Want a little color for your summer outfit or an upcoming gathering? Paint, decorative paper and a little Mod Podge will provide that bling! Join us on Monday, August 21 at 6 p.m. as we Crafternoon at night. Your imagination is the only limit, so come prepared to paint and decorate away. All supplies provided. This program is for adults and registration is required — register early as these classes fill quickly.
For more ideas on DIY bracelets, check out these library resources. You can also explore CreativeBug, which is our database on arts and crafts activities. You can view tons of creative jewelry ideas with instructional videos, on everything from wire-wrapping to beading to leathercrafts, and more are added monthly! You will need your library card and pin (your birthdate in MMDDYYYY format) to use this database.
Stay tuned for our September Crafternoon in our program guide, on our website and on social media!
What book combines the obscure art of horse diving, otherworldly hauntings, unusual animals, World War I veterans and Wild West shows, all taking place under the long shadow of Manifest Destiny and racial segregation in America? Look no further than this year’s One Read book, “When Two Feathers Fell From the Sky” by Margaret Verble. The novel, Verble’s third, is a wildly entertaining but also compassionate examination of the treatment of those on the margins of society in early 20th century America, a time when the tenets of a humanistic progressivism were all too slowly supplanting long-held beliefs about race and gender.
In her other novels, “Maud’s Line,” “Cherokee America” and “Stealing: A Novel” Verble does not shy away from offering entertaining narratives and characters alongside unsparingly realistic narratives about the displacement, violence and marginalization aimed at Native Americans in the United States in the late 19th and early 20th century. Verble herself is a registered member of the Cherokee Nation, and each book asks one overarching question: What is it like to be a member of a nation of people, with immense territory and a complex and advanced civilization, and to have all of that stripped away by an often violent, racist and land-greedy government? Continue reading “Literary Links: One Read Author Margaret Verble”
In July, we will be “antiquing” during our Crafternoon. Well, maybe not “antiquing,” but our project has been popular since the 15th century. Paper quilling is the art of using paper strips and glue to create simple and complicated shapes and patterns. Strips of paper are quilled onto a skewer to make a shape and glued onto a canvas to create a picture. All supplies are provided. This is a more complex process, so fine motor skills win the day here! Join us on July 10 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Friends Room as we Crafternoon at night. This program is for adults and registration is required — register early as these classes fill quickly.
For more ideas on decorating with paper, check out these library resources. You can also explore CreativeBug, which is our database on arts and crafts activities. You can view tons of creative jewelry ideas with instructional videos, on everything from wire-wrapping to beading to leathercrafts, and more are added monthly! You will need your library card and pin (your birthdate in MMDDYYYY format) to use this database.
Stay tuned for our August Crafternoon in our program guide, on the website and in social media!
The AUX cord in my car finally gave up. Now, to listen to music while I drive, I have to use these things called “CDs.” Good thing the library has some of my favorites! Here’s what I’ve been listening to, between point A and point B.
Solange “A Seat at the Table” (2017)
When to Listen: When you’re too tired to be angry, when you need to be reminded of your magic. When it’s time to set down that weight you’ve been carrying.
Feels Like: A bubble bath, a blessing. A long conversation with a friend who understands. Relief from the machine, before you do it all again tomorrow.
Favorite Songs: “Weary,” “Where Do We Go,” “Borderline (An Ode to Self Care)”
From the Artist: ”Although I wanted the album to have those moments of grief, and being able to be angry and express rage, and trying to figure out how to cope in those moments. I also wanted it to make people feel empowered and [that] in the midst of all of this we can still dream, and uplift, and laugh like we always have” (Fader). Continue reading “Songs for the In-Between”
We have (finally) entered the summer season and for some that means finding a sandy beach or a quiet forest to relax and keep cool. “Summer! A Cookbook: Inspired Recipes for Lazy Days and Magical Nights” has you covered for most of your eventualities. Whether that be the food and drink or all the essentials needed for comfort in the wild. This book is small enough to throw in your backpack or beach bag, but certainly is comprehensive enough to not leave you stranded for solutions. Continue reading “Read the Recipe! Summertime”
This Juneteenth, consider including some new-to-you foods that honor our country’s African American heritage. If you find that doing this is remarkably easy and delicious, don’t be too surprised.
