Monday, September 11, 2017

Library as a place of History

This last weekend was Barron Fall Fest. It was a great weekend and the weather was spectacular. There was much to do and see. The skate park celebrated their 10th anniversary. One picture I saw was of a few of the skaters looking through scrapbooks of when the skate park was started. What a great way to share memories and the building of the skate park.

Getting ready for Barron Fall Fest I stumbled across some scrapbooks of Barron Farm and Feather Fest. The history they contain was something that could not be replaced. We have many things in the Library that have a story about history tied to them. The Eagle in the Library has been here for generations. The Carnegie portion of the building is over 100 years old. And then there are the books.

Books about the Library and Community are in the Wisconsin History Area. Books about the region can also be found there. We have some of the old Barron High School year books and also the Centennial history of Barron. Lots of books throughout the Library contain history of not just the region but of the Midwest, the USA and the World. In our system we have even more books that talk about history.

Currently in our bestsellers DVD area we have the movie Dunkirk ... no not the newest one but the BBC Documentary about Dunkirk. When we want to learn or know more about history, a Library is a great place to go and do some digging for reading treasure.

Look online or come in and browse to find books about you favorite time or decade in History -
Happy Reading!

Monday, August 28, 2017

Getting Ready for Fall -

The rainy weekend was a reminder that fall is coming. Do you have a Fall Reading List? Are there certain types of books you like to read when Autumn comes?

September for the Bookclub@BarronPL is Wisconsin Author month. We read books that have been written by Wisconsin Authors. Many times they are set in Wisconsin or in areas similar to Wisconsin. (Is there really any place better than Wisconsin?)

October is a month for many who like the scary, thriller, or mystery story. A good scary book at Halloween can make the holiday even better or just scarier.

November is a good month to read about being Thankful or a good story about families. Also a the time to check out those cookbooks for delicious food recipes to add to your holiday table.

Christmas time is a great time to give the gifts of books and read holiday stories set in a this time of year.

Whether you set up a list of books to read in the fall, continue to read your TBR pile (To Be Read) or just pick books off the shelves as you browse your Library - All reading is good.

Happy Fall Reading!

Monday, August 21, 2017


READING A SERIES


Are you a series reader? Do you like to reread a series to refresh your memory or to just go back to those good memories you have of reading a series?

Currently I am rereading a series I read over a decade ago. Now it is a TV series and has even more books in it than when I started reading that long ago time. Why reread this series? I remember parts of it but not all of it. I like the characters and story line and it brings me back to a happy place in my reading world. It is familiar but still new in places to me as a reader. I am finding the hidden gems I missed the first time and rediscovering those I did uncover.

I know of others who read the same series every summer or read a special book at the holidays or just have that special edition of that series that changed their world. Whatever reason you first read that series still exists today. It is good to go back and visit favorite books in the reading world.

The series above I have read and have also read many other series. I love series and being able to follow the characters through their created world in the words on the page.

What is your favorite series or favorite book that you go back to when you need a touch of the comfortable and familiar in your reading world?

Whatever it is pick it up and start Reading! Its good to read some books many times.

Monday, August 14, 2017

Where do you get your knowledge? 


Once upon an idea popped up on your screen and made you think ... I can do that ... I wonder how that works?.. Where did that occur and when?... I didn't know that. 

Where can you find more information to answer those questions that you have now asked yourself? 

Google would work but do you know the source of that information and does it leave you with more questions.

The person next door that happens to be an expert on the subject. Yes that does happen but not for everything. 

If you want a source that knows what they are talking about, can give you more resources and can answer questions you may have not even thought about yet ... Read a book!

Whether it is non-fiction and you use the index to take you directly to what you are looking for or read a whole book that is based around the fact you are wanting to learn about  - a book can take you there. 

The other wonderful part of this reading tale... Come to the Library - It is free and we are willing to share the knowledge we have with you and give you the chance to check it out and read more.

What is that question you are looking to find the answers to or explore more?  

