Ryan S.'s blog

Honor Black Women's History All Year Long

Black Women's History Month may be winding down, but honoring the voices and achievements of black women in our community and our world doesn't end when April's over. As always, the Library is your go-to place for great books and movies on important topics like black women's history. For your fiction and nonfiction reading pleasure, we've compiled a list of recent titles by or about strong black women who have changed the world.

Posted by Ryan S. on April 26, 2018
Black Girls Rock!: Owning Our Magic, Rocking Our Truth
For the Love of Reading
Information, Answers & Reviews

It's Official: We're Dementia Friendly

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Ask anybody: between our vision of an inclusive, engaged community and the value we place on respect and service, the Library's the friendliest place in town. Just recently, in fact, we got the attention of Dementia Friendly Indiana, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with dementia, for the work we do to welcome and support this audience.

Posted by Ryan S. on March 29, 2018
Information, Answers & Reviews

Music Review: First Aid Kit

The first time I heard First Aid Kit, composed of doe-eyed Swedish sisters Klara and Johanna Söderberg, I had stumbled across their melancholic ballad "Ghost Town" on an episode of NPR’s Echoes. From the very first, when I heard them croon, “Maybe I should just turn around and walk away / For no matter how much I want to stay / You know I can’t / It’s just too late”, I was hooked. How could two people so young tap so ably into the defeated resignation that comes with the death of dreams? I explored more of their music, and with the 2014 breakout album Stay Gold, I was hooked on the Söderbergs' angelic harmonies, piercing lyrics, and ability to render even cover songs into something distinctly theirs.
 

Posted by Ryan S. on January 30, 2018
Ruins
Music
Sights and Sounds

First-Ever Virtual Reality Camp an Adventure for Tech Fans

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When the Library introduced a virtual reality console to its Digital Creativity Center last year, Jeannette Lehr wanted to do more than just demonstrate its entertainment value.

“We didn’t want people to think of VR as something to passively consume, or just some tech novelty,” said Jeannette, who coordinates programming for Level Up at the Main Library. “We wanted them to think creatively and practically about the possibilities of virtual reality, and incorporate it into their own projects and ideas.”

Posted by Ryan S. on June 27, 2017
Technology

Library Award: Voters Are the Winners

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When the Library hosted our Power of Words author event with Congressman John Lewis back in the fall of 2015, we were honored to present an American Civil Rights icon and the co-authors of March, Lewis's National Book Award-winning graphic novel chronicling his life and struggle for justice. Along with our partners the Friends of the Library and Indiana University, we felt Lewis's appearance was a powerful and timely inspiration—not to mention a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity—for ordinary people wishing to make a difference.

Posted by Ryan S. on May 19, 2017
Be a Voter!

Review: Universal Harvester

This is the second novel from Bloomington-born author John Darnielle, known also for the past twenty-five years as the songwriter in his band the Mountain Goats. While Universal Harvester’s trailer video [YouTube] suggests a horror story, the only slight chills come from the unexpected shifts between third and first person narration. And the eeriness is almost comforting, providing a profound depth and hopefulness to lives that may outwardly appear unremarkable.

Posted by Ryan S. on May 15, 2017
Universal Harvester: A Novel
Fiction
Information, Answers & Reviews

Dropkick Murphys: Kiss Them, They’re Irish

Well, maybe not quite.

Listening to the Dropkick Murphys, I’m swept into their Irish-Catholic South Boston neighborhood. The sense of place in their rough-and-tumble songs is simply that strong—and not just on account of the accent coming through in the vocals.

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The Murphys are a curious blend of genres: they’re described as both hardcore punk and Celtic folk, and you can definitely hear both in their music. I’d add unapologetically, jubilantly brash. And raucous. Irreverent. Throbbing with life, vitality, emotion, even a little death. Not above making fun of themselves.

And prolific. This year’s 11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory, peaking at number eight on the U.S. Billboard charts, follows a dozen releases by the Murphys since 1998. You may

Posted by Ryan S. on March 13, 2017
11 Short Stories of Pain & Glory
Sights and Sounds

You're Registered to Vote... Right?

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PHOTO: TONI BLAY

Sure, with Midterm Elections not coming up until 2018, it's a bit early to be thinking about heading to the polls. But don't take your rights and duties as a citizen for granted—a few minutes of "vote prep" now can head off needless obstacles to making your voice heard on Election Day.

Even if you're registered to vote, there are some things you need to think about:

Posted by Ryan S. on March 9, 2017
Be a Voter!

Don't Miss These "Best of 2016" Book Lists

The wave of best-of-2016 lists on the internet has subsided, leaving recommendations for book lovers of all reading interests to wade through and enjoy. You’ve probably seen a number of this year’s must-read lists in the usual places (Recommended Reads for 2016 by Library Staff, anyone?); here’s a “list of lists” from sources you may not have considered.

Posted by Ryan S. on January 9, 2017
For the Love of Reading

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