I went into a research rabbit hole this fall after rereading “Women’s Work: The First 20,000 Years: Women, Cloth, and Society in Early Times” by Elizabeth Wayland Barber. Join me as I share some of the works I discovered.
Young archeologist Elizabeth Wayland Barber began researching women’s contributions to early society, thinking she would write a paper, revised that to a book and then made it a life’s work. Male researchers had, for the most part, ignored findings of ephemeral fibers and families. “Women’s Work” has a deserved place on American Scientist’s list of “100 or So Books That Shaped a Century of Science.”
“Women’s work” has often meant labor traditionally seen as the domain of women, often linked to specific stereotypical roles that are viewed as inherently feminine or related to domestic responsibilities that include low or no pay. However, women and their supporters are working to evolve that, to turn ‘women’s work’ into anything a woman aspires to do. Continue reading “Literary Links: Women’s Work”
“Polish Your Poise With Madame Chic” has lessons on how to live like a courteous lady or gentleman — I found the instructions in the book were very attainable. Even though I’m in my 40’s, I learned some ways to refine myself in a pleasing way. This book will be an annual read for me.
Three words that describe this book: Valuable, life, lessons
You might want to pick this book up if: You want or need better things in life. This book helps to make your life choices become excellent.
-Anonymous
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“Wicked” – Website / Reviews
This film adaptation of the musical (based on a book) tells the untold story of the witches of Oz. It is part one of a two part film series starring Grammy winning musicians Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande.
“Juror #2” – Website / Reviews
From filmmaker Clint Eastwood comes a drama about a juror for a high-profile murder trial who finds himself struggling with a serious moral dilemma that could influence the court verdict.
“Nosferatu” – Website / Reviews
Robert Eggers’ horror film is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.
“The Order” – Website / Reviews
In this crime thriller, a string of violent robberies in the Pacific Northwest leads veteran FBI agent Terry Husk into a white supremacist plot to overthrow the federal government.
“September 5” – Website / Reviews
A historical thriller that takes place during the 1972 Munich Olympics where an American sports broadcasting crew finds itself thrust into covering a hostage crisis involving Israeli athletes. Continue reading “New DVD List: March 2025”
Below I’m highlighting some nonfiction books coming out in March. All of the mentioned titles are available to put on hold in our catalog and will also be made available via the library’s Overdrive website on the day of publication in eBook and downloadable audiobook format (as available). For a more extensive list of new nonfiction books coming out this month, check our online catalog.
Top Picks
“Propaganda Girls: The Secret War of the Women in the OSS” by Lisa Rogak (Mar 4)
Betty MacDonald was a 28-year-old reporter from Hawaii. Zuzka Lauwers grew up in a tiny Czechoslovakian village and knew five languages by the time she was 21. Jane Smith-Hutton was the wife of a naval attaché living in Tokyo. Marlene Dietrich, the German-American actress and singer, was of course one of the biggest stars of the 20th century. These four women, each fascinating in her own right, together contributed to one of the most covert and successful military campaigns in WWII. As members of the OSS, their task was to create a secret brand of propaganda produced with the sole aim to break the morale of Axis soldiers. Working in the European theater, across enemy lines in occupied China, and in Washington, D.C., Betty, Zuzka, Jane, and Marlene forged letters and “official” military orders, wrote and produced entire newspapers, scripted radio broadcasts and songs, and even developed rumors for undercover spies and double agents to spread to the enemy. And outside of a small group of spies, no one knew they existed. Until now. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: March 2025”
A recent study showed that trying new things at the library is good for your mental health. (This is it. This is the study). Here are some new things I’ve tried recently, and here is a link to DBRL’s events calendar in case you’re thinking about trying something new, too! 
Continue reading “Four New Things I Tried at the Library”
“100 Days of Real Food” is a cook book but it’s also the author and her family’s journey of taking a 100 day pledge to eat only real, unprocessed food. She shares her favorite recipes for eating whole food, what she learned along the way, as well as information about our conventional food system.
The book was quite eye opening. I knew a good amount of the information already but this is a pretty comprehensive look at the food industry. While it’s not a new book, it’s got really rich information in it and timeless advice on how to find and benefit from REAL food.
