Book Review: To Be Sung Underwater

Posted by Susan C.

After having read To Be Sung Underwater I became very curious about the author's previous book from 1998, Good Night Nebraska, and have placed a reserve on it. To Be Sung Underwater is a love story filled with the kind of compelling drama and character development that keeps you reading and reading even though there are other things one might need to be doing!

From Library Journal: “Sooo romantic, says the publicist, but the tight, muscular writing puts it above slush. A literate heartbreaker…  featuring a heroine who wanted to escape small town life, Judith Whitman believed in passionate love, and she surely loved steady carpenter Willy Blunt. But he was not about to leave Nebraska, and she was. Years later, unsettled in her marriage, she’s starting to wonder if she made a mistake.”

The Life of a Library Book: The Damage is Done. Or is it?

Don't worry, this isn't a library book!

Posted by Alana T.

Either through normal wear and tear or accidents, occasionally books return to us damaged.  Books can have a variety of problems, but the most common are broken bindings, torn pages, water damage due to spills, and pages that have come out.  The good news is that we can repair many of these problems.  However, the issue is complicated by the fact that we only repair our own books (those owned by the Edwardsville PL) and that each library within the LCLS has its own policies for damage, repair, and fines. 

An attempted home repair - bad news for the book.

Sometimes, patrons receive a damaged book or something happens while the item is checked out to them.  The patron may try to be helpful and repair the book themselves.  Sadly, this is not the best option.  Once tape has been applied to a book, it can't be removed without further damage.  Taping a binding is not a strong repair and the book will continue to fall apart.  Packing or other clear tapes you may have at home are not meant for long-term use and discolor, become brittle, or cause acid damage to the pages.  Usually, these home repaired books must be withdrawn.

Sometimes a well meaning patron will use duct tape on a book; this can not be removed.  In the example above, the home repair covered our informative stickers and all we could do was add one on top.  This is an unusual case; normally the book has to be withdrawn because duct tape (and the book) is so sticky.

Did the dog find this book offensive?  I guess we'll never know...

Every so often, books are returned with chew damage.  I assume that dogs are the culprits, but who knows.  If we can repair the binding, we will.  If the book is still functional, as is the one shown above, we will place it back in circulation.

Moisture damage causes many problems. I don't have any example photos because we almost always withdraw these books. The obvious problems are warped pages and bindings which can never be fixed.  The not so obvious damage is caused by mold and mildew.  Sometimes the slightest bit of water along the top of book will cause a bloom of mildew to appear within hours.  When this happens, the book must be withdrawn.  Even if there is no other damage visible, mold and mildew will spread rapidly from book to book on the shelves.

The good news is that we have the tools to repair many types of damage.  Books that have bindings hanging by threads can be repaired with new linen tape and flexible book glues  Torn pages are simple to repair - we have special acid-free, invisible tape.  Pages that have come loose are easy to "tip in" with the careful application of book glues and a steady hand.  Every week we repair and return to circulation about 20 books!

This images and descriptions above pertain to Edwardsville PL items only.  If another library's book is returned to us by a patron in a damaged state, we will return it to the owning library.  It is up to the that library to determine whether or not to charge a patron for damage.  Sometimes we receive an item from another library and it has been damaged in transit.  We make a note of this, so the next patron will not be responsible for the damage, and we may suggest returning the item to the owning library and requesting another copy of the item.

As always, if you have questions about our policies, please let us know.

10 Must Reads for Adults From the Children's Library

Posted by Dani G.

If you are an adult without children, you may often forget that the library has a downstairs as well! We come across so many amazing stories down here that we want to share and remind others that you really can enjoy these books at any age. So each month we will do a spotlight on a section of the children's library with recommended books. Go on now and pick one up! I bet you will be pleasantly surprised. 

May:Teen Literature

From edgy to exciting and everywhere in-between.

Anne W.: Life as We Knew It by Susan by Beth Pfeffer: Tells the story of what would happen if a major natural disaster affected the entire planet.

Zach H.: Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins:Dystopian fiction at its best. Flows well. 

Katherine R.: The Book Thief by Martin Zusak: Facinating book. Narrated by Death!

Deanne H.: Dicey's Song by Cynthia Voigt: Wonderful book about troubled family relationships and finding love in unexpected places.

Dani G.: What it is by Lynda Barry: This book explores the idea of stifling creativity once we feel we are not talented. It encourages expressing yourself, even through doodling!

Ike D.: Yay, you! by Sandra Boynton: Great gift for anyone transitioning to a new time in their life.

Alana T.: Feed by M.T. Anderson: In the not so distant future we'll all have the internet streaming directly into our brains. In this book, the main character ponders what this "feed" is doing to us when his girlfriends' connection goes bad.

