Library Closing

Due to the extreme heat the library will close at 3:00 p.m. on July 31st .

The air conditioning project is still moving forward with the final piece of equipment did arrive on July 25th. Approximately 2 weeks of work will be required to complete the project.

Air Conditioning Construction

Construction continues on the air conditioning project. Once the new transformer arrives (Hopefully undamaged this time!). It will only be a couple more weeks to finish the last of the electrical work and testing of the system. We still will need to be closed at least one day when the new electrical connection is installed and we will try to give as much notice as possible for that closing.

Soon the library will truly be a cool place to be!

Hall of Fame / Fair Fun Day

Twelve young people have already read over 100 books or 2,500 pages and have their pictures posted in the library and on the Library website!

Join us at the Fair Fun Day and Kick off for Read and Win Program - June 28, at 10:00 a.m. at the Saint Louis County Fairgrounds - Crow! For there is lots to crow about at the kick off program for the Read and Win Reading Program. There will be games to play, farm animals and face painting. Tour the building and enjoy the antics of Amazing Charles. This program will be held at the fair grounds.

Keep reading!

Mystery Book Review

Anatomy of Fear
By Jonathan Santlofer
Nate Rodriguez is a police sketch artist, assigned on a case with Terri Russo, NYPD Homicide, where the killer leaves a drawing of his victim at each crime scene.
As the killings increase, the NYPD and FBI start to wonder if Rodriquez is a little too close to the killings and he falls under suspicion. In order to clear his name, Rodriguez and Russo must follow a covert path that parallels the FBI investigation.
First in a series – the book solves two cases but leaves a third dangling. The illustrations done by the killer and Rodriguez add interest to the story.
For information about Jonathan Santlofer: www.jonathansantlofer.com

Summer Reading Program

Go Bananas @ the Hibbing Public Library this summer!

Registration begins June 4th!

The Hibbing Public Library has lined up an exciting 10 week summer reading program. There will be prizes to earn for reading books, a-peeling programs to attend and fun to be had.

We encourage you to sign up during the first week, but registration remains open the entire summer.

The Literacy Action Center, with support of United Way of Northeastern MN, will award a free paperback to each person who turns in a booklog.

More information:

Earn Prizes for Reading
Read and Win
Make and Take Craft Programs
Preschool Story Programs
Special Performers and Events
Friday Family Flicks

Open House

Hibbing Public Library staff will be hosting an open house for Terry Moore from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, June 1st.

Terry will be retiring after 20 years as the Hibbing Public Library Director.

The public is invited to enjoy some cake and coffee and wish him well.

Check Out the Plays By Hibbing Playwright

Hibbing playwright Roy C. Booth announces that his children's play, "Beanie and the Bamboozling Book Machine," was recently performed in Bangkok, Thailand at the Shrewsbury International School, sister school to the famed Shrewsbury School, founded in the UK in 1552, which is also well known for its rigorous acamedic excellance. The play's performance was attended by local and foreign dignitaries alike, and was accompanied by an "all-star band" made up of some of Thailand's most well known musicians. The play has also been recently performed in Belle River, Ontario, and in Edinburgh, Indiana.

Another of Booth's plays, "Two Wives and a Dead Guy," written with wife Cynthia, was recently performed in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, Orono, Mainie, and in Tacoma, Washington.

Check the library catalog for these and other titles by Roy Booth.

Dylan Days Exhibits at the Library

Art Exhibit in the Auditorium - Lake Superior artists will feature paintings on or related to Dylan. The artwork may be purchased with proceeds to support the Bob Dylan Exhibit.

Dylan & the Blue Jackets in the Front Window - Dylan's life & times at the Hibbing High School.

Many Faces of Bob along the front wall of library - Character drawings of Bob Dylan.

Walk with Me - A walking tour around Dylan's hometown.

May 24 - Dylan's 66th birthday will be celebrated with Beatty Zimmerman's Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf Bread.

Community Events - May 23-27, 2007

Medieval Mayhem - Week of the Young Child

Monday, April 23 - 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

By Royal Proclamation, Princes and Princesses of the King of of Hibbing are invited to the Hibbing Public Library for a Medieval Mayhem of fun and activities. Enjoy crafts, castle maze, puppets, stories, fishing pond, and treats.

