Read it or Weep

Banned Books Week

October 1, 2021October 1, 2021EmmaLeave a comment

The Glass Castle: A Memoir

Written in 2005, this is the story of Jeannette Walls, her 3 siblings, and their parents. Dad (Rex) was often drunk with the dream of building a glass castle, a home for his family, after he strikes it rich finding gold. Mom (Rose Mary) was an artist who loved spending time with painting much more than taking care of her family. The family never had a decent home and there was never enough food. They moved often, Dad called it the skedaddle, especially when bill collectors came looking for them. Birthdays and Christmas were seldom celebrated except for an occasional “gift” mom found on the street, in the trash, or at a thrift store. The children went to school hungry and seldom had anything for lunch except leftovers found in the trash. One by one the children left Virginia for New York City where three of the four become successful adults despite their childhood.

According to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, The Glass Castle was on list of the top 10 most challenged books for 2012 because of offensive language and sexually explicit content.

~Emma

Banned Books Week 2021: Shannon’s Favorites

September 29, 2021September 27, 2021ShannonLeave a comment

It’s Banned Books Week again, and now more than ever, it is important to talk to about censorship and the right to read. We as librarians stand against censorship and banning books, and in fact, some of my favorite books are on the list of the most frequently challenged books.

In honor of this important week, here are some of my favorite books from the list:

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

A powerful, moving story ripped straight from the headlines, of a Black girl who was the only witness to her friend’s death at the hands of a police officer; this book is number 30 of the 100 most challenged books of the decade.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

An excellent graphic memoir that details the author’s childhood growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution; I read this in college and it changed my perspective on regular people living in the Middle East. Number 40.

The Giver by Lois Lowry

I read this dystopian classic in grade school, and it has remained one of my favorite books. It truly helped me see the world differently. This one is number 61.

Saga by Brian K. Vaughan

A beloved series of science fiction space opera graphic novels, Saga is often challenged in libraries due to violence and sexual content. This series come in at number 76 on the list of most challenged books of the decade.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
book cover that links to RRPL's catalog.

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds
Number two on the list of most challenged books of 2020, this important book teaches racism to children of a new generation.

These are my favorite banned books, but plenty of books are challenged in libraries every day. To participate in Banned Books Week yourself, check out the Banned Books Week website for challenges, activities, interviews with authors, and more.

Image with two hands holding a book that reads: Censorship divides us. The picture is a link to the Banned Books Week website.

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

September 28, 2021September 27, 2021semanurLeave a comment

These are the books we are adding to our collection this week. Click on the indigo text to go to our catalog and place a hold today!

Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography by Laurie Woolever – An unprecedented behind-the-scenes view into the life of Anthony Bourdain from the people who knew him best.

The Last Graduate by Naomi Novik – A budding dark sorceress determined not to use her formidable powers uncovers yet more secrets about the workings of her world in the sequel to A Deadly Education.

Chronicles from the Land of the Happiest People on Earth by Wole Soyinka, Wole – Duyole Pitan-Payne realizes that someone is trying to stop him from assuming a prestigious job in the United Nations after discovering that a wily entrepreneur is stealing body parts from a Nigerian hospital for use in rituals.

Once in a Lifetime by Mary Monroe – When she accidentally receives another woman’s passport during the holiday season, Judith Guthrie, whose brother is on the waiting list for a live-giving transplant, decides to deliver it in person and finds her small gesture resulting in a series of big choices and big miracles.

The Santa Suit by Mary Kay Andrews – After purchasing an old farmhouse, newly divorced Ivy Perkins discovers an old Santa suit with a note in the pocket, which sets her off on a mission that brings her into a welcoming community where she finds more than she ever thought possible.

Feeding the Soul by Tabitha Brown – The popular actress and vegan food star shares inspirational life lessons based on her own struggles, with advice on how to choose joy, learn to walk in kindness and find hope and clarity in our lives.

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr – Follows four young dreamers and outcasts through time and space, from 1453 Constantinople to the future, as they discover resourcefulness and hope amidst peril in the new novel by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of All the Light We Cannot See.

The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman – When an old friend, who has been accused of stealing millions of dollars’ worth of diamonds, desperately needs her help leaving a dead body in his wake, Elizabeth and her friends go up against a ruthless murderer who wouldn’t bat an eyelid at knocking off four septuagenarians.

The Christmas Wedding Guest by Susan Mallery – Guilted into being bridesmaids at their parents’ vow renewal ceremony, sisters Reggie and Dena Sommerville, each working through tough personal issues, find love in the most unexpected of places – their hometown.

