill Waterson, The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book (1995)

The staff at the Renville Public Library wish to extend our condolences to the family of Bill Johnson. Bill was a regular visitor to the library. He gave the staff a warm greeting each day as he sat down to read the newspapers. Before he went out the door, he always made a point to say “Have a nice day, now.” His cheerful presence will be missed.

The Olivia Public Library will be offering “Senior Surf Computer Training” taught by the Minnesota River Area Agency on Aging. The first two classes will be on Wednesday, February 23 and Wednesday, March 2. Both classes will be from 10:00AM-Noon. Focus will be on learning computer basics, internet searching, and accessing websites of interest to seniors. Space is limited. Reservations required. Please contact the Olivia Public Library for more information. (523-1738)

New Books:

Courting Miss Amsel by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Edythe Amsel is delighted with her first teaching assignment: a one-room schoolhouse in Walnut Hill, Nebraska. Independent, headstrong, and a strong believer in a well-rounded education, Edythe is ready to open the world to the students in this tiny community. But is Walnut Hill ready for her? Joel Townsend is thrilled to learn the town council hired a female teacher to replace the ruthless man who terrorized his nephews for the past two years. Having raised the boys on his own since their parents' untimely deaths, Joel believes they will benefit from a woman's influence. But he sure didn't bargain on a woman like Miss Amsel. Within the first week, she has the entire town up in arms over her outlandish teaching methods, which include collecting leaves, catching bugs, making snow angels, and stringing ropes in strange patterns all over the schoolyard. Joel can't help but notice that she's also mighty pretty with her rosy lips, fashionable clothes, and fancy way of speaking. When Edythe decides to take her pupils to hear Miss Susan Anthony speak on the women's suffrage amendment, the town's outcry reaches new heights. Even Joel isn't sure he can support her newfangled ideas any longer. And if he can't trust her to know how to teach the boys, how can he trust her with his heart?

The Damascus Way by Davis Bunn and Jeanette Oke

#3 Acts of Faith. Julia has everything money can buy...except for acceptance by either the Gentiles or the Jews. Her Greek father already has a wife and family, leaving Julia and her Hebrew mother second-class citizens. But when they are introduced to followers of the Way, they become part of that community of believers. Abigail's brother, Jacob, now a young man, is attempting to discover his own place as a Christian. He is concerned that being more serious about his faith means trading away the exhilaration of his current profession as a caravan guard. Hired by Julia's father to protect the wealthy merchant's caravans on the secretive "Frankincense Trail"--undercover transport of this highly valuable commodity--Jacob also passes letters and messages between various communities of believers. He is alarmed to find out that Julia, hardly more than a girl, is also a messenger. Can their immediate mistrust be put aside to finally bring their hearts together?

Library News 2-10-11

2011-02-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

"Change can be scary. When papyrus replaced clay tablets, and the Gutenberg press calligraphy, did a bit of panic set in? Are we in the midst of a revolution of similar proportion? Very probably." Susan McLester, Sixteen years experience as a professional magazine journalist and education technology expert.

Libraries are organizations which have to face change daily. The questions you ask us differ from day to day; our staff differs from day to day; technology seems to differ from day to day. The only constant is that we want to continue to be a part of your life in every way that we can.

While the weather outside is frightful, please remember that you can call us to renew your books, so you don’t have to go out. The Olivia Public Library hours are noon to 8pm on Monday through Thursday, 10am to 5pm on Friday and noon to 3pm on Saturday. Olivia’s phone number is 320-523-1738. The Renville Public Library hours are 12:30pm to 5:30pm on Monday, 10am to 4pm on Tuesday, 12:30pm to 5:30pm on Wednesday, 12:30pm to 5:30pm and 6:00pm to 8pm on Thursday, 12:30pm to 5:30pm on Friday, and Closed on Saturday. Renville’s phone number is 320-329-8193. Both libraries are closed on Sundays.

New Books:

I still dream about you by Fannie Flagg

Fannie Flagg is back and at her irresistible and hilarious best in a comic mystery romp through the streets of Birmingham, Alabama, past, present, and future. Maggie, a former Miss Alabama, has heartbreaking secrets in her past, but through a strange turn of events, she soon discovers, quite by accident, that everybody, it seems—dead or alive—has at least one little secret. This is a wonderful novel that is equal parts Southern charm, murder mystery, and a perfect combination of comedy and old-fashioned wisdom.

Impartial Witness by Charles Todd

#2 Bess Crawford. In the early summer of 1917 Bess Crawford has returned to England from the trenches of France with a convoy of severely wounded men. One of her patients is a young pilot who has been burned beyond recognition, and who clings to life and the photo of his wife that is pinned to his tunic. While passing through a London train station, Bess notices a woman bidding an emotional farewell to an officer, her grief heart-wrenching. In fact, she's the woman in the pilot's photo, but the man she is seeing off is not her husband. Back on duty in France, Bess discovers a newspaper with a drawing of the woman's face on the front page with a plea from Scotland Yard seeking information from anyone having seen her. It appears that the woman was murdered on the very day Bess encountered her at the station. Exposing the truth is dangerous—and will put Bess’ own life on the line.

Library News 2-3-11

2011-02-04T13:40:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

A book is the only place in which you can examine a fragile thought without breaking it, or explore an explosive idea without fear it will go off in your face... one of the few havens remaining where a man's mind can get both provocation and privacy. Charles Langbridge Morgan (22 January 1894 – 6 February 1958), was an English-born playright and novelist of English and Welsh parentage. The main themes of his work were romantic love, mysticism, and a longing for the timeless and sublime through telling the stories of idealistic and artistic protagonists.

Join a book club to examine and explore old and new ideas. Four are currently open in the Olivia area. Ask at the library for more details. Or read books that the book groups are reading to find ideas that other people are examining.

The Olivia Public Library welcomes everyone to a reception in the meeting room of the library on Friday, February 4, 2011, in honor of Sarah Groves. Please feel free to drop by to say goodbye.

Book Clubs:

The Wednesday Book Club will meet on February 16, 2011, at 8pm in the Olivia library meeting room. Their book selection is One Helluva Ride: how NASCAR swept the nation by Liz Clarke.

The History Book Club will meet on February 22, 2011, at 7pm in the Olivia library meeting room. Their topic selection is Franklin D. Roosevelt, and members can read any book about him to discuss with the group.

New Books:

The Lies that Bind: a bibliophile mystery by Kate Carlisle

#3 in series. Book restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright returns home to San Francisco to teach a bookbinding class. Unfortunately, the program director Layla Fontaine is a horrendous host who pitches fits and lords over her subordinates. But when Layla is found shot dead, Brooklyn is bound and determined to investigate-even as the killer tries to close the book on her for good.

Never Preach Past Noon: a Leigh Koslow mystery by Edie Claire

#3 in series. Leigh Koslow's thrice-married Aunt Bess has always been the black sheep of the family. So when Bess breaks her ankle falling down a staircase in the middle of the night, Leigh isn't surprised to hear that the steps were someone else's. But when she discovers that they might belong to Bess's happily wedded pastor, and that his house was burning down at the time, she can't help but be concerned. The first Church of the New Millennium has problems- and Bess with Leigh as her reluctant aide, is intent on solving them. Unfortunately, so is someone else even if it means murder.

Sinister Sprinkles by Jessica Beck

#3 in series. Just in time for the Winter Festival, a glistening layer of snow has covered the streets of April Springs, North Carolina. Of course, it reminds donut shop owner Suzanne Hart of sweet delicious frosting. But her visions of sugar plums plummet when her ex’s ex-girlfriend gets iced …

Library News 1-27-11

2011-02-04T13:39:00.001-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

The early libraries were collections of books, just as a museum is a collection of pictures, stuffed animals or fossils. They were primarily safe places where books could be preserved and only incidentally where books could be used. The Twentieth century library in America is no longer a museum. It is less and less important as a place where books are preserved; more and more important as a place where they are used, worn out and replaced! Robert Luther Duffus, (July 10, 1888-November 28, 1972), American journalist and writer.

We want you to use the books in the library. Learn, grow and share what you learn. Feel free to join a book club and share the good books you discover with others.

The Tuesday Book Club will be discussing Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore. They will meet on February 1 at 11:30am at Master’s Cafe in Olivia.

The Thursday Lunch Bunch will be discussing Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. They will meet on Thursday, February 3 at 11:00am at the Olivia library meeting room. Beginning in March they will be meeting on the first Tuesday of the month at noon in the Olivia library meeting room.

I will be leaving the Olivia Public Library for warmer and less snowy places in February. Thank you for our time together.

New Books:

The Confession by John Grisham

For every innocent man sent to prison, there is a guilty one left on the outside. He doesn’t understand how the police and prosecutors got the wrong man, and he certainly doesn’t care. He just can’t believe his good luck. Time passes and he realizes that the mistake will not be corrected: the authorities believe in their case and are determined to get a conviction.

For the first time a guilty man decides to do what is right and confess. How can he convince lawyers, judges, and politicians that they’re about to execute an innocent man?

Coming Back by Marcia Muller

In Locked In, San Francisco private eye Sharon McCone was shot in the head and suffered from locked-in syndrome: almost total paralysis but with an alert, conscious mind. Now, as Sharon struggles to regain control over her body, she wants everything to go back to normal, but realizes that it may not be possible to return to her old life. Meanwhile, Sharon's relationships are suffering. Her husband is impatient with her refusal to accept help and some of her colleagues doubt her abilities after the accident. But when Sharon's friend from physical therapy goes missing, she must call upon those closest to her to find out the truth behind the disappearance. The investigation soon points to issues of national security and proves to be the most dangerous and critical case yet for Sharon and her colleagues.

Library News 1-19-11

2011-01-20T13:08:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

The library connects us with the insight and knowledge, painfully extracted from Nature, of the greatest minds that ever were, with the best teachers, drawn from the entire planet and from all our history, to instruct us without tiring, and to inspire us to make our own contribution to the collective knowledge of the human species. I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness about the underpinnings of our culture and our concern for the future can all be tested by how well we support our libraries. Carl Sagan, (November 9, 1934 - December 20, 1996), an American astronomer, astrophysicist, author, cosmologist, and highly successful popularizer of astronomy, astrophysics and other natural sciences.

Support your library with your presence, your gifts and your actions. We appreciate all of you, and thank you for making us a part of your life.

New Books:

The Pleasures of Good Photographs (Aperture Ideas) by Gerry Badger

This book is an intellectual and aesthetic excursion led by Gerry Badger, one of the field's eminent critics and popular writers. In this new volume of essays, Badger offers insight into some of his favorite images, artists and themes, drawing upon nearly three decades of experience writing and thinking about photography. With deep discernment and a readable blend of scholarly finesse and wit, Badger elucidates works by dozens of photographers, from Dorothea Lange and Eugene Atget to Martin Parr, Luc Delahaye, Susan Lipper and Paul Graham. Among the broader topics discussed are the photobook, where Badger believes "photography sings its loudest and most complex song," and Photoshop's role in art-making. An interlude at the heart of the book pairs the author's evocative meditations with nearly a dozen particular images.

Bloody Crimes: the chase for Jefferson Davis and the death pageant for Lincoln’s corpse by James Swanson

On the morning of April 2, 1865, Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederacy, received a telegram from General Robert E. Lee. There is no more time—the Yankees are coming, it warned. Shortly before midnight, Davis boarded a train from Richmond and fled the capital, setting off an intense and thrilling chase in which Union cavalry hunted the Confederate president. Two weeks later, President Lincoln was assassinated, and the nation was convinced that Davis was involved in the conspiracy that led to the crime. To the Union, Davis was no longer merely a traitor. He became a murderer, a wanted man with a $100,000 bounty on his head. Davis was hunted down and placed in captivity, the beginning of an intense and dramatic odyssey that would transform him into a martyr of the South's Lost Cause.

The saga that began with Manhunt continues with the suspenseful and electrifying Bloody Crimes. James Swanson masterfully weaves together the stories of two fallen leaders as they made their last expeditions through the bloody landscape of a wounded nation.

Library News 1-13-11

2011-01-13T18:03:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Libary

With a library you are free, not confined by temporary political climates. It is the most democratic of institutions because no one - but no one at all - can tell you what to read and when and how. Doris Lessing (10/22/1919 - ) British author born in Persia (now Iran) and raised in southern Africa

We have a wide variety of authors, novels and real life, subjects and formats at your local library. Come in to browse or pick up a book or CD for a wintry evening. If we don’t have the author or title you request, we will look for it in other libraries for you. Make a connection with your library this winter.

Novel Connections @ Your Library began January 10, 2011. The adult Winter Reading Program continues through March 19, 2011, in the Olivia Public Library. Register at the front desk, and read a book. The staff will give you book marks which you mark according to whether or not you liked the book you chose. Read 10 books and give 10 completed book marks to the staff in order to receive a prize from the library. This is a chance for you to give library staff feedback about authors and books you really enjoy.

New Books:

The Charming Quirks of Others by Alexander McCall Smith

Isabel has been asked for her help in a rather tricky situation: A successor is being sought for the headmaster at a local boys’ school. The board has three final candidates but has received an anonymous letter alleging that one of them has a very serious skeleton in the closet. Could Isabel discreetly look into it? And so she does.

Isabel’s investigation will have her exploring issues of ambition, as well as of charity, forgiveness, and humility, as she moves nearer and nearer to some of the most hidden precincts of the heart.

Bad Boy by Peter Robinson

19th in Inspector Banks series. A distraught woman arrives at the Eastvale police station desperate to speak to Detective Chief Inspector Alan Banks. But since Banks is away on holiday, his partner, Annie Cabbot, steps in. The woman tells Annie that she's found a loaded gun hidden in the bedroom of her daughter, Erin—a punishable offense under English law. When an armed response team breaks into the house to retrieve the weapon, the seemingly straightforward procedure quickly spirals out of control.

Thrust into a complicated and dangerous case intertwining the personal and the professional as never before, Annie and Banks must risk everything to outsmart a smooth and devious psychopath. They understand that it's not just his career hanging in the balance, it's also his daughter's life.

Library News 1-6-11

2011-01-06T17:16:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

Living wild species are like a library of books still unread. Our heedless destruction of them is akin to burning the library without ever having read its books. John D Dingell, Jr., (July 8, 1926 - ), Representative for Michigan’s 15th Congressional District

Reading is important to our lives. We don’t all agree on the best books, yet our country is firmly engaged in all of us having the freedom to choose, including the freedom of choice of what to read. This season of storms is a good time to celebrate with an unfamiliar author or kind of book.

New Books:

Playing the Game by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Annette Remmington, a London art consultant and private dealer, is at the top of her game. Her success reaches new heights when a rare and long lost Rembrandt finds its way into her hands, which she restores and sells for top dollar. Annette becomes the most talked about art dealer in the world. Annette is married to her mentor and personal champion, the much older Marius Remmington. For twenty years, Marius has groomed her into the international art star that she has become, not to mention saving her from a dark and gritty past. He picks the best journalist possible to do a profile on his beloved wife in a popular London Sunday newspaper. Jack Chalmers is a bit of a celebrity himself, becoming one of the top journalists of his time. Marius believes only he will be able to capture the true brilliance of his lovely wife. How could he have known that the connection between Jack and Annette would ignite so many secrets? And how could he know that Jack would uncover a scandal that could ultimately destroy them all?

The Brave by Nicholas Evans

There's little love in eight-year-old Tom Bedford's life. The only comfort he gets is from his fantasy world of Cowboys and Indians. When his sister Diane, a rising star of stage and screen, falls in love with one of his idols, the suave TV cowboy Ray Montane, Tom's life is transformed. They move to Hollywood and all his dreams seem to have come true. Soon, however, the sinister side of Tinseltown casts its shadow and a shocking act of violence changes their lives forever. What happened all those years ago remains a secret that corrodes Tom's life and wrecks his marriage. Only when his estranged son, a US Marine, is charged with murder do the events resurface, forcing him to confront his demons. As he struggles to save his son's life, he will learn the true meaning of bravery. Powerfully written and intensely moving, The Brave traces the legacy of violence behind the myth of the American West and explores our quest for love and identity, the fallibility of heroes and the devastating effects of family secrets.

Library News 12-30-10

2010-12-30T13:19:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

“Here is where people, one frequently finds, lower their voices and raise their minds.”
Richard Willard Armour (July 15, 1906 - February 28, 1989), American poet and author

New Books:

Work Song by Ivan Doig

A novelist of the American West spins the further adventures of a favorite character, in one of his richest historical settings yet. "If America was a melting pot, Butte would be its boiling point," observes Morrie Morgan, the itinerant teacher, walking encyclopedia, and inveterate charmer last seen leaving a one-room schoolhouse in Marias Coulee, the stage he stole in Ivan Doig's 2006 The Whistling Season. A decade later, Morrie is back in Montana, as the beguiling narrator of Work Song. When Morrie crosses paths with a former student, now engaged to a fiery young union leader, he is caught up in the mounting clash between the iron-fisted mining company, radical "outside agitators," and the beleaguered miners. And as tensions reach the explosion point, Morrie finds a unique way to give a voice to those who truly need one.

Crossfire by Dick Francis and Felix Francis

Shell-shocked and missing a foot-lost to an IED during his tour of duty in Afghanistan-Captain Tom Forsyth has been sent "home" by the army and returns to his estranged mother's house for the first time since he joined up at seventeen. Josephine Kauri has always put the horses she trains first and her family last. Now Josephine is being blackmailed for a hefty sum every week-and forced to make her horses lose. Retirement is not an option, as she has been warned that it will result in the thing she most fears: exposure and ridicule . . . and prison, when the government finds out what she's been hiding.Tom sets out to discover and defeat this hidden enemy using his finely honed military skills. Can he save his mother's reputation and career, or will he find himself caught in the cross fire?

Library News 12-23-10

2010-12-23T14:36:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

“Wisdom begins with wonder.” Socrates (469BCE - 399BCE), Greek philosopher.

We wish wisdom for each of you in this wonder-ful season.

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me A Christmas Blizzard by Garrison Keillor.
On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me Wishin’ and Hopin’: a Christmas story by Wally Lamb.
On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me Three Cups of Tea: one man’s mission to fight terrorism and build nations one school at a time by Greg Mortenson.
On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Four Friends for Christmas by Tomie de Paola.
On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me The Gift by Nora Roberts and The Gift by Richard Evans and The Gift by Julie Garwood and The Gift by Danielle Steel and The Gift by Kirk Douglas.
On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me 6 Rainier Drive by Debbie Macomber.
On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: restoring the character ethic by Stephen Covey.
On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Eight Miles Without a Pothole: as close to heaven as I’m going to get by Jim Klobuchar.
On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Nine Dragons by Michael Connelly.
On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me Ten Little Rabbits by Virginia Grossman.
On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me Eleven on Top by Janet Evanovich.
On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me 12 James Patterson books, because that is all he wrote this year.

New Books:

A Hopeful Heart by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Dowryless and desperate, Tressa Neill applies to the inaugural class of Wyatt Herdsman School in Barnett, Kansas, in 1888. The school's one-of-a-kind program teaches young women from the East the skills needed to become a rancher--or the wife of one. Shy and small for her twenty-two years, Tressa is convinced she'll never have what it takes to survive Hattie Wyatt's hands-on instruction in skills such as milking a cow, branding a calf, riding a horse, and cooking up a mess of grub for hungry ranch hands. But what other options does she have? Abel Samms wants nothing to do with the group of potential brides his neighbor brought to town. But there's something about quiet Tressa and her bumbling ways that makes him take notice. When Tressa's life is endangered, will Abel risk his own life--and his heart--to help this eastern girl?

