They say it takes a village to raise a child. But what if you have a child, but you don’t have a village? And whose job is it to make sure that every child really does have a village — a network of loving, safe and supportive adults who can help that child flourish? How can parents continue to advocate for their own children, while also considering the very real needs of other children?
As a parent, I asked myself these questions constantly in the months leading up to my decision to apply to become a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). I had been looking for an opportunity to get more involved in the mid-Missouri community for some time, but I knew I needed something flexible, something with autonomy, and something that allowed me to build meaningful and long-lasting relationships, especially with other children and families in my community. I found all of this and so much more through volunteer service with Heart of Missouri CASA. Continue reading “What Volunteering Means to Me: Heart of Missouri CASA”
I’m not a shelver, but occasionally I get to do a bit of shelving or something similar. I like it. Some people don’t, and that’s okay. But I love the passage of books through my hands, books that I might not otherwise ever know.
Today’s finds include: “Jane’s Tank and Combat Vehicle Recognition Guide.” Who is Jane? I snapped a photo and sent it to my husband. It’s tempting to take this one home to him (he’s convalescing after a minor, but painful, surgery). I particularly admire the odd, tank-like size and shape of this one (especially compared to its neighbors), a short but thick spine and a long width, almost twice as wide as it’s tall. It’s well-loved, battered even. This book has been thumbed through many, many times, carried in school bags, and who knows what else. It specifically reminds me of a family friend of ours, who as a tween and teen (probably even still) eagerly devoured this sort of information — these might have been the only books he ever picked up.Continue reading “The Joys of Shelving”
It seems to be that time of year when we begin to think of clearing out our accumulated things, and that awful phrase “spring cleaning” enters my head. In lieu of cleaning out the garage, I chose to gather our leftover Crafternoon kits from previous months and have an “Available While They Last” January event. These kits will be available at the Columbia branch only on Friday, January 20. You may pick them up at the reference desk on the second floor. (Just a reminder that these kits are designed for adults and could have things unsafe for children, such as small beads and needles.)
Look for our next Crafternoon-To-Go Kit in February as we participate in the Winter Reading program!
In just over a week’s time, we will have entered the new year. Each of us will bring something different into 2023 — our own dreams to nurture, voids to fill, questions to answer, and wounds to heal.
You may feel pressured to take on 2023 with ambition, productivity, and boundless energy for self-improvement. So before we get swept up in the hype of another new year, let’s take a moment to honor the most important thing (the thing that I am certain you already carry, simply because you are still here, partaking in this earthly experiment): hope.
I often find myself returning to a definition provided by Maggie Nelson in her prose poetry collection “Bluets.”
“When I say ‘hope,’ I don’t mean hope for anything in particular,” Nelson writes. “I guess I just mean thinking it’s worth it to keep one’s eyes open.”
I find this to be the truest and most helpful definition of the word. To continue surviving with a gentle curiosity, amid the particular stress and grief of the past few years, is an act of hope — one that we should all be proud of.
So as the sun sets on 2022, I’m trying not to fixate on how I can make my life more productive, more regimented, or more profitable. Here are some questions I’m considering instead:
Who are the people, and what are the activities that replenish my hope? How can I spend more time with those people, and doing those activities?
Am I carrying any guilt or shame from the past year? What can I forgive myself for?
What relationships in my life help me feel safe, cared for, and understood? How can I nurture those relationships? How can I help the people I love feel safe, cared for, and understood?
Here is some reading and listening to help you think about survival, care, and keeping your eyes (and ears) open to catch glimpses of a beautiful world.
It’s soon to be 2023! Hurrah for new beginnings and second chances and New Year Resolutions! Do you make them? How do you do? If you’ve not been too successful, try kickstarting your resolutions this year with a 30-day challenge.
What is a 30-day challenge? It’s adopting a particular action that would have a positive influence on your life if you could just consistently do it. You promise yourself “This time, for sure!” You think you’ve read the science that says this will work. It seems kind of simple. However… our human brains are very resistant to change and seem to be threatened or afraid of change. What to do? Promise your brain that it only has to work with you on some easy first steps for a quick 30 days. Maybe easy-peasy? Continue reading “30-Day Challenges for Your New Year”
Anyone who celebrates Christmas knows that traditions are an important part of the holiday. Perhaps it is decorating the Christmas tree that brings back special memories for some, while others enjoy the hustle and bustle of shopping for gifts to give to their loved ones and friends. Maybe it is a traditional holiday song that gets them in the spirit of the season or the joy of the annual gathering of family and friends on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Whatever those special moments or memories might be, there can be no doubt that tradition is a cherished part of the season. Continue reading “Exploring Holiday Traditions in Europe”
Get ready to flex your baking and crafting muscles, dear readers. December 12 is Gingerbread House Day. According to “The Guardian,” this seasonal tradition started in the early 1800s, inspired by the “Hansel and Gretel” fairy tale. Now, there are multiple festivals every year celebrating the art, including the creations of entire gingerbread villages. I confess I have only ever tried my hand at one single confectionary construction of this type, and a less than photo-worthy effort it was. However, I’ve decided to up my winter coziness game this year and therefore might give gingerbread houses another go. Looking to the library for help, I found a few likely resources. Continue reading “It’s Gingerbread Time”
Our digital library is more than just audiobooks, homework help and Ancestry.com. It’s more than just Freegal music and Hoopla movies and Libby ebooks. We have an amazing set of databases that your library card makes available to you where ever you have internet access.
Following Creativebug’s tutorials, I made two different types of cloth napkins and repurposed a paper bag and fabric scraps to wrap them. Photo credit Maggie Maginness
You probably don’t need me to point out that Halloween is over, Thanksgiving is coming right up, and Black Friday will be here before you know it. If thinking about shopping for the holiday season has your blood pressure rising, consider making some of your holiday gifts and decorations this year (okay, you’ll likely have to do some shopping for materials, but hopefully it will be less shopping, more making, and more using odds and ends you already have). Continue reading “Worried About Holiday Shopping? Try These Craft Projects Instead!”
After surviving the heat and drought of this summer, the fall weather is welcoming. The cooler weather encourages more time spent outdoors: walking, group activities, taking pictures of the fall colors, sitting on your porch and moments of introspection. It is the perfect time to begin or continue journal writing. Join us in making a journal to celebrate National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). This simple hand-bound journal can be used for beginning your first novel, writing important thoughts, remembering an activity or placing photos. After making our journal, we will have supplies to decorate with strip paper painting. Check this list for more journal ideas.
Join us in the Friends Room of the Columbia Public Library from 2-4 p.m. on November 5. Space for this in-person program is limited, so please register.
Anyone who celebrates Christmas knows that traditions are an important part of the holiday. Perhaps it is decorating the Christmas tree that brings back special memories for some, while others enjoy the hustle and bustle of shopping for gifts to give to their loved ones and friends. Maybe it is a traditional holiday song that gets them in the spirit of the season or the joy of the annual gathering of family and friends on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Whatever those special moments or memories might be, there can be no doubt that tradition is a cherished part of the season. 
After surviving the heat and drought of this summer, the fall weather is welcoming. The cooler weather encourages more time spent outdoors: walking, group activities, taking pictures of the fall colors, sitting on your porch and moments of introspection. It is the perfect time to begin or continue journal writing. Join us in