Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Pirate Storytime Week of June 28th

AARGH! You Landlubbers if you dare- come to one of the two Pirates Storytimes this week and learn about our lives, ships and adventures on the high seas. You can even make your very own Pirate Parrot to wear on your shoulder. additional photos of this event can be found on:http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/

Our Summer Reading Program Make A Splash is doing great with 650 children signed up (as of today) and reading. The children receive our library bucks for hours that they read which they spend at the library store during our Grand Finale in the Park Wednesday, July 28th at 10 am.




Wednesday, June 30th Regular Storytime 34 children and parents



KM Nursery Group 6/29/10 37 children from two groups












Tuesday, June 29th WOW!! 65+ children and adults attended the 10:30 am storytime! To say we were crowded was an understatement but all who attend get along well and share our small space well.

Finished Pirate Parrots!!

Monday, June 28, 2010

July New Books

The Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke 7/13
Seven young women in neighboring Jefferson Davis Parish have been brutally murdered. While the crimes have all the telltale signs of a serial killer, the death of Bernadette Latiolais, a high school honor student, doesn’t fit: she is not the kind of hapless and marginalized victim psychopaths usually prey upon. Robicheaux and his best friend, Clete Purcel, confront Herman Stanga, a notorious pimp and crack dealer whom both men despise. When Stanga turns up dead shortly after a fierce beating by Purcel, in front of numerous witnesses, the case takes a nasty turn, and Clete’s career and life are hanging by threads over the abyss.
Adding to Robicheaux’s troubles is the matter of his daughter, Alafair, on leave from Stanford Law to put the finishing touches on her novel. Her literary pursuit has led her into the arms of Kermit Abelard, celebrated novelist and scion of a once prominent Louisiana family whose fortunes are slowly sinking into the corruption of Louisiana’s subculture. Abelard’s association with bestselling ex-convict author Robert Weingart, a man who uses and discards people like Kleenex, causes Robicheaux to fear that Alafair might be destroyed by the man she loves. As his daughter seems to drift away from him, he wonders if he has become a victim of his own paranoia. But as usual, Robicheaux’s instincts are proven correct and he finds himself dealing with a level of evil that is greater than any enemy he has confronted in the past.



Ice Cold by Tess Gerritsen 6/29
In Wyoming for a medical conference, Boston medical examiner Maura Isles joins a group of friends on a spur-of-the-moment ski trip. But when their SUV stalls on a snow-choked mountain road, they’re stranded with no help in sight.As night falls, the group seeks refuge from the blizzard in the remote village of Kingdom Come, where twelve eerily identical houses stand dark and abandoned. Something terrible has happened in Kingdom Come: Meals sit untouched on tables, cars are still parked in garages. The town’s previous residents seem to have vanished into thin air, but footprints in the snow betray the presence of someone who still lurks in the cold darkness—someone who is watching Maura and her friends.Days later, Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli receives the grim news that Maura’s charred body has been found in a mountain ravine. Shocked and grieving, Jane is determined to learn what happened to her friend. The investigation plunges Jane into the twisted history of Kingdom Come, where a gruesome discovery lies buried beneath the snow. As horrifying revelations come to light, Jane closes in on an enemy both powerful and merciless—and the chilling truth about Maura’s fate.


Queen of the Night by Judith A. Jance 7/27
Every summer, in an event that is commemorated throughout the Tohono O'odham Nation, the Queen of the Night flower blooms in the Arizona desert. But one couple's intended celebration is shattered by gunfire, the sole witness to the bloodshed a little girl who has lost the only family she's ever known.
To her rescue come Dr. Lani Walker, who sees the trauma of her own childhood reflected in her young patient, and Dan Pardee, an Iraq war veteran and member of an unorthodox border patrol unit called the Shadow Wolves. Joined by Pima County homicide investigator Brian Fellows, they must keep the child safe while tracking down a ruthless killer.
In a second case, retired homicide detective Brandon Walker is investigating the long unsolved murder of an Arizona State University coed. Now, after nearly half a century of silence, the one person who can shed light on that terrible incident is willing to talk. Meanwhile, Walker's wife, Diana Ladd, is reliving memories of a man whose death continues to haunt her.
As these crimes threaten to tear apart three separate families, the stories and traditions of the Tohono O'odham people remain just beneath the surface of the desert, providing illumination to events of both self-sacrifice and unspeakable evil.


