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

Spanish Language Collection Reunited

The library has moved all adult Spanish-language and dual language Spanish/English books to one location to make them easier for patrons to find and browse. These books are now on the second floor by the Reference Desk.

An Evening at Downton

The library is celebrating the return of the popular British program Downton Abbey to American television with “An Evening at Downton,” a program for adults on Monday, January 6, at 7 p.m. Abbey Enthusiasts will be treated to tea, snacks, trivia, and general gossip of the goings-on at the Big House. Guests are requested to don their fanciest hat for the celebration.

Downton Abbey is a British period drama that follows the lives of the Crawleys, a noble family, and the servants who maintain Downton Abbey through war, social change, and family upheaval. The first three seasons of the series are available for checkout at Marshall Public Library. Season four premiers on PBS on January 5.

Jamie Bair, Circulation Supervisor

Free Computer Classes @ Your Library

Registration is now open for the library’s January computer classes! Whether you are interested in learning how to use computers or you want to expand the computer skills you already have, these classes are for you.

Classes are geared towards older beginners. The beginner’s class includes basic instruction from using a mouse to how to navigate online and set up an email account. The Internet research class is for people who have the basic computer skills already and want to know more about search engines like Google and websites like Wikipedia.

Classes are free and open to the public. Space is limited so stop by the Reference Desk on the second floor today to register. If the class that you are interested in is full, be sure to add your name to the waiting list for the next set of classes.

The library is always eager to add more computer classes to our roster! If you are interested in volunteering to teach a class, please talk to Amy on the second floor or call her at 232-1263 ext. 106.

Amy Campbell, Reference Librarian

Health Care Changes Explained @Your Library

Major health insurance changes are coming and many Idahoans have questions about how this will impact them. Marshall Public Library in Pocatello and Portneuf District Library in Chubbuck have partnered with Blue Cross of Idaho to bring information to all members of the public.

On Wednesday, September 18, from 7-8:30 in the evening at Marshall Public Library and at Portneuf District Library in Chubbuck on Saturday, September 21, from 10 a.m. until noon, Blue Cross of Idaho representative David Michel will present information on the Affordable Care Act and the Idaho health insurance exchange. He will also answer questions you may have about open enrollment and what individuals and small business owners can expect.

A lot is changing in health insurance. Make sure you know how it impacts you by attending one or both of these programs. Both programs are free and open to all members of the public. For more information on these programs, call Amy Campbell at Marshall Public Library at 232-1263 ext. 106 or Susan King at Portneuf District Library at 237-2192. For more information on the health insurance changes and the Idaho health insurance exchange, visit http://www.getcoveredidaho.com.

Amy Campbell, Reference Librarian

Tribute to Maria Callas on Second Floor

In January 1953, opera singer Maria Callas made her first recordings for England’s Electric & Musical Industries, Ltd. 60 years later, her recordings are still some of EMI’s biggest sellers.

Marshall Public Library is celebrating this 60 year association with a display of Callas artifacts and memorabilia related to her 1953 EMI recordings. Other information regarding her entire EMI output is also part of the presentation. 36 years after her death, come see why Maria Callas is still remembered.

For more information on any of our displays, please call Trent Clegg at the library at 232-1263 ext. 106.

Trent Clegg, Reference Librarian

Celebrate Your Freedom To Read

Banned Books Week was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. Banned Books Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read. This year it is held September 22-28, it highlights the value of free and open access to information.

We would like to celebrate the freedom to read by displaying several books that have been challenged across the nation. A challenge is an attempt to remove or restrict materials, based upon the objections of a person or group. Challenges do not simply involve a person expressing a point of view; rather, they are an attempt to remove material from the curriculum or library, thereby restricting the access of others. As such, they are a threat to freedom of speech and choice.

Check out the display on the first floor. And, YES, these books do check out. Celebrate your freedom to read and check one out today.

Becky Hadley, Readers Advisor