Awesome Box!

Did you read, listen to, or watch something awesome? We want to know! Beginning April 1, return awesome library items to the Awesome Box. Your item will be checked in and then added to the Awesome Display. You can also view recently awesome items online at marshallpl.awesomebox.io. Your pick for the Awesome Box doesn’t have to be high art or the best book you’ve read all year, it just has to be awesome, however you define the word.

The Awesome Box display and online list is a randomly selected sample of materials Pocatello patrons love at the library. While we want to include all of your awesome suggestions, from time to time we may miss one. We apologize for any awesome suggestions that slipped by. The Awesome Box is a collaboration with the Harvard Library Innovation Lab. It allows the community to see what others have found helpful, entertaining, or mind-blowing.

Jamie Bair, Circulation Supervisor

International TableTop Day @ Your Library!

International TableTop Day is a celebration for all the fans of tabletop gaming. In 2013, there were 3,123 gaming events in 64 countries worldwide, including every state and province in North America and every continent on the planet.

Marshall Public Library will be joining this year as we showcase some of our longer, more difficult games: Dominion, Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Risk. This is your chance to be part of a nationwide event and spend a little time playing some fun and challenging board games. Bring a friend or two or your whole family to the library for TableTop Day on Saturday, April 5, starting at 2 p.m. Some refreshments will be available, and you are invited to bring a treat to share.

Kath Ann Hendricks, Young Adult Librarian

Winter Is for Reading

Warm up this winter by wrapping up in a warm blanket and reading. This January and February MPL is hosting a winter reading program, "There's Snow Better Time to Read." This program is for all ages and reading levels.

Participants will set goals of how many books will be read by March 1. When the goal is met, they bring in their reading log and then they will receive a prize. For those under 12, the goal will be based on how many hours they read while the goal will be based on hours someone reads to them for those under five. (Minimum goal is 3 books for those 12+ or five hours for those under 12. One entry/prize per person.)

Mark your calendars because the program will run January 13 through March 3. Grab a warm blanket and a book and set your goal to read this winter. Registration is going on now on the first floor.

Becky Hadley, Readers Advisor

Meet Library Volunteer Jennye

What do you like most about Volunteering?

I want to tell you that working at the library is very exciting to me because I have never done it before. Thank you for asking me.

What brought you to the library to volunteer?

I used to work at the Flying J in McCammon. I used to bag French fries and roll up silverware for the customers and then Bang! I ended up losing my job, and then I started at the library.

What are your favorite books, authors, or subjects and why are they your favorites?

Do you really want to know? I am mostly interested in non-fiction, documentary, and educational books (especially architecture and astronomy). I do not have any favorite authors.

What do you like to do when you are not Volunteering?

After I am done volunteering I go up to the 2nd floor and spend most of my free time looking at books and I get a huge stack of books I like. The same goes with the videos and DVDs. I especially like to check them out because I really want to keep my father entertained. As soon as I finish watching DVDs with him, he is begging me to go back to the library and get some more.

Notes from Judy Minshall, Jennye’s mom

Jennye grew up and still lives in a house her family built between Inkom and McCammon along the Portneuf River. Growing up with no television the whole family learned to read, a lot! Since first grade, reading has been Jennye’s passion. Jennye worked at the Flying J for 11 years, till its closure. Jenny has experience with volunteering working with the Friends of the Marshall Public Library during its annual book sales and with St. Vincent De Paul filling Thanksgiving boxes and helping with clothing donations. Jennye has very eclectic taste when it comes to books. Over the years, she has studied everything from JFK to Roller Coasters. Jennye’s usual style is to browse and explore every book in a specific section; in this manner she has found many “treasures” including some that were essential to her dad when he wrote his book Wilderness Brothers. In the rest of her free time, Jennye enjoys taking care of the family’s chickens, working with Black Rock artist Margo Proksa in clay, studying the Bible, participating in Special Olympics, and reminding her parents of all the things they’ve forgotten to do.

Free Tax Filing at Library

Confused about your taxes? Having trouble filing? Help is here for you at your library!

Volunteers from the American Association of Retired Persons who have received trainingfrom the IRS and the Idaho State Tax Commission staff this program. They are ready to assist you in the electronic filing of your state and Federal tax returns. And it's absolutely free!

