Friends of the Jones Library System News

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Need a holiday gift idea? A little something for a New Year's Eve party host? Forget that tired old bottle of wine! Dump the fruitcake! THIS is the gift you need to give: Pick one up at the Jones for just $10.

December 15, 2018 Dear Jones Library Supporter, The end of 2018 is fast approaching. As you contemplate your year-end charitable giving, we hope you will consider the Friends of the Jones Library . The Jones Library is one of the best investments that you can make to sustain what makes Amherst a vibrant and wonderful place to live and work. Few other institutions more vividly represent the heart and soul of our Town; our library helps define who we are. Amherst’s library should be one of the premier public libraries of western Massachusetts – and it is. Did you know that each year: almost 500,000 items are borrowed; 300,000 people enter the library buildings; our computer workstations are used 29,000 times; 4,800 adults, 6,500 youths, and 2,800 teens attend programs; 3,200 people attend ESL tutoring sessions; (25% of the children in Amherst’s schools come from families whose first language is not English). The Jones Library ...

Perhaps you know a few phonies in your world? Feel free to call them on it . And call them using a lot of different choices.

What WOULD Sherlock cook?  Click here  to find out...

Oh ho ho. The Friends have known a "climb-tack" or two in our day. Read on to discover the true meaning of "catch-fart." Just make sure you don't "cachinnate" too loudly.

The folks over at NPR have done it again.  Here's your Best Books of 2018 brought to you by  your very own book concierge.  Happy reading, Friends!

Swing by the Jones on Saturday the 22nd at 2:30 and get yourself in the holiday spirit. It's a ridiculous, funny, silly movie.  Come laugh at the library.

Go pick up a book, maybe even a heavy one -- read a few pages now, get lost in it for the day, or read it over the course of the next six months. Go back and reread the stuff that didn't make sense the first time around. It's okay to take your time.

The real Walden is different from this Walden of the mind.

Disturbing. Thought-provoking. Acclaimed dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale has been made into multiple adaptations. Here are 10 things you perhaps didn't know about the most recent TV series. Want to check out season one?

Silly question. 'Course you are. You wouldn't be staring at this particular thing on your screen if you weren't. You'd be watching this . But since you're here, look at these photos and click how they make you feel. You'll find out how truly obsessed you really are.

The Friends particularly liked the statement that  "excessive intellectual stimulation could make women sick." We say, bring it.

Tom Gauld , a Scottish illustrator, nails it. (Click on image to enlarge.) Like it? His books are in the CW/MARS system.

whatever you do, don't read these books . The article says specifically that you're supposed to read them before you you're 12.  We're not quite sure what happens if you try them after 12. Maybe you can let us know?

Some of them are so adorably cute (four little baby raccoons in New Jersey).  Some of them are utterly terrifying (we're looking at you, Georgetown library snake knot). None of them at the Jones. Yet.

This illustrator really gets how it is to be a bookworm.

You're an amateur cryptozoologist, setting out on an adventure to evaluate evidence of monsters around the world. On your plane ride to your first destination, we recommend you bone up on your monster lore here . Good luck.

We'll give you a hint. One of them said, "No fiction I have read in the last five years has given me more joy."

On these cold winter nights, snuggle up under a blanket in front of a fire and read, read, read!

Be like Odysseus. Strap yourself to the mast of the ship as the siren songs of fear and doubt try to drown your hope and ability, and keep going .

Book talk and signing. (Click on image to enlarge.)

Friends, as we sit down together to break bread and remember the good in our lives, we want to make sure you know how very much we appreciate you. The Friends of the Jones Library System literally could not survive without community support. You complete us. This Thanksgiving, please know that the Friends are thankful for all of you. Our Friends.

30+ artists' tributes to Stan Lee.

Anyone who loves Jane Austen, the Brontës, Virginia Woolf, or Agatha Christie needs to read this article .

Here are a few book lovers who couldn't resist the temptation .

Stephen King has been selling rights to his short stories that aren't under contract to students. And some high schoolers in Wales just bought one for $1.  But it's not only those kids who can buy Stephen King short story rights. You can, too .

One big reason? They speak to universal themes of good versus evil and moral values like hard work and kindness. Here they are, in their own words .

Here's a little online quiz to test how well you know your book covers.  Surely you can beat our 16/18.  Have at it!

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Here are some Soviet children's books that broke the rules of propaganda . "The more you dig into Soviet children's literature the more you find outliers doing really interesting things..."

Although it didn't win this year's Man Booker prize , for the first time ever, a graphic novel was short-listed for it. If you're not familiar with the genre, here are some recommendations to get you started.

Take this little time-waster to find out "what kind of 'smart' you are" based on the way you'd build your perfect reading nook. The Friends learned we "visualize the world in a way that no one else can, and that's what makes you special and unique." Proving once again that Mom was right: we are  special.

It's a great read (and  it's available here! ) but it sure is a mouthful to say.  And that's just when you're saying it  in English .  Pick up a copy in Naples and you'll be reading Il Club del Libro e Della Torta di Bucce di Patata di Guernsey. Bop over to Krakow and you've got Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Literatury i Placka z Kartoflanych Obierek.  The French opted to lop of half the title with their Le Cercle Littéraire de Guernesey . And our friends the Islanders? Well, we have no way to even write that one. See it for yourself.

"Restricting a minority language...is one way to oppress a minority." Find out why the letters Q, W, & X were  illegal in Turkey . Until 2013.

Well of course Mr. Darcy's on the list.  But you might be surprised who else makes the cut.

Friends! FRIENDS!   Tomorrow night for us, Saturday for EVERYONE!  Woo hoo! Yippee skippee! (Click on image to enlarge.)

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This will appeal to the PowerPoint geek in all of us.

With the Two-Minute Rule , the Friends think this might actually be possible!

" The following bits of poetry contain perspectives which may have eluded readers in the United States, where African culture remains chronically unknown and undervalued. Spare a moment for these poets..." You must be from my country I see it by the tick of your soul around the eyelashes and besides you dance when you are sad you must be from my country.

A shop in England asked for 100 volunteers to  help "lift and shift" their books down the street.  They got double that .

Adored the book? Loved the movie? Here are a few more tidbits about the film that you might not have known. And if you want to watch it all over again, the movie's in the CWMARS system. You're welcome.

This year the Jones Library is serving as a collection point for the Amherst Regional Public Schools winter clothing drive. There's a box in the Kids' Room to collection donations and a school volunteer will be coming weekly to pick up donations.  The Jones will serve as a collection location from Nov. 7th through Nov. 28th. The three town elementary schools will be the distribution places for donated items. We need winter coats, jackets, and other outdoor winter clothing for both ARPS students and community families. ALL SIZES ARE NEEDED (infant to XL) coats  *  jackets  *  snow pants  *  snow boots hats  *  mittens  *  gloves scarves  *  snowsuits Donations should be clean and in good condition.

(Just after the Friends book sale ends!) (Click on image to enlarge.)

The Friends annual book sale is coming right up.  Friends Only "Browse & Buy" Friday, Nov. 16 6:30pm-8:00pm. Not a Friend? Not a problem! Then, open to the general public Saturday, Nov. 17, 9:00am-3:00pm. See you at the Jones!

Every city should have a toy library.

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It's a time-waster, sure, but it's a fun one. And? It's quick. Try the Merriam-Webster Difficult Spelling Words quiz . It's got 14 of the most difficult common English words and one difficult word that's ... less common. Good luck.

A newly translated 17th century cookbook from Japan features delicacies from Portugal. Want to make some konpeitō candy (pictured below)? Read more here...