Single Mingle Event

Last night I had my second adult event along with a few of my coworkers helping out. The event was originally planned by the person that I replaced, but we decided to keep it & play some fun games, give away prizes, have finger food, & just hang out. In total there was 8 other guests besides those of us hosting the event, which is a pretty good turn out for an adult only event.

We had simple table decorations that we made from upcycled books & some odds & ends here in the library. I also hung up some spring/summerish decorations that weren't too "LOVE" orientated. 

We had finger foods that included pink lemonade, water, a veggie tray, cheese & crackers, & some amazing specialty cookies that I ordered from Safeway! I unfortunately didn't get a picture of the food table set up but I think we had a good little spread. 

(The cookies were kinda like this but we had chocolate chunk & peanut butter cup jumbo cookies dipped in chocolate)

For games I came up with a BINGO game that featured bookish squares so people could go around & introduce themselves & if they found someone that fit that square they would write their name in. We gave away a few prizes after playing BINGO for who had the most BINGO's. For prizes we had Chrissy Teigen's new cookbook, a movie bag that had Passengers (DVD), a box of brownies, & a box of popcorn in it, & an outdoor bag with a National Park Pass, a water bottle, a flashlight, & a box of LUNA bars. 

We also played a book character matching game. I wrote famous book characters on index cards with descriptions of who you are (in case they didn't recognize the character) & who you were supposed to look for. Then we walked around asking questions to try & find our matches. 

Here were the matches I used:

Lou Clark & Will Traynor

Elizabeth Bennett & Mr. Darcy

Juliet & Romeo

Gilbert Blythe & Anne Shirley

Clary Fray & Jace Wayland

Tris Prior & Tobias Eaton

Claire Randall & Jamie Fraser

Buttercup & Westley

Rose Hathaway & Dimitri Belikov

Ron Weasley & Hermione Granger

Jay Gatsby & Daisy Buchanan

Peeta Mellark & Katniss Everdeen

Daenerys Targaryen & Khal Drogo

Bella Swan & Edward Cullen

Overall this was a really fun event that I'm hoping will lead to a small group of library comers that will attend future adult events. Some of the events that were discussed were game night & karaoke so we'll see what happens in the coming months!

My New Library!

Now that I've been at my job for 2 weeks I decided to share with you some of the things I LOVE about it! My actual job title is Library Information Specialist & I'm in charge of running the circulation desk, creating the desk schedule, adult programs, & a few grants. The building itself is bigger than my previous Library & we see an average of 600 patrons per day.

In our children's section called The Enchanted Forest we have open shelving for all the children's picture books. This form of shelving makes it so easy to organize all the books compared to the traditional shelf

Each bin is organized with a different category like Animals, Things That Go, Holidays, etc. The books are also color coded to match the bins

 Another cool thing we offer is book bundles. These are 3-5 books that are all about the same thing that get checked out as 1 item

Here's an example of 2 bundles (Adoption & Cars/Trucks)

 This is the entrance to the children's area (it was recently redone)

 This is inside the children's area from the entrance

 Another cool part about my new library is it has a teen area

 There's cafe style seating in one section with benches. On each shelf there's also fun posters that have the words from books printed on them (you can check them out here)

 The teen area has all of the YA items in the same room including new books (MY FAVORITE!)

There's also awesome wall decals like Hogwarts, the Death Star, & the Tardis

 We recently held a NASA @ My Library event so we had some posters hanging up from that

 The Library also has a cafe with seating. The cafe is open M-F from 9-2 & they serve coffee, smoothies, pastries, & lunch

 The Library also has a Print Station so patrons can print all by themselves. They can pay at the Print Pay Station & then pick up prints through the  Print Release Station. This makes it easier so the circ desk doesn't have to handle all of this & it also won't let the patron walk away without paying 

If you'd like to see more or know more about the library you can visit the website or follow our Facebook Page

Adult DIY: Upcycled Book Pomanders

Part of my new job at the Library is to host a monthly Adult DIY class. The first Tuesday of the month it's at the Library & the next day it's at the local Senior Center. This month the event was already planned since I was new. Unfortunately no one showed up for the event at the Library, but we had three participants at the Senior Center.

This month we made pomanders. A pomander is a ball or perforated container of sweet-smelling substances such as herbs and spices, placed in a closet, drawer, or room to perfume the air or (formerly) carried as a supposed protection against infection. In this day and age it's more of a decoration than anything. Regardless we had a great time making them so I decided to share it with you all. 

