Thursday, December 20, 2007

Chilton's Automotive Database

Automotive repair information can now be accessed from your home computer. Our Chilton’s subscription has been expanded to include remote access. It is available from the database listing on the library’s website.

Automotive Repair Information for Do-It-Yourself (DIY) People - Chilton has been helping people like you maintain cars and trucks for more than 80 years.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Minnesota Reflections

A great new website to check out is Minnesota Reflections. It is a digital library that has been created by the museum, library, academic, and historical preservation organizations of Minnesota. It is a collection of more than 20,000 cultural heritage treasures including photographs, cartoons, diaries, letters, plat books, maps and more. If you are interested in Minnesota history go to http://reflections.mndigital.org/

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Mystery Book Review

Still Life
By Louise Penny
Three Pines, a small artistic Quebec village, becomes a place for murder when an elderly artist is found dead in the woods. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache and his homicide team from the Surete du Quebec are called in. Accompanied by a new recruit, Yvette Nichol, Chief Inspector Gamache endeavors to teach an obstinate and reluctant assistant why you must listen and observe and not rely on the more obvious evidence. While her close friends thought it odd that they had never been past the kitchen in Jane’s house; Jane Neal, dying in what at first looks like an accident, is murdered before she can reveal her true passion.
Still Life: Winner of both the Anthony and Barry awards for best first novel. Second in the series, A Fatal Grace returns Chief Inspector Gamache to Three Pines while the village is preparing for Christmas.
Read more about Louise Penny and her novels at http://www.louisepenny.com/

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Yuletide Festival a Huge Success

Over 400 people attended the Yuletide Festival which is sponsored by the Friends of the Hibbing Public Library. During his annual visit, Santa, read The Night Before Christmas.

He then listened to the requests of all the children present and handed out candy.


The musical entertainment was provided by The Hibbing City Band and The Iron Range Chorale.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Book Review

Island of the Lost: shipwrecked at the edge of the world.
By Joan Druett
A true account of 2 shipwrecks on opposite ends of Auckland Island 285 miles south of New Zealand, show vastly different survivors. In 1864, the GRAFTON, shipwrecked during a severe gale, contained 5 men who with little more than the wreckage from their schooner, built a cabin and a forge where the tools they made help them to survive and built a boat while waiting for rescue.
The INVERCAULD wrecks at the same time on the opposite end of the island with a crew of 25 with 19 surviving the shipwreck. Once on shore, they succumb to harsh weather, starvation and a cohesive group does not transpire with dire consequences. Who is rescued and who survives to be rescued?
The book is available at Hibbing Public Library: 919.399 DRUETT
Joan Druett writes maritime mystery fiction and nonfiction.
Website: http://members.authorsguild.net/druettjo/

Library Artwork

The paintings that have been in storage since last spring, the beginning of the air conditioning project, are once again on exhibit. The works are on the walls of the reference/reading area, above the fireplace in the children’s room, and in the stairwell to the basement.

The majority of the paintings have been owned by the library since 1919. At that time the Library Board of Trustees and the library director, Dorothy Hurlbert, invited a Chicago art dealer to exhibit, a collection of American paintings at the library. Four thousand Hibbingites viewed the art and voted on their favorites. The Library Board then purchased several of the paintings. Others have been added to the collection since that time.

Among the original works purchased was Halt on the Carry by Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait. Tait’s works usually depicted landscapes and animals. At the time of its showing this painting was said to be an instant favorite with the men of Hibbing.

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Yuletide Festival

The Yuletide Festival will be held December 3rd starting at 6:00 p.m. with a Yuletide Story by the fireplace on the Children's side of the library. Music by the Hibbing City Band followed by the Iron Range Chorale will begin at 6:15 p.m.

There will be time to visit with Santa Claus and children may also select a free paperback to take home. Punch and Cookies will be available for everyone.

This Program has been sponsored by: the Friends of the Hibbing Public Library with the support of the Hibbing City Band, and Santa Claus. Books are provided by the Hibbing Literacy Action Center with funding by the Hibbing United Way.

