Author: Molly

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Soup O’Clock

Posted on by Molly

The change in seasons this time of year is palpable. The angle and quality of sunlight has shifted lower, and the kids are back in school. It’s important to cultivate things to enjoy for every season, so while the light fades and the days shorten, I urge everyone to do what is right and just. It’s time to start thinking about what kind of soup to make, and to put those plans into action. Below, I picked out some cookbooks that feature recipes for some of my favorite soup and soup-adjacent dishes. The cookbooks I listed are a microscopic fraction of all the cookbooks we have on the shelf at Mead and throughout the Monarch system, if the ones I like to use aren’t appealing. Click each cookbook title to see the Monarch catalog listing. 

The soup: Chili Con Carne
The book: The Enchilada Queen (2016) by Sylvia Casares

This is not strictly a soup, per se, but a soup-adjacent dish that I make all the time. I am not here to have the “is a hotdog a sandwich” conversation applied to what qualifies as a soup, versus a stew, and so on. We’re progressive soup connoisseurs round these parts, and won’t be confined by any narrow definitions. Chili equals soup, I tell you, and this one is so delicious.

I love the recipes in this book because I love Tex-Mex cooking and I enjoy the borderline complexity of Sylvia’s recipes. Her Chili Con Carne is incredibly tasty over the enchiladas she is famous for, but I use it as a Tex-Mex shakshuka base for breakfast quite often. Pour a cup or two into a hot, oily pan, and crack some eggs on top, cover until set. Serve with crusty bread or crispy potatoes, precious. It might ruin all other breakfasts by comparison, that’s how tasty this chili is. 

The soup: Dal
The book: Indian for Everyone (2014) by Anupy Singla

This is a great cookbook for those who enjoy Indian cuisine, but might be intimidated by long ingredient lists and unfamiliar cooking techniques. Singla’s cookbook is the best guide I have come across for home cooks looking to expand their repertoire. Dal in particular is a great dish to have in one’s arsenal because it is delicious, inexpensive, and good for one’s health as dal tends to be lentil-based. It’s also on the lower end of the scale for degree of difficulty, and the ingredients are forgiving. I was thrilled to learn that Alex’s Corner Market, located at 723 Center Ave here in Sheboygan, carries an astounding array of Indian cooking staples, if anyone is looking for a particular variety of dal. A few years ago there was nowhere in town to purchase fresh curry leaves, let alone so many different lentils, and now we have access to this incredible resource. Totally dreamy. Lucky us. 

Singla also published an Indian slow cooker cookbook that is worth the time to track down. I had a copy but lent it to someone, and I forget who that was. If anyone knows who has my copy of this cookbook, please let them know I would like it back.

The soup: Gazpacho
The book: Snacks for Dinner (2022) by Lucas Volger

We might be at the tail end of gazpacho season here in the dregs of summer, but I think this is a recipe to keep handy for next time tomatoes are coming in. Gazpacho is a cold soup made primarily from tomatoes and other summer vegetables. This recipe stood out to me because it also calls for watermelon, resulting in the most refreshing and flavorful gazpacho I have ever tasted. Plus, with a title like Snacks for Dinner, who wouldn’t be moved to try out some of these fantastic recipes? I liked the book so much I bought my own copy to keep at home. 

The book: Cook’s Illustrated Revolutionary Recipes (2018)
The soup: Pasta e Fagioli

Soup is peasant food. If I were alive during feudal times I would for sure have been a peasant. This does not mean the food was bad, it meant the food was simple. Pasta e fagioli, or pasta and beans, depending on one’s mother tongue, checks all my peasant-hearted soup boxes. It is made of common ingredients, it comes together quickly, and it is so comforting and tasty. Plus, it gets finished with grated parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil. Please and thank you. I’ll crawl into a big bowl as soon as the snow starts flying, so hopefully not TOO too soon. 

Any Cook’s Illustrated, America’s Test Kitchen, or Cook’s Country cookbook is worth the time to peruse. This group of related publications has been cranking out top-tier cookbooks for decades now. I like the Revolutionary Recipes book because it is essentially a repository for the best recipes to appear in the magazine counterpart. The recipes might get slightly fiddly because they are highly researched and tested, but this means they are also quite foolproof. These cookbooks are wildly popular, so they will be available in most library collections for years and years. 

The soup: Ramen
The book: Let’s Make Ramen (2019) by Hugh Amano and Sarah Becan

This hand-illustrated guide to creating ramen at home is such a joy to read. The graphic-novel quality of the drawings paired with great ideas and recipes for various ramen elements demystified the hows and whys I had about ramen-making. While I am still a big fan of the $0.25 Maruchan packets and their reliable saltiness and versatility, it’s nice to have an idea of how to level up ramen into a dish I would be happy to serve company. Making ramen is a great way to explore ingredients commonly used in Japanese cooking, and how they might be incorporated into regular rotation in the kitchen and pantry. Any cookbook that broadens the possibilities of my home cooking is the kind of cookbook I want to use. 

The soup: Chicken Stock
The book: Make it Ahead (2014) by Ina Garten

Barefoot Contessa alert! Ina’s Food Network show is one of my all-time comfort shows. Her gorgeous house, kitchen, and garden in the Hamptons provide hours of idle daydream fodder, and her adorable husband Jeffrey is away for work all week. What bliss. Ina’s recipes tend to be of a classic variety, but updated for modern palettes and kitchens. Her process for making chicken stock always knocks me out. She puts a whole five pound chicken in the pot with all the aromatics and simmers it for a million years, resulting in gorgeous golden stock that turns gelatinous after straining and refrigeration. I usually prefer to save scraps for stock-making, or to make soup that creates the stock as the recipe is followed. Store bought is fine, too.

However, when I need to make a super clean and tasty stock, this is my go-to. This recipe appears in all of Ina’s cookbooks, of which there are like a dozen or more. The books are always beautifully produced, and tend to contain recipes that one will actually use again and again.  

What’s your favorite soup to eat? Or to cook? Do you have any deep indelible memories involving soup? I have several. One of my best memories ever is this time my friends and I were out all day one fall. We were still in high school. It was chilly and bright out. We went to my house and my mother had just finished making a big pot of chicken soup, and that bread you bake in a coffee can. The sun was streaming into the kitchen and everything smelled good. She fed us like we were all her daughters, and we were all sisters. That’s what it felt like then. I still know those women, and we still remember that day, and that soup. 

Still feeling unmoved by the idea of soup for din-din? No worries, we can hook you up with a cookbook suited to any particular taste, and we’ll have fun doing so, too. Consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books service for additional recommendations. This service is not limited to cookbooks, in the event that one is more interested in a different variety of books. Every book its reader, as they say. Happy reading and a very happy soup season to all.

Posted in Adult, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Science Fiction, Teen & Young Adult

Awesome Books to Defeat a Reading Slump

Posted on by Molly

When I go through a reading slump, it is generally related to how long I need to wait for my next hold to come in on Libby. I read like I eat fast food; it’s incredibly enjoyable in the moment, but not necessarily nourishing, and mainly forgettable. If I get really stuck I switch to podcasts until I get sick of skipping through ads every 20 minutes. Below, I listed a few remedies to the common reading slump. Maybe they strike seasonally, maybe it’s a regular occurrence, or maybe this reading slump is totally out of character. Hopefully, one of these techniques can help shake things loose regardless of why things are slumping. 

Try a Novella
Novellas range from 60-120 pages by definition, but I am rounding up to 200 for my purposes. A shorter book will take the perceived pressure off of finishing a novel that tends to be 400 or more pages in length. They say that hunger is the best pickle, but I know for a fact that snacks whet the appetite prior to a meal, too. The same can go for reading. 

Mr. Majestyk (1974) by Elmore Leonard; 150 pages
Leonard was the best in the business when it came to writing hard-boiled, violent, and near-mythical characters. This novella is one of my favorites, and pits a watermelon farmer against a bunch of extortionate mobster pinecones. If this book holds any appeal, please see Mr. Leonard’s back catalog. It is extensive. 

