Genre Sampler

It Did Not End the Way I Expected

By Terrie Bickel, bookkeeper and YA assistant at Bremen Public Library

My son and I recently read Everyone Loves Bacon, by Kelly DiPucchio, a story about Bacon and how his popularity goes to his head. It is a book that has a dark surprise ending that made us chuckle. That got me thinking of all the other books we have read with endings that appeal to our twisted sense of humor.

A long-standing favorite in our house is Tadpole’s Promise, by Tony Ross. It is a story about a tadpole, obviously, and a caterpillar, whose friendship does not end well. We have also laughed over Mr. Wolf’s Pancakes, by Jan Fearnly, My Lucky Day, by Keiko Kasza, and That is NOT a Good Idea!, By Mo Willems. All have basically the same premise, each told a slightly different way, yet all funny. Wolves, by Emily Gravett and I Want my Hat Back, by Jon Klassen can also be added to this list.

Another book in this category we really enjoy is Carnivores, by Aaron Reynolds. This is a tale about a lion, a shark, and a wolf who wish to try and change the other animals’ perspectives of them. An added bonus to this book is that the illustrations are fantastic!

One last book I will put on the list is Barnacle is Bored, by Jonathan Fenske. This is a brand new addition to our twisted BPL collection that is sure to make you chuckle.

Free Resource

E-Reader Help Available

By Shelli Kauffman, head of adult services at Bremen Public Library

Santa's helpers tend to get a lot of attention and glory in the days leading up to Christmas, but it sure would be helpful if they would stick around for a few days after Christmas to teach us how to use all those new gadgets that they deposited under our trees. If your brand new Kindle, iPad, or other e-reading device is still sitting on the night stand it its box because you don’t know how to use it, the staff at Bremen Public Library is more than willing to teach you how to download our e-material.

E-readers and tablets can be a lot of fun and very convenient. If you can’t sleep at night but don’t have anything to read, an e-reader allows you to browse our electronic library and download a book from the comfort of your own home. If you like to read in bed, but your spouse doesn’t want the lights on, an e-reader provides the backlight needed without disturbing anyone else. You can also make the print as big as you need it and most devices are very lightweight, which is nice for those who have arthritis. I want to invite you to sit down with me for a relaxing chat about these conveniences and the library’s electronic services.

During this one-on-one session, I will guide you through the basic instructions you need to get the most out of your device. I will set you up with Overdrive and Hoopla, the two apps you will need to download books, audiobooks, movies, and music from the library. I'll show you how to browse for the material and walk you through the downloading process.

I understand that these devices might seem intimidating. One of the most common statements I hear from patrons is, “I’m not smart enough for this thing.” Let me assure you, that is not true. Every patron I help with an e-reader could teach me at least five other skills that would be benefit my life. This just happens to be something I can do, and one of my favorite parts of my job is teaching other people how to do it too. I hope I see you soon!

Recommended Read

Hell Divers

By Melissa Nunez, adult department assistant at Bremen Public Library

"We dive so humanity survives!" Action packed from first page to last, this post-apocalyptic novel by Nick Smith never slows down!

After World War III created a poisoned planet, the last vestiges of mankind survived by taking to the air in ships built for warfare. Now two and a half centuries have passed and keeping the aging ships aloft is a daily battle. Enter the Hell Divers. Engineers, soldiers, thieves, adrenaline junkies, the crazy and the brave...they must dive to the surface for the ancient parts to repair their failing vehicle. Surviving the dive is only the beginning! Radiation, mutants and fierce storms all stand between them and the survival of humanity!

Set the timer on the coffee pot and prepare to read all night because once the ride begins you'll want to see it through to the final word! 5 stars!

Click here to see if this book is currently available for check-out.

Under Construction

Working in the stairwell

By Matt Williams, facilities manager at Bremen Public Library

As anyone who has been into the library in the past few months can attest, dust is flying and paint is drying! I joined the library staff a few short months ago to oversee a rather ambitious overhaul of the facilities and after a bit of settling and testing we’re ready to move into the meat of the operations. We see so many people on a daily basis that it’s no wonder that we’re a little overdue for a face lift!

