Under the Dome by Stephen King

Dale Barbara is on his way out of Chester’s Mill when he comes across a barrier that he can’t go around. Chester’s Mill, a small town in Maine, became a national sensation when a force field slams down around the town. Various efforts by the military have not penetrated the dome and the glass-like substance barely lets any air through. A division between the townspeople is established between those who have criminal secrets to protect and those who are trying to survive until the dome is lifted. At over a thousand pages, the lives of the people trapped in the dome become well known to the reader where one hopes reason will return before the dome collapses and no one is left alive. Stephen King talks about Under the Dome in this video:


Check out Stephen King’s Website:
www.stephenking.com

Seasonal Schedule for Story Time and Toddle Time

Spring: Story Time every Tuesday at 10:00am, Toddle Time every Thursday at 10:00am.
Last week in January through first week of May.

Summer: Story Time every Tuesday at 10:00am, Toddle Time every Thursday at 10:00am.
First week in June through last week of July.

Fall: Story Time every Tuesday at 10:00am, Toddle Time every Thursday at 10:00am.
First week after Labor Day through first week of December.

Day after Thanksgiving: How to Use Turkey Left Overs

Do you have alot of leftovers from Thanksgiving? It's always better to have too much food than not enough. But if you take such advice to heart during Thanksgiving, what do you do with all that left over turkey? Check out the Wikihow website. This article will offer some scrumptious ideas: http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Turkey-Left-Overs

Watch the video:

Happy Thanksgiving! Stuff that turkey safely

Smithsonian Magazine offers tips for safely stuffing a turkey to avoid gastrointestinal illness:
http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2009/11/24/stuff-the-safe-way/

1. Forego the tradition and cook the stuffing outside of the bird.
Both Alton Brown and food scientist Harold McGee advocate for this method.

2. Use ice packs while thawing the turkey.
McGee has an innovative way to cook the dark meat of a turkey (which he says is best at 180 degrees) while not overcooking the white meat. While thawing the turkey, he puts ice packs over the breasts of the turkey. When the rest of the bird has reached 60 degrees, the breast will only be at 40. While he doesn’t approve of stuffing a turkey at all, this method could allow the stuffing to reach a safe temperature before the meat gets overdone.

3. Cook the stuffing separately and stuff it inside the turkey while it’s resting.
This is Alton Brown’s preferred method. You can ensure that your stuffing has reached the proper temperature and then let it soak up some turkey flavor while the bird rests.

If you must stay traditional and cook the stuffing inside of the bird, the USDA has a few recommendations:

1. Stuff loosely.
The denser the stuffing in the bird, the more time it will take to get it to a safe temperature. Allow for expansion, and stuff the bird loosely. The USDA recommends ¾ cup for every pound of turkey.

2. Cook any raw meat, poultry or shellfish product before stuffing it into the turkey.

3. Stuff with a moist stuffing.
Heat destroys bacteria faster in a wet environment than in a dry one.

Picture from Food Mall.

Read Smithsonian Magazine online:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/

New in the Kid's Room

Starred Review, Booklist, June 1, 2009:“[T]he sheer force of what [Binding] realizes makes this an unforgettable tale, rife with thoughtful explorations of animal life, fascinating displays of instinctual communication, and breezy interpretations of the everyday magic we take for granted.”

Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2009:"This is an exceptionally honed story with levels of depth."

Thanksgiving on Shmoop

Gobble Gobble from Shmoop!
For those who are making room in your stomach for a delicious Thanksgiving holiday, we don't want your brain to get jealous. Blues, romantic poets, and Sherlock Holmes -- we've dished it up for you this week.
The True Stories Behind the Thanksgiving Story
Pilgrims & Puritans of Colonial New England: Who were the Pilgrims and what the heck did they have to do with turkey?
Native American History: What happened between 1790 and 1890 to cause the American "Indian" population to drop by more than 50%?

Now Available!

The U.S. Department of Energy's "Final Environmental Impact Statement" for the Mesaba Energy Project is now available at the library. This document provides information about the potential environmental impacts of the proposed Mesaba Energy Project, a coal-fired Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle electric power generating facility that would be located in the Taconite Tax Relief Area of northeastern Minnesota.

Black Rain by Graham Brown

Move over Indiana Jones, Danielle Laidlaw with a team of scientists and mercenaries are looking for Mayan artifacts, scientific discoveries and extraterrestrial life.