Come visit us at the Barron Public Library - New opening time is 9:00 am Monday - Saturday

Monday, July 3, 2017

Summer Reading Program!

Summer has arrived!

We have several things going on in the Library this summer - 

We just had our Bike to the Library Event  - Thank you to all who participated!
Our Children's Librarian biked from home that day - Keep pedaling!

Already going is Building Barron Readers!
Is open to any age and only requirement - READ!
Click here for more information and forms from the Barronpl.org website

Starting next week is Building a Better World - 
STREAM activities every day
Just stop in the children's area during Library Hours and see what is happening - 

Have a great Reading Summer!


Tuesday, June 2, 2015

Summer 2015 Has Arrived!

June 2, 2015

June is here and it is summer at the Library! Time to check out books, magazines and DVDs to add to the summer fun. If you need a quick read or want to see the latest DVD releases check out our Lucky Day collection. It has the most popular books and DVD’s for those who get to them first. Lucky Day Books are available for a 7 day checkout and Lucky Day DVD’s for a 3 day checkout. Go past the Lucky Day collection to see all the New Books that have been added to the shelves. We have paperbacks, fiction, Inspirational,non-fiction, large print and audiobooks in the new books area. UnMask! Show your Superhero, summer reading program will be starting on June 15th and running through July. All ages are welcome to participate. What else do we have? Our teen area has lots of great books and audiobooks for the teens this summer. Our children’s area has gone through some changes and there are books by subject to look through and checkout to read with another reader or you favorite stuff animal. Looking for a great summer activity, check upstairs in the chapter book and children’s nonfiction areas Same can happen for adults and teens in the NonFiction Area downstairs. Lots of topics to explore and add to the summer bucket list. Come and visit the Barron Public Library this summer. You can find us at 10 N. 3rd Street right next to Subway. For more information check out our new and growing webpage at Barronpl.org. Have a great reading summer!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Check this out!

[Visit every library blog]

Barron, Wisconsin Public Library
This was a serendipitous visit. With a friend, I'd already visited two Wisconsin libraries (and the annual tent sale in Glen Flora!) and we were headed for home in Minnesota. A needed stop in Barron put us right across the street from the library, and the sign about their 100th year. And they would be open for about 20 more minutes! I had to move fast!

In the lobby, I saw the old card catalog file, still filled with cards. I should have asked about it. Card catalogs have been turning up more and more--see the entry for Philips Exeter, for example. The lobby also held the Friends book sale; $1.00 for a bagful this week, but there was no time for shopping.

I headed upstairs, following a sign to the children's area. Moving and scribbling notes faster than I would have liked, I found a the kids' books shelved on classic wooden shelves, Playaways and recorded books in turntable slots, a cabinet full of shells and coral, kid-sized chairs and couch. Someone had made a large structure of Duplo blocks. A notice by the computer says that the library now has access to the Accelerated Reader lists. [Mixed feelings about that, folks.] A sign points out that parents are responsible for their children: "Do not leave young children unattended through age 11." This seems especially important since the children's area is on a separate level of the building.

Back downstairs I found the adult fiction and non-fiction collections, DVDs and genre paperbacks in spinners, lots of large print books, a section labeled "Inspiration Fiction," a microfiche reader, and four public computers. Although it was very close to closing time, a librarian was giving detailed technical help to one computer user. How the librarian's job has changed!

Clerestory windows add brightness to the browsing area. A free-standing shelf in this area holds books on languages, including ESL, and on citizenship. It was nice to see these featured. The reference section includes several 3-ring binders of Barron County history.

I talked to a very enthusiastic librarian who wanted to be sure that I realized I was in a Carnegie library--and I hadn't known that, although the older part of the building gives all sorts of hints, at least one of them not at all subtle--see second picture below. It's the Carnegie part of the building that is celebrating a centennial this year. The design was done, or at least influenced, by Frank Lloyd Wright; my notes are sketchy, perhaps someone reading this will clarify in a comment...please?