Listen While You Work

Last night while working the front desk at the library, a patron who was checking out some audiobooks commented to me that audiobooks had helped them get through some remodeling projects in their kitchen.

Do you have a project coming up?  Spring is the time when people start thinking about their DIY home improvements.  My own project is to paint the living room, if it ever warms up enough to open the windows.  Or maybe you are in the mood for some Spring cleaning.  Perhaps you spend a lot of time commuting.  Whatever the situation, these activities can get monotonous.  Listening to something while you work or travel can make the time fly by.

The library has over 900 books on CD and cassette in adult, young adult and children's titles.  Something is sure to appeal to you.  

For all ages I recommend "The Lord of the Rings".  It is available as a straight read-thru in three books, but my personal favorite is the BBC radio production starring Sir Ian Holm. Not everyone know that before he played Bilbo Baggins in the movies, Sir Ian played Frodo Baggins in the radio dramatization.

Sir Ian Holm

Another family friendly one is "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket.  The books are read by Tim Curry, who you may know as Dr. Frank-n-Furter from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show".  He does a completely marvelous performance of this darkly comic children's series.

Tim Curry

Dr. Frank-n-Furter

The" Harry Potte"r series performed by Jim Dale is another wonderful series to listen to. A friend of mine who "never reads children's book" listened to these and totally enjoyed them.

I rarely read non-fiction, but I will listen to it.  David Sedaris is a great humorist and he reads his own stories.  "Me Talk Pretty One Day" is funny to read but listening to Mr. Sedaris read it is hilarious. Garrison Keillor has lots of different books on CD, from biography to fiction to stories of Lake Wobegon from his  "A Prairie Home Companion" radio show.  Many authors will read their own autobiographies on CD.  Hearing someone read their own story adds to my understanding and enjoyment of their stories. 

Maybe you want get some education while your are doing your manual labor. Parlez-vous francais?  Non?  We can help with that.  French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and many more languages are available on CD.  Or maybe you want to catch up on the Shakespeare you found so boring in high school.  The library has over 30 of his most popular plays performed on CD.

So after you hit Menard's or Home Depot or Campbell's Lumber for your home improvement supplies, stop by the Library for some other supplies.  You'll be done before you know it, and ready to start on a  new project so you can finish that last chapter. Happy listening.

One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

This weekend, April 25th and 26th, the Friends of the Superior Public Library will put on their annual Book Sale.  The Friends spend all year preparing for this 2 day sale, sorting and pricing the many books, CDs, music, and art that will be for sale. Most of the items come from the generous donations of our patrons.  Every so often a person will come in with bags and boxes full of books or movies.  "I need to clean this stuff out.  I don't have the room for it anymore."  I will usually see that same person at the sale with bags and boxes full of new acquisitions. They will go home, read their "new" books, watch their "new" movies, and re-donate them.  But in among all the "new" stuff they will find a new favorite that will stay on their shelf. It will become a permanent member of their collection, and will be treasured.


The first book I ever purchased for myself was a library bound copy of Sir Walter Scott's 'Ivanhoe".  It was purchased at Cathedral School's Mardi Gras, which still takes place every year.  Back then they had a White Elephant room with donated items for sale.  There were always lots of books.  It had a plain red cover-didn't look like much. But the binding was sewn and it had beautiful copperplate illustrations.  I treasured it. I was so sad when our basement flooded and everything in the bookcase was ruined.

I have a whole series of etiquette books that have been purchased second-hand.  The oldest one is from 1877. I keep these in the new bookcase upstairs.

                                                                                                                   
(The etiquette books hold a weird fascination for me.  They give a look at the mores of a society that has gone through a lot of changes.  Some have beautiful illustrations:

One has an unusual section about dating married men:)

 And who knew there would be art work at the  book sale? A few years ago I picked up 2 beautiful watercolors at one of the library's sale for $2.00 a piece, had them re-framed, and hung them in the kitchen.

If you are having a fit of uncluttering the library takes donations all year round.  It's not too late to donate for this year's sale.  And after you make all that room, stop by and refill those empty shelves.  You never know what new treasures you'll find.