In 1959, several mid-Missouri library districts formed the Daniel Boone Regional Library (DBRL) system. Our early collection contained 51,839 printed books and 280,940 items were checked out annually. 60 years later, DBRL continues to serve Boone and Callaway Counties with libraries in Ashland, Columbia, Fulton and Holts Summit. The bookmobile visits other communities in the two-county area, and our Book Bike and Book Rover can often be seen at local events. Across these branches, the DBRL system now houses 403,871 printed books. Changing technology has brought new formats like eBooks and audiobooks. With this expansion of services, the number of annual check-outs has climbed to 2,318,218. To celebrate our anniversary, we’re highlighting some titles that have continued to fly off the shelves over the years. Continue reading “Bestsellers Through the Decades: Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of DBRL”
Ruth Bader Ginsburg has become a cultural icon, and it is easy to see why. RBG has pioneered the rights of women for the entirety of her impressive career. Also, if having a designated dissent collar isn’t iconic, I don’t know what is. First in her class at Cornell and Harvard (undergraduate and law school, respectively), Ginsburg faced discrimination and was constantly underestimated. Through her tenacity, intelligence, and work ethic, she worked her way up in the justice system, winning several victories for equality along the way. RBG is a fun figure to study, and luckily we have several materials about the esteemed Supreme Court Justice in our collection. Continue reading “The Notorious R.B.G.”
Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection. Continue reading “New DVD List: Toni Morrison, Booksmart & More”
Welcome back to another post for our monthly nonfiction roundup! We have several exciting new titles coming out in October. Check our catalog for a more extensive list.
Top Picks
“The Body: A Guide for Occupants” by Bill Bryson
In the bestselling, prize-winning “A Short History of Nearly Everything,” Bill Bryson achieved the seemingly impossible by making the science of our world both understandable and entertaining to millions of people around the globe. Now he turns his attention inwards to explore the human body, how it functions and its remarkable ability to heal itself. Full of extraordinary facts and astonishing stories, “The Body” is a brilliant, often very funny attempt to understand the miracle of our physical and neurological make up. This book will have you marveling at the form you occupy, and celebrating the genius of your existence, time and time again. Continue reading “Nonfiction Roundup: October 2019”
And now for something completely different.
October 5 marks the 50th anniversary of when the first episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus aired on television in 1969. Monty Python is a British surreal comedy group. The television show was conceived, written and performed by its members Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. Besides the television show, there were several well known movies made by the Monty Python group. To learn more about Monty Python check out the suggestions below. You can also find a more extensive list on our catalog. Continue reading “50th Anniversary: Monty Python’s Flying Circus”
As a student and teacher, I’m not going to lie — the beginning of the school year really puts a damper on the amount of fun reading I get to do. Still, with the help of audiobooks and a long commute, I’m still trucking along. Continue reading “Read Harder 2019: A Novel by a Trans or Nonbinary Author”
The Read Harder Challenge, task #9 is for a book published prior to January 1, 2019, with fewer than 100 reviews on Goodreads. What makes this task hard is that it’s a moving target. But I promise you, it’s easier than you might think to find a book that fits the task. Whether or not you have a Goodreads account, you can find qualifying books that you probably already have on a shelf or a to-read list somewhere and I will show you how to find them. Continue reading “Read Harder 2019: A Book With Fewer Than 100 Reviews on Goodreads”
Reenactment isn’t only for the Renaissance Fair. It’s a powerful method of storytelling, particularly when it can elicit authentic reflection by the participants. In the audience, we can learn not only about long-forgotten, suppressed or distorted events but also interpret a character’s ability to confront that past. Check out these documentaries that use reenactment to bring muted narratives to life.
“Who is Dayani Cristal?” (2013)
This documentary seeks to humanize the immigrants who cross the U.S. southern border by retracing the fatal journey of a migrant worker whose body was found in the Sonoran Desert. We see migrants hike through vast landscapes and hitch rides on train tops, all the while the Pima County coroner’s office encounters an unprecedented case load. Continue reading “Who Have You Become?: Docs Using Reenactments”
Jill Orr lives in Columbia, MO, and is the author of the Riley Ellison Mystery Series. The series follows millennial Riley Ellison as she falls into the role of amateur sleuth while balancing her career and love life in the small town of Tuttle Corner, Virginia. The series started off with “The Good Byline,” followed by “The Bad Break,” and the third in the series, “The Ugly Truth,” was just released this summer. I recently emailed some questions to Jill about her books and she was kind enough to take time out of her schedule to write back some answers. Continue reading “Author Interview: Jill Orr”
Before embarking on task #5, I immediately thought of a few options waiting in my ever-expanding to-read shelf, and quickly I realized there’s no shortage of books to choose from. Given that those in journalism profession are storytellers and many write in some format, it is no surprise that journalist-authored books are everywhere, and are especially prevalent in the nonfiction genres. Thus, many books that fit this task focus on current events, engaging social issues and scandals. Alas, I can only highlight a few! Continue reading “Books by a Journalist or About Journalism: Read Harder 2019”