Every Heart a Doorway (2016) by Seannan McGuire; 176 pages
This is the first in McGuire’s excellent School for Wayward Children series that is now up to ten books. These interconnected portal fantasies are so gorgeous and compelling, I feel envious of anyone reading them for the first time. McGuire also writes horror novels under the name Mira Grant that are a lot of fun, too.

The Little Prince (1943) by Antoine de Saint-Exupery; 96 pages
Everyone has had about 80 years to get their hands on this charming and affecting novella. It still fills me with wonder and takes me to a place of imagination that can be hard to access as an adult. 

Silver in the Wood (2019) by Emily Tesh; 112 pages
Green Man British Isles mythology meets a sweet and tender queer romance. This book is beautifully written and absorbing. There’s a part two out to enjoy, as well. 

Juvenile Fiction
Returning to the books that made readers out of us in the first place is another way to shake off the cobwebs and light up various dusty brain parts. I was a nascent reader in the 1980s, so many of my formative reads were written before I was born. 

James and the Giant Peach (1961) by Roald Dahl
It might be time for a re-read to remember why this author is still massively popular decades after his death. James was always a favorite of mine, but The Twits are a close runner-up. That Quentin Crisp illustration work is so primo. 

The Black Stallion (1941) by Walter Farley
The Black Stallion was one of the first chapter books I read on my own. I’ve reread the book here and there over the years, and to me, it holds up. The writing is good and the story sweeps along at a good clip. Don’t sleep on the 1979 film based on the book, either. 

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (1967) by EL Konigsburg
Total nostalgia ball for the Oregon Trail generation. Who among us didn’t spend an inordinate amount of time trying to figure out ways to sneak into and stay in a museum, or a zoo, or a mall after hours? It’s the city kid equivalent to being marooned on a desert island with a spirited Arabian horse. 

The Westing Game (1978) by Ellen Raskin
Yes, I’ve written about this book in the past, and yes I will write about it in the future. This is the book at the nexus of my reading life. It fascinated me in ways that no other book has matched, and spurred me on to read for pleasure in a purposeful way. It’s in heavy rotation as recommended reading for book lovers of all ages. 

Graphic novels
When I was a kid, comic books still had a bad rap and were not readily available at the school library. My old man loved comic books like Dick Tracy and TinTin, so I would read them too. He encouraged me to look at stuff like Art Spiegleman’s Maus when I was in junior high. It expanded my perception of what literature could be and look like. Graphic novels are great for people who would like to read a book from cover to cover, but maybe don’t have hours in the day to devote to it. 

Fangs (2020) by Sarah Anderson
Get to know a vampire and werewolf as they fall in love. Anderson is an excellent and hilarious illustrator, and this book puts her talents on full display.

Fun Home (2006) by Alison Bechdel
This might be one of the best autobiographical graphic novels of all time. Bechdel recounts her complex childhood and early adulthood through the lens of life at the funeral parlor her family owned and ran. She is a literal genius, and to me, Fun Home is a 21st century must-read. 

Ice Haven (2005) by Daniel Clowes
A tidy one-off story from the hipster prince of 1990s indie publishing. Clowes is most famous for his seminal title Ghost World, which was turned into a Major Motion Picture, but I prefer this unusual volume. It’s part mystery, part meditation on life in the Midwest, but mostly another fascinating character exploration from a master of sequential art. 

Tales From the Loop (2014) by Simon Stalenhag
This is a crowd-funded book that caught on with popular audiences. Tales from the Loop is filled with the most unbelievably beautiful illustrations of a past that never existed, but that we still feel nostalgia for. Also: DINOSAURS.

All-time classics
If a book is still in publication years and years after initial release, and still widely loved, chances are it’s worth the time to read. “Classic” can be a very malleable descriptor, by the way. How would you define a classic book?

Jane Eyre (1847) by Charlotte Bronte
It’s not just a good book, it’s GREAT. Many English speakers probably know the story beats just by virtue of living in the world, but letting the book unwind in print is almost spiritual. Sorry for the gushing, but this book is really really good. 

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (2000) by Michael Chabon
To me, this is one of the more accessible and engaging Pulitzer Prize winners from the last 30 years. I read it when it was first published, and still have vivid memories of entire passages of text. Chabon is known for several highly readable titles like Wonder Boys, and The Yiddish Policeman’s Union that I freely and often recommend. 

The Count of Monte Cristo (1844) by Alexander Dumas
Who doesn’t adore epic tales of revenge spanning decades? This book can still be found in practically any library, book store, and thrift shop in half the world. It has staying power for a reason.

The Catcher in the Rye (1951) by JD Salinger
While this may be a divisive suggestion, the work of JD Salinger changed my life. To me, he defines the ennui, despair, and dissatisfaction that has been percolating through the country since World War II. I read this book as soon as I understood how nervous the story made mid-20th century parents. I didn’t understand all the pearl-clutching, but I DID understand that this was literature, and something different than what I had been reading before. 

Murderbot


The ultimate solution for smashing that reading slump is to read Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries. They are the best books ever written in the history of the written language. Sorry to you James Baldwin, William Shakespeare, and Annie Proulx, but Martha has you all beat. Start with All Systems Red and thank me later for curing your depression and anxiety. 

Still feeling uncertain about what to read? Consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books reader’s advisory tool. List your favorite books, authors, and genres, and we will prepare a custom list of five books you’re likely to enjoy. We’re always happy to help people in-person, at the second floor desk, too. Happy reading!

Posted in Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Fiction, Historical, Horror, Mystery, Nonfiction

What to Read on Vacation

Posted on by Molly

Summer is here, and that means it’s time to grab a shiny stack of library books to take on vacation. To help cut through the noise and abundance, I listed several common vacation locations and which books might be best in each case. Book descriptions are sourced from the publisher. 

The Woods (books to freak you out while camping)

Little Heaven (2017) by Nick Cutter
A trio of mismatched mercenaries is hired by a young woman for a deceptively simple task: check in on her nephew, who may have been taken against his will to a remote New Mexico backwoods settlement called Little Heaven. Shortly after they arrive, things begin to turn ominous. Stirrings in the woods and over the treetops—the brooding shape of a monolith known as the Black Rock casts its terrible pall. Paranoia and distrust grips the settlement. The escape routes are gradually cut off as events spiral towards madness. Hell—or the closest thing to it—invades Little Heaven. The remaining occupants are forced to take a stand and fight back, but whatever has cast its dark eye on Little Heaven is now marshaling its powers…and it wants them all.

The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon (1999) by Stephen King
On a six-mile hike on the Maine-New Hampshire branch of the Appalachian Trail, nine-year-old Trisha McFarland quickly tires of the constant bickering between her older brother, Pete, and her recently divorced mother. But when she wanders off by herself and then tries to catch up by attempting a shortcut, she becomes lost in a wilderness maze full of peril and terror.

As night falls, Trisha has only her ingenuity as a defense against the elements, and only her courage and faith to withstand her mounting fears. For solace, she tunes her Walkman to broadcasts of Boston Red Sox baseball games and follows the gritty performances of her hero, relief pitcher Tom Gordon. And when her radio’s reception begins to fade, Trisha imagines that Tom Gordon is with her – protecting her from an all-too-real enemy who has left a trail of slaughtered animals and mangled trees in the dense, dark woods…

Thornhedge (2023) by T. Kingfisher
There’s a princess trapped in a tower. This isn’t her story.

Meet Toadling. On the day of her birth, she was stolen from her family by the fairies, but she grew up safe and loved in the warm waters of faerieland. Once an adult though, the fae ask a favor of Toadling: return to the human world and offer a blessing of protection to a newborn child. Simple, right?

But nothing with fairies is ever simple.

Centuries later, a knight approaches a towering wall of brambles, where the thorns are as thick as your arm and as sharp as swords. He’s heard there’s a curse here that needs breaking, but it’s a curse Toadling will do anything to uphold…

The Beach (mysteries best read on the beach)

Rum Punch (1992) by Elmore Leonard
Ordell Robbie makes a fine living selling illegal high-powered weaponry to the wrong people. Jackie Burke couriers Ordell’s profits from Freeport to Miami. But the feds are on to Jackie – and now the aging, but still hot, flight attendant will have to do prison time or play ball, which makes her a prime ‘loose end’ that Ordell needs to tie up … permanently.

