Library
Read On! Book Recommendations
At the library, we love to give our patrons book recommendations. It’s an opportunity for us to know what our community wants to read and it gives us a chance to tell you about books you may not have heard of.
Here are some tips for getting the best book recommendations possible from your library staff:
- Be prepared to answer questions. We are passionate about finding the right book for you so we’re going to ask you what you’ve read recently that you liked, what you liked about those books, what you didn’t like, what you’re in the mood for, etc.
- Be honest. We will not judge you for reading and/or loving teen books or steamy romances so if that’s the kind of book you’re looking for, tell us.
- Be open to new experiences. If you loved “The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green because you like books that make you sob but you refuse to check out science fiction or fantasy, you’re going to miss “A Monster Calls” by Patrick Ness and all the tears that book produces. Also, if your taste is incredibly specific, it will be harder to find a good fit.
- Don’t worry that you’ll offend us. If you don’t think the books we suggest sound good, we need to know so we can suggest different books. I promise no one at the library will be offended if you don’t take the first book we recommend.
- Report back. Once you’ve taken a suggestion, please tell us what you thought of it! Even if you didn’t like it, getting feedback will help us make better recommendations to you and readers like you.
If you’d rather go it alone with book recommendations, the internet is a wonderful place. The search feature in Goodreads is a good place to start.
You can also use our online catalog to find inspiration. We’ve got book lists on the catalog’s front page to let you know what’s new, what’s popular, and what we love.
Read On! Check your Library account online
When we upgraded our library software in December, our online library catalog gained some neat features. There’s too much for one column, so I’ll focus on the “My Account” features.
When you sign in to your account using your library card number and your last name, you can access the “My Account” area. The default tab is “Account Info” which shows you the contact information we have on record for you, any fines you owe, and how much money you’ve saved this year by using your library.
The “Notifications” tab lets you decide how you want the library to contact you. In addition to a phone call or email, we can text you. And you can text us back! The text-back feature includes the ability to renew books.
The third tab, “Items Out/Renewals” shows you what items you have checked out and gives you the ability to renew your items online.
If you’re looking for an item the library doesn’t own, the “Reserves/Requests” will be your favorite tab. Using the options here, you can request that we purchase an item for the library’s collection (and put you on hold for it) or seek the item from another library through our Inter-Library Loan (ILL).
I use the “Bookmarks” tab as a kind of wish list. I bookmark items I’m interested in, then when I’m ready to find books at the library I use this tab to quickly find what’s checked in.
The last tab is your “History” where you can find what you’ve checked out. This is handy if you want to keep track of what you read, if you forget where you left off on a series, or if you just like lists. You have the ability to opt out of this feature, if you wish.
If you have questions about the features in our catalog, please let us know. To get to the catalog, go to pryorlibrary.org, then click on the “Use the Library” tab, then the “Search the Library” link.
Read On! Fitness & Food
This year is going so quickly! Here we are in May. If you’re like many, May means the sudden realization that summer is coming. And summer coming means reevaluating that hastily made New Year’s resolution. You know the one. How’s it going? Yep. Me too.
If you want to reinvigorate a long-term goal of getting healthier, your library has you covered. From books about exercise and nutrition to cookbooks that will get you out of a cooking rut (or inspire you to start cooking with all the fruits and veggies coming into season), our collection is a good place to get inspiration.
Our staff will always help you find what you need, but if you’d like a place to start browsing, head over to the nonfiction collection. Generally speaking, diet and nutrition books are shelved at 613.2 while exercise plans are at 613.7. “Learning to Breathe Fire,” a book about Crossfit, is on my short list of things to check out.
For inspiration in the kitchen, check out 641.5. That’s where the cookbooks live. My spring project is to check out cookbooks and copy recipes for my personal library. “101 One-Dish Dinners” is my current favorite, but I’m pretty sure “300 Slow Cooker Favorites” will move up the list soon.
The above Dewey Decimal numbers will get you started, but it’s worth browsing beyond those general numbers in order to catch books that have a more specific focus. If you’re looking for something particular like the Paleo diet or cooking for diabetes, it’s worth asking staff or checking our catalog to save you some time.
You can access our catalog by going to www.pryorlibrary.org and clicking “Search the Library.” Our ebooks and downloadable audiobooks will come up in your searches too, so don’t forget about Overdrive.
Always remember: the best way to have a beach body is to take your body to the beach.
Read On! Children’s Book Week
Happy Children’s Book Week! This surprisingly little-known literacy initiative is celebrating its 99th year this week. Children’s Book Week is grounded in the idea that “children’s books and literacy are life-changers” and encourages us to spread the joy of reading to young people.
In 1919 when Children’s Book Week started, we didn’t have the studies, data, or technology of today. The founders relied on their own observations as librarians and publishers to assert the life-changing nature of being read to and learning to love reading at a young age. Now, virtually every study verifies what the founders of Children’s Book Week knew almost 100 years ago: Reading to kids and inspiring kids to love reading makes them more successful adults.
It’s never too early to start reading to children – in utero, in the hospital, whenever. And if you missed those early days, it’s never too late to start either. We’ve got lots of books to choose from in our collection (and staff happy to help you find good stuff), but reading magazine articles (or this article!) to your kids also counts. Children are more likely to copy the behaviors they see in the adults in their lives, so it’s important for us to show them that reading is an enjoyable and valuable way to spend time. Plus, talking to kids about what everyone is reading is super fun!
To celebrate Children’s Book Week, the Pryor Library is doing several things. In addition to normal librarian duties, our Youth Services staff made paper fortune tellers for our after-school crowd that are designed as a fun way for them to start thinking of or writing their own stories; we will have a special craft on Wednesday morning for toddlers; and we will celebrate with our 3rd Graders Go To Work class during their visit. Come by and help us celebrate!