Staff Picks

Looking for something to watch? Last night I binge read a series in the New York Times called Gateway Movies. Running since March, each article suggests one or two films to break you into a particular genre or the work of a particular director, and through the course of the article mentions a number of films. One article caught my eye and had to do with staged documentaries, which was, in a way, related to Dick Johnson Is Dead, the last film we discussed with the Merrill Film Society. They recommend Robert Flaherty’s Man of Aran and Orson Welles’s F is for Fake. I love that most of the films are recommended in twos, which is how I often plan film discussions. [Read more…] about Gateway Movies

Looking to explain the workings of our government to kids, or yourself? This site is for kids, but we are bound by the librarian code of secrecy– we won’t tell anyone what you’re reading (and we aren’t tracking it either). With sections for ages 4-8, 9-13, and 14+, you can find easy to understand concepts and definitions for a variety of age groups and ability levels.

Ben’s Guide to US Government for Kids, a service of the Government Publishing Office (GPO), is designed to inform students, parents, and educators about the Federal Government, which issues the publications and information products disseminated by the GPO’s Federal Depository Library Program. It is our hope that Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government fulfills that role.

We have access to so many databases that are underutilized. As we hunker down for the cold months ahead, it’s a good time to explore new hobbies! Jetskiing is out, but knitting, scrapbooking, soapmaking, and model building are IN!

Hobbies and Crafts Reference Center (EBSCO)

A resource that offers detailed “how-to” instructions and creative ideas to meet the interests of virtually every hobby enthusiast. Full text from leading hobby and craft magazines. Video tutorial from Niche Academy.