Each child will take home a free book compliments of the Hibbing Literacy Action Center, funded by United Way. Coordinated by Hibbing Early Childhood.

Mystery Book Review

The Spellman Files
By Lisa Lutz
Isabel Spellman, private investigator, works for Spellman Investigations, the family business based in an old Victorian in San Francisco.
Isabel and her perfect older brother David, began work for Spellman Investigations when they were 12 and 14. The first job assigned was picking up trash from the subject’s residence, putting on a pair of gloves and separating the bank statements, bills, and letters from food or other noxious trash. Surveillance came soon after court record searches.
Rae Spellman, the youngest of the Spellman children by 14 years, began her surveillance work when she was six because no one could stand her relentless begging to be allowed on the job.
Life in the Spellman household is never dull and surveillance is not used on just the clients; they spy on each other with often hilarious results.
First novel in a series, see more information on Lisa Lutz at www.spellmanfilesthebook.com

Tax Night at the Library

Tax Night will be held once again at the library!

With the cooperation of the U.S. Post Office, the Hibbing Public Library will collect, stamp and mail Federal and State Tax forms from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 17th. Tax forms, postage, and coffee will be available.

Mystery Book Review

Scavenger
By David Morrell

"Scavenger" starts when Frank Balenger gets out of the hospital after his ordeal in "Creepers" where he followed a group of urban explorers into an old abandoned hotel and found the serial killer who killed his wife. Frank barely survived to rescue the killer’s next victim, Amanda, the image of his dead wife.
Amanda and Frank are taking time to put their lives back together when they receive an invitation to the Manhattan History Club. While attending a lecture on time capsules, they are drugged and separated. Amanda is transported to a lodge out west with other “survivors” of catastrophic events where they are given instructions, GPS instruments, and 40 hours to reach a destination. Frank, left in New York, must move quickly to learn about the Manhattan History Club to get clues on where to find Amanda.

The author’s notes include interesting facts about time capsules:
www.americanheritage.com to find an essay on “Capsule History,” by Lester A. Reingold (November, 1999).
www.davidszondy.com for “Tales of Future Past,” by David S. Zondy.
To find other books and information by David Morrell, go to www.davidmorrell.net

Nonfiction Book Review

River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey
By Candice Millard
Harsh conditions, treacherous rapids and months of travelling upriver through the wilderness of the Amazon Jungle of Brazil in 1914, Theodore Roosevelt, and Candido Rondon, a Brazilian explorer, formed the Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific Expedition to trace the River of Doubt, an area previously unexplored.
One more adventure by the man who was larger than life, the journey almost killed Teddy Roosevelt and certainly shortened his life. Infected with a deadly bacteria and fighting Malaria, there was some doubt the Theodore Roosevelt would survive the journey. Sponsored by the American Museum of Natural History, many new animal and plant specimens were discovered. Insects, Malaria, inadequate provisions, and canoes unsuitable for rapids were a few of the mistakes made by men who had no knowledge of the Amazon Rainforest and almost cost the expedition members their lives.
Plenty of action and adventure, and adds to the Roosevelt legends.
For Further information about Theodore Roosevelt:
www.theodoreroosevelt.org and www.theodore-roosevelt.com

Air Conditioning Project Update - March 22nd

Shannon's, Inc. was awarded the bid for the Library Air Conditioning Project. The company is located in International Falls and was awarded the Trane/PHCC National HVAC contractor of the Year in 2006- 2007. We are expecting workers to be in the building in April.

The work will begin in the crawl spaces and on the roof. After that, things begin to get more complicated. The children's area will be closed for a time as they work installing duct work on the ledge. The reference area will be closed for a time when the duct work is installed. We are having a new electrical line brought into the building, which will mean that the library will be closed for a day when the electricity is turned off and the switch over is being made.

Yes, there will be a dust and noise, but when it is all done the Library will be a "Cool Place" to be.