Library News 12-16-10

2010-12-16T16:03:00.001-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

Words are the voice of the heart. Confucius (551-479 BCE), thinker, political figure, scholar and educator in ancient China

May your heart be full in this wonderful season of family, friends and new beginnings.

Do you need the perfect gift for that special someone? We can help with that. Donate a book to the library in honor or in memory of your friends and family. It is a gift which gives back to the whole community. A book plate will be placed inside the book including both your name and the honoree’s name. You will be the first to read the book when it is received. Check with staff for more information about this process.

New Books:

Embers of Love by Tracie Peterson

Striking a Match #1. The logging industry in eastern Texas is booming, and Deborah Vandermark plans to assist her family's business now that she's completed college. Unexpectedly, her best friend, Lizzie Decker, accompanies her back home--fleeing a wedding and groom she has no interest in. Deborah meets Dr. Christopher Clayton, a much-needed addition to the town. When typhoid begins to spread and Lizzie's jilted fiance returns, Deborah wonders if true love can overcome such obstacles...for those dearest to her, and for herself.

In the Company of Others by Jan Karon

Father Tim, #2. Father Tim and Cynthia travel to Ireland to do genealogical research and discover family secrets. Jan's new book will surely delight her avid fans, earn her new ones, and send them running or the first book in the series as well as all the Mitford books.

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

Holden Harris is an eighteen-year-old locked in a prison of autism. Despite his quiet ways and quirky behaviors, Holden is very happy and socially normal---on the inside, in a private world all his own. In reality, he is bullied at school by kids who only see that he is very different. Ella Reynolds is a cheerleader and star of the high school drama production. When she catches Holden listening to her rehearse for the school play, she is drawn to him ... the way he is drawn to the music. Frustrated by the way Holden is bullied, and horrified at the indifference of her peers, Ella decides to take a stand against the most privileged and popular kids at school including her boyfriend, Jake. Ella believes miracles can happen in the unlikeliest places, and that just maybe an entire community might celebrate from the sidelines. But will Holden's praying mother and the efforts of Ella and a cast of theater kids be enough to unlock the prison that contains Holden? This time, friendship, faith, and the power of a song must be strong enough to open the doors to the miracle Holden needs.

Library News 12-9-10

2010-12-10T10:26:00.000-08:00

Library News 12-2-10

2010-12-02T12:20:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

“To learn to read is to light a fire; every syllable that is spelled out is a spark.” Victor Hugo (1802-1885), French writer.

Take time to read with children, especially to listen to them read to you. Make a family tradition of reading with and to each other.

Family Holiday Story Time:

Renville and Olivia Public Libraries will each host a Holiday Story Time. The story time will be held on December 7, 2010 at both libraries. The Holiday Story Time will be held in Renville at 10am and in Olivia at 6pm. They will include stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Renville Public Library at 320-329-8193 or Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Book Clubs:

The Tuesday Book Club will meet on December 7, 2010, at 11:30 am at Master’s Cafe. They will discuss Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah. Their next meeting will be held January 4, when they will talk about The Piano Teacher by Janice Y. K. Lang.

The Thursday Lunch Bunch will meet on December 2, 2010, at 11:00 am at the Olivia library meeting room to discuss The Cay by Theodore Taylor. They will talk about One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus at their meeting on January 6.

The Wednesday Book Club will not meet in December. They will meet at 8 pm on January 19, 2010, at the Olivia library meeting room to discuss The Help by Kathryn Stockett.

New Books:

Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich

Life in Marblehead has had a pleasant predictability, until Diesel arrives. Rumor has it that a collection of priceless ancient relics representing the Seven Deadly Sins have made their way to Boston’s North Shore. Partnered with pastry chef Lizzie Tucker, Diesel bullies and charms his way through historic Salem to track them down—and his criminal mastermind cousin Gerewulf Grimorie. The black-haired, black-hearted Wulf is on the hunt for the relic representing gluttony. Caught in a race against time, Diesel and Lizzie soon find out that more isn’t always better, as they battle Wulf and the first of the deadly sins.

Santa Fe Edge by Stuart Woods

If you run into trouble in Santa Fe, Ed Eagle is the man to see. Ed Eagle, the six-feet-six, take-no-prisoners Santa Fe attorney, has recovered from his encounters with Mexican organized crime and-more treacherously-his ex-wife, Barbara. Now a mysterious new client has come his way, one who may shed light into some dark corners of Ed's past...and put him in danger once more.

Library News 11-25-10

2010-12-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

Thanksgiving Delights
On Thanksgiving Day we’re thankful for
Our blessings all year through,
For family we dearly love,
For good friends, old and new.
For sun to light and warm our days,
For stars that glow at night,
For trees of green and skies of blue,
And puffy clouds of white.
We’re grateful for our eyes that see
The beauty all around,
For arms to hug, and legs to walk,
And ears to hear each sound.
The list of all we’re grateful for
Would fill a great big book;
Our thankful hearts find new delights
Everywhere we look!
By Joanna Fuchs
www.poemsource.com(used by permission)

Books of the Season:

Pardon that Turkey: How Thanksgiving became a Holiday by Susan Sloate

Everyone knows about the pilgrims’ “first Thanksgiving.” But do you know how Thanksgiving became a national holiday or why the president pardons a turkey every year? Read along to find out about the woman who saved Thanksgiving, the first pardon, and more!

Twas the night before Thanksgiving by Dav Pilkey

This tall-tailed tall tale tells how eight school children on a field trip, their teacher, a turkey farmer named Mack Nuggett and gobblers Ollie, Stanley, Larry, Moe, Wally, Beave, Shemp, and Groucho share in a Thanksgiving all can remember vividly.

Thank you, Thanksgiving by David Milgrim

Thank you, warm boots. Thank you, pretty clouds. Thank you, snow people. To one little girl, these everyday things are just as special as the family’s big Thanksgiving dinner. Come along with her on an exuberant holiday errand, and see how much there is in the world to be thankful for!

Reminder of Family Holiday Story Time:

Renville and Olivia Public Libraries will each host a Holiday Story Time. The story time will be held on December 7, 2010 at both libraries. The Holiday Story Time will be held in Renville at 10am and in Olivia at 6pm. They will include stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Renville Public Library at 320-329-8193 or Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Library News 11-18-10

2010-11-18T10:54:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

“When you reread a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in you than there was before.” Cliffton P. Fadiman (May 15, 1904-June 20, 1999) was an American intellectual, author, radio and television personality.

Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck was a reflection of his times. The times were hard for many people, and many people lost jobs and homes. It is a timely book, as we have hard times today. Classics continue to speak to us in other times and places. Charles Dickens, Victor Hugo, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, and others have brought insight into our lives since they were written. The moral stories and themes are still true in our lives and the situations surrounding us. We can enjoy all of them again and again.

Family Holiday Story Time:

Renville and Olivia Public Libraries will each host a Holiday Story Time. The story time will be held on December 7, 2010 at both libraries. The Holiday Story Time will be held in Renville at 10am and in Olivia at 6pm. They will include stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Renville Public Library at 320-329-8193 or Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Old Favorite Books:

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Pa Ingalls decides to sell the little log house, and the family sets out for Indian country! They travel from Wisconsin to Kansas, and there, finally, Pa builds their little house on the prairie. Sometimes farm life is difficult, even dangerous, but Laura and her family are kept busy and are happy with the promise of their new life on the prairie.

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

One of the true classics of American literature, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has stirred the imagination of young and old alike for over four generations. Originally published in 1900, it was the first truly American fairy tale, as Baum crafted a wonderful out of such familiar items as a cornfield scarecrow, a mechanical woodman, and a humbug wizard who used old-fashioned hokum to express that universal theme, "There's no place like home." Follow the adventures of young Dorothy Gale and her dog, Toto, as their Kansas house is swept away by a cyclone and they find themselves in a strange land called Oz. Here she meets the Munchkins and joins the Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion on an unforgettable journey to the Emerald City, where lives the all-powered Wizard of Oz.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

When we first met "the pariah of the village . . .the son of the drunkard" in "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer", Tom was "under strict orders not to play with him", so he played with him every time he got the chance. Twain took his most outrageous and outcast character (and perhaps the one he loved the most), Huckleberry Finn, from the book and wrote his own Adventures. This giant work, in addition to entertaining boys and girls for generations, has defined the first-person novel in America, and continues to demand study, inspire reverence and stir controversy in our time.

Library News 11-11-10

2010-11-04T10:37:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” Oscar Wilde (1894-1900), Irish poet, novelist, dramatist and critic.

Staff picked favorite books: Incident at Badamya by Dorothy Gilman is a story of an orphan girl caught in the middle of a war. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is a southern classic during the War of Northern Aggression. I heard that Song Before by Mary Higgins Clark is a book of suspenseful twists to keep the readers engaged. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne is a heartwrenching story of a forbidden friendship during the holocaust. Lilian Jackson Braun reveals wonderful characters, exhibits a north woods setting, and features cats who solve mysteries in her Cat Who... series. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder is a young readers’ book about life on the prairie in the late 19th century. Author Astrid Lindgren wrote Pippi Longstocking, who is an irrepressible, irreverent, and irrefutably delightful girl who lives alone (with a monkey) in her wacky house. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak is one of those truly rare books that can be enjoyed equally by a child and a grown-up. In The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, a popular tale of few words and simple line drawings, a tree starts out as a leafy playground, shade provider, and apple bearer for a rambunctious little boy. And The Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore needs no introduction from us!

New Books:

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport.

Tough Customer by Sandra Brown

Colleagues, friends, and lovers know Dodge Hanley as a private investigator who doesn’t let rules get in his way—in his private life as well as his professional one. If he breaks a heart, or bends the law in order to catch a criminal, he does so without hesitation or apology.That’s why he’s the first person Caroline King—who after a thirty-year separation continues to haunt his dreams—asks for help when a deranged stalker attempts to murder their daughter . . . the daughter Dodge has never met. He has a whole bagful of grudging excuses for wishing to ignore Caroline’s call, and one compelling reason to drop everything and fly down to Texas: guilt.Dodge’s mind may be a haze of disturbing memories and bad decisions, but he arrives in Houston knowing with perfect clarity that his daughter, Berry, is in danger.

Library News 11-4-10

2010-11-01T11:49:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

A good novel tells us the truth about its hero; but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author. G. K. Chesterton (May 29, 1874-June 14, 1936), English writer.

The Thursday Lunch Bunch will meet in the Olivia Library meeting room on November 4, 2010, at 11am to discuss The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society by Mary Ann Shaffer. They will meet on December 2, 2010 to discuss The Cay by Theodore Taylor.

The Wednesday Book Club will meet in the Olivia Library meeting room on November 17, 2010 at 8pm to discuss Methland: the death and life of an American small town by Nick Reding. This group will not be meeting in December.

New Books:

Vermillian Drift by William Kent Krueger, Minnesota author

Some nights, Corcoran O’Connor dreams his father’s death.William Kent Krueger’s gripping tale of suspense begins with a recurring nightmare, a gun, and a wound in the earth so deep and horrific that it has a name: Vermilion Drift. When the Department of Energy puts an underground iron mine on its short list of potential sites for storage of nuclear waste, a barrage of protest erupts in Tamarack County, Minnesota, and Cork is hired as a security consultant. Deep in the mine during his first day on the job, Cork stumbles across a secret room that contains the remains of six murder victims. Five appear to be nearly half a century old—connected to what the media once dubbed "The Vanishings," a series of unsolved disappearances in the summer of 1964, when Cork’s father was sheriff in Tamarack County. But the sixth has been dead less than a week. What’s worse, two of the bodies—including the most recent victim—were killed using Cork’s own gun, one handed down to him from his father. As Cork searches for answers, he must dig into his own past and that of his father, a well-respected man who harbored a ghastly truth. A poignant portrayal of the complexities of family life, it’s also a sobering reminder that even those closest to our hearts can house the darkest—and deadliest—of secrets.

The Cookbook Collector by Allegra Goodman

Emily and Jessamine Bach are opposites in every way: Twenty-eight-year-old Emily is the CEO of Veritech, twenty-three-year-old Jess is an environmental activist and graduate student in philosophy. Pragmatic Emily is making a fortune in Silicon Valley, romantic Jess works in an antiquarian bookstore. Emily is rational and driven, while Jess is dreamy and whimsical. Emily’s boyfriend, Jonathan, is fantastically successful. Jess’s boyfriends, not so much—as her employer George points out in what he hopes is a completely disinterested way.

Bicoastal, surprising, rich in ideas and characters, this is a novel about getting and spending, and about the substitutions we make when we can’t find what we’re looking for: reading cookbooks instead of cooking, speculating instead of creating, collecting instead of living. But above all it is about holding on to what is real in a virtual world: love that stays.

Library News 10-28-10

2010-11-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

"Real education consists in drawing the best out of yourself. What better book can there be than the book of humanity?" Mohandas K. Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the political and spiritual leader of India during the Indian independence movement.

We must be teachable for books to educate us. Come with an open mind and soak up what has been gifted to us by those who have come before us.

The Tuesday Book Club will be meeting in the Master’s Cafe in Olivia at 11:30am on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. They will discuss The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch.

New Books:

Fire and Ice: tales from an Alaskan volunteer fire chief by Dewey Whetsell

Chief Dewey Whetsell is a thirty-four year veteran with the forty-member Cordova (Alaska) Volunteer Fire Department providing structural, marine fire protection, underwater rescue/recovery, and Search and Rescue operations. He is a recipient of Alaska's highest fire service award. Chief Whetsell is past-president of the Alaska Fire Chiefs association and certified Level IV instructor. He authored the 160-hour Senior Fire Officer's Course covering NFPA-1021, among numerous other courses. At the invitation of the Alaska Department of Emergency Services, Chief Whetsell represented the City of Cordova during the 1989 Exxon-Valdex oil spill and eventually was responsible for implementation of the Incident Command System in spill response plans by major oil companies shipping oil in Alaska waters.

The Shallows: what the Internet is doing to Our Brains by Nicolas Carr

The best-selling author of The Big Switch returns with an explosive look at technology’s effect on the mind. “Is Google making us stupid?” When Nicholas Carr posed that question, in a celebrated Atlantic Monthly cover story, he tapped into a well of anxiety about how the Internet is changing us. He also crystallized one of the most important debates of our time: As we enjoy the Net’s bounties, are we sacrificing our ability to read and think deeply?

Now, Carr expands his argument into the most compelling exploration of the Internet’s intellectual and cultural consequences yet published. As he describes how human thought has been shaped through the centuries by “tools of the mind”—from the alphabet to maps, to the printing press, the clock, and the computer—Carr interweaves a fascinating account of recent discoveries in neuroscience by such pioneers as Michael Merzenich and Eric Kandel. Our brains, the historical and scientific evidence reveals, change in response to our experiences. The technologies we use to find, store, and share information can literally reroute our neural pathways.

Carr explains how the printed book served to focus our attention, promoting deep and creative thought. In stark contrast, the Internet encourages the rapid, distracted sampling of small bits of information from many sources. Its ethic is that of the industrialist, an ethic of speed and efficiency, of optimized production and consumption—and now the Net is remaking us in its own image. We are becoming ever more adept at scanning and skimming, but what we are losing is our capacity for concentration, contemplation, and reflection.

Library News 10-21-10

2010-10-14T11:55:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

"It is with the reading of books the same as with looking at pictures; one must, without doubt, without hesitations, with assurance, admire what is beautiful."
Vincent van Gogh (March 30, 1853-July 29, 1890), Dutch impressionist painter.

Books gather us into their story. Sometimes it is the story which draws us. Sometimes it is the use of words and word pictures which colors our thoughts. Sometimes the values of the characters reflect our own world view. However we relate to others and with ourselves, books add value to our investment of time.

New Books:

Now I See the Moon: A Mother, a Son, a Miracle by Elaine Hall

The New York Times references Elaine Hall as “The Child Whisperer." Her profound bond with children has been the defining force of her life and has led her to the successive miracles she documents with grace, humor and heart in her memoir. She adopted a beautiful two year old boy from Russia, who was subsequently diagnosed with severe autism. Refusing to heed the admonitions to “send him back” she used her professional knowledge and wisdom garnered from humanistic authorities on autism to guide him through the miraculous journey that has made him the happy, increasingly independent teenager that he is now. Drawing on that experience, she went on to create The Miracle Project, through which she took on the seemingly impossible task of engaging children on the autistic spectrum to create and perform an original musical. Elaine Hall believes in miracles, and so will anyone who reads her personal account of how faith, persistence and love can bring them into being.

Resilience by Elizabeth Edwards

The bestselling author of Saving Graces shares her inspirational message on the challenges and blessings of coping with adversity.

She’s one of the most beloved political figures in the country, and on the surface, seems to have led a charmed life. In many ways, she has. But she’s no stranger to adversity. Many know of the strength she had shown after her son, Wade, was killed in a freak car accident when he was only sixteen years old. She would exhibit this remarkable grace and courage again when the very private matter of her husband's infidelity became public fodder. And her own life has been on the line. Days before the 2004 presidential election—when her husband John was running for vice president—she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After rounds of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation the cancer went away—only to reoccur in 2007. While on the campaign trail, Elizabeth met many others who have had to contend with serious adversity in their lives, and in Resilience, she draws on their experiences as well as her own, crafting an unsentimental and ultimately inspirational meditation on the gifts we can find among life’s biggest challenges.

Library News 10-7-10

2010-10-07T12:18:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

When I step into this library, I cannot understand why I ever step out of it.
Marie de Sevigne (1626-1696) French diarist "Letters of Madame de Sevigne
to Her Daughter and Friends," 1811.

Renville and Olivia Public Libraries are collecting names and email addresses for distributing an online newsletter from the library. It will have pertinent information in it including special programs and events hosted by the library. Please drop by your library or call 320-523-1738 for Olivia and 320-329-8193 for Renville and ask to be included in the mailing.

Book Clubs:

The Thursday Lunch Bunch will be discussing The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman on October 7, 2010. They meet on the first Thursday of each month at the Olivia Library meeting room at 11:00a.m.

The Wednesday Night Book Club will be discussing White Tiger by Aravind Adiga on October 20, 2010. They meet on the third Wednesday of each month at the Olivia Library meeting room at 8p.m.

The Tuesday Book Club will be discussing The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch on November 2, 2010. They meet on the first Tuesday of each month at the Master’s Cafe in Olivia at 11:30a.m.

New Books:

Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy

Gum has been around for centuries. The ancient Greeks chewed sap from mastic trees. The American Indians chewed spruce resin. Men in top hats and women in puffy dresses chewed gum to cure things like stomachaches. Gum wasn't that exciting. But what if gum chewers could blow bubbles while chewing it? In the late 1920s a factory in Philadelphia was working on a top secret project. Month after month the workers experimented with different ingredients and formulas. And month after month all they had to show for their hard work was a big sticky mess. Would there be no bubble gum? Sometimes the best inventions come from the most unexpected places...

Full of fun historical facts, Pop! is the true story of how bubble gum was invented.

The Information Officer by Mark Mills

Summer 1942: Malta, a small windswept island in the Mediterranean, has become the most bombed patch of earth on the planet, worse even than London during the Blitz. The Maltese, a fiercely independent people, withstand the relentless Axis air raids.

