When You Trap a Tiger

Lily’s grandmother, Halmoni, would tell Lily and her sister Sam fantastic stories filled with stars, tigers, and magic whenever they’d visit. But when Halmoni gets sick and Lily and her family move in, the stories have a way of becoming real! Lily soon starts to see a mysterious tiger around their town which prompts her to make a desperate plan to trap the tiger to save Halmoni! 

When You Trap a Tiger by Tae Keller is a beautiful story that left me daydreaming about the origin of stories, the meaning of family, and the importance of heritage.

There are so many things to love about this book––the connection to Korean culture, the love of storytelling prevalent throughout the novel, the gentle coming-of-age themes, and the beautiful messages about family and coping with the imminent death of a loved one––it is no surprise that it won the 2021 John Newbery Medal! 

Recommended for readers ages 10–14. 

––Reviewed by Kim B., Children’s Librarian

Library Announces New Assistant Director of Public Services

Library Announces Josh Wolf as New Assistant Director of Public Services

We are excited to announce Josh Wolf as our inaugural Assistant Director of Public Services! We sat down with Josh to talk about the new role and his history at the Library.

 

Q. How long have you worked at the Library?

A. I've worked here for over 14 years, first as the Children's Services Manager from 2007 until 2015, then as the Community and Customer Engagement Manager, supervising a variety of public services staff. Before coming here, I was in children's services at Bartholomew County Public Library and Johnson County Public Library in Indiana, and at Fairfax County Public Library in Virginia. I've been working in public libraries since 1999!

 

Q. This position is new to our Library. Can you tell us more about the role of Assistant Director of Public Services?

A. This role supports all of our public services managers, ensuring that they're working in the same direction across our various audiences and locations to achieve the goals of our strategic plan and our vision for serving the community. I provide support through training, mentoring, and direct supervision.

 

Q. What’s your favorite thing about our Library?

A. My favorite thing is how well it is integrated within our community. Our vision is for a "knowledgeable, inclusive, diverse, and engaged community empowered by the Library" and all of our programs and services are directed towards that. I'm humbled by the amazing ideas put forward every day by our staff and partners. Each one of them brings us closer to achieving that vision.

 

Q. How did your position as a children’s librarian prepare you for this new role?

A. In order to deliver the best service, successful children's librarians endeavor to meet all ages and communication styles where they’re at in any given situation. On a certain level, that requires approaching your most serious work as play, drawing energy from that approach, and sharing it with the people you work with.

 

Q. What are you most looking forward to in the next couple of years?

A. I'm excited to develop new training programs for our staff and managers. We have a new structure for public services and are in the early stages of a revised approach to training, which will help us deliver better services than ever. I'm also excited about supporting the development of new programs and services through the lens of equity and inclusion. Monroe County is such a beautifully diverse community and our staff and partners are passionate about reflecting that diversity.

 

We believe Josh’s leadership experience and his passion for patron service and libraries will greatly serve the Library now and in the future.

Black Friday Deals at Your Library

Black Friday Deals

Black Friday only comes around once a year, but our deals are available every day! There’s no need to shop around––eBooks, movies, music, it's all free. Every day. All year long with your library card!

Stream Adele’s brand new album 30 on Freegal Music! Freegal offers unlimited streaming of over 16 million songs, including Sony Music's entire catalog of legendary artists. You can also download five free songs a week!

Check out New York Times Bestselling titles from Libby! Like the thriller The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave or The Midnight Library by Matt Haig! Libby also offers thousands of audiobooks, magazines, and videos. Enjoy them online, or watch on your personal device.

Additionally, Libby offers over 3,000 magazine titles including Bon Appetit, Architectural Digest, The New Yorker, and more. All magazines are available simultaneously and don't count towards your checkout limit.

Planning a movie night? Stream over 30,000 films with Kanopy, including the Academy Award-winning Parasite. Available films include classics, contemporary art, indie films, documentaries, and educational videos. KanopyKids also offers over 1,000 children’s videos from PBS, Weston Woods, Paramount, and other publishers––including Sesame Street. KanopyKids videos don’t count towards your limit.