Shadow Zone by Iris Johansen 7/20
While mapping the ancient underwater city of Marinth in the Atlantic Ocean, submersible designer Hannah Bryson makes a shocking discovery: she may have finally uncovered the truth about the once-glorious city’s mysterious demise. Long ago it was a thriving metropolis bursting with culture and life—Marinth’s sudden disappearance has plagued scientists for years. But now, with her unexpected new findings, Hannah realizes that the ancient city’s explosive secret could have dire consequences for the modern-day world.
But Hannah isn’t the only one who realizes it. When her key artifact is hijacked en route to a research lab, she is thrust into an adventure in which she must match wits against a terrifying enemy who will kill anyone who stands in his way. And when Hannah becomes his target, she knows that her best hope for survival lies with Kirov, a mysterious and deadly man from her past. Together they will race to unravel Marinth’s last great secret in order to prevent a catastrophe of global proportions. Before the lethal game is over, however, Hannah will realize that no one is above suspicion.


Corduroy Mansions by Alexander McCall Smith 7/13
Corduroy Mansions is the affectionate nickname given to a genteel, crumbling mansion block in London’s vibrant Pimlico neighborhood and the home turf of a captivating collection of quirky and altogether McCall-Smithian characters. There’s the middle-aged wine merchant William, who’s trying to convince his reluctant twenty-four-year-old son, Eddie, to leave the nest; and Marcia, the boutique caterer who has her sights set on William. There’s also the (justifiably) much-loathed Member of Parliament Oedipus Snark; his mother, Berthea, who’s writing his biography and hating every minute of it; and his long-suffering girlfriend, Barbara, a literary agent who would like to be his wife (but, then, she’d like to be almost anyone’s wife). There’s the vitamin evangelist, the psychoanalyst, the art student with a puzzling boyfriend and Freddie de la Hay, the Pimlico terrier who insists on wearing a seat belt and is almost certainly the only avowed vegetarian canine in London.


The Search by Nora Roberts 7/6
Fiona Bristow, a professional canine search-and-rescue trainer, who moved to Orcas Island in Puget Sound eight years earlier, just after barely escaping from a serial killer. The story opens with Simon Doyle, an artisan cabinetmaker who arrives on the island with a puppy in tow. It's the puppy that brings Fiona and Simon together, and the romance gets off to a rocky start; he's grumpy and plainspoken; she doesn't scare easily. Then a serial killer begins operating within striking distance, and all Fiona's hard-won peace and equanimity begins to wobble: the man who almost killed her is in prison, but he's got a disciple on the outside.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Underwater Adventure Program 6/24/10

The Kasson Library was proud to present Mall of America's Underwater Adventure. There were 396 people that attended the program, even though the acoustics could have been better, the children still enjoyed the educational program about water creatures up and down the Mississippi River. The staff of Underwater Adventure stayed after the program so that all the children had ample time to handle and learn more about the creatures that came with the program. The children especially enjoyed the hands on the horseshoe crab, conch anemone, Chocolate Chip Starfish, and others.
This program was provided in part or whole by the Minnesota Arts and Culture Heritage Grant administered through the SELCO Regional Library System.

Additional photos may be found at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/




Library Director Bonnie looks at the horseshoe crab. Children's Librarian Ingvild talks with the children.