Out to prove to the director of NRI, the National Research Institute, that she can step up and handle an expedition on her own, Danielle heads off into the Amazon jungle to find a legendary Mayan civilization. On the paths previously charted first by Blackjack Martin and more recently missing and presumed dead Jack Dixon, also NRI, Danielle soon discovers that another rival expedition is searching for the same Mayan ruins and will kill anyone who stands in their way. Cross and double cross from the highest reaches in the NRI complicates the mission while Danielle’s mentor looks for the means to bring Danielle and her team back alive.

Nonstop action and battles between rival expeditions, jungle creatures and native tribes keeps the reader enthralled and on the edge of their seat until the final battle is resolved. According to the author’s note, we can look forward to a sequel to Black Rain. Publication of Black Rain will be February 2010.

The Amazing Charles

Based out of Hibbing, MN, Chuck Perry has been a magician, balloon sculptor, and musician since the 1970's. Audiences of all ages have been entertained by his skill and engaging personality.

He will be conducting a workshop on making balloon art at the library on Thursday, November 19th from 6:00 until 7:00 p.m.

Civilian Conservation Corps

Watch the WGBH American Experience film on the CCC and then visit the MN Discovery Center's Exhibit on the Civilian Conservation Corps at the edge of Heritage Park:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/ccc/

The CCC put three million young men to work in camps across America during the height of the Great Depression.

The Apple Tree

If you are looking for something to do this weekend the Hibbing High School Drama Club will be presenting "The Apple Tree" in the Historic Hibbing High School Auditorium.

Shows are November 13th and 14th at 7:00 p.m. and November 15th at 2:00 p.m.

Windows 7 Visual Quick Tips by Paul McFedries

If you are planning on switching to Windows 7, then this is the book for you. Learn how to configure Windows 7 to optimize start menu and taskbar, enhance your media experience, save time with jump lists, boost your security and privacy and get more out of your files and folders. This handy guide with screen shots for each step provides shortcuts, time saving tricks and tips that help you work smarter and more efficiently.

PolyMet and the Former LTV Steel Mining Facility

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will hold joint public meetings to take comments on the recently released environmental review of the proposed PolyMet copper mine near Hoyt Lakes.

The area meeting will be held on December 9th in Aurora in Memorial Gymnasium, Mesabi East Schools, 601 N. First St. W. It starts at 7 p.m. and will be preceded by an open house session starting at 5 p.m.

Public comments will be accepted concerning the report through February 3, 2010.

Copies are available at the Duluth, Minneapolis and Hoyt Lakes public libraries and at the DNR offices in St. Paul, Grand Rapids, and Hibbing. It is also available at:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/input/environmentalreview/polymet/draftindex.html

PolyMet Mining, Inc. (PolyMet) proposes to develop an open pit mine and to refurbish and modify the former LTV Steel Mining taconite ore processing facility to extract copper metal and precipitates of nickel, cobalt and precious metals near Babbitt and Hoyt Lakes.

NASA: National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Check out the Website: http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html and read about the Atlantis Mission to Station on November 16, watch videos on Station Crew chats with students and read the NASA Blog.

Forest: an exhibit by the Range Fiber Arts Guild

If you find yourself in Virginia, Check out the exhibit this Saturday:

FOREST: works by the members of the Range Fiber Arts Guild Nov. 7 - Dec. 5, 2009
http://www.lyriccenterforthearts.blogspot.com/

Opening Reception and Demos, Saturday, November 7th, 1 - 3pm
The First Stage Gallery
514 Chestnut St., Virginia
Gallery Hours: Thurs. - Sat. 11am. 3pm

Help Create a Special Children's Space at MDC

MDC wants to create a space just for kids in the museum. They are looking for thoughts and ideas on the best way to create the area.

Attend the open forum on Thursday, November 12th, at the Center from 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Remember there is no admission fee charged on Thursdays after 5:00 p.m. Child care will also be provided during this open forum. If you have ideas but cannot attend, contact Dr. Melissa Stewart at 218-254-1226.

Listen up!

Are those long car rides to visit family over Thanksgiving coming up? Well, the library can help make them go faster! Stop by the kid's room and check out the HUGE collection of audio books, just right for playing in your CD or cassette player.

Some recommendations:
The Stoneheart series by Charlie Fletcher (read by Jim Dale, famous for Harry Potter)
Looking Glass Wars series by Frank Beddor
The Ramona books by Beverly Cleary
A Dog's Life by Ann Martin

Enjoy your trip!