Once a year, local volunteers involved in the international Human Library organization come to Columbia Public Library and become “books.” On Oct. 12, titles included “Muslim American,” “young caregiver,” “postpartum psychosis,” “morbidly obese,” “witch,” and more.

What does it mean to be a book? It means during thirty-minute conversations around small tables in the Friends Room, these volunteers open up their lived experiences (some titled crudely to reflect society’s normative labels) for reading. And what does it mean to attend as a reader? It means I take a seat across from someone labeled “convicted felon” and ask them everything I want to know.

First we all agree on some guidelines, because such vulnerability can be dangerous without a collective intention to prioritize curiosity and respect. So I sit with my fellow readers and try to imagine how the next hour is going to feel while a library manager reminds us that this is a brave space for conversation, that all “books” are in mint condition and should be returned the same, that your “book” is a resource for information and should be questioned carefully and freely, that these rules serve to create a safe framework for sharing. Then the books walk in to a soft rush of applause, and it is time to read. Continue reading “I Went to the Human Library”

I recently attended the 2024 Missouri River Valley Steam Engine Association (MRVSEA) Reunion in Boonville, where I saw many types of power generators used before electricity was available. Generally, this was from the 1870-1930s in this area. I saw huge steam generators that powered city-sized jobs as well as smaller units that ran a farm’s water pump. There was a mix of gasoline and diesel tractors. Engines that helped thresh wheat, baled straw, cut wood, made ice, kept hospitals running, turned on lights in schools and much more. It was a bit overwhelming.

One of the volunteers told me steam and then gas engines began on the east and west coasts, spreading to the Midwest in the way this happens. Cities and businesses had mostly achieved electricity by the 1920s and the Rural Electrification Act (1936) allowed farmers to upgrade their engine-ran tasks. For the next two to three decades, no one wanted the old machinery. Some of those engines were scrapped for the WWII war effort while others moldered in machine sheds. But in the late 1960-70s, people began to notice them, to restore them and to gather with like-minded people to keep the information alive. MRVSEA held their first show in 1963. Read how that came to be in an article from 2009. Continue reading “Steam Power!”

While selecting books for a display on the topic of “Traditional vs Modern,” I was surprised by how many books in the “modern” category seemed decidedly traditional. I found books on modern mending, modern knifemaking, Feng Shui modern and (this one made me laugh) modern cast iron. I have developed a theory, which I hope is true, that people have come full circle on some of their values. In the 1950s, advertisers tempted consumers with the idea of modern pushbutton homes that minimized housework and made daily chores simple. Dishwashers, washers, dryers and countless home gadgets eventually became daily fixtures. I believe people are now able to see the benefits and drawbacks of these developments and are forming a hybrid old/new way of life. Continue reading “Everything Old Is New Again”

Our 2024 One Read novel, “Migrations,” follows Franny Stone on board a fishing vessel as she chases what may be the last migration of the Arctic tern, a species with the farthest annual migration of any bird on Earth. The crew of the Saghani are at first interested in Franny’s promise to find fish while following the birds she’s tagged, but they soon take on her mission as their own, realizing that the fragile Arctic terns are a symbol of hope for the survival of the planet.

One question asked repeatedly throughout the novel is this (paraphrasing): “Is all lost, is it truly too late?” With her focus on the precarious future of the Arctic tern, Franny grasps at small signs for a hopeful future. Bold women like Franny are examples of those who take an unflinching view of the science and are willing to do the work to save our one and only home.

The following titles explore the lives and writings of scientists and activists who shouldn’t be the only voices in the wilderness begging for action, for responsive policies and for environmental justice for all. Is all lost? Is it truly too late? Only if we give up. Continue reading “Celebrating Women Environmentalists”

What is Women’s Equality Day? The U.S. Congress designated August 26 as “Women’s Equality Day” in 1973. The date was selected to commemorate the 1920 certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution granting women the right to vote. This was the culmination of a massive, mostly peaceful civil rights movement by women that had its formal beginnings in 1848 at the United State’s first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York. The observance of Women’s Equality Day not only commemorates the passage of the 19th Amendment, but also calls attention to women’s continuing efforts toward full equality.

The word “suffrage” means the right to vote in public, political elections and referendums. Ellen Carol DuBois began writing “Suffrage: Women’s Long Battle for the Vote” as a tribute to the 75-year-long battle to gain voting rights for women, and with the hope of celebrating the first woman president. It is an event-heavy history book that draws the reader onto stages and street corners across the country, introducing us to the suffragettes and abolitionists of the movement. We learn of the good and the bad; the suffragettes and their male supporters were determined to gain enfranchisement and some of their actions, looking back, are objectionable. Bubois writes unflinchingly about suffragettes who adopted the “Southern Strategy” of disenfranchising African American men in favor of advancing the white suffragette movement. There were also powerful friendships and partnerships between black and white women who together took up the banner of the universal suffrage framework. An excellent book that reminds us of the strength of our past as we face the work of our future. Continue reading “August 26 Is Women’s Equality Day”

Most of us work and save for decades in the hope that when we retire, our needs will be met. Numerous resources offer financial advice to help us plan for our golden years. For many, all that work and planning and fiscal discipline pays off, with an adequate cushion providing a reasonably comfortable life right to the end. For others, things don’t go quite as well.

Recently, I attended a training on identifying and preventing elder abuse. I learned that financial exploitation is one of the most common forms of abuse faced by older adults, sometimes without their knowledge. It can be carried out by family members, “helpful” neighbors, paid caregivers, online and telephone scammers, or even attorneys and accountants who notice a client’s mind isn’t as sharp as it used to be. This was a sobering wake-up for me. Continue reading “Older Adults and Financial Exploitation”

In Missouri, May is a big month for birding as enthusiasts try to see migrants passing through in their spring plumage. But what’s a birder to do once May and spring migration are over?

While June may not be the time to add more species to your birding list, it is an excellent time to watch the birds around you. Bird watching mostly requires curiosity. Binoculars are helpful. The rewards are limitless.

“How to Know the Birds,” by Ted Floyd is great place to start (or continue) your foray into bird watching. Floyd’s focus is on helping readers grow their birding habit. Through short vignettes he shares details about bird life and new ways to focus your birding inquiries. The essays are delightful, concise and crammed full rich details about the lives of birds. Continue reading “June Is for Bird Watching”