Beautiful Library Chairs

Do you have furniture like this in your library? Some of these look like lots of fun and some just look down right uncomfortable. Check out more on this Flavorwire article Beautiful Library Chairs for Literary Abodes by Alison Nastasi (10/20/13)

 Bookinist - moveable reading chair designed by Nils Holger Moormann



OpenBook - upholstered chair by TILT

Yes!

Mini Reviews - Benny Immura series by Jonathan Maberry

I don't review library books as often as my own books. It would take me forever to get any finished! But these are some recent reads that were really good and deserve a little attention so here are my mini reviews.

Rot & Ruin (Benny Immura #1) - Jonathan Maberry

This was a book I picked up from a display at my library. I'm so glad I did! It's the first book in a young adult dystopian/post apocalypse series. Although "zombies" are a large part of the story the main theme is how the characters have learned to make a life since the world changed fifteen years earlier. Towns are few and far between and the lifestyle is self sustained, similar to early settlers. The pace is fast with plenty of action and the story is very interesting. The characters are well established with a firm foundation and room to grow. I hope they get that chance in this new world. I could not put this book down!

Dust & Decay (Benny Immura #2) - Jonathan Maberry

The action continues in another fast ride with more character development. We learn more background from the people introduced in the first book and meet some new characters in this one, none of them are boring. Whether you like them or hate them, be prepared to feel strong emotions.  The zombies aren't the worst enemies out there. The living conditions are harsh and sometimes brutal but there is humanity and hope. I wish this series had been around when my boys were younger!

Flesh & Bone (Benny Immura #3) - Jonathan Maberry

I'm reading this one now and almost finished. Wow! Another amazing story! The chapters are often short and end with cliff hangers that won't let you put the book down. They alternate between characters so you really have to keep reading. The living conditions are still brutal but in some new ways. There is plenty of violence but within the context of the story, not gratuitous or obscene. The emphasis is still about hope, friendship and old fashioned good vs. evil. Another intense and thrilling read.

Fire & Ash (Benny Immura #4) - Jonathan Maberry

The final book in the series. The release date was moved up from 9/13 to 8/13/13! I hate for it to end but I can't wait to see what happens. My library system doesn't have it listed yet but I am reserving this ASAP and looking for more books from this author. Love these creepy covers!

Author site

Saturday Snapshot

 Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home with Books. To participate in this meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.
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The last two weeks I've shared photos from my local public library (exterior, interior) and I need one more week to finish. There were just too many photos and I wanted to share the beautiful details with you. I know these photos don't show all the books on the shelves but I promise you there are plenty. I was focusing more on the other elements of the rooms.

The second floor and other select areas are now off limits to the public except for tours. I joined one several years ago but really need to do it again. There is a small apartment that used to be the living quarters for the head librarian, a study room, access to the cupola, backstage corridors and dressing rooms for the auditorium and other fascinating areas. I couldn't believe how many rooms there were!

It wouldn't be so much fun to visit if we didn't have an amazing staff. The head librarian is a dedicated young man who works hard to keep the charm of the original design while constantly finding new ways to improve the form and function of the whole library. The head librarian in the children's section is a wonderful woman who is creative, fun and kind. The other librarians are always helpful and friendly and the grounds crew does an impeccable job keeping the entire place looking terrific. I've met some grumpy, scary librarians in my day but you won't find them here! Thanks for your patience as I've shared my library with you.

Picture Book Room with small scale Windsor chairs and other furniture. Notice the wooden carvings of characters on top of tallest bookshelves and framed prints on the walls of famous storybook scenes.

This room also features a fireplace and hosts Story Hour for preschoolers, along with other activities.

My kids spent many hours in these little chairs!

The Children's Room is always bustling! Kids can find a cozy chair to read in or use the computer area for work and play.

The walls are still the original shade of Japanese Rose. This room includes a fireplace faced with marble, built-in bookcases and paneled walls.

The chandeliers were custom-made and imported from Holland. Details show silhouettes of storybook characters.

Local History Room has beautiful built in display cases, another fireplace with marble facing and wood paneling, Doric columns, comfy chairs and a large table for meetings or workspace.

Some of the display cases for rare books and other items. The Beatrix Potter collection is on the right.

Originally used for a meeting space, this room was converted in 1991 to hold the large print and audio books. Notice the beautiful wood trim in even this small room.

This is the remodeled, 301-seat auditorium that is used all year for various community and private functions. No lights were on so I couldn't get the best photo to show off it's beauty but I still wanted to include it.

