Cheshire Library

The Best Audiobooks of 2017 (a subjective list)

/ Louise / Leave a comment

The editors of AudioFile Magazine have released their selections for Best Audiobooks of 2017. AudioFile is a publication that reviews and recommends audiobooks, taking into account all the things that make an audiobook enjoyable: a great story, of course, but also the skillful pacing, structure, and narration that make them worth listening to.  (Full disclosure: I am a reviewer for AudioFile, mainly for romance books, and I have received free audiobooks from them to provide honest reviews). I have perused the dozens of audiobooks selected as “best”, and winnowed them down to three favorites in six categories, click on the titles to read more about each one. Consider this a jumping off point, audiophiles!

GENERAL FICTION

  • Beartown by Frederik Backman, read by Marin Ireland.
  • Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward, read by Kelvin Harrison, Jr., Rutina Wesley, Chris Chalk.
  • Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders, read by Nick Offerman, David Sedaris and George Saunders, with a full cast that includes Carrie Brownstein, Don Cheadle, Kat Dennings, Lena Dunham, Bill Hader, Miranda July, Mary Karr, Keegan-Michael Key, Julianne Moore, Megan Mullally, Mike O’Brien, Susan Sarandon, Ben Stiller, Jeffrey Tambor, Jeff Tweedy, Bradley Whitford, Patrick Wilson, and Rainn Wilson.

MYSTERY & SUSPENSE

SCI-FI, FANTASY, HORROR

ROMANCE

YA FICTION

MEMOIR

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in January

/ cheshirelib / 2 Comments

Happy New Year! We hope one of your resolutions is to visit the library more this year, check out some of the programs we’ve got coming up in January!

Crafternoons (for grades K-6)

Tuesday Jan 2, 2018, 4:00  –  4:45 PM
 Drop-in for seasonal and fun crafts for kids!  Materials will be provided by the library, no registration required.

Bring Your Own Crafts (for Adults)

Thursday Jan 4, 2018, 6:00  –  8:00 PM

Coloring, stitching, drawing, stamping, scrapbooking, if it’s crafty, bring it in!  Come for a relaxing and de-stressing night of crafting. We will meet most every first Thursday of the month. There will be plenty of room to spread out for your crafts.  Some supplies will be provided for this adult program. Registration is required.

 

Cookbook Club: Slow Cooker

Wednesday Jan 10, 2018, 6:30  –  8:00 PM

What better way to connect with your fellow humans than by breaking bread together? To our January Cookbook Club meeting, bring a slow-cooker dish, along with copies of your recipe(s), and the cookbook(s) you used.  Must be at least 18 years of age or older to participate.  By registering for the program, participants acknowledge that they may choose to consume food that has not been prepared in a commercial kitchen.

Introduction to Microsoft Word

Part 1 – Thursday Jan 11, 2018, 12:30 PM  –  2:30 PM

Part 2 – Thursday Jan 18, 2018, 12:30 PM  –  2:30 PM

This class will provide an introduction to Microsoft Word and is divided into two sessions. Registration is required.

  • You will learn basic navigation skills to effectively use the Microsoft Word program.
  • Create a simple document.
  • Edit text and check spelling errors.
  • Format the document.
  • Insert a picture; change font formatting and much more.

Library After Hours: Spirits Alive!

Friday Jan 12, 2018, 6:00  –  7:00 PM

This month Library After Hours is hosting the Cheshire Historical Society’s Spirits Alive show! Five spirits from the past will be at the library to tell their stories. If you missed this sold-out show in October, now is your chance to experience some of the tales from the grave. By turns funny, sad, and thought-provoking, you’ll delight in these live performances. Please note, the lobby and children’s room will be open to the public but the lower level of the library will not.  Pizza, snacks and drinks will be available for sale from the Friends of the Library.  There is no admission fee, but there is a suggested donation of $5 per family to help offset costs. Seating is limited, registration is required.

Zumba for Adults

  • Wednesday Jan 17 – 2:00-3:00
  • Wednesday Jan 24 – 2:00-3:00
  • Wednesday Jan 31 – 2:00 -3:00

Burn calories and have fun doing it! Our Zumba class is open to adults of any skill or fitness level and is designed to teach the basic dance steps and easy to follow movements. Registration is required.

Zumba for Kids

  • Wednesday Jan 17 – 3:00-3:30
  • Wednesday Jan 24 – 3:00-3:30
  • Wednesday Jan 31 – 3:00-3:30

Perfect for younger Zumba fans!  Zumba Kids feature kid-friendly routines. This class helps develop a healthy lifestyle and incorporate fitness as a natural part of children’s lives by making fitness fun.

Goal Setting

Wednesday Jan 17, 2018, 6:00  –  7:30 PM

Are you struggling in one area of your life, or maybe more?  Do you know why?  Would you like to learn how to identify what your goals are and then how to take the steps to attain those goals?  Certified Life Coach Fiona Bain brings her sense of humor and love for life to help others become empowered in their own lives, to take steps to reach their goals and relieve their anxiety about what steps they want to take next. Registration is required.