Hoopla Digital is your one-stop shop for eBooks, audiobooks, comic books, TV shows, and music. You can borrow and stream thousands of titles with no waiting at all. On Hoopla, you’ll find all seven books in the Harry Potter series available as eBooks and audiobooks! Ready for some binge watching? Check out Hoopla’s selection of BBC television series titles and their Hallmark holiday movies!

These are just a few of our eLibrary resources! You can view our entire eLibrary here! New to the website? Here’s what you need to access eLibrary digital resources, like ebooks, audiobooks, movies, music, and more!

Also, don’t forget that our deals go beyond digital. Make sure to explore our physical collections before you spend your hard-earned money––and browse our Library of Things to learn about our items that expand the boundaries of traditionally defined library materials, including iPads, toys, Adventure Backpacks, Role-Playing Game Kits, mobile hotspots, and much more!

Wordless Picture Books

Wordless Picture Books

A wordless picture book? Not everyone is skilled at improv, so how do you read without words?

According to Reading Rockets––a wonderful national public media literacy initiative offering information and resources on how young kids learn to read, why so many struggle, and how caring adults can help––sharing wordless books is a terrific way to build important literacy skills. This includes listening skills, vocabulary, comprehension, and increased awareness of how stories are structured.

When it comes to wordless picture books, you and your reader are the narrators. First, knowing that there's no wrong or right way to read one often helps alleviate the pressure you and your reader might be feeling. So how does it work? The reader uses the vocabulary they do know to create an oral tale of what is illustrated on the pages in their own words. It's really fun because the tale can change from reading to reading! Once they get started, children love wordless picture books. Wordless picture books are a role reversal where the young reader is the storyteller rather than the adult. Try exploring this wonderful genre of picture books and give your young reader the chance to tell you a story.

Here are a few of Children's Librarian Amy Caswell's favorite wordless picture books.

 

Journey by Aaron Becker

Journey A lonely girl draws a magic door on her bedroom wall and through it escapes into a world where wonder, adventure, and danger abound. Red marker in hand, she creates a boat, a balloon, and a flying carpet that carry her on a spectacular journey toward an uncertain destiny. This wordless picture book is about self-determination—and unexpected friendship.

 

 

Pancakes for Breakfast by Tomie de Paola

Pancakes for Breakfast On a cold morning, a little old lady decides to make pancakes for breakfast, but has a hard time finding all of the ingredients. This wordless picture book tells a story of determination and humor, ideal for young readers who can narrate the story as they go.

 

 

Have You Seen My Duckling? By Nancy Tafuri

Have You Seen My Duckling? Mother duck needs help to find her mischievous missing duckling in this Caldecott Honor Book. She asks the other pond animals for help (though the missing one is never lost, only cleverly concealed in each picture).

 

A Wolf for a Spell

Young wolf, Zima, has always been told by her pack-mates that humans and witches are evil, dangerous beings that should be attacked at first sight. Yet, when a young girl ventures into the woods with the aim of running away from the orphanage in town, Zima can't bring herself to attack the girl. A legendary witch, Baba Yaga, witnesses Zima's hesitance and decides that Zima is exactly the wolf she needs to help her. But are Baba Yaga's intentions really as evil as Zima's pack has always told her?

This spin on the classic Russian folktales of Baba Yaga will have you guessing what twist and turn will take place next as storylines entangle and long-held secrets unfold. This tale is perfect for readers who love fairy tales and folktales and themes of family and friendship. Recommended for ages 8–12.

Reviewed by Ginny H.

Library Receives Digital Equity Grant for Meeting Room Cameras

Recover Forward Bloomington

The City of Bloomington Information & Technology Services Department (ITS) awarded $50,000 in digital equity grants to support nine Bloomington-based nonprofit organizations in their efforts to bridge the digital divide for residents.

The Library received a $1,000 grant to purchase a Meeting Owl Pro 360-degree camera for public meeting room use. This easy-to-use device combines a camera, mic, and speaker, creating the experience of in-person participation for hybrid meetings. The new technology will provide patrons with a simple and accessible tool to bridge the gap between those who can attend meetings onsite and those who can't.

“The Library's public meeting rooms are one of our most popular and diverse resources,” said Associate Director Grier Carson. “Meeting rooms are used for public speakers, literary programming, performances, cultural events, and local organization and club meetings, among other things, but seating capacity can be limited. Since the onset of the pandemic, we've seen a sharp increase in requests for hybrid capabilities.”