Supplies: 

Corsage pins (Assorted colors)

Foam Balls (We used really big ones but they can be smaller if you like)

Paper (Assorted colors)

Paper Punch (You can decide what shape you want to use or you can hand cut the shapes)

Recycled Books (For punching shapes)

Instructions:

Punch/cut out the desired shapes from the book pages & paper (You'll need a lot)

Hold your foam ball & place your shape onto it (We used 2-3 flowers per pin to make it look fuller)

Securely pin it in place 

Cover the ball 90% of the way leaving a space at the bottom/top 

Once you're done with your ball you can either put it on a vase, stick a rod into it & prop it up, or use a hook then attach a string on to it so it can be hung. Below I've included some pictures of the supplies & the final project. 

Next month we'll be making book planters so stay tuned for that!

Undertow by Michael Buckley

Undertow

Author: Michael Buckley
Publisher: HMH Books for Young Readers
Year: 2015
Genre: Fantasy
Age: YA 13+

This is the first book in a trilogy that wrapped up earlier this year. I started it on audio but finished it on ebook because I couldn't wait to finish listening to it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our main character is 16 year old Lyric Walker. She lives in Coney Island, New York and recently her town has been over run by mermaids.

The Alpha showed up one the beach about three years ago when the story begins. Since then nothing has been the same. The Alpha are a race of merpeople covered in scales, slimy skin, body armor, with magic powers, and their own language. There are many different species of Alpha including Sirena, Ceto, Nix, Feige, Selkie, and Triton. The Alpha were forced out of their hunting grounds by one of their own species, the Rusalka. The Rusalka have the ability to control the ocean and they can hear the Voice of the Great Abyss.

Since arriving on the beach the humans haven't exactly been welcoming to the "fish heads" as they call the Alpha. The Alpha are in a camp of sorts inside Coney Island that has been called The Zone by the media. No one can come or go, even the human residents. It was decided by the government tat Alpha teenagers should integrate with society by attending high school. Between the crazy, hateful mobs, flashing paparazzi cameras, and the National Guard presence school isn't quite normal.

Doyle the new school principal has a plan to learn more about the Alpha and he does so by blackmailing Lyric.  He knows about Lyric and her family's secret, but Lyric is willing to do anything to keep her family safe & get them out of The Zone. Lyric is assigned to Fathom, tell prince of the Alpha. She is supposed to meet with him everyday to learn more about the Alpha culture & teach him about being human.

Through their talks Lyric learns more about her past,  why the Alpha came to the surface, & what will happen in the near future. In the meantime there is a gang at the school called the Niners, and they are causing trouble in the halls and on the streets. Bex, who is Lyric's best friend, is having trouble at home with her abusive stepfather, people are going missing, & a close friend of the girls gets killed in the crossfire.

Lyric is doing everything she can to get her family and Bex out of The Zone, while keeping their secret safe. But can she leave Fathom & the Alpha behind to meet their fate, or will she finally learn the truth about herself while getting caught in the undertow?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Likes: This is a fantasy colliding with reality, other worldly Little Mermaid kind of story. One of the best parts is getting to see something real- life, death, the media, gangs, the police, the government, High school drama, crazy neighbors, etc.

There is a little bit of a love story that develops but is not the main point & I like that for a change.

It was a short book, less than 300 pages. I'm hoping to see a big change in book 2 with the story developing more.

Dislikes: I didn't personally mind this but a younger or more sensitive reader might dislike all the violence.

Rating: 

July 2017 TBR

This month I plan on reading at least 3 books & finishing my audiobook. I might be able to get one more audiobook in but my commute to work will be a lot shorter so I'm gonna have to get creative to feed my love of audiobooks!

This Dark Endeavor 

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9779094-this-dark-endeavor?from_search=true

Such Wicked Intent

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13063098-such-wicked-intent

Hunted

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24485589-hunted?from_search=true

Undertow

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22749788-undertow?from_search=true

June 2017 Wrap-up

This month I was able to read 4 books, 1 of which was an audiobook. I'm hoping to read at least 3 books in July but with my new job we will see how much time i have/how tired I am LOL!

Fantastic Beasts & Where To Find Them: Original Screenplay

Click here to read my review

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29363501-fantastic-beasts-and-where-to-find-them

Found

Click here to see my review

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28116722-found?from_search=true

I've Got Your Number

Click here to see my review

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12033455-i-ve-got-your-number?from_search=true

As Easy As Falling Off the Face of the Earth

Click here to see my review

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7045236-as-easy-as-falling-off-the-face-of-the-earth?ac=1&from_search=true

Stay tuned to see my July TBR very soon!

Movie Trivia Program

This last week we held a movie trivia program that was kids vs. adults & we had movie giftcards as prizes. I thought I'd share the questions with you all so that you could hold one for yourselves or just use it at home for a family night! We had 2 rounds of 25 questions each & a tie breaker round at the end. I'll include all of the questions & answers below.

