Peace on Earth and Good Will Toward All
As I begin writing this blog post, we’ve just had our first snow of winter. On November 12. And despite the fact that I am staunchly Team No-Christmas-decorations-before-Thanksgiving, the weather has me thinking of the winter holidays.
When you’re born six days before Christmas, you usually either embrace it wholeheartedly or go full Grinch. I went the first route, and I absolutely love the holidays. But it can be a really difficult time of year, too. Those who can’t afford extravagant gift-giving, those who have no family or are estranged from ...
Winter Blues
In the words of The King, Elvis Presley himself, “I’ll have a blue Christmas without you.” The holidays can be a hard time for many people. We feel so much pressure to be thankful, make merry, and attend or host a score of events while looking flawlessly festive and creating magazine-worthy spreads for meals and parties. It can be a lot to handle for anyone, but for those who may be suffering the loss of a loved one, going through a divorce or break-up, or dealing with mental health challenges, the holidays can be especially trying.
We have probably all experienced one or more of ...
Check Out Our Progress on the Bethany Library
View more photos here.
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Chill Out and Read this Winter!
Winter break will be here soon! It's important that students continue reading even when they are out of school to prevent the "Winter Brain Freeze." One fun way to keep reading is to participate in the Winter Reading Challenge hosted by Oklahoma City Public Schools.
Students who read for 20 minutes a day during winter break (380 total minutes) can log their time to be eligible for prizes and recognition. To learn more about the Winter Reading Challenge, visit the OKC Public Schools website.
The Winter Brain Freeze is a period of time in which students...
Check out some of these Holiday Favorites on Hoopla
Stuck at home this winter? Don't let that stop you from enjoying yourself this winter. The library has a variety of resources you can access from home 24/7. Hoopa launched their Winter Wonderland this month and there is something for everyone including eBooks, movies, music and eAudiobooks. Never tried Hoopla before? Learn more about it HERE.
MusicHoopla has holiday music albums available 24/7 online or through the app with your library card. Other popular artists include Michael Buble, Sia, Frank Sinatra, Josh Groban, Mariah Carey, Nat King Cole, Idina Mensel, ...
Simple Holiday Crafts to Try this Winter
If winter weather has you stuck inside, check out the library's Hobbies and Crafts eResource available from the comfort of your home! Here are some simple holiday crafts to get you started.
Holiday Garland
What you will need:
Raffia ribbon Wooden spoons Red and green cookie cutters Wooden beadsCraft Stick Christmas Tree Ornaments
What you will need:
Craft sticks Glue Burlap ribbon TwineContemporary Pine Tree Decor
What you will need:
Foam cones Sil...
Check out our Online Hub for Hobbies & Crafts this Holiday Season
Did you know?The library has an online hub for hobbies and crafts that you can access 24/7 from home.
The Hobbies & Crafts eResource allows you to explore a variety of topics from knitting, sewing and cooking to ham radio, bookmaking, coin collecting and even hang gliding among others. Hobbies & Crafts is brimming with fun ideas and intriguing articles for just about any hobbyist to keep your family entertained all winter long. This resource includes project templates, magazine articles, informational articles covering the b...
Library Renovations to be Booked
By Mike W. Ray Staff Writer, OKC Friday 11/28/2018
Bids on major renovations to the interior of The Village Library are scheduled to be opened on Dec. 10.
“Over the last year, we have gone through the process of scoping and planning for an interior renovation” at The Village library, Morgan Jones, manager of planning and assessment for the Metropolitan Library System (MLS), wrote in a letter dated Oct. 9. “The inside will be reconfigured to best utilize the space,” said Victoria Stephens, the MLS internal communications coordinator.
The ML...
Excelsior! - A Tribute to Stan Lee
On November 12th 2018, Stan Lee, co-creator of iconic comic book characters Iron Man, Hulk, Spider-Man, Captain America, the X-Men and Thor among others, died. He was 95 years old. When I heard about his passing, I wasn’t surprised, he wasn’t in great health, but I was saddened. Not only do we share a love of comics, we shared a birthday, December 28th. So, as a comic book fan and above all a Marvel comics fan, it was a sad day, but it brought back one of my favorite memories.
In 2012, I was lucky enough to get tickets to attend the San Di...
Everyday Instant Pot and Air Fryer Recipes
Looking for some recipes to try with your new Instant Pot and air fryer? Checkout some of these cookbooks for a variety of everyday meals to please the whole family.
Instant Pot Cookbooks
The Essential Mexican Instant Pot Cookbook: Authentic flavors and modern recipes for your electric cooker by Deborah Schneider
Healthy Instant Pot Cookbook by Dana Angelo White
Instant Pot cookbook: 60 delicious foolproof recipes
Dinn...
Inspirational and Faith-Based Movies
Need a little pick-me-up? Inspirational and faith-based movies are popular checkouts! The library has a growing collection of inspirational books and movies. Here are some popular titles from the DVD collection.
A Man Called John
Jon is a pastor with a unique form of praise. After an unwelcome “outburst” during a service, the senior pastor requests he is moved to another church. After being moved three times, he must decide whether to change his worship style or risk moving yet again.
Hoovey
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Instructional Genealogy Books and Videos
If you are looking to begin your research on your family history, general research books and instructional videos are a great place to get started. The library has a variety of resources available to you, and most of these titles are available from home. To Learn more about the library's genealogy collection, visit our genealogy webpage.
Available in the Library CatalogDNA and family history: how genetic testing can advance your genealogical research by By Chris Pomery
The family tree problem solver: tried-and-tr...
5 Simple Steps to Get Started on Your Family Tree
Getting started in your genealogical research can be daunting. Maybe you have tried before, but you hit a wall and lost steam, maybe you feel overwhelmed by the amount of information to organize or maybe you just don’t know what resources are available and how to use them. Wherever you may be in your journey, the library is a great place to get started. Through the library, you have access to professional librarians who specialize in genealogy, robust eResources accessible through your home computer and a large collection of physical resources available in the library.
It is ...
Día De Los Muertos Reads
As fall begins to take shape and celebrations commence, Day of the Dead looms ahead. While many may not know about this holiday or its origins, the recent blockbuster hit Coco and other mainstream media have commoditized death. However, what you see in Mexico today, on television in the United States or in the aforementioned movie is a fusion of prehispanic, colonial and European traditions. A cultural celebration at first glance but a festivity that represents a much larger picture that reflects issues related to cultural identity, traditions, and political discourse just to name a fe...
Paranormal Romance to Check Out this Fall
Are you a fan of all the spooky creatures that come around this time of year? If you’re hoping to dive into a new paranormal romance series this fall, check out some of these series favorites.
Shadow Reaper (Book One in the Shadow Riders Series) by Christine Feehan
This “deliciously dark” romance follows the lives of Stefano Ferraro, a Shadow Rider, and his love interest Francesca Cappello. Stefano learns that Francesca is also a shadow rider and attempts to take her under his wing when she moves into his Chicago territory.
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