No, I’m not talking about 30 Rock’s recent make-believe tradition of Leap Day William. There is, however, an antiquated tradition associated with Leap Day: once every four years, on February 29, women could legally propose marriage to men.
This British isles tradition dates back to 5th century Ireland, when St. Bridget complained to St. Patrick in behalf of unhappy nuns who could not propose marriage. (According to The American Book of Days, “Celibacy in religious orders was then based on private vows, not church requirements.”) Patrick granted the nuns the right to propose during Leap Year, “the longest of the lot.” Scottish Parliament even enacted a law in 1288, which stated in part that “…for ilk yeare known as lepe yeare, ilk mayden ladye of bothe highe and lowe estait shall hae liberte to bespeke ye man she likes….” Men who refused a proposal even had to pay a fine.
Looking for a little Leap Day entertainment? Check out the romantic comedy Leap Year with Amy Adams and Matthew Goode for a modern take on this outdated tradition.
The 84th Annual Academy Awards will air this Sunday, February 26th. There’s still time to watch any of the movies that you might have missed. Here’s a list of the Best Picture-nominated films that you can find at JCPL:
Six of the nine films nominated for Best Picture began as books. You can read or listen to all six by borrowing them from the library–though you’ll have to hurry if you want to do it before Sunday!
In honor of President’s Day, here’s a little piece of presidential trivia: President James Monroe visited Nicholasville on July 9, 1819.
According to an article that appeared in the Kentucky Gazette on July 16, 1819, “[The President] was met at some distance from town by Captain Cunningham’s troop of cavalry, and several citizens on horseback, who escorted him to Hightower and Payne’s Inn, where he had been invited to take part of a collation at 12 o’clock.” Read the full text of the toast given in the President’s honor here.
You can search through more copies of the Kentucky Gazette here, or you can come into the library and search the old fashioned way, on microfilm. And just a reminder: the library will be closed on Monday for President’s Day.
Since ancient times, people have told stories to pass on wisdom, engage the imagination, and foster community. Spellbinders® is an international program which recreates this age-old tradition, bringing together young and old to create connections, advance literacy, and enrich the lives of children and volunteers alike. Jessamine County Public Library currently hosts a Spellbinders® chapter with eleven members. Our members tell stories in schools and nursing homes, enriching lives throughout Jessamine County through the art of oral storytelling.
To learn more about Spellbinders visit their website at spellbinders.org.
To learn about how you can get involved with your local chapter of Spellbinders® here at the Jessamine County Public Library, contact Carol Grossi at cgrossi@jesspublib.org.
Forget Twilight. The latest “big thing” to hit young adult literature is the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. From the book cover: “In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before – and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.”
The film adaptation of the first book, The Hunger Games, releases on March 23, 2012. See the trailer below:
If you haven’t read the books in the trilogy, or just can’t get enough of the world of the Hunger Games, check out these titles at JCPL:
Need help downloading eBooks? Can’t find sources for a research paper? Want to know how to search Consumer Reports from home? JCPL librarians can help!
If you’d like one-on-one help with research or a basic computer problem, sign up for a 30 minute appointment with a librarian.
We can help you learn to:
Search the library catalog
Download eBooks or audiobooks
Find the best job search websites
Get a free email account
Open email attachments
And more…
To make an appointment, call Carrie at 885-3523 ext. 228 or email her at cgreen@jesspublib.org.
Although we at JCPL are proud of our collection of library eBooks, we understand that, just as with print books, sometimes you might want to buy eBooks of your own. If you’re looking to expand your permanent eBook collection, here are a few websites that will help you score eBooks for free–or at least very cheaply.
With the exception of Pixel of Ink, which is just for the Kindle format, all of these websites offer eBooks in several different formats. Due to copyright restrictions, many of these books are in the public domain and therefore were published before 1923.
Disclaimer: The following links are provided to assist in locating downloadable books. JCPL is not responsible for their content. These third party web sites may or may not provide content meeting JCPL’s Collection Development Policy.
A selection of free, current, science fiction and fantasy novels from Baen Books, including books by Mercedes Lackey, David Weber, and Eric Flint. You can read these books online or download them to an eBook reader.
No, I’m not talking about 30 Rock’s recent make-believe tradition of Leap Day William. There is, however, an antiquated tradition associated with Leap Day: once every four years, on February 29, women could legally propose marriage to men.