Dani G.: How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff: The Narrator's voice is what makes this book. Her serious sense of humor and observations in the middle of a war put the story in whole new perspective.

Katherine R.: The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale: Very interesting Fantasy. The characters are wonderful.

Dani G.: 500 Great Books for Teens by Anity Silvey: This book lays it out simple. 500 great teen books that are nicely categorized and summed up for you.

Authors Who Live On: Edgar Allen Poe

Edgar Allen Poe (1809-1849)

Posted by staff

Some authors capture our attention and continue to live on in the pages of books.  With this post, we begin a series dedicated to authors and literary characters who have found new lives in fictional works.  Our first subject is Edgar Allen Poe.

Edgar Poe was born in Boston early in 1809.   He lost both parents early in life and was raised by the wealthy Allan family, whose name he adopted for his middle name.  His life was tumultuous and he constantly fought battles with debt, literary critics, alcoholism and his adopted family. His death in 1849 occurred under mysterious circumstances about which scholars have argued for years.  Although during his life Poe was not given much attention as an author, he is recognized as the father of the mystery story and beloved for his contributions to poetry and the horror genre.

Poe as an author is probably more popular today than he has ever been.  If you would like to catch of glimpse of what Poe's life might have been like or new adaptations of his works, request one of the books described below:

A Pale Blue Eye by Louis Bayard
A retired detective is called to West Point to investigate the death of a young woman and meets Poe as a  young cadet.  There are numerous plot twists (the ending is a shocker), the period details are intriguing, and the writing is very well done.  This is not a quick read, but well worth the time.  Highly recommended. 

The Poe Shadow my Matthew Pearl
This historical thriller begins shortly after Poe's death.  A young lawyer is drawn into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death, becomes obsessed with finding the truth, and eventually ends up on trial for insanity and murder. Poe and his (sinister?) doppleganger feature prominently in the story.

An Unpardonable Crime by Andrew Taylor
When Poe was a boy, he lived in England for five years.  This novel is set in Regency England and follows the narrative of Poe's tutor describing the sinister mysteries surrounding his student.  This novel won the 2003 Ellis Peters Daggar Award under the British title, The American Boy.

Entombed by Linda Fairstein
A body is found bricked up in the cellar of a house where Poe once lived.  The author pays homage to Poe's stories as well as incorporating the contemporary public fascination with his life. The book is seventh in a series, but it isn't necessary to read the previous books to understand the characters. 

Edgar Allen Poe's Tales of Mystery and Madness & Edgar Allen Poe's Tales of Death and Dementia by Edgar Allen Poe and illustrated by Gris Grimly
Each book contains four of Poe's classic stories but reworked to appeal to a teen audience.  The pen and ink illustrations lend a gothic and gruesome mood to the stories.  The books bridge the gap between typical illustrated stories and graphic novels. 

Request items written by Edgar Allen Poe here.

Ten Things NOT To Do With/To Your Library Books



Oh NO!  Can it be......? Yes it is!  Ewwww!

 Posted by: Staff

People do the darndest things with their library books.  Sometimes we wonder, "What were they thinking?!"  Depending on what has happened to the book, we try to repair it, clean it as best we can, and put it back on the shelves.  Next time you see a book with curious marks, dents, rips, or other signs of a hard life, consider where it has been. 

We want you to enjoy your library books and make them an important part of your life.  However, they are a resource for all to share.  With this in mind, please don't:

• Use Q-tips as book marks - yuck!  Don't use food either.
• Fix a book yourself with duct tape (or any type of tape!); we can't repair these books.
• Take a book into a public restroom for, ahem, reading (Keep it in a book bag!) 
• Use as a coaster for beverages (especially not for coffee cups).
• Shield yourself from the elements (e.g. raindrops, snow) with a book.
• Give a book to a youngster for use as a pacifier or teething aide.
• Turn pages with Cheeto or potato chip fingers. 
• Let your dog "read" books.  Hint, he's not reading, he's chewing. 
• Leave audiobooks or DVDs in a hot car.
• Read a library book in the tub...for obvious reasons.

A Cookbook for the Ages

Everything you ever wanted to know about food

Posted by: Alana T.

I bought my copy (circa 1972) of The Joy of Cooking soon after finishing my first semester of Home Ec. in 1979. My teacher said everyone should have a copy, so I dutifully bought one. My copy of The Joy was so much more than a cookbook, it was an encyclopedia of everything food related. In those pages I could find out how to set a formal table, skin a rabbit or prepare a seven layer cake. In addition to the vast quantity information, the quirky, upbeat 50's style illustrations made all forms of food preparation seem carefree and cheerful.

