Library Service in the MetroEast

International Book Club Meeting of January 18, 2012

2012-01-26T19:33:00.001-06:00

The International Fiction Book club met on January 18th to discuss The Quiet Girl by the Danish author, Peter Høeg. There were a few puzzled yet curious faces, somewhat apprehensive but also engaged readers seeking answers to try and unravel the various levels of the interwoven plot structure to this unique book. The first line of this 408 page novel is narrated by the

Lookin' For Answers

2012-01-19T14:32:00.002-06:00

The Collinsville Memorial Public Library and Fairmont City Library Center's Staff recently took a little time to compete against each other in a Scavenger Hunt that led them all over the Collinsville Library Center. Here are some of our favorite questions from the hunt. Give it a shot to see how many answers you can find around the library! 1.) Alphabetically, what's the first magazine in our

Friends of the Library Book Sale This Month!

2012-01-06T15:05:00.002-06:00

Books, records, videos, and more all put out on tables and ready for you to take home. The Basement Sale will open at 9am and close at 8pm for one day only. 2011 September -- November 2012 January -- March -- May -- July Last hour bring a bag and a dollar and take what you want! By the end of the day it will all be gone! Posted by Jessica Lawrence

Winter Reading Program - "Warm Up with a Good Book"

2012-01-06T14:33:00.002-06:00

The Winter Reading Program has begun! Earn chances to win prizes for reading anything you want from January 2 - March 5. Audiobooks and eBooks count. Start reading and filling out tickets today! Pick up a packet at the Main Desk. The more you read the more chances you have to win! Posted by Jessica Lawrence.

New Year - New You!

2012-01-05T16:14:00.000-06:00

According to the book: 52 small changes: one year to a happier, healthier you by Brett Blumenthal. When was the last time you vowed to overhaul your life - only to revert to your former ways a few days later? Let's face it: change is easier said than done, especially when it comes to managing your health amidst the chaos of everyday living. Now wellness coach Brett Blumenthal has devised a

Food For Fines for Christmas

2011-12-08T16:27:00.000-06:00

Until December 16 you can pay your fines with non perishable food items. For every non perishable food item you bring in we will waive $1.00 in overdue fines and then donate that food item to the Collinsville Food Pantry. This only works for overdue fines not billing fees but it’s a win, win for all, your fines are paid for and you’re helping those in your community. For more information please

4th Annual Art & Author Holiday Market

2011-11-22T11:24:00.001-06:00

Just in time for Holiday giving! Buy local, buy original. Meet local authors and artists. Books, art, unique finds and more! Join us at the Blum House for a festive and fun-filled day at the 4th Annual Art & Author Holiday Market on Saturday, December 3rd from 12-8pm. Hosted by the Collinsville Memorial Library Center in conjunction with Christmas in Collinsville. -Posted by Jessica Lawrence

Local Author Publishes New Book

2011-11-22T10:19:00.002-06:00

Local Collinsville author Rev. Dr. Lloyd E. Shaw has just published his seventh book entitled Memoirs of a Retired Pastor. In honor of this achievement Shaw's daughters hosted a party/book signing on Sunday, November 20th in the Community Room here at the Collinsville Memorial Library Center. The event was an enormous success with Dr. Shaw not only signing his newest book, but actually

Review of The International Fiction Book Club meeting of November 16th

2011-11-21T16:21:00.001-06:00

The International Fiction Book Club meeting of November 16th, 2011 delved into the novel, Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky. First published in France in 2004, sixty-two years after the author was put to death in the gas chamber at Auschwitz, this book proves to be the first document in novel form about the German invasion and occupation of France since it was written while the events

Consider giving the gift of a library card.