Jackie, however, has other plans. And with the help of Max Cherry – an honest but disgruntled bail bondsman looking to get out – she could even end up with a serious nest egg in the process.

The Lost Girls of Penzance (2023) by Sally Rigby
Detective Lauren Pengelly has only been part of the Penzance police force for less than two years, but that’s enough time to know that the sleepy Cornish town doesn’t see many murders. So, when the bones of a woman with a hole in her skull are discovered behind a derelict cottage, she immediately assumes the worst.

Fortune Favors the Dead (2020) by Stephen Spotswood
It’s 1942 and Willowjean “Will” Parker is a scrappy circus runaway whose knife-throwing skills have just saved the life of New York’s best, and most unorthodox, private investigator, Lillian Pentecost. When the dapper detective summons Will a few days later, she doesn’t expect to be offered a life-changing proposition: Lillian’s multiple sclerosis means she can’t keep up with her old case load alone, so she wants to hire Will to be her right-hand woman. In return, Will is to receive a salary, room and board, and training in Lillian’s very particular art of investigation.

The City (books to read on vacation in a city)

The Indifferent Stars Above (2009) by Daniel J. Brown
In April of 1846, twenty-one-year-old Sarah Graves, intent on a better future, set out west from Illinois with her new husband, her parents, and eight siblings. Seven months later, after joining a party of emigrants led by George Donner, they reached the Sierra Nevada Mountains as the first heavy snows of the season closed the pass ahead of them. In early December, starving and desperate, Sarah and fourteen others set out for California on snowshoes and, over the next thirty-two days, endured almost unfathomable hardships and horrors.

In this gripping narrative, Daniel James Brown sheds new light on one of the most infamous events in American history. Following every painful footstep of Sarah’s journey with the Donner Party, Brown produces a tale both spellbinding and richly informative.

The Library Book (2018) by Susan Orlean
On the morning of April 29, 1986, a fire alarm sounded in the Los Angeles Public Library. As the moments passed, the patrons and staff who had been cleared out of the building realized this was not the usual fire alarm. As one fireman recounted, “Once that first stack got going, it was ‘Goodbye, Charlie.’” The fire was disastrous: it reached 2000 degrees and burned for more than seven hours. By the time it was extinguished, it had consumed four hundred thousand books and damaged seven hundred thousand more. Investigators descended on the scene, but more than thirty years later, the mystery remains: Did someone purposefully set fire to the library—and if so, who?

The City We Became (2020) by NK Jemisin
Five New Yorkers must come together in order to defend their city.

Every city has a soul. Some are as ancient as myths, and others are as new and destructive as children. New York City? She’s got five.

But every city also has a dark side. A roiling, ancient evil stirs beneath the earth, threatening to destroy the city and her five protectors unless they can come together and stop it once and for all.

Staycation (books to help you dream of where to go next)

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (1994) by John Berendt
Shots rang out in Savannah’s grandest mansion in the misty, early morning hours of May 2, 1981. Was it murder or self-defense? For nearly a decade, the shooting and its aftermath reverberated throughout this city of moss-hung oaks and shaded squares. John Berendt’s narrative reads like a thoroughly engrossing novel, and yet it is a work of nonfiction. Berendt interweaves a first-person account of life in this isolated remnant of the Old South with the unpredictable twists and turns of a landmark murder case.

My Brilliant Friend (2011) by Elena Ferrante
A modern masterpiece from one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors, My Brilliant Friend is a rich, intense and generous-hearted story about two friends, Elena and Lila. Ferrante’s inimitable style lends itself perfectly to a meticulous portrait of these two women that is also the story of a nation and a touching meditation on the nature of friendship. Through the lives of these two women, Ferrante tells the story of a neighborhood, a city and a country as it is transformed in ways that, in turn, also transform the relationship between her two protagonists.

The Travels of Marco Polo (1298) by Marco Polo
Marco Polo (1254-1329) has achieved an almost archetypal status as a traveler, and his Travels is one of the first great travel books of Western literature, outside the ancient world. The Travels recounts Polo’s journey to the eastern court of Kublai Khan, the chieftain of the Mongol empire which covered the Asian continent, but which was almost unknown to Polo’s contemporaries. Encompassing a twenty-four year period from 1271, Polo’s account details his travels in the service of the empire, from Beijing to northern India and ends with the remarkable story of Polo’s return voyage from the Chinese port of Amoy to the Persian Gulf. Alternately factual and fantastic, Polo’s prose at once reveals the medieval imagination’s limits, and captures the wonder of subsequent travel writers when faced with the unfamiliar, the exotic or the unknown.

All of the books I have listed above are available in the Monarch catalog, often in a variety of formats. For additional summer book recommendations, please consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books service. Not feeling up to a book today? We also offer movie recommendations here: Your Next Five Movies.

Posted in Adult, Audience, Fantasy, Fiction, Film, History, Horror, LGBTQI+, Nonfiction, Romance, Teen & Young Adult

Celebrate Pride with Books and Movies from your Public Library

Posted on by Molly

June is upon us! And with it comes the month-long celebration of diversity and freedom of expression that is Pride Month. Many of us don our most colorful duds and attend a Pride festival, parade, or concert. For those of us who tend to choose the low-key way of things, watching a film, or reading a book focused on the queer experience is the perfect way to pause and reflect on this community’s struggles and gains over the past 50+ years. 

Below, the reader will find several media suggestions made by, about, and for people in the LGBTQ+ community and their allies. All picks are available to borrow in the Monarch catalog. Click each title to see a catalog listing. 

Film
All of the movies I list below are available on Kanopy as of May 31, 2024. Titles are linked to physical DVD copies in Monarch (except Maurice which is on Kanopy only at this time). 

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994) starring Guy Pierce, Terrance Stamp, and Hugo Weaving
(big ol’ spoilers here, be warned)
Before he was Agent Smith or Elrond, Hugo Weaving played Tick, aka Mitzy Del Bra, the pansexual drag queen who is also secretly a husband and father. His wife needs a break from parenting, so the natural thing to do would be to load up a shiny silver coach bus with metric tonnes of drag gear, Tick’s two best drag queen friends, and drive from Sydney to Alice Springs through the massive and ancient Outback. Abba, choreography, and the most wonderful drag costuming to grace the silver screen will be your reward for going along on this adventure. 

But I’m a Cheerleader (1999) starring Natasha Lyonne and Melanie Lynsky
A comedy about a gay conversion camp?! This film does provide the camp, in layers. Lyonne’s parents (played with great elan by the excellent Bud Cort and inimitable Mink Stole) are worried that despite her super girly cheerleader exterior, their daughter may be more interested in girls than boys. Horrified at the thought of having a lesbian daughter, they choose to send her to a conversion camp. Would you believe hilarity ensues? There isn’t another film like this in the world, and anyone who appreciates Lyonne’s oeuvre even a little bit should not miss this gem. 

Maurice (1987) starring Hugh Grant and Rupert Graves
This  film was based on an E.M. Forster novel of the same name. Forster insisted it be kept from publication until after his death, which was in 1971. At the time of its writing in 1914, loving someone of the same sex was punishable by imprisonment, and would have surely ruined Forster’s career. What a pity. During Pride I spend a lot of time thinking about the creative, scientific, and social gains we could have achieved if systems of power weren’t so focused on oppressing people deemed different. Please enjoy this gorgeous movie about beautiful men falling in love. 

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2020) directed by Celine Sciamma
Move over male gaze, this French drama is all about how ladies look at ladies, on- fire ones, sometimes. If you like your 18th century dramas filled with unreal cinematography, costuming, and set design, in addition to many lingering and meaningful looks across the room, this is the film to watch. Sciamma became the first woman director to win the Queer Palm at Cannes in 2019, and received almost unanimous critical praise for her work. 