My original copy was spiral bound which, although useful in the kitchen, became a problem when pages started falling out. That first copy lasted relatively intact until 2005, when I finally tired of shuffling through my bundle of rubber banded pages to find something. I went to the bookstore to buy a new copy, but horror of horrors, The Joy had been totally redesigned! It had become a totally different book, and not one I wanted. The book had been modernized, so no more quirky pictures, fewer topics, less detail - I was devastated.

My "new" old copy of The Joy

I kept my bundle of yellowing pages, resigned to its continued degradation. Then one day a wonderful, unknown patron donated a box of old books to the library. In that box, was a perfect hardbound copy of the 1969 edition of The Joy. Wow! The library already owned a copy of the old edition, so we didn't keep the donation (we also have the latest edition).  I took the new, old cookbook home in a daze of happiness. Each time I'm in the kitchen and glance over at that lovely robin's egg blue binding, I feel assured that anything I will ever need to know about food can be found within those pages.

And the winners are...

Alexander Benois DiStetto, Still Life With Books, 1929

Posted by Staff

The library celebrated National Poetry Month by sponsoring a haiku contest.  We didn't have many entries, but enjoyed every one we received.  We plan to continue the contest in future years, so start sharpening your pencils now!  Thanks again to all who entered. 

The winning haiku from this year are:

Author (tie): Kurt Vonnegut
Satire at its best.
Laughing at society
You're never alone.

Author (tie): Stephen King
Dark whispering winds
spooks watching all of your moves
Steve King will scare you.

Book Title:  The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Sinister events
Lies told and truths uncovered
Wondering what's next?

Subject (tie):  Little House on the Prairie Books
From Wisconsin woods
to these Happy Golden Years
girlhood dreams took flight.

Subject (tie): Gardening
The little sprout peeked out
from the small hill of garden soil
and raised its face upwards.

Bookclub on the Blog - April Selection

Posted by The Edwardsville Library Bookclub

This month's book was Dewey the Small Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron with Bret Witter.

The Story begins on a bitterly cold morning at the library in Spencer, Iowa.  The staff notice strange noises coming from the bookdrop.  When they open the box, they find a tiny, emaciated ginger kitten that soon becomes the library mascot.  The author narrates her experiences as library director, the life of Dewey, and the history and background of her hometown.

The Library Bookclub gives it a thumbs up for an enjoyable, light read.  The consensus was that this is a gentle, nostalgic look at life in a small town library.

The book was a best-seller and spawned a series of children's books (Dewey: There's A Cat in the Library, Dewey's Christmas at the Library and Dewey the Library Cat: A True Story), a book of Dewey-esque short stories (Dewey's Nine Lives: the Legacy of the Small Town Library Cat Who Inspired Millions), and an upcoming movie.

Next month's bookclub selection is Stiff by Mary Roach.  Join us May 9th @ 7PM for a lively discussion and great snacks.

May Staff Book/DVD Suggestions

Jan Mocenaer, Village School, 17th century

Posted by: Staff

The school year is about to end and we've been thinking of our younger days.  For most of us, high school holds the strongest memories and we've compiled a list of books and movies that allow us to relive our teenage years.

Dani G.: Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky.  This book shows the beauty in the unusual and challenges the reader to look beyond the high school label and closer to the individual.

Deanne H.: Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.  Ashley goes to POW camp in Rock Island, IL; this was a big deal at Rock Island Senior High School!  Unfortunately, this is not mentioned in the movie.

Karen K.:  Carrie by Stephen King.  Stephen King  gets in touch with his feminine side as only he can.  Carrie is not just your typical teenage girl trying to fit in, but she does suffer from some typical insecurities.  Bullies beware!

Adam P.:  How I Paid for College by Marc Acito.  Humorous events ensue when 17 year old Edwards sees his dreams of attending Julliard quashed when his father refuses to pay tuition.

Courtney S.: The Breakfast Club (DVD, 1985).  Five high schoolers, all of different stereotypes, meet in detention where they realize they have more in common than they think.

Karen K.:  Soylent Green (DVD, 1973).  Charlton Heston, Edward G. Robinson, a murder, futuristic view and surprise at the end.  Loved it then (70's) and love it now! 

Carrie H.:  Dawn of the Dead (DVD, 1974).  Watching this creepy movie at Miner's Theater in Collinsville (a must do) then being scared, leaving early, and running home in the dark by a cemetery to be more scared.

 Alana T.: Pretty in Pink (DVD, 1986).  I went to high school in the 80's during the heyday of high school themed movies, but the only one I saw, or at least remember, is this one.  Perhaps it was the red hair...