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YA Stories by and About Indigenous People
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These books honor the contributions of the world's Indigenous peoples—the descendants of a given region's original inhabitants—and the cultural heritage with which they continue to identify. As a way to engage with authentic representations of the Indigenous cultures of the United States, these great titles feature Native American characters, authors, and stories.

Special Topics and Award Books
July 25, 2017

"Beautiful like the chance meeting on a dissection table of a sewing machine and an umbrella." —Compte de Lautréamont

Is it possible for an art movement to be anti-art? What would such a movement (anti-movement?) even look like? For the founders of DADA, which grew out of the aftermath of World War I in Europe, the answer is disruption—of society, of culture, and of art itself. 

Think Library , Create, History, Nonfiction, Poetry
July 25, 2017

Need a book for the road trip, the beach, or the pool? Try our Staff Picks for Teens. Better yet—come see us in person in The Ground Floor at the Downtown Library, the Ellettsville Branch, or on the Bookmobile. We love talking about books, and can help you find one that makes you laugh, cry, or get transported to a far-off world (or all three!).

Becky: "I loved The Hate U Give—the story pulled me in quickly and had an emotional punch. My cry count ended up at twelve. The characters felt real, the dialogue was fast-paced, and the plot was very intense. SO GOOD! Have you read it yet? Try the audiobook!"
 
Think Library, Teens, Reviews
July 23, 2017
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During the first half of the twentieth century, thousands of Russians suffered fates much worse than life-long imprisonment. Joseph Stalin sent many artists, writers, and politicos to the Gulag—or killed them outright.

This is the fictional story of Count Rostov, an educated aristocrat devoted to the literary arts, who found after the first Russian Revolution that being a count was not only illegal, but dangerous. The Count traveled to Paris, and unlike many of his contemporaries visiting abroad, decided to return home. But in the 1920s, under Stalin's Article 58 banning counterrevolution, Rostov stood before a tribunal, and was sentenced to permanent imprisonment at the luxury Metropol Hotel—for writing a poem that he never wrote.

Reviews, Think Library , Fiction, Friendship, History
July 19, 2017
Women's Equality Day commemorates the passage of the 19th amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote.
Adults
July 17, 2017
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It's a life-changing experience in adulthood when you begin to see your mother and father as individuals, separate from their parenting roles.

Richard Ford wrote a memoir of his father decades ago, as well as one of his mother, penned more recently. Now, in this joint memoir, he again remembers his parents, Parker and Edna, who both grew up in Arkansas.

Think Library, Reviews , Biography & Memoir, Family
July 10, 2017

America celebrates National Ice Cream Day each third Sunday of July, first declared in 1984 by President Ronald Reagan. He also called for “appropriate ceremonies and activities”—we think the Library is a great place to start.

Cooking
July 7, 2017

world-population.pngPHOTO: ANDERS SANDBERG

July 11 is UN World Population Day, harkening back to 1987’s “Day of Five Billion,” when the United Nations sought to highlight population growth and development issues. The response worldwide was massive, so the UN decided to make the date a yearly reminder that issues of family, human rights, poverty, health, environment, and development are problems with deep roots needing deep commitment.

Think Library , Learn
July 7, 2017

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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 Downtown Library. “We wanted them to think creatively and practically about the possibilities of virtual reality, and incorporate it into their own projects and ideas.”

Think Library , Create, Science
June 27, 2017

You don’t need much to practice yoga–just a mat, maybe a strap and a couple of yoga blocks, and some yoga books and DVDs from our collection to guide you.

Here’s a sampling in celebration of International Yoga Day June 21. Namaste!

Topical Guides
June 21, 2017
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Several books use the concept of a magical door to provide characters entry into other worlds, or to better places in this one. Exit West, a timely novel about refugees by Man Booker Prize winner Mohsin Hamid, employs this device—but because of the power of his plotting and beauty of his prose, it's highly believable.

The novel begins when a young man, Saeed, meets Nadia in an adult evening class in an unnamed country at some point in the near future. Civil war wracks the country; terrorists and militants roam the streets.

Reviews, Think Library , Fiction, Diversity
June 14, 2017
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LEGO fans love to collect pieces in all shapes and sizes—the more the better. Find projects for them all: try these books for even more creative LEGO-ing inspiration!

Awesome LEGO Creations with Bricks You Already Have : 50 New Robots, Dragons, Race Cars, Planes, Wild Animals and Other Exciting Projects to Build Imaginative Worlds Sarah Dees

“Turn your pile of LEGO bricks into a day of fun! This unique activity book has step-by-step instructions and tons of photos to teach you how to build all-new and totally awesome robots and a robot lab, race cars to race your friends and jet planes to zoom across the room at lightning speed or fit in your pocket for on-the-go play.” —Publisher

Kids
June 14, 2017

These library books will help you learn to care for a wide variety of animal companions--in addition to cats and dogs, you can find books on snakes, chickens, horses and more!

Topical Guides
June 12, 2017

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PHOTO: JOOMLATOOLS

Learning a language for the first time, or brushing up on one you already know—the Library has all you need to make your journey as easy as possible. We offer a variety of resources, including books, audiobooks, apps, and in-person classes, to meet the needs of different learning styles (including for people learning English, through VITAL, the Library's adult education unit). 

Think Library
June 10, 2017

Sample from Victor Oolitic Stone CompanyDid you know that the Empire State Building is built with limestone from Monroe County?  The Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Circle in Indianapolis, the Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, Tribune Tower in Chicago, the Lincoln Memorial in D.C., and a host of other buildings and statues, including our own Library Bears—all use limestone from local quarries.  You can travel all over the country to see some of these amazing creations—or you can stay right here in Monroe County, and enjoy a perfectly awe-inspiring view of beautifully crafted stonework.

 
Think Library
June 10, 2017