Max Chadwick is the British officer charged with manipulating the news on Malta to bolster the population's fragile esprit de corps. This is all, besides a few broken-down fighter planes, that stands in the face of Nazi occupation and perhaps even victory—for Malta is the stepping-stone the Germans need between Europe and North Africa. When Max learns of the brutal murder of a young island woman—along with evidence that the crime was committed by a British officer—he knows that the Maltese loyalty to the war effort could be instantly shattered. As the clock ticks down toward all-out invasion, Max must investigate the murder—beyond the gaze of his superiors, friends, and even the woman he loves.

Library News 10-14-10

2010-10-07T12:06:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves of the Olivia Public Library

"Instead of going to Paris to attend lectures, go to the public library, and you won’t come out for twenty years, if you really wish to learn." Leo Tolstoy, September 9, 1828 - November 20, 1910. Russian writer, essayist, dramatist, and educational reformer. His ideas on non-violence impacted Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

National Teen Read Week is October 17 - 23, 2010. We have teen books and graphic novels which relate well to teens. Teens who have titles or authors they like can contact the libraries to suggest them for purchase for everyone to enjoy.

Speaker:

Julie Schumacher, teen book author, will be speaking on Monday, October 18, 2010, at the Olivia Public Library at 7pm. Some of her teen books are on display in the library. Come in and check them out!

This project is funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

New Teen Books:

As Simple As It Seems by Sarah Weeks

Verbena Colter knows she's bad news.
Trouble from the get-go. How could she not be, with parents like hers? Her mother practically pickled her before she was even born, leaving Verbie to struggle with the effects of fetal alcohol syndrome. And her father was just plain mean. Verbie wishes she could be somebody, anybody other than who she is. Enter Pooch, a flatlander boy visiting for the summer. When Pooch and his mom rent the house next door, Verbie takes the opportunity to be someone else entirely. And what starts out as a game leads Verbie into a surprising and heartwarming journey of self-discovery.

My Havana: Memories of a Cuban Boyhood by Rosemary Wells

A young Cuban immigrant eases his homesickness by re-creating the city of Havana in a poignant tale that will resonate with readers today.

"You’re always drawing in that notebook of yours," Dino’s friend teases. To the small boy, 1950s Havana is alive with color, music, and glamour, and he itches to capture it on paper. When Fidel Castro and the Communist Party take over the Cuban government, Dino’s family must move to New York, where the lonely boy pours his heart into making a model of Havana’s archways and balconies, buildings and streets. Rosemary Wells composes a tender ode to an immigrant boy who grew up to be a U.S. architect, while Peter Ferguson’s atmospheric paintings evoke two vibrant cities as they were half a century ago.

Reckless by Cornelia Funke

Beyond the mirror, the darkest fairy tales come alive. . . .

For years, Jacob Reckless has enjoyed the Mirrorworld's secrets and treasures. Not anymore.
His younger brother has followed him. Now dark magic will turn the boy to beast, break the heart of the girl he loves, and destroy everything Jacob holds most dear. . . .

Unless he can find a way to stop it.

If you're looking for happily ever after, you've come to the wrong place.

Library News 9-30-10

2010-10-01T12:15:00.000-07:00

Renville County Register 09-29-2010

by Sarah Groves

As the biggest library if it is in disorder is not as useful as a small but well-arranged one,
so you may accumulate a vast amount of knowledge but it will be of far less value
than a much smaller amount if you have not thought it over for yourself.
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) German philosopher
"Parerga and Paralipomena," vol. 2, ch. 22, sct. 257, 1851.

Our library is a small library which gives access to material desired by our patrons. We can order books, CDs, cassette tapes and movies you desire from other libraries in the state of Minnesota. Just ask us for whatever you would like!

Area Trip to Gilfillan Estate FREE to Public!

The Renville County Libraries are joining together for another bus trip. This trip will take place on October 9, 2010. The bus will begin in Renville, picking up passengers at 11:30am. Olivia’s pick up time will be 11:50am. The bus will then pick up passengers in Bird Island, Hector and Fairfax. There will be a tour of the farm and the house from 1 to 3pm, and then people will have some time there on their own. There will be ice cream and cookies available for purchase, should you choose. Return times to Olivia are 5pm and Renville at 5:15pm. Please sign up with your local library for this event, as registration is required. The Olivia Library phone number is 320-523-1738, and the Renville Library phone number is 320-329-8193.

This program is free and open to the public. This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

New Books:

War by Sebastian Junger

Over fifteen months, Sebastian Junger followed a single platoon based at a remote outpost in eastern Afghanistan. His objective was both simple and ambitious: to convey what soldiers experience--what war actually feels like. He gives insight into the truths of combat: the fear, the honor and the trust among men. War illuminates the lives of the men who fight for us--how they live; what they see and learn and feel. Junger draws on biology, psychology, and military history to explain the decisions they make and to put their ordeals in context.

Everything I need to know I learned from a children’s book: life lessons from notable people from all walks of life edited by Anita Silvey

More than 100 leaders from the arts, sciences, politics, business, and other fields recall a children’s book they love, and its impact on their lives. Insightful, funny, inspiring, and unexpected, the contributions illuminate the lives of a fascinating range of people and introduce readers to a selection of the best books for young readers. Each is accompanied by an excerpt and illustrations from the selected book and an informative background essay by distinguished children’s book authority Anita Silvey.

Library News 9-23-10

2010-09-30T17:35:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Groves

My Alma mater was books, a good library I could spend the rest of my life reading,
just satisfying my curiosity. Malcolm X (1925-1965) U.S. political activist
"Autobiography of Malcolm X."

Banned Books Week, September 25 to October 2, 2010, is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than a thousand books have been challenged since 1982. The challenges have occurred in every state and in hundreds of communities. People challenge books that they say are too sexual or too violent. They object to profanity and slang, and they protest against offensive portrayals of racial or religious groups--or positive portrayals of homosexuals or other religious beliefs. Their targets range from books that explore contemporary issues and controversies to classic and beloved works of American literature. For more information about the issues and banned book titles, see bannedbooksweek.org.

New Books:

Shadow Zone by Iris Johansen and Roy Johansen

While mapping the ancient underwater city of Marinth in the Atlantic Ocean, submersible designer Hannah Bryson makes a shocking discovery: she may have finally uncovered the truth about the once-glorious city’s mysterious demise. Long ago it was a thriving metropolis bursting with culture and life—Marinth’s sudden disappearance has plagued scientists for years. But now, with her unexpected new findings, Hannah realizes that the ancient city’s explosive secret could have dire consequences for the modern-day world. But Hannah isn’t the only one who realizes it. When her key artifact is hijacked en route to a research lab, she is thrust into an adventure in which she must match wits against a terrifying enemy who will kill anyone who stands in his way.

Frommer’s American Southwest

The editors and writers give personal advice on everything from exploring Native American reservations in New Mexico to the best hotels, restaurants, shopping and nightlife in Las Vegas. There is extensive coverage of The Grand Canyon, Carlsbad Caverns, and Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. This book covers New Mexico, Arizona, Utah’s national parks and Las Vegas.

Private by James Patterson

Former CIA agent Jack Morgan runs Private, a renowned investigation company with branches around the globe. It is where you go when you need maximum force and maximum discretion. The secrets of the most influential men and women on the planet come to Jack daily--and his staff of investigators uses the world's most advanced forensic tools to make and break their cases. Jack is already deep into the investigation of a multi-million dollar NFL gambling scandal and the unsolved slayings of 18 schoolgirls when he learns of a horrific murder close to home: his best friend's wife, Jack's former lover, has been killed. Jack devotes all of Private's resources to tracking down her killer. With a plot that moves at death-defying speeds, Private is James Patterson's most exciting thriller ever.

Library News 9-16-10

2010-09-30T17:32:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Groves

Life is a library owned by an author. It has a few books which he wrote himself, but most of them were written for him. Harry Emerson Fosdick (1878-1969) U.S. clergyman In "Webster's Electronic Quotebase," ed. Keith Mohler, 1994.

Renville and Olivia Public Libraries appreciate donations of used books. If you have a book which you have enjoyed and want to share with others, and you are ready to part with it, please feel free to give it to either of the libraries. We will check your title against our collection, and, if we can incorporate it, we will. If we cannot, we will offer it to the public during our book sale with the proceeds supporting our libraries. The book sales happen during the Renville Sugar Beet Days and Olivia Corn Capital Days during the summer, although we do have a small ongoing book sale available at each library during the year.

New Books:

The Lion by Nelson DeMille

In this follow-up to The Lion's Game, John Corey, former NYPD Homicide detective and special agent for the Anti-Terrorist Task Force, is back. And, unfortunately for Corey, so is Asad Khalil, the notorious Libyan terrorist otherwise known as "The Lion." Last we heard from him, Khalil had claimed to be defecting to the US only to unleash the most horrific reign of terrorism ever to occur on American soil. While Corey and his partner, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, chased him across the country, Khalil methodically eliminated his victims one by one and then disappeared without a trace. Now, years later, Khalil has returned to America to make good on his threats and take care of unfinished business. "The Lion" is a killing machine once again loose in America with a mission of revenge, and John Corey will stop at nothing to achieve his own goal -- to find and kill Khahil.

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a lucky bottle from her uncle Pip. The problem is that Uncle Pip did not specify whether the bottle was good luck or bad luck. Vinnie, Stephanie’s boss and cousin, has run up $786, 000 in gambling debts with mobster Bobbie Sunflower, who will not release Vinnie until the debt is paid. Since no one else seems to want to find Vinnie, Stephanie, Connie and Lula try to rescue him in order to save their jobs. Rescuing him might buy them some time to raise the $786,000. Finding him a safe home is even more difficult than finding the money to free him. Sizzling Sixteen continues the mania and fun found in the first fifteen books.

Library News 9-9-10

2010-09-09T19:51:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

Libraries are reservoirs of strength, grace and wit, reminders of order, calm and continuity,
lakes of mental energy, neither warm nor cold, light nor dark. The pleasure they give is steady,
unorgastic, reliable, deep and long-lasting. Germaine Greer (January 29, 1939- ) "Daddy, We Hardly Knew You," "Still in Melbourne, January 1987," 1989.

Libraries have books for all seasons and all tastes. There are books to help people organize their stuff, their time and their collections. Books can help with health issues, with learning and ideas. Books bring relaxation or excitement. We have large print books, paperbacks, and hard covered books. We have videocassettes, DVDs, audio cassettes and CDs. We have new books and classics. Come to the library, enjoy new favorites, and rediscover old ones.

September is library card month. Get your card for free at your library. Bring your card to the library for reading fun and education.

“Academic success has never been more affordable – in fact it’s free. Parents can help open the door to lifelong learning for their children by signing them up for the smartest card of all - a library card.” --from the American Library Association web site.

New Books:

Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen

In Wyoming for a medical conference, Boston medical examiner Maura Isles joins a group of friends on a spur-of-the-moment ski trip. But when their SUV stalls on a snow-choked mountain road, they’re stranded with no help in sight. As night falls, the group seeks refuge from the blizzard in the remote village of Kingdom Come, where twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. Something terrible has happened in Kingdom Come: Meals sit untouched on tables, cars are still parked in garages. The town’s previous residents seem to have vanished into thin air, but footprints in the snow betray the presence of someone who still lurks in the cold darkness—someone who is watching Maura and her friends.

Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli receives the grim news that Maura’s charred body has been found in a mountain ravine. Shocked and grieving, Jane is determined to learn what happened to her friend. The investigation plunges Jane into the twisted history of Kingdom Come, where a gruesome discovery lies buried beneath the snow. As horrifying revelations come to light, Jane closes in on an enemy both powerful and merciless—and the chilling truth about Maura’s fate.

The Search by Nora Roberts

To most people, Fiona Bristow seems to have an idyllic life-a quaint house on an island off Seattle's coast, a thriving dog-training school, and a challenging volunteer job performing canine search and rescues. Not to mention her three intensely loyal Labs. But Fiona got to this point by surviving a nightmare.... Several years ago, Fiona was the only survivor of the Red Scarf serial killer, who shot and killed Fiona's cop fiancé and his K-9 partner. On Orcas Island, Fiona found the peace and solitude she needed to rebuild her life.

Library News 9-2-10

2010-09-03T12:02:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

If truth is beauty, how come no one has their hair done in a library? Lily Tomlin (September 1, 1939 - ) American actress, comedian, writer and producer. She has won multiple awards from many quarters.

We have magazines which reflect both truth and beauty. The current issue is on display, and may be read in the library. Back issues may be checked out for two weeks. Prevention magazine has articles about health issues. Newsweek, National Review and Time magazines have information about current events and politics. Southern Living, Midwest Living, Martha Stewart Living and Country Living provide ideas and recipes for modern living.

New Books:

Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith

Corduroy Mansions #1. Corduroy Mansions is the affectionate nickname given to a genteel, crumbling mansion block in London’s vibrant Pimlico neighborhood. The building itself - described in a guide to the architecture of the area as 'a building of no interest whatsoever' - is believed to have been built as an asylum, or possibly a school, or maybe it was a mansion block - nobody is very sure. In fact, nothing of its history is known, although it does have some nice Arts and Craft features. At the moment it is inhabited by an assortment of characters - including amongst others a literary agent, a wine merchant, one accountant, possibly the first ever nasty Liberal Democrat MP and his long-suffering PA, and a small dog in his prime. At least one character is on a voyage of self-discovery, which has taken him to Cheltenham so far. Although Corduroy Mansions is a nickname, it is now recognized by the Post Office.

The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke

Dave Robicheaux # 18. Seven young women in neighboring Jefferson Davis Parish have been brutally murdered. While the crimes have all the telltale signs of a serial killer, the death of Bernadette Latiolais, a high school honor student, doesn’t fit: she is not the kind of hapless and marginalized victim psychopaths usually prey upon. Robicheaux and his best friend, Clete Purcel, confront Herman Stanga, a notorious pimp and crack dealer whom both men despise. When Stanga turns up dead shortly after a fierce beating by Purcel, in front of numerous witnesses, the case takes a nasty turn, and Clete’s career and life are hanging by threads over the abyss. But as usual, Robicheaux’s instincts are proven correct and he finds himself dealing with a level of evil that is greater than any enemy he has confronted in the past.

Library News 8-26-10

2010-08-27T13:48:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"Once you learn to read, you will be forever free." Frederick Douglass, 19th century escaped slave, antislavery activist, journalist, public servant, champion of racial and gender equality and American hero (February 1818-February 20, 1895).

Frederick Douglass believed in the power of the written and spoken language to make positive change for individuals and society. Each library and librarian stands behind this goal. Libraries have books which document social and individual changes made since the 19th century. Reading, speaking and listening help us change our lives.

Book Clubs:

The Thursday Lunch Bunch will meet on September 2, 11am at the Olivia Library meeting room. They will be discussing Girls Think of Everything by Catherine Thimmesh and So B. It by Sarah Weeks.

The Tuesday Book Club will meet on September 7, 11:30am at Master’s Cafe. They will be discussing The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

The Wednesday Evening Book Club will meet on September 15, 8pm at the Olivia Library meeting room. They will be discussing The Moon is a Harsh Mistress by Robert A Heinlein.

All these groups are open and happy to have new members. If you would like to join and need a book, please contact the Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Beginning oil painting class:

Renville artist Dona Larkin will be offering a beginning oil painting class at the Renville Community Center on Thursday, August 26, 2010, from 6-8pm. Participants will create a painting they will be able to take home. Space is limited. Please call the Renville Library at 320-329-8193 for more information or to register for the class.

This class is free and open to the public. It is funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

New Books:

We’re Gonna Win Twins! 50 years of Minnesota’s Hometown Team by Doug Grow

In 1961, the Twins brought major league baseball to the upper Midwest. In this book sports reporter and columnist Doug Grow chronicles a half century of Twins baseball, season by season. He shows how teams were built and managed, from the arrival and departure of key plays such as Harmon Killebrew, Frank Viola, David Ortiz and Torii Hunter to the unintended scouting trip that brought Kirby Puckett to the Twins.

War by Sebastian Junger

Over fifteen months, Sebastian Junger followed a single platoon based at a remote outpost in eastern Afghanistan. His objective was both simple and ambitious: to convey what soldiers experience--what war actually feels like. He gives insight into the truths of combat: the fear, the honor and the trust among men. War illuminates the lives of the men who fight for us--how they live; what they see and learn and feel. Junger draws on biology, psychology, and military history to explain the decisions they make and to put their ordeals in context.

Everything I need to know I learned from a children’s book: life lessons from notable people from all walks of life edited by Anita Silvey

More than 100 leaders from the arts, sciences, politics, business, and other fields recall a children’s book they love, and its impact on their lives. Insightful, funny, inspiring, and unexpected, the contributions illuminate the lives of a fascinating range of people and introduce readers to a selection of the best books for young readers. Each is accompanied by an excerpt and illustrations from the selected book and an informative background essay by distinguished children’s book authority Anita Silvey.

Pop! The Invention of Bubble Gum by Meghan McCarthy

Gum has been around for centuries. The ancient Greeks chewed sap from mastic trees. The American Indians chewed spruce resin. Men in top hats and women in puffy dresses chewed gum to cure things like stomachaches. Gum wasn't that exciting. But what if gum chewers could blow bubbles while chewing it? In the late 1920s a factory in Philadelphia was working on a top secret project. Month after month the workers experimented with different ingredients and formulas. And month after month all they had to show for their hard work was a big sticky mess. Would there be no bubble gum? Sometimes the best inventions come from the most unexpected places...

Full of fun historical facts, Pop! is the true story of how bubble gum was invented.

Library News 8-19-10

2010-08-27T13:47:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"In the non-stop tsunami of global information librarians provide us
with floaties and teach us to swim."
--Linton Weeks, Washington Post, January 13, 2001

Anyone. Anytime. Any age. ELM is available to all Minnesota residents. ELM is online all the time from work, home, school or your local public library. Check out www.elm4you.org.

ELM (Electronic Library for Minnesota) gives Minnesota residents online access to magazine, journal, and newspaper articles, eBooks (electronic books), and information from other reference sources. ELM provides information on a vast array of topics, including consumer information, arts and humanities, current events, health, science, social science, politics, business, and more. Information is from reputable and respected sources. No more wondering if what you're looking at is quality information.

Art classes for beginners:
Renville artist Dona Larkin will be offering a beginning oil painting class at the Renville Community Center on Thursday, August 26, 2010, from 6-8pm. Participants will create a painting they will be able to take home. Space is limited. Call the Renville Library at 320-329-8193 for more information or to register for the class.
Can you draw basic shapes? How’s your circle, triangle, and rectangle? Hopefully you’re not so square this isn’t in your sphere! We will take these basic shapes and turn them into drawings that will amaze you! Yes, you, too, can draw. Ginger Hallbeck will lead this class for beginning drawers and anyone who wants to go back to the basics to discover new drawing techniques.
There will be 2 one hour sessions on August 24, 2010, at 1pm to 2pm and 2:30pm to 3:30pm in the Olivia Public Library meeting room. Please call the library, 320-523-1738, to reserve your space in the class.

These classes are free and open to the public. It is funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Renville Library Story Hour:

The Renville Library Story Hour will continue to be held on Tuesday mornings at 10:00am. There are 2 more story hours, August 24 and 31, and each session is held for 45 minutes. There will be stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are invited to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the library at 320-329-8193.