Santa Cruise by Fern Michaels – Reuniting for a state-of-the art cruise during the holidays– one with hundreds of eligible men, four best friends cheer each other on through speed-dating events and shore excursions, but soon discover things not going as planned as they set sail on surprising new adventures.

The Unknown by Heather Graham – The newest member of the Krewe of Hunters elite paranormal team, FBI agent Ryder Stapleton must enlist the help of a beautiful museum curator with an otherworldly ability to track down a serial arsonist setting first to the streets of New Orleans.

The Wish by Nicholas Sparks – A successful travel photographer, Maggie Dawes, struggling to come to terms with a sobering medical diagnosis, is unexpectedly grounded over Christmas with her young assistant and begins to tell him the story of the love that set her on a course she never could have imagined.

We Know You Remember by Tove Alsterdal – The past comes flooding ack for police detective Eira Sjödin when Olof Hagström, who served time for raping a murdering a local girl, returns home to find his father dead under suspicious circumstances.

~Semanur

Fall into a Good Book

September 27, 2021September 24, 2021carolLeave a comment

These recent chilly nights mean it is time to put away your beach reads and pick up a book that will blow you away. For me, that book is We Begin at the End by Chris Whitaker.

Part coming-of-age and part crime drama, this novel tells the story of 13-year-old Duchess Day Radley, a self-proclaimed outlaw, whose life is in shambles. Her mother, Star, is a struggling alcoholic and single mom to Duchess and her five-year-old brother Robin. Their family is one of legendary gossip and ridicule in their small coastal California town –after all, Star’s high school boyfriend Vincent King has been locked up for the murder of Star’s baby sister for the last thirty years.

Vincent King is about to be released and the Radley family aren’t the only ones worried about his return. Vincent’s best friend Walt, now town sheriff, has been busy watching over Star and feels responsible and guilty for turning Vincent in all those years ago.

When these beautifully rendered characters reconnect, be sure that decades-old resentments mixed with the anger of youth and a changing world will create an explosive reading experience. This emotional and intricately-plotted read is so compelling, that my only complaint was that I read it too fast.

-Carol

Five Days for Democracy: How Can I Do More?

September 24, 2021SaraCLeave a comment

All of us want to protect and support our democracy, but what can each one of us do? Here are a few ideas:

1. Know who your local legislators and politicians are

Here’s where to find your House Representative.

Put your address in here to find a full list of your elected officia ls.

2. Know how to get in touch with them (and actually make them listen.)

Here are some general guidelines on how to contact them.

3. Identify an issue you care about and pursue it

4. Attend town hall meetings

A town hall is where you, in person, can make your actual voice heard, in front of local politicians who can actually do something about it.

5. Attend City Council meetings

Alternately, attend a City Council meeting to get an up-close view of what’s important to your city’s legislators.

6. Get to know your local School Board

Whether or not you have kids in school, it’s a good idea to know about your school board and the direction they are leading your schools.

7. Join your local PTA

Not only can you have a direct communication with your school, you can also volunteer and participate in other ways that directly impact your community.

8. Join a voting league or political organization

A non-partisan group like the League of Women Voters is a good way to get informed, or you can choose a political group that aligns with your values.

9. Register to act on behalf of a political party

Here’s a starting place for Republicans. Here’s one for Democrats. Keep in mind your party has a state chapter, too.

10. Join a campaign

If you find a local politician who represents the change you want to see in your community, contact their office to figure out how you can get involved in the campaign! Maybe they’ll have you stuff mailers or put up signs or some other boring task, but the boring tasks is what actually gets stuff done.

(adapted from “25 ways to be politically active whether you lean left or right” by AJ Willingham, CNN)

5 Days for Democracy

September 24, 2021EmmaLeave a comment

The Women’s March: A Novel of the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession

by Jennifer Chiaverini

On March 3, 1913 the day before Woodrow Wilson was inaugurated as the 28th President of the United States, suffragettes marched down Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington D.C. The women were demanding an amendment to the Constitution giving all women the right to vote. The reader learns of the events before, during and after the parade from the perspective of three women who were there. Alice Paul, a Quaker from Pennsylvania, was one of the organizers. Activist Ida Wells-Barnett from Illinois was insistent that black women also deserved the right to vote. “Militant suffragist librarian” Maud Malone from New York was not afraid to challenge anyone with regard to women’s suffrage. At a town meeting, she even interrupted president-elect Woodrow Wilson regarding his stance on all women’s right to vote. He ignored her question by saying it was a states’ issue.