In the founding days of our nation it was usually Black Americans, typically enslaved people, feeding not only most of the founding fathers but also the field hands and the entire household. The foods that came out of their kitchens were a unique blend of African vegetables and spices, ingredients available in colonial America and the preferences of the diners. While American food includes a dizzying array of influences from our diverse immigrant population, there is no doubt that the work and creativity of Black Americans in our nation’s kitchens still resonates through menus today. Continue reading “Celebrate Juneteenth With Food”
Have you ever had a meme on social media turn you into a keyboard warrior? Every few weeks I encounter some faded, black-and-white photo of an early form of bookmobile with captions like, “Remember when books came on buses?” or “Before Amazon, we had bookmobiles.” I instinctively lock my caps and I educate them:
“WE ARE STILL HERE!”
Of course, nobody listens and I just encounter another similar meme again a few days later. I suppose I should just relax and relish in the fact that the imagery of ancient bookmobiles and smiling children with their hands full of books fills so many of us with nostalgia and happy memories. But as a current bookmobile driver for the Daniel Boone Regional Library, I want it to be known that bookmobiles are not just part of our storied past. Bookmobiles continue to brighten our days and propel us into the future. Continue reading “Bookmobiles Are Still Here”
Beads can be used in so many creative ways: art collages, clay tiles and jewelry to name a few. Beads are inexpensive, easy to find and come in so many colors and styles. This month’s “Crafternoon” class is going to incorporate large beads to create an interesting macramé necklace. Macramé is really just a series of knots and patterns — anyone can do it. Join us on June 17 at 2 p.m. in the Friends Room at the Columbia Public Library to create your own piece of artistic jewelry. All supplies are provided. Please register soon as these classes fill quickly. See you on the 17th!
For more ideas on DIY macramé, check out these library resources and Creativebug our database on arts and crafts activities. View tons of creative ideas with instructional videos that are added to monthly. You will need your library card and pin (your birthdate in MMDDYYYY format) to use this database.
Our July crafting event will be on a Monday night and is based on a craft dating from the 15th century. Look for further details in the program guide, on our website and on social media.
Summer is unofficially here! We are swinging into the season and our communities are pulling together for a variety of different celebrations. These festivals often include art shows or vendor areas where artists get to display their artwork, like paintings, sculptures and photos. There are sometimes live performances as well. Our region hosts a number of art festivals and I’d like to introduce you to several of them, then also share a bit of resources we have regarding fine art.
Coming up on June 3-4 at Stephens Lake Park is Art in the Park, hosted by the Columbia Art League. Art in the Park, which originated in 1959, has become a cherished tradition and the largest fine arts festival in mid-Missouri. This annual event attracts talented artists from all corners of the United States, showcasing an impressive array of artistic mediums such as painting, drawing, photography, pottery, jewelry, fibers, sculpture, woodwork and glasswork. Continue reading “Art in the Park, Juneteenth & More Celebrations”
It being Spring, I’m digging and planting in my small garden out front of my condo. Past owners’ work shows up in the hostas that I’ve just about killed off (I don’t like them), in the misshapen Rose of Sharon bushes, in the landscaping fabric laid down possibly a decade ago and which I am pulling out as it gets in my way. Each year I put down more mulch to try to fight back the weeds, yet we still only have about three inches of sort-of-good soil over the clay backfill and it’s amazing how quickly the mulch breaks back down into lifeless dust. I’ve only had a butterfly plant thrive out there, and that only because it is planted up against the composter. So I am learning how to better garden this year.
There is information about native plants that thrive and soil-building here at the library, in our books, and also in our online resources. I’ve also used our library for a deep dive into travel writing, something I want to try this Summer. There are some great classes on photography, both for my travel writing and also for how to get great images for selling vintage online, maybe on Etsy. Do you have that sort of curiosity, always exploring and learning? Personally, I think no one should ever stop investigating the things they love. This is known as lifelong learning and is a handy skill for an adult to develop.
Lifelong learning is broadly defined as the ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons. Library folk are usually passionate about providing you, our patrons, with as many opportunities for learning as possible. We love to share new offerings with you! Come up to any public service desk and we will help you find the best resources for your quest.
Continue reading “Learn More About our Lifelong Learning Resources”