New Books:

Love Lessons by Margaret Daley

Homeschool Series #1. Homeschooling his daughter is new to devoted single father Ian Ferguson. To ensure his child gets a good education, the busy CPA hires a temporary tutor. Twenty-three-year-old college student Alexa Michaels is too young--and too pretty--to be right for the job. Yet his daughter is coming out of her shell and learning. Still, Ian is traditional, and sweet Alexa--who graduated from the school of hard knocks--is challenging some of his old-school ways. Can this dad learn some valuable lessons about love, family and faith from the least likely teacher?

The Lion by Nelson DeMille

In this follow-up to The Lion's Game, John Corey, former NYPD Homicide detective and special agent for the Anti-Terrorist Task Force, is back. And, unfortunately for Corey, so is Asad Khalil, the notorious Libyan terrorist otherwise known as "The Lion." Last we heard from him, Khalil had claimed to be defecting to the US only to unleash the most horrific reign of terrorism ever to occur on American soil. While Corey and his partner, FBI agent Kate Mayfield, chased him across the country, Khalil methodically eliminated his victims one by one and then disappeared without a trace. Now, years later, Khalil has returned to America to make good on his threats and take care of unfinished business. "The Lion" is a killing machine once again loose in America with a mission of revenge, and John Corey will stop at nothing to achieve his own goal -- to find and kill Khahil.

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum has inherited a lucky bottle from her uncle Pip. The problem is that Uncle Pip did not specify whether the bottle was good luck or bad luck. Vinnie, Stephanie’s boss and cousin, has run up $786, 000 in gambling debts with mobster Bobbie Sunflower, who will not release Vinnie until the debt is paid. Since no one else seems to want to find Vinnie, Stephanie, Connie and Lula try to rescue him in order to save their jobs. Rescuing him might buy them some time to raise the $786,000. Finding him a safe home is even more difficult than finding the money to free him. Sizzling Sixteen continues the mania and fun found in the first fifteen books.

Library News 8-12-10

2010-08-27T13:45:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

When we build a public library, we don't have to pay to get in, but when we build a stadium, we have to pay the owner every time we go to a game. Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura

Your first library card is free. With it you have access to just about every book in every library in Minnesota. We just ask that you verify your address with an official document, such as your driver’s license or Minnesota ID with the correct address or a piece of mail with the current address if the address on the ID is not correct. Replacement cards are $3.

The library provides access to computers for using the internet or doing word processing. Printers are available for a small fee to print results from searches or any document you wrote.

Death Echo by Elizabeth Lowell

Elizabeth Lowell cuts a new edge in suspense with this thrilling tale of passion, danger, and international intrigue in which a pair of former CIA operatives must stop a deadly plot that threatens a major American city—and ultimately the world. A breathtaking tale of passion and danger, Death Echo is superb entertainment.

A Stranger in the Family by Robert Barnard

From Robert Barnard, the internationally acclaimed Diamond Dagger–winning crime writer . . .
Kit Philipson has always felt like something of a stranger in his family. Growing up as the only child of professional parents in Glasgow, Scotland, he had every advantage. His mother was a teacher; his father, a journalist, escaped from Nazi Germany at the age of three on one of the 1939 Kindertransports. But on her deathbed, Kit’s mother tells him he was adopted and that his birth name was Novello. Soon, vague memories of his early life begin to surface: his nursery, pictures on the wall, the smell of his birth mother when she’d been cooking. And, sometimes, there are more disturbing memories—of strangers taking him by the hand and leading him away from the only family he had ever known. A search of old newspaper files reveals that a three-year-old boy named Peter Novello was abducted from his parents’ holiday hotel in Sicily in 1989. Now the young man who has known himself only as Kit sets out to rediscover his past, the story of two three-year-old boys torn from their mothers in very different circumstances. Kit’s probing inquiries are sure to bring surprises. They may also unearth dangerous secrets that dare never be revealed. With sharp wit and deep insight, Robert Barnard sweeps away all preconceptions in this powerful study of maternal love and the danger of obsession.

The Spy by Clive Cussler

Isaac Bell #3. It is 1908, and international tensions are mounting as the world plunges toward war. When a brilliant American battleship gun designer dies in a sensational apparent suicide, the man's grief-stricken daughter turns to the legendary Van Dorn Detective Agency to clear her father's name. Van Dorn puts his chief investigator on the case, and Isaac Bell soon realizes that the clues point not to suicide but to murder. And when more suspicious deaths follow, it becomes clear that someone-an elusive spy-is orchestrating the destruction of America's brightest technological minds... and the murders all connect to a top- secret project called Hull 44.
But that is just the beginning. As the intrigue deepens, Bell will find himself pitted against German, Japanese, and British spies, in a mission that encompasses dreadnought battleships, Teddy Roosevelt's Great White Fleet, Chinatown, Hell's Kitchen, and the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Isaac Bell has certainly faced perilous situations before, but this time it is more than the future of his country that's at stake- it's the fate of the world.

Library News 8-5-10

2010-08-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

I used to go to the library all the time when I was kid. As a teenager, I got a book on how to write jokes at the library, and that, in turn, launched my comedy career. Comedian Drew Carey. Carey appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, where he announced that all of his winnings would go to Ohio public libraries. Carey donated nearly $600,000 to the Ohio Library Council.

The Olivia and Renville Public Libraries have resources on the changing job markets. The libraries have resources on resume, cover letter and career development. What would you like to do? Find options at the library.

The Renville Public Library thanks Marvelyn Bratsch for the donation of $475.00 in memory of her husband, Lowell Bratsch.

New Books:

The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin

On a stormy winter night, two strangers wait for a flight at the Salt Lake City airport. Ashley Knox is an attractive, successful writer, who is flying East for her much anticipated wedding. Dr. Ben Payne has just wrapped up a medical conference and is also eager to get back East for a slate of surgeries he has scheduled for the following day. When the last outgoing flight is cancelled due to a broken de-icer and a forthcoming storm, Ben finds a charter plane that can take him around the storm and drop him in Denver to catch a connection. And when the pilot says the single engine prop plane can fit one more, if barely, Ben offers the seat to Ashley knowing that she needs to get back just as urgently. And then the unthinkable happens. The pilot has a heart attack mid-flight and the plane crashes into the High Uintas Wilderness-- one of the largest stretches of harsh and remote land in the United States.

Ben, who has broken ribs and Ashley, who suffers a terrible leg fracture, along with the pilot's dog, are faced with an incredibly harrowing battle to survive. As the days on the mountains become weeks, their survival become increasingly perilous. How will they make it out of the wilderness and if they do, how will this experience change them forever?

Whiplash by Catherine Coulter

FBI Thriller #14. During an investigation regarding a lack of a critical Shiffer Hartwin chemotherapy drug, Erin Pulaski had uncovered a bombshell in her investigation: The Culovort shortage is set to bring in a windfall profit in excess of two billion dollars. Upon learning of a top foreign Schiffer Hartwin employee who has been found murdered behind the drug company's U.S. headquarters, Erin is certain it has something to do with her findings, but she risks exposing herself by coming forward. As the feds move in, the case becomes even more complicated for Erin, since the murder of a foreign national on federal land can mean only that the pharmaceutical house has a secret of epic proportions-one it would do anything to keep hidden.

The Burying Place by Brian Freeman, a Minnesota author

One cold night. Two shocking mysteries.
In the quiet town of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, a baby vanishes from her bedroom in an opulent lakeside home. Was she abducted – or does her father have a terrible secret to hide? That same night, a young policewoman gets lost in the fog and stumbles into the middle of a horrific crime. Now a sadistic killer wants her to play his deadly game. Lieutenant Jonathan Stride and his team need to move fast to save a child and stop a vicious killing spree. Each twist in the investigation takes Stride into an elaborate web of deceit and desire. But his biggest obstacles may be the very people he’s trying to help.

Hannah’s List by Debbie Macomber

My darling Michael, I know this letter will come as a shock to you….
On the anniversary of his beloved wife's death, Dr. Michael Everett receives a letter Hannah had written him. In it she reminds him of her love and makes one final request. An impossible request—I want you to marry again. She tells him he shouldn't spend the years he has left grieving her. And to that end she's chosen three women she asks him to consider: Winter Adams, Leanne Lancaster, and Macy Roth. During the months that follow, he spends time with Winter, Leanne and Macy, learning more about each of them…and about himself. Learning what Hannah already knew. He's a man who needs the completeness only love can offer. And Hannah's list leads him to the woman who can help him find it.

Library News 7-29-10

2010-07-30T06:36:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

The public library is more than a repository of books. It's a mysterious, wondrous place with the power to change lives. Chicago Tribune literary editor Elizabeth Taylor

Libraries bring ideas, books and people together. Join a book club or come to a library sponsored activity, such as the Dennis Warner concert during Corn Capital Days. Connect with other people through the use of the computers or seeing friends in the library.

Corn Capital Days:

The Olivia Public Library is having used book sale at the meeting room in the library building during Corn Capital Days. It will be held at the following times:
July 29, 2010: 12pm to 6pm
July 30, 2010: 12pm to 4pm
July 31, 2010: 9am to 1pm

Dennis Warner with Music in the Park

The Olivia Library is sponsoring Dennis Warner, a folk musician and a native Minnesotan, who will be performing from noon to 2 p.m. in Nester Park on July 31, 2010, during Corn Capital Days..

This program is free and open to the public.

This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

New Books:

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future: twists and turns and lessons learned by Michael J Fox

Michael J. Fox abandoned high school to pursue an acting career, but went on to receive honorary degrees from several universities and garner the highest accolades for his acting, as well as for his writing. In his new book, he inspires and motivates graduates to recognize opportunities, maximize their abilities, and roll with the punches--all with his trademark optimism, warmth, and humor. In A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future, Michael draws on his own life experiences to make a case that real learning happens when "life goes skidding sideways."

I am Nujood by Nujood Ali with Delphine Minoui

Forced by her father to marry a man three times her age, young Nujood Ali was sent away from her parents and beloved sisters and made to live with her husband and his family in an isolated village in rural Yemen. There she suffered daily from physical and emotional abuse by her mother-in-law and nightly at the rough hands of her spouse.

Unable to endure the pain and distress any longer, Nujood fled—not for home, but to the courthouse of the capital, paying for a taxi ride with a few precious coins of bread money. When a renowned Yemeni lawyer heard about the young victim, she took on Nujood’s case and fought the archaic system in a country where almost half the girls are married while still under the legal age. Since their unprecedented victory in April 2008, Nujood’s courageous defiance of both Yemeni customs and her own family has attracted a storm of international attention. Her story even incited change in Yemen and other Middle Eastern countries, where underage marriage laws are being increasingly enforced and other child brides have been granted divorces.

Nujood now tells her full story for the first time. As she guides us from the magical, fragrant streets of the Old City of Sana’a to the cement-block slums and rural villages of this ancient land, her unflinching look at an injustice suffered by all too many girls around the world is at once shocking, inspiring, and utterly unforgettable.

Food will win the War: Minnesota Crops, Cooks and Conservation During World War I by Rae Katherine Eighmey

Meatless Mondays, Wheatless Wednesdays, vegetable gardens and chickens in every empty lot. When the United States entered World War I, Minnesotans responded to appeals for personal sacrifice and changed the way they cooked and ate in order to conserve food for the boys “over there.” Baking with corn and rye, eating simple meals based on locally grown food, consuming fewer calories, and wasting nothing in the kitchen became civic acts. High-energy foods and calories unconsumed on the American home front could help the food-starved, war-torn American Allies eat another day and fight another battle.

Food historian Rae Katherine Eighmey engages readers with wide research and recipes drawn from rarely viewed letters, diaries, recipe books, newspaper accounts, government pamphlets, and public service fliers. She brings alive the unknown but unparalleled efforts to win the war made by ordinary “Citizen Soldiers”—farmers and city dwellers, lumberjacks and homemakers—who rolled up their sleeves to apply “can-do” ingenuity coupled with “must-do” drive. Their remarkable efforts transformed everyday life and set the stage for the United States’ postwar economic and political ascendance.

Library News 7-22-10

2010-07-30T06:35:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

Going to the library builds a kid's imagination. Books help them discover themselves and the world. Former Baltimore Oriole All-Star shortstop Mike Bordick (July 21,1965 - )

The Renville and Olivia libraries have a large selection of children's easy and juvenile books. There are fiction and non-fiction selections with different ideas and information. Check them out and enjoy them with your children and grandchildren.

Corn Capital Days:

The Olivia Public Library is having used book sale at the meeting room in the library building during Corn Capital Days. It will be held at the following times:
July 29, 2010: 12pm to 6pm
July 30, 2010: 12pm to 4pm
July 31, 2010: 9am to 1pm

Dennis Weaver during Corn Capital Days:

The Olivia Public Library is sponsoring Dennis Weaver in Nestor Park on Saturday. Dennis Weaver, actor, musician, humanitarian, and pioneer environmentalist, will be performing on July 31, 2010, from 12pm to 2pm.

This program is free and open to the public.

This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

Book Reading and Signing:

A book reading and signing will be held at the Olivia Public Library meeting room with local author Chuck Brown on July 20, 2010, at 7pm. The Lake Hayes Regatta is his newest book. Books will be available to purchase, and Chuck Brown will be happy to autograph them.

Renville Library Story Hour:

The Renville Public Library will host story hour beginning on August 3, 2010, at 10:00am. It will continue on Tuesday mornings on August 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2010, and it will last for 45 minutes for each session. There will be stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Renville Public Library, 320-329-8193.

New Books:

Tiger and Turtle by James Rumford
Tiger says he saw the flower first, but Turtle disagrees. Through pages of glorious color, Tiger and Turtle continue their argument. They’re worthy opponents . . . as a tiger’s claws could not harm a turtle’s shell any more than a turtle’s feet could outrun a tiger’s. The battle intensifies, as does the artist’s palette: from golds to fiery reds to luxuriant blues, as the two resolve their conflict and become friends. Juvenile book.

All Aboard Reading: Max’s Checkup
Ruby and Louise want to play with their new doctor’s kit, and they want Max to be their patient. But Max doesn’t want to play their game. Will they find a way to compromise? Juvenile book.

Flight of the Butterflies by Roberta Edwards
Starting from the northern United States and southern Canada, millions of Monarchs converge every fall in one region in central Mexico. It’s not only an amazing sight to behold for the lucky residents of the area, but also a true miracle of nature. This easy reader follows the 2,500 mile-long journey of the Monarchs, with both full color illustrations and photographs. Juvenile book.

The Card Turner by Louis Sacchar
How are we supposed to be partners? He can’t see the cards and I don’t know the rules.
The summer after junior year of high school looks bleak for Alton Richards. His girlfriend has dumped him. He has no money and no job. His parents insist that he drive his great-uncle Lester to his bridge club four times a week and be his cardturner—whatever that means. Alton’s uncle is old, blind, very sick, and very rich. Alton soon finds himself intrigued by his uncle, by the game of bridge, and especially by the pretty and shy Toni Castaneda. As the summer goes on, he struggles to figure out what it all means, and ultimately to figure out the meaning of his own life.

Through Alton’s wry observations, Louis Sachar explores the disparity between what you know and what you think you know. With his incomparable flair and inventiveness, he examines the elusive differences between perception and reality—and inspires readers to think and think again. Young adult book.

The Help by Katherine Stockett
Three ordinary women are about to take one extraordinary step. Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.

Library News 7-14-10

2010-07-30T06:31:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"Mystery magnifies danger, as a fog the sun, the hand that warned Belshazzar derived its horrifying effect from the want of a body." Charles Caleb Colton, (1780-1832), English cleric, writer and collector.

Mystery books come with many general headings. We have mystery romances, mystery thrillers, historical mysteries and other categories. There are mysteries with recipes and mysteries with hobbies, such as scrapbooking. Mysteries come with pets and family danger. Several mystery series are set in Minnesota. Mysteries also come on tape or CD for your listening enjoyment. Come in and check out a good mystery.

Area News:

A watercolor painting class will be held in the Olivia Public Library on July 15, 2010, from 6:30pm to 9pm. Ginger Hallbeck will present the collage watercolor class. Please preregister for this class at the Olivia library, (320) 523-1738.

This program is free and open to the public.

This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

Book Reading and Signing:

A book reading and signing will be held at the Olivia Public Library meeting room with local author Chuck Brown on July 20, 2010, at 7pm. The Lake Hayes Regatta is his newest book.

Library Story Hour:

The Renville Public Library will host story hour beginning on August 3, 2010, at 10:00am. It will continue on Tuesday mornings on August 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2010, and it will last for 45 minutes for each session. There will be stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Renville Public Library, 320-329-8193.

New Books:

Innocent by Scott Turow

The sequel to the genre-defining, landmark bestseller Presumed Innocent, INNOCENT continues the story of Rusty Sabich and Tommy Molto who are, once again, twenty years later, pitted against each other in a riveting psychological match after the mysterious death of Rusty's wife.

Storm Prey by Minnesota author John Sandford

Lucas Davenport #20. And this time, there's a storm brewing...Very early, 4:45, on a bitterly cold Minnesota morning, three big men burst through the door of a hospital pharmacy, duct-tape the hands, feet, mouth, and eyes of two pharmacy workers, and clean the place out. But then things swiftly go bad, one of the workers dies, and the robbers hustle out to their truck-and find themselves for just one second face-to-face with a blond woman in the garage: Weather Karkinnen, surgeon, wife of an investigator named Lucas Davenport. Did she see enough? Can she identify them? Gnawing it over later, it seems to them there is only one thing they can do: Find out who she is, and eliminate the only possible witness....

Missing Mark by Minnesota author Julie Kramer

Riley Spartz #2. When Riley Spartz sees a want ad reading “Wedding Dress for Sale: Never Worn,” she finds a jilted bride unsure whether her groom got cold feet or has become a cold case himself. Her betrothed, Mark, last seen at the rehearsal dinner, never showed up for the wedding, humiliating his bride, Madeline—and her high-strung, high-society mother—in front of 300 guests. When Riley’s curious missing person case leads to a dangerous murder investigation, she discovers a startling motive for Mark’s disappearance. Riley now has a TV exclusive guaranteed to win the ratings . . . if she lives to report it.

The Taking of Libbie, SD by Minnesota author David Housewright

A drifter cons an entire town using McKenzie’s name, leaving the real McKenzie facing an angry town with nothing left to lose.

Rushmore McKenzie is a retired cop, an unexpected millionaire, and an occasional unlicensed private investigator. So, it isn’t the biggest surprise in the world when he’s attacked and kidnapped from his home—McKenzie has more than a few enemies out there with a grudge against him. But it is a surprise when it turns out his kidnapping is a case of mistaken identity. McKenzie was taken to the small plains town of Libbie, South Dakota, which just lost pretty much everything it had to a con man using McKenzie’s name. Using a scam involving a new shopping mall, the man apparently stole all the money electronically from the bank then disappeared, leaving behind a devastated town full of people with many reasons to hate him. To that list of enemies, he’s just added McKenzie who is now determined to help the devastated townspeople, as well as catch and punish the weasel besmirching his reputation.

Library News 7-7-10

2010-07-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"If a writer knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows. The dignity of movement of an iceberg is due to only one ninth of it being above water." Ernest Hemingway (July 21, 1899 - July 2, 1961), American writer

Area news:

Writing class on July 10, 2010, at 1pm at the Olivia Public Library meeting room. Class will be led by an experienced writing instructor, focusing on the creative process necessary for writing. Experienced and aspiring writers are encouraged to attend.