Here are a few last shots of the gorgeous back terrace. This was originally a water fountain but is now used for flowers. The cupola is so striking against the brilliant blue sky.

Another angle showing off the charming lights, stonework and flowers. It's hard to believe that this terrace was unused for 40 years and piled under dirt and debris! We are so fortunate that it was lovingly restored.

Saturday Snapshot

 Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home with Books. To participate in this meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.
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 Last week I  posted some exterior shots of the incredible and very beautiful library we have in my hometown. This week, I'm going to follow up with some photos of the interior. I think this is going to have to be a 3 part series because if I want to show you the gorgeous details, there are just too many photos for one post. I only wish you could see it in person!

This week I will focus on the main rooms when you enter the library - the Foyer, and the Reading Room and Reference Room, which are to either side of it. (I still have to show you the adorable children's rooms, local history room, auditorium...) Interior decorators used different styles of furniture and wood similar to those found in English homes of William and Mary and Queen Ann periods. The overall effect is stately yet comfortable. During the day the interior is filled with light from the skylight (from the cupola), french doors to the terrace and floor to ceiling windows. In the evening there is a warm glow from the lamps and chandeliers spread throughout the building. It's a place that makes you want to read!

A view of the Reading Room with cork floors, riff-sawn oak paneling and hand-carved ionic pillars separating the rooms. The main desk is to the right

Several seating areas with tables and lamps are available. French doors are open onto the terrace

Cozy seating near large windows and wooden bookcases

Ceilings are made of hand molded plaster

Hand-carved wooden eagle and antique globe in the Reference Room

Oil portrait of founder over main desk in foyer

Details of intricate carvings made from English lime wood that took Swiss carvers a year and a half to complete

The three main doorways have a carving above them. This one represents the Hive of Industry

Closer detail shows the Lamp of Knowledge. The remaining carving is of the Tree of Life

Saturday Snapshot

 Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home with Books. To participate in this meme post a photo that you (or a friend or family member) have taken then leave a direct link to your post in the Mister Linky. Photos can be old or new, and be of any subject as long as they are clean and appropriate for all eyes to see. How much detail you give in the caption is entirely up to you. Please don't post random photos that you find online.
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 I live in a small town in a rural section of NY state. It's very beautiful here with hills and trees and changing seasons, although I'm not a big fan of snow anymore. One month of winter would be enough for me! I have been planning to post photos of my hometown library for a long time. I finally took my camera in this week and got some of the shots I wanted. It's very impressive and is a rare gem in our area. I need to get more of the interior to do it justice but I have some nice shots of the outside to give a glimpse of this beautiful building. It's really so much more impressive in person though. I think this will have to be a multi-part post to show the different sections.

Our library has the largest collection in the county. Started in 1935, the Georgian Colonial style building was opened in 1937 thanks to an endowment fund of a local family. The materials are a combination of New England Colonial Harvard Brick for the walls and Indiana limestone for the trim. The roof shingles are hand-made from clay. Some of the original flagstone terrace in the front was recently replaced due to problems caused by tree roots and the back terrace and extensive lawns have been modified over the years. A charming cupola adorns the roof over the front entrance. The interior has a beautiful foyer with hand-carved pillars and wood trim, a reading and reference room, children's and picture book rooms, meeting and exhibition rooms, local history room, a beautifully remodeled auditorium that seats 340 people - and I haven't even mentioned the top floor yet!

Since the large back terrace was restored a few years ago (after 40 years of being closed off) the library hosts more events. The local high school now holds their spring prom inside with access to the back.  Weddings and receptions are frequently held there as well and all kind of events take place in the auditorium and exhibition room. During the summer there is even music on the front lawn once a week when local talent performs with free concerts.

I'm sorry for such a long post and so many photos but it is such a special place for me and I wanted to share it. The building and the grounds are beautiful and provide many services to our community. Fortunately we have volunteers who provide additional help to keep this ship sailing smoothly. I use this library every week and now that my kids are older, I think I will volunteer more of my time to give back as well. Interior photos to be posted another day!

Our beautiful public library!

Front entrance with cupola above it

New front patio with various benches, flowers & lighting

View from front patio towards front yard & Main Street

One set of bench seating with landscaping in front yard

Back view of library with staircase and parking to left, basement staff parking on right. Stone railing surrounds terrace

Back entrance to auditorium

Back terrace with flower fountain and cafe seating

Corner bench seat on back terrace

Wonderful idea!