Thursday, November 08, 2007

Telephone Messaging

Telephone Messaging Starts Friday, November 16th

Telephone messaging for library notices will begin on Friday November 16th. Both hold and overdue notices will be delivered through an automated telephone message. This will save the library staff time, postage, and mailer costs.

Those with an email preference marked in their borrower record will still receive their notices via that method. Please update your borrower record the next time you are in the library so you will continue to receive your notices in a timely manner.

Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Computer classes will begin in January 2008.

Some of our most popular offerings have been Computer Basics, Internet for Beginners, Searching the Internet for Beginners, E-Mail Basics, E-Mail Plus, and Working with Word I & II. There have also been requests for an introduction to E-Bay, Microsoft Access and Excel.

We would like anyone interested in computer classes to let us know what classes you would attend and the day and time that would be most convenient.

Go to www.hibbing.lib.mn.us and click on "Computer Class Survey" in the right hand column to complete our survey.

Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Hibbing Author in the News

Northern Minnesota author Roy C. Booth announces that he will be a guest at Arcana 37, a speculative writing convention to be held October 12 - 14, where he will be moderating three panels on 18th and 19th century horror literature and other writing topics. He will also be conducting a live panel interview with convention Guest of Honor, famed science fiction writer George Clayton Johnson, co-creator of Logan's Run, and screenwriter of numerous famous TV episodes, including "A Game of Pool" and "Kick the Can" for The Twilight Zone and "Man Trap" for Star Trek. Booth will also be doing a signing of his own work at the convention.

Booth was also recently commissioned to develop the film script/TV pilot based on Douglas Texter's award winning science fiction short story, "Primetime," which was recently published by Baen/Galaxy Publishing in their just released Writers of the Future anthology. Texter is a former editor for Doubleday who has already received great interest in the property, and contacted Booth, a fellow panelist from this year's CONvergence, to write the script after Booth announced the sale of his fifth screenplay earlier this summer.

Booth recently completed writing a science fiction novel of his own, and will also be having his mystery short short story "The Book Relase Party" anthologized by Word Weavers. The release of his 40th published play, Beanie and the Bamboozling Adventure Machine (with Bob May), is due out later this month.

Booth is a member of the Brainerd Writers Alliance, the Tidewater Writing Guild, and the Jackpine Writers Bloc. He is also a graduate from Pillager High School, Central Lakes Community College, and Bemidji State University.

Monday, October 01, 2007

Bucks Buy Books

All residents will be receiving donation information for the annual Bucks Buy Books Campaign with their October PUC billing.

Response to the campaign has always been phenomenal. Donations are designated for the library’s adult and children’s book budgets. We have used these funds to buy extra copies of bestsellers, copies of the Reading Counts titles that are used by Hibbing Public Schools, and many other needed additions to the collection.

Friday, September 28, 2007

Wings Above the Ridge - Live Raptor Program

Tuesday October 2nd at 6:00 p.m. in the Library Auditorium

The top readers from the summer reading program will be honored with a brief presentation and then the program will be turned over to the birds.

Learn about birds of prey and meet live raptors at this special program presented by the Wolf Ridge Center. According to the Wolf Ridge web site, "The instructors are specialists in teaching about birds because they ARE birds!" This will be a great program for the whole family.

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Friends of the Library Annual Meeting

The annual meeting of the Friends of the Library will be held October 1st at 6:30 p.m. in the library auditorium. The election of officers will be held and initial planning for annual events will begin. Support the Library. Become a Friend.

All community members interested in joining the Friends are invited to attend this meeting. Th Friends organization suppost the many wonderful programs that are offered by the library throughout the year.

Volunteer Opportunities Include:

Participate in current fundraising events -
Donate gently used books for the ongoing book sale.
Stop by for a cool beverage prices start at $1.25.

Help plan future fundraising events - some ideas are a coffee shop in the library, raffles, sale of Bob Dylan memorabilia, selling Buhl water with a library logo, Magazine subscription drive or any other project you may be thinking of!

