The following is a report from Manitowoc Public Library Adult Services Associate, Therese Horstketter.
“Books, books, books . . . so many to read, so little time to do it!
Sharing a love of reading with others is a big “extra” part of reading for me. Working at the Library leads to suggestions to and from co-workers. Books that are constantly on display call for my attention and placing new items on “Hold” for patrons just intensifies the thought of “I need a month to just READ!”
As MPL is open once again to the public, I’m sharing some reminders with you of what we have available to help you with your love of reading and promoting a few books that I recently shared through events. Some of this may be old hat to some, but it may open up a whole new world to someone that is not aware of what we have available.
Before we get started, just a reminder: Fiction is organized by the author’s last name, followed by their given first name. Non Fiction is organized by a Dewey Decimal Number and subject.
When you enter into the Library proper, front and center is one of our very popular collections—“Lucky Day” items, which are copies of popular titles with numerous holds. These books check out for a shorter loan period of 2 weeks and they cannot be renewed. You might be 35th in-line for a new book, and you walk in the door, and there’s a copy of it on that shelf for you to check out immediately! It’s your Lucky Day!!
Walk further into MPL and you’ll see several things immediately. We have a “Holds Ready for Pickup” area, with materials waiting for patron pick-up. To get materials set aside in this spot, you can place them on hold yourself using our online catalog, or ask a staff member to help you place a hold. When the item becomes available to you, you’ll be notified via the communication option listed in your account—either email, text, or phone. You then have one week to stop in to check out the item.
As you continue your stroll through our beautiful library, you’ll come to our “New Book” area. New Fiction is sorted by genre, such as Romance, Western, Mystery, etc. New Non Fiction is sorted by Dewey Decimal System, based on subject. Check out our “Large Print” collection. It includes Fiction and Non Fiction, along with some great magnifying devices that can be checked out to assist with readability.
Next up is our collection of older fiction. All genres are combined, so look for your favorite author, or browse the spines for stickers to identify books in the genre you enjoy. Deeper into the Library you’ll find our older non-fiction books. Signage on the end of the shelving units will provide a rough guide for that collection.
In the vicinity of MPL’s second Service Desk, you’ll come across our “Books on Cd” offerings—both new and old titles together in one area. We have a great selection of books to listen to while you travel, work, or relax.
Please check out our displays of “Staff Pick” ideas: special collections (currently featuring “Bridgerton” read-alike books), of-the-moment topical, and seasonal books! Lots of great ideas can be discovered on these displays, found near the “New Books” shelving.
Speaking of special displays, one of them contains the materials for our upcoming monthly book discussion. “Nothing to See Here” is the title for March. Written by Kevin Wilson, it’s the story of a pair of unlikely boarding school friends. They part ways due to a school scandal, and years later, one calls upon the other to help with her twin stepchildren. Their father—a politician—would like to “fix” a specific element in their behavior: they spontaneously combust when they become upset. Though this storyline may seem far-fetched, the characters are wonderful, and all of them make a journey of self-discovery, or at the very least are surprised to find out the strengths they possess. It’s a wonderful book filled almost equally with heartbreak, drama, and humor. Sign up for this virtual discussion on Manitowoc Public Library’s website (www.manitowoclibrary.org) on the “Events” page.
Along with this individual book discussion, I have a few much-enjoyed books to offer up as suggestions. These are all mysteries/thrillers, which tend to be my favorites:
- “The Push,” by Ashley Audrain, a debut novel about a mother’s inability to connect with a daughter that seems violent to her, a sentiment with which her husband doesn’t agree
- “The Deep, Deep Snow,” by Brian Freeman, which involves the disappearance of a 10-year-old boy in a small town
- “The Kind Worth Killing,” by Peter Swanson, which begins with a man and a woman meeting in an airport bar, sharing martinis, and eventually secrets. It goes further when the man says that he could just kill his wife for what she’s done, and the woman says she could help him.
With this mini-tour of MPL’s First Floor books, I hope I’ve shared a bit to help you widen your search. And I didn’t even get into our DVDs, or music CDs, or magazines. Or the 2nd Floor!
With all our Library has to offer—books and more—I truly hope you find something to enjoy at Manitowoc Public Library!”