Approximately 5,000 marchers walked the same route that the inaugural parade would take the next day. Nine bands, twenty-four elaborate floats, and four mounted brigades were featured along with the marchers. Security was lax. The police did not provide what was necessary to keep the spectators under control and more than 300 women were injured along the parade route. (The crowd was estimated at 250,000.) Eventually, U.S. Army troops arrived to clear the street so that the procession could continue.

Later a handful of suffragettes were invited to meet with President Wilson who listened politely. He believed that it was a states’ issue and not a federal issue. The 19th Amendment which guarantees American women the right to vote was adopted on August 18, 1920.

The book is historical fiction, but it’s obvious that the author did substantial research. This is a good introduction to the struggle women faced in getting the right to vote.

The women highlighted in The Women’s March include:

from the artifact walls of the National Woman Suffrage Parade

~Emma

Why Does Voting Matter? Five Days for Democracy-Day 3

September 22, 2021MeganLeave a comment

Rocky River Public Library has joined forces with The City Club of Cleveland to invite you to participate in Five Days for Democracy— a week dedicated to exploring what democracy means to you. This year we’re taking a look at how all politics is local: what does local government look like, who represents us, and how can we impact city hall.

Sign up and receive a daily email packed with opportunities to examine different facets of our democracy—from listening to a podcast to watching a video, reading an article or responding to a call to action. Each day pick one challenge and get engaged!

Five days. Five challenges. Five ways to strengthen our democracy.

I have had this meme sent to me at least five times. Because my friends know me. They have seen me ask this question of complete strangers, seemingly out of the blue. I am passionate about voting-it’s the only way we have to make our system of government work for us.

If you didn't vote yet, please do!: GME — While I love that first image, this image represents to me WHY it is so important to have conversations about voting.

It is easy to become disillusioned with politics. It’s understandable that people think their vote doesn’t matter. While we have seen increases in the number of eligible voters turning out for big elections, cities and states still often see low engagement for primary elections and local elections. Local elections have the greatest impact on our daily lives and in our communities. Just in case you don’t believe your one vote is all that important, consider these elections:

2016: A Vermont state Senate Democratic primary was determined by a single vote out of more than 7,400 cast.
2016: A Wyoming state House GOP primary was decided by just one vote, 583 to 582.
2002: A Connecticut state House seat was determined by one vote out of more than 6,400 cast.

For more close elections, check out this article from NPR: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/03/663709392/why-every-vote-matters-the-elections-decided-by-a-single-vote-or-a-little-more

Voting is a right that many people had to fight for. It is a right that should not be given up so easily. Voting is powerful and participation from all eligible voters is the best way to keep our democracy healthy. If you haven’t already, check your registration status at your local board of elections site and make a plan to be a voter. Your local library can help you find reliable information about the candidates and issues that are on your ballot.

Use your voice. Be a voter.

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

September 21, 2021September 9, 2022semanurLeave a comment

There are many exciting new book releases coming and you don’t want to miss it…

Bewilderment by Richard Powers – A widowed astrobiologist and single father to a troubled son contemplates an experimental neurofeedback treatment that trains the boy on the recorded patterns of his mother’s brain in the new novel from the Pulitzer Prize–winning and #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Overstory.

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki – A novel explores the themes of loss, growing up, and our relationship with things.

Vanderbilt: The Rise and Fall of an American Dynasty by Anderson Cooper & Katherine Howe – Drawing on never-before-seen documents and told from a unique insider’s viewpoint, the CNN anchor and New York Times bestselling author tells the story of his legendary family and their remarkable influence.

A Darker Reality by Anne Perry – Elena Standish investigates the mysterious death of Lila Worth, who she discovers is a British spy, at an anniversary party for her parents in Washington, D.C., in the third novel of the series following A Question of Betrayal.

Daughter of the Morning Star by Craig Johnson – After a Native high school basketball star whose sister disappeared begins receiving death threats, Tribal Police Chief Long, Absaroka County Sheriff Walt Longmire and Henry Standing Bear investigate in the latest novel of the series following Next to Last Stand.

An Impossible Promise by Jude Deveraux – Although they were lovers in the past, Liam O’Conner and Cora McLeod are just roommates in the present as they try to follow the angels’ commands in the second novel of the series following An Impossible Promise.

The Burning by Jonathan Kellerman & Jesse Kellerman – When deputy coroner Clay Edison discovers a link between the murder he is investigating and his brother, he is forced to reckon with his own suspicions, resentments and loyalties.

