Biblioteca Vasconcelos

It's almost like something out of a science fiction movie. In Mexico City, there's a massive, architect- designed library built in 2007. "Situated among lush gardens and covering an area of over 38,000 square meters, the temple of knowledge is generally referred to as a 'megalibrary' both for its size and the undeniable sense of import conveyed by the structure itself. Transparent walls, stories of intentionally slightly mismatched floors, and intricate networks of balconies and paths between replicating stacks let visitors literally get lost in the worlds contained within the books themselves."

Adult summer reading program, Friends!

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Movies based on poems

It's not always books that get turned into movies. Sometimes it's a poem. 

Here are 11 poem-inspired movies for you to check out this weekend.

A cat named "Donut"

You can't really go wrong with a book that has a cat named "Donut." Here's a review of John Scalzi's latest book Head On but be careful. The review tells you a lot. If you'd prefer to discover all the wonderful things about Donut on your own, click here.

Filtering American History Through A 'Brown' Lens

Author Kevin Young's 2012 essay collection was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. His new book of poetry, Brown, is colored by memories from his family, his childhood, US history, and black culture. Read an NPR review of his work here or cut to the chase and get his book from the library.

An idea whose time has come

That's right, Friends. 

We're talking Story Time From Space. 

(Not to be confused with Pigs In Space).

What writers say about pets

The pet is mightier than the sword.

Hope, and keep busy

Louisa May Alcott's mom, Abigail, was her first cheerleader, the woman who encouraged Louisa's writing. It was Abigail May Alcott who, in 1845, wrote in her daughter's journal to "Hope, and keep busy," which the March sisters adopt as their motto in Little Women.

What, exactly, DO librarians get asked?

You think it's just run-of-the-mill reference questions? Oh ho ho, dear Friends. Apparently we patrons ask some random stuff. Read on.

And if you don't believe us, why not toddle over to the Jones Reference Desk and ask them the weirdest questions patrons have ever posed. The Friends bet there are some doozies.

Hey, it's Amherst after all.

Free hot lunch for children

Every Tuesday starting June 26th, throughout the summer, 

please come to the Jones for a 

free hot lunch for all children. 

Only $3.50 for the grownups in their lives.

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All are welcome.

Book art

Artist Isobelle Ouzman fashions detailed mini-masterpieces out of books. 

Take a peak at her creations.

Fake covers. Real albums.

We love, love, love the fact that someone took the time to create all these fake book covers based on real albums. Some of them are completely amazing.

Hats off, Online Pen Company.

Sorry, grown ups.

This library chair is only for the kids.

A rare opportunity

Author Mohsin Hamid has annotated the first page of his novel Exit West. 

Read along and learn what he was thinking when he chose the words he wrote.

The Harlem Renaissance librarian

Regina Anderson dined with W.E.B. Du Bois, hung out with Langston Hughes, and let Zora Neale Hurston crash on her couch. When she applied to be a librarian, she was told, "To us you're not American. You're not white." Anderson got a job at the 135th Street branch of the NYPL and the rest is history.

"As Anderson's life story shows, if you're trying to write a history book, it's best not to forget the librarian." Want to learn more about this cool librarian? Click here.

Loneliness

Americans are a lonely lot. Maybe you feel the pain of loneliness sometimes, too? If so, come to the libraries!! The Friends sponsor so many programs, you're bound to find one you like. Click here to see a list of the programs we sponsor (scroll down) and if there's one that you might want to join, give the library a call to find out more!

You're not alone. The library and the Friends are always there for you.

Summer reading programs, baby!

Best time of year ever.

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Beauty and the Beast Lego library

Holy moly are people amazingly creative! Check out this labor of love. Someone built the library from Beauty and the Beast out of LEGOS!

One way to encourage reading?

Stash books around the house.

Dress like a book

This is so fun! 

Check out this Instagram account where

everyone dresses like the cover of a book.

Just in case you sleep too well at night...

There's a new app that will tell you which of Stephen King's more than 50 books you're most likely to enjoy. The app, entitled Stephen King Library, starts with an eerie splash of music and then a voice "that sounds suspiciously like 'Twilight Zone' narrator Rod Serling asks seven questions." Then the app spits out the names of a few Stephen King books it thinks you'll like. 