This program focuses on the low-income or elderly but is open to everyone. Starting on Monday, February 3 and running through April 10, the volunteers will be at the library every Monday evening from 5-8 p.m. and every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. No appointments will be taken and it is first come, first served.

Bring the following (if necessary) with you:

• Valid picture ID and social security cards or a document from SSA with your name and SSN

If you don't have a valid Social Security Card, you can go to the Social Security Office for a proof of Social Security number letter to bring to the library.

• Social Security cards for dependents

If your dependents don’t have a valid Social Security Card, go to the Social Security Office for a proof of Social Security number letter to bring to the library.

• Form W-2 from each employer/p>

• Form 1099-INT or 1099-DIV (to report interest and dividends)

• SSA-1099 or RRB-1099 (to report social security and railroad retirement)

• 1099-R (to report pension income)

• List of your medical, taxes, interest, contributions, and miscellaneous expenses (to itemize your deductions)

• Copy of last year's tax return

• Child and disabled dependent care

•Copy of divorce decree that shows you are entitled to claiming the child or children for tax purposes and/or earned income credit.

Congratulations to Justine!

Scholastic Art and Writing Awards is a nation-wide program that celebrates the creative, artistic, and writing skills of students grades 7-12. My Advanced Placement English teacher, Jill Pixton, was the one who introduced me to the Awards, though at first I brushed it off as something to do later.

However, in my attempt to find scholarships, I stumbled upon the Awards again, and decided what the heck, and started prowling my laptop for written works (as unfortunately, the deadline for writing was only a few days away, thus giving me no time to come up with inspiration). In order to register, I had to fill out a basic application, create an account, and, finally, submit my portfolio and my application fee.

I submitted four works, one a poem while the other three were short stories. These pieces had been written a short while ago, namely for the writing group that meets at the Marshall Public Library, Literally Talented Teens, run by Amy Campbell and Kath Ann Hendricks. I have been going to the group since I turned 13, and before that I attended Write On, another group at the MPL for kids, for a couple of years. The groups have helped me out in my writing, and I do believe my skills as a writer have gotten better because of them.

Those skills helped me to attain Honorable Mention for Idaho in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. It isn't like getting first place or anything, but if you take into account that an entire nation of kids is submitting to the Awards, it's a very nice prize to win! I'm very honored to receive the award, and I feel like my confidence was given a bit of a boost.

To be honest, though, I had totally forgotten about the Awards as I have a lot on my plate. Between applying for colleges and scholarships as well as juggling classes and now a part in my high school musical, I didn't have time to think about it that much. Sure, every now and then I would think, Hey, I might get emailed in a few weeks, but otherwise, I kept my thoughts far away from the Awards.

On a final note, I challenge those who are eligible, and who have a love of writing--be it essays, poems, short stories, or what have you--or a love of art--drawing, painting, or design-- to join the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards. You might be surprised at how far your work could go.

Justine, Literally Talented Teen Member

Winter Dreams and New Board Games

Many thanks go to the Friends of Marshall Public Library (FOMPL) for the funds to purchase new board games for the library! The new games include some replacements and some brand new ones that I am very excited about.

Among the new games are Mouse Trap, Flip Out,Mastermind, Buzz Word, Story Cubes, Monopoly-Electronic Banking, Dominion, Ticket to Ride, and The Settlers of Catan. FOMPL also gave the library replacements for Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders which will be stored in hanging bags in the children’s area with the puzzles. New copies of Life and Sorry were also purchased.

We have tentative plans for a board game night in February so keep your eyes peeled and we will keep you posted!

The Friends are generous in helping us obtain special things for the library that are not in our regular budget. All proceeds from our yearly book sales and the on-going book sale by the Circulation Desk help make these things possible. If you would like to become a FOMPL, please ask at the Circulation Desk.

Don’t forget about our Annual Winter Dreams open-mike night which will be held on Friday, January 10, from 6-7:30 p.m. Teens are invited to bring something to read and a treat to share in this fun after-hours coffee house setting with an audience of their peers.

Kath Ann Hendricks, Young Adult Librarian