A Lifelong Love of Reading

The simple act of reading to your child, even an infant, helps to build their early literacy skills. Those skills will support them when they are old enough to start learning how to read on their own. But, wait! The goodness doesn’t stop there.


Get to Know the Discworld

A librarian who happens to be an orangutan (and likes it that way, thank you very much). An enchanted piece of luggage that follows its owner everywhere, whether he wants … Continued


Train to Busan

For some reason, I love movies (and books) set in enclosed or cut-off places. For example, The Shining (isolated resort hotel) or The Poseidon Adventure (capsized ship). So when I … Continued



Sampling the Rich History of Poetry: Part 2

My last post began a three-part series about poetry. Today I’m back with part 2, in which we discuss two poems that touch on the theme of death. It’s a grim topic, not something we normally want to dwell on for long. Yet these poems explore it in ways that are beautiful and surprising.


Library Databases for School Projects and More

It’s a new school year and that means research, science projects and homework. You can find a wealth of information on the Library’s databases, as well as homework help. Read on to learn more.


Sampling the Rich History of Poetry: Part 1

People have been composing poems for thousands of years. As with fiction, the variety is huge, and if you don’t know much about it, it can be intimidating. Where do you start if you want to dip your toe in the poetry pool? I’ve always enjoyed a good poem, but my interest has increased in the last few years. So I thought it would be fun to do a series of posts highlighting some of my favorites.


#PGHReads: The Great American Whatever

After Quinn’s sister, Annabeth, dies in a car accident, he stops going to classes and retreats from society. When summer arrives, all he’s accomplished is stacking up a ton pizza boxes and running out of clean shirts. Dreams of filmmaking classes with his sister have evaporated, but he’s kept the half-finished application. Just as his mother can’t get rid of Annabeth’s expired snacks, he can’t bring himself to part with this last memory.


A Dungeons & Dragons Primer

How do you slay an Owlbear? What is an Owlbear? If you’ve heard of Dungeons & Dragons, but never played, it, you might find yourself asking these questions. Have no fear. I’m here to help with a quick primer on D&D. An Owlbear is exactly what it sounds like, by the way, and it’s far from the weirdest creature a player might encounter.


Cartoons for Adults

Are you an adult who loves cartoons? There are plenty of children’s cartoons that adults can enjoy, but today I want to talk about animated TV shows meant just for grown-ups. Cartoons can be just as engaging as live-action shows, and the format allows them to do things other shows can’t. Most are comedies, but even those can include strong character development and ongoing story lines that beg to be binge watched.