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Past, Present, & Future Reads with Hannah

by Public Services Associate & Creative Content Coordinator Hannah

Right: Juliana Farrington, Patron Services Associate 
Left: Hannah Fithen Wade, Patron Services Associate & Creative Content Coordinator
Photo by Leah Boyden

Bexley Public Library’s Juliana invited fellow Patron Services Associate Hannah to consider her past, present and future reading journey.

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Booklists Recommendations

Don’t Panic!

by Public Service Associate Hannah

September is National Preparedness Month — a time to prepare for natural and man-made disasters and emergencies. As a library user*, this PSA gets me thinking of all the thrilling apocalypse-type plot lines and thought-provoking stories on our shelves. But Hannah, you say, very real water, fire, and wind cause devastation every day. Where’s the entertainment in that?! Well, without making light of very real situations, think of these books and movies like you would visiting a haunted house or riding a roller coaster. A part of you is scared, and in my case screaming regret, while another part of you knows this is a manageable way to experience hardship and fear in a safe environment. Studies have even shown natural disaster films might teach us to take climate emergencies more seriously while providing tips for how to act in similar circumstances. Plus, it’s cathartic and rewarding to root for a protagonist as they seek shelter and find hope. 

Now set your solar flashlight out to charge as we dive into my disaster book and movie recommendations.

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Recommendations

Iconic Reading Glasses

by Public Service Associate Hannah

When I say glasses, what comes to mind? The pair you place on your nose each morning? A pair of cheaters left behind at some restaurant? Or maybe a celebrity’s iconic look. As someone who has worn glasses since the fifth grade, with no interest in adding contact hygiene to my daily routine, glasses mean the world to me. They go hand in hand (eye in eye?) with my love of reading! So naturally, I decided to write a BPL Blog about glasses.

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Recommendations

Welcome to the Public Domain

by Public Service Associate Hannah

Each year on January 1st, a collection of works loses its protected status and enters the public domain where anyone can legally use or reference them. This year, the year many works from 1927 concluded their copyright term, I decided to see what that even means. And it was more interesting than I expected!

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Recommendations

Why I’ll Always Love Magazines

by Public Service Associate Hannah

The advent of Johannes Gutenberg’s movable-type printing press in 1440 made the precise and rapid creation of print materials in large quantities possible. This led to waves of literacy across Europe and broke the monopoly the wealthy and elite held on books, news, and print entertainment. And hot off that press came the star of this blog post: magazines!

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Recommendations

The Death of the CD?

by Public Service Associate Hannah

Did you know that CD sales in the United States increased for the first time in almost two decades in 2021? Unfortunately, this Adele and Taylor Swift momentum stalled in 2022, going from 18.4 million to 17.7 million units and $204.3 million to $199.7 million dollars respectively. After all, compact discs have been said to be on their way out for some time now. Even my coworkers in acquisitions are weighing purchases vs borrows. This leads me to ask: will I see the death of the CD in my lifetime? 

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BPL News & Information staff favorites

Secondhand Treasures

by Public Service Associate Hannah

“A combination of grassy notes with a tang of acids and a hint of vanilla over an underlying mustiness, this unmistakable smell is as much a part of the book as its contents.”

~ Matija Strlic, lead scientist behind a 2009 study to find what is behind the smell of old books

It is once again Friends of the Bexley Public Library (FOL) book sale season! This twice-annual event sees the auditorium filled with neat rows of romance novels and science fiction, picture books, biographies, cookbooks, and more. So why would I, someone who already spends my days surrounded by audiobooks, music CDs, and titles that I can borrow for free, visit this facsimile of our book stacks? The allure of the unknown secondhand treasure of course! 

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Booklists Recommendations

Ghost Stories

by Public Service Associate Hannah

It’s said that Halloween is a time when the veil between our earthly plane and the spiritual world is thin. And a thin veil means it is easier for spirits to cross and walk among the living. Whether you believe in phantasms or not, telling ghost stories is a timeless, cross-cultural tradition. Even Pliny the Younger (c. 61 – 113 CE) wrote about the specter of an old man, complete with a long beard and rattling chains, haunting his home in Athens. So without further ado, allow me to share some of the latest ghost stories haunting the library shelves!

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Recommendations

Back to School ✏️

by Public Service Associate Hannah

Where did summer go!? Hopefully into some wonderful memories. Back-to-school season always gets me thinking about just how many materials and resources the library has to assist educators  and learners of all ages. From study spaces and curated teaching collections to college dorm cookbooks and test prep tomes, we have so much school spirit it’s spooky!  Well, that just might be all the dark academia novels talking…  Allow me to share some of my back-to-school book recommendations for Pre-K to Ph.D.  

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Booklists Recommendations

Beach Reads

by Public Service Associate Hannah

Having clicked on this blog, I’m going to guess that you associate your vacation and time off with time to read. I might even wager that you are seeking a particular type of book — the beach read!