A watercolor painting class will be held in the Olivia Public Library on July 8, 2010, from 6:30pm to 9pm. Ginger Hallbeck, instructor for this class, will present a salt scape watercolor class. Please preregister for this class at the Olivia library, (320) 523-1738.

This program is free and open to the public.

This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

New Books:

No one would listen: a true financial thriller by Harry Markopolos

No One Would Listen is the exclusive story of the Harry Markopolos-lead investigation into Bernie Madoff and his $65 billion Ponzi scheme. While a lot has been written about Madoff's scam, few actually know how Markopolos and his team-affectionately called "The Fox Hounds" by Markopolos himself, uncovered what Madoff was doing years before this financial disaster reached its pinnacle. Unfortunately, no one listened, until the damage of the world's largest financial fraud ever was irreversible.

In the shadow of eagles: from barnstormer to Alaskan bush pilot, a pilot's story by Rudy Billberg

Aviation Hall of Famer Rudy Billberg's story takes you through the great age of aviation, from his first airplane ride in Minnesota in 1927 to his bush flying career in Alaska beginning in 1941. Filled with drama, history and insight, Billberg's narrative chronicles the lives of fellow Alaskan airmen like Joe Crosson, Harold Gillam, Noel Wien, and Sam White, and tells of the early aircraft they all flew Travel Airs, Fairchilds, Pilgrims, Bellancas.

In his sights: a memoir by Kate Brennan

Kate is a well-respected writer and scholar, a highly independent woman with simple tastes and a complicated romantic past that leave her perfectly content with being single. So when she meets Paul—a wealthy, charismatic businessman with a great deal of free time—she's wary of getting involved. Eventually, though, his polished charm and relentless wooing win her over. Things move quickly, and it is only after the two have moved in together that Kate discovers the serial infidelity, the unbalanced psyche, and the sordid secrets lurking under the Mr. Right facade. Kate lets Paul into her life with trepidation, and when she ends the relationship, she finds she can't get him out of it. With limitless resources, he dedicates himself to stalking her: he tracks her movements, arranges for people to break into her home, interferes with her work, and even relocates to her new neighborhood. His harassment lasts for more than a decade and, as Paul is still at large, it continues to turn Kate's life upside down today.

First the broccoli then the ice cream: a parent's guide to deliberate discipline by Dr Tim Riley

Don't be misled by the title... this is not a book about how to get your kids to eat their veggies, though it can certainly help with that issue, along with giving you guidance on how to tackle a lot of other behavior problems many parents face every day. Dr. Tim Riley uses common sense, clinical experience and a healthy dose of humor to explain the reasons behind these all too common and often frustrating behaviors and what you as a parent can do about them.
Among the many tools presented in this can-do book, parents will learn:
- Four (or maybe five) really useful principles of behavior
- Six simple (but not always easy) steps to more effective discipline and motivation
- What to do when you like what your child is doing, and when you don't
- Specific responses to some of the most common problem behaviors.

Library News 7-1-10

2010-07-30T06:25:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"To acquire the habit of reading is to construct for yourself a refuge from almost all of the miseries of life." ~ W. Somerset Maugham

Reading is for all seasons and all times. Bring your favorite authors to the mountains or beach, to camping or sightseeing, for rain or shine, for vacation or home.

Renville and Olivia public libraries have the booklets, Minnesota Grown Directory: 840 Farms, Markets and Garden Centers, which are available for you to take home. Come in for a copy to discover where you can find fresh locally grown farm produce, farmer's markets or products and services. Both libraries also have tourist information available for the area. Browse for summer food and fun in your local library.

Summer Reading Program:

"Make a Splash - Read!" began June 7, 2010, for area children. Registration continues until July 16, and the program continues until August 27. Bring your children to the library, sign them up for summer reading, and get involved in reading together. This is a fun way to include reading and related activities in summer family time.

Dive into Saving for College:

The Minnesota College Savings Plan, in partnership with Minnesota libraries, presents the "Dive into Saving for College" sweepstakes. This program encourages children to read this summer, while also giving parents a chance to win $1,000 toward their child's future college education and $500 for their library. Learn more at www.mnsaves.org/library or at Renville or Olivia public libraries.

New Books:

Showing up for life: thoughts on the gifts of a lifetime by Bill Gates, Sr

A heartfelt, deeply personal book, Showing Up for Life shines a bright light on the values and principles that Bill Gates Sr. has learned over a lifetime of “showing up”—lessons that he learned growing up during the Great Depression, and that he instilled in his children and continues to practice on the world stage as the co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

An eagle named Freedom: my true story of a remarkable friendship by Jeff Guidry

From the moment Jeff Guidry saw the emaciated baby eagle with broken wings, his life was changed. For weeks he and the staff at Sarvey Wildlife Care Center tended to the grievously injured bird. Miraculously, she recovered, and Jeff, a center volunteer, became her devoted caretaker.
Though Freedom would never fly, she had Jeff as her wings. And after Jeff was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2000, Freedom returned his gift. Between sessions of debilitating chemotherapy, Jeff went back to Sarvey and began taking Freedom for walks that soothed his spirit and gave him the strength to fight. When he learned he was cancer free, Jeff's first stop was Sarvey to walk with Freedom. Somehow this special bird seemed to understand the significance of the day. For the very first time she wrapped both her wings around Jeff, enveloping him in an avian hug.

The Wolf at Twilight: An Indian Elder's Journey through a Land of Ghosts and Shadows by Kent Nerburn

A note is left on a car windshield, an old dog dies, and Kent Nerburn finds himself back on the Lakota reservation where he traveled more than a decade before with a tribal elder named Dan. The touching, funny, and haunting journey that ensues goes deep into reservation boarding-school mysteries, the dark confines of sweat lodges, and isolated Native homesteads far back in the Dakota hills in search of ghosts that have haunted Dan since childhood.
In this fictionalized account of actual events, Nerburn brings the land of the northern High Plains alive and reveals the Native American way of teaching and learning with a depth that few outsiders have ever captured.

Library News 6-24-10

2010-06-24T17:33:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"It is the dim haze of mystery that adds enchantment to pursuit." Antoine Rivarol (June 26, 1753 – April 11, 1801) was a French writer and epigrammatist.

Stop, You’re Killing Me! is a resource for lovers of mystery, crime, thriller, spy, and suspense books. They list over 3,300 authors, with chronological lists of their books (over 38,000 titles). Use the alphabetical author or character list or the special indexes in the left hand column to retrieve information regarding book awards, read-alikes and other interests. Find this site on line at www.stopyourekillingme.com Use this web site to find more interesting authors to keep you on the edge of your chair. You can sign up for a newsletter, and this comes every 2 weeks with information about new authors and contests for free books. Come in and check out our selection of your favorite reads and read-alikes.

Summer Reading Program:

"Make a Splash - Read!" began June 7, 2010, for area children. Registration continues until July 16, and the program continues until August 27. Bring your children to the library, sign them up for summer reading, and get involved in reading together. This is a fun way to include reading and related activities in summer family time.

Dive into Saving for College:

The Minnesota College Savings Plan, in partnership with Minnesota libraries, presents the "Dive into Saving for College" sweepstakes. This program encourages children to read this summer, while also giving parents a chance to win $1,000 toward their child's future college education and $500 for their library. Learn more at www.mnsaves.org/library or at Renville or Olivia public libraries.

Family Story Hour:

Family Night Story Hour will be held at the Olivia Public Library on all Mondays in June from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm:

June 21
June 28

There will be stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Renville Public Library Story Hour is scheduled for August, 2010. More information will be available later for Renville's Story Hour.

Baseball Story Hour:

Members of the Willmar Stingers Baseball Players will be in Olivia Public Library on Saturday, June 26, 2010, at 1pm, to present a story hour to children. All children are welcome to attend, and parents are invited to stay and join in the fun.

Area Programs:

A watercolor painting class will be held in the Olivia Public Library on June 24, 2010. Ginger Hallbeck, instructor for this class, will present a Soother Watercolor Class meant to show the beauty of mixing colors. It will be held on Thursday from 6:30pm to 9pm. Please preregister for this class at the Olivia library.

This program is free and open to the public.

This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

New Books:

Supreme Justice by Philip Margolin

Sarah Woodruff, on death row in Oregon for murdering her lover, John Finley, has appealed her case to the Supreme Court just when a prominent justice resigns, leaving a vacancy. Then, for no apparent reason, another justice is mysteriously attacked. Dana Cutler - one of the heroes from Margolin's bestselling Executive Privilege - is quietly called in to investigate. She looks for links between the Woodruff appeal and the ominous incidents in the justices' chambers, which eventually lead her to a shoot-out that took place years ago on a small freighter docked upriver in Shelby, Oregon, containing a dead crew and illegal drugs. The only survivor on board? John Finley.

Cross Roads by Fern Michaels

Sisterhood, #8. It's been a year and a half since the women of the Sisterhood received their presidential pardons, but the freedom they craved has come at a high price. The impossibly lucrative positions handed out to them by the mysterious Global Securities company have turned out to be golden handcuffs - scattering them around the world, cutting off communication, and leaving them in miserable isolation. A planned happy homecoming is marred by the hijacking of Nikki and Kathryn's private jet. The few fellow passengers are not ordinary travelers; they need the Sisterhood's help.

Library News 6-10-10

2010-06-17T13:20:00.001-07:00

By Sarah Groves

The closest you will ever come in this life to an orderly universe is a good library. Ashleigh Brilliant, (December 9, 1933- ), English author and cartoonist.

We have graphic novels for teens, cartoon books and how to draw cartoons. Come in to see our selection.

Area Programs:

Magician, Curtis Hed's "The Magic of Reading" will be held in the Renville Public Library on Friday, June 11, 2010, at 5:45pm. Please note the time change. Curtis' Magic of Reading Show is just plain fun: humor, magic, juggling, and lots of audience participation. During it Curtis shares how reading and using the library have played an important part in his life and how it can do the same for others.

Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Minnesota author, will have a book talk on June 15, 2010, at 7pm in the Hector Public Library.

Wild, Wet & Wacky! with the WonderWeavers-Storytellers will present their program on June 18, 2010, at 3pm in the Olivia Public Library. How long has it been since you have heard a really good story? How long has it been since you have had a really good laugh? You can hear good stories and get good laughs when you see the WonderWeavers-Storytellers!

Watercolor painting classes are being held in the Olivia Public Library beginning June 17, 2010. Ginger Hallbeck is the instructor for these classes which are being held on Thursdays from 6:30pm to 9pm. The first class is a basic class to learn about painting with watercolor. Please preregister for these classes at the Olivia library.

These programs are free and open to the public.

These projects were funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

Summer Reading Program:

"Make a Splash - Read!" began June 7, 2010, for Renville and Olivia children. Registration continues until July 16, and the program continues until August 27. Bring your children to the library, sign them up for summer reading, and get involved in reading together. This is a fun way to include reading and related activities in summer family time.

Family Story Hour:

Family Night Story Hour will be held at the Olivia Public Library on all Mondays in June from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm:

June 14
June 21
June 28

There will be stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Renville Public Library Story Hour is scheduled for August, 2010. More information will be available later for Renville's Story Hour.

Sugar Beet Days:

Renville Sugar Beet Days Library Sale will be held June 11, 2010, from 12:30 to 7pm and Saturday, June 12, 2010, from 9am to 2:30pm. There will be books and other media for sale to help support the Renville library. Please come and show your support.

New Books:

This body of death by Elizabeth George

Inspector Lynley, #16. While DI Thomas Lynley is still on compassionate leave after the murder of his wife, Isabelle Ardery is brought into the Met as his temporary replacement. The discovery of a body in a Stoke Newington cemetery offers Isabelle the chance to make her mark with a high profile murder investigation. Persuading Lynley back to work seems the best way to guarantee a result: Lynley's team is fiercely loyal to him and Isabelle needs them - and especially Barbara Havers - on side. The Met is twitchy: a series of PR disasters has undermined its confidence. Isabelle knows that she'll be operating under the unforgiving scrutiny of the media, so is quick -- perhaps too quick - to pin the murder on a convenient suspect. The murder trail leads Lynley and Havers to the New Forest, and the eventual resolution of the case. Its roots are in a long-ago act of violence that has poisoned subsequent generations and its outcome is both tragic and shocking.

Blue-eyed devil by Robert B Parker

Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, #4. The extraordinary new Western from the New York Times- bestselling author, featuring itinerant lawmen Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch. Law enforcement in Appaloosa had once been Virgil Cole and me. Now there was a chief of police and twelve policemen. Our third day in town, the chief invited us to the office for a talk....

Library News 6-17-10

2010-06-17T13:17:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

My books are like water; those of the great geniuses are wine. (Fortunately) everybody drinks water.
Mark Twain (Samuel L Clemens, 11-30-1835 - 04-21-1910) American humorist, writer, journalist).

Summer Reading Program:

"Make a Splash - Read!" began June 7, 2010, for area children. Registration continues until July 16, and the program continues until August 27. Bring your children to the library, sign them up for summer reading, and get involved in reading together. This is a fun way to include reading and related activities in summer family time.

Area Programs:

The dynamic duo behind Potluck Paradise: Favorite Fare from Church and Community Cookbooks, Rae Katherine Eighmey and Debbie Miller, will be on the road in southwestern Minnesota June 15 to 19. They will share their winning summer potluck ideas at Lake Lillian Public Library on June 17, 2010, at 7pm. They have authored several cookbooks with Minnesota recipes.

Watercolor painting classes are being held in the Olivia Public Library beginning June 17, 2010. Ginger Hallbeck is the instructor for these classes which are being held on Thursdays from 6:30pm to 9pm. The first class is a basic class to learn about painting with watercolor. Please preregister for these classes at the Olivia library. Teens and adults are invited to participate.

Wild, Wet & Wacky! with the WonderWeavers-Storytellers will present their program on June 18, 2010, at 3pm in the Olivia Public Library. How long has it been since you have heard a really good story? How long has it been since you have had a really good laugh? You can hear good stories and get good laughs when you see the WonderWeavers-Storytellers!

These programs are free and open to the public.

These projects were funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

New Books:

Return to sender by Fern Michaels

At seventeen, Rosalind 'Lin' Townsend finds herself pregnant and alone. Her father, deeply religious yet cruel, throws her out of the house. Nick Pemberton, her baby's father and the man she naively hoped might marry her, rejects her. Yet even at the lowest point in her life, Lin vows to succeed on her own terms, and to give her son, Will, all the love and happiness she's been denied. Nineteen years later, Lin has made good on her promises. When Lin visits New York with Will, she crosses paths with the one man she was sure she'd never see again - Nick Pemberton, now a millionaire CEO, the man who sent back all her letters unopened, marked 'Return to Sender.' Seeing him fills Lin with anger - and she resolves to right the wrong he did to Will. But the truth is more complex and surprising than she imagined. And soon Lin must choose - between the revenge she thought would free her, and the bright new future that's about to be delivered to her door....

Stay a little longer by Dorothy Garlock

Rachel Watkins runs her family’s dilapidated boardinghouse in Carlson, Minnesota, while raising her orphaned niece and working as a midwife. Her older sister, Alice, lost her husband, Mason, in WWI before he knew she was pregnant, then died the day Charlotte was born. That was also the day Rachel’s mother retreated to her bedroom and stayed. Eight years later, Rachel is trying to save their home from a predatory banker, keep her drunken uncle in line, and fend off the advances of an odious boarder. Charlotte and her beloved dog find a desperately ill hobo. Rachel brings him to the house, and is stunned when she finds out who he is. This is classic Garlock: a dramatic story in which good triumphs over evil and everyone gets their just desserts. --Diana Tixier Herald --

Village of the ghost bears by Stan Jones

This novel follows Alaska State Trooper Nathan Active as he tries to solve two possibly connected occurrences: the discovery of the body of a hunter at a remote lake and a fire at the Chukchi Recreation Center that claims eight lives. Without having read the previous books in the series, it is initially difficult to engage with the characters, but that quickly becomes inconsequential as the main focus of the novel turns to solving the mysteries. Jones provides a unique look at the Alaskan landscape and reveals many of the racial tensions that still exist in this part of the world. Ghost Bears leaves readers looking forward to the next "Nathan Active" installment.—Kelliann Bogan, Colby-Sawyer College, New London, NH

Library News 6-2-10

2010-06-03T17:51:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"If I have to spend time in purgatory before going to one place or the other, I guess I'll be all right as long as there's a lending library." Stephen King, ( September 21, 1947- ), American writer.

Olivia Library and Renville Library can get books for you--by Stephen King or other authors of your choice. Come to the library with your library card, and you can borrow the books of your choice.

Area Happenings:

Mike Lynch will be presenting a stargazing program on June 4, 2010, at 9:30pm in the Hector Public Library. He will be presenting a program on June 5, 2010, at 1pm in the Olivia Public Library meeting room.

Magician, Curtis Hed's "The Magic of Reading" will be held in the Renville Public Library on Friday, June 11, 2010, at 5:30pm. For the most part Curtis' Magic of Reading Show is just plain fun: humor, magic, juggling, and lots of audience participation. Yet, during it Curtis shares how reading and using the library have played an important part in his life and how it can do the same for others.

Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Minnesota author, will have a book talk on June 15, 2010, at 7pm in the Hector Public Library.

Wild, Wet & Wacky! with the WonderWeavers-Storytellers will present their program on June 18, 2010, at 3pm in the Olivia Public Library. How long has it been since you have heard a really good story? How long has it been since you have had a really good laugh? You can hear good stories and get good laughs when you see the WonderWeavers-Storytellers!

These programs are free and open to the public.

This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

Make a Splash! Read!

"Make a Splash - Read!" begins June 7, 2010, for area children. Bring your children to the library, sign them up for summer reading, and get involved in reading together. This is a fun way to include reading and related activities in summer family time.

Family Story Hour:

Family Night Story Hour will be held at the Olivia Public Library on all Mondays in June from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm:
June 7
June 14
June 21
June 28

There will be stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Renville Public Library Story Hour is scheduled for August, 2010. More information will be available later for Renville's Story Hour.

New Books:

The 9th Judgement by James Patterson

Women's Murder Club, #9. A young mother and her infant child are ruthlessly gunned down while returning to their car in the garage of a shopping mall. There are no witnesses, and Detective Lindsay Boxer is left with only one shred of evidence: a cryptic message scrawled across the windshield in blood red lipstick. The same night, the wife of A-list actor Marcus Dowling walks in on a cat burglar who is about to steal millions of dollars worth of precious jewels. In just seconds there is an empty safe, a lifeless body, and another mystery that throws San Francisco into hysteria.

Wrecked by Carol Higgins Clark

Regan Reilly, #13. Private Investigator Regan Reilly and her husband, Jack "no relation" Reilly, head of the NYPD Major Case Squad, are about to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. They are looking forward to a quiet romantic weekend out of town. Wouldn't you know their choice of destination provides them with anything but! Regan and Jack had considered going to Bermuda, but instead they decide to spend four days at his parents' beautiful beachfront home on Cape Cod, a wonderful spot where they'd never been alone. During the summer the house overflowed with Jack's family, bubbling with activity from morning until night. But to be up there for a weekend in April, just the two of them, sounded like a perfect escape. Arriving at the Cape late at night, Regan and Jack are just in time to experience the beginning of a major storm. The next morning, Cape Cod Bay is quite a sight, churning with whitecaps. The wind is howling ferociously. Sheets of rain are pelting the house. Regan is looking forward to settling in the den with Jack and watching the storm. However, the best laid plans . . .