Preparing for the Project -

In 1919, the Hibbing Public 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. During the exhibit, four thousand people came and viewed and voted on their favorite paintings. After all the votes were tallied, the Library Board decided to purchase several of the paintings. To protect these paintings, of which some are quite valuable, the Friends of the Library decided to create a storage area. We are following the advice of the Midwest Art Conservation Center in creating this storage area. Our thanks go to Don Hanson, ASAP Ship and Print, who found large pieces of cardboard and bubble wrap, which are being used to soft wrap the art work and to Glenn's Fix It for creating the storage cabinet.

Russian Stories with Robin

Robin Kuznick, who recently traveled to Russia, shares stories to young children at the Hibbing Public Library on March 14th. As Bears are often characters found in Russian Folklore she brought along her bear puppet. Robin also told with the help of the children the story of the Great Big Enormous Turnip.

Kill A Watt - Energy measuring devices now avialable at the Library

The Hibbing Public Library now has 3 "Kill A Watt" testers that can be checked out for 28 days to test the efficiency of your electrical appliances.

Lake country Power has supplied area libraries with this energy measuring device. Each kit includes the Kill A Watt, a carrying case and a laminated instruction card.

The Kill A Watt meter shows consumers how much energy various appliances use. By comparing these measurements to that of average use and more efficient Energy Star products, they can then make educated decisions on where their appliance dollars are best spent. They can also learn to improve on the efficient use of an appliance by either unplugging while not in use, adjusting temperatures or modifying their activity.

Common energy wasting practices found by the Kill A Watt include extra refrigerators and televisions left running when not needed, home office equipment that can use energy while sitting idle such as computers and printers and the energy lost from a heated water bed not properly covered.

Landscaping Project Receives Gift from Lowe's

Hibbing Public Library and the Friends of the Hibbing Public Library - with the help from a $1,000 gift from Lowe’s and advice from the members of the Hibbing-Chisholm Gardening Club will be beautifying the library lawns. The first planning meeting was held March 5th despite the snow and below zero weather. Words like Lady Mantles, Pig Squeak, Russian Sage, Miss Kim, and Lamb Ears were used at the meeting. “I don’t know what they mean,” said children’s librarian Enid Costley. “I am just grateful for people from the Gardening Club and Lowe’s Nursery Specialists, who do know plants.” “We want to make the library look nice - have some curb appeal. We also want children to see something beautiful when they look out the windows on the children’s area.” said Donna who is both a member of Friends of the Library and Hibbing-Chisholm Gardening Club.
For others who are planning a garden project – recommended reading includes “52 Weekend Gardening Projects” by Nancy Bubel and “A Garden for Children” by Felicity Bryan.

Cookie Dough & Brownies

In cooperation with Sunrise Bakery the Hibbing Public Library will be having a cookie dough and brownies fundraiser!
Cookie Dough - Choose from Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Walnut Chranberry, Happy Camper, or Molasses for $10.00 per container. Each container will make about 65 2-inch cookies or 32 3-inch cookies.

Brownies - Will be ready to cook in an 8 by 8 pan for $10.00 per pan.

Call 218-262-1038, email hibbingpl@arrowhead.lib.mn.us, or stop in the library to place your orders by March 10th. Cookie dough and Brownies will be available for pick up at the library on March 21 -23.

Fundraising for the Friends of the Hibbing PUblic Library will go to Children's Programs and Services.

Motion Mayhem at the Library

The Science Museume of Minnesota presented a program at the Hibbing Public Library on March 7th. Children and adults learned how to; suspend a ball in mid-air, drop a nail in a bottle without touching the nail, and pull a tablecloth out from under a set of dishes. After the presentation there were table top activites which further explored the science of motion.

This is a cooperative program with the area schools funded in part by the U.S. Bank Foundation.

In this picture shows T.G. getting ready to pull a table cloth out from under an object. Thus proving that object not in motion remain inert.

Air Conditioning Project

Monday, February 26, marked the first of many meeting on implementing The Design Group’s plans for air conditioning the Hibbing Public Library. The meeting was marked by lots of questions. The major question being when does the work begin? Answer - Soon – maybe as early as March 12th.
The first work to be done will be in the crawl spaces. Library patrons may not see, but may hear some of the work being done. While work is being done in the lowest levels of the building, other tasks will be done to make the project run smoothly. Library staff, with help from Friends, will be protecting the Library art work, moving shelving and equipment.