@ The Library

100 Years Ago- Library History

2012-01-27T10:03:00.002-06:00

January 26, 1912

Reedsburg Times

Library Board Express Thanks

The Board of Directors of the Reedsburg Public Library wishes to thank the city Council, the Building Committee, the Library Commission. Mr. Ninman and the musicians who aided him, Mesdames Chandler and Winchester and Miss Edna Perry. Mr. Aton for the use of the piano, the churches for the use of the chairs and our city papers for their notices and cooperation and all those who have given of their talents or time to make the dedication of our library the successful event.

40 yrs ago- Emergency TV Show

2012-01-23T10:17:00.001-06:00

Forty years ago on January 22, 1972 the drama series “Emergency!” first aired on NBC. The show followed the daily lives of a pair of Los Angeles County Fire Dept. firefighters/paramedics along with their colleagues at Station 51 and the emergency room staff of Rampart General Hospital. We have the complete series on DVD so you can relive your favorite moments with Roy and John. You can also discover a behind the scenes look with Richard Yokley’s book “Emergency-Behind the Scenes”.

Great time to join the Friends of the Library

2012-01-23T10:16:00.001-06:00

This is a great time to join the Friends of the Library. As a member you are eligible to attend our Book Sale Preview Night four times a year, which will give you an opportunity to buy items from the sale before the general public is given access. For a $5 individual contribution it will help the Friends group strengthen the library collections, expand programs and enhance services for your library. During 2011 the Friends continued their support of a variety of educational and cultural adult and children’s programs including 2nd Saturdays. They also supplied prizes for the Adult Reading Program, and continue to support the coffee cart. We hope you can join us as an individual, family or lifetime member. Complete Friends of the Library Membership information can be picked at the library.

Book Sale

2012-01-23T10:13:00.003-06:00

Join us this weekend for our winter Book Sale. As usual we have adult and children’s fiction and nonfiction in hardcover and paperback. But this time you will find a large selection of magazines and Videocassette tapes. This sale is being held for four big days Friday, January 27-Monday, January 30th during library hours. Funds raised will benefit the library collections. Book donations are accepted any time during the year. Friends of the Library members can get in a day early with preview night on Thursday, January 26 from 6-7 PM. (Memberships are renewable every January.)

100 Years ago- Library History

2012-01-18T09:52:00.002-06:00

Reedsburg Free Press

Jan 15, 1912

Win Drinking Fountain

W.E. Smith, president of the local anti-tuberculosis association has received word that Reedsburg has been awarded one of the sanitary drinking fountains as a prize for the sale of Christmas seals last December. It is probable that this fountain, when received, will be placed in the park and the funds on hand used to purchase another fountain for the public library.

Michigan Statehood 175th Anniversary

2012-01-18T08:59:00.002-06:00

Michigan became our 26th state on January 26, 1837. Referred to as the "Water Wonderland". Michigan is bordered by four of the five Great Lakes and, with the exception of Alaska, as the longest coastline of any state. It is the only state whose area is made up of two peninsulas, with the lower peninsula being in the shape of a mitten.

Camcorder Developed- 30

2012-01-18T08:56:00.002-06:00

Jan 20, 1982

Camcorder Developed: 30 Yrs Ago

Five companies (Hitachi, JVC, Philips, Matsushita and Sony) agreed to cooperate on the construction of a camera with a built in videocassette recorder.

Still have a videocassette player?
Come to our Book Sale Next Week for a large selection of Video tapes.

A.A. Milne Birthday

2012-01-18T08:52:00.003-06:00

Pooh Day: A.A. Milne Birth Anniversary

Jan 18, 1882

Anniversary of the birth of Alan Alexander Milne, English author, especially remembered for his children's stories: "Winnie the Pooh" and "The House at Pooh Corner". Born at London, England, he died at Hartfield, England, Jan 1, 1956.

For more info: "Meet A.A. Milne" by S.Ward or check out our display (look for Winnie the Pooh cardboard standup in the library).

Book Sale

2012-01-16T14:35:00.001-06:00

Remember our Friends of the Library Book Sale is next weekend. We will be having it for four big days starting Friday, January 27 through Monday, January 30.

Paula Deen- 65th Birthday

2012-01-16T14:32:00.001-06:00

Happy 65th Birthday to Savannah, Georgia resident Paula Deen, who was born on January 19, 1947? The Emmy Award winning television personality is one of the many featured in our lobby display case this month. We have a signed Paula Deen cookbook among other items on display. Our checkout collection includes DVDs, her magazine as well as her five published cookbooks. Which are filled with traditional Southern recipes y'All.

Friends of the Library Holiday Gift Fund Drive

2012-01-16T14:30:00.001-06:00

The Friends of the Library Holiday Gift Fund Drive is about to end for another year. If you haven’t taken time to make your donation yet please do so soon. The Friends of the Library would like to thank all those who have already sent their donations. This is your chance to present a book or other item to your library so many others will have the opportunity to read it. Names of people who have donated are posted at the library. This week “Thank You” goes out to Paul Higgins, In Memory of Kay Shultis. The Friends of the Library thank you for your continued support.

Download eBooks & Audiobooks

2012-01-16T14:27:00.002-06:00

Download eBooks & Audiobooks

OverDrive is a database that offers eBooks, audiobooks, music and videos that you can download to devices like Kindles, Sony Readers, Nooks, and iPads, iPods and other MP3 players, (to name just a few). To access the database, go to http://www.reedsburglibrary.org/ and click the OverDrive link on the left side of the page.

· 1 million in titles will be added throughout 2012. The purchasing has already begun so look for the collection to grow dramatically! The state's 17 library systems, 385 member libraries and funds paid this for collectively from a DPI grant.

· If you are looking for something you can check out immediately, try using the “currently available” links on the left side of the OverDrive homepage or click the “only show available titles” box when searching. OverDrive also provides easy access to newly returned titles via "Just Back In" banners.

· You can search by format (like Kindle Book or MP3) if you click the advanced search link

· The average waiting period for a hold is 19 days. If you are waiting for something, be sure to look at the number of copies owned in addition to the number of holds. More copies means a shorter wait!

Book Sale

2012-01-16T14:00:00.001-06:00

Have you been cleaning at your house and getting ready for the holiday and discovered books, CDs and DVDs that you no longer use. We will accept them to either add to our collection or to put in the Friends of the Library Book Sale. The Friends use the proceeds from the book sale to purchase new items for our collection. We will be having our winter sale for four big days, starting from Friday January 27 through Monday January 30.

Thursday, Jan 26 (6-7 PM) Friends Members Book Sale Preview Night.
Join Today !

Martin Luther King Jr. Birth Anniversary

2012-01-11T10:09:00.001-06:00

Black civil rights leader, minister, advocate of nonviolence and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize was born eighty years ago on January 15, 1929. He was born in Atlanta, where his house and church are part of the National Park Service. We have travel books on Atlanta to plan your Civil Rights heritage trip or checkout our display of books and videos about Dr. Martin Luther King.

Happy Days TV Premiere Anniversary

2012-01-11T10:07:00.002-06:00

Nostalgic comedy set in Milwaukee during the 1950s, Televisions “Happy Days” premiered on January 15, 1974. Teenager Richie Cunningham was played by Ron Howard and his best friends were Postie Weber and Ralph Malph. The show lasted till 1984 and had three spin-offs.

We have first three seasons available on DVD or learn about the show with the new book “Happier Days” by Marley Brant which takes us behind the scenes at Paramont studios filled with classic shows of the era. This book is filled with an up-close and personal look at the talented people who brought the Happy Days characters to life.

Did you know that in Season five of Happy Days, the Fonz obtains a library card and declares, “Reading is cool.” The following week there was a 500% increase nation wide of people getting library cards.

