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”

One of my fondest memories as a kid is holding and watching cicadas. Their songs were my lullabies. In today’s environment of extreme bug-phobia and efforts to rid the world of all bugs, I’ve just come to say please be kind.

There’s been a lot of excitement around the overlapping of a 13-year brood of cicadas with a 17-year brood. What that means is that one brood has been underground for approximately 13 years and the other for 17 years and they are both coming to the surface at roughly the same time which happens about every 25 years. According to The University of Connecticut, this is the first time since 1803 that these specific broods have emerged together. That might sound scary, but the overlap will actually only be in small geographic patches of Illinois. Continue reading “Cicadas Don’t Bug Me!”

May is a big month for birding in Missouri, and the recent storms have made now a great time to get out and bird! May is when most of the migrating birds that pass through Missouri on their way north are in mid-Missouri. They are in their vibrant spring mating colors and there are (slightly) fewer leaves on the trees, making it easier to see them. It can be easy to feel like you don’t know enough or to feel intimidated, but it needn’t be so. There are some great resources to help you increase both your skill and success in birding. Continue reading “May Is for the Birders — Including You”

Has anyone else been dreaming of a hobby farm? No? Just me? I would say that it’s a fever dream, but I have no fever. I have to admit that this is not a new dream for me. I have been having this dream for a long, long time now. I have always loved animals and my kids have had just about every variety of pet. I started keeping backyard chickens in the early 2000s. But now I have a new obsession: SHEEP!

It all started with me trying to declutter my life and then trying to build a sustainable capsule wardrobe. That’s when I discovered how difficult it was to find natural fibers any more. “Worn: A People’s History of Clothing” by Sofi Thanhauser took me on a journey of clothing and how it has changed over time, along with just what colonialism and globalization have done to the quality and durability of our clothing. It also shows what it has done to our societies. Any history of this sort is bound to be depressing, but it does end on a positive note — a wooly note. Continue reading “Hobby Farm Dreaming”

I’m going to make a confession. I, an adult person with gray streaks in my hair, bought myself a Spirograph set a couple of years ago. I thought it would be fun, and it is. I find myself becoming totally absorbed in the activity of experimenting with different configurations of gear wheels and colors to create whimsical designs. Who says you can’t recapture the joys of childhood?

The library’s two new Memory Care Kits featuring classic toys and games can provide this same opportunity to regain the spirit of play for our patrons with dementia. Though neither kit contains a Spirograph, they do have a variety of items to spark in-the-moment enjoyment combined with an opportunity to reminisce about the past. When life is confusing and stressful, a little retro frivolity can be the ticket to a better day. Continue reading “New Memory Care Kits: Toys and Games”