Tangerine (2015) directed by Sean Baker
Not only is this film innovative for centering the story of a trans woman, it is the first feature length film shot entirely using iPhones. I think this use of new technology helped to capture the freneticism, danger, anger, and joy being expressed in the film. Things that equalize access to consuming and making art in this way are appealing to me on a cellular level. 

Not feeling moved by any of those picks? Kanopy has an entire LGBTQ+ Cinema subheading to click on under “browse”. There are dozens and dozens of wonderful films to peruse. 

Books
This list of books is available in the Monarch Catalog, often in a variey of formats.

The Hellbound Heart (1986) by Clive Barker
Don’t you wish your horror fiction were a little queerer? Please enjoy these a-gender cenobites:  Originally appearing in the anthology Night Visions, this Barker novella took on a life of its own when it was given the big screen treatment in 1987. “But I have never heard of a movie called The Hellbound Heart, Molly.” Well, inner voice of the reader, you may be surprised to learn the movie adaptation was called Hellraiser, and spawned several sequels of varying quality as well as a remake. Barker has been openly gay for most of the time he has been in the public eye, so of course his sexuality will impact the writing and reading of his work. Read more about how he made horror a little gayer with THIS excellent article. 

The Stonewall Reader (2019) 
This anthology was published in remembrance of the Stonewall Riots of June, 1969 that catalyzed the movement toward gay liberation in earnest, as well as determined which month we celebrate Pride. The anthology includes first-hand accounts of people who were there that day, as well as in remembrance of fighters who have passed, like Martha P. Johnson. This is a great book for people who would like to know more about the history of the gay liberation movement, or would like a Stonewall-specific overview. 

Upright Women Wanted (2020) by Sarah Gailey
Gailey is one of the most exciting modern sci-fi/fantasy authors working today. From the blurb: “The future American Southwest is full of bandits, fascists, and queer librarian spies on horseback trying to do the right thing.” I read that and thought LET’S GOOOOOO! Love me some outlaw-style, gun-toting librarians. If this is too dystopic and close to home with the fundamentalism, please see Gailey’s fantastic western revisionist novella River of Teeth (2017). This book is best for people who like stories set in the wild west that are about feral hippos. 

You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty (2022) by Akwaeke Emezi
I haven’t read this book, but the reviews are positive, and I loved Emezi’s 2019 novel Pet. I’ve blogged about Pet in the past, likely multiple times, so today I encourage reading their latest work. Emezi is a fascinating author and I look forward to each of their new publications.  

Role Models (2010) John Waters 
This is a collection of essays Waters had been publishing in various magazines throughout the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s. The subject matter ranges from Manson Girl Leslie Van Houten, with whom Waters has a warm, decades-long friendship, to fashion house Comme des Garcons, and just about anywhere else life has taken him. Waters is primarily known for his confrontational, campy and over-the top films like Female Trouble and Serial Mom, so it is with great pleasure that I found him to be a compelling and hilarious writer. A John Waters film festival would also be an appropriate way to celebrate Pride, even if he is being intentionally inappropriate. The gentleman is as thoughtful and insightful as he is depraved. Greatest American EVER???!

To search for more LGBTQ+ books on Libby, click on “Subjects”, then click on LGBTQI+ Fiction. There are nearly 3000 e- and audio books that fall into this category. 

Additionally, here is a great list of 42 books published/to be published in 2024 that are about, and by, people in the queer community

Want a little community with your reading? Consider joining the Sheboygan County LGBTQ Alliance Book Club. We meet first Thursdays at Paradigm Coffee and Music from 6:30-7:30pm. Take a look at the event listing HERE. 

There are as many ways to celebrate Pride as there are people celebrating Pride. If you are reading this before June 22, 2024, please consider stopping by Sheboygan’s City Green for the third annual Sheboygan County Alliance Pride Picnic. Mead Library will be there with a booth, stop and say hello!

Posted in Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Film, Historical, Horror, Mystery, Romance, Thrillers

Movie Night With Kanopy

Posted on by Molly

Have you taken a look at Kanopy lately? There is so much great content I can barely make up my mind when it comes to choosing something to watch. Below, I listed several dynamic pictures to suit many tastes and aesthetics. Gather your friends, your family, and the snacks you love. Pull on your jim jams, get comfy, and enjoy the miracle of light that is moving pictures.

Classic movie night:
The Outlaw (1943) starring Jane Russel and directed by Howard Hughes
This is a Billy the Kid story, but the only thing people remember about this movie is Hughes’ supposedly engineered a bra to make sure Russel’s prominent chest was as chesty as a chest could ever boob. While Hughes may have applied his airplane smarts to brassiere design, the resulting garment was uncomfortable to the point of excessive pain. Russel would wear a regular bra and tell Hughes she was fitted in the monstrosity of his design. He wasn’t going to check, after all. No, I do not care if this story is apocryphal.

The Stranger (1946) written, directed by, and starring Orson Welles
One of Welles’ lesser known, but greatly enjoyable noir pictures. Welles plays a former Nazi supervillain who has disguised himself as a small New England town boy’s school teacher. He has to do a murder real quick to hide his true identity, which attracts the attention of a tenacious Edward G. Robinson, a man who prosecutes war criminals for the UN. A tense and entertaining game of cat and mouse ensues. 

Sunset Boulevard (1950) starring Gloria Swanson and directed by Billy Wilder
I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to call this one of the great pictures of the 20th century. We see the herald of old Hollywood colliding with new that wouldn’t actually happen for another 20 years. Here, the narrative is driven by the effects of film transitioning from silent to talkies a further 20 years prior. Blink and you’ll miss “wax work” stars like Buster Keaton and H.B. Warner portraying themselves. Eric Von Stroheim, the legendary and unfairly maligned silent picture director, stuns as Norma Desmond’s protective manservant. Mark your calendars and join the Movie Club discussion of this film at 8th Street Ale Haus on Thursday, August 15 2024. 

Family movie night:
The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) directed by Lotte Reiniger
Gorgeous, meticulous animation using cut paper techniques of the Victorians. This may be slightly slow-moving for the very littles, but could be a good show to put on when it’s winding down to sleepy time. 

The Water Horse (2007) directed by Jay Russell
Delightful fantasy adventure with lots of cryptid action. This is based on a book of the same name by author Dick King-Smith. Wouldn’t it be fun to read this book as a family before you watch the movie? You could compare and contrast and decide which you like better and why. 

Kedi: The Cats of an Ancient City (2016) directed by Ceyda Torun
Enflame your family’s itch to travel with this charmer. The ancient city of Istanbul is famous for its numerous stray cats who are cared for by many but owned by none. Learn the reason why as the filmmaker follows seven different cats throughout their respective days. 

Horror movie night:
Battle Royale (2000) directed by Kinji Fukasaku
This is not a horror movie in the same vein as say, your Friday the 13ths or your Paranormal Activities or whatever, but it IS horrific. The film begins with a bus full of Japanese school kids getting gassed. They awake on an island, surrounded by various weapons. The group learns that only one person will be allowed to leave the island, and they have to do so by killing everyone else. Sometimes these high-concept films lose momentum or have muddy plots, but Battle Royale is as sharp and deadly in action and dialogue as the day it came out. Super creepy, exciting, and unforgettable. This is based on a very successful book of the same name.

House on Haunted Hill (1959) starring Vincent Price and directed by William Castle
This little oddball is an incredible cultural time capsule. Watch it straight on Kanopy to appreciate the scenery-chewing of a marvelous Vincent Price and the campy special effects. After that, check out this Rifftrax DVD. Rifftrax is where the boys from Mystery Science Theater 3000 took their brand of movie house heckling after the original cable show got canceled. They are joined by a razor sharp and always hilarious Paul F. Tompkins as they heckle, lampoon, mock, and adore House on Haunted Hill.

