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Recommendations staff favorites Youth Services

Best of 2022: Youth

by Youth Services Librarian Amanda

In the youth services spot, we highlighted some of the best new books across a range of ages from this past year.

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Recommendations staff favorites

Best of 2022: Movies

by Public Services Associate Luke

There were plenty of new releases and great films that came to theatres or found their home on the various streaming platforms, but I will be discussing a few of what I think are some of the best this year.

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Recommendations staff favorites

Best of 2022: Fiction

By Associate Librarian Debbie

I enjoyed so many wonderful books in 2022!  Here were some of my favorites in no particular order..

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Recommendations staff favorites

Best of 2022: Non-Fiction

by Public Services Associate Beth

As we get closer and closer to wrapping up another year, I want to talk about some of my favorite non-fiction books from 2022. Admittedly, this was a difficult task to choose only a couple of books, as I read many excellent books this year. But I chose 3 of my top favorites to share with you here, some you may have heard of, and some that may have flown under the radar. So without further ado…

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Recommendations staff favorites

Let’s Get in the Holiday Spirit!

by Public Service Associate Juliana

I visited my sister in mid November and she already had the Christmas music playing. She said if she starts listening early enough she actually gets to enjoy holiday music. If she waits until after Thanksgiving, it’s December already, and there’s so much running around in December that the music just gets lost.

That same week, with the idea of starting early in order to savor, I began to collect lists and stories from staff of our favorite holiday films and traditions that surround them. The responses flooded in.  

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Recommendations

Celebrating Thanksgiving

by Public Service Associate Owen

Thanksgiving! It means many things to many different people, but to me it is the best holiday. It’s a day of celebration, reflection, and quality time with family, friends, and the living room couch. It’s a time for parades, board games, football, toasts, and massive caloric intake. But it can also be quite stressful, especially if you’re in charge of the feast and festivities, so I will be briefly sharing some books and other items that will help ensure the big day goes as smoothly as possible. So, without further ado, here are some resources to help you along as you plan and prepare for a wonderful Thanksgiving. Cheers!

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Recommendations

Armchair Travel: Pittsburgh

by Public Service Associate Juliana

image from amy@garbelladesign.com

I lived in Pittsburgh for a brief stint while in school, the only time and the only place I’ve ever lived anywhere other than Ohio. During those years, the concept of Home was almost always on my mind, as I tried to feel at home in a new place while simultaneously feeling very, very homesick. Home has always meant Ohio and my family. To me home is the house by the creek, wild blackberry bushes and Queen Anne’s lace along the back drive, Mamaw and Poppy’s house next door, Mom’s no-bake cookies cooling on the counter, Dad’s boots by the door, meals with my siblings, my childhood bedroom.

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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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Online Resources Staff Book Reviews

Awesome Audiobooks

by Public Service Associate Owen

Audiobooks are quickly becoming one of my favorite ways to ingest a good book. While nothing quite beats cozying up to your favorite hard cover or thumbing through a paperback, audiobooks really are a great alternative, especially for those who might not have the time to sit down and read. Audiobooks are a great option if you’re traveling, cleaning the house, or otherwise too occupied to read a physical book. Whether you’re planning for a road trip and need some in-car entertainment, or want to listen to a good story while you take a walk (as I am one to do), a good audiobook has you covered! And with Libby, it’s easier than ever to access and borrow thousands of titles right from your phone or other device! I’d like to highlight a few of my favorite audiobooks, as well as others that fellow BPL staff members have recommended, so that you have a good place to start from if you’re interested in getting into the audiobook scene. Happy listening!

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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!