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Altering Thrifted Clothing

Posted on Monday, December 30, 2024 by Jonya

I wrote about new sewing machines in my last post. Now I want to discuss how my social media is also active with people learning thrifting and flipping skills. Many people plan to make cautious choices about clothing purchases in 2025 and hope to move away from fast fashion to more sustainable practices.

This is completely different from the movement 10 years ago when crafters were buying all the wool sweaters, washing them in hot water to felt them and turning them into mittens and scarves. No, this is in line with patching the holes in those sweaters or recrafting a maxi dress’ generous fabrics into something else. Exploring what is still good in your closet even if you are tired of it, and updating it by rebuilding it. Maybe also melding in the coordinating piece that is also left in the closet because it’s boring, if sturdy. Continue reading “Altering Thrifted Clothing”

You and Your New Sewing Machine

Posted on Friday, December 20, 2024 by Jonya

From my readings on social media, I’ve learned that a number of us are acquiring sewing machines in December. People are excited about the opportunities and asking advice, talking about first projects and worrying about machine settings.

There is also a bit of worry about running your thumb under the needle (ouch!). Sorry to say that none of these books will protect you from what is a very rare accident, but the books in this article absolutely will give you more information than your manual provides. For those of us who adopt used machines, the manual will possibly be long-gone. Continue reading “You and Your New Sewing Machine”

Sustainable Swaps for the Holiday Season

Posted on Monday, December 16, 2024 by MaggieM

Eco-Friendly Giftwrap Ideas
CreativeBug has classes on Eco-Friendly gift wrapping, furoshiki, and making your own holiday decorations.

Co-written by Max Carmony and Maggie M.

Getting ready to celebrate the winter holiday season? Some simple changes can make your holiday more sustainable.

  • Instead of buying rolls of wrapping paper, try wrapping gifts with re-purposed materials. Newspaper, magazines, paper bags and the kraft paper that often comes as packing material in boxes all make excellent wrapping materials. CreativeBug has multiple classes on eco-friendly gift wrapping, making your own wrapping paper and making holiday decorations.
  • Furoshiki — the Japanese art of wrapping gifts in cloth — is a beautiful and easily re-useable way to wrap gifts too. We have several books that demonstrate Furoshiki methods and CreativeBug has classes on it as well.
  • Ditch tape and use glue to secure your gifts or tie wrappings closed with twine, yarn or paper ribbon — it’s best to avoid the plastic or nylon ribbon which won’t decompose and can become a hazard for wildlife.

Continue reading “Sustainable Swaps for the Holiday Season”

Good Neighbors

Posted on Friday, December 6, 2024 by The Biblio-Buckaroo

What does it mean to be a good neighbor? In a literal sense, it could mean checking in on a person who lives near you. You might offer to bring them some soup if they are feeling poorly, or you might mow their lawn if they are not able. In a community sense, it could mean that you help at a school bake sale or join a local organization like City of Refuge, CoMo Preservation or Room at the Inn CoMo. On a bigger scale, you can be a good neighbor by voting, practicing environmental stewardship, using good manners online (and in person) or sharing a talent or skill with the world. The library has a wide range of books to inspire you to be the best neighbor you can be.

In 2023, the U.S. Surgeon General put out an advisory on the healing effects of social connection and connectivity, saying, “Loneliness is far more than just a bad feeling — it harms both individual and societal health. It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death.” The following books offer helpful advice for increasing social connectivity and decreasing loneliness. Being a good neighbor can actually save your life! Continue reading “Good Neighbors”

Thankful for the Many Native American Contributions to Our Country

Posted on Monday, November 25, 2024 by MaggieM

The convergence of Native American Heritage Month and Thanksgiving brings up troubling historical contradictions. We hear the narratives of a wholesome shared feast to celebrate a successful harvest, but these contrast with darker stories of betrayal and loss. The reality of our country’s Native American Heritage is much more tangled and rich than the simple dichotomy of these two stories, and there has been a surge of newer titles taking a more comprehensive look at this shared history.