Library News 5-27-2010

2010-05-27T12:48:00.000-07:00

by Sarah Groves

Libraries keep the records on behalf of all humanity. the unique and the absurd, the wise and the fragments of stupidity. Vartan Gregorian (April 8, 1934 - ), Iranian-American academic, 16th president of Brown University.

The Renville County Geneological Society is housed in the Renville Public Library and staffed by volunteers. The Olivia Public Library has the Renville County Register on microfilm, along with a microfilm reader. Please contact the libraries for more information, 320-829-8193 for Renville Public Library and 320-523-1738 for Olivia Public Library.
Area Happenings:

Mike Lynch will be presenting a stargazing program on June 4, 2010, at 9:30pm in the Hector Public Library. He will be presenting a program on June 5, 2010, at 1pm in the Olivia Public Library meeting room.

Magician, Curtis Hed's "The Magic of Reading" will be held in the Renville Public Library on Friday, June 11, 2010, at 5:45 pm. For the most part Curtis' Magic of Reading Show is just plain fun: humor, magic, juggling, and lots of audience participation. Yet, during it Curtis shares how reading and using the library have played an important part in his life and how it can do the same for others.

Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Minnesota author, will have a book talk on June 15, 2010, at 7pm in the Hector Public Library.

Wild, Wet & Wacky! with the WonderWeavers-Storytellers will present their program on June 18, 2010, at 3pm in the Olivia Public Library. How long has it been since you have heard a really good story? How long has it been since you have had a really good laugh? You can hear good stories and get good laughs when you see the WonderWeavers-Storytellers!

These programs are free and open to the public.

This project was funded in part or in whole with money from Minnesota's Arts and Cultural Heritage fund.

Family Story Hour:

Family Night Story Hour will be held at the Olivia Public Library on all Mondays in June from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm:
June 7
June 14
June 21
June 28

There will be stories, music, crafts and fun! All children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join in. Registration is recommended by calling the Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Renville Public Library Story Hour is scheduled for August, 2010. More information will be available later for Renville's Story Hour.

New Books:

Shameless by Karen Robards

Lisa Shewmaker was a rising star in a prestigious law firm in Lexington, Kentucky; that is, until the firm went bankrupt and she lost her job. With an ailing mother to care for, Lisa takes the first position she can find: research assistant to District Attorney Scott Buchanan. Scott is as disagreeable as he is sexy, and Lisa suspects the only reason she got the job is because of her privileged upbringing as the daughter of a wealthy federal judge. While reviewing cold cases in the Fayette County courthouse, a particularly thick manila envelope draws Lisa's attention. The details of the case are engrossing: An entire family-father, mother, and two children-disappeared more than twenty-eight years ago. Except that's not all: The mother in the photo could have been Lisa's twin, and the toddler in the picture bears an uncanny resemblance to Lisa herself. Before Lisa can learn more about her past, a series of catastrophes strike close to home. Lisa confides in Scott, and their relationship develops into something completely different. Together Lisa and Scott unravel a terrifying web of criminal connections that could destroy the very fabric of Lisa's life-if she lives long enough, that is.

The Double Comfort Safari Club by Alexander McCall Smith

No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, #11. When the two ladies of the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency arrive at the Okavango Delta, their eyes are opened, as if for the first time, to the natural beauty of their homeland. With teeming wildlife, endless grasslands, and sparkling rivulets of water running in every direction, it is breathtaking. But they can't help being drawn into a world filled with other wildlife: rival safari operators, discontented guides, grumpy hippopotamuses. On top of that, the date has still not been set for Mma Makutsi and Phuti Radiphuti's wedding, and it's safe to say that Mma Makutsi is beginning to grow a bit impatient. And to top it all off, the impossible has happened: one of Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni's apprentices has gotten married. . . . Of course none of this defeats the indomitable Precious Ramotswe. Good sense, kindness, and copious quantities of red bush tea carry the day. As they always do.

Library News 5-20-10

2010-05-20T11:50:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

My father gave me free run of his library. When I think of my boyhood, I think in terms of the books I read.— Jorge Luis Borges (August 24, 1899-June 14, 1986), Writer

"Make a Splash - Read!" is available beginning June 7, 2010, for area children who have finished kindergarten through 6th grades. Bring your children to the library, sign them up for summer reading, and get involved in reading together. This is a fun way to include reading and related activities in summer family time.

Family Story Hour:

Family Night Story Hour will be held at the Olivia Public Library on all Mondays in June from 6:00 pm to 6:45 pm:
June 7
June 14
June 21
June 28

There will be stories, music, crafts and fun! This is for 3, 4, and 5 year olds, but younger children are welcome to attend, and parents are welcome to stay and join us. Registration is recommended by calling the Olivia Public Library at 320-523-1738.

Renville Public Library Story Hour is scheduled for August, 2010. More information will be available later for Renville's Story Hour.

Area Happenings:

Mike Lynch will be presenting a stargazing program on June 4, 2010, at 9:30pm in the Hector Public Library. He will be presenting a program on June 5, 2010, at 1pm in the Olivia Public Library meeting room.

Magician, Curtis Hed's "The Magic of Reading" will be held in the Renville Public Library on Friday, June 11, 2010, at 5:30pm. For the most part Curtis' Magic of Reading Show is just plain fun: humor, magic, juggling, and lots of audience participation. Yet, during it Curtis shares how reading and using the library have played an important part in his life and how it can do the same for others.

Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Minnesota author, will have a book talk on June 15, 2010, at 7pm in the Hector Public Library.

These programs are free and open to the public.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

The Aloha Quilt by Jennifer Chiaverini

Elm Creek Quilts, #16. Another season of Elm Creek Quilt Camp has come to a close, and Bonnie Markham faces a bleak and lonely winter ahead, with her quilt shop out of business and her divorce looming. A welcome escape comes when Claire, a beloved college friend, unexpectedly invites her to Maui to help launch an exciting new business: a quilter's retreat set at a bed and breakfast amid the vibrant colors and balmy breezes of the Hawaiian Islands. Soon Bonnie finds herself looking out on sparkling waters and banyan trees, planning quilting courses, and learning the history and intricacies of Hawaiian quilting, all the while helping Claire run the inn.

Lucid Intervals by Stuart Woods

Stone Barrington, #18. It seems like just another quiet night at Elaine's. Stone Barrington and his former cop partner, Dino, are enjoying some pasta when in walks former client and all around sad sack Herbie Fisher...with a briefcase containing $14 million in cash. Herbie claims to have won the money on a lucky lotto ticket, but he also says he needs a lawyer-and after a single gunshot breaks the window above his head and sends diners scrambling, Stone and Dino suspect Herbie might need a bodyguard and a private investigator, too.

Deliver us from evil by David Baldacci

Shaw and Katie James, #2. In South America a wealthy ninety-six year old man reads a book late into the night. Within an hour, he is dead, the secrets of his past starkly revealed. Six months later, in Provence, Shaw - the shadowy operative from The Whole Truth - witnesses the murder of a mysterious man, his body left lifeless at the bottom of a pool. Shaw barely escapes the incident himself; and with a new partner in tow, begins to realise that there has to be another organization at work that rivals his own in secrecy ...Meanwhile, half a world away, journalist Katie James is working on a story of international importance. But shortly after meeting with a potential inside source she is smuggled unconscious onto an aeroplane, headed to an undisclosed destination. In the days to come, Katie and Shaw will be reunited in a deadly dual of nerve and wits against a surprising, secretive enemy and lead around the world at a breakneck pace. This is filled with the breathtaking plot turns and remarkable characters that only David Baldacci can deliver.

Library News 5-12-10

2010-05-13T17:10:00.001-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"One of the greatest gifts my brother and I received from my mother was her love of literature and language. With their boundless energy, libraries open the door to these worlds and so many others. I urge young and old alike to embrace all that libraries have to offer." Caroline Kennedy (11/27/1957 - ) American author and attorney.

The past and present staff of the Renville Public Library would like to extend our sympathy to the family of Marlene Standfuss. Marlene was a long time avid reader, most recently of inspirational fiction. Her gracious attitude and her feeling that it was a neccessity to have a book to read at all times made her the ideal library patron. Her visits will be greatly missed.

The Renville Public Library is seeking donations of new or used children or adult books, movies, and audio books in good condition to sell at our Sugar Beet Days fundraiser. For more information, please call Kris at 329-8193.

Area Happenings:

Mary Logue, a Minnesota author, will have a book talk and signing on May 15, 2010, at 10:30am in the Renville Public Library.

Will Weaver, a Minnesota author, will have a book talk on May 20, 2010, at 7pm in the Bird Island Public Library.

Mike Lynch will be presenting a stargazing program on June 4, 2010, at 9:30pm in the Hector Public Library. He will be presenting a program on June 5, 2010, at 1pm in the Olivia Public Library meeting room.

Magician, Curtis Hed's "The Magic of Reading" will be held in the Renville Public Library on Friday, June 11, 2010, at 5:30pm. For the most part Curtis' Magic of Reading Show is just plain fun: humor, magic, juggling, and lots of audience participation. Yet, during it Curtis shares how reading and using the library have played an important part in his life and how it can do the same for others.

Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Minnesota author, will have a book talk on June 15, 2010, at 7pm in the Hector Public Library.

These programs are free and open to the public.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

Teens:

Time for Book Club! Open to Grades 5-8 only with a maximum of 10 members each at Olivia Public Library (523-1738) and Bird Island Public Library (365-4640). The Facilitator is Mrs. Karen Schulte. Sign up by May 14 at the library of your choice. Book Club activities include creating a club website (wiki), debates on current issues tied to book, games, art projects, map reading, prizes, reading and discussion. Contact the libraries for more information.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Sixteen Civil War widows living in St. Louis respond to a series of meetings conducted by a land speculator who lures them west by promising "prime homesteads" in a "booming community." Unbeknownst to them, the speculator's true motive is to find an excuse to bring women to the fledging community of Plum Grove, Nebraska, in hopes they will accept marriage proposals shortly after their arrival! Sparks fly when these unsuspecting widows meet the men who are waiting for them. These women are going to need all the courage and faith they can muster to survive these unwanted circumstances--especially when they begin to discover that none of them is exactly who she appears to be.

Eight Days to Live by Iris Johansen

A bood in the Eve Duncan series. Eve Duncan and her adopted daughter, Jane Macguire, are pitted against the members of a secretive cult who have targeted Jane and have decided that she will he their ultimate sacrifice. In eight days they will come for her. In eight days, what Jane fears the most will become a reality. In eight days, she will die. It all begins with a painting that Jane, an artist, displays in her Parisian gallery. The painting is called "Guilt" and Jane has no idea how or why she painted the portrait of the chilling face. But the members of a cult that dates back to the time of Christ believe that Jane's blasphemy means she must die. But first. she will lead them to an ancient treasure whose value is beyond price. This elusive treasure, and Jane's death, are all that they need for their power to come to ultimate fruition. With Eve's help, can Jane escape before the clock stops ticking?

Library News 5-6-10

2010-05-06T16:37:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need." Marcus Tullius Cicero, (106BCE to 43 BCE), ancient Roman lawyer, writer, orator and statesman.

Renville and Olivia Public Libraries have gardening books, handouts from the Master Gardeners and magazines. It is planting time; come visit your library and check out information about and for your garden. We have information on landscaping, trees, shrubs and other outside needs.

Area Happenings:

Mary Logue, an award winning Minnesota author, will have a book talk and signing on May 15, 2010, at 10:30am in the Renville Public Library.

Magician, Curtis Hed's "The Magic of Reading" will be held in the Renville Public Library on Friday, June 11, 2010, at 5:30pm. For the most part Curtis' Magic of Reading Show is just plain fun: humor, magic, juggling, and lots of audience participation. Yet, during it Curtis shares how reading and using the library have played an important part in his life and how it can do the same for others.

Curtis Dahlin has been rescheduled for Thursday, May 6, 2010, at Fairfax at 2pm and Bird Island at 7pm.

These programs are free and open to the public.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

The Last Time I Saw You by Elizabeth Berg
This is a new novel about women and men reconnecting with one another - and themselves - at their fortieth high school reunion. As Dorothy, Mary Alice, Lester, Candy, and the other classmates converge for the reunion dinner, four decades melt away: Desires and personalities from their youth reemerge, and new discoveries are made. For so much has happened to them all. And so much can still happen.

Elizabeth Berg deftly weaves together stories of roads taken and not taken, choices made and opportunities missed, and the possibilities of second chances.

The Black Cat by Martha Grimes

Richard Jury series, #22. The inimitable Richard Jury returns in a thrilling tale of mystery, madness, and mistaken identity. Written with Martha Grimes's trademark insight and grace, The Black Cat signals the thrilling return of her greatest character. The superintendent is a man possessed of prodigious analytical gifts and charm, yet vulnerable in the most perplexing ways.

Take Three by Karen Kingsbury

Above the Line series, #3. Filmmakers Chase Ryan and Keith Ellison celebrate their first successful movie. But in the midst of family relationships, broken budgets, and conflicting dreams, Chase and Keith must find their way through the maze of pain and questions that comes with everything they thought they wanted.

Library News 4-28-10

2010-04-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"Be a little careful about your library. Do you foresee what you will do with it? Very little to be sure. But the real question is, what it will do with you. You will come here and get books that will open your eyes, and your ears, and your curiosity, and turn you inside out or outside in." Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 - April 27, 1882) American poet, essayist, and philosopher.

Book Clubs are Gathering:

The Tuesday Book Club will meet at 11:30am on May 4, 2010, at the Master's Cafe in Olivia. They will discuss Eve's Daughters by Lynn Austin. They will not be meeting again until fall.

The Thursday Lunch Bunch will meet at 11am on May 6, 2010, in the Olivia Library Meeting Room. They will discuss The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich. They will meet on June 3, 2010, at 11am to discuss Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson.

The Wednesday Book Club will meet at 8pm on May 12, 2010, in the Olivia Library Meeting Room. They will discuss The Professor and the Madman: a tale of murder, insanity, and the making of the Oxford English dictionary by Simon Winchester. They will meet on June 16, 2010, at 8pm to discuss Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock.
Please feel free to call the Olivia Library to reserve a copy of any of the books and join any group of your choice.

Area Programs:

Please feel free to join any meeting listed below. More authors will be coming to the area outside of Renville County; come to the library for a complete list of the author tour.

Curtis A Dahlin has written Dakota Uprising: a pictorial history and Dakota Uprising Victims: gravestones and stories. He has researched the history of the area, and he will be sharing it with us. The books are available in Renville and Olivia Public Libraries for check out.

April 29, 2010, 7pm Hector Community Center: "Minnesota's Dakota Indian Exile Begins"

The lectures for April 22, 2010 at Bird Island and Fairfax were canceled and will be rescheduled for a later date. Ask at your library for more infomation regarding these lectures.

Author Tour

May 15, 2010, 10:30am Mary Logue will be in the Renville Community Center

May 20, 2010, 7pm Will Weaver will be in the Bird Island Community Center

June 4, 2010, 9:30pm Stargazing Program, Mike Lynch at the Hector Public Library

June 5, 2010, 1pm Mike Lynch, Olivia Public Library meeting room

June 15, 2010, 7pm Jill Elizabeth Nelson will be in the Hector Community Center

June 18, 2010, 3pm The Wonderweavers - Storytellers, Wild, Wet & Wacky will be at the Olivia Library
meeting room

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.
New Books:

The Wild Zone by Joy Fielding

Two brothers - Will and Jeff - and their friend Tom are out one night at their favorite South Beach bar when they decide to make a bet on who can be the first to seduce a mysterious-looking young woman drinking by herself. Pretty, dark-haired, blue-eyed Suzy has an innocent - almost ordinary - girl-next-door way about her. "Just waiting for Prince Charming to hit on her," Jeff says. But Suzy isn't as naive as she seems. And she has an agenda of her own. Soon another challenge is born, only this one proves to be lethal.Dark secrets, hidden passions and a story filled with intrigue, The Wild Zone will keep you in suspense until the very last page is turned.

Exclusive by Fern Michaels

Godmothers, Book #2.
Teresa 'Toots' Amelia Loudenberry is settling into her new Malibu beachfront house, close to both her daughter Abby and The Informer, the tabloid newspaper she recently acquired. When Toots is unnerved by a strange presence in her new home she enlists the help of her three best friends in uncovering the mystery. Meanwhile Abby is banking on an offer for a celebrity exclusive that could revive The Informer.Everything is not as it appears, however. Three slick con artists have their sights set on Toots and her wealthy friends. But the Godmothers wouldn't be the Godmothers if they weren't working behind the scenes to ensure that this story has its own happy - and unexpected - ending.

Library News 4/21/10

2010-04-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

The library is the temple of learning, and learning has liberated more people than all the wars in history. Carl T. Rowan (August 11, 1925 - September 23, 2000) columnist, writer, ambassador to Finland in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

Area Historical Programs:

Curtis A Dahlin has written Dakota Uprising: a pictorial history and Dakota Uprising Victims: gravestones and stories. He has researched the history of the area, and he will be sharing it with us. The books are available in Renville and Olivia Public Libraries for check out.

April 22, 2010, 2pm Fairfax Auditorium: "Renville County in the Dakota Uprising"
April 22, 2010, 7pm Bird Island Municipal Building: "The Dakota Uprising: A Pictorial History" (part 2)
April 29, 2010, 7pm Hector Community Center: "Minnesota's Dakota Indian Exile Begins"

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

Book Clubs:

The Wednesday Evening Book Group will meet at 8pm on April 21, 2010, in the Olivia Library Meeting Room. They will discuss The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan.

The Tuesday Book Club will meet at 11:30am on May 4, 2010, at the Master's Cafe in Olivia. They will discuss Eve's Daughters by Lynn Austin. They will not be meeting again until fall.

The Thursday Lunch Bunch will meet at 11am on May 6, 2010, in the Olivia Library Meeting Room. They will discuss The Plague of Doves by Louise Erdrich.

New Books:

Shattered by Karen Robards

Lisa Shewmaker was a rising star in a prestigious law firm in Lexington, Kentucky; that is, until the firm went bankrupt and she lost her job. With an ailing mother to care for, Lisa takes the first position she can find: research assistant to District Attorney Scott Buchanan. Scott is as disagreeable as he is sexy, and Lisa suspects the only reason she got the job is because of her privileged upbringing as the daughter of a wealthy federal judge. While reviewing cold cases in the Fayette County courthouse, a particularly thick manila envelope draws Lisa's attention. The details of the case are engrossing: An entire family-father, mother, and two children-disappeared more than twenty-eight years ago. Except that's not all: The mother in the photo could have been Lisa's twin, and the toddler in the picture bears an uncanny resemblance to Lisa herself. Before Lisa can learn more about her past, a series of catastrophes strike close to home. Lisa confides in Scott, and their relationship develops into something completely different. Together Lisa and Scott unravel a terrifying web of criminal connections that could destroy the very fabric of Lisa's life.