Sea World Staff All Ready For the Show 396 guests
Horseshoe Crab, Conch Anemone, Chocolate Chip Star Fish


Looking at Shark Teeth Touching

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Make A Splash Coloring Contest Winners

The winners from the Make A Splash coloring contest were chosen by judges friends member, library director and children's librarian. We all agreed it was a very tough choice on many of the age catagories. The ages of submitted pages ranged from age 2-15 and there were many 3-D ideas along with traditional colored pages. Congratulations to all of the winners!

Stop by the library and see all of the coloring projects. The winning entries received a daily poll pass compliments of the Kasson Park Department and the Kasson Swimming Pool. Thank you for your sponsorship.

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Pictures of Library Events


Summer is a very busy time for the library and I will try to be current with my blog. Just in case I am not I always upload the pictures. http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/

Thursday, June 10, 2010

The Kasson Public Library 2010 Summer Reading Program (SRP) Make A Splash at Your Library Read has started. This SRP goes for two months and offically ends on Wednesday, July 28th. Each week we have a coordinated theme with stories and crafts.

The KM school students, daycares etc were visited by Children's Librarian Ingvild last month and she explained how the Kasson Public Library SRP works. Children read and count their minutes to earn library bucks that can be spent at the Library Store at the Grand Finale in the Park Wednesday, July 28th 10:30 pm in Kasson's Veteran's Park.

We will have regular storytime and Science and Art for the older children every Wednesday and Thursday at 1:30 pm. Some of the upcoming themes and projects are Sharks, Oceans (Make your own ocean in a bottle), Pirates, Water/Water Pollution.

We have also added a Bedtime Storytime each Monday Night at 6pm that will run through the summer and we even supply the milk and cookies.

The entire library staff has worked hard to bring this great free activity to the children of our service area. We have a coloring contest (contest is juged by age categories and ends Friday, June 18th), Find Nemo, guessing aquarium, and sign-up for drawings. We also will have a program called Underwater Adventures for children that have signup for the SRP. This program will be held Thursday, June 28th at 10 am in the KM Elementary School gym.

There is still time to register your children for this great fun program and the best thing is it is FREE.

Rose Ensemble Performs this Sunday










An Afternoon with
The Rose Ensemble


The Rose Ensemble will perform a concert called The Last Queen of Hawaii at Prairie Meadows Sunday, June 13 at 2-3 pm. Free refreshments will be provided.

This internationally-renown St Paul Group is in it 15 year of performing nationally and internationally. Bring your friends and family to this FREE event and discover the beautiful sounds of Hawaiian songs and dance traditions using ukuleles and gourd drums.
Prairie Meadows is located at 800 5th Ave NW Kasson Mn.
Contact Bonnie Adams (507-634-7615) or Vicky Heitman (634-7009) for further information.
This free performance is provided in cooperation with the Kasson Public Library, Prairie Meadows Senior Living and funded in whole or part by the Minnesota Arts and Culture Heritage Grant through SELCO Regional Library System.


Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Fish Storytime 6/8-10

Storytime activities for older children Wednesday 's and Thursday's at 1:30 pm there will be crafts that go beyond the usual storytime. This week's Theme is Fish. Children's Librarian Ingvild painted rocks of all shapes and sizes. The children looked in books for pictures of fish that they would like to paint. They paint and embellish rocks to look like the fish they chose.
Additional pictures can be found on our picture page of Flickr : http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/

Older Children Storytime Crafts 6/10/10







Older Children Storytime Wednesday Afternoon 6/9/10
















Regular Storytime
This week's theme is fish. The children heard stories about small fish, trout and a really ugly but friendly fish named Al who save all the other fish from being caught. The children were excited and had a lot to say about fish they knew or caught. The craft this week is very cute and clever. The children receive a picture of a large fish bowl and then they used their thumbs and orange paint to make goldfish. Additional pictures can be found on our picture page of Flickr : http://www.flickr.com/photos/kassonlibrary/

Wednesday, June 9



Tuesday, June 8th








Finished goldfishes in a bowl. Wow! Orange Hands!