Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Sherlock Holmes. Really.

There may be people attending the new Sherlock Holmes movie under the impression that the film hews, for the most part, to Arthur Conan Doyle's work. Har. (By the way, 'hews' is today's vocabulary word. Use it in a sentence.) Lots of aspects from the stories are included in the movie but not the plot, Irene Adler running around wearing trousers, the whole nun chuck thing, you see where I'm going here. These elements have been made fresh, just for you! Wouldn't it be interesting to read the originals and find out what the heck was really going on? I think so. Here are a few suggestions:

Monday, December 28, 2009

We're Back!


All six locations of the Des Moines Public Library resume normal operation today.  Same old hours, same old services, same old staff.  But it's good that way.  Welcome back!

Monday, December 21, 2009

Closed December 21-27


All six locations of the Des Moines Public Library are closed from Monday, December 21 through Sunday December 27. This closure reflects three days of unpaid furlough for all library employees and is part of the citywide budget reduction. This means that all Library Services are suspended. No staff members are working to maintain and troubleshoot problems on the website, or to provide assistance from the many phone numbers, e-mails, and other informational points listed on the website.

The following services will not be available December 21 - December 27:
:: Online Calendar
:: 24 Hour Automated Telephone Notification System
:: Online Databases
:: Digital Downloads
:: Book returns will be CLOSED

Please do not leave books and materials outside the library locations during the closure as there are no staff to collect them. You will be responsible for theft, loss or damage to materials left outside the library. No Items Are Due While We Are Closed, and No Fines Will Accrue.
:: No access to the online catalog. You will not be able to search the catalog, place holds on materials, or check your library account. No staff members are working to maintain the systems, or to process the thousands of books and materials that our customers normally place on hold each day.

We'll be back December 28th!

Friday, December 18, 2009

Holiday Games


Would you like to play some Wreath/Menorha/Mishumaa Saba games? We found some!
Which Christmas Character Are You?
Hanukkah Quiz 

FYI, in a 'Nightmare before Christmas' character quiz, I am Sally the Ragdoll.  Sigh.  Niceness is my curse.
Remember, we're completely closed December 21-27.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Closing, Closing, Closed! December 21-27


Okay, here it is:
All six locations of the Des Moines Public Library will be closed from Monday, December 21 through Sunday December 27. This closure reflects three days of unpaid furlough for all library employees and is part of the citywide budget reduction. This means that all Library Services will be suspended. No staff members will be working to maintain and troubleshoot problems on the website, or to provide assistance from the many phone numbers, e-mails, and other informational points listed on the website.
The following services will not be available December 21 - December 27:
:: Online Calendar
:: 24 Hour Automated Telephone Notification System
:: Online Databases
:: Digital Downloads
:: Book returns will be CLOSED
Please do not leave books and materials outside the library locations during the closure as there will be no staff to collect them. You will be responsible for theft, loss or damage to materials left outside the library. No Items Will Be Due While We Are Closed, and No Fines Will Accrue.
:: No access to the online catalog.  You will not be able to search the catalog, place holds on materials, or check your library account. No staff members will be working to maintain the systems, or to process the thousands of books and materials that our customers normally place on hold each day.
We'll be back December 28th!

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Do it Cheap


Have you noticed money's been a little tight lately?  In the spirit of 'doing our part', we offer books that can assist you in getting through the holidays on the cheap.  Actually, I'm in favor of cheap all the time.  But it's hard at the holidays when you want to make your loved ones happy and your pockets are not stuffed with dough.  There are books with advice, tips, instructions, books that are chockfull of helpfulness!  We have lots, but here's a start:

Party central : a month-by-month guide to entertaining on the cheap

365 ways to live cheap : by Hamm, Trent.

Money saving meals / by Lee, Sandra.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Heart-Warming


The temperature is plummeting, we're buried in snow, how to stave off the cold?  Other than adding more layers.  We can't do much for your frozen fingers, but the cockles of your heart are all ours.  Have you read the Chicken Soup books?  And were you aware that they are a major industry all by their lonesome?  Oh my yes.  We have Chicken Soup for:  the African American Woman's Soul; for the Baseball Lover's Soul.  I had no idea how much they suffer.  Even though some of my friends are Cubs fans.  Chicken Soup for the fisherman's soul, for the gardener's soul, for the horse lover's soul!  Maybe these are more about appreciation than comfort.  There are also volumes for very serious subjects, like Chicken Soup for the Caregiver's Soul.  If anyone could use a little support, it would be a caregiver.  But where's the one for me, the Chocolate-Loving Couch Potato?  I'll just have to be patient.
Chicken Soup Books

Monday, December 14, 2009

Almost Gold - what your library card is worth

This is so fun!  In order to find out the monetary value your library card provides, you input your library usage - like times you've used online resources, programs you've attended, and so much more!   I read a lot, so my value was $565 for one month!     Pretty darn impressive!  But for books and DVD's , I did enter the number of items I check out in a month instead of how often I check out in a month.  Is that cheating?  See what you think, try out the Library Value Calculator.  If you count the whole family you could really rack it up!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Snowed Over

Are you dug out yet?  I don't know how the folks without snow blowers do it, they're like the pioneers!  Made of sturdy stuff.  If you'd like to send a message concerning the copious amount of frozen precip we are currently enjoying, pop over to the 'Frosty the Snowman Generator'.  It's a commercial site and the default message is not exactly culture-neutral, but the whole point is that you can change the message.  And it's fun!