Frisbee- 55th Anniversary

2012-01-11T10:03:00.002-06:00

Jan 13, 1957

Frisbee Introduced

55th Anniversary

Legend has it that in the 1920s New England college students tossed pie tins from the Frisbie Baking Company of Bridgeport, CT. The first plastic flying disc was released by the Wham-O Company on this date as the Pluto Platter, for its resemblance to a UFO. In 1958 it was renamed the Frisbee. More than 100 million Frisbees have been sold, and there are numerous Frisbee tournaments across America every year.

Ira Hayes- 90

2012-01-11T09:59:00.002-06:00

Ira Hayes Born

90 Yrs Ago

January 12, 1922

Ira Hayes was one of six US Marines who raised the American flag on Iwo Jima's Mount Suribachi, Feb 23, 1945, following a US assault on the Japanese stronghold. The event was immortalized by AP photographer Joe Rosenthal's famous photo and later by a Marine War Memorial monument at Arlington, VA. Hayes was born on a Pima Indian Reservation at Arizona. He returned home after World War 2 a much celebrated hero, but Hayes was unable to cope with fame. He was found dead in 1955.

Aldo Leopold 125

2012-01-11T09:58:00.001-06:00

125th Birth Anniversary

Aldo Leopold was born Jan 11, 1887 at Burlington, Iowa.
Naturalist and author who made a profound contribution to the American environmental movement. Best known for his book "A Sand County Almanac".
He died April 21, 1948 in Sauk County, Wisconsin

Need Help with your eReader

2012-01-11T09:04:00.001-06:00

Did you get a Nook or Kindle for Christmas? Have you wondered what they are all about? Did you know the library loans titles for your reader through Overdrive? Discover what e-Book reader’s look like, how easy they are to read and learn more about them on Thursday, January 12th and January 19th at 6:30 PM. Please call 768-7323 to register.

2nd Saturday

2012-01-11T09:01:00.001-06:00

Learn how to Feed the Birds at Reedsburg Public Library’s Second Saturday: Family Time @ Your Library

Families meet each second Saturday of the month in the Library’s Community Room from 10:30-11:30am and on Saturday, January 14th families will be creating bird feeders from recycled milk and soda bottles.

Joyce and Randy Johnson, local bird enthusiasts, will be available to teach families what birds live here during the winter and what they eat. The Library will provide the supplies needed to make your recycled bottles into bird feeders and the seed to fill them.

Every second Saturday of the month the Library also has a R.E.A.D. Dog provided by Dogs on Call, Inc. This month Creb, a rescued greyhound, will listen to children read their favorite books in the Storytime Room starting 10:30am. Creb is a specially trained dog of the Reading Education Assistance Dog literacy program.

Call the Reedsburg Public Library at 768-READ(7323) with any questions about any upcoming events. You can also visit the library’s website at www.reedsburglibrary.org

Book Sale

2012-01-09T09:50:00.002-06:00

Have you been cleaning at your house and discovered books, CDs and DVDs that you no longer use? We will accept them to either add to our collection or to put in the Friends of the Library Book Sale. The Friends use the proceeds from the book sale to purchase new items for our collection. We will be having our winter sale for four big days, starting from Friday January 27 through Monday January 30.

Holiday Gift Fund Drive

2012-01-09T09:20:00.001-06:00

The Friends of the Library Holiday Gift Fund Drive is about to end for another year. If you haven’t taken time to make your donation yet please do so soon. The Friends of the Library would like to thank all those who have already sent their donations. This is your chance to present a book to your library so many others will have the opportunity to read it. Names of people who have donated are posted at the library. This week “Thank You” goes out to Kay & Dave Daley, Rex & Ardell Albers. The Friends of the Library thank you for your continued support.

Super Bowl -45 yrs ago

2012-01-09T09:17:00.002-06:00

As the Green Bay Packers are back in the playoffs this weekend, did you know it was 45 years ago this Sunday when they played in the first Super Bowl. The Green Bay Packers played the Kansas City Chiefs on January 15, 1967 in Los Angeles, California. The Packers won 35 to 10 and quarterback Bart Starr was named MVP of the game. In our DVD collection you can relive each of the first forty winners in the “America’s Game: Super Bowl Champions” series. Each episode takes the viewer inside the locker room of each winner, featuring never before told, behind the scenes stories from the participants.

Carnegie Libraries of Wisconsin display

2012-01-09T09:12:00.006-06:00

We are hosting an exhibit this month from the Wisconsin Library Heritage Center of Wisconsin. The collection on display includes many souvenir items from Wisconsin’s Carnegie libraries. A variety of items include china, spoons, paperweights and picture postcards are part of the exhibit. It is very appropriate that the exhibit is here this month as in 1912 (100 yrs ago) our Carnegie building at 345 Vine St. opened to the public.

Have Slides

2012-01-09T09:12:00.002-06:00

Have you found some old slides in a drawer and want to convert them to digital format? Did you know we have a Photo/Film/Slide Scanner for checkout? This scanner is used to convert photos, film and slides to digital pictures. (Images may be saved to your PC via cable or to an SD card.) This is one of several items in our AV equipment collection that we loan out. Our equipment collection includes an Overhead Projector, Opaque Projector, Slide Projector, Tape Recorder, Portable CD players, Sony Digital Video Camera, Flip Mino Video camera, MP3 Players, DVD Converter, LCD Projector, and a Magnifier.

ELVIS - Birthday

2012-01-03T16:02:00.002-06:00

Regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture, Elvis Presley was born, in a two-room shotgun house, built by his father on January 8, 1935.
We have many of his movies, music and books available for checkout to help you remember a man named Elvis. Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, MS.

New Mexico becomes a State

2012-01-03T15:14:00.002-06:00

January 6, 1912

New Mexico Becomes a State: 100th Anniversary

The fifth-largest state in the country, New Mexico was admitted into the Union on Jan 6, 1912. Home to 1.8 million people.

Learn more in our nonfiction collection at 917.89

eBook Class

2012-01-02T11:33:00.002-06:00

Friends Holiday Gift Fund

2012-01-02T11:32:00.001-06:00

The Friends of the Reedsburg Library Holiday Gift Fund is in fill swing already this year. When you present a book or other item to your library, many others will have the opportunity to read it. Here is your chance to do just that. The drive was very successful last year with over $2,000 being donated for the purchase of new materials. Names are posted in the library. This week’s “Thank You” goes out to Carolyne Kotchi-Aslaksen, Kenneth & Jeanne Benzel, Carolyn Vansickle, Madelyn & Emma Casey, Walter & Sandra Lloyd, Anonymous, Mary Schultz, Sonja Larson, Allene Liegel, Gloria Judge, Enid Mikonowicz, James & June Pawlisch, Hasler Family, Pat & Lowell Andreessen, Greg & Julie Adelman. The Friends of the Library thank you for your continued support.

Book Sale in January

2012-01-02T11:29:00.003-06:00

Danny Thomas 100

2012-01-02T11:27:00.001-06:00

American nightclub comedian and television actor, Danny Thomas was born one hundred years ago on January 6, 1912. He is best known for starring in the television sitcom “Make Room for Daddy” and as founder of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. We have his 1991 memoir “Make Room for Danny” and the “Andy Griffith Show” on DVD which was a spin-off of the “Danny Thomas Show”.

Web Site of the Week

2012-01-02T11:26:00.002-06:00

Web Site of the Week: How To Make Paper Snowflakes - http://www.instructables.com/id/Paper-Snowflakes/ These beautiful, intricate designs make a fun project for children old enough to have learned a little patience.

Day 11: Troubleshoot like a champ

2011-12-29T11:46:00.000-06:00

Today's post is geared toward library staff, but you can follow the tips to do your own troubleshooting or use this as a guide for what info to gather before contacting your library for assistance.