And by "like," 

we mean 

"be completely freaked out by and start sleeping with all the lights on."

Check out the Friends on Facebook to read the article.

The oldest cookbooks from libraries across the globe

Libraries have always had cookbooks. Some of them newer, some older. Take a look at some of the oldest cookbooks in collections around the world. The National Library of Australia has a cookbook with recipes for "kangaroo brains fried in emu fat."

If you're looking for something a tad less exotic, the Friends highly recommend this one.

Audiobooks

So how do those readers do it? Want to know the real secrets of audiobook narrators? For example, did you know the average audiobook takes a month to record? We didn't either. Learn more here...

Romantic reads

In case your summer isn't steamy enough, 

here's an NPR article listing three 

summer romance books to check out.

Two of the three are available in the CW/MARS system and the one that's not? Well, there are loads of other books by that author, so maybe you'll find something.

Happy reading!

Father's Day is coming! Father's Day is coming!

Want to create a one-of-a-kind craft for that special guy in your life? Swing by the Jones on Thursday and make away, you creative genius, you!

Maybe you're Not So Crafty? That's okay, too. Pick up a copy of The Well Read Cook for only $10 (a mere Hamilton) at the Circulation Desk. 

The library and the Friends, working together to ensure happy dads this Sunday.

Storytime from a librarian's perspective

Read this tell-all article to find out the juicy details of 

what storytime is really like. 

Better yet? Live it. Come to the Jones at 10:30 on Thursdays.

Which family from the Harry Potter series would YOU fit into?

Sure it's a time suck. But it's a fun time suck. Click on seven little images and BAM! you'll find out if you'd fit in best with the Longbottoms, the Weasleys, the Potters, the Grangers, the Dudleys... Who knows? Hopefully not the Malfoys.

11 real-life inventions inspired by science fiction novels

Did you know where TASERS come from? 

Read more to find out.

Storytime's magic: It makes a child’s brain work just hard enough

Seriously. Better than animated stories, better than audiobooks. 

Storytime makes kids' brains light up. 

Proof.

Also? Storytime at the Jones today at 10:30. Come on down.

Talk with your baby before your baby can talk!

7 Literary Attractions Across America

And for one of 'em? We don't even have to hop in the car, Friends. 

Here's the article.

Shakespearean jokes that will make you laugh out loud

We promise.

Your next novel

Even if it's not quite finished yet, it's never too early to get your elevator pitch right for that great American novel. Here to help is an article which will automatically generate a pitch for said soon to be New York Times best seller. But don't take our word for it. Check it out.

Go get 'em, tiger.

Is this bookshelf/chair combo

kind of like the slanket of the literary world?

Who cares if they're cute?

Everyone thinks pandas are soooo cute. Well. Okay, fine. They're adorable. BUT! They're bears. BEARS! With claws and teeth! Beware the panda, Friends.

Also? Sloths. Those guys can survive on only 160 calories a day. That's fewer calories than in ONE CUP of beans. Which, by the way, sloths could totally eat by the gallon because they're one of the few animals that doesn't fart. At all.

Need to know more? Listen to this NPR interview with zoologist and author Lucy Cooke (any relation to Jones Children's Librarian Extraordinaire CLARE COOKE??? Obs you'll need to stop by the library to find out). Then check out her book: The Truth About Animals: Stoned Sloths, Lovelorn Hippos, and Other Tales From the Wild Side of Wild Life.

Happy reading.

How to flirt

If you get nervous around that Certain Someone, the Friends have just the thing you need! Check out this article about Victorian cards that explained how to use a BOOK to flirt.

Why didn't you tell us this was a thing??

Friends, over the years we've come to rely on you. Your generous funding supports all the amazing programming at our libraries. But today? Today we really feel as though you've let us down.

We're only finding out now, on a Friday afternoon, that today is National Doughnut Day. And now we're off to the library for this book and then Atkins for some cider donuts. Then? Reading and eating, Friends. Reading and eating.

Help us remember this for next year, m'kay?

Authors and their pets

Not only do they write the books we love, but they have adorable pets we can check out on Twitter. Here are 13 reasons why you should waste a little time on Twitter.