I recently read a New York Times “By the Book” interview with Louis Sachar (for free with my library card!) and I found myself thinking how much I would love to ask my coworkers some of these questions. There were so many responses I decided to post it in two parts. Enjoy!
by Public Service Associate Juliana
The Witch’s Daughter: My Mother, Her Magic, and the Madness that Bound Us by Orenda Fink (2024)
Today’s book spotlight features a memoir I gravitated towards as if it was magnetic. I noticed it on the new shelf in the library lobby and felt literally pulled to examine it closer, drawn to the arrangement of pressed flowers on the cover, the unmarked sheet music background, and the black cursive typography of the title that appears to be scribed with a paintbrush. The title itself beckoned me; The Witch’s Daughter sounds like the stuff of dark fairytales and straight away inspired interest and intrigue.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
Matilda is a movie for library lovers. The little protagonist LOVES books. She LOVES to read. She LOVES her public library! The film came out in 1996, and I remember watching it for the first time and absolutely longing to be able to walk to the library like she does. To fill a little red wagon full of books and pull it home is the stuff of dreams — and maybe part of why I ended up working at a library. Wish fulfillment.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
I wish I loved exercise as much as I love reading. Maybe even half as much as I love reading. I have no problem showing up for the current chapter I’m on. But lately I can’t get myself to exercise. For a while, I showed up for yoga, but now my mat gathers dust. When I started watching Scandinavian murder mysteries while on the stationary bike, I thought I’d solved my exercise problem once and for all. That felt like something I would and could do a couple times a week.
By Public Service Associate Juliana
Over the weekend, Saturday May 10, 2025, I honored World Collage Day by spending time at the table with various papers, scissors and a glue stick. Creativebug, the app available for free with your library card, recently released a new series of videos called “Collage Homage: 15 Women Artists to Know,” and I’ve been working through the tutorials with great joy.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
When it comes to “Page to Screen” movies, like many people, I almost always prefer to read the book before seeing the film. Occasionally I’ve done the opposite – watched the movie first and then decided to read the book it’s based on. When I’ve done this in the past, I’ve found myself bored out of my mind because I knew too much. But what I’d like to present today is an argument for when it is very much OK to watch the movie first.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
I adore this time of year. The release of Oscar nominations makes it completely appropriate to stay home cuddled on the couch night after night watching movies. The 97th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled for March 2, so for the month of February, I consider movies my homework.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
January is a perfect time to set up new systems. Last January I decided to start a Reading Journal. I was interested in more than keeping a list. I’ve kept a reading list for years, and it didn’t feel like enough anymore. I read lots of books and spend lots of my time reading, and in 2024 I noticed that while my year end totals were admirable, I wasn’t retaining much of what I read. I couldn’t spout out plots or tell you spoilers. I rarely ever remembered the endings. I wanted to be able to have something to say about a book a month or year after I’d read it or at least have the journal to refer back to. Ultimately, I wanted the time I invested in reading to count for more.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
If you’re looking for heartwarming films this holiday season, start your search on Kanopy! This digital resource is available to you for free with your library card! Kanopy features thousands of movies, from classic cinema and indie film to international films and top documentaries and also plenty of holiday-themed films to celebrate the season.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
Based on the Tony-award winning play, The Humans is heavy on dialogue and works to build complex, authentically flawed characters. It’s a dimly lit family drama that takes place on Thanksgiving night at the daughter’s lower Manhattan apartment. The synopsis reveals that “as darkness falls outside and eerie things start to go bump in the night, the group’s deepest fears are laid bare.” This leads you to think it’s a horror movie.