Day 11: Troubleshoot like a champ

Here are some tips to help you become an OverDrive troubleshooting champion:

Ask the patron to sum up the big picture of what they want to do, and then get more specific.
Ask for a step-by-step account of what they see on-screen, what they're doing, and what happens at each step.
Get the specific details:
- Library card number
- Title(s) of problem download(s)
- Steps to reproduce the problem
- Exact text of any error messages
- URLs of any error pages
- Applicable software
- Operating system (Mac® OS 10.6.5, Windows® 7, iOS v4.2, etc.)
- Internet browser (Internet Explorer® 8, Firefox® 3.6, Safari 5.0, etc.)
- If applicable, device type (Android™, BlackBerry®, iPhone®, iPad®, etc.)
If you have time to research the question, check OverDrive's Help pages or the WPLC OverDrive FAQ Wiki.
Turn to the WPLC Support form for assistance via email. If you start at the Digital Download Center homepage, click the "help" link in the upper-right corner and follow the links near the bottom of the help pages to get to the form.

Some other common device-specific problems you might encounter:

Kindle: If your Kindle is Wi-Fi capable and you are in range of a Wi-Fi network, you may need to enter your Wi-Fi network password to allow your Kindle to connect to Wi-Fi and download Kindle Books. See Amazon Help: Connecting with Wi-Fi or try transferring the book via USB.
iPod Touch/iPhone/iPad devices may have problems receiving WMA audiobooks transferred from a PC after upgrading to iOS5. See the solution.
Ereader devices (NOOK, Sony Reader, etc.): Confirm that the patron:
- has Adobe Digital Editions installed (opening it is a good way to test),
- has activated Adobe Digital Editions and their device with an Adobe ID,
- can see their device as a bookshelf in the left panel of Adobe Digital Editions, and
- is using Adobe Digital Editions to transfer the ebook to the reader (NOT doing the drag-and-drop process in Windows Explorer).
If not, it may help to show the process with screen shots or a video.
Devices with the OverDrive Media Console app: If the book won't download directly to the app, make sure the app is authorized with an Adobe ID, try powering the device off and then back on, and try uninstalling and reinstalling the app.

100 Yrs Ago- in Library History

2011-12-29T10:58:00.003-06:00

Dec 28, 1911 Reedsburg Free Press

New Library Dedication

Reedsburg's New Library will be opened New Year's Day

Reception in the Afternoon and Program in the Evening

Reedsburg's new public library is completed and will be formally opened to the public next Monday. The library board will keep open house all afternoon and every body both from the city and the town of Reedsburg is invited and will be made welcome.

The ground for the site was donated by Mrs. Geo. T. Morse and ten thousand dollars were secured from the Carnegie library fund, the city has been generous with its appropriation and Reedsburg now possesses one of the finest library buildings for the money in the state. The building was erected by the Home Lumber and Construction company and the interior decoration by C.N. Rebety.

The following is the dedication program to be held at the library in the evening.

Invocation-Rev. Wilson

Music- Miss Edna Perry

Presentation by Building Committee- J.A. Stone

Acceptance for Library Board- Pres. J.H. Hosler

Acceptance for City- Mayor Henry Sorge

Music- Mrs. Chandler

Relation Library to School- Prof. A.B. Olson

Women and the Library- Mrs. R. P. Perry

Our German Section- Wm. Riggert

Library Commission- Matthew Dudgeon, Miss Lottie Stearns

Music.

Benediction- Rev. Clifford.

Day 10: Overdrive and the Gutenberg Collection

2011-12-27T14:20:00.000-06:00

Day 10 - OverDrive and the Gutenberg collection

This guest post is by Jane Richard, Wisconsin Library Services -- one of the managers for WPLC (Thanks, Jane!)
----------------------------------
Gutenberg Collection in WPLC OverDrive CollectionHave you found the Gutenberg collection tucked into the WPLC OverDrive collection site? These titles are not integrated into the regular search, but are a standalone collection under the link marked “Always Available” way near the bottom of the left hand column. Patrons can discover and download (rather than checkout) thousands of DRM-free EPUB eBooks without holds, waiting lists, or authentication. No library card/account is needed for these downloads, either. Since these titles are in the public domain, they never expire, and, while these titles will not count against a specific patron’s checkout limit, they will count toward your library’s circulation.*
The 34,000+ out-of-copyright titles can be used for distribution, recreation and adaptation, so teachers can print and distribute excerpts for their classes, artists can perform the works in front of an audience, and titles can be transferred to audio or other formats. Some of the pluses and minuses include:

no preview available: whole download or nothing
many languages are represented, though no way to filter by language
EPUBs font can be changed-- instant large print!
selections include popular pre-1923 authors, such as Jane Austen, Jane Eyre, and Arthur Conan Doyle; and titles A Christmas Carol, The Count of Monte Cristo, and David Copperfield
Few Wisconsin libraries have MARC records for Gutenberg titles in their catalogs, but the Colorado Libraries in E-Discovering the Classics project (http://www.clicweb.org/e-discover-home) offers free MARC record downloads for nearly 500 classics

*The Wisconsin Digital Download Center's Gutenberg title activity for January-mid-December 2011:

(click to enlarge)
Information drawn from:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/home/886291-264/overdrive_unveils_project_gutenberg_ebook.html.csp
http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2010/08/10/project-gutenberg-ebooks-available-on-%E2%80%98virtual-branch%E2%80%99-websites/
25 most popular downloads: http://overdriveblogs.com/library/2011/08/29/top-25-project-gutenberg-ebook-titles-us-edition/

Originally published on Tech Bits blog: South Central Library System

One Hundred Years Ago

2011-12-22T16:48:00.002-06:00

Reedsburg Times Dec 22, 1911

Reedsburg's Handsome New Public Library will be opened January 1, 1912

Reedsburg's handsome new public library is now completed and the dedication will take place on January first. The building will be opened on that day and visitors welcomed. During the afternoon the Library Board will hold a public reception, heartily welcoming friends and patrons of the library. During the evening a rather more formal program will be given, the board having secured a number of interesting features for this dedication service.

Town of Reedsburg Will Enjoy City Library

Reedsburg Times- Dec 22, 1911

The town of Reedsburg has accepted the proposition of the Library Board giving the residents of the town an opportunity to enjoy all library privileges. The town will pay to the city thirty dollars a year for this concession. This move is in accordance with a state law allowing a town to give such library allowance and the appropriation will be included in the tax roll. Heretofore each individual outside the city has paid for his library card, the new method of serving our outside patrons having been recently devised. We are pleased to know that the town has so quickly decided to give their people the advantages of this library service.

Carol Ryrie Brink-

2011-12-22T16:33:00.002-06:00

Dec 28, 1895

Carl Ryrie Brink was born at Moscow, ID.

She won the 1936 Newberry Medal for Caddie Woodlawn, the story of her own grandmother's pioneer childhood. Other favorites include Baby Island and the Pink Motel. She died at La Jolla, CA, in 1981.

Mary Tyler Moore- 75

2011-12-22T16:28:00.002-06:00

Happy 75th Birthday to Mary Tyler Moore, she has turned the world on with her smile. The actress is best known for her roles as Mary Richards and Laura Petrie on television. We have both the Mary Tyler Moore Show and the Dick Van Dyke Show on DVD. Moore has also written two memoirs in our collection “After All” in 1995 and “Growing Up Again” in 2009.

New Year Holiday Hours

2011-12-22T16:27:00.002-06:00

We will be open Saturday, December 31st from 8:30 AM to 1 PM but closed on Sunday, January 1. Our regular hours resume on January 2nd. Ring in the New Year with a good book from the Reedsburg Public Library.

e-Book Reader Class

2011-12-22T16:26:00.002-06:00

Did you get a Nook or Kindle for Christmas? Have you wondered what they are all about? Did you know the library loans titles for your reader through Overdrive? Discover what e-Book reader’s look like, how easy they are read and learn more about them on Thursday, January 5th at 6:30 PM. Please call 768-7323 to register.

