Dear reader, I am here today to talk about something I’ve never talked about in a blog post before, magazines! Thanks to the kind and very helpful librarians at our reference desk here at Mead I was able to learn about a new feature in the Libby app! Do you use Libby at all? I hope you do, it’s a great resource available to all cardholders!

Earlier this year my sister-in-law’s mom mentioned to me how she was gifted a subscription to a magazine called TeaTime. After looking it up I was intrigued! Of course I went straight to the Monarch catalog to see if I could find it, but alas, it wasn’t there! I remembered that Mead has several resources available where you can read magazines online, but I didn’t have any luck finding it there either. So I did what any respectable library patron does when they need help…I asked the librarians! They showed me how to access the Magazine Rack feature in Libby where you can search for and subscribe to magazines! I was set! There is even a feature where you can read back issues, which, believe you me, really held me over during those two month stretches between issues!

If you’re worried about the magazines not translating well to a tablet, phone, or computer, have no fear! Although admittedly, the bigger the screen you can view them on, the better. At the beginning of each story there is a button that says article that you can click on. Not only do the pictures come up full screen, but the orientation of the text changes too so it’s easier to read.

Another bonus is that, since you’re reading the magazine online, if there are product links you can simply click on them and they will take you straight to the website! Let me tell you, this has been a most dangerous feature whenever I’m reading TeaTime. Many a new and exciting tea has been ordered each issue!

TeaTime

TeaTime is designed to appeal to the growing market of tea lovers. This bimonthly publication highlights tearooms and their owners, providing tea party ideas and sharing enhancements to the enjoyment of tea. TeaTime is a source book for all who love tea and who want to enrich life with the serenity of teatime. The magazine proclaims the pleasures of tea as a gourmet beverage, and offers informative articles that range from food features to tearoom profiles. TeaTime goes beyond the history and science of the beverage and celebrates the art and passion that make drinking tea a memorable occasion.

Dear reader, I have only ever attended one tea party in my life, and I cannot bake anything, even if I was facing imminent death, but even still, I thoroughly enjoy each TeaTime issue bestowed in my Libby app! That is one of the greatest powers of reading, is it not? Living vicariously through others, whether they be real or imagined! Each delicately made, miniscule finger sandwich, tart, scone, etc., that graces an elegantly designed table almost makes me want to take up baking, just to experience some of the pure magic for myself! Emphasis on the almost! Each table setting is thoroughly thought out, from the design of the dishes and cups, the flatware, and even to which desserts will be paired with which teas, and the order the teas arrive in! At the end of each article it will always list each tea and where to find it.

TeaTime also features elegantly appointed tearooms throughout the United States, as well as outside of it. It also features tea cruises! Who even knew those were a thing? Amazing! What I find most tantalizing, though, are the train rides featuring tea! Dear reader, when it comes to train rides, I am a hopeless romantic. It’s a direct byproduct of my obsession with steam trains. Imagine sitting on a plush velvet chair looking out at the mountains and small towns gliding by while you sip delicious tea. Pure heaven!

Of course the magazine also talks about the history of tea, which is equally fascinating. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but when I read historical accounts from other countries that are centuries old, I’m always struck with a sense of awe. Compared to most other countries, the United States is truly a young country. It’s hard for me to imagine such ancient history! But that doesn’t get in the way of my enjoyment of such stories.

How the tea is grown, how it’s harvested, the different drying methods to achieve different strengths and types of tea, it’s always intriguing! Learning about such things can make you appreciate that hot cup of tea all the more

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