Night of the Living Dead (1968) directed by George Romero
This film is foundational to almost all other horror movies to follow. The low budget thrills are still effective, and often shocking. Tom Savini did a remake in 1990, and his monster makeup effects are so good you can practically smell them (so, SO glad you cannot). The remake also addresses the weakest aspect of the original: Barbara’s ineffectiveness. The 1990 Barbara takes action against the ravening hordes and is such a total badass. Original Barbara is panicking and weak when she’s not outright catatonic. This diminishes my personal enjoyment of Romero’s otherwise extremely entertaining film, but then again I have seen it approximately five thousand times.

Wildcard night:
In the Heat of the Night (1967) starring Rod Steiger and Sidney Poitier
I recently read the excellent and extraordinary 2008 book Pictures at a Revolution by Mark Harris. The author does a deep dive into how the five 1968 Best Picture nominees came to be and what they signified for Hollywood’s trajectory. It made me feel desperate to re-watch In the Heat of the Night, which won the Best Picture Oscar of that year, so imagine my delight when I found it streaming on Kanopy, and not a single other streaming service for free. 

Hot Rod (2007) starring Andy Samberg and directed by Akiva Shaffer
The character of Hot Rod is himself, a wild card. Turn your brain off and let your mouth go slack. Let those silly Lonely Island boys take you on an adventure so unusual, many of the principal actors said they “did not understand” what the movie was about up to and past its release date. 

Rumble in the Bronx (1995) starring Jackie Chan
Have you ever heard of a cooler movie title?! This was Jackie Chan’s breakout crossover hit for American audiences. He’d already been making movies in Hong Kong for like 20 years up to this point, and this is one of his best. Known for mind-boggling action pieces, and tightly choreographed fight sequences, it’s not hard to understand how this picture won over American audiences and increased the already blazing light of Chan’s international celebrity.  

All of the films I mentioned above are available for checkout on Kanopy as of April 26th, 2024, but may be subject to change over time as the lineup can shift from month to month. In fact, when I REALLY can’t make up my mind about what I would like to watch, I go to the “leaving this month” category and choose something I won’t have access to for long. I think the urgency helps me make a choice. 

I linked each title to the Monarch catalog DVD listing, if one prefers physical media. Click the link to see the listing which also tends to include a brief description. 

Still not finding something you’re excited to watch? Please consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Movies service by clicking HERE. Share some of your favorites with us and we’ll send you five movie titles you might love. We are always happy, nay, THRILLED to help people find the library material they love whether it’s books, movies, music or something else. Baking tool collection, anyone?

Posted in Adult, Contemporary, Fiction, Historical, Horror, LGBTQI+, Mystery, Nonfiction, Teen & Young Adult, Thrillers

Book Club Ideas From Me to You

Posted on by Molly

One thing I love about working as a librarian is the ability to provide classic services and programs. It doesn’t get much classic-er than the good ol’ book club.

We here at Mead run a variety of book clubs to suit an array of tastes and interests. We also provide circulating book kits (six to twelve copies of one title) available for public checkout. Below, I listed a few book club themes along with some titles that would make for excellent discussions in each category.

Mystery Club

Mead already has a fantastic mystery book club called Moonlight and Murder. Meetings occur every other month at The Black Pig. It’s a long-established group that even COVID could not defeat. 

Since mysteries are my main jam, I thought it couldn’t hurt to list some of the best books in this genre that I’ve encountered lately. The mystery titles I picked are highly sought-after new releases that all came out within the last year. 

  • None of This is True (2023) by Lisa Jewell; excellent use of the unreliable narrator trope. I had to read this as fast as possible or I would have lost my mind. 
  • Bright Young Women (2023) by Jessica Knoll; a feminist and fictionalized account of a famous 1979 Florida sorority house murder spree that focuses on the victims and not the booger-eating alcoholic dipshit who committed the crimes. Important AND infuriating. 
  • The Frozen River (2023) by Ariel Lawhon; easily one of the best books I have read in the past 10 years. It’s based on the real-life diaries of 18th century midwife Martha Ballard. Her diary is in circulation, too. Books featuring elements of pregnancy and childbirth are usually off-putting to me, but this was different. This made me feel how powerful we can be as women, and reminded me not to take for granted all the gains we’ve made socially, politically, and professionally over the intervening two hundred years. 
  • The Teacher (2024) by Freida McFadden; if you’re not familiar with McFadden’s brand of bonkers, you are in for a treat. In this book, everyone is making terrible choices all the time and no one is very likable, which makes the comeuppance all the more delicious. Messy messy messy.

Film Criticism Club

I run a movie club. It’s awesome. We watch a movie on our own and come together to discuss as a group, just like a book club. Join us at 8th Street Ale Haus third Thursdays to see what I mean. 

Film is a particular interest of mine, and I have been encountering more and more film writing and criticism when I prepare for a movie club meeting. This list represents some high points of film writing from over the last few decades, while still being accessible to popular audiences. Doesn’t that sound like a fun book club? I KNOW!!!!!

  • Life Itself: a Memoir (2011) by Roger Ebert; I love him. I LOVE HIM. Fascinating man living through fascinating times. The passages about trying to interview Robert Mitchum made me laugh so hard I cried, and that’s just the first thing that comes to mind. The world is a poorer place without my beloved Ebert. “Movies are like a machine that generates empathy.”
  • Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of New Hollywood (2008) by Mark Harris; inventive breakdown that uses the five 1967 Best Picture nominees- Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner; The Graduate; In the Heat of the Night; Doctor Doolittle; and Bonnie and Clyde to examine the transition from Old Hollywood to New that came to pass in the late 1960s.
  • For Keeps (1994) by Pauline Kael; one of the more important and original voices in 20th century film criticism. Her opinions often contradicted prevalent voices of the day. She was famous for only ever watching a picture once before reviewing it. 
  • Cinema Speculation (2022) by Quentin Tarantino; it doesn’t matter how you feel about his oeuvre, this man loves movies and his enthusiasm only serves the medium. Tarantino literally grew up in Los Angeles movie houses when his mother started bringing him along at the age of seven in 1970. He formats this book into ten chapters, one for each year of the 1970s, and focuses on one film for each year as a departure point to expound on.  

YA Book Club, but for adults

About one out of four books I read could be considered Young Adult. This genre label is more useful as a tool to identify reading level as opposed to quality, with the understanding that reading really is ageless. Some among us have  knee-jerk reactions to material produced for a younger audience, but fellas, y’all are missing out when avoiding YA and juvenile material. 

The books I listed are all titles I encountered as a whole adult. Most shattered me emotionally, in the best way possible (looking at you, The Outsiders). Another thing they all have in common are killer plotlines, accessible prose, and relatable depictions of memorable characters.

  • The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle (1990) by Avi; o! To be a 13-year-old girl matching wits with an amoral ship’s captain on the high seas in the mid-19th century! 
  • The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999) by Stephen Chbosky; remember what it was like to feel ugly, vulnerable, beautiful, and powerful all at once? This story helps to remember. 
  • The Outsiders (1967) by S.E. Hinton; this book made me sob real tears. What a beautiful story, which still resonates with readers old and new, fifty years later. 
  • Ghost (2016) by Jason Reynolds; part one of the Track series. If I had the time and inclination I would assign all four volumes of this series for an adult book discussion. Each novella highlights one of four members of a junior high track team, and each stands alone as narratives. The real magic lies within the intertwining and deepening of the stories with each successive installment. If you haven’t read any Jason Reynolds at all yet, what are you even doing? One of the best YA writers in all the land, maybe ever. 

Horror Book Club

At one time I thought I did not like horror fiction, but then I saw some best-of lists, and it turns out I have read a lot of horror fiction. Once I realized my affinity for the genre, I started cultivating my own best-of list. Mead does not have a horror book club! Maybe you should start one!

