Read a book to someone you love.

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Let it snow!

We've had a very busy day here as everyone stops in to stock up on books and videos for what they hope will be a proper blizzard! The library staff is pretty intrepid, so I'm hoping that we can open the library tomorrow morning in spite of the weather. However, if you hear that the State offices are closed, expect that the Kellogg-Hubbard will follow suit. We'll announce on WDEV if we have to close or shorten our hours.

But like almost everyone else, I'm enjoying the fantasy of having an entire day in front of our wood stove with my book. What is the library director reading right now? Mayflower by Nathaniel Philbrick. I tend to read history books in fits and starts, but this book grabbed me about twenty pages in and it hasn't let me go since.

If we think that we know what hard times are, we'll think again when we read about the fabled pilgrims who endured an incredibly grueling voyage only to arrive in a wilderness in winter, during what was known as a "little ice age". Their efforts to find a suitable place to settle, their relationships with local tribal leaders, their efforts to govern themselves, their tragedies and successes not only make for compelling reading, but also tell us something about our country's culture. It's a far cry from the Thanksgiving story we were taught in school.

On a side note, you'll read more about the devastating plagues that all but wiped out the Indian tribes who had previously inhabited the coast. If you'd like to know more, check out another fairly recent book, 1491 by Charles C. Mann.

3 comments:

Morgan W. Brown said...

Hilari Farrington wrote: ... However, if you hear that the State offices are closed, expect that the Kellogg-Hubbard will follow suit. ...

Appreciate the notice Hilari. Will keep it in mind. Thank you. Had been wondering about whether the library would be open or not and how to find out, but managed to forget to ask when I was in the library today, which helps to provide yet another good reason of why it is good the library has set up this blog.

By the way, welcome to the blogosphere (great first post)!

Morgan W. Brown said...

Hilari Farrington wrote: We've had a very busy day here as everyone stops in to stock up on books and videos for what they hope will be a proper blizzard!

During my late afternoon visit to the library yesterday (Tuesday, February 13, 2007) and, after I was done with my online session using one of Kellogg-Hubbard's public Internet access computers and as a result having read this particular blog post of yours, just before I left the building to head home it finally dawned on me to pick up a couple of books to begin reading during the Nor'easter. The truth is that I most likely would not have thought of without being prompted by your blog post Hilari.

All to help illustrate yet another good reason why this blog is such a great online tool and resource for the library to offer. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Nice job with the blog. It will be a great addition to your web site. The Fletcher Free has only dipped its toe in the blogosphere, I'm sure we'll take the big plunge soon.