This Land is Their Land book coverFor those interested in exploring the history of Thanksgiving, “This Land is Their Land,” by David Silverman delves deeper into the history of Thanksgiving, the Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag Indians. Continue reading “Thankful for the Many Native American Contributions to Our Country”

Appy Hour: News Apps

Posted on Friday, November 22, 2024 by Jonya

Earlier this year, we held a series of classes introducing free and useful applications for your phone or tablets. Enjoy this review of the news applications we found — some supported by our local news stations while others offer you search functions to find what you are interested in. Each allows you to create a personal account and you may be able to have links emailed to you regarding stories you are following.

KOMU 8 offers both Android and IOS apps. Once it is on your device and your account is created, you find a mix of local, national and international news. There’s an option to stream video although it was a bit clunky for us this winter. Or if you would rather, many of the articles have the option to listen, sometimes by an AI voice. There is a separate app for weather services.

ABC 17 News also has Android and IOS apps. It emphasizes local news and offers a good mix of national news. This winter the live stream only seemed to work for us during the scheduled broadcasts. Using the available predetermined topics makes it easier to navigate through the app but there is a search function to follow through the timeline of a particular event’s stories. ABC 17 has a separate weather app.

The Associated Press provides text, video and audio articles on a wide variety of topics from national and international sources. Often seen as having the finger on the pulse of the world, APNews collects latest news in a series of topics to help you navigate but the front page always has what is considered latest and breaking. You can subscribe in the app to any number of newsletters that aggregate everything happening in the newsletter’s topic, providing regular updates in your email. Their AP Fact Check debunks claims and rumors from some stories running on their front page.

BBC News offers international news with a focus on the UK and Europe, organized by world region. You can use the search function to find closer-to-home articles but will not find many particular to our state; I could find nothing about Columbia, MO or Mizzou, for example. You will find lot of video and live international feeds. The Earth section contains some great, timely articles relating to sustainability, climate science and business practices.

Reuters brings us primarily international news with sections including news, video and various markets, including foreign markets and a currency converter. There is a video section that auto plays through important headlines and breaking news. Like most news apps, they are ad supported but they are non-intrusive.

National Public Radio (NPR) provides listeners with live radio, so you can stay connected with your favorite shows. They offer text as well as audio articles. Heavy on podcasts, some of which are exclusive to the app itself so that’s worth checking out if you are a fan. It uses location services to bring up local stories and stations, so that live radio will always be pertinent to you.

Google News is a news aggregation service, pulling stories on the same subjects from a variety of sources. Click on Full Coverage or scroll right to see all of the aggregated news. As with many of these apps, Google News will customize what you see based on what you’ve viewed in the past but the Full Coverage options will continue to present you the same variety of sources. You can customize what you see, let Google’s algorithm select or you can view just the headlines.

Apple News is another news aggregation service that reviews many sources, but the one presented on the Today page is selected by the Apple News editors. They offer News+, paid-for access to articles from 400+ publications. You can also follow your favorite sports teams. More useful for someone looking for free, customize the Following section to add channels of information that fit your interest. Swipe to indicate you like or dislike articles, and easily share or save them. There is not a web-based portal into Apple News and it is not available to Android users.

News companies continue to review our needs and rework their mobile apps to try to build brand loyalty, but the trend is to offer more, not to reduce what you will find. Take opportunities to poke around any app and see what might have been added. You can’t break anything and you will develop your own rhythm of digesting news content.

I Went to the Human Library

Posted on Friday, November 1, 2024 by Karena

Human LibraryOnce 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”

DIY Suggestions for Holiday Giving

Posted on Friday, October 18, 2024 by Jonya

a table topped with lots of craft suppliesOctober is a great time to start your holiday gift projects! Many people love getting handmade gifts created just for them, especially ones that match their personality or interests. These gifts show that you’re thinking of them. By starting now, you will experience a calmer holiday season as you wrap your presents in pretty paper, ready for December.

Your library offers resources like Creativebug and Universal Class for video tutorials, as well as physical and digital magazines for ideas. You can also browse through our collection for more inspiration. Continue reading “DIY Suggestions for Holiday Giving”

Steam Power!

Posted on Friday, September 20, 2024 by Jonya

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!”

Everything Old Is New Again

Posted on Monday, September 16, 2024 by The Biblio-Buckaroo

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”