Is there a book you’d like to read, but we don’t have?  Remember our ILL service is a convenient and easy way to get it!  Simply come and request the book you’d like, and we can order it in from you from another library.  We want to provide the books you need, so never hesitate to ask. Northwood City Center Library is here to serve!

This week, we’re featuring The Boys in the Boat, by Daniel James Brown, and The Outpost, by Jake Tapper!

The Boys in the Boat tells the story of nine Americans and their incredible quest for gold in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.  Times were difficult, with both lands locked in the depths of the Great Depression, and the world still reeling from WWI.  Nine working-class boys from the American West entered the Olympics, each determined to do his country proud. No one ever expected them to defeat the elite teams of the East Coast and Great Britain, yet they did, going on to shock the world by challenging the German boat rowing for Adolf Hitler himself…

 

Follow their incredible story in this account compiled by Daniel James Brown.

 
Next, in The Outpost, immerse yourself in Jake Tapper’s gripping account of the brave, yet doomed soldiers stationed at Combat Outpost Keating in 2009.  Praised by reviewers everywhere for the intimacy of its storytelling, as well as its astute examination of the conflict itself, it is said to be a profound tribute to those willing to sacrifice everything for their country.  Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic says of it, “There have been many books written on the subject of America’s seemingly endless engagement in Afghanistan, but none better than The Outpost.”

Over the last several months, this column has highlighted many resources available to the public through both our local library and the State library.  If you ever want more tips and teaching on how to use these resources, consider checking out the tutorials available on You Tube!

If you search “Database Tutorials- NDState Library” on You Tube, you will be directed to a playlist of sixteen videos that offer insights on RBDigital, Zinio, Universal Class, Kitkeeper, and more!  This can be very helpful as you try these resources for yourself, as they cover how set up and make use of each of these resources.

 

Our featured books this week are If I Run, by Terri Blackstock, and Landscaping with Fruit, by Lee Reich.

 

If I Run, a USA Today bestselling novel, follows Casey Cox as she is forced to go on the run after her DNA is found in connection with a crime she didn’t commit.  But Dylan Roberts, the war-weary veteran hired to find Casey, is haunted by the question of what really happened. He’s not convinced that Casey is guilty, but can he afford to let that doubt affect his mission?  PTSD has branded him as damaged goods, and bringing Casey back is his ticket to redemption. Finally he is faced with two choices: either the girl who shadows his every thought is a killer, or a heroine doomed if he does not help her.  

Landscaping with Fruit is a helpful guide to planning and maintaining an artistic fruit garden.  Author Lee Reich offers advice on choosing the perfect sites for your new plants, how to select plants that bear delicious fruit and offer three-season visual interest, complete plans for five luscious landscapes, and more.  In addition to talking about how to grow the plants, the book teaches how to take the space and shape of your yard into consideration for the optimal arrangement.

Filled with gorgeous, full-color illustrations and photos, this book is a treat to look at as well as use, and sure to be of interest to artistic gardeners everywhere.

Students and journalists- here’s an interesting resource for any of you who need images of famous works of art for your projects!  CAMIO (Catalogue of Art Museum Images Online) is a growing digital collection that documents the art housed the world’s prominent museums, from scans of notable paintings, to photos of sculpture and pottery.  

These images are licensed for use by students, faculty, and researchers at subscribing institutions. Works of art may be used for educational and research purposes during the term of the subscription, if they are properly credited.  For more information, visit http://odinproxy010.odin.nodak.edu:2203

 

We’ve added several new book series to our children’s fiction over the past weeks.  Luciana, by Erin Teagan, is the first book in the series featuring one of  American Girl’s newest characters- and Girl of the Year for 2018. The titular character, Luciana, dreams of becoming an astronaut and being the first kid ever to set foot on Mars, but must first overcome the challenges of being a team player here on Earth.

We also have two new books from the Ranger in Time series by Kate Messner.  These cute junior novels follow an adventurous golden retriever named Ranger as he travels through time, using his search-and-rescue skills to help people through various historical disasters, such as the Great Earthquake of San Francisco

And for early readers looking to get a start on longer stories, check out Owl Diaries, a charming series of books for young children detailing the adventures of an energetic little owlet, Eva Wingdale.  With vibrantly colored pictures along the way, Eva introduces readers to her family, friends, and everyday life… and all the fiascos she gets herself into.  

As the school year comes to an end, keep your kids reading and come take a look at the children’s books we have to offer!  Coming to the library can be a great way to get kids excited about reading. Find the books that peak their interest here at the Northwood City Center Library!