One Hunderd Years Ago- In Library History

2011-12-22T16:25:00.003-06:00

Did you know that the former Library Building in Reedsburg, at 345 Vine Street, opened its doors one hundred years ago on January 1, 1912 with an informal reception? Hundreds of people visited the building and enjoyed the program that afternoon. Two years of planning for a new library were over, with help from Mrs. George Morse who donated the lot on the corner of South Locust and Vine Street and Andrew Carnegie, who donated $10,000. The library was a red brick and stucco building designed by Claude and Stark. Our library had a raised basement that housed a community room for public events and a main floor that contained the library. Patrons entered at mid-level, halfway between the basement and the first floor. The Library had a half hexagon circulation desk, a fireplace, and built in bookshelves and periodical racks. In 1922 kindergarten classes were held in the basement because South School was too crowded. By 1950 the children’s room was moved to the basement and an addition was built in 1970.

On January 26, 1998 the new library opened across the street from the Carnegie Building, at 370 Vine Street. When the Carnegie library officially opened on January 12, 1912 there were only 3,490 volumes (books), circulation was 14,180 and there were 1,668 borrowers. Hours of operation were Monday, Wednesday, Saturday 2:30-5:30 and 7-9 pm and Friday 7-9 pm. Today we have approximately 73,000 items, over 9,800 registered patrons and we are open 64.5 hours/week.

Day 9 - Searching

2011-12-20T14:17:00.005-06:00

Day 9 - Searching

As we learned in Day 5, our OverDrive collection now includes 13,959 titles! That’s a lot of titles to browse through. How can you find the one, two or 169 (the number of titles on my To Be Read list) titles that you really want? Let’s find out, shall we?

My first stop is LINKcat. Did you know that you can search for the word “downloadable” in the title search? That search will bring back 10,436 titles including both audio and ebooks. That’s still a lot of titles so how can we narrow that down? Try adding the title or author you’re looking for. For example, searching for “downloadable McCall Smith” in the Library Catalog search brings back nine items - all of which are part of the OverDrive collection. Much better! Click on the title for the full record, then look for Online Resources and the link to access the title in OverDrive.

Here’s a tip for you if you’re in need of something to read right now. From OverDrive's Digital Download Center, to see which of the New eBook Additions are available click on View All, then check the box for Only Show Titles with Copies Available and hit submit. This takes your results list from 200 down to 44. This tip works with all of the highlighted collections on the front page.

Need even more options? OverDrive has an Advanced Search feature. There are three fields on this page that I think are extremely useful. First is format. For example, if you’re only interested in Kindle books or MP3 titles, use the drop down menu to make your selection. Second is Date added to site. Use the drop down menu here to choose from titles added within the last 7 days to the last 365 days. Last, but not least, is the checkbox to Only Show Titles with Copies Available. You can add an author, title, subject or other information to further refine your search.

My best advice, though, is to take advantage of the Wish List feature in My Account. As you’re browsing or searching through the OverDrive collection, add titles to your wish list as you come across them. As far as I know, there isn’t a limit to the number of titles you can have in your list or the length of time they can stay there. You can place items on hold or check them out from your Wish List and titles can be removed anytime.

Originally published on Tech Bits blog: South Central Library System

Friends of the Library Holiday Fund

2011-12-14T08:44:00.002-06:00

If you are looking for a meaningful holiday gift for someone special, please consider making a gift to the Friends of the Library Holiday Gift Fund. For a gift of $5 or more, you can have someone honored or memorialized with new materials in our Library’s collection. Donations are used to buy new items for our collection.

Agnes Moorehead- Christmas in Reedsburg

Mary Higgins Clark- 80

2011-12-14T08:43:00.002-06:00

Happy 80th Birthday this Christmas Eve to Mary Theresa Eleanor Higgins Clark Conheeney known professionally as Mary Higgins Clark. Her books are worldwide bestsellers and very popular here at the library in all formats. In the United States alone, her books have sold over 80 million copies. It all started with her first suspense novel “Where are the Children?” in 1975. It became a bestseller and marked a turning point in her life and career. Did you know that her daughter Carol Higgins Clark and former daughter in law Mary Jane Clark are also suspense writers? She is also a minority owner of the New Jersey Nets.

New Library Card Design

2011-12-14T08:41:00.001-06:00

At the library, every day is Christmas. Behind every book cover there are riches. After introducing your kids to a treasure trove beyond Aladdin's wildest dreams, why not mosey over to the adult section, and browse through the latest offerings yourself? You know you deserve it. Need an all-purpose gift that will satisfy everybody. It won’t need batteries and you shouldn’t have to feed it. It should last forever. It could be entertaining and the more the recipient uses it, the more they will like it. A library card from the Reedsburg Public Library! The Friends of the Library are offering you a new design colorful library card and also a key card option. Your upgraded card will support the Friends of the Library commitment to supporting the library. Also the new card will stand out in your wallet of cards. Our traditional yellow card is still available; your first yellow library card is FREE.

Holiday Hours

2011-12-14T08:38:00.000-06:00

Just a reminder: the Library will be closed on Friday, December 23rd, Saturday, December 24th, Sunday, December 25th and Monday, December 26th. We will be open Saturday, December 31st from 8:30 AM to 1 PM but closed on Sunday, January 1. Our regular hours resume on January 2nd. Season’s Readings to all.

Finding Free ebooks-

2011-12-14T08:36:00.000-06:00

Day 8: Finding free ebooks

Are you an adventurous reader? Is "Frugal" your middle name? Is your appetite for ebooks so great that you always have the maximum number of titles checked out from OverDrive and still want more? We've collected together some sources for free ebooks for you.

Classics: Most classic (public domain) ebooks are stored by Project Gutenberg and a few other sources, but many other sites make the same titles available. They may offer enhanced browsing/searching interfaces or add value with summaries, excerpts, and reader reviews.
Project Gutenberg
OverDrive's "Always Available" Additional eBooks (from Project Gutenberg)
epubBooks.com (better-formatted EPUB versions of Project Gutenberg titles)
ManyBooks.net (mainly Project Gutenberg titles)
Internet Archive Ebook and Texts Archive and Open Library
Google eBookstore

Small/Independent Publishers and Self-Published Authors: You won't find current bestsellers here, but there's a chance you might stumble on something new and wonderful. (Your mileage may vary!)
GetFreeEbooks.com (available formats vary)
Free-eBooks.net (free TXT & PDF ebooks; membership fee for EPUB ebooks)
Smashwords (mix of free and for-purchase ebooks)
Baen Free Library (selected sci-fi titles from Baen Books)
Feedbooks (mix of free and for-purchase ebooks -- "Original Books" seem to be new Creative Commons-licensed titles)

Free titles from Ebook Vendors: An account, device, or specific app may be required to use these titles.
Free NOOK Books (from Barnes & Noble)
Free Book Collections for Kindle (from Amazon) and Free Books for Your Kindle (from eReaderIQ) and Free Kindle Books (from iReaderReview)
Free Ebooks (from Kobo)
Free Ebooks (from Sony's Reader Store)

Originally published on Tech Bits blog: South Central Library System

"There's an app for that!"- Overdrive Day 7

2011-12-14T08:32:00.002-06:00

No ereader (yet)? No problem! You can still enjoy ebooks on your computer, tablet, or smart phone. Here’s how:

On your computer or laptop, download Adobe Digital Editions, a free software program that manages the digital rights of ebooks checked out through OverDrive. Activate the software by creating an Adobe ID (also free) if you plan on getting an ereader or using another device to read ebooks. Check out an ebook from OverDrive. Once downloaded to your computer, Adobe Digital Editions will open and you can enjoy your book.