Wake up Your Thyroid- Naturally Improve Thyroid, Energy and

Metabolism

Thursday Jan 18, 2018, 6:30 PM

Dr. David DeRosa, D.C., Clinical Nutritionist will discuss:

  •  Why half of all thyroid disorders go misdiagnosed.
  • The two missing nutritional links no one talks about.
  • Learn simple steps you can take to promote balance in your thyroid.

Registration is required.

Trivia Night

Wednesday Jan 24, 2018, 6:00  –  8:00 PM

Come by yourself or bring your friends. Test your knowledge from general categories, including pop culture, current events, history, music, and of course literature! It’s all For Pride, Not Prize.  Registration required for this adult program beginning January 10.

Introduction to PowerPoint

Part 1 – Thursday Jan 25, 12:30  –  2:30 PM

Part 2 – Thursday Feb 01, 12:30  –  2:30 PM

This class will provide introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint and is divided into two sessions. Registration is required. You will learn to:

  • Create a new presentation.
  • Modify presentation.
  • Add and edit text.
  • Insert clipart images and shapes to slides.
  • Add sound and video to a slide presentation and more…

Movement For Your Busy Life

Thursday Jan 25, 2018, 6:30  –  7:30 PM

In this fast-paced world it seems impossible to fit in any kind of exercise or movement into our work day. Mary Hurley, holistic health coach and certified personal trainer, will teach you a series of breathing techniques, stretching and strengthening movements that can be done throughout your work day with no special equipment. Registration is required.

Valentine Cards

Monday Jan 29, 2018, 6:00  –  7:30 PM

One of the many joys of the Valentine’s Day is sending cheerful cards to the ones you love.  Join Sue Bernier and create beautiful Valentine cards. You will use rubber stamps, ink and Stampin’ Up products to create your cards.  All levels are invited to join.   Registration is required.

 

 

 

Our staff’s favorite books of 2017

/ Louise / Leave a comment

What was the best book you read in 2017? This is the question I posed to my fellow staff members at CPL. Interestingly, I got no duplicate answers! We have a wide variety of reading preferences among our staff, which means there’s something for everyone in this list. Maybe your next great read is below:

Our Library Director Ramona  picked the audiobook edition of  News of the World by Paulette Jiles, read by Grover Gardner. In the aftermath of the Civil War, an aging itinerant news reader agrees to transport a young captive of the Kiowa back to her people in this exquisitely rendered, morally complex, multilayered novel of historical fiction.

Teen Librarian Kelley really liked Dusk or Dark or Dawn or Day by Seanan McGuire. In this urban fantasy, Jenna, who died  too soon, works to regain the years that were lost to her. But something has come for the ghosts of New York, something beyond reason, beyond death, beyond hope; something that can bind ghosts to mirrors and make them do its bidding. Only Jenna stands in its way.

Bill is our Head of Adult Services, and he picked the Bruce Springsteen autobiography Born to Run as his favorite read of 2017. In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl’s half-time show. The experience was so exhilarating that Bruce decided to write about it, which is how this extraordinary autobiography began. Springsteen traces his life from his childhood in a Catholic New Jersey family and the musical experiences that prompted his career to the rise of the E Street Band and the stories behind some of his most famous songs.

Children’s Librarian Lauren went with The Sun is Also a Star, a young adult novel by Nicola Yoon.  In this story Natasha, whose family is hours away from being deported, and Daniel, a first generation Korean American on his way to a prestigious college admissions interview, cross paths in New York. They unexpectedly fall in love during an intense day in the city.

 

More books our staff loved last year:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas,  Winter of the Gods by Jordanna Max Brodsky, Evicted by Matthew Desmond, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, Illusion Town by Jayne Castle,  The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine by Mark Twain and Philip Stead, Border Child by Michael Stone, Small Great Things by Jodi Picoult, Letters from Skye by Jessica Brockmole, Where’d You Go, Bernadette? by Maria Semple, Devil in Spring by Lisa Kleypas, The Genius of Birds by Jennifer Ackerman, Glass Houses by Louise Penny

More Wine!

/ Louise / Leave a comment

I’m a wine novice. Or whatever comes below novice on the scale. I have no concept of what constitutes a good wine or a bad wine, as I rarely drink it myself. But with the holiday season zooming in, a bottle of wine is often a go-to for party contributions and gift-giving.  Very challenging for a wine neophyte.

While I’ll never be an oenophile (vocabulary points!), I’ve decided that maybe it’s time to learn a little about the nectar of the gods, the venerable vintage, the glorious grape. With a literal library of information at my fingertips, heading over to 641.22 seemed like the smart way to begin. How pleasantly surprised I was to find that there were plenty of books (eBooks & audiobooks, too) for newbies like myself!  Maybe the next time I’m in the wine aisle of my local liquor store, I’ll be able to do more than stare vaguely at the bottles and count off “eenie-meenie-minie-moe”.

