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 Paul
The scent of burning parchment fills your lungs as you gasp back to reality. You find yourself sprawled along the gilded marble floor of the Grand Library, where every book, every manuscript, every whispered secret bound in ink and paper – the sum of all human knowledge – lives. As your blurry, doubled vision begins to right itself, you notice the flicker of golden chandeliers that illuminate this grand hall is now being drowned by the rising inferno that engulfs the shelves around you. The once mighty shelves that always stood like sentinels, now crumble to embers, taking all the wisdom they once contained and turning it to ash before you.
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 Associate Librarian Leah
As we head into this new year, let’s revisit some of our favorite children’s classics from the past ten decades. Many Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal & Honor books are available for checkout at BPL, even though the original stories may be from the early to mid 1900s. The Newbery Medal has been awarded by the American Library Association since 1922, and Caldecott Medal & Honor books have been recognized since 1938. You can find the complete list of Caldecott award honorees and recipients here.
by Public Service Associate Juliana
I learned something while compiling this year’s list of favorites — I found that most of us here on staff at the library don’t read the most popular new titles. For example, we didn’t read James (except for Jen), The Martyr, The Women, or All Fours. I, for example, didn’t even read Intermezzo yet, and I am a (big) Sally Rooney fan. These titles will likely be on our TBR 2025 lists for when some of the hype falls away and we can get these items in our hands. What you will find below are some of 2024’s titles that we enjoyed and were able to snag off the new shelf in good time.
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 Technology Librarian Josh
I remember the lead up to January 1st, 2000: a dull anxiety slowly getting louder and louder until all thoughts are fogged by the worst-case scenarios. News story after news story explaining the Y2K problem, people’s reaction, and what the fallout was going to look like. This was a magic threshold we were going to cross that no one could stop and there was nowhere else to kick the can. We had to solve this problem to maintain our current way of life.
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.
by Public Service Associate & Content Coordinator Hannah
As the air cools, leaves turn, and the light changes, there’s nothing better than curling up with a good book and a warm beverage. Whether you’re a devoted tea connoisseur or a coffee aficionado, grab your favorite mug—we’re celebrating the bond between brews and books!
by Associate Librarian Leah Boyden
Earlier this year I took a course on engaging teens within libraries. As a lover and reader of young adult material and former middle school teacher, this task was right up my alley. A former student of mine encouraged me to write a blog post for the library and because of their encouragement I signed up!