Here are some of my favorites that could work great in a book club scenario:

  • My Heart is a Chainsaw (2021) by Stephen Graham Jones; this truly upsetting love letter to slasher films is proof positive that Jones is one of the foremost voices in modern horror lit. Lots to discuss here, from treatment of indigenous people to family dynamics and mental health. Don’t worry, the library owns most of the slasher movies mentioned in this book.  
  • Ring Shout (2020) by P. Djeli Clark; what if the racist 1915 film Birth of a Nation caused actual demons to walk the earth? This book freaked me out bad, but in the hands of a writer as talented as Clark, it was tough to put down.  
  • The Hollow Places (2020) by T. Kingfisher; this author is a particular favorite of mine, so I write about her a lot. Kingfisher has a way of tilting the world off kilter just so. Atmospheric, humorous, and unexpectedly gooey at times (I mean like, people turn into goo, not emotionally-speaking), no one does horror like this.
  • How to Sell a Haunted House (2023) by Grady Hendrix; this guy has been cranking out bangers since 2016’s My Best Friend’s Exorcism. In How to Sell a Haunted House, Hendrix brings actual scares and dread to his take on grief portrayed as a haunted house. Most of the work in his back catalog would work great for a book club discussion, too. 

Honorable mention YA/Horror Book Club crossover:

  • Clown in a Cornfield (2020) by Adam Cesare; thinly veiled criticism of the MAGA crowd that imagines what would happen if conservatives straight up started murdering people they didn’t align with politically. Super violent and grody, this book practically has a smell to it. Despite all that, it is such a lot of fun to read if you love slasher fiction as much as I do. 

While I personally dislike reading on a schedule (hence running movie club which only cuts into two hours of my leisure time as opposed to several), many thrive on it. My goal was to provide a starting point and some solid book picks for those who are interested in running their own book group. Figure out a venue and some snacks, and a charming evening awaits. 

Don’t want to start your own book group? Consider attending one of ours. Click the links to see current book picks (as of March 28, 2024), meeting locations, and timings:

Posted in Adult, Award Winners, Film

2024 Academy Award for Best Picture Nominee Roundup

Posted on by Molly

What was the best movie you watched this year? Would you nominate this movie for an Academy Award? Which category? I had a ton of fun watching Saltburn, but I wouldn’t necessarily start showering it with Oscars willy-nilly. New movies require new categories like Best Unhinged Naked Dance or Most Shocking Use of Plumbing. I’ve been drafting a letter to the president of Hollywood to this effect, don’t worry. 

While we wait for the Academy to catch up to modern times, below I listed all ten 2024 nominees the Academy deemed worthy of a chance at the Oscar for Best Picture. Condolences to Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey, Quantumania, and the remake of White Men Can’t Jump starring Jack Harlow for not making the cut. 

Movie titles are linked to the Monarch catalog listing, or IMDB, if the film has not yet been released on DVD. I also indicated which platform each movie can be found streaming, as of Feb. 23, 2024. In the meantime, get up to speed with three 96th Academy Award nominated films available on Kanopy: Past Lives (Best Picture); Jules (Best Actor, Actress, Independent Film); and Four Daughters (Best Documentary Feature Film).

American Fiction; streaming on Apple TV
Also nominated for Best Actor (Jeffrey Wright); Best Supporting Actor (Sterling K. Brown)

Will it win Best Picture? Probably not. I’m pulling for Wright to win Best Actor, but the field is strong this year. This is Wright’s first-ever Academy Award nomination.

Anatomy of a Fall; DVD release date set for May 28, 2024; streaming on Apple TV
Also nominated for Best Director; Best Actress (Sandra Hüller); Best Original Screenplay; Best Editing

  • Directed by Justine Triet who is also known for Sibyl (2021); In Bed With Victoria (2016); Age of Panic (2013)
  • Starring Sandra Hüller who is also known for her role in Triet’s Sibyl (2021) and Area of Interest, which is also nominated for Best Picture. 

Will it win Best Picture? It won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, which I understand to be a big deal. However, only three other films have ever won both institution’s top prizes. The other films were The Lost Weekend (1945); Marty (1955); and Parasite (2019). How well it fares with American audiences and up against the behemoth that is Oppenheimer will be a big factor. It seems like an unlikely win.

Barbie; streaming on MAX
Also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Ryan Gosling); Best Supporting Actress (America Ferrera); Best Adapted Screenplay; Best Original Song (I’m Just Ken AND What Was I Made For); Best Production Design; Best Costume Design

Will it win? Not for Best Picture, I am afraid. While Barbie provided an extremely enjoyable frothy pink bright spot amidst our often fraught surroundings, many of the other nominees are more, uh, Oscar-y. This is Fererra’s first and Gosling’s third nomination. I predict it will win in the Best Original Song category. 

The Holdovers; streaming on Peacock
Also nominated for Best Actor (Paul Giamatti); Best Supporting Actress (Da’Vine Joy Randolph); Best Original Screenplay; Best Film Editing

Will it win? I think Giamatti deserves every award he’s nominated for. I also think Randolph stands a good chance. She was a revelation and I want her to be famous forever. The Holdovers will not win Best Picture, however. 

Killers of the Flower Moon; DVD release date unknown; streaming on Apple TV
Also nominated for Best Director; Best Actress (Lily Gladstone); Best Supporting Actor (Robert De Niro); Best Cinematography; Best Editing; Best Production Design; Best Costume Design; Best Original Score; Best Original Song

  • Directed by Martin Scorsese who is also known for: Taxi Driver (1976); The King of Comedy (1982); Raging Bull (1980); Goodfellas (1990); The Departed (2006). Scorsese won Best Director for The Departed. 
  • Starring Lily Gladstone; Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro; Jesse Plemons; Brendan Frasier. It’s a murderer’s row. I will not be detailing various past nominations because we only have so much time in a day.

Will it win? With a whopping 10 nominations, chances are good for this film cleaning up, but all those Oppenheimer nominations could really cut this one off at the knees. I am not a gambling type and I don’t know how to calculate odds, so let’s go with a 25% probability that Killers of the Flower Moon will win Best Picture. 

Maestro; DVD release date unknown; streaming on Netflix
Also nominated for Best Actor (Bradley Cooper); Best Actress (Carey Mulligan); Best Original Screenplay; Best Cinematography; Best Makeup and Hairstyling; Best Sound

Will it win? I don’t think this is our Best Picture winner either, and all bets are off with the Best Actor category.

Oppenheimer; streaming on Peacock
Also nominated for Best Director; Best Actor (Cillian Murphy); Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.); Best Supporting Actress (Emily Blunt); Best Adapted Screenplay; Best Original Score; Best Sound; Best Production Design; Best Cinematography; Best Makeup and Hairstyling; Best Costume Design; Best Film Editing. For those of you keeping score that is an astonishing 13 nominations. 

  • Directed by Christpher Nolan who is also known for: The Dark Knight (2008); Interstellar (2014); Inception (2010). Nolan received a nomination for Best Director for his work on Dunkirk (2017). 
  • Starring Cillian Murphy. This is his first Academy Award nomination.
    Also known for: Murphy is a frequent Nolan collaborator who also starred in Inception, Dunkirk, and Batman Begins (2005). Other career highlights include 28 Days Later (2002) Red Eye (2006); Sunshine (2007); Peaky Blinders (2013-2022)

Will it win? Yes. This is going to win Best Picture. And probably a bunch of other Oscars. No, I will not be elaborating further. 

Past Lives; streaming on Showtime
Also nominated for Best Original Screenplay

  • Directed by Celine Song
    Also known for: Song was mainly a playwright and staff writer before Past Lives, her big breakout. 
  • Starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, and John Magaro
    Greta Lee is also known for Inside Amy Schumer (2013-2016); Wayward Pines (2015-2016); Russian Doll (2019-present); The Morning Show (2021-present)

Will it win? I don’t think so, but the fact that it’s nominated is a pretty big deal. 

Poor Things; available on DVD February 2024; stream Video On Demand starting February 27th
Also nominated for Best Director; Best Actress (Emma Stone); Best Supporting Actor (Mark Ruffalo); Best Adapted Screenplay; Best Original Score; Best Production Design; Best Cinematography; Best Makeup and Hairstyling; Best Costume Design; Best Film Editing

Will it win? MAYBE. I think it’s down to Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, and Poor Things. This could be the dark horse of the race. Emma Stone is a shoo-in for Best Actress. This is Ruffalo’s fourth nomination for Best Supporting Actor. 