Fang by James Patterson

Maximum Ride #6. Being a kid with wings--constantly on the run--has never been easy, and Max and her flock are getting tenser than ever. First, on a trip to Africa, they meet a mysterious billionaire whose intense scrutiny of the Flock makes her fear the worst. Then, a cryptic message from a young girl arrives, warning them "The sky will fall." And as if an impending apocalypse weren't bad enough, canny birdkid Angel makes a dire prophecy about Max's soul mate: Fang will be the first to die. Max's desperate desire to protect Fang brings the two closer than ever. But can the team weather the storm, or will the turmoil rip them apart for the last time?
The Inn at Angel Island by Thomas Kinkade

Welcome to Angel Island, not far from the shores of Cape Light. It's said to harbor angels that help guide the lost, that sometimes lead them right back to where they began... Liza Martin arrives on Angel Island to sell the inn she and her brother inherited from their aunt, so she can bolt back to her busy life in Boston. But back home awaits a broken marriage and an unstable career. The more time she spends on Angel Island, and with every local she meets, the more she finds herself enjoying the tranquility of the place. Her new friends don't want to see her sell the inn to developers who will ruin the island's charm. There is much for her to resolve before her departure- and it is going to take a band of angels to mend her broken wings and redirect her soul.

Library News 4-14-10

2010-04-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"I'm not comfortable being preachy, but more people need to start spending as much time in the library as they do on the basketball court." Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, (born Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor, April 16, 1947) is an American retired basketball player, coach, actor, and author.

Come to the library and read "Sports Illustrated" or check out books about favorite sports and players. We have many sports represented in our collections in Renville and Oliva Public Libraries.

"Read a Latte" MN Author Tour

Lorna Landvik is a Minnesota author who writes novels about small town relationships and ordinary people facing the challenges in their lives with humor. She will be speaking at the Willmar Public Library on April 22, 2010, at 6:30pm.

Be on the lookout for: William Kent "Iceman" Krueger, Ellen "Murder Most Fowl" Hart, and Carl "Sailor" Brookins at the Bird Island Public Library on Saturday, April 24, 2010, at 10:30am.

Mary Logue is a Minnesota author who writes detective fiction for adults and youth. She will be speaking in Renville at the Community Center on Saturday, May 15, 2010, at 10:30am.

Will Weaver is a Minnesota author who writes juvenile and adult fiction. He will be speaking on Thursday, May 20, 2010, at 7:00pm at the Bird Island Community Center.

Mike Lynch, a broadcast meterologist for WCCO radio, will be leading a Stargazing Program at the Hector Public Library on Friday, June 4, 2010, at 9:00pm. He will be doing a talk at the Olivia Public Library Meeting Room on Saturday, June 5, 2010, at 1:00pm.

Jill Elizabeth Nelson, a Minnesota author who writes Christian fiction, will be speaking in the Hector Community Center on Tuesday, June 15, 2010, at 7:00pm.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

One True Love by Lori Copeland

Belles of Timber Creek #3. Copper is overjoyed that her friends Willow and Audrey found love and fulfillment after the war. The only remaining spinster, Copper vows to pour herself into her new teaching job. But tragedy strikes during her very first week. The schoolhouse catches fire and Copper suffers a serious injury while ushering her students to safety. Suddenly she's on a wagon train bound for Colorado to see the only doctor who can help her walk again. Ever since the wagon train pulled into town, Copper butted heads with wagon master Josh Redlin - and now she must depend on him for her very life. But as Copper is forced to count on others for life's basic needs, she starts to surrender...and let her guard down around the one man whom she's despised for so long. Could it be that the very person that drives her crazy is the one she truly needs?

No Distance Too Far by Lauraine Snelling

Home to Blessing #2. Astrid Bjorklund wants to use her medical training to serve God and feels that He might be leading her in the direction of missionary work. Smarting from a misunderstanding with Joshua Landsverk, the young man she thought she loved, she heads east to a missionary training school, hoping to eventually use her skills in some remote outpost in Africa. When she is called home unexpectedly to help in a family medical emergency, Astrid learns of a deadly measles outbreak on the nearby Indian reservation. She immediately senses the Spirit tugging her to help the Indians and wonders if her "mission field" is not so far away as she had imagined. But if she follows God's call, will love pass her by?
Nowhere to Run by C J Box

Joe Pickett #10. Joe Pickett's in his last week as the temporary game warden in the town of Baggs, Wyoming, but there have been strange things going on in the mountains, and his conscience won't let him leave without checking them out: reports of camps looted, tents slashed, elk butchered. And then there's the runner who simply vanished one day. Joe doesn't mind admitting that the farther he rides, the more he wishes he could just turn around and go home. And he is right to be concerned. Because what awaits him is like nothing he's ever dealt with, like something out of an old story, except this is all too real and too deadly. When he'd first saddled up, he'd thought of this as his last patrol. What he hadn't known was just how accurate that thought might turn out to be.

Library News 4-7-10

2010-04-09T11:16:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"I must say I find television very educational. The minute somebody turns it on, I go to the library and read a good book." Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx, (October 2, 1890 – August 19, 1977), American comedian and film star.

There will be a reception and "meet and greet" for Jake Odland, the new librarian for Olivia and Renville Libraries, in the Olivia Public Library on Monday, April 12, 2010. This is sponsored by the Olivia Public Library Board. Come meet Jake between 5 and 8pm in the library meeting room.

The Pioneerland Library System is sponsoring a library survey. We are doing long range planning, and we need your help in planning our future. Please pick up a survey at the Olivia and Renville libraries. Fill it out and return it to the library or mail it to Pioneerland; the address is on the survey. We value your time and opinion for the direction of your public library. The survey is also online at http://www.pioneerland.lib.mn.us

Area historical programs:We have received two special books in both Olivia and Renville libraries. Curtis A Dahlin has written Dakota Uprising: a pictorial history and Dakota Uprising Victims: gravestones and stories. He has researched the history of the area, and he will be sharing it with us. The books are available for check out. In April look for a 5 part lecture series, beginning April 17, 2010, in Renville and Olivia, presented by Curtis Dahlin.

April 17, 2010, 10am Renville Community Center: "The Dakota Uprising: A Pictorial History" (part 1)
April 17, 2010, 1:30pm Olivia Public Library Meeting Room: "Gravestones & Stories"
April 22, 2010, 2pm Fairfax Auditorium: "Renville County in the Dakota Uprising"
April 22, 2010, 7pm Bird Island Municipal Building: "The Dakota Uprising: A Pictorial History" (part 2)
April 29, 2010, 7pm Hector Community Center: "Minnesota's Dakota Indian Exile Begins"

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.
New Books:

Split Image by Robert B Parker

Jesse Stone, #9. The body in the trunk was just the beginning. Turns out the stiff was a foot soldier for local tough guy Reggie Galen, now enjoying a comfortable "retirement" with his wife, Rebecca, in the nicest part of Paradise. Living next door are Knocko Moynihan and his wife, Robbie, who also happens to be Rebecca's twin. But what initially appears to be a low-level mob hit takes on new meaning when a high-ranking crime figure is found dead on Paradise Beach. Stressed by the case, his failed relationship with his ex-wife, and his ongoing battle with the bottle, Jesse needs something to keep him from spinning out of control. When private investigator Sunny Randall comes into town on a case, she asks for Jesse's help. As their professional and personal relationships become intertwined, both Jesse and Sunny realize that they have much in common with both their victims and their suspects-and with each other.

Game Over by Fern Michaels

The Sisterhood, #17. With yet another successful assignment behind them, the ladies of the Sisterhood have enjoyed a relaxing break together and celebrated the wedding of Myra and Charles on Big Pine Mountain. But as soon as the newlyweds return from their shortened honeymoon, they are hit with some exciting yet unsettling news. It seems their dear ally Lizzie Fox, recently ensconced as Chief White House Counsel, is rumored to be near the top of the short list for a soon to be vacated seat on the Supreme Court. While the Sisters are thrilled for Lizzie, they are concerned about her being ripped to shreds in the approval process, partly due to her connections with the Sisterhood. They also fear it will delay or even derail their long-awaited pardon promised to them by President Martine Connor. It will take a masterful plan, and loyal friends aiding them at every turn, for the Sisters to succeed in protecting Lizzie while securing their own freedom at last.

The Silent Sea by Clive Cussler

Oregon Files, #7. On December 7, 1941, five brothers exploring a shaft on a small island off the coast of Washington State make an extraordinary discovery, only to be interrupted by news of Pearl Harbor. In the present, Cabrillo, chasing the remnants of a crashed satellite in the Argentine jungle, stumbles upon a shocking revelation of his own. His search to untangle the mystery leads him, first, to that small island and its secret, and then much farther back, to an ancient Chinese expedition-and a curse that seems to have survived for more than five hundred years. If Cabrillo's team is successful in its quest, the reward could be incalculable. If not . . . the only reward is death.

Library News 3-31-10

2010-04-05T12:58:00.001-07:00

By Sarah Groves

Access to knowledge is the superb, the supreme act of truly great civilizations. Of all the institutions that purport to do this, free libraries stand virtually alone in accomplishing this. Toni Morrison, (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford on February 18, 1931) is a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize-winning American author, editor, and professor.

Olivia and Renville Public Libraries have magazines which grant access to a number of wonderful hobbies and ideas. Titles include such magazines as Birds and Blooms for birdwatchers and gardeners, Crafts and Things and Paper Craft for crafters, Family Handyman for repairs and ideas around the house, Field and Stream for sport fishing, Fine Woodworking for woodworkers, Taste of Home and Healthy Cooking for meal planning and recipes, and Golf Magazine for golfers. These magazines can be checked out for 2 weeks while you work with your project. Come and look for magazines which reflect your interests, and sit for awhile.

Please join us during the week of April 12, 2010, to meet and greet Jake, the new head librarian. Stay tuned for more details which will follow next week.

"Read a Latte" MN Author Tour

Lorna Landvik is a Minnesota author who writes novels about small town relationships and ordinary people facing the challenges in their lives with humor. She will be speaking at the Willmar Public Library on April 22, 2010, at 6:30pm.

Be on the lookout for the Minnesota Crime Wave: William Kent "Iceman" Krueger, Ellen "Murder Most Fowl" Hart, and Carl "Sailor" Brookins will be at the Bird Island Public Library on Saturday, April 24, 2010, at 10:30am.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

The courteous cad by Catherine Palmer

Miss Pickworth #3. On her tour of the English countryside, a chance encounter in the streets alerts Miss Prudence Watson to the inhumane working conditions at the worsted mill. She learns that the owner is William Sherbourne, a Royal Naval officer just returned from sea. Following in his wake is his reputation as a cad and a secret so ghastly he'll do anything to protect it. Even worse, he's handsome and charming and not at all the villain Prudence expected him to be.

Days of gold by Jude Deveraux

Edilean series #2. In 1766 Scotland, the laird of the clan, Angus McTern, has everything he wants in life. Although his grandfather lost the family's land and castle in a card game when Angus was just a boy, Angus takes his duties seriously and is respected by all the men and adored by the women. That is, until Edilean Talbot shows up. Breathtakingly beautiful and born of privilege, Edilean represents everything Angus despises. Still he is as dazzled by her as everyone else is, and he can keep his feelings hidden from her for only so long. When she rejects him he is deeply wounded and, worse, humiliated before his clan. But then the day comes when Edilean needs Angus's help, to reclaim the gold she inherited from her father, which is on its way to America.
House Rules by Jody Piccoult
Jacob Hunt is a teenage boy with Asperger's syndrome. He's hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, and like many kids with AS, Jacob has a special focus on one subject -- in his case, forensic analysis. He's always showing up at crime scenes, thanks to the police scanner he keeps in his room, and telling the cops what they need to do...and he's usually right. But then his town is rocked by a terrible murder and, for a change, the police come to Jacob with questions. Is he guilty of murder, or are the police wrong to suspect him? How does our legal system deal with people who communicate differently?
Morning's Refrain by Tracie Peterson

Song of Alaska, Book 2. As dark family secrets threaten the tranquillity of the life he's come to love, Dalton Lindquist must make difficult choices about the future. To complicate matters, Phoebe Robbins falls into his life quite literally when Dalton rescues her after she tumbles overboard in the Sitka Harbour. He quickly loses his heart. But Dalton is not the only one who decides to seek Phoebe's attention - his best friend, Yuri, decides to court her when Dalton must travel from Sitka. But when Dalton realizes the depth of his love for Phoebe and returns, the two friends find that their battle for Phoebe's admiration is only the start of the problems that face them.

Library News 3-24-10

2010-03-26T13:23:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

"A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying up late reading them." - Lemony Snicket (born David Handler in 1970, writer of young adult books)

Library Elf is a free reminder service for you to help keep track of the due dates for your library books. At www.libraryelf.com you enter your email address, your library card number and a personal pin. You can register the entire family's card numbers at this one site. The Library Elf will notify you when books are due. You can even renew books by clicking on the link to go directly to the Pioneerland Library System web site where you can renew your item(s).

The United Way of Central Minnesota has a special program called "Dolly Parton's Imagination Library." Pick up a registration form at the Olivia or Renville public libraries and fill it out for any child or children in your household under 5 years old. After 8 to 10 weeks you will begin receiving books monthly at your home address, and the books will continue until your child reaches 5 years old or you move out of the service area. The designated zip codes for the program are in the brochure; check to see if yours is listed there.

Book Club News:
The Thursday Lunch Bunch will meet the first Thursday in April, April 1, 2010, to discuss Letters from the Country by Carol Bly. They meet at the library meeting room at 11am in the Olivia Public Library.
The Tuesday Book Club will meet the first Tuesday in April, April 6, 2010, to discuss Molokai by Alan Brennert. They meet at Master's Coffee in Olivia at 11:30am.
The Wednesday Book Club will meet the 3rd Wednesday in April, April 21, 2010, to discuss Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollen. They meet at the library meeting room at 8pm in the Olivia Public Library.

"Read a Latte" MN Author Tour
Jess Lourey is a Minnesota author writing a series of light hearted mysteries taking place by month beginning with May Day. Her heroine is in a small Minnesota town where she works at the library part time.
Ms. Lourey will be speaking in Benson on April 5th at 6:30 p.m. and in Spicer on April 13 at 6:00 p.m.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

I, Sniper by Stephen Hunter

Bob Lee Swagger #6. This true American hero fights to clear the name of a fellow soldier-in-arms and faces off against one of his most ruthless adversaries yet-a sniper whose keen intellect and pinpoint accuracy rivals his own.

Sizzle by Julie Garwood

Buchanan-Renard #8. Lyra Prescott, a Los Angeles film student, is closing in on graduation and facing important decisions about her future. She's already been offered a job at her hometown TV station, an opportunity that could ultimately launch her dream career as a film editor. But heading back home would also mean dealing with her overprotective brothers, social-climbing mother, and eccentric grandmother. Unsure of her future, Lyra dives into work on her final school assignment: a documentary transformed by a twist of fate into a real-life horror film.
After she unwittingly captures a shocking crime on camera, a rash of mysterious, treacherous incidents convince Lyra that she's trapped in a sinister scenario headed for a violent ending.

Deeper than the dead by Tami Hoag

Deeper than the dead #1. California, 1984. Three children, running in the woods behind their school, stumble upon a partially buried female body, eyes and mouth glued shut. Close behind the children is their teacher, Anne Navarre, shocked by this discovery and heartbroken as she witnesses the end of their innocence. What she doesn't yet realize is that this will mark the end of innocence for an entire community, as the ties that bind families and friends are tested by secrets uncovered in the wake of a serial killer's escalating activity. Detective Tony Mendez, fresh from a law enforcement course at FBI headquarters, is charged with interpreting those now revealed secrets. As new victims are found and the media scrutiny of the investigation bears down on them, both Mendez and Navarre are unsure if those who suffer most are the victims themselves-or the family and friends of the killer, blissfully unaware that someone very close to them is a brutal, calculating psychopath.

Library News 3-17-2010

2010-03-18T16:05:00.000-07:00

By Sarah Groves

Libraries are reservoirs of strength, grace and wit, reminders of order, calm and continuity, lakes of mental energy, neither warm nor cold, light nor dark.... In any library in the world, I am at home, unselfconscious, still and absorbed. ~Germaine Greer (January 29, 1939- ) Australian-born writer, academic, journalist

A library card opens new doors for you. Most library systems in Minnesota have reciprocal agreements, and you can register with and check out books from other systems, using your Pioneerland Library Card.

Renville and Olivia libraries carry newspapers and magazines. There are areas with easy chairs where you can read and relax. Feel free to come in and sit as long as you would like.

Area historical programs:We have received two special books in both Olivia and Renville libraries. Curtis A Dahlin has written Dakota Uprising: a pictorial history and Dakota Uprising Victims: gravestones and stories. He has researched the history of the area, and he will be sharing it with us. The books are available for check out. In April look for a 5 part lecture series, beginning April 17, 2010, in Renville and Olivia, presented by Curtis Dahlin.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:
Worst Case by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

Book 3 in the Michael Bennett series. One by one, children of New York's wealthiest are taken hostage. But the criminal doesn't crave money or power--he only wants to ask the elite if they know the price others pay for their luxurious lifestyles. And, if they don't, he corrects their ignorance--by killing them. To Detective Michael Bennett, it becomes clear that these murders are linked and must be part of a greater, more public demonstration. With the city thrown into chaos, he is forced to team up with FBI agent Emily Parker, and the two set out to capture the killer before he begins his most public lesson yet--a deadly message for the entire city to witness.

A Night Too Dark by Dana Stabenow

Book 17 in the Kate Shugak series. When an abandoned pickup truck complete with suicide note leads a search party to find human remains that have clearly served as a snack for a bear, case closed - suicide by Alaska. But things get complicated when the dead man stumbles out of the wilderness and onto Kate's homestead weeks later. Kate and Trooper Jim Chopin must unravel the story of the man and the body, whoever he is, which is wrapped up in the politics of the Suulutaq Mine, a gold mine near Niniltna that is proving to be a breeding ground for trouble.

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

This is a stunning new novel of how one woman's gift transcends class and gender to lead to some of the most important discoveries of the nineteenth century. Above all, it is a revealing portrait of the intricate and resilient nature of female friendship.

Red Door by Charles Todd

Book 12 in the Ian Rutledge series. Lancashire, England, June, 1920. Who was the woman who lived and died behind the red door? What did she see before she died? And who was the man who never came home from the Great War, for the simple reason that he had never really gone? How is the woman's death linked to his disappearance? And why is Scotland Yard blind to the connection, even when Inspector Ian Rutledge points it out?

Library News March 10, 2010

2010-03-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves

As a child, my number one best friend was the librarian in my grade school. I actually believed all those books belonged to her.
~Erma Bombeck, humorist, author, columnist (February 21, 1927 - April 22, 1996)

Read a Latte Recommendations:
A Cousin's Promise by Wanda Brunstetter
The Professional by Robert B Parker
Ford County by John Grisham
Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich
Same Kind of Different As Me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore
Trial by James Patterson
At First Sight by Nicholas Sparks
Oh My Stars by Lorna Landvik

Looking ahead:
"Read a Latte" MN author tour
Thursday, April 22: Lorna Landvik, Willmar Public Library, 6:30pm
Saturday, April 24: Minnesota Crime Wave (Ellen Hart, Carl Brookins, William Kent Krueger), Bird Island Public Library, 10:30am
Tuesday, June 15: Jill Elizabeth Nelson, Hector Public Library, 7:00pm

These authors will be speaking at Renville County and Willmar locations. There are other Minnesota authors who will be speaking at other locations in the Pioneerland Library System. Please call your local library, Olivia (320-523-1738) or Renville (320-329-8193), for details for other speakers or locations.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.
New Books:
Shadow tag by Louise Erdrich

Here is the most telling fact: you wish to possess me. Here is another fact: I loved you and let you think you could. When Irene America discovers that her husband, Gil, has been reading her diary, she begins a secret Blue Notebook, as much the truth about her life and her marriage as the Red Diary - hidden where he can find it - is a manipulative farce. Alternating between these two records, complemented by unflinching third-person narration, "Shadow Tag" is an eerily gripping read.