Enjoy the reading experience on your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch (2nd Generation or newer), many tablets, and smart phones with the OverDrive app from iTunes or OverDrive app for Android. Check out the app marketplace for your device and search for OverDrive. Once installed and activated with an Adobe ID, you can search for, checkout, download, and read an ebook without connecting your device to a computer.

Already have a Kindle app on your computer, phone, or tablet? You can use that to enjoy many ebooks in our collection. When searching for an ebook, be sure to select the Kindle Book and check it out. To get the book to your Kindle app, log into your Amazon account when prompted. There will be an option to deliver the ebook to the registered device(s) of your choice.

To see if your device is compatible with OverDrive, checkout the Supported Portable Devices list. Also handy to check that the device you’re eyeing as a gift for someone special will work with OverDrive.

Originally published on Tech Bits blog: South Central Library System

Holiday Hours

2011-12-12T09:35:00.005-06:00

Cookies for Christmas

2011-12-12T09:35:00.002-06:00

Web Site of the Week: (http://www.christmas-cookies.com) For those of you who give home-made cookies for Christmas presents and want to get an early start on baking, here's a treasure house of recipes for cookies - chocolate snowflake macaroons, fudge-pecan chewies, no-bake cathedral windows, cornflake wreath cookies, low carb snickerdoodles, rosettes, and about 550 other varieties.

Holiday Book Fund Drive-

2011-12-12T09:33:00.002-06:00

The Friends of the Reedsburg Library Holiday Gift Fund is in full swing already this year. When you present a book or other item to your library, many others will have the opportunity to read it. Here is your chance to do just that. The drive was very successful last year with over $2,000 being donated for the purchase of new materials. Names are posted in the library. This week’s “Thank You” goes out to Sherri Schmitz, Tom & Delores Geimer, Harold & Carolyn Van Duser, Richard & Elizabeth Pannier, Ryan Holtz, Aysha Holtz, Tyson Holtz. The Friends of the Library thank you for your continued support.

Patty Duke-65

2011-12-12T09:32:00.002-06:00

Happy 65th Birthday to Anna Marie “Patty” Duke. She is famous as a child star, and for winning an Academy Award at the age 16. She was born December 14, 1946. She is best known for playing Helen Keller in the 1962 film “Miracle Worker” (which is available on DVD) and for the sitcom “The Patty Duke Show” (which is also available on DVD). She is the author of two books in our collection “Call Me Anna” and “Brilliant Madness-Living with Manic Depressive Illness”. Patty Duke was ranked #40 in 1996 as TV Guide’s 50 greatest TV Stars of all time.

eBooks Class

2011-12-12T09:29:00.001-06:00

You have been hearing about e-books and e-Book readers (Nooks Kindles and more) in the news. Now on Thursday, December 15th at 6:30 PM you will get the chance to see what they are all about. What e-Book reader’s look like, how easy it is to read the screen and more. Maybe you are trying to decide whether to ask for a “Nook” or a “Kindle” or another e-Book reader for Christmas? Come and learn which one might best fit your needs. You will also discover how the library loans readers and through “Overdrive” loans titles for your e-reader. Call 768-7323 to register.

Dive into the Collection (Day 5)

2011-12-08T15:44:00.003-06:00

12 Days of OverDrive, Day 5: Dive into the Collection

What do we tell someone who is getting ready to "dive in" to the contents of the Digital Download Center collection?

What's included:
The collection currently contains about equal numbers of purchased audiobooks and ebook titles.
The number of ebook titles is bigger if you include the Project Gutenberg titles, which are always available.

The number of titles and copies available will grow when WPLC begins spending funds from a statewide $1 million buying pool.

Top 10 Subjects by Checkout: Fiction, Nonfiction, Romance, Suspense, Mystery, Literature, Thriller, Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction, Biography & Autobiography. Requests for cookbooks, travel, computer, business, and history books are up.

Finding newly-added titles: The Digital Download Center website has the most up-to-date listing of titles in the collection. New titles are added in small batches in order to keep the new books displays fresh (this is because OverDrive websites automatically show the 100 newest books purchased in a new books display). Records for the new titles are also added to LINKcat in batches.

Requesting new titles: When possible, nearly every patron request is added. Suggestions can be made via the WPLC Support form. Some of the largest publishers refuse to license any digital books to libraries (such as Macmillan and Simon & Schuster), and other publishers may refuse to license select titles (like the Harry Potter series) to libraries. WPLC selectors also actively seek out best sellers and books in the eBook and audio formats that have long waiting lists for the print version.

Hold lists: The average waiting period for a hold is 19.06 days. Even if you hate to wait, be sure to look at the number of copies owned in addition to the number of people on the waiting list. A low holds-to-copies ratio means less waiting.

Project Gutenberg eBooks: Of the 15,000 Titles (unlimited copies), over 5,000 of them have been downloaded at least once since they were added to the collection in September 2010.
Statistics as of 12/6/11. Additional information compiled from: WPLC eBooks in Library Journal Article

-- Originally published on Tech Bits blog by Kerri Hilbelink, Library Technology Project Support Specialist for South Central Library System.

South Pole is Discovered 100th Anniversary

2011-12-07T10:08:00.002-06:00

December 14, 1911- South Pole is Discovered

The elusive object of many expeditions dating from the seventh century, the South Pole was located and visited by Roald Amundsen with four companions and 52 sled dogs. All five men and 12 of the dogs returned to base camp safely. Next to visit the South Pole, January 17, 1912 was a party of five led by Captain Robert F. Scott, all of whom perished during the return trip. A search party found their frozen bodies 11 months later.

Check out our display of books - look for the penguin standing on top of the book shelf.

Melvil Dewey

2011-12-07T10:07:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday to Melvil Dewey who was born Dec 10, 1851.
American librarian and inventor of the Dewey decimal book classification system was born at Adams Center, New York. He died in 1931.

Clarence Birdseye

2011-12-07T10:02:00.002-06:00

Dec 9, 1886: Clarence Birdseye was born

American industrialist who developed a way of deep-freezing foods. He was marketing frozen fish by 1925 and was one of the founders of General Foods Corporation. Born at Brooklyn, New York, he died at New York Oct 7, 1956.

Learn more about inventors in our nonfiction area 609

Dick Van Dyke- Dec. 13

2011-12-07T09:36:00.002-06:00

You know him as Rob Petrie or Dr. Mark Sloan and from movies such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Mary Poppins. Dick Van Dyke was born December 13, 1925. We have many of his films available as well the award winning Dick Van Dyke Show and Diagnosis Murder. He put together a treasury of classroom laughter in “Those Funny Kids!” a 1978 edition, which includes a joke about Reedsburg. On page 66 in our large print edition, you will find this joke: “Discipline is basically a parent’s job, it seems to me, and yet many parents either look to the school to do it, or shirk the job entirely. In Reedsburg, Wisconsin, the principal summoned an eighth grade boy’s parents to a conference and explained that their son was a real problem, adding, “You’ll just have to let him grow up if he is to amount to anything. Does he have any responsibilities at home at all? Why, yes replied his mother. He has to brush his teeth”.

My Help

2011-12-06T08:20:00.003-06:00

Santa has helpers, and OverDrive has a helper in the form of My Help! beta. My Help! beta's first question to users is, "What do you want to do?"

What is My Help?
My Help! beta can be found on the Digital Download Center on the left side of the page, and it provides information about getting started and assistance for a user's specific computer or device.

What do you think of it?
Changes are in the works for the OverDrive site as part of the "OverDrive WIN" initiative (adding Kindle compatibility was just the first part of the initiative).

Originally published on Tech Bits blog by Kerri Hilbelink, Library Technology Project Support Specialist for South Central Library System.

Day 2- Where can I find OverDrive How to Videos

2011-12-05T08:33:00.002-06:00

Day 2 - Where can I find OverDrive "how to" videos?

