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Between the Lines

News about our libraries and our communities.

Logo with city skyline and icons of fire, tornado, lightning and police.

September is good time to be prepared

No one wants to think about the unthinkable, but that is exactly what National Preparedness Month (ready.gov) is encouraging us to do.  The idea is to be prepared for the “worst case scenario.”

Posted: Monday, September 11, 2017 - 12:00am
sketch of a greyhound type dog superimposed on an astronomical chart

What are the dog days of summer?

Do you know the story behind the ‘Dog Days of Summer’?  Chances are unless you are a history buff, it’s not what you think.

Posted: Friday, August 11, 2017 - 12:00am
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Vote Now for the next Big Library Read

Voting is now open through August 10  for the next Big Library Read, where OverDrive features a single title for unlimited download for a three-week period, allowing everyone to read the same title at the same time.

Posted: Friday, August 4, 2017 - 10:21am
International Day of Friendship July 30, 2017

July is a Great Month to Celebrate Friendships!

The United Nations believes friendships are so important that in 2011 the UN General Assembly proclaimed that a day be set aside each year to emphasize the importance of friendships.  The UN made this proclamation with the idea that friendship between peoples, countries, cultures and individuals can inspire peace efforts and build bridges between communities.  This year the day of cel

Posted: Friday, July 14, 2017 - 12:50pm
Black and white photo of elderly gentleman reading a newspaper at a library.

Come to the library for books, news, facts

The other day someone asked about the rumors that our local grocery store (Rensselaer) might be closing. Fortunately, the library keeps several local and regional newspapers on hand and we were able to dispel the rumors with facts.

Posted: Monday, May 8, 2017 - 9:45am
Photo of red train caboose parked next to yellow train depot.

DeMotte Historical Society Celebrates 20 Years in 2017

On Jan. 2, 1997 a group of individuals with the same passion for preserving the history of DeMotte held their first organizational meeting.  The first board members were Donna Lageveen, Jack Hart, Kathleen Van Der Molen, Norman Chappell, Irene Evans, Robert Cheever and George Konovsky.

Posted: Friday, April 28, 2017 - 11:38am
graphic made of various words about poetry

Say hello to your inner bard during National Poetry Month

The celebration for National Poetry Month each April began in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets.

Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world with schools, publishers, libraries, booksellers, and poets celebrating poetry’s vital place in our culture.

Posted: Monday, April 3, 2017 - 3:07pm
Graphic of the pi symbol hovering over several hundred digits of pi.

Are you ready for Pi Day?

If you recognize the number or symbol in the graphic, then you might be among those who will be looking forward to March 14 when National Pi Day is celebrated. 

March 14 is Pi Day, a day to celebrate the mathematical constant pi (π) (and to eat lots of pie). 

Posted: Monday, March 13, 2017 - 1:00am
Sketch of text: March is National Craft Month

Get your craft on during National Craft Month

Great news for the creatively gifted, and for those who don’t consider themselves such.  March is National Craft Month!

What a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of all the Jasper County Libraries offer in the way of materials to stoke those creative juices.

Books and magazines abound with all manner of ideas, and all ages are served in this genre.

Posted: Thursday, March 2, 2017 - 12:00pm
Drawing of a young woman presenting portraits of Washington and Lincoln.

What do we celebrate in February?

On the third Monday in February, dating back to 1885, we celebrate a federal holiday called ‘Washington’s Birthday’.  Many people refer to the day as ‘President’s Day’, but that is not the official name.

Posted: Monday, February 20, 2017 - 1:00am