Extreme laughter by Don Orth

This book is a combination of local photos, artwork, poetry and humor. Don Orth lives and works in Olivia.

Not my daughter by Barbara Delinsky

When Susan Tate's seventeen-year-old daughter, Lily, announces she is pregnant, Susan is stunned. A single mother, she has struggled to do everything right. She sees the pregnancy as an unimaginable tragedy for both Lily and herself. Then comes word of two more pregnancies among high school juniors who happen to be Lily's best friends-and the town turns to talk of a pact. Susan struggles with the implications of her daughter's pregnancy, her job, financial independence, and long-fought-for dreams which are all at risk.

Catalyst by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

Barque Cat, book 1. From the team of Anne McCaffrey (author of Dragonriders of Pern series) and Nebula Award-winning author Elizabeth Ann Scarborough comes a thrilling new science fiction tale featuring telepathic cats which are invaluable to the spacefarers who own them. Thomas's Duchess is no ordinary cat. She's a purebred Barque Cat, trained to patrol the ship on which she serves, sniffing out oxygen leaks and spotting other problems. But when a corrupt government announces it has found an epidemic that requires the impounding and possible destruction of animals across the galaxy - Barque Cats included - two young people, a kitten, and a mysterious, powerful cat with a hidden agenda are all that stand between the galaxy's animals and total destruction.

Library News March 3, 2010

2010-03-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves

Libraries are community treasure chests, loaded with a wealth of information available to everyone equally, and the key to that treasure chest is the library card. I have found the most valuable thing in my wallet is my library card. Laura Bush (11/04/1946 -- )

Thursday Lunch Bunch Book Club will meet on March 4, 2010, at 11am in the Olivia Library Meeting Room to discuss Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert. This is a date change.

The Wednesday Night Book Club will be meeting March 17, 2010, at 8pm in the Olivia Library Meeting Room to discuss Field by Lynn McTaggart.

The Athenian Book Club will meet on April 6, 2010, at 11:30am at the Master's Cafe in Olivia to discuss Molokai by Alan Brennert.

Upcoming Photography Classes:
Mike Meyer, head of the Hutchinson Photography Club, will be presenting workshops on March 6, 2010, at 10am at the Hector Community Center and 1pm in the Olivia Public Library. The Hector presentation will be about different kinds of cameras and lenses for use in different situations. If you are considering the purchase of a new camera, this lecture will be helpful. He will have a presentation in Olivia on taking travel photographs and how the composition of the photo can make it more memorable. There will be time for questions following the presentations. Call Hector Public Library (320-848-2841) or Olivia Library (320-523-1738) for more information or reservations for the classes.

In April look for a 5 part lecture series presented by Curtis Dahlin, author of The Dakota Uprising: a pictorial history and Dakota Uprising Victims: gravestones & stories.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

Noah's Compass by Anne Tyler

Liam Pennywell, who set out to be a philosopher and ended up teaching fifth grade, never much liked the job at that run-down private school, so early retirement doesn't bother him. What does bother him is that he has lost the memory of what happened the first night after he moved into his spare, efficient condominium on the outskirts of Baltimore. All he knows when he wakes up a day later in the hospital is that his head is sore and bandaged.His effort to recover the moments of his life that have been stolen from him leads him on an unexpected detour. What he needs is someone who can do the remembering for him. What he gets is - well, something quite different.

Hot on Her Heels by Susan Mallery

Dana Birch vowed never to put herself at the mercy of a powerful man. She became a deputy so that she could take care of herself, and protect those she loved. Especially her best friends, the Titan sisters. Twenty years ago, Garth Duncan swore revenge on Jed Titan for abandoning Garth and his mother. Now he s back to fulfill that promise, even if Jed's daughters get caught in the crosshairs.

Bound by Dreams by Christina Skye
American travel expert Kiera Morissey is adept at getting in and out of tight spots. But when a deathbed promise brings Kiera back to Draycott Abbey, she meets rugged Scotsman Calan MacKay, and her life is changed forever. For fifteen years, changed by turns to a swift creature of night, Calan has used his deadly strength and speed to protect. But he wakes with bruises on his body and blood on his hands. And Kiera may be the key to getting his life back.

Cold River by Carla Neggers

Black Falls Series, book 2. Hannah Shay has finally shown the town of Black Falls what she's worth. Her Three Sisters Café is a success, and she's soon to become a prosecutor. When the café becomes an epicenter for investigators trying to pierce a violent crime ring that's leaving bloody trails on nearby Cameron Mountain, Hannah suspects a man from her past is involved.Sean Cameron returns to the snowy cold of his Vermont hometown to unmask his father's killer. Sean has the skills and resources to mount his own search, but he must convince the resistant Hannah to cooperate - because the killer is ready to strike again.and closer than anyone ever imagined.

Library News 2-24-10

2010-02-18T12:42:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves

"And my father always took me to the library. We were both book addicts. " Cornelia Funke, German author of children's books, (December 10, 1958 - )

Recommended Reading from "Read a Latte!"
Eggs in Purgatory, by Laura Childs
Blessings, by Anna Quindlen
Rainwater, by Sandra Brown
In the Shadow of a Secret, by Lance Wubbels
Even Money by Dick FrancesA Promise For Spring by Kim Vogel SawyerCold Paradise by Stuart WoodsA Soldier of the Great War by Mark Helprin

Athenian Book Club will meet on March 2, 2010, at 11:30am at the Master's Cafe in Olivia to discuss Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See.

Thursday Lunch Bunch Book Club will meet on March 4, 2010, at 11am in the Olivia Library Meeting Room to discuss Prairie Tale by Melissa Gilbert. This is a date change from February 25, 2010.

Links for Library Card Users:
The Pioneerland Regional Library Catalog is located at http://iii.pioneerland.lib.mn.us/ Another way to access the library catalog is to go to the Olivia or Renville city websites, which are: http://www.olivia.mn.us/ or http://www.ci.renville.mn.us%20and/ and click on your local library link. You will see the Pioneerland catalog link listed here. An added feature to the Pioneerland Regional Library website is a link to Chilton's. Under "other resources" on the main page of the card catalog, there is a link to Chilton's, where you can find automotive information for maintenance, repair and recalls for specific vehicles.

Upcoming Photography Classes and Peacegg Events

Mike Meyer, head of the Hutchinson Photography Club, will be presenting workshops on March 6, 2010, at 10am at the Hector Community Center and 1pm in the Olivia Public Library. The Hector presentation will be about different kinds of cameras and lenses for use in different situations. If you are considering the purchase of a new camera, this lecture will be helpful. He will have a presentation in Olivia on taking travel photographs and how the composition of the photo can make it more memorable. There will be time for questions following the presentations. Call Hector Public Library (320-848-2841) or Olivia Library (320-523-1738) for more information or reservations for the classes.
Reminder to register and attend the Peacegg event at the Renville Public Library (320-329-8193), February 25, 2010, 6 to 8pm. This event will also be held in the Bird Island Public Library (320-365-4640) on Friday, March 5, 2010, from 10am until noon.
These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

Blood Ties by Kay Hooper

Book 3 of the Blood Series. The elite Special Crimes Unit, the FBI's most controversial and effective team, is a group of mavericks and misfits trained to use their unique psychic abilities to hunt the worst monsters imaginable - human ones. Led by the enigmatic Noah Bishop, the SCU team has earned a reputation for pitting their skills and cunning against killers that other cops fear. But this time Bishop and his agents face an enemy who has them in his sights, a trained sniper with a deadly plan - and more than one ace up his sleeve.

Forever Princess by Meg Cabot

Mia is about to turn eighteen and has decided to put down her princess pen for good. This is your one and only chance to find out how it all ends - including the answers to hotter than hot questions like: Is the practically perfect J.P. the real love of Mia's life? Will an election in Genovia mean the end of princessdom for Mia? Is she really the last virgin at Albert Einstein High? And finally, crucially, will Michael Moscovitz return from Japan and make a last-minute romantic gesture just in time to save our heroine from making a very big mistake? For juvenile readers.

Kisser by Stuart Woods

Book 17 in the Stone Barrington series. Stone Barrington is back in New York, and after a rather harrowing sojourn in Key West, he's looking to stay closer to home and work on some simple divorce and custody cases for Woodman & Weld. But when he crosses paths with a fetching Broadway actress-and sometime lip model- Stone gets a little more deeply involved with business than he'd expected. When his new lady love turns out to be a lady with a shady past, Stone and downtown cop Dino Bacchetti realize that her beauty may have an unusually high price.

Library News 2-17-10

2010-02-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves and Kris Bratsch

"The best of my education has come from the public library... my tuition fee is a bus fare and once in a while, five cents a day for an overdue book. You don't need to know very much to start with, if you know the way to the public library." ~Lesley Conger, (Shirley Suttles) (1934- ). Novelist, short story writer, television writer, and memoirist.

Loan rules reminder:

Books and Paperbacks: Loan period is 28 days, and the fine is 10 cents per day for any late items.

Audios, Magazines, Kits: Loan period is 14 days, and the fine is 10 cents per day for any late items.

High Demand New Books: Loan period is 14 days, and the fine is 10 cents per day for any late items.

DVD and VHS Videos: Loan period is 2 days, and the fine is $1.00 per day for any late items. There is a limit of 6 per adult library card and 1 per child library card.

If you are unable to return the item on the due date, you can contact your local library (Olivia 523-1738 and Renville 329-8193) by phone to ask that your item be renewed. You can also renew on line at http://iii.pioneerland.lib.mn.us/

Library Hours:

Olivia: Monday through Thursday, noon to 8pm, Friday 10am to 5pm, Saturday noon to 3pm, closed Sunday.
Renville: Monday 12:30pm to 5:30pm, Tuesday 10am to 4pm, Wednesday 12:30pm to 5:30pm, Thursday 12:30pm to 5:30pm and 6pm to 8pm, Friday 12:30pm to 5:30pm and closed Saturday and Sunday.

Upcoming photography class on March 6:

Mike Meyer, head of the Hutchinson Photography Club, will be presenting workshops on March 6, 2010, at 10am at the Hector Community Center and 1pm in the Olivia Public Library. The Hector presentation will be about different kinds of cameras and lenses for use in different situations. If you are considering the purchase of a new camera, this lecture will be helpful. He will have a presentation in Olivia on taking travel photographs and how the composition of the photo can make it more memorable. There will be time for questions following the presentations. Call Hector Public Library (320-848-2841) or Olivia Library (320-523-1738) for more information or reservations for the classes.

Reminder to register and attend the Peacegg event at the Renville Public Library (320-329-8193), February 25, 2010, 6 to 8 pm.

These programs will be funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota's arts and cultural heritage.

New Books:

Too much happiness by Alice Munro

This stunning collection of stories demonstrates once again why Alice Munro is celebrated as a master of the short story. While some of the stories are traditional, set in what can only can be termed "Alice Munro country," others have a new, sharper edge, depicting the range and scope of Munro's astonishing imagination.

With clarity and ease, Alice Munro once again renders complex, difficult events and emotions into stories that shed light on the unpredictable ways in which men and women accommodate and often transcend what happens in their lives.

Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah

Meredith and Nina Whitson are as different as sisters can be. One stayed at home to raise her children and manage the family apple orchard: the other followed a dream and traveled the world to become a famous photojournalist. But when their beloved father fails ill, Meredith and Nina find themselves together again, standing alongside their cold, disapproving mother, Anya, who even now, offers no comfort to her daughters. As children, the only connection between them was the Russian fairy tale Anya sometimes told the girls at night. On his deathbed, their father extracts a promise from the women in his life: the fairy tale will be told one last time - and all the way to the end. Thus begins an unexpected journey into the truth of Anya's life in war-torn Leningrad, more than five decades ago. Alternating between the past and present, Meredith and Nina will finally hear the singular, harrowing story of their mother's life, and what they learn is a secret so terrible and terrifying that it will shake the very foundation of their family and change who they believe they are.

Library News 2-10-10

2010-02-17T11:11:00.000-08:00

By Sarah Groves and Kris Bratsch

"If you want to build a boat, do not instruct the men to saw wood, stitch the sails, prepare the tools and organize the work, but make them long for setting sail and travel to distant lands." Antoine de Saint-Exupery, b June 21, 1900. d July 31, 1944 (airplane crash) French aviator and writer, author of The Little Prince

Paint Your Own Peacegg: A Symbol of a Fragile Planet
Call the Olivia Public Library (320-523-1738) or Renville Public Library (320-329-8193) to register to paint your own Peacegg. The 2 hr. session is open to adults and young people, 8 years and older. Participants will learn to paint a pictorial image in watercolor on a goose egg. This class will be offered free of charge at the Olivia Library on Thursday, Feb. 18, 6 – 8 pm and at the Renville Community Center on Thursday, Feb. 25, 6 – 8 pm. Registrations must be made before the class session of your choice. The instructor will be artist, Rosemary Glesener (Rhea Kahn).
This project was funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008, which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota’s arts and cultural heritage.

Reminder:
If you are an avid reader there is still time to sign up for the Read a Latte winter reading program. The two libraries have prizes for those adults who can read 5 books by the end of March. Good participation in this program goes beyond receiving prizes. It is beneficial to all who are having trouble selecting books or would like to try out new authors. The recommendations and/or book reviews of local readers are displayed in the libraries for a guide in selection.

Feel free to join any of the following book discussion groups in Olivia:
The Wednesday Night Book Club will meet February 17, 2010, at 8pm in the library meeting room. They will discuss Marilynne Robinson's Gilead.

The Thursday Lunch Bunch will meet February 25, 2010, at 11am in the library meeting room at Olivia Public Library. They will discuss Melissa Gilbert's Prairie Tale.

The Athenian Book Club will meet March 2, 2010, at 11:30am at the Master's Cafe. They will be discussing Lisa See's Snow Flower and the Secret Fan.

New Books in the Library:

Mercury written and illustrated by Hope Larson for young adults

Tara is forced to move in with her cousins after her house burns down. She faces a difficult adjustment while her mother is away trying to earn money. Interwoven with this story is that of Tara's ancestors, who in 1859 were convinced by a mysterious stranger to put all their money into searching their property for gold. Black and white illustrations.

A brief history of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper for young adults

Montmaray, 1936: For Sophie FitzOsborne, who lives in a crumbling castle in the tiny island kingdom of Montmaray, the politics of Europe seem very far away. But when a boat arrives with two German officers and leaves with only one, politics become very personal.

The Humbling by Philip Roth

Everything is over for Simon Axler, the protagonist of Philip Roth's startling new book. A leading American actor of his generation, Simon has lost his magic, his talent, and his assurance. When he goes on stage he feels like a lunatic. His confidence has drained away; he imagines people laughing at him. His wife has gone; his audience has left him, and his agent can't persuade him to make a comeback.

Into this shattering account of terrifying self-evacuation bursts a counterplot of unusual erotic desire, a consolation so risky and aberrant that it points toward a darker and more shocking end. In this long day's journey into night, told with Roth's inimitable urgency, bravura, and gravity, all the ways that we persuade ourselves of our solidity, all our life's performances -- talent, love, sex, hope energy, reputation -- are stripped off.

Library News 2-3-10

2010-01-28T17:21:00.000-08:00

by Sarah Groves, library assistant

"My mother and my father were illiterate immigrants from Russia. When I was a child they were constantly amazed that I could go to a building and take a book on any subject. They couldn’t believe this access to knowledge we have here in America.” -- Kirk Douglas, Actor, born December 9, 1916.

Peace Egg class:
In the tradition of the famous Fabergé egg, the Renville County libraries are offering an opportunity for individuals to make their own Peace Eggs. Local artist Rhea Kahn will conduct a class. It is open for anyone over age 8. Participants will be given a goose egg and instructions on how to paint pictorial images using watercolors. There will be a brief history of the egg as a symbol in ancient times. This class will be at the Olivia Library on Thursday, Feb 18th, 6 – 8 pm and at the Renville Library on Thursday, Feb 25, 6 – 8 pm. Registration is required by calling the libraries. Olivia Library (320.523.1738) and Renville Library (302.329.8193) will then display the completed Peace Eggs before the creator takes them home. Registration is limited so call right away and reserve your place. This project was funded in part or in whole with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4, 2008 which dedicated funding to preserve Minnesota’s arts and cultural heritage.

The Olivia library has a display board featuring the last twenty-five years of library history. Please feel free to come by and look at it.

Just a reminder that we collect ink and toner cartridges here at the Olivia library. Just drop them off; they are picked up from here and sent out to be recycled. All proceeds from this project help fund the library. Please let us know if there is interest for this service at the Renville Library.

Tax forms are available at the Olivia and Renville libraries from both the federal government and the state of Minnesota.

We have a wide selection of books on cassette tapes and CDs. Feel free to come in and browse, or call us, and we will help you find something you might like to hear.

New Books:

Sleep, Big Bear, sleep! by Maureen Wright
Drive a jeep, Big Bear, drive a jeep? Sweep? Dive deep? Big Bear know Old Man Winter is trying to tell him something, but he is not quite sure what it is. An easy book for children introducing hibernation and the change of seasons. Full color illustrations.

Red Ted and the lost things by Michael Rosen
A stuffed bear named Red Ted finds himself in a train station's gloomy Place for Lost Things. A crocodile tells him, "I've been here a very long time, and no one has ever come to find me." But Red Ted is determined to make it back to his owner, Stevie. "I know!" he says. "I'll get out of here and find her myself!" An easy book for children with full color graphic novel style illustrations.

Never smile at a monkey and 17 other important things to remember by Steve Jenkins
"Everyone knows that tigers, crocodiles, sharks, and other large predators are dangerous. Many smaller animals are also well-known threats.... This book is about creatures--both large and small--whose dangerous nature may not be so obvious." There are notes about each animal in the back of this easy children's book. Illustrated with full color collages of cut and torn paper.

Notes from Sue Hilgert:I have gotten to know many wonderful people in my time at the library. It is always difficult when one of them dies. It is with much sadness I share with the library news readers that with the passing of Ruth Davison we have lost one of the best library advocates in Olivia. Ruth was on the library board before I started. Back in those days board members had to read the books before they were shelved. Ruth was in charge of reading all the mysteries and she was diligent about it. She shared with me many times how she enjoyed it and she continued her love of mysteries her entire life. As reading became difficult, Ruth switched to audiobooks. She was an early adapter of this technology which propelled our library to increase material in this format. Ruth was a true lover of books and she will be missed by many. The library wishes to extent a very generous thank-you to the many people who donated to the library in Ruth’s memory. Currently there is over $1,000 donated. The library’s audiobook and mystery collections will be increased with this money. There will be bookplates placed in this material acknowledging the donation in Ruth’s memory. I will miss Ruth. The entire library community extends our sympathy to John and her family and friends.