The Jailhouse Lawyer by James Patterson – When a young lawyer takes on a judge who is destroying her hometown, she ends up in jail where she learns the deadly truth about why the jail is so crowded and why so few prisoners are released.

When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash – When a plane crash lands at the nearby airfield on the coast of North Carolina, Sheriff Winston Barnes begins a murder investigation that will change the course of his life and the fate of the community he has sworn to protect.

~Semanur

5 Days for Democracy: Day 2 – What’s on my ballot?

September 21, 2021September 20, 2021ShannonLeave a comment

For Day 2 of Five Days for Democracy, we’re looking at how to find out what’s on your ballot!

If you haven’t heard of Five Days for Democracy, the annual challenge run by the City Club of Cleveland, here’s the info: it’s a weeklong deep dive into democracy and what it means to participate in it, and you can sign up here. Each day for a week, you will get an email with videos, articles to read, and other things that will make you think. This year’s theme is how engaging in local politics is as impactful in voting every four years for president.

Voting down the ballot is more important now than ever, but it can be a daunting process to figure out what issues and candidates are actually on your ballot, especially for local elections. Luckily, there is an easy way to find out: Vote 411! Vote 411 is run by the League of Women Voters, which is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that has been educating voters for over a century.

On the Vote 411 website, click on “Find What’s On Your Ballot” to start, and then enter your street address.

Now you can look at each issue or race, and even click on each candidate to find out more information.* You can look at demographic information and even their stance on particular issues. Plus, you can compare two candidates side by side.

You can also choose to have your ballot summary texted to you, so you remember who to vote for at the polls!

Or if you want to go straight to the source, you can find a PDF of the actual ballot on the Secretary of State’s sample ballot page by selecting your county.

*Note: These sites only work if your area has an election coming up.

For information on past elections, check out Ballotpedia, a nonprofit that is a digital encyclopedia of United States elections and politics.

Check back later this week for more on 5 Days for Democracy!

New Books Tuesday @ RRPL

September 14, 2021October 23, 2021semanurLeave a comment

Here some of the new exciting releases for you to take a look at this week!

Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead – A furniture salesman in 1960s Harlem becomes a fence for shady cops, local gangsters and low-life pornographers after his cousin involves him in a failed heist in the new novel from the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Underground Railroad.

Guinness World Records 2022 by Guinness World Records – This latest edition of the world’s best-selling annual book looks at how despite pandemic and lockdowns, record-breaking has continued, with a focus on how people are going to extreme lengths to save the environment.

Talk to Me by T. Coraghessan Boyle – Becoming the assistant to animal behaviorist Guy Schermerhorn and his juvenile chimp, Aimee Villard finds herself in an interspecies love triangle that pushes hard at the boundaries of consciousness and the question of what we know and how we know it.

Travels With George: In Search of Washington and His Legacy by Nathaniel Philbrick – Written at a moment when America’s founding figures are under increasing scrutiny, the author, retracing George Washington’s journey as a new president through all thirteen former colonies, paints a picture of 18th-century America as divided and fraught as it is today.

Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach – A best-selling author offers an investigation into the unpredictable world where wildlife and humans meet.

Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty – A family of tennis stars debate whether or not to report their mother as missing because it would implicate their father in the new novel by the New York Times best-selling author of Big Little Lies.

Enemy at the Gates by Vince Flynn & Kyle Mills – CIA operative Mitch Rapp accepts a job protecting the world’s first trillionaire, but also uses him as bait to catch a traitor with access to government secrets in the latest addition to the series following Total Power.

Her Perfect Life by Hank Phillippi Ryan – Everyone knows television reporter Lily Atwood—and that may be her biggest problem.

The World Played Chess by Robert Dugoni – As his own son gets ready to leave for college, Vincent Bianco recalls his final summer before college in 1979 during which he received an education of a lifetime while working alongside two Vietnam vets as a laborer on a construction site.

Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement by Tarana Burke – The founder and activist behind the “me too” movement shares her own story of how she came to say those two words herself after being sexually assaulted, in this debut memoir that explores how to piece back together our fractured selves.

The Missing Hours by Julia Dahl – A standalone novel from an award-winning author confronts the aftermath of a campus rape and the lengths that some will go to keep the truth hidden.

Harrow by Joy Williams – With her mother missing and her boarding school closed, Khristen searches the post-apocalyptic landscape until she reaches a “resort” on the shores of a putrid lake in the author’s first novel since The Quick and the Dead.

Water: A Biography by Giulio Boccaletti – Spanning millennia and continents, here is a stunningly revealing history of how the distribution of water has shaped human civilization.

~Semanur