With the addition of ebooks, ereaders and apps, support for OverDrive has definitely gotten more complicated.

Where can you go for OverDrive-related "how to" videos?
SCLS's YouTube Channel.

OverDrive videos are under "SCLS Tutorials" on the right-hand side and include a video on transferring ebooks to ereaders and an iPad OverDrive tutorial.

BadgerLearn. BadgerLearn is a collaborative learning space where library staff can use existing resources and share new resources they develop with the greater community. Just do a search in the upper right for "OverDrive" (or "OverDrive" and whatever device you need information about), or try the Advanced Search. Has your library created helpsheets or screencasts? Add them to the BadgerLearn project!

OverDrive's YouTube channel. Under username "DigitalBookDownloads", OverDrive has uploaded videos and tagged videos created by other users as "favorites."

YouTube. Many libraries have created their own videos showing how to use OverDrive with different devices. Some of the information may not be correct for our system (like how to log into OverDrive or how long checkout limits are), but the basic info for how to install software, activate devices, and transfer OverDrive titles should hold true.

Here are some tips for searching YouTube:
Go to YouTube.com
In the search box at the top of the page, try a search using the terms "OverDrive" and "nook"
(I got 138 results!)
Filter or sort your results to help you find what you're looking for.
Click on a video to play it.

Techbits: Nov 30

Cookbooks

2011-12-05T08:29:00.003-06:00

When you are going through your cookbooks this holiday season and come across some you aren’t using think of us. We are looking for donations, of old and new local organizations cookbooks of the Reedsburg area, to add to our local history collection. They are an important documentation of our heritage. Cookbooks have sometimes been passed down from generation to generation. Having these books in our local collection will be a way of connecting to the history of Reedsburg and the many past family kitchens.

2011-12-05T08:29:00.001-06:00

If you missed the eBook reader workshop that was held on TuesdayDec. 1st , it is being repeated on Thursday, December 15th at 6:30 PM. Please call and register.

Friends of the Library Holiday Gift Fund

2011-12-05T08:28:00.003-06:00

The Friends of the Reedsburg Library Holiday Gift Fund is in fill swing already this year. When you present a book or other item to your library, many others will have the opportunity to read it. Here is your chance to do just that. The drive was very successful last year with over $2,000 being donated for the purchase of new materials. Names are posted in the library. This week’s “Thank You” goes out to Jean Smith, Christine Schrank, Jeanette Rose, Dale Emery, and Norma Hammer. The Friends of the Library thank you for your continued support.

Pearl Harbor

2011-12-05T08:28:00.002-06:00

December 7th, 1941, the attack on Pearl Harbor, is a date that will live in infamy. It happened seventy years ago this year. We have a display in our lobby featuring pictures and replica newspapers. At 7:55 AM (local time) nearly 200 Japanese aircraft attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The raid, which lasted little more than one hour, left almost 3,000 dead. Nearly the entire US Pacific Fleet was at anchor there and few ships escaped damage. Several were sunk or disabled, while 200 US aircraft on the ground were destroyed. The attack brought about immediate US entry into World War Two. Our collection includes film and books for you to explore this date in history.

Movie Night- Thursday

2011-12-05T08:27:00.000-06:00

Thursday, December 8th at 6:30 PM, we will be showing a film based on a bestselling book. It’s about three ordinary women in Mississippi during 1962. The novel by Kathryn Stockett was a deeply moving book full of hope, poignancy and humor. Because of our Public Performance Movie License, we can’t list the title here, but to find out stop at the library or call and ask about the movie.

Montgomery Bus Boycott Begins

2011-11-29T16:23:00.002-06:00

Dec 5, 1955: Rosa Parks was arrested at Montgomery,AL, Dec 1, 1955 for refusing to give up her seat on a bus to a white man. In support of Parks and to protest the arrest, the black community of Montgomery organized a boycott of the bus system. The boycott lasted from Dec 5, 1955 to Dec 20, 1956, when a US Supreme Court ruling was implemented at Montgomery, integrating the public transportation system.

Longest Human-Led Migration 10th Anniversary

2011-11-29T16:20:00.002-06:00

Dec. 3, 2001: Longest Human-Led Migration

An ultralight aircraft leading young whooping cranes on a new migration route completed the 1,200 mile journey on this date. The migration began at Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wisconsin and ended in Florida, where humans dressed as cranes led the birds to the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge. This effort was made to reintroduce the endangered bird into eastern North America. This migration was in addition to the Canada-Texas migration of a wild flock.

The 12 Days of OverDrive: ereader comparisons

2011-11-29T15:12:00.001-06:00

In preparation for the holidays and all those new OverDrive-compatible devices, we'll be attempting a "12 days of OverDrive" series.

One question you may have already heard is, "what type of ereader should I get?"

Unfortunately, there is no single answer that's right for everyone. Ereaders are personal choices, and different ereaders can be better or worse for different types of tasks. So where can you start...?

CNET - articles and reviews
This recent CNET article is a nice place to begin. It compares ereaders and reviews some of the main differences in features between ereaders (reader vs. tablet, size of screen and weight, e-ink or color LCD, wireless options, apps vs. hardware, and whether you can check out e-books from the library). It is an excellent way to become familiar with some of the features and choices available, and the article contains lots of links to product reviews (which contain not only the CNET Editors' Rating, but in many cases also include User Ratings).

Comparison chart and reviews
Want a big chart that compares popular ereaders? The 2012 Best eBook Reader Comparisons and Reviews lists 13 ereaders and compares their features... everything from ratings on design and memory/battery life to details on size, weight, screen type, document formats, and more! There is also an "ereader configurator" option when you first arrive at the site which asks you questions and recommends some popular ereaders based on your answers.

Wikipedia
When it comes to BIG charts, nothing tops the Wikipedia chart comparing ebook readers. What it lacks in readability, it makes up for in detail. Look here only if you have a few models in mind that you want to compare.

OverDrive's blog
OverDrive's Digital Library Blog tags posts in categories. One of these categories is "ebook readers" and includes device reviews by OverDrive.

OverDrive's Device Resource Center
There are tons of devices out there, but OverDrive tested many of the more popular models for compatibility. OverDrive's list of compatible devices includes details about which file types are compatible or incompatible with each of the listed devices, and links to each device's product page, support page, and price on Google search.

Happy shopping!

(Have a good resource for ereader reviews? Leave it in the comments!)
Techbits 11/29/2011

Movie Night at the Library

2011-11-28T09:35:00.004-06:00

Also mark your calendar for Thursday, December 8th at 6:30 PM. We will be showing a film based on a bestselling book. It’s about three ordinary women in Mississippi during 1962. The novel by Kathryn Stockett was a deeply moving book full of hope, poignancy and humor. Because of our Public Performance Movie License, we can’t list the title here, but to find out stop at the library or call and ask about the movie.

eBook Workshop

2011-11-28T09:35:00.001-06:00

If you missed the ebook reader workshop a couple weeks ago, it is being repeated with more emphasis on hands on experience to download a book to your ebook devise. Bring your questions. We are holding this workshop on Dec 6th at 10AM. Please call and register.
Also having one on Thursday, Dec 15th at 6:30 PM

Holiday Gift Fund Week 2

2011-11-28T09:33:00.002-06:00

The Friends of the Reedsburg Library Holiday Gift Fund is in fill swing already this year. When you present a book or other item to your library, many others will have the opportunity to read it. Here is your chance to do just that. The drive was very successful last year with over $2,000 being donated for the purchase of new materials. Names are posted in the library. This week’s “Thank You” goes out to Neil & Susan Steiner, In Memory of Sarah Pulvermacher & Sean Connolly, Erna Schwartz, Shirley Werner. The Friends of the Library thank you for your continued support.