2011-11-17T10:07:00.000-06:00

This holiday season - shop small - shop local. Consider giving the gift of a library card...it even fits in a christmas stocking! If you live inside the Mississippi Valley Library District and you haven't applied for your library card - you are missing out. You are already paying for your library card, you just need to stop by and sign up. There is no age limit. What a wonderful gift this

Book Review – Killing Lincoln – The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever by Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard

2011-11-14T11:13:00.000-06:00

“The man with six weeks to live is anxious.” (pg. 3) This first sentence of Killing Lincoln draws the reader into the true story of the assassination of President Lincoln. Even I as a Canadian know the end of this story, in fact, I was in Washington D.C. last summer and sat in Ford’s Theater and saw the pistol Booth used to shoot Lincoln, but knowing the ending does not diminish the intrigue,

The Public Library, Completely, Reimagined

2011-11-10T09:36:00.000-06:00

You'll hear a lot of talk about the "death of the public library" these days. It isn't simply the perpetual budget crises that many face either. It's the move to digital literature, and the idea that once there are no more pinrt books (or rather IF there are no more print books), the library as an institution will cease to exist. Librarians will remind you, of course, that a library is much

2011 Teens' Top Ten

2011-11-03T09:26:00.000-05:00

Teen Read Week is an initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Teen Read Week started in 1998. This year's theme was Picture It @ your library®, which encourages teens to read graphic novels and other illustrated materials, seek out creative books, or imagine the world through literature, just for the fun of it. Libraries across the world celebrate Teen Read Week with a

Halloween Walk 2011

2011-10-31T13:44:00.002-05:00

Our staff had a wonderful day on Saturday in the wizarding world of Harry Potter! We stayed after work on Friday to get the library ready for one of our most fun days of the year and everyone dressed up in style for the big day. If you and your family came to trick or treat with us, thank you so much for visiting! We also want to thank our great supporters in the Collinsville community for

Bill Gates announces 2012 Scholarship Program

2011-10-27T09:33:00.000-05:00

The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program will select 1,000 talented students next year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. Scholars will also be provided with personal and professional development thruogh their leadership programs, along with academic support throughout their college career. The program, funded by a grant from

Outwit, Outplay, Outlast

2011-10-23T15:59:00.001-05:00

Earlier this week, four of the Fairmont City Library’s teenage patrons – Tami, Daniel, Daciy, and Robert – competed in “Survivor: Fairmont City Library,” our version of the hit reality T.V. show. The event, which was part of our Teen Read Week, pitted four of our teenage library patrons against each other in a battle of the ages. Not only did our patrons compete in Immunity Challenges, but they

Teens Only Trivia Night!

2011-10-19T13:29:00.002-05:00

On Sunday evening, fifty of our teenage library patrons competed in our first ever “Teens Only Trivia Night.” The event, which was a kick-off for this year’s Teen Read Week, quizzed the competitors over a wide range of topics including everything from books to movies to music from the 1980s (a decade that none of the teens were around for)! Each team was also invited to decorate the pumpkin

October is Chili Season!

2011-10-17T09:58:00.000-05:00

This time of year I think of all those wonderful fall treats including caramel apples, hot chocolate, breads, pies, and especially chili! I love to spend time in the kitchen with the window open letting in the cool fall breeze. The stove has chili simmering all day while the oven is busy browning up the bread. Check out the October issue of Better Homes and Gardens at the Library. They have some

Teen Read Week

2011-10-13T09:45:00.000-05:00

Be part of Teen Read Week 2011! Join us for Picture It @ your library, Oct. 16-22. Teen Read Week is an initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). Teen Read Week started in 1998. This year's theme is Picture It @ your library®, which encourages teens to read graphic novels and other illustrated materials, seek out creative books, or imagine the world through literature,

Book review: Abuse of Power by Michael Savage

2011-10-12T17:38:00.002-05:00

In the interest of full disclosure I need to admit that I am a conservative - conservative in my views, values, religion, politics and life style. Further I have on occasion listened to Michael Savage on the radio and though he can be a bit of a conspiracy theorist and a little radical for my taste I find myself agreeing with a lot of what he has to say. In his new book, Abuse of Power, Dr.

Bilingual babies discern languages

2011-10-06T09:46:00.000-05:00

Babies living in bilingual homes get a perceptual boost by 8 months of age that may set the stage for more resilient thinking later on, scientists reported February 18. Infants raised bilingual from birth can distinguish not only between their native tongues but between languages they've never encountered, even when they see adults speak without hearing what they say, said phychologist Janet

What to do in your garden now...