 

Looking for past newspaper articles?  Search articles from around the world with Newsstream, a global news database.  With both basic and advanced searches, you can find articles and publications from sources that include the Washington Post, the Bismark Tribune, and the Grand Forks Herald, and many more.  Global Newsstream has archives stretching back to the 1980s, providing one of the largest collections of news outlets from the US, Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Australia, making this an excellent resource for gaining multiple perspectives for anyone looking to write their own paper on both current and historical events.  

 

This week our featured fiction includes Beast and Crown, by Joel Ross, and Uncommon Type, by Tom Hanks.

Beast and Crown is a children’s fantasy novel about a young boy named Ji, and his group of friends as they risk everything to free themselves from the harsh life of servitude they’ve known so far.  Taking a huge chance, Ji and his friends accompany a young nobleman to the Diadem Rite, a ceremony which will determine the country’s next ruler. What Ji doesn’t know is that the Diadem Rite will require more of him than he ever expected, and that this journey will change all of their lives forever…

Actor Tom Hanks’ Uncommon Type is a collection of seventeen short stories of life and humor, with plots ranging from the story of a gentle immigrant arriving in New York after a life ravaged by his country’s civil war, to that of four friends headed for the moon in a rocketship constructed in their backyard.  The Sunday Mirror describes it as “full of heart”, and is written with “a powerful sense of other lives imagined at a level that goes deeper than writerly research” according to The Guardian.  

 

The North Dakota State Library archives many government documents for public access.  State government documents include annual reports, strategic plans, audits, meeting minutes, newsletters and magazines, brochures, handbooks, maps, statistics, public university catalogs, and more.  Documents are easily accessed through the library catalog, and can be checked out from the state library. Copies are also distributed to the North Dakota State University in Fargo, University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, Minot State University, and Valley City University.

If you would like to request a copy of a government document, search for any title through the online catalog, or see your local librarian for assistance.    

Readers of Christian fiction will be delighted to hear that we now have two new books from popular authors Karen Kingsbury and Francine Rivers.

In This Moment, by Karen Kingsbury, is the story of lawyer Luke Baxter and his struggles to defend Wendell Quinn, a high school principal, when he is sued for starting an after-school Bible study.  Thanks to the program, the school has experienced a dramatic decrease in drug abuse, violence, and teen pregnancies, but the lawsuit threatens to bring all of that to a grinding halt.

Both Luke and Wendell are committed to their faith and determined to defend the freedoms the Constitution affords them, but in their fight for liberty, Luke encounters the difficult of managing his career and family life.

In Francine River’s The Masterpiece, the wealthy and haunted artist Roman Velasco and his reluctant personal assistant Grace Moore find themselves caught up in an unexpected romance.  Roman, despite having everything a person could wish for, finds his life maddeningly empty, and only Grace seems to see it. As he vents his frustrations through a notorious graffitiing alter ego that could destroy his career, Grace must deal ghosts and secrets of her own.  When they are inexplicably drawn to one another, could their feelings be the path to redemption for both of them?

 

There are all kinds of great resources available for the public through both our local library and the State Library.  Already several of our patrons have benefitted from the interlibrary loan services we offer, as well as digital book collections such as RBDigital.  But there are many more online resources just waiting for you!

One quick way to learn about the resources available is to visit the State Library’s Online Resources page, where many of the best options are listed.  These resources are conveniently listed under the subjects they highlight, including Business, Agriculture, Health, Education, Auto, and more!

If you’re interested in exploring the helpful tools that the North Dakota State Library offers, visit their website at www.library.nd.gov/onlineresources.html , or visit us at the Northwood City Center Library and we can help you find what you’re looking for.  

 

This week we’re featuring a few new books from our children’s fiction collection!  

First up, we have Kathryn Lasky’s Bears of Ice, the fantastical story of two polar bear cub twins named First and Second, who embark on a treacherous journey to rescue their mother when she is abducted by the power-hungry kabol of bears who have taken over the Northern Kingdoms.  As the latest movement of the magical saga of Ga’Hoole, this book is sure to capture the imaginations of children with a taste for adventure.

Next, The Coral Island, by R.M. Ballantyne, takes us into the South Seas as three young boys- Ralph, Jack, and Peterkin- are shipwrecked and washed ashore on a deserted island.  After carving out a home and learning to fend for themselves, the boys’ courage is put to the test when a horde of cannibals and pirates invade their island.  Do three kids stand a chance against such terrible foes? Only time will tell…

Many more titles for readers of all ages and interests await at the Northwood City Center Library.  Come see for yourself!

 

 

If you enjoy reading, but find yourself unable due to a visual, physical, or reading disability, the North Dakota State Library offers Talking Books, a program that provides free access to audiobooks and magazines.  This service is administered by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. If you would benefit from this service, you can contact members of the Talking Books program through phone (701-328-1408), email (tbooks@nd.gov), or mail (North Dakota State Library Talking books, 604 East Boulevard Ave. -Dept 250, Bismark ND 58505-0800).