Kids Movie Questions

1. What is the name of the main red car in the movie Cars? Lightning McQueen

2. What type of fish is Nemo? A clownfish

3. Name the 7 dwarfs in Snow White…Sneezy, Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Happy, Bashful, Grumpy

4. What is the name of the main pirate in Pirates of the Caribbean? Captain Jack Sparrow

5. What zoo are the animals from in Madagascar? Central Park Zoo

6. What is the name of the woolly mammoth in Ice Age? Manfred (Manny)

7. What is the name of the snowman in Frozen? Olaf

8. What is the name of the cruel woman in 101 Dalmatians? Cruella de Vil

9. Which Disney movie features a young girl with five emotions - Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust? Inside Out

10. Can you name all 12 Disney Princesses? Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Jasmine, Belle, Mulan, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Tiana, Merida, & Moana

11. In the movie 'Toy Story' to whom does Woody belong? Andy

12. In the movie 'The Little Mermaid' what is Ariel's little fish friend's name? Flounder

13. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob Squarepants

14. What is the name of the fairy in Peter Pan? Tinkerbell

15. What is the name of the Lion in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe? Aslan

16. What was the name of Dorothy's dog in the Wizard of Oz? Toto

17. What did Sulley name the human child in Monsters Inc? Boo

18. What is the name of the spaceman in Toy Story? Buzz Lightyear

19. In the Lion King, who is the lion that kills Mufasa? Scar

20. In A Bug’s Life what insect do the ants harvest food for? Grasshoppers

21. What kind of animals make The Incredible Journey in the movie Homeward Bound? 2 dogs & a cat

22. What breed of dog is Buddy from the movie Air Bud? Golden retriever

23. Colors of the Wind is the theme song for which Disney movie? Pocahontas

24. When You Wish Upon a Star was the song from what Disney movie? Pinocchio

25. In The Jungle Book, what animal is Shere Khan? Bengal Tiger

26. In Aladdin what kind of creature is Iago? Parrot

27. Which writer created characters that stared in their own movies like The Lorax, Horton Hears a Who, & How the Grinch Stole Christmas? Dr. Seuss

28. In Disney’s Fantasia, which character plays the part of the Sorcerer’s Apprentice? Mickey Mouse

29. Which movie stars an ogre who likes the quiet life but finds his swamp invaded by fairytale creatures? Shrek

30. Who or what was Flicka in the 2006 movie remake of the classic My Friend Flicka? A horse

31. In the movie The Jungle Book what was the name of the jazz loving, musical bear? Baloo

32. What are Si & Am in the Disney animated movie Lady & the Tramp? Siamese cats

33. What kind if creature was Keiko in the movie Free Willy? An orca (or killer whale)

34. R2D2 & C3PO are robots from which series of movies? Star Wars

35. Bruce Banner changes into which comic book superhero? The Incredible Hulk

36. What is Batman’s real name? Bruce Wayne

37. How many dinosaurs from the  Jurassic Park movies can you name? Tyrannosaurus Rex, Dilophosaurus, Velociraptor, Parasaurolophus, Gallimimus, Triceratops, Brachiosaurus, Stegosaurus, Pteranodon, Ankylosaurus, Indominus Rex, Pachycephalosaurus, Mosasaurus, Dilophosaurus, Compsognathus, & Euoplocephalus

38. What are the creatures that help Gru in the Despicable Me movies called? Minions

39. Bumble Bee is the name of what type of thing? Transformer

40. What type of bird is Rio? Spix’s Macaw

41. What is the name of the magical school attended by Harry Potter & his friends? Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry

42. Can you name all the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? Raphael, Michelangelo, Leonardo, & Donatello

43. What movie characters falls down the rabbit hole into an amazing new land? Alice 

44. What’s the name of the blue & yellow fish helping find nemo? Dory

45. Based on the famous book by Roald Dahl this character had his own movie in 2016, what is his name? The BFG (Big Friendly Giant)

46. What is the name of the famous song from a 2013 movie featuring 2 sisters & a talking snowman? Let It Go or Do You Wanna Build a Snowman

47. What is Scrap always losing in the Ice Age movies? His nut 

48. If an octopus only has 7 arms instead of 8 what would it be called? A septopus

49. What type of creature are Dracula & Mavis from Hotel Transylvania? Vampires

50. How many chipmunks are there? 3

Adult Movie Questions

1. Which blockbuster movie was the first to be based on a ride at Walt Disney World in Florida? Pirates of the Caribbean

2. Who plays “the caped crusader” in the 2008 Batman movie, The Dark Knight? Christian Bale

3. Jack Nicholson won his first Best Actor Oscar for his part in which movie? One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest 

4. For which movie did Tom Hanks win an Oscar playing opposite a mute character called Wilson? Castaway

5. Who played the part of Harrison Ford’s father in the movie Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade? Sean Connery

6. In Which movie did Dustin Hoffman play the part of Benjamin Braddock? The Graduate

7. In which 1999 psychological thriller does a troubled boy, played by Haley Joel Osmont, say he sees dead people? The Sixth Sense

