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Booklists Recommendations

Fantastical Detectives in Magical Realms

by Public Service Associate Autumn

I love a good mystery novel, though I came to them much later than I should have. As a teen, when I had run out of my own books to read (for the week) and my family could not make it to the library, my grandfather gave me several Agatha Christie novels from his collection.1 But I didn’t read them that week. In fact, I didn’t read them until after I watched BBC’s wonderful adaptation, Poirot. But then, I was hooked: the twists and turns, the rooting out of each motive and link, fishing through all the red herrings, and perhaps most importantly, the satisfaction of knowing how all the pieces fit together in the end. It warms my order-loving soul.2 I immediately went back and read the Agatha Christie originals, then moved on to Arther Conan Doyle, Rex Stout, Stephen Spotswood and many more.

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Recommendations

Lifelong Learning: A (Quick) Study of Oysters

by Public Service Associate Juliana

image from Taylor Shellfish

 “Unless you’re vegetarian or vegan, you can’t go to Seattle and skip a platter of freshly shucked Pacific Northwest Oysters.”

Lonely Planet Washington, Oregon & the Pacific Northwest

At the start of every travel journal, after flight details and a packing list, I create a checklist of things to do. Most recently, while planning a trip to Seattle, the list included Pike Place Market, the Space Needle, Seattle Central Library, coffee, and oysters.

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BPL News & Information

We See You: Defining Your Library Personality

by Public Service Associate & Content Coordinator Hannah

How would you describe your library persona? 

Are you a social butterfly? Popping by once a week (or more), you know staff members’ names, and we know what day/time it is based on your arrival. Perhaps you leisurely read the newspaper before catching up on book recommendations, or you relish receiving the latest program guide and eagerly register for events. I see you wearing a beloved Summer Community Read or brand new Centennial t-shirt telling everyone how much you love BPL. 

Categories
Recommendations

Five Ways to Browse Books in the Library

by Public Service Associate Juliana

Often, we come to the library looking for something specific – a book with a lot of buzz, something a friend recommended, one from our long TBR list, one we saw on #BookTok. What if we approached books in a different way? What if instead of a list of titles we browsed with a list of rules that encourage randomness? What if we weren’t attached to the outcome? What might we discover?

Categories
Book Club Programs

In Honor of James Baldwin

by Programming Librarian Zach

My introduction to James Baldwin came about 20 years too late while taking a Rhetoric of Social Movements course in college and it was both revelatory and infuriating. Where has this voice of reason, truth, anger, outrage, hope, and passion been all my life? Baldwin’s writing was both intimate and expansive, challenging us to see how systemic injustices affect communities and the self and guiding us to a better, more humane society. 

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Recommendations

Take a Look into Space: Weird and Fascinating Extrasolar Worlds

by Public Service Associate Autumn

Unless you have been living under a rock (or outside of North America), you probably noticed the eclipse that occurred on April 8, 2024. The media took to calling it “The Great American Eclipse”, as it covered only Mexico, the mainland United States and a small swath of Canada. Maybe you traveled to see the totality personally, maybe you just noticed the streetlights coming on at two in the afternoon and maybe you decided it wasn’t worth the hassle and stayed inside, away from the madness.

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Programs

Centennial Celebrations Continue with 100 Years of Earl Scruggs!

by Technology Librarian, Josh

Image from Earl Scruggs Center

For the library’s centennial we’re hosting a series of music programs that look back at the amazing music and musicians celebrating 100 years! 

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staff favorites

Summertime Vibes at Your Library!

by Juliana, Public Service Associate

It’s going to be a hot one this week folks, and we’re here today to spark up reading and listening inspiration for the season we’ve all been waiting for — summer! If you’re looking for something to make your days dreamy and luminous, you’ve come to the right place.

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Bexley History

The Bexley Literary Trail

by Local History Librarian David

Sixty years ago on April 17, 1964, Jerrie Mock of Bexley, a self-described “housewife,” landed her single engine Cessna, the Spirit of Columbus, at Port Columbus International Airport. In that moment she became the first woman to fly solo around the world. That same year, Bexley High School student Bob Greene was keeping a diary. For him, April 17 was a day to leave school early, make his way to downtown Columbus, and have a doctor “drill a filling.”

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BPL News & Information Programs Youth Services

Get Ready for a Summer Full of Adventure at Your Library!

By Youth Services Manager Julie

With Bexley Public Library’s Summer Community Read theme, “100 Years of Adventure,” we’re marking the library’s centennial birthday and celebrating the endless adventures that await you in the stories you hear, books you read, movies you see, and people you meet at your library.