2011-10-03T10:40:00.000-05:00

Fall is here - time to read some books about gardening...the library has several to choose from. The Missouri Botanical Garden has some suggestions for you too... All month Plant spring bulbs among hostas, ferns, daylilies, or ground cover. As these plants grow they will hide the dying bulb foliage. Plant container-grown and balled-and-burlapped trees and shrubs now. Loosen the soil in a

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read

2011-09-24T10:30:00.001-05:00

Banned Book Week is an annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment. Held during the last week of September since 1982, Banned Books Week not only encourages readers to examine challenged literary works but also highlights the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or

Book Sale Next Week!

2011-09-22T13:10:00.000-05:00

First Book Sale of a new Bi-monthly series... The Friends of the Collinsville Library will be moving their once a year Book Sale to six times a year on the 4th Tuesday of the following months September - November - January - March - May - July First Sale is September 27, 2011 starting at 9:00am the doors to the basement of the Collinsville Library will open for business for this new sale.

SPOTLIGHT ON A LOCAL AUTHOR - H.C. Beckerr

2011-09-22T11:24:00.000-05:00

HEART OF DARKNESS Here at the Collinsville Library Memorial Center we have a long history of proudly supporting local authors. Our shelves contain numerous works lovingly crafted right in the shadow of the Catsup Bottle. The latest being “Hill of Great Darkness” by H.C. Beckerr. Although the epic SCI-FI spirituality of Beckerr’s debut novel shows little concern for the pettiness of time

Downloadable Audiobooks to your machines or ours!

2011-09-19T16:58:00.000-05:00

Check out the new MP3 downloadable audiobook station across from the Main Desk at the Library. It has over 60 audiobooks on it and we are still loading... You can bring you own MP3 players in and download as many as it will hold or you can check out one of our MP3 players to take home and try out this new service

Lists for Every Reading Taste

2011-08-31T17:32:00.000-05:00

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee leads the list of Books That Everyone Should Read At Least Once Other books that you might recognize on this list are Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein and Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini This is just one of 862 reading lists on the

International Fiction Group discusses "The Reader" by Bernard Schlink

2011-08-23T11:59:00.000-05:00

Hogwash! This was Gabe’s comment on a review he read online about the latest selection of the International Fiction Discussion Group, The Reader by Bernard Schlink. This review claimed that the story of Michael and his involvement with Hanna can be read as an allegory. The German people’s romance with Hitler? Hanna’s seduction of Michael? A bit far fetched was the common sentiment among

Following In Famous Footsteps

2011-08-20T16:06:00.006-05:00

As part of our ongoing efforts to have the best possible understanding of our community, the entire Mississippi Valley Library District staff (even the President of our Board of Trustees) recently visited the Lewis & Clark Confluence Tower and the Lewis & Clark State Historic Site, both located in Hartford, Illinois, which is about twenty minutes north of Collinsville. At the Confluence Tower,

Your Child's First Library Card

2011-08-18T14:20:00.000-05:00

We are quite often asked how old a child has to be to get their first library card. The answer is for you to decide. We have babies and toddlers with cards, and we also have older kids whose parents prefer to check out everything on one library card. Some parents like to wait until their child can write their own name until they sign up for a card. Whichever way you decide, you and your little

Little Ones in the Library

2011-08-12T13:59:00.000-05:00

Do your children love coming to the Library? It was Karson’s last day of summer vacation today, and his mother told him he could choose anything he liked to do on his special day. Six Flags? The Zoo? Chuck E. Cheese? No! Our little bibliophile said “Let’s go to the Library, Mom.” There is something extra special about the glint in a child’s eye when he finds the perfect book about robots, ponies,

A huge "thank you" to our community of helpers

2011-08-09T09:11:00.000-05:00

As we get ready to send our children back to school, the Summer Reading Program at the Collinsville Library draws to an end, and Miss Alison and all of the staff of the Children's Library would like to gratefully thank our community sponsors for helping us this year with donations of excellent prizes for our readers this summer. As it takes a village to raise a child, it takes the city of

Meeting The Giver of "The Giver"

2011-08-08T17:27:00.000-05:00

Two members of the Collinsville Library Children’s Library Staff – Alison Donnelly and Jed Robbins – recently had the pleasure of meeting children’s literature author Lois Lowry at the 2011 May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture at the St. Louis County Library. The lecture, which is sponsored by the Association for Library Service to Children (a division of the American Library Association), is given