Beach Boys- 50

2011-11-28T09:32:00.001-06:00

Fifty years ago the Beach Boys (originally called The Pendletones) released their first single, “Surfin” (with “Luau” on the B-side) on Candix Records. The song was written by Brian Wilson and Mike Love and was big hit on the West Coast, although it only peaked at #75 on the national pop charts. The song started a brief surf-pop craze. Today they continue to define California popular culture, our collection includes their music but we have just added a new book by Jon Stebbins. “The Beach Boys FAQ” explains how the band impacted music and pop culture.

Historic Newspaper Sale- Saturday

2011-11-28T09:31:00.002-06:00

Saturday, December 3rd is the day for a once in a lifetime chance to own a piece of Reedsburg’s history. The Friends of the Library will be selling our duplicate bound volumes of the Reedsburg Free Press, Reedsburg Times and Reedsburg Times Press. The sale will include some volumes from 1872 to 1987. Purchase a volume as a gift, or to see what was happening on a loved one’s birth year, anniversary or historic event. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Library.

Discover eBooks

2011-11-28T09:27:00.002-06:00

Do you have an eBook reader or are you deciding whether to ask for one this Christmas? Register now for another session of our “eBooks for you” on Tuesday, December 6th at 10AM or Thursday, December 15 @ 6:30 PM

We also give you an opportunity to download a book from a selection of thousands of FREE library eBooks, to your device.

Comic Con(vention)- Reedsburg Style

2011-11-22T17:04:00.003-06:00

After School is Cool at the Reedsburg Public Library in December
“After School is Cool” is an ongoing program for children in 5th through 8th grades that meets after school on Thursdays until 4:30pm at the Reedsburg Public Library.

The month of December will be a Comic Con(vention): Reedsburg Style.

Each Thursday kids will be able to take home 10 comic books provided by Jordyn Schara’s C4C (Comics 4 Change) program. Jordyn is donating hundreds of comics through her literacy program in honor of Make A Difference Day and GenerationOn's Make Your Mark Week. The students can exchange their comics for 10 different ones the following Thursday . Titles include Wolvervine, Justice League and lots of other DC and Marvel titles.

Dani Rieger, RAHS Art Student, will also be teaching kids how to draw comic book style characters to create their own comic books. All supplies will be provided.

This Comic Con(vention) will be held on December 1st, 8th, 15th and 22nd.

Anderw Carnegie

2011-11-21T10:03:00.002-06:00

Andrew Carnegie often referred as the “Patron Saint of Libraries” was born on November 25, 1835. He donated $56,162,622 for the construction of 2,509 library buildings throughout the world. He donated $40,000,000 for the construction of 1,679 public library buildings in the United States. Sixty Wisconsin communities were the recipients of 63 public library grants from Andrew Carnegie including Reedsburg. We received $10,000 from Andrew Carnegie towards the building of the former library across the street from where we are now.

The red brick and stucco building designed by Claude and Stark was opened on January 1, 1912. Theodore Jones has a photographic history called “Carnegie Libraries Across America”. This book is an illustrated chronicle of the heart of America’s historic public library system. Our former library building is featured in Kristin Visser’s “Frank Lloyd Wright & the Prairie School in Wisconsin”.

Thanksgiving Day Parade

2011-11-21T10:00:00.002-06:00

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade-
85th annual parade starts in Central Park West. 9AM EST.

A part of everyone's Thanksgiving, the parade grows bigger and better each year. Featuring floats, giant balloons, marching bands and famous stars.
Learn more with "America's Parade"at 791.6 in our nonfiction area.

Stan the Man- turns 91 Stan Musial

2011-11-21T09:58:00.002-06:00

November 21st, Stan Musial turned 91 years old. The St. Louis Cardinals legend ranked at or is near the top of baseball’s all-time lists in almost every batting category. He won seven National League batting titles and three MVPs. Stan the Man spent 22 seasons with the Cardinals leading them to three World Series titles. We have the book “Stan Musial, baseball’s perfect knight” in our collection. This book by the Post-Dispatch tells his story from childhood to baseball through archival photos. We also have his 1964 autobiography and the new bestseller by Wayne Stewart. After all of this time, those of you fortunate enough to have see him play or to have listened to those broadcasts on summer nights, can still picture him, like we picture no other. He is America’s greatest living sports hero, a declaration based on more than statistics, an affirmation endorsed by those who have played with him, know him, met him. Baseball has only one “perfect warrior”, one “perfect knight”. He is the one and only “Stan the Man”.

Troy Airman

2011-11-21T09:55:00.002-06:00

Happy 45th Birthday to former football player, Troy Airman. He was born November 21, 1966 in West Covina, CA. We have highlights of his super bowl winning seasons on DVD.

Friends of the Library Holiday Fund Drive

2011-11-21T09:53:00.005-06:00

The Friends of the Library are once again kicking off their annual Holiday Gift Fund Drive. When you present a book or other item to your library, many others will have the opportunity to enjoy it. Here is your chance to do just that. The drive was very successful last year for the purchase of new materials. Names of contributors are posted at the library. This week a “Thank You” goes out to Elliott Steiner, Penelope Steiner, Adam Steiner, Isaac Steiner, Phoebe Steiner, Dave & Sandy Champeau, Judith Stoeckmann, Lisa Petersen, and Maureen Palmer. The Friends of the Library thank you for your continued support.

Life Magazine

2011-11-21T09:53:00.002-06:00

Life Magazine turned 75 on November 23rd. To celebrate we have on display in the lobby case magazines featuring many of the different covers throughout the years. Viewing the collection you will see what Life does best, photography. For more iconic images we have the books “Life: The Platinum Collection” and “Life: The Classic Collection”. Both books are a nostalgic delight for photography and history bluffs. The images speak for themselves.

eBook Reader Class

2011-11-21T09:51:00.003-06:00

Do you have an eBook reader or are you deciding whether to ask for one this Christmas? Register now for another session of our “eBooks for you” on Tuesday, December 6th at 10AM. We also give you an opportunity to download a book from a selection of thousands of FREE library eBooks, to your device.

Newspapers For Sale

2011-11-21T09:48:00.003-06:00

Do you need an extra special gift for the holidays this season, a high school sports picture, an ad for a classic car or would you like to honor a loved one’s birth year, anniversary or other historic event. If these sound like good ideas come to our newspaper sale on Saturday, December 3rd from 9AM-1PM. The Friends of the Library are offering you a chance to own a piece of Reedsburg’s history. We are offering our duplicate bound volumes of the Reedsburg newspapers from 1872 to 1987. Each bound volume covers a year in Reedsburg’s history. That is over 100 bound volumes that would make a great gift to walk down memory lane or use for art and craft projects.

Teddy Bear Anniversary

2011-11-16T10:30:00.003-06:00

Nov 18, 1902.
The Washington Evening Star published a cartoon on this day showing President Teddy Roosevelt while he was on a hunting trip in Mississippi refusing to shoot a mother bear. Candy store operator Morris Michtom and his wife of Brooklyn, New York obtained the president's permission to use his name on their brown plush toy bear. While stuffed bears had been available for many years, this was the first to be called a teddy bear.

For more information we have many books about Theodore Roosevelt.

But did you know: I have been to the the location of his hunting trip in Mississippi?

Mickey Mouse Birthday

2011-11-16T10:27:00.002-06:00

November 18, 1928
The comical activities of the squeaky-voiced Mickey Mouse first appeared on this date. At the Colony Theatre in New York City. Walt Disney's Steamboat Willie was the first animated cartoon talking picture. We have his first appearance on DVD.

