As April wraps up, the air is beginning to feel like spring and the sun is winning against the long, deep winter. Clear, quiet mornings and sunny evenings provide countless opportunities for gratitude, gathering, and joy. An aspect of spring that brings me great delight is the reemergence of dogs of all kinds- big ones, small ones, furry and bald ones. I love it when they beg for pets while walking by or hanging out on cafe patios. What are your favorite activities or the first thing you do when spring hits? What do you hope to start new? Neill Public Library is here to support you, whatever your hobbies or goals.
Kick off your grilling season with books like VBQ; Thank You for Smoking; From Garden to Grill; and Greenfeast. Perhaps you’re getting into the garden or the yard. Try Raised-Bed Gardening for Beginners; Field Guide to Outside Style; or The Good Garden. If you would rather start indoors with spring cleaning, there’s Keep the Memories, Lose the Stuff; The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up; and The Complete Book of Home Organization.
Does your graduation gift or summer plan involve travel? Plan a road trip with Fodors Bucket List USA, Where Should We Camp Next, or one of our many Lonely Planet guidebooks. If you’re traveling abroad, start learning the language before you go with Mango Languages, and test your skills by watching one of our many foreign films- find a DVD at the library or stream movies on Kanopy. Pro tip: download audiobooks in the Libby app in advance so you’re entertained on the plane or in the car when the internet gets spotty.
Dog walkers, we have books for you, too. There’s the Story of Your Dog; The Year of the Puppy; and The Dog Behavior Answer Book. Cat walkers can enjoy The Lion in the Living Room and What’s My Cat Thinking? If you’re thinking about running before walking, find inspiration in Born to Run and Good for a Girlor build your training plan using Runner’s World Race Everything or The Happy Runner.
With all the activities you are planning, we hope you’ll find time to join us Wednesday, May 10 at 6:00 pm to celebrate the new book Cascadia Field Guide. Art and science meld in this celebration of Cascadia, the interconnected region stretching from Southeast Alaska to Northern California and from the Pacific Ocean to the Continental Divide- yes, this includes the Palouse! Discover natural and cultural histories, poetry, and illustrations for everything from cryptobiotic soil to the giant Pacific octopus and Sitka spruce. More than 50 diverse creators contributed poems and stories ranging from comic to serious, colloquial to scientific, urban to off-the-grid. The art sweeps from classic natural history drawing to graffiti.
Join us May 10 and meet Cascadian poets and artists Derek Sheffield, CMarie Fuhman, Michael McGriff, Alexandra Teague, Stacy Boe Miller, and Cori Dantini. Come for the readings, discussion, book signing, and refreshments. Leave with a sense of community and joy for the beauty we live in.
Whatever you choose to do as you head into May, Neill Public Library is wide open to you. Take advantage of gathering spaces, books, computers, or maybe the Sarah Moore River Nook, with its comfy chairs and zippy wi-fi! Rain or shine, our doors open at 10am Monday through Saturday. See you soon!
Minh Elan is the Adult Services Technician at Neill Public Library