Library
Read On! Gifts
We are entering the serious days of holiday gift buying, but there’s still some time left to figure out what you’re going to do. Here are a few ways your library can help you tackle your holiday gift-giving:
If you’re looking for bookish gifts for kids under 5 years old who live in Mayes County, sign them up for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. Paid for by our Friends of the Library group, the child you sign up will receive a free, age-appropriate book through the mail each month until they turn 5. We’ve got applications here at the library. (If you’d like to donate to the Friends and help with this program, they pay $25 per year per child. It’s an amazing deal.)
If you like making gifts but need some instructions or a little inspiration, we’ve got lots of craft books in the building. We also have an easy-to-use DIY resource through our website called “Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center.” Between our physical books and the online resource, you’ll find instructions and inspiration for everything from appliqué to wreath making.
If you like to give food as gifts or if you’re preparing a recipe box for a loved one, we’ve got many cookbooks that can help.
Lastly, feel free to strike up a conversation with one of our staff. We can’t tell you what someone checks out from our collection, but with a little information about them we might be able to suggest a few titles they would be interested in. We’ll just need to know some of the books, movies, or video games they like and/or some of their hobbies or interests. If all else fails, we’ll help you brainstorm.
Of course, all of the shops and stores in town will have even more ideas and suggestions!
Remember, the Pryor Library will be closed the Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of Thanksgiving. We hope you enjoy your holiday!
Library closed for Thanksgiving
Our physical building will be closed on November 28, 29, & 30, but we’re open 24/7 online! Check your account, place holds, download ebooks and audiobooks, learn a language, research your family history – all from where ever you are, day or night.
Read On! Streaming options
When my daughter was at home sick recently, I had a moment when I couldn’t take another episode of “Captain Underpants” or “Pinky Malinky” so I turned to the library for help. Luckily, the library has two streaming options for those in a similar situation.
Our Tumblebooks Library features video adaptations of many picture books, plus games, National Geographic videos, and language learning lessons. You can access the Tumblebooks Library through our website, pryorlibrary.org, by choosing the “Use the Library” tab and selecting “Research and Resources” or you can download the Tumblebooks app. The app takes some getting used to, but both methods of access have the same features. You’ll just need your library card number to access all the features.
The OK Virtual Library (aka Overdrive and/or Libby) offers a wealth of downloadable books and audiobooks plus a selection of magazines and almost 700 streaming videos. Many of the videos are video adaptations of picture books, but some are full-length and relatively popular movies or TV shows. Like Tumblebooks, this resource can be accessed via computer or app (Overdrive is the only app with access to videos, but Libby is an option for everything else). For this resource, you’ll need your library card number and your password. You’ll also want to make sure your account with the library is up-to-date and in good standing – blocks on your account at the physical library will also block your access to this resource.
If you’re looking for craft ideas without falling down the YouTube spiral, check out our Hobbies & Crafts Reference Center. You’ll find everything from needlework to calligraphy instructions. These are written instructions, not videos, but they’re super useful and fun. Like everything else, you’ll need your library card number.
Read On! To reread or not to reread
Do you reread books? I find that when my life gets hectic or my stress levels creep higher and higher, I’m more likely to grab an old favorite than delve into a new world. For me, there’s comfort in reading or listening to a book again. I already know how the book makes me feel, I know where the narrative goes, and I don’t have to expend any energy or emotion wondering if it will all work out. It’s like visiting with an old friend or wrapping up in a warm blanket.
When I asked the staff at the Pryor Library if they reread, I found I was not alone. Most of us do. And for similar reasons. Some of us reread books that feel like home and bring us comfort. Others reread books that act as a catharsis to process difficult emotions. The few of us who do not reread point to the number of unread books and possibilities for new adventures as their reason why they don’t revisit old stories.
Our discussion yielded a good list of what we like to reread. Maybe you’ll find some rereading comfort here too.
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
“Solace of Open Spaces” by Gretel Ehrlich
“Howl’s Moving Castle” by Diana Wynne Jones
The “Wheel of Time” series by Robert Jordan
“The Stand” by Stephen King
The “Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis
The “Twilight” series by Stephenie Meyer
“Gone with the Wind: by Margaret Mitchell
“Anne of Green Gables” by L.M. Montgomery
“Lamb” by Christopher Moore
“Sabriel” and “Lirael” by Garth Nix
“Where the Red Fern Grows” by Wilson Rawls
The “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling
“Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck
If you want to learn how to make your own warm blanket to wrap yourself in while you read, don’t forget to join me on Thursday, Nov. 14th at 6:30 PM for our Intro to Knitting class. You’ll need to bring 100% cotton yarn and knitting needles.