Lewis and Clark Expedition Reaches Pacific Ocean

2011-11-16T10:22:00.002-06:00

Nov 16, 1805
Lewis and Clark
Reaches Pacific Ocean

Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific Ocean on this date. They had glimpsed it on Nov 7, moving Clark to write in his journal: "Great joy in Camp! We are in view of the ocean, this great Pacific Ocean which we have been been so anxious to see. And the roaring or noise of the waves breaking on the rocky shores.. may be heard distinctly".

Learn more about Lewis and Clark trip at 978 in our Nonfiction Collection. We also have the book "Rediscovering Lewis and Clark-A Journey With the Rooney Family" by
Daniel M. Rooney, owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Georgia OKeeffe

2011-11-15T08:54:00.002-06:00

November 15, 1887

Georgia O'Keeffe Birth Anniversary

Dsecribed as one of the greatest American artists of the 20th century, O'Keeffe painted desert landscapes and flower studies. Born at Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, she was married to the famous photographer Alfred Stieglitz. She died at Santa Fe, New Mexico, March 6, 1986.

For more information try "My Name is Georgia" by Jeanette Winter.

Newspaper Sale

2011-11-14T10:52:00.001-06:00

Also mark your calendar for Saturday, December 3rd from 9AM- 1PM, we are offering a once in a lifetime chance to own a piece of Reedsburg’s history. We are offering our duplicate bound volumes of the Reedsburg Free Press, Reedsburg Times and Reedsburg Times-Press for sale. The sale will include volumes from 1872 to 1987. Purchase a bound year as gifts to see what was happening on a loved one’s birth year, anniversary or historic event. Check out what things cost back when or take a walk down memory lane with vintage products and advertisements. Remember antique paper and vintage ads make great art and craft projects. Proceeds benefit the Friends of the Library.

Thanksgiving Hours

2011-11-14T10:51:00.003-06:00

Remember that the Library closes early on Thanksgiving Eve, November 23rd at 6 PM. The library will be closed on Thanksgiving Day, November 24th. The library book drop is always open to return library books and other materials. The outside book drop is located on the Locust Street side of the building. Items may also be renewed or requested through LINKcat, using our online catalog. A link to it can be found on our web site.

Go Big Book Discussion

2011-11-14T10:51:00.001-06:00

Join us on Tuesday, November 22 @ 6:30 PM as our evening book group will be discussing “Enrique’s Journey” by Sonia Nazario. Nazario tells the story of Enrique's odyssey to find his mother, after she left him with family in Honduras to go to the U.S. to provide a better life for him. Copies of the book are on display at the library. This selection is this year’s Go Big Read book and will be moderated by UW-Madison graduate students.

LinkCat Survey Ends Friday

2011-11-14T10:50:00.000-06:00

What do you like about LINKCat? What could make it better? Share your feedback by completing the online survey (on our web site) before November 18. The survey should take 5-10 minutes to complete. Your input will help us prioritize future improvements.

Civil War & Lincoln Program- Thursday

2011-11-14T10:49:00.001-06:00

Join the Friends of the Library as we celebrate the Civil War Sesquicentennial on Thursday, November 17th at 7 PM. Reedsburg High School History Teacher Dave Moon will be presenting a look at Abraham Lincoln & the Civil War. The Civil War is remembered as the most dramatic period in the history of the United States. Sectional arguments about slavery, economic policies, and the proper roles for state and national government caused a conflict that would lead to death and change the nation. At the center of this time was President Lincoln. Discover Thursday night how Lincoln with little military experience, was able to prosecute the war to a successful end. How he became known as the “Great Emancipator”. Also discover how Lincoln was able to see sooner and clearer than anyone else that the Civil War, at its heart, was fought to protect government of the people, and for the people.

Fiction with a Thanksgiving Setting

2011-11-08T09:27:00.005-06:00

Fiction with a Thanksgiving Setting

Douglas Hobbie The Day
Truman Capote The Thanksgiving Visitor
Gerson Land is Bright
Anthony Bruno Bad Apple
Marilyn Pappano Season for Miracles
Julie Edelson Courting Disaster
Terry Coleman Thanksgiving
Mary Daheim Alpine Fury
Joanne Dobson Raven and the Nightingale
Jane Haddam Feast of Death
Lee Harris The Thanksgiving Day Murder
Margaret Maron Up Jumps the Devil
Kempreous Mayflower Murder
Leslie Meier Turkey Day Murder
Sarah Shaber Snipe Hunt
Stewart Fair Vision
William Martin Cape Cod

Civil War Program-Thursday Nov 17

2011-11-07T09:52:00.004-06:00

Mark your calendar for next week as the Friends of the Library will commemorate the Civil War Sesquicentennial. By hosting Reedsburg High School History Teacher Dave Moon, on Thursday, November 17th at 7 PM. You know about the Civil War and at the center was President Abraham Lincoln. Join us and learn how a politician from Illinois became the “Great Emancipator” and how with little military experience he was able to bring the war to a successful end. This will be a great time to discover Abraham Lincoln because Saturday, November 19 is the anniversary of his famous Gettysburg Address. In 1863 seventeen acres of the Civil War battlefield at Gettysburg were dedicated as a national cemetery. The address Lincoln delivered in less than two minutes was later recognized as one of the most eloquent of the English language.

World Series on DVD

2011-11-07T09:52:00.003-06:00

Now that the World Series games are complete, you can still watch more your baseball. We have some of the greatest World Series games on DVD. We have the Minnesota Twins of 1987, Boston Red Sox of 2007, Arizona Diamondbacks of 2001, New York Yankees of 1977 and more. Included is a complete broadcast of the series game with most spectacular plays. Also included is every dramatic inning, every powerful pitch and every key hit. Later this year we will be adding 2011 World Series one of the greatest series of all time; maybe you will see me in the stands in game 2.

Veterans Day

2011-11-07T09:52:00.001-06:00

Veterans Day is a time to honor the men and women who are and have served in our armed forces. November 11th is the anniversary of the Armistice, which ended the First World War after years of conflict. President Wilson issued his Armistice Day proclamation and his last paragraph set the tone for future observances:“To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nation”. We have on display some books about military branches and soldiers of the past. Come in and check it out.

eBook Workshop Thursday

2011-11-07T09:50:00.003-06:00

You hear about e-books, Nooks and Kindles in the news. Now on Thursday, November 10 at 6:30 PM you will get the chance to see what they are all about. What eBook reader’s look like, how easy it is to read the screen and more. Maybe you are trying to decide whether to ask for a “Nook” or a “Kindle” or another eBook reader for Christmas? Come and learn which one might best fit your needs. You will also discover how the library loans readers and through “Overdrive”, also loans titles for your e-reader.

Edmund Fitzgerald

2011-11-03T08:27:00.002-05:00

Nov. 10, 1975- Edmund Fitzgerald Sinking. The ore carrier broke in two during a heavy storm in Lake Superior. There was no survivors of this, the worst Great lakes ship disaster of the decade, which took the lives of 29 crew members. Check out our display of books on this event.

Badlands National Park- Established

2011-11-03T08:25:00.001-05:00

Nov. 10, 1978- South Dakota's Badlands National Monument, authorized March 4, 1929, was establishedas a national park and preserve.

Learn more about South Dakota at 917.83 in our nonfiction collection

Area Codes Introduced- 60 yrs ago

2011-11-03T08:18:00.003-05:00

Area Codes Introduced: 60th Anniversary

Nov 10, 1951

The North American Numbering Plan, which provided area codes for Canada, the US and many Caribbean nations, was devised in 1947 by AT&T and Bell Labs. However, all long-distance calls were operator-assisted. On this date, the mayor of Englewood, NJ, direct-dialed the major of Alameda, CA, using his area code. By 1960 all telephone customers could dial long-distance calls.

Need to learn about the father of the telephone, we have books about Alexander Graham Bell. He was born in 1847 in Scotland. Did he get the credit for the telephone after peeking at someone elses work? Try the book "The Telephone Gambit" by Seth Shulman.