 

Our featured fiction for the week is Still Me, by Jojo Moyes.  As the third book in the Me Before You trilogy, this story brings a “…worthy, warm…” conclusion to the cycle, according to an Entertainment Weekly review by Maureen Lee Lenker.  

In this latest installment, Louisa Clark arrives in New York ready to start a new life, confident that her now long-distance relationship with Sam will remain strong even across several thousand miles.  She starts work in the household of the extraordinarily wealthy Gopnik family. Though things seem straightforward at first, Louisa soon realizes that it is more complex than she thought. And as she moves through the high-class society of New York, a stranger brings up whispers of her past, making it all the more difficult to balance the two halves of her life…

Magazines are fun to have around- but they also tend to stack up pretty quickly around the house.  If you enjoy reading through magazines but don’t want the clutter, look no further than Zinio- an extension of RBDigital for magazines.  With your RBDigital account, you can view magazines from a variety of genres, including political, house and garden, cooking, history, men’s and women’s, and more!

 

If you’re interested in this digital resource, contact us at the Northwood City Center Library and we’ll help you get started.  

 

This week we’re featuring two books, the first being from author Kristin Hannah.  In her latest novel, The Great Alone,  Hannah introduces us to Ernt allbright, a former POW, who after encountering difficulty after returning home from Vietnam moves his family to Alaska, intending to live off the last true frontier.  His thirteen-year-old daughter Lenin views this change as a reason for hope, and his wife Cora loves him enough to follow him even into the unknown.

But when  the frigid Alaskan winter sets in, their resolve is put to the test, and as the fractures in their family dynamics widen, they are faced with the realization that in this wilderness, for better or worse, they are truly on their own.

 

Our second featured book this week is Madeleine L’Engle’s classic children’s novel, A Wrinkle In Time.  With Disney’s latest adaptation of the book due to be released in theaters on the 9th of March, the book has been reprinted with visuals from the film.

Meg, the daughter of two brilliant scientists, has always felt that her father’s disappearance was not the end.  When a wondrous anomaly called a tesseract opens a pathway to the far reaches of the universe, she and her brother have a chance to find him and bring him home for good… but first they must face the unnamed evil that threatens to dominate their whole world before it is too late.  

 

Do you have documents or paperwork you need printed?  Maybe you need to fill out 2017’s 1040 form, or maybe you need photocopies of documents or pictures you already have.  Here at the Northwood City Center Library, we offer our printer for your use- just 10¢ a page!  

And remember, if you need computer and  internet access, we also have chromebooks and free wifi for your use.  Bring your own device, or use one of ours, have a cup of coffee, and and enjoy a peaceful studying atmosphere any time.

 

This week we’re highlighting Judy R. Cook’s If This Land Could Talk, the true story of her homesteading grandparents and their experiences in North Dakota.  Based on meticulous research, Cook brings us a candid portrayal of the generations of life on the northern plains, first with her four grandparents who carved a living from the inhospitable prairie, then with her parents, who continued to farm the same land, and finally herself as she grew up during the 1950s.  Kirkus Discoveries describes this book as “An intimate, personal exploration of early homestead life on the northern plains, and how the author’s ancestors not only survived but thrived…”

 

(Sources Used:  If This Land Could Talk, Kirkus Discoveries

Sources Quoted:  If This Land Could Talk, Kirkus Discoveries)

Have you ever found yourself completely bored of your usual reading?  Searching for something completely new, but not sure where to start?  Or maybe you read a book that you loved, and want to find more books like it.  

As a librarian, I come across books of all kinds, but even I find myself a little stumped when it comes to choosing a new book.  Fortunately, NoveList is here to help!  

This website is made available for librarians in order to help you and I alike find new books of all sorts.  Whether you want to try something new, something classic, or a read-alike of a book you’ve already loved, we can find excellent suggestions, reviews, and even previews that will make the selection process that much easier.  

If you’d like book recommendations, come to the City Center Library and begin your quest!

 

A selection of exciting Historical Mystery and Adventure has been added to our shelves recently!  With mysteries set in the dazzling Victorian period by author  Anne Perry, and the hair-raising adventures of Captain Diego Alatriste by Arturo Perez-Reverte, these novels are sure to bring a thrill to your reading time.  Laura Joh Rowland’s The Perfumed Sleeve takes us into the heart of Medieval Japan, while The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood leads us through the 30’s and 40’s of twentieth-century America.  For a taste of intrigue and the lush world of historical adventure, visit our newest shelf in the City Center Library.