The camera will be available for use in Library meeting rooms in February 2022. Patrons who do not have broadband internet access and/or computing devices at home can also check out Library iPads and wireless hotspots, which were funded through last year's grant.

“We see this as a continuation of our efforts to help more Monroe County residents develop necessary digital citizenry skills and confidence,” said Carson. “Patrons can currently seek help with basic computer skills through our VITAL adult learner program.”

Meeting room space is available free of charge during open library hours to all Monroe County organizations and local units of government. Some rooms at the Downtown Library are also available to local businesses for a fee. To reserve space, you must have a library card and be at least 18 years old.

Now in its second year, the grant program is funded through Mayor John Hamilton’s Recover Forward initiative to help Bloomington recover from the pandemic and economic collapse, and advance racial, economic, and climate justice. “We are glad to partner with these nonprofits to decrease the digital disparities their clients experience,” said Hamilton.

Big Library Read: "Five Total Strangers"

Five Total Strangers; Big Library Read, November 1–15, 2021; She thought being stranded was the worst thing that could happen. She was wrong. Libby, the library reading app.

From November 1–15, book lovers can read Five Total Strangers by New York Times-bestselling author Natalie D. Richards, as part of The Big Library Read, the world's largest digital book club!

The Big Library Read is available at over 21,000 libraries and thousands of schools around the world. During the event timeframe, library cardholders can download this page-turning YA thriller with no waitlist as an ebook or eaudiobook via the Libby app. The title will automatically expire at the end of the lending period. Learn more about how to use Libby with your library card

In Five Total Strangers, when Mira flies home to spend Christmas with her mother in Pittsburgh, a record-breaking blizzard results in a canceled layover. Desperate to get to her grief-ridden mother in the wake of a family death, Mira hitches a ride with Harper, Mira's glamorous seatmate from her initial flight. Harper and her three friends can drop Mira off on their way home. But as they set off, Mira realizes fellow travelers are all total strangers. And every one of them is hiding something. Soon, roads go from slippery to terrifying. People's belongings are mysteriously disappearing. Someone in the car is clearly lying, and may even be sabotaging the trip―but why? Can Mira make it home alive, or will this nightmare drive turn fatal?

After reading the book, you can discuss it online with readers around the world! You can also join a live virtual event with the author on November 8 at 2 PM. A lifelong Ohioan, Natalie D. Richards spent many years applying her writing skills to stunningly boring business documents. Fortunately, she realized she’s much better at making things up, and has been writing YA books ever since. A champion of aspiring authors, Richards is a frequent speaker at schools, libraries, and writing groups.

Five Total Strangers was published as an ebook by Sourcebooks and as an audiobook by Dreamscape. It is the 26th selection of the program, which began in 2013 and takes place three times a year. Use #biglibraryread on social media for a chance to win Libby swag, a tablet, and signed books by the author! To learn more, visit Big Library Read's website.

Want to learn more about our local book clubs for all ages? Visit our book club webpages for information on book club kits, and in-person and virtual clubs.

Family Literacy Month

Family Literacy Month Raffle Giveaway

November is National Family Literacy Month––an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the important role that families play in the education of their children. This month we encourage you to explore our literacy resources and visit the Library with your family!

Family Literacy Month Giveaway

One of our favorite sets of children’s book characters is the timeless Frog and Toad. Arnold Lobel wrote and illustrated countless children’s books and received several awards for his work, including a Caldecott Medal, two Caldecott Honors, and a Newbery Honor.

In support of Family Literacy Month, we’re giving away 40 copies of the classic early reader, Frog and Toad are Friends. We are also giving away two gift cards for a pair of one adult and one child tickets to Cardinal Stage's upcoming production of A Year with Frog and Toad!

Many of us grew up with Frog and Toad in our homes, so it’s exciting to share their adventures with a new generation. You can enter the giveaway at the Ellettsville Branch Library or the Downtown Library’s children’s information desk now through November 30.

Volunteers in Tutoring Adult Learners

According to ProLiteracy, the single greatest indicator of children’s success is the literacy level of their parents. Family Literacy Month encourages caregivers to prioritize their own education so they can be more engaged in their children’s learning and literacy development.