In today's Shelf Awareness Pro (7/5/12) they included a story about an empty Wal-Mart that was converted into a new public library in McAllen, Texas! It's the length of two football fields!! How nice to see something built up instead of torn down.

Love these libraries!

I saw the link for this on Shelf Awareness (3/27/12) and it brought up a great article Reused Libraries Rejuevenate Communities. In the last few years a trend has developed where buildings that were originally used for something else have been renovated into new libraries. The results are quite unique, often save the area money and preserve a bit of history. These are just two examples from the article. Wouldn't you love to visit and just curl up with a good book?

This library was converted from an old barn in New Hampshire

Can you tell that this library in California was formerly a roller rink?

Home libraries

I would love to try every one of these. 

Somebody needs to test them out right?

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Sparks are igniting.
Flames are spreading.
And the capital wants revenge.

In Catching Fire, the second novel of the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before...and surprising readers at every turn.

*sigh* I loved The Hunger Games. I never know if I'm going to like the second book as well as the first but I like to continue on with a series to see how it finishes. I couldn't wait to get this one. I reserved it from my library and got it last week but I was so busy that I didn't do it justice. I could only read it in bits and pieces much of the time and it was so hard to tear myself away. I wanted to do nothing but read, read, read but of course I didn't want it to end either!

**double sigh** I loved Catching Fire. I won't get into a recap here because I'm afraid I'll post a spoiler if you haven't read this series yet. There was plenty of action, adventure and strong emotions. It was really, really, really good. Really. It's going to be an extremely long wait for the final book in this trilogy.

www.scholastic.com/thehungergames

Mailbox Monday

I haven't done this in a few weeks and I've missed it! I've been away from blogging but I'm getting back to it. Thank you to everyone for being so kind and considerate. I'm getting back to reading and commenting on all of your terrific blogs too. I'm always impressed and I learn so much! I hope you all are having a wonderful summer so far. I love the sunshine and a good book. These are my newest titles and I'm really looking forward to reading them. If you'd like to join this fun meme stop by Mailbox Monday and leave a link where you have your books listed. Marcia is kind enough to host it each week. Happy Monday!

The Chosen One
by Carol Lynch Williams

won from Reviewer X

YA story about thirteen-year-old Kyra who has grown up in an isolated community where her father has three wives and she has over twenty siblings. She secretly sneaks to the mobile library to read forbidden books and spend time with Joshua, the boy she would chose for herself if she were allowed that freedom. Instead, the Prophet decrees that she must marry her sixty-year-old uncle who already has six wives. Now she must decide to continue on with this life that has been chosen for her or to leave her family forever.

Frenemies
by Alexa Young

won from Bookworm Reader

Book #1 in the YA series where Avalon rules the fashion scene at her SoCal middle school. She's determined to host the social event of the season for her friend Halley but Halley has changed more than just her look while away at Art Camp. When she returns anxious to show off her funky new look, Avalon declares it a fashion foul. Now they are at odds and are dividing up their friends and using secrets against each other. Best friends have become worst enemies. Frenemies.

Faketastic
by Alexa Young

won from Bookworm Reader

Book #2, from besties to worsties and back again. The girls must decide who are their true friends.





The Man's Book
by Thomas Fink

won from Bookin' With Bingo

The answers to every man's burning questions - from morning shave to whiskey nightcap. How to tie a bow tie, mix a martini and make a potato gun. How to build a tree house, carve a turkey and start a fire with a soda can. When to flatter a woman and how to be a better cook. This book celebrates maleness. Organized in a man-logical way, it's the go-to guide for anyone with a Y chromosome.



Two Years, No Rain
by Shawn Klomperans

for a summer reading series at TLC Book Tours
organized by Lisa at Books on the Brain

A debut novel about a weatherman in California who has the easiest job in the world since it hasn't rained in over 500 days. But sudden changes in his personal life have him ducking for cover. His wife has left him, he's lost his job, he his in a flirtatious relationship with a married colleague and he suddenly discovers fame as the host of a children's television show. A hilarious and moving story of self-reinvention.


Used Book Sale at Library

Barefoot
by Elin Hilderbrand

Weaves together the stories of four women's lives as they come together to relax, escape their problems and enjoy the sun in Nantucket.

Sugar Daddy
by Lisa Kleypas

She's from the wrong side of the tracks in a small Texas town. He is drawn to her but his ambitions pull him away to pursue his dreams elsewhere. She is left alone with a young sister to raise and meets up with a billionaire tycoon, a Sugar Daddy. But the relationship runs deeper and family secrets are revealed. Eventually she must decide between two men. A decision that could make or break her.