Wine : an introduction by Joanna Simon 

The Everything Wine Book by Barbara Nowak

Wine Isn’t Rocket Science : a quick & easy guide to understanding, buying, tasting, & pairing every type of wine by Ophélie Neiman

Winewise : your complete guide to understanding, selecting, and enjoying wine by Steven Kolpan, Brian Smith, and Michael Weiss, the Culinary Institute of America

Wine All the Time : the casual guide to confident drinking by Marissa A. Ross

What’s Happening at Cheshire Library in December

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The countdown to the Holidays has begun – take a break from the frenzy with some of our December programs!

Library After Hours – Holiday Edition

Friday Dec 1, 2017, 5:00  –  7:30 PM

Library After Hours is back by popular demand! Join us for a family-friendly holiday movie (“The Polar Express”) and some seasonal activities for children and parents/caregivers.  Pizza, snacks and drinks will be available for sale from the Friends of the Library.  There is no admission fee, but there is a suggested donation of $5 per family to help offset costs.  Please note that the Lower Level of the Library will not be open to the public.  Please register so we know how many goodies to have on hand.  Kids are welcome to wear pajamas! Movie begins at 5:30 p.m.

Coast Guard Saxophone Quartet

Sunday Dec 3, 2017, 2:00 PM
The United States Coast Guard Saxophone Quartet is comprised of the saxophone section of the U.S. Coast Guard Band. In addition to performing throughout Taiwan in 2009 and 2010, the Quartet performs regularly at conferences held by the World Saxophone Congress and the North American Saxophone Alliance, and has performed at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and at Carnegie Hall. This concert is free to the public, no registration required.

Library Lab (Grades K-6)

Tuesdays, Dec 5 & 12, 2017 4:00 – 4:50 PM

Kids come together to discover the wonders of science through hands-on activities and takeaways.  Science is fun, but it can be messy. Registration required starting November 15 for Cheshire residents and December 1 for all others.  This program meets 2 times, December 5 and 12.  You only need to register once to attend all sessions.

After School Zumba

Wednesday Dec 6, 2017, 4:00 PM

Zumba® is an easy-to-follow, Latin-inspired dance-fitness program. Classes specifically for kids are formatted in a way to make getting fit fun. Kids can just let loose and be themselves. It’s referred to as the exercise in disguise. It’s an hour filled with energy and routines created to the latest music. For kids of all ages,  parents and/or caregivers are welcome to participate with their children. No registration required.

Pearl Harbor: Into the Arizona Documentary

Thursday Dec 7, 2017, 6:00 – 7:30 PM

Join us for this fascinating documentary Pearl Harbor: Into the Arizona. The USS Arizona has been resting on Pearl Harbor’s ocean floor for the past 76 years. For the first time since it was destroyed in 1941, scientists have the technology to take an in-depth look inside the ship. The discoveries made inside the ship are a stark reminder of all those who paid the ultimate price for their country. The expedition retells personal stories of survivors who lived through Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. It also brings a survivor who was aboard the Arizona back to see the ship for what might be one last time. No registration required.

Create Holiday Cards with Rubber Stamps

Wednesday Dec 13, 2017, 6:00 – 8:00 PM

One of the many joys of the Holiday season is sending cheerful cards to the ones you love.  Join Sue Bernier and create beautiful Holiday cards. You will use rubber stamps, ink and Stampin’ Up products to create your cards.  All levels are invited to join.  Registration is required.

BYOC : Bring Your Own Crafts!

 Thursday Dec 14, 2017, 6:00  – 8:00 PM 
Coloring, stitching, drawing, stamping, scrapbooking, if it’s crafty, bring it in!  We will meet most every first Thursday of the month. There will be plenty of room to spread out for your crafts.  Some supplies will be provided for this adult program. Registration is required.

Relaxing Coloring Night for Adults

Thursday Dec 28, 2017, 6:00 – 8:00 PM 

Join us for relaxing coloring night for adults and de-stress from this busy time of year.  We’ll provide coloring pages and supplies, but feel free to bring your own pages, art supplies.  Registration is required.

New Year’s Party

Friday Dec 29, 2017, 11:00 AM  –  12:00 PM

It’s a Noon-Year’s Eve party!! Get ready for 2018 with fun family activities! For children of all ages and their families. Registration required. Registration begins December 15 for Cheshire residents and December 28 for non-residents.

Cheshire Anime Club Holiday Special 

Friday Dec 29, 2017, 3:00 – 4:30 PM 

Konnichiwa, minna-san! Can’t get enough Anime and Manga? Join us for a special holiday edition of Anime Club where we will watch holiday and New Year’s themed anime! Japanese snacks (like Ramune and Pocky) will be available for refreshments. Grades 7 -12, no registration required.