Three words that describe this book: Cooking, health, lifestyle
You might want to pick this book up if: You’re looking for healthier recipes with few ingredients, looking to make lifestyle changes but aren’t sure where to start, are disgusted by the corporate food industry and want info to inspire you to make changes in how you source your food.
-Hannah
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
Two of my favorite things are Pirates and Godzilla movies. So I was ecstatic when I stumbled upon “Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons.” This comic book limited series, now collected in trade paperback, is an awesome summer read.
Written by Frank Tieri, this story places Monster Island in the tropical waters of the golden age of piracy. The book is a quick read, full of maritime adventure and giant monster battles.
Even if you don’t dig the story, the book is worth picking up just to peruse the gorgeous artwork. Artist Inaki Miranda’s illustrations are so good that they earned this title a nomination for Best Penciller/Inker at this year’s Eisner Awards.
{Pirate voice}: If ye be searching for some summertime adventure, voyage to DB-Arrr-L and pick up “Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons.”
Three words that describe this book: Adventurous, Exciting, Fun
You might want to pick this book up if: You are into Pirates or Kaiju
-Joe
This reader review was submitted as part of Adult Summer Reading. We will continue to share them throughout the year.
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.
“The Outrun” – Website / Reviews
Based on the best-selling memoir this dramatic film is about addiction and recovery, strength and survival, mental health and the ability of the sea, the land and of people to restore life and renew hope.
“Robot Dreams” – Website / Reviews
This Oscar-nominated animated film, based on the graphic novel, follows the adventures and misfortunes of a dog and a robot in New York City during the 1980s.
“Sleep” – Website / Reviews
In this South Korean dark horror comedy, a young, expectant wife must figure out how to stop her husband’s nightmarish sleepwalking habits before he harms himself or his family.
“The Substance” – Website / Reviews
This Oscar nominated horror film stars actress Demi Moore as a fading celebrity who decides to use a black market drug to temporarily create a younger, better version of herself.
“Seeking Mavis Beacon” – Website / Reviews
Shown at the True/False Film Fest, this doc follows two DIY detectives seeking the cover model behind a popular educational typing software, while posing questions about identity & technology. Continue reading “New DVD List: February 2025”
As long as I’ve been driving, I have been locked in a struggle with my car. My beaters have stalled out, erupted coolant, leaked, squealed and haunted my nightmares. I’ll admit, the ceaseless cycle of break downs broke me down to the point I became apathetic to my car. Right now, on the precipice of replacing my ride, I found an invaluable guide for the road ahead.
Chaya Milchtein’s “Mechanic Shop Femme’s Guide to Car Ownership” helped me reset a decade of bad habits with the education and empowerment to do better. The quick read left me with more insight on my vehicle than I had generated in the past decade. Milchtein, an automotive educator, combines expertise, personal perspectives and plain language into an approachable overview of a car’s life. For those like me, ignorant and almost afraid of their car, and those who have been intentionally dispossessed from car ownership, the book offers friendly guidance. Continue reading “Staff Review: Mechanic Shop Femme’s Guide to Car Ownership by Chaya Milchtein”
![Substack Review: Features, Pricing, & Alternatives [2025]](https://www.smbguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/substack-icon.png)
While there are many social media platforms available to us, today, I would like to sing praises of Substack, a company that believes “the internet’s powers for good could be realized if they were tied to a business model that produces better incentives…” than other platforms. For me, those incentives include conversations from bestselling authors as well as gardeners, new writers and artists sharing their work, and gleeful hobbyists sharing quilts and chicken coops.
Substack allows you to bypass traditional print and media gatekeepers. Write directly to your readers and develop a relationship. In addition to a traditional newsletter you can work in audio, video or chat formats. You are also given a web presence for people who prefer reading on an app or browser window. Branding and other customization options allow you to present a consistent newsletter and web page. Subscriptions are free to your readers, with an option for you to charge a small fee for select material.
“How to Build a World Class Substack” by Russell Nohelty and Claire Venus is a great resource. Using personal experiences, Nohelty shares a step-by-step process of creating your presence on Substack. Learn about newsletter management, book launching, scheduling, interacting and more. In all fairness, this book and I didn’t click. The information is good, though, and it’s on Hoopla so you won’t have to wait to check it out. Continue reading “Substack! The Social Media App for Writers and Creatives”
