Audiobooks....Anytime....Anywhere

We lead very busy lives and are finding it harder and harder to sit and read-audiobooks are becoming a very popular alternative. People are now "reading" books while commuting to work, exercising, going for a walk, or doing house or yard work. Families on long trips also listen to books alone or together.

Libraries have had audiobooks for many years in cassette and now CD format that have allowed people to multitask while enjoying their favorite author. Library patrons can borrow an audiobook and play the book in their cars or on a portable CD player, and can go just about anywhere and "read." Stop by the library and look over our great selection of cassette and CD audiobooks and get started "reading" again.

Quarterly Friends Book Sale

Friends of the Kasson Public Library will hold a book sale on Thursday, May 31st, from 10am-6pm and Friday, June 1st, from 10am-5pm at the library. The Friends hold four book sales a year as a way to fund library projects for preschoolers-seniors.

We are accepting books, cd’s, dvd’s, etc. that you would like to donate to the library. We go through the materials and choose items to be added to the library collection and what we cannot use we place in the book sale. Cost of sale items: a quarter for paperbacks, fifty cents for hardbound, and AV materials are $1.00. Stop by and see what is available during the book sale.

Memorial Day Thoughts

While searching for ideas to commemerate Memorial Day I ran across two very moving thoughts: one a poem and the other a song.

Last Monday in May
By John T. Bird

We pause to remember those who died
With so much courage, so much pride

They’ll never come back, yet memories endure
To remind us of freedom: fragile, pure

We’re worthy of their sacrifice if we pause each day
Not just on the last Monday in May
©John T. Bird, copyright 2006

ON THIS DAY

by Music and lyric by Charles Strouse

The bugle has sounded
Its notes drift away.
This time now belongs to you….

Verse:
On this day for one brief moment
Hear the silence fill the air.
Think of those, who walked beside us;
Now no longer there.
Then, don’t cry, but hear their laughter
For their spirit lives inside,
Let the mystic stream of mem’ry
Fill our hearts with pride!
Make us humble,
Make us knowing,
And reflect on what is done…

On this day
For now, forever
Make this nation one!
On this day,
For all the fallen,
Make this nation one!

© 2003 Charles Strouse Publications

Freedom is Not Free

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.

Memorial Day used to be a solemn day of mourning, a sacred day of remembrance to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms. Businesses closed for the day. Towns held parades honoring the fallen, the parade routes often times ending at a local cemetery, where Memorial Day speeches were given and prayers offered up. People took the time that day to clean and decorate with flowers and flags the graves of those the fell in service to their country.

"Changing the date merely to create three-day weekends has undermined the very meaning of the day. No doubt, this has contributed greatly to the general public's nonchalant observance of Memorial Day." -- VFW 2002 Memorial Day address

The Moment of Remembrance started in 2001 is a step in the right direction to returning the meaning back to the day. What is needed is a full return to the original day of observance. Set aside one day out of the year for the nation to get together to remember and reflect, to maintain and decorate the graves of the fallen.

We need to remember with sincere respect those who paid the price for our freedoms; we need to keep in sacred remembrance those who died serving their country. We need to never let them be forgotten. However, over the years the original meaning and spirit of Memorial Day has faded from the public consciousness. On Memorial Day we need to stop and pay with sincere conviction our respects for those who died protecting and preserving the freedoms we enjoy, for we owe those honored dead more than we can ever repay.

Pause To Remember America's Fallen Wherever You Are on Memorial Day at 3 pm!!

Get Outside and Explore Minnesota

With gas prices going up and up, visit local attractions such as Oxbow Zoo, Chester Woods, Mayowood, Olmsted County History Center, camping, boating or fishing on local lakes and rivers. Go to a Rochester Honkers game, try hiking, biking or horseback riding with family and friends on local area trails.

Or spend your vacation in Greater Minnesota visiting some of our many attractions such as North Shore Drive, the Boundary Water Canoe Area, our wonderful state parks, Minnesota Zoo, cultural attractions in Minneapolis and St. Paul, resort areas, the list is endless.

We have new books that highlight Minnesota attractions, stop by and check them out.

"Aunt Violet" Extends Her Stay!

Aunt Violet thoroughly enjoyed her visit to the library and decided to stay a bit longer. She is pictured trying out the new seating and is enjoying one of the books from the many displays.

Quarterly Friends of the Library Meeting

Thursday, May 24th 10 am at the library, the Friends will hold their second meeting of the year. All are welcome to attend and help out with Friends projects. Membership cost is $12.00 for adults and $6.00 for seniors. The officers are: Clint Patterson-President, Mona Draheim-VP, Fran Johnson-Secretary, Lois Gardner-Treasurer, Nancy Bauman-Bookkeeper, and Sybil Haugen-Historian. If you have any questions, please call the library 507-634-7615.