The Zone of Interest ; DVD release date unknown; streaming on MAX with no release date announced
Also nominated for Best Director; Best Adapted Screenplay; Best International Film Feature; Best Sound

  • Directed by Jonathan Glazer who is also known for: Sexy Beast (2001); Birth (2004); Under the Skin (2013)
  • Starring Sandra Hüller and Christian Friedel
    Hüller also stars in Best Picture-Nominated Anatomy of a Fall. 

Will it win? Naw. But I imagine it is a very strong contender for Best International Film Feature.

There you have it. The Best Picture nominees have been rounded up. Whether you are a die-hard award season aficionado, can’t stand dusty, exclusionary institutions like the Academy, or have very few strong feelings about the whole thing, I think we can all agree that it’s fun to speculate about the big winner. 

If prestige pictures aren’t appealing, fear not, I just re-ordered a copy of Sausage Party (2016) and The Jerk (1979). Mead also owns a BluRay 4K copy of Howard the Duck (1986). We include the low AND the high-brow up in our library. For more film suggestions consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Movies service by clicking HERE.

Posted in Adult, eBooks & eAudio

Libby/Hoopla Etiquette

Posted on by Molly

The popularity of Mead’s e-book and audiobook services exploded over the last few years. I believe this was catalyzed by COVID, and our deep and consuming need to stay entertained or occupied at the end of the world. Now, even when things have returned to, uh, “normal” in the broad sense, usage of Libby and Hoopla remains at a fairly intense level. Library resources are community resources, and as a user myself, I try to cultivate best practices to be a good member of this large and active community that never actually comes face-to-face. Below, I explore a few simple ways to use Libby and Hoopla that make sense to the individual as well as the community at large.

LENDING PERIODS

Libby users have control over how long they can keep checked out material. Click on “settings” and choose from 7, 14, or 21 days as the default lending period. I listened to almost 140 audiobooks in 2023, so I tend to go through my checkouts pretty rapidly. I have my loan period set to 21 days regardless, because anxiety, even though I rarely have an audiobook checked out to me for more than a week. Shorter borrowing periods might be appropriate for those who have trouble remembering to return their e- and audiobooks once finished. If the book in question has limited copies and a lengthy waitlist, those down the list will be grateful for this expediency. Don’t get me wrong. We are each entitled to the complete checkout period we have selected. Some of us do NOT listen to 140 audiobooks a year, and may only get to read snippets during some fleeting moment of downtime. 

WAIT TIME

Library services are a great thing because they are democratic in that anyone with an account has the same opportunity to access material as any other account holder. The Monarch Libby interface gives users access to over 125,000 individual pieces of media, but we generally tend to gravitate toward the bright, new, and shiny things. Publisher restrictions and massive popularity can often mean a bottleneck situation on the user-end. For example, I am really looking forward to listening to Travis Baldree’s runaway gentle fantasy-romance hit Legends & Lattes. There are five copies in the system, and there are currently 277 people in total waiting in line to borrow. I am currently number 117 in line and placed this book on hold toward the end of October. I’m also waiting on Sarah Pearse’s The Retreat which has only 2 copies system-wide. What do I do in the meantime?

Use Libby’s wishlist feature

  • Maintain a wishlist of titles you’d like to eventually read
  • Limit your wishlist to “Available Now”
  • Choose from the list and voila, you are now reading or listening to a great book 

Check Hoopla. Sometimes, but not always, Hoopa will carry some overlapping titles with Libby. For example, I had my Harry Potter year in 2019 and the wait for some of the series was a bit lengthy, even with dozens of copies in the system. These days, the series is available on Hoopla, so no wait time (in theory, see below).

HOOPLA

Before the pandemic I could check stuff out from Hoopla any time of day or night. I could use my ten credits with abandon. It was the life. As this service began to pick up steam, users may have noticed that it became necessary to use one’s credits as early in the day as possible. Hoopla has a system-wide collective borrowing limit. Once this limit is hit, users have to wait until the next calendar day to try and borrow material. It’s kind of a good problem to have, because we want our library services to be popular and sought after. The rub lies within how frustrating it can be to miss the opportunity to check out. Not all of us are night owls who will wait til midnight or after to try and do some Hoopla borrowing, or remember to try it out first thing in the morning. 

What can the individual user do to help make Hoopla easier for everyone? Not a dang thing. That is a Mead problem, and has been addressed by Mead. The solution we arrived at in 2024 will hopefully resolve these frustrations. Firstly, more funds were applied to Hoopla to expand the daily collective borrowing limit. Secondly, we have reduced the total amount of monthly credits from 10 to 6. STAY CALM this is a great compromise when one realizes certain library systems (cough, cough, Milwaukee) allow their patrons a mere 4 credits per month or fewer. 

One final approach I will mention is to use Mead’s Your Next Five Books service. Use the “Additional Information” field to leave a note that says you want Libby books that are available now. We will tailor your recommendations to this metric and hopefully help you get reading or listening to some hidden gems in Libby you might not have considered. I hope this advice is helpful, and happy reading.

Posted in Adult, Film, Uncategorized

Kanopy: New and Improved

Posted on by Molly

Kanopy. We use it. We love it. Couldn’t be better. Or could it? For those who aren’t familiar, this is a streaming service provided for Mead Library cardholders with funding from the City of Sheboygan and Mead Library. Kanopy is a source for hundreds if not thousands of films and television shows, including indie, mainstream, domestic, and foreign material in every genre imaginable. For those who are familiar, but haven’t visited Kanopy lately, there has been a fundamental change to how we use this service. 

Originally, Kanopy users received 10 credits per month, which meant each cardholder had the opportunity to view 10 programs. One credit per program, whether it was a 4 hour war epic or a 20 minutes television program, which meant I personally never used my credits to watch TV shows. The updated version of Kanopy provides users with 30 “tickets” per month. Users will notice each program lists a ticket cost to view, as well as how long the user has to watch the program once it’s selected. Below, I spend my way through a month’s worth of tickets to demonstrate how much excellent streaming can be done with this new system. Kanopy Kids does not require credits to view. Let me repeat that: KANOPY KIDS DOES NOT REQUIRE CREDITS TO VIEW. How much Franklin & Friends can you watch? Now is your chance to find out. To learn more about how this new ticket system works, take a look at the Kanopy info page by clicking HERE. 

Program Title: After Hours (1985) directed by Martin Scorsese
Tickets: 4
Watch within: 48 hours
It’s the start of the month. I am almost choosing at random. I have so many credits to expend. 

Program: Lunch Time Heroes (2015) directed by Seyi Babatope
Tickets: 2
Watch within: 72 hours
Martin Scorsese rubbed me the wrong way, so I need something tonally different in every way. Luckily, Kanopy comes with the variety. This Nollywood comedy should do the trick.

Program: Barry Lyndon (1975) directed by Stanley Kubrik
Tickets: 4
Watch within: 48 hours
It’s a new day, maybe it’s the weekend. My energy feels low. I want to zone out at something beautiful. Thanks to Barry Lyndon, (RIP Ryan O’Neil) each frame looks like a Rococo painting. I make a sandwich and stare open-mouthed at the screen for more than three hours.

Program: Scott & Bailey series one (2011) six episodes
Tickets: 4
Watch within: 7 days
I have all week to watch six episodes of this English detective show. I watch one episode after dinner of the work week each night and then two on Friday. This is totally engrossing and I spend some time each day looking forward to the next episode.

Program: The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008) directed by Jee-Woo Kim
Tickets: 2
Watch within: 48 hours
It’s the weekend again and I want to be entertained. I want big, incomprehensible set pieces and chaos. This 2008 picture has been determined to be bonkers. I have a marvelous time. 

Program: Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (2021) directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp
Tickets: 2
Watch within: 72 hours
While I still want to be entertained, I need something more on the gentle side than the non-stop freneticism of a Korean western. Marcel is wholesome and soothing. It’s an A24 production, but not horrifying. I watch before bed and sleep beautifully. 