The most obvious renovation at first will be the walls and floors. We plan to remove the old paper wall treatment as we bring the facility away from the pink and paisley theme into something just a bit more modern without taking away from the small-town aesthetic that makes the building comfortable. I’ve started this downstairs in the rear entrance to the building, though there will be slight changes as I get to know the old walls and how they work and keep improving.

Many of the improvements we have planned are not just visual but are based on giving our current and future patrons better ease of use and amenities when digging into a good book or using a public computer. We plan on having new water fountains with water-bottle fillers, a fully operational and always working elevator, brand new bathrooms, a new media room with all kinds of fun gadgets, and much more by the end of the year!

I know the library is a place of quiet study and I’ve been making my fair share of both noise and mess and would like to thank our patrons as a whole for being very understanding as we go through this renovation process. Construction is noisy work and I’m doing my utmost to cause as little disturbance as possible moving forward. Thanks to everyone for their patience and kind commiseration when someone sees me covered in paint and dust!

In the near future, rooms may be closed, halls shut off, or meetings shifted to different rooms – I know all of these things are inconveniences and promise to do my best to keep them at a minimum. But when your child has a little paint on his fingers, or there is dust on your shoes, please keep in mind that we are working towards having a comfortable, functional, and good-looking community space for the town to use for many years to come. We are partnering with area stores and contractors to help keep the funds allocated for our improvement in the local community and I promise to use as much locally-sourced materials, labor, and talent as possible wherever possible. 

Feel free to send any questions, comments, or concerns related to the library remodel directly to me at mwilliams@bremen.lib.in.us and we look forward to seeing you!

#LoveMyLibrary

By Holly Heller, communications coordinator at Bremen Public Library

In celebration of National Library Lovers' Month, we are inviting library lovers to share what they love about Bremen Public Library! Guests are welcome to finish the sentence "I love my library because ..." by writing it on a paper heart, which will then be hung on a yarn-covered tree in either the Children's Department or Adult Department.

We have enjoyed seeing the many wonderful reasons that patrons have shared with us so far and look forward to reading more! The trees will remain available during the entire month of February. If you love your library, stop by and tell us why!

We have been sharing some of our favorite contributions on Instagram and Facebook. To find the posts easily, just search #LoveMyLibrary.

Genre Sampler

Cream of the Crop:  Give This New Music a Try

By Chris O'Brien, adult department assistant at Bremen Public Library

There’s a lot of new music out and about these days. I’d like to share some of the cream of the crop with all of you out there. Music is such a personal thing, and if you are like me, your tastes can change from one day to the next. It all depends on, well, just life in general, and your own life, in particular! My motto is "oh oh oh, listen to the music" all the time!

Have you heard any of these new CDs? Give them a try, and you just might be pleasantly surprised! They are all available to download free through the Hoopla app with your library card.

Ripcord 

by Keith Urban

He’s up for one or more Grammys, and with good reason. Maybe it’s just me, but I think his music has gotten even better since he became a husband and a dad! I’ve liked his music all along, but I think this is his best yet. (Available on Hoopla.)

Joanne

by Lady Gaga
Truthfully, I never really took GaGa seriously before. The woman has a great voice. She writes her own songs. Yes, they are quirky, but they go down real smooth like maple syrup on a stack of blueberry pancakes. Very catchy, makes you want to sing along. Before you know it, you’ll be dancing too! Open your mind, and enjoy it. (Available on Hoopla.)

Tattooed Heart 

by Ronnie Dunn

That’s right, he’s half of Brooks & Dunn, now gone solo. So put on your jeans, your hat, and your boots. Be the cowboy. Feel his pain. And get ready for that distinctive voice of his to take you along for one more trail ride! (Available on Hoopla.) 

Call Me Old-Fashioned

by Bradley Walker

Young man with an old soul. Very straight-shooter. His music is medicine, maybe better. If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration, and if there is still anything good in this world, you’ve come to the right place. (Available on Hoopla.)

Sing It Now 

by Reba McEntire

Songs of Faith and Hope. She’s one smart, classy lady, and she covers all the bases in this CD of traditional hymns and new songs that make you remember all your blessings. (Available on Hoopla.)

Program Highlight

We wrapped tree branches in yarn and
brought them indoors for Valentine's Day.

Here's what yarn bombing looks like up close!

What on Earth is Yarn Bombing?

You may have noticed that we are planning a program for this Saturday called Yarn Bombing. You may have asked yourself, "What on earth is yarn bombing?"

Bremen Public Library Children's Librarian Brenda Anderson explained that yarn bombing is a form of street art meant to brighten up neighborhoods.

"Yarn bombing uses yarn to wrap trees, poles, bike racks or whatever isn’t moving with colorful designs and patterns. It’s a temporary way lift everyone’s spirits."

Objects can be wrapped in a variety of ways.

"Knitting or crochet skill is not necessary to participate as yarn that is simply wrapped around an object can be striking as well. Yarn bombing is a good way to use those practice strips of new knit or crochet patterns that are cluttering your work space."

You are invited to join us this Saturday, Feb. 11 from 2 to 4 p.m. as we yarn bomb the trees and posts outside our library.

"This is our way of brightening up our little bit of the Midwest in the middle of winter," Anderson said. "Hopefully this will help us hang in there until spring arrives!"

Genre Sampler

All Things Nocturnal: Vampires

By Kyle Burkett, director of Bremen Public Library

Despite a strong showing from the classic “what goes bump in the night” crowd—witches and ghosts and toilet-paper mummies hustling for chocolate—Halloween last year was dominated by revelers dressed in superhero attire. The most popular costumes in 2016, according to USA Today, included Harley Quinn and the Joker (despite the critical failure of the Suicide Squad film), Batman, Wonder Woman, and characters from Game of Thrones and the Star Wars universe. In the eight years since Stephanie Meyers brought her genre-defining Young Adult series, Twilight, to an end, it seems like some of the Cullen family sparkle has faded from one of horror’s most prolific and influential sub-genres: books about the vampyre.

Or, to phrase it differently: in with the Marvel universe, out with the bloodsucking fiends. But while classic gothic tales of vampirism might currently be out of vogue, the observation got me thinking: what brought on America’s obsession with the vampire in the first place? Are vampires still relevant to popular culture? What are some of the truly great works of literature that have brought vampirism to the foreground of American entertainment?

After dedicating several months to the exploration of all-things vampire, from spending mornings nestled comfortably in my newly acquired sarcophagus to exploring innovative ways to cook with garlic, I’m ready to answer at least one of those questions. Here are my picks for the best-of-the-best when it comes to notable works about our favorite transmogrific parasites:

1. Dracula by Bram Stoker—Stoker’s Dracula is easily the most famous book ever written about vampires, and in many ways it is responsible for establishing all of the genre tropes associated with vampirism in general. Composed as a collection of telegrams, memos, letters and journal entries written first-hand, the novel tells the story of Count Dracula’s dark affair with Mina Harker, the tragic death of Lucy Westenra, and the lengths to which a group of suitors will go to save the immortal souls of the women they love. The inclusion of Dr. Abraham Van Helsing established the “man of letters” archetype—a devotee of science who uses his knowledge to locate and combat the supernatural—as a fixture throughout the horror genre at large. Despite being published over a century ago, Dracula is a highly entertaining novel, and should be considered a “must read” by anyone even vaguely interested in vampirism. 

2. Salem’s Lot by Stephen King—One of Stephen King’s earliest, and best, novels. The follow-up to 1974’s Carrie, which put King on the map, dispelled the notion that King might suffer a “Sophomore slump” as many young author will. Centered around the young novelist and romantic, Ben Mears, Salem’s Lot takes many of the tropes defined in Dracula—tortured suitor, a “man of letters,” the power of Christian iconography to resist evil—and updates them for a modern audience. Salem’s Lot is also, arguably, one of King’s “softest” offerings, eschewing much of the vulgar language and “ick” factor that would permeate his future novels. Alternately engrossing and terrifying, Salem

3. Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore—The first book in Moore’s vampire trilogy, Bloodsucking Fiends, introduces the reader to Judy, a young woman living in San Francisco whose unfortunate late-night encounter with a vampire leaves her looking quite pale, and severely long-in-the-tooth. While adjusting to her new existence as a nocturnal leech in human skin, Judy begins a sordid affair with the stocking manager at her local Safeway, befriends an eccentric homeless man who calls himself “The Emperor,” and starts an investigation into a string of murders connected to her elusive and mysterious maker. Equal parts horror, comedy and mystery, Bloodsucking Fiends is both an excellent introduction to the sardonic humor of Christopher Moore and a fresh take on vampirism in literature. 

4. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova—What if Dracula was real? Therein lies the charm of Kostavo’s multi-generational tale of academics drawn into the ages old conflict between man and monster. The appearance of an ancient, vellum-bound book containing some rather morbid illustrations triggers our narrator’s increasingly obsessive interest in the lore associated with the historical figure, Vlad the Impaler, as well as the curious circumstances of her parents’ romance and her mother’s subsequent disappearance. When her father goes missing as well, events are set in motion that escalate into a final confrontation with the dark lord himself. Promising that, “only a cup of blood would be spilled,” Kostova’s novel is ideal for thriller fans and book clubs who aren’t particularly fond of the gore found in many modern horror novels. 

5. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson—While Matheson’s tale of a dystopian world full of psychologically conditioned vampires run amok is broadly considered one of the most influential novels in horror today, earning a special Vampire Novel of the Century Award from the Horror Writer’s Association in 2012, critical praise was hard to come by upon its release in 1954. Essentially the precursor to every “zombie apocalypse” story ever written—from Night of the Living Dead to The Walking Dead—I Am Legend is the story of Earth’s sole survivor, Robert Neville, struggling to survive after the spread of a worldwide pandemic of vampirism. What makes this novel unique is not the monsters lurking in the shadows, but rather, the deep sense of isolation and loneliness our protagonist experiences as he waits to meet his inevitable end. 

6. American Vampire by Stephen King and Scott Snyder, illustrated by Rafael Albuquerque—Alternately the story of an outlaw from the American West, Skinner Sweet, and a wannabe actress, Pearl Jones, looking for work at the turn of the century, Stephen King’s first foray into comics tells the story of the rise of a new breed of vampire—American Vampire—who are both immune to sunlight and hell-bent on burying their predecessors six-feet underground. An old-fashioned Western revenge tale at heart, American Vampires reinvents the early 20th Century Bonnie and Clyde narrative with a Gothic twist. Full of violent illustrations and dark humor, and definitely not for kids, Snyder and King’s collaboration ultimately yields something unique and enjoyable for comic book aficionados and horror fans alike.  

7. Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice—While many longtime Anne Rice fans might hesitate to call Interview with a Vampire her best work—an accolade most often reserved for The Vampire Lestat—it makes this list precisely because it is the novel that first introduces us to the aforementioned vampire Lestat. Rice’s first novel is the story of 200-year-old plantation owner turned vampire, Louis de Pointe du Lac, and his struggles to balance his new-found thirst for blood against his prevailing sense of human morality, all while cohabitating with his truly monstrous lover and maker, Lestat. Part horror, part Victorian romance, Interview with a Vampire introduces readers to many of the hallmarks of Anne Rice’s writing—including the bold portrayal of queer leads that have resonated so strongly with the LGBTQ community over the last 4 decades—and establishes the narrative for the following books in her Vampire Chronicles, which nearly all revolve around the nefarious vampire Lestat. 

Community Outreach

Bremen Public Library is excited to be part of the Fun Festival taking place this Saturday in Gym B of Bremen High School.

Bremen PTO is sponsoring the event that will feature over 20 booths, games, prizes, face painting, a raffle, cake walk, bounce house and even a reptile show! It sounds like fun for the whole family.

Bremen Public Library will provide a penny toss with books. Just to be clear, we’ll be tossing pennies not books. Be sure to pick up a bookmark from our booth at the Fun Festival and then show this bookmark at the Bremen Public Library for a sweet treat.

See you at the Fun Festival!