February 28th, 2012
by Carrie
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 Check out the romantic comedy Leap Year with Amy Adams and Matthew Goode for a modern take on this outdated tradition.
Source: The American Book of Days by Stephen G. Christianson, 2000.
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February 24th, 2012
by Carrie
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:
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
Tree of Life
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!
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January 31st, 2012
by Carrie
The 2011 federal tax forms are here, so feel free to stop by the library and pick yours up. Not sure which form you need? Click here to complete the quiz, “What is the simplest form to use to file my taxes?” If you need Forms 1099, W-3, or other employer forms, call (800) 829-3676 or visit http://www.irs.gov/businesses/page/0,,id=23108,00.html to order them.
Kentucky no longer sends tax forms to libraries. To order Kentucky tax forms, instructions, and schedules, call the Kentucky Department of Revenue at (502) 564-3658 or visit http://revenue.ky.gov/forms/.
If your family earned less than $50,000 this year, you may qualify to have the Central Kentucky Economic Empowerment Project prepare and file your tax return for free. CKEEP will offer appointments here at the library; call the United Way at 211 to schedule your appointment.
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January 26th, 2012
by Carrie
On January 23rd, the American Library Association announced the winners of its Youth Media Awards, which includes the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, the Printz Award, and the Corretta Scott King Awards. See below for books available at JCPL, or click here to see the full list of winners and runners up.
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January 18th, 2012
by Carrie
On Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the King Center released 200,000 digitized documents from Dr. King’s papers, including letters, note cards, telegrams, speeches, and photographs. The King Center Digital Imaging Project hopes to bring “the works and papers of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to a digital generation.”
You can search the documents or browse curated themes that focus on subjects such as letters from children, notable sermons, nonviolence strategies, and more. A draft of King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech shows edits he made just before giving the speech. Here’s a telegram from Dr. King to Eartha Kitt, and a letter a child wrote to Corretta Scott King after her husband was assassinated. All of these items make history come alive in a way that only primary source documents can.
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December 21st, 2011
by Carrie
Just in time for the holidays: a recipe flashback to the “Friends Favorites” recipe collection, presented by the Friends of the Withers Memorial Public Library (a.k.a. JCPL) in 1986.
I’m not sure why this first recipe is titled Reindeer Meat, but don’t fear: it doesn’t actually call for reindeer meat. Just some chicken breasts, dried beef, and bacon. And, of course, that Friends favorite, cream of mushroom soup. (Click on the image to see the full size.)
Tired of the same old cranberry sauce? How about Alice’s Frozen Salad or a lovely Cranberry Mold?
And for dessert, you can’t go wrong with Bourbon Pound Cake or, in honor of the two current JCPL staff members named Barbara, Barbara’s Chocolate Pie. Enjoy!
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December 7th, 2011
by Carrie
While it’s true that more and more people are reading books electronically, there also seems to be a new appreciation for the physical book. Not only are some print publishers taking greater care with the design of their print books, books are also being repurposed as art.
Witness the Christmas tree pictured above, made by staff of Poland’s University Library of UWM in Olsztyn. The tree is constructed from more than 1,600 books, mainly copies of George Orwell’s 1984 and Joseph Heller’s Picture This. Visit the library’s Flickr page to see more pictures of the tree, or click here to watch a video of how they made it.
And if you haven’t heard about Edinburgh’s Book Phantom, the anonymous donor who has been leaving book sculptures in libraries across Edinburgh, Scotland, visit this site for the full story and to see pictures of these incredibly detailed works of art.
Want to make your own work of art using old books? See below for some how-to books available at JCPL. My personal favorite is Lisa Occhipinti’s book, The Repurposed Library: 33 Craft Projects That Give Old Books New Life. Some of the projects include a three-book chandelier, a book mobile, a kitchen utensil holder, and a Kindle keeper. All of these projects would make great gifts for the book lovers on your Christmas list.
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November 29th, 2011
by Bonnie
The library will be holding another food drive December 4-10. Bring non-perishable foods to the Circulation desk and have up to $5 of your overdue fines forgiven ($1 per item). Even if you don’t owe any fines, feel free to donate food. All donations will go to the Jessamine County Food Pantry, which will distribute them to local people in need.
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November 10th, 2011
by Carrie
This weekend marks the 30th anniversary of the Kentucky Book Fair. This year’s Kentucky Book Fair is November 12th, 2011, at the Frankfort Convention Center, 405 Mero Street, Frankfort, KY. Hours are 9 to 4:30 p.m. Click here for directions and to see a catalog of participating authors.
Kentucky writers Silas House, David King, George Ella Lyon, and Wendell Berry are just a few of the authors who will sign books at this year’s fair.
Admission is free, and all sales profits are donated mainly to school and public libraries in Kentucky. Meet your favorite authors and help Kentucky libraries–what a great way to spend a Saturday!
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October 28th, 2011
by Carol
If you have spent much time on our JCPL blog, then you know that there is always something new and exciting going on at the library. We have wonderful, dedicated staff members who work diligently to put together collection materials and programs designed to enrich the lives of our patrons.
What you may not know, however, is that you can be a part of all the wonderful services offered at JCPL. We have several volunteers who assist the library with its goal of serving an ever growing and changing community. Whether it is greeting little ones at story time, assisting at one of our big events, helping with monthly programs, or delivering items to the homebound, our volunteers are making a difference.
There are many ways for you get involved as well to have an impact on your community through JCPL. Click here to download a volunteer application. We look forward to working with you.
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