8. In which movie does Julia Roberts portray a gutsy single mother who takes on a big corporation over water contamination? Erin Brockovich 

9. What was Harrison Ford’s profession before he became an actor? Carpenter

10. In which movie does Steve Martin appear as Neil Page, a man who is desperately trying to get home for Thanksgiving? Planes, Trains, & Automobiles

11. Who portrayed the industrialist who saved hundreds of Jewish people from Nazi death camps in the Steven Spielberg movie, Schindler’s List? Liam Neeson 

12. Who starred as the juror who is not convinced of the alleged guilt of a teenager in the movie 12 angry men? Henry Fonda

13. How many searchlights rake the sky in the Twentieth Century Fox logo? 5

14. Which movie characters promises to stay until the wind changes? Mary Poppins

15. Name the producer/director of movies such as The Dark Crystal & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who died in 1990 just as he was going to sell his company to Disney? Jim Henson

16. In what movie do John Travolta & Samuel L. Jackson star as a couple of hit men? Pulp Fiction

17. In which movie based on a Stephen King novel are a woman & her son trapped in a car by a rabid dog? Cujo

18. Which actor provided the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars movies? James Earl Jones 

19. Who in 1997 “protected the Earth from the scum of the universe”? Men In Black

20. In which movie do Keanu Reeves & Alex Winter take on death in a variety of games? Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey

21. In which courtroom drama movie does Jack Nicholson, as Colonel Nathan Jessep, say “You can’t handle to truth!”? A Few Good Men

22. What is the repeated phrase said by the students in the Robin Williams movie Dead Poet’s Society? O Captain My Captain

23. Who plays Sirius Black in the Harry Potter movies? Gary Oldman

24. In which click flick do Geena Davis & Susan Sarandon hit the road in a 1966 Ford Thunderbird?  Thelma & Louise

25. Which Mel Brooks spoof Western movie features a black sheriff & Yiddish-speaking Indians? Blazing Saddles 

26. What is the name of the killer in the Nightmare on Elm Street series of movies? Freddie Krueger 

27. What novel by Mary Shelley has been turned into at least 20 different horror movies? Frankenstein

28. What speed does Marty McFly have to attain in his car in order to go Back to the Future? 88 MPH

29. In which movie do you hear the famous line, spoken in a diner, “I’ll have what she’s having”? When Harry Met Sally

30. Which 1960 comedy horror movie features a plant with a liking for human flesh? Little Shop of Horrors

31. When the prized mascot of the Miami Dolphins is kidnapped, who comes to the rescue? Ace Ventura 

32. On which pop music star did Johnny Depp base his Captain Jack Sparrow character on from Pirates of the Caribbean? Keith Richards from The Rolling Stones

33. Which beauty pageant is threatened by terrorists in the 2000 movie Miss Congeniality? Miss United States

34. Which 1984 science fiction comedy movie involves three parapsychologists who save New York from malevolent spirits? Ghostbusters

35. To Die For & Batman Forever both featured which actress? Nicole Kidman

36. Who played the part of Peter Pan in the movie Hook? Robin Williams

37. Which Scorsese-directed 1980 movie was based on the novel Wise Guy by Nicholas Pileggi? Goodfellas

38. The movie Jurassic Park was based on the novel of the same name by which author? Michael Crichton

39. Based on the novel by Ira Levin, which 1969 horror movie starred Mia farrow? Rosemary’s Baby

40. Who played the part of Poison Ivy in the movie Batman & Robin? Uma Thurman

41. What is Brad Pitt’s real first name? William

42. Which swashbuckling hero of the silver screen made his mark with a z shaped slash of his sword? Zorro

43. Which land of myth and legend is the home of the alien race in the movie Cocoon? Atlantis

44. The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly is a perfect example of which movie sub-genre? Spaghetti western

45. What is the title of the fourth Indiana Jones movie? Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

46. Who portrayed Doc Holiday in the 1993 movie Tombstone? Val Kilmer

47. Return of the Jedi is which number episode in the Star Wars series? 6

48. The 1991 comedy movie City Slickers starred which actor in the main role of Mitch Robbins? Billy Crystal

49. What is the name of the theme park that Chevy Chase is driving cross country to take his family to in the 1983 movie, National Lapoon’s Vacation? Walley World

50. According to Forrest Gump, “Life is like a..” what? Box of chocolates

Tie Breaker Questions (Adults & Kids)

1. In 1996 movie Independence Day, Jeff Goldblum repeats a line he uttered in 1993’s Jurassic Park. What is it? Must Go Faster

2. What Prince song does Julia Roberts sing in the bath in Pretty Woman? Kiss

3. In "The Jungle Book," what did King Louis ask Mowgli to teach him? How to make fire

4. Captain Hook's has a hook on which hand? Left