Serve on the Friends of the Library Board of Directors - Meetings are held monthly in the evening at the library.

Adopt-a-Shelf - spend an hour or two once a month making sure books are in their proper locations on the library shelves. Volunteers are needed to make sure that library materials are in order on the shelves, and in good repair. You may even find some interesting books to read!

Yuletide Festival is held the first Monday evening in December. Help is needed that evening with cookie decorating, serving refreshments, and the book give-a-way.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Library Air Conditioning

Join us for the ceremonial "start up" of the library’s air conditioner September 27th at starting at 6:30 p.m.

The Friends of the Hibbing Public Library will be presenting a check for $10,000 to the City of Hibbing for the project. Key organizations and individual supporters will be thanked.

The Hibbing City Band will be playing great music in the reference area. A book give away sponsored by the Hibbing Literacy Action Center will be held in the auditorium. There will be cake, coffee, and punch for everyone.

Thursday, September 06, 2007

Children's Librarian Needed

The City of Hibbing is requesting written applications for the full-time position of Children’s Librarian in the Hibbing Public Library. Selection of the individual will be based on qualifications, physical ability, dependability, and seniority.

Minimum qualifications include:

- Master’s degree in Library Science or related field; preferably from a program accredited by the American Library Association.
- One year experience or internship as a children’s librarian in a public library.
- Class "D" Drivers License.

For a complete job description and application go to www.hibbing.lib.mn.us.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Bob Dylan Sculpture with Photos!


During the 2007 Mines & Pines Festival an unveiling of the life-size papier-mâché sculpture of Bob Dylan took place. The sculpture, created by Ann Schnortz, is now on display in the Hibbing Public Library.

Bring your camera and have your photo taken with this guitar and harmonica playing statue of everyone's favorite musician and song writer.


Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Air Conditioning Project

Work is nearing completion on this project! The air conditioning project is still moving forward:

The Library will be closed on Wednesday, August 22nd to update the electrical system for the air conditioning system.

The system will be turned on and testing will begin during the week of August 27th and it will start to cool off in the library.

Thanks to all the construction crews for their hard work and to all the library patrons for their patience during this long process.

It will be cool soon!

Bob Dylan Sculpture

During the 2007 Mines & Pines Festival an unveiling of the life-size papier-mâché sculpture of Bob Dylan took place. The sculpture, created by Ann Schnortz, is now on display in the Hibbing Public Library.

Bring your camera and have your photo taken with this guitar and harmonica playing statue of everyone's favorite musician and song writer.

Monday, August 13, 2007

Digital Audio Books - NEW

A digital audio book is the downloadable version of a book on tape or CD. Digital media is automatically returned so there are never late fees or trips to the library.

Try one today!

Step 1: Download and install OverDrive and update Windows Media Player (one time process)
Step 2: Check out and enjoy digital titles 

Once digital media is downloaded onto your computer it may be transferred to other portable devices. See the OverDrive website for a list of compatible devices and directions for testing your device for compatibility. Some items may be burned to CD's. Review the "Digital Rights Information" to see how many times an item can be transferred to other devices and if it may be burned to a CD.

For more information call 218 262 1038 and ask for help with "Downloadable Books". Or send an email to: hibbingpl@arrowhead.lib.mn.us

Wednesday, August 01, 2007

Book Donation From Two Harbors Author

Susanne Kobe Schuler, an author from Two Harbors, has graciously donated her book, Back of Beyond: a Memoir from the North Woods, to the library. Schuler relates her memories of long ago summers spent at a family-owned resort located near Ely.

A review in Minnesota Literature, March 2007 stated, “Susanne Kobe Schuler writes an entertaining and moving account of family life at the resort her family established…Kobe’s stories of harvesting ice in the winter…and waiting out harrowing lake storms and blizzards bring back a bygone lifestyle with loving vividness”.

Lake Superior Magazine wrote, “This is not so much a book as a time capsule filled with days from a pleasant past…”

Author, Mark Munger is the editor and illustrations are by Rene Munger.