Thursday, December 10, 2009

A Little Snow Humor - again


How do snowmen travel around?
By icecyle!
What do you get if you cross a snowman with a shark?
Frostbite!

Ha! Ha! Doesn't that just make all your worries about the weather melt away? For more comedy humor, check out classics like:
The nonsense verse of Edward Lear
A penny saved is impossible / by Ogden Nash
Out on a limerick / by Bennett Cerf

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

All this time I was dehydrated!!


There are times when I am less than sunny.(I know, hard to believe). I blamed this on my personality. But the culprit may have been dehydration all along! According to the USDA Agricultural Research Service, dehydration can cause negative mood, including fatigue and confusion. It's not that I wasn't paying attention, I was dehydrated! Honest! Who knew the effects on the body of too little water were so far-reaching? For more information, go to this USDA news page. It's just one of the amazing sites you can reach through the links our librarians have hand-picked for you. Recommended Links has a plethora, nay, a myriad of subjects to rummage through. I found this baby by choosing 'Food, Recipes', and then Nutrition.gov. Where else will you find topics that offer you an opportunity to use words like plethora and myriad?

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Closing at 4 Today Tuesday, 12/8 2009


Due to the weather, all six libraries of the Des Moines Public Library will close at 4 PM today.

Nothing to do with the Holidays


We just got in a fabulous movie!  It's from the 80's, called Night of the CometDuh duhn duhn.  Starring 1984's Queen of B movies, Catherine Mary Stewart, it's about these Valley Girls with the classic big hair and shoulder pads.  They're not rocket scientists, but for some reason they have automatic weapons and are not afraid to use them.  So it's a goofy zombie movie predating Shaun of the Dead.  A blonde cheerleader adept at slaying long before Buffy.  Way more fun than it has any right to be and if your already sick of the holidays (then man, you are in trouble) this would be a lovely antidote.  Rated PG-13.  Automatic weapons.

Monday, December 7, 2009

Could it be any simpler?


Anyone can produce a hand-made toy!  Don't believe me?  Believe the fine folks who wrote the Foxfire books.  These are stories of work and play before television, electricity and the wheel.  Not the last one. The intrepid authors went to Appalachia to record 'folkways' before the folks who practiced them were gone. Florence Brooks and Hattie Kenny explained the mysteries of the 'Button on a String'.  You put a string crossway through the eyes of a button.  Then tie the ends of the string together to form a loop.  Now put your hands at each end of the loop and twirl the button to twist the string.  When done twisting, pull  the string and the button will whirl.  "Makes the funniest noise!", exclaimed Hattie.  Florence did mention that she and her sisters would get them tangled in each other's hair out of sheer orneriness.  Of course if you are determined, any toy can be used to torture your siblings.  That's why they're called toys.

Source:  Foxfire 6  p.166
Graphic source:  Button On a String

Friday, December 4, 2009

you're a star!


Well, you knew that but now other people will be clued in.  Just go to the Hollywood Famous Star Sidewalk Generator and create a 'Hollywood Walk of Fame' star for yourself.  Or your best friend. Or your dog.  Doesn't Lassie have a star?  And who is Anna Lee, you might ask?  Anyone who has watched General Hospital in, oh, the last 3 decades can tell you she portrayed Lila Quartermaine, otherwise known as "the sane one" on the popular soap. Sadly she  passed away in 2004.  For more information on Anna Lee, log in to Biography Resource Center.  You'll need your Des Moines Public Library card number and PIN to access from home.

Thursday, December 3, 2009

A Brick House


So you're dying to know where the first brick house in Des Moines was built!  In 1856 Dr. Francis Grimmell built the first brick house in Des Moines at 6th Avenue and Keosaqua Way.   At the time, that part of town was called  'Capitol Hill' because in the 1850's a significant number of the populace wanted the Capitol Building  built on the west side of the river. Ha!  Capitol-less it stood until 1901 when the brick house was torn down and the Victoria Hotel constructed on the spot. The hotel was a goner in 1962.  We now know that corner as the home of American Republic Insurance.  You were wondering about the picture, weren't you? 

Source: Des Moines Register, 3/9/1996 p. 2 N-E
Photo courtesy Gerry Rowland

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Native American Heritage Month


was in November.  I completely missed it, which is too bad because Iowa has an interesting story. In 1846 the Mesquakie were moved to Kansas along with the Sauk because the federal government decided to treat the two tribes as one.   Now some of the Mesquakie never left Iowa.  Others left and, very unhappy with their new homes, returned to Iowa. With the support of the Iowa Legislature they were able to buy land in Tama County.  At this point the federal government - guess what! - broke a treaty and cut off money to the Mesquakie. The tribes had years of  terrible struggle, but eventually the Iowa government stepped in again and got the federal payments restored.  Go, Iowa!
IPTV Indian Removal in Iowa
Photo Source:  Library of Congress Digital ID: cph 3c07203