Program: The Prisoner (1967) SEVENTEEN episodes
Tickets: 5
Watch within: 21 days
It’s been a minute since I’ve seen an episode of this psychedelic time capsule. Nostalgia for a show I watched with my dad thirty years ago is strong, so I check it out. I have three weeks to watch seventeen episodes. I get half-way through before I lose interest. My enjoyment of the costuming and set design is not enough to distract me from the, uh, plot. 

Program: Everything, Everywhere, All at Once (2022) directed by Daniels Scheinert and Kwan
Tickets: 2
Watch within: 72 hours
I’ve already seen this masterpiece, but I am in the mood for a re-watch, and I can’t find it on the streaming services I pay for. It’s kinda long, so I watch it over two days knowing I have a third day if needed.

Program: X (2022) directed by Ti West
Tickets: 2
Watch within: 72 hours
It’s almost Christmas and I have a friend over for a movie marathon. She picks this. It’s great, but not terribly Christmassy. FYI: this is an archetypal A24 production and should be approached with caution. Try not to look it in the eyes, you know?

Program Title: Black Christmas (1974) directed by Bob Clark
Tickets: 2
Watch within: 72 hours
SOMEone has to pick out an appropriate seasonal film to watch in the Christmas month. This is my favorite slasher film (besides The Burning) and it’s so super festive!!!!!!

I still had one ticket to burn at the end of all this, and I was unable to find any programs available for less than two tickets. But dang! Look at all that good stuff on the list. It still evened out to ten titles in all, but with the inclusion of two tv series, I found the ticket system to be pretty fair and consistent. Households with more than one active Mead Library card can join forces to enjoy one another’s tickets together. Or horde your own and watch in the dark basement on a cracked phone screen like the goblin you know you are.

What to do in case of no access to WiFi or other internet connectivity? Welp, Mead Library is in possession of many hundreds of DVD and BluRay discs, not to mention the wider Monarch consortium. But Molly, you ask, what if I do not own a DVD player? Please get a load of our circulating external DVD player. Take a look at the catalog listing HERE. BUT MOLLY, you implore, what if I do not have access to a television? Let me tell you about our private study rooms on the second floor. Two of them contain desktop computers for public use. The external DVD player can be hooked up to a computer very easily, and we can have you watching the DVD of your choice in mere moments. People can also use their Kanopy accounts on a library computer, as well. Call 920-459-3400 option 4 to learn more about our private study rooms.

We’ve had access to Kanopy via Mead for about five years now. It’s so appealing I know of several people who signed up for a library card after many years of absence just to have access to Kanopy. It’s an awesome service and I’m glad it brought people back into the fold. Keep in mind this is only one of a suite of resources one can use anywhere on earth that has internet access.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out in order to learn more about how to access and use Kanopy, or any of our other services. Not sure what to watch? Consider utilizing our excellent Your Next Five Movies service which you can find by clicking HERE.

Posted in Adult, Film, Nonfiction

Non-fiction in the DVD Department

Posted on by Molly

The DVD collection at Mead is fascinating. It honestly doesn’t matter what we add to the shelf, it tends to circulate like crazy. I replaced a copy of Harry and the Hendersons last year because the one we had in the catalog circulated OVER THREE HUNDRED TIMES and had been in the collection since 2008, which is bonkers that it played at all by that point (typically a disc is evaluated for condition after 100 circulations, we weren’t born in a barn over here). What I’m getting at, is that this collection doesn’t require a lot of promotion to maintain good circulation numbers. The exception being the non-fiction DVD portion of this collection. It’s arranged by Dewey Decimal, just like the print non-fiction, which makes browsing more difficult. There are comedy specials, nature shows, history lessons, musicals and concerts, you name it, to be found among the non-fiction DVDs. This is also where the documentaries live. 

I wanted to give the documentaries a little more visibility apart from the wall of difficult-to-parse spine labels. The discerning Mead Library patron will notice a two-sided display adjacent to where the DVD collection is shelved on our first floor. On one side is a dazzling array of BluRay discs, another collection area that I wanted to highlight, and on the opposite side I have placed a rotating selection of non-fiction DVDs for your browsing convenience and delight. Below, I listed several docs that are total bangers. You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and in the case of Dear Zachary, you’ll curl into the fetal position and cry a lot. Titles are linked to the Monarch catalog listing. Descriptions provided by publisher:

Paris is Burning (1991) directed by Jennie Livingston


Where does voguing come from, and what, exactly, is throwing shade?
This landmark documentary provides a vibrant snapshot of the 1980s through the eyes of New York City’s African American and Latinx Harlem drag-ball scene. Made over seven years, it offers an intimate portrait of rival fashion ‘houses,’ from fierce contests for trophies to house mothers offering sustenance in a world rampant with homophobia, transphobia, racism, AIDS, and poverty. PS: Mead owns the Criterion Collection version of this documentary so it will be extra fabulous. 

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008) directed by Kurt Kuenne

I am not providing the publisher description here because it’s better to be devastated in real time while watching. Bring kleenex and prozac, and hug your loved ones close. Suffice to say, this particular documentary is excellent as well as devastating.

Gates of Heaven (1978) directed by Errol Morris


Errol Morris changed the face of documentary filmmaking in the US, and his career began with a remarkable tale of American eccentricity. He uses two Southern California pet cemeteries as the basis for a profound and funny rumination on love, loss, and industry.


Summer of Soul (2021) directed by Questlove
In his acclaimed debut as a filmmaker, Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson presents a powerful and transporting documentary, part music film, part historical record, created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture, and fashion.

Over the course of six weeks in the summer of 1969, just one hundred miles south of Woodstock, The Harlem Cultural Festival was filmed in Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park). The footage was largely forgotten, until now. This documentary shines a light on the importance of history to our spiritual well-being and stands as a testament to the healing power of music during times of unrest, both past, and present. The feature includes concert performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly & the Family Stone, Gladys Knight and the Pips, Mahalia Jackson, B.B. King, The 5th Dimension, and more.

Koyaanisqatsi (1982) directed by Godfrey Reggio


This first work of The Qatsi Trilogy wordlessly surveys the rapidly changing environments of the Northern Hemisphere, in an astonishing collage created by the director, cinematographer Ron Fricke, and composer Philip Glass. It shuttles viewers from one jaw-dropping vision to the next, moving from images of untouched nature to others depicting human beings’ increasing dependence on technology.

The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl (1994) directed by Ray Müller


At the heart of this film is the question of whether Leni Riefenstahl was a Nazi, as her detractors claim, or whether she was the victim of society – a naïve, young woman who made Triumph des Willens on assignment, and simply did a very good job. This film does not judge, and Riefenstahl (a feisty 90 during production) is genuine in her protest. Or has the passage of 50-plus years simply rewritten history in her mind? Viewers must judge for themselves.

Additional totally awesome, informative, and entertaining documentaries:

Crumb (1994) directed by Terry Zwigoff
The Decline of Western Civilization (1981) directed by Penelope Spheeris (we also have Vol. 2 and 3)
Encounters at the End of the World (2008) directed by Werner Herzog
Grey Gardens (1976) directed by Albert Maysles et al
Hitchcock/Truffaut (1966) directed by François Truffaut
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (2011) directed by David Gelb
Life Itself (2014) directed by Steve James
Man on Wire (2008) directed by James Marsh

Not so keen on reality? Check out these mockumentaries:

Best in Show (2001) directed by Christopher Guest
Borat (2007) directed by Larry Charles
CB4 (1993) directed by Tamra Davis
Room 237 (2012) directed by Rodney Ascher; note, this was filmed as a straight documentary, but the contents cannot be taken seriously despite my best efforts. 
This is Spinal Tap (1984) directed by Rob Reiner
What We Do in the Shadows (2014) directed by Taika Waititi

The above selections are a mere sliver of what riches await you within the non-fiction DVD collection. If none of the listed documentaries are appealing, allow me to direct your attention to our exclusive movie recommendation tool, Your Next Five Movies. Not a fan of the celluloid medium? Consider using Mead’s Your Next Five Books tool. We anxiously await your DVD requests. Any questions can be directed to us via telephone at 920-459-3400 option 4, or email us at publicservices@meadpl.org.