One way we support adult literacy is through Volunteers in Tutoring Adult Learners (VITAL). VITAL provides a safe and respectful learning environment for adults who want to improve their reading, writing, math, basic computer, or English-language skills. It offers tutoring, English language groups, and helps learners prepare for the high school equivalency exam, driver's license test, and citizenship test. Learn more about VITAL.

Family Literacy Events and Resources

Working on your tween’s or teen’s literacy skills? Encourage their love of reading by helping them find the right books. Our librarians are here to help! Stop by for suggestions in person, browse our staff picks lists online, or request a personalized recommendation!

Being literate means knowing how to read and write; however, knowing where stories come from and how they can be told through music, dance, and live performance is another important piece of literacy. Exposure to different experiences, stories, and forms of literature aids in building background knowledge of the world and it fosters comprehension. Our First Theater Experiences events support literacy by introducing young children to the joys and benefits of attending plays, music, dance, storytelling, and other performances. Make sure to check out this month’s Junie B. Jones is Not a Crook play!

Many of our children’s librarians are trained in Every Child Ready to Read (ECRR), a national early literacy organization based on scientific research. ECRR encourages engaging with our children in daily doses of singing, talking, reading, writing, and playing. We incorporate literacy and the five daily ECRR practices into all of our early childhood events, whether it’s storytime, baby time, arts and crafts, or sensory play! Explore our birth–age 6 events and resources online. Virtual events are available for you to enjoy at your convenience! You can also pick up a monthly calendar of ECRR activities to do at home at any of our locations.

For more opportunities to learn as a family, you can visit the StoryWalk® and join our 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program! The StoryWalk® is an outdoor educational activity that places the pages from a children’s story along a walking route at a local park. We have StoryWalk locations in Bloomington and Ellettsville!

1,000 Books Before Kindergarten is a free program that encourages you to read 1,000 books with your child before they start kindergarten. 1,000 books is just one bedtime story a night for three years! Learn more.

 

Free RPG Day: October 16

Trial of the Wolf Girls: a mini adventure gamebook

Saturday, October 16 is Free RPG Day! During this nationwide event, gamers and publishers come together to celebrate adventure role-playing games by giving away free stuff. Here’s what we have to celebrate!

Tween Book Giveaway

Visit the Tween Space at the Downtown Library on October 16 to pick up a free copy of Trial of the Wolf Girls, a choose-your-own-adventure-style fantasy gamebook written by a local author. These will be available until supplies are gone!

RPG Kits Available for Checkout

When it comes to our Role-Playing Game Kits, every day is Free RPG Day! Each kit includes everything you need to play––a core rulebook, an adventure module, the required dice, and some pre-generated characters. We have a wide range of different systems (and multiple adventures) for both new and veteran players! RPG Kits can be found in our Library of Things at the Downtown Library (or put on hold for pickup at any location) and check out for 21 days at a time.

D&D Library Talk Podcast

Curious about role-playing games but not sure where to start? D&D Library Talk is our podcast all about the ins and outs of RPG systems, like Dungeons and Dragons. Episodes offer tips on how everyone can enjoy the game, whether as a player or game master. The podcast features Teen Librarian Sam Ott, Senior Information Assistant Laura Wise, and library volunteer and game designer Scott Murray. It is edited and with music by Andrew Slater. Start listening now!

RPG Events and Resources

We also offer free RPG events for teens and tweens! Go on adventures with friends at D&D clubs with online and in-person sessions––and at Miniature Painting 101, we’ll show you how to paint miniatures to use on your quests! View upcoming related events.

In addition to self-contained RPG kits, our collection contains a variety of RPG-related books. From guides on different RPG systems and instruction books on how to draw adventure maps, to RPG-based novels, there’s lots to explore! Library staff is always available to help you navigate our collection––just stop by any information desk, give us a call, or chat with us online. You can also use our personalized recommendation request forms!

Lia & Luis Who Has More?

Brazilian American siblings explore math concepts while trying to figure out who has more of their favorite snack. This story includes Portuguese vocabulary along with various measuring terms such as more, less, heavier, lighter, and eventually...equal! This includes a glossary for the Portuguese words used and tips for exploring math concepts with children. Recommended for children ages 3–6.

Reviewed by Christa S.

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