AMERICA'S EDGE

2011-08-04T09:33:00.000-05:00

Local business leaders say early learning programs are key to economic recovery. Have you heard about "America's Edge"? They are business owners and principals, CEOs, Presidents, COOs, CFOs, Executive Directors, Vice Presidents and other key members of senior management. America's Edge is supported by tax-deductible contributons from foundations and individuals. America's Edge accepts no

Annual Book Sale

2011-07-06T17:08:00.000-05:00

The Annual Friends of the Library Book Sale is July 21 - 22 - 23 July 21 Preview Night6:00 pm to 9:00 pm$5.00 admission per person July 22 All Day regular prices9:00 am to 8:00 pm July 23 Bring your own bag day9:00 am to 12:00pm$1.00 per bag Special Silent Auction items will be offered in the Board Room on the 2nd Level Thousands of Books...Tons of great items!!!

Patron of the Week!

2011-06-25T09:55:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Dewayne Love, who has been named our most recent Patron of the Week! Dewayne was nominated for this award in recognition of always being pleasant and kind to the library staff. He has brought in snacks for the staff, offered encouraging words, and always has a big smile on his face. Dewayne's favorite thing to check-out at the library is a laptop from the Computer Lab (to

Mississippi Valley Library District Receives “Eliminate the Digital Divide” Grant

2011-06-23T17:33:00.000-05:00

The Mississippi Valley Library District (MVLD) has received a grant totaling $52,000 from Illinois Secretary of State and State Librarian Jesse White to enhance broadband computer access in the Collinsville Memorial Library Center and the Fairmont City Library Center. The Library District is one of forty-one Illinois public libraries and community college learning resource centers sharing in a

Puppet Show at Fairmont City Library Center

2011-06-23T10:10:00.000-05:00

Saturday, June 25 at 1pm - Free Family Program Join us at the Fairmont City Library Center, 2870 North 44th Street, Fairmont City, IL Foodland is sponsoring "Kermit Harrah's Puppet Show" Travel the world of stories with Kermit and his pal Dew, listen as they tell fun stories they found on their trip around the world. Children get to meet some amazing characters Dew secretly brought back with

Miss Alison's latest book reviews

2011-06-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

As a book reviewer for School Library Journal, our Children's Librarian, Alison Donnelly reads and writes about fiction and non-fiction titles for various age ranges. Here are her reviews as published in the June issue of School Library Journal. If you are interested in reading any of these titles, please let us know and we can order them for you. You Are a Gift to the World/The World Is a

Patron of the Week!

2011-05-31T09:16:00.000-05:00

In recognition of her generous giving, Mitzi Calbreath has been named Collinsville Library’s most recent Patron of the Week! Mitzi was nominated for this prestigious award in recognition of her frequent donations of books and audiobooks for the library’s collection, most recently she donated two big bags full of high-quality hardcover books, many in large print. Mitzi’s favorite items to borrow

Children's Summer Reading Program 2011!

2011-05-28T10:50:00.000-05:00

School's out and Summer Reading Program sign-up is in full swing at the Collinsville Library! Our theme this year is "One World, Many Stories", and we have many wonderful multi-cultural and country-themed books on display waiting to be checked out.Kids of any age are welcome to sign up, for your little ones not reading independently you will work with them as their reading mentor to share books

Patron of the Week!

2011-05-23T12:35:00.002-05:00

Katherine Ross, a junior at Collinsville High School, is this week’s Patron of the Week! Katherine was nominated in appreciation of her numerous hours spent volunteering as a Homework Helper in the Children’s Library. While Katherine likes to check out all types of non-fiction items (everything from biographies to documentaries) from the Library, her favorite author is Jane Austen, and she fits

New Patron of the Week!

2011-05-16T17:24:00.003-05:00

David Morris has been named Collinsville Library's most recent "Patron of the Week". David was nominated for donating an entire tray of canned goods during the Library's recent "Food for Fines" program (in which the Library takes $1 off of your fines for every item you donate for the Collinsville Food Pantry), even though his fine was only eighty cents! David's favorite items to check out from

Patron of the week!

2011-05-11T16:08:00.002-05:00