Quilting "Sew-In" Day

Whether you are a seasoned expert or have never sewed a stitch, stop in at the library on Thursday, June 21, 2012 as members of Mukwonago’s Crazy Quilters quilting club and other artists show you how it’s done.  You can try your own square or just watch and learn.  We’ll provide the machines and materials.  A quilt will be made from the finished squares and donated to a local charity.   

The event is free and open to all.   No registration necessary.

June's Staff Picks!

The Mukwonago Community Library features staff picks for each month of the year!    June’s featured staff members are Nick E. and our Youth Services Librarian Miss Jane.  You can find their picks at the library by the windows behind the Reference desk or right here below:

Nick E.

America’s Best Loved Community Recipes

Little Oxford Dictionary of Quotations

Dante’s Inferno by Dante Alighieri

Awkward Family