SHELF LIFE
Although it’s back-to-school time everywhere, in the library, summer is business as usual, if only a little less busy. We have some projects to work on and summer classes are in session, so students are always here.
Plans for the coming semester are in the works, as well as the 2020 Literary
Festival next spring.
One thing that we plan for on Thursday mornings is #AskALibrarian day, during which we set up a table in the Whitfield
Building atrium and make ourselves available for questions. That’s for students, but anyone can ask a librarian! If you’re looking for something to read, or a specific title, or research material, just ask for help.
And you also can ask “What’s new in the library?” Take a look at our newest books—they seem to answer several big questions, like this one: How did we get here?
Count on historians like David McCullough to tell us about our world in the most interesting ways. Now he offers “The Pioneers.” The settling of the Northwest Territory is the topic, beginning in New England, where a preacher named Manasseh Cutler and other families start out to what eventually became Marietta, Ohio. But before that they had a long, hazardous road to get there.
Closer to our own time was “A Woman of No Importance” by Sonia Purnell. Raised to be a socialite by her wealthy Baltimore family, Virginia Hall scorned a life of ease and went to work for the State Department. After surviving a freak accident in the Middle East, and ending up with a prosthetic leg, she became the most anonymous, and yet most dangerous, of all Allied spies, according to the Gestapo. How did she outwit them, and survive, which leads us to the next question: What’s on our minds? (One thing is food—see below.)
We’re awfully concerned about our mental health, which adds to the popularity of books like “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor. Think about it: Isn’t it a lot nicer to work, and associate with, positive people? How can we feel more positive? Small life changes can be helpful, as the book explains; retraining your brain and getting a strong support network are two strategies.
Support networks are also important for women, and when women succeed, it’s good for everyone,
according to “The Moment of Lift” by Melinda Gates. Best known for being the wife of Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Melinda Gates now devotes most of her time to philanthropy, and mainly on women’s issues. She believes that if you want to lift up a society, you need to stop keeping its women down.
Food is on our minds a lot these days (more than usual) since the college has introduced a culinary program. We’ve been ordering some books for those students, and they’re not all just about cooking techniques. For example, “Full Moon Feast” by Jessica Prentice is about food, symbolism and myths. The author lists all 13 moons of the year and explains their place in mythology and the seasonal fare for each. And for a totally different look at food, try “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain. Back before there was no culinary culture, no celebrity chefs, Bourdain was just another guy trying to make his way in the restaurant world. His journey is a tell-all memoir that tells the truth about just what goes on in the kitchen, and some of it will surprise you and absolutely make you never want to eat in a restaurant again (maybe).
Those are just a sample of the new titles we have, and there are others on the way. Series additions, mysteries, true crime and others all will be on display soon. Come by and see them and make sure you bring your library card, or we can sign you up if needed. Call us if you have questions at (870) 864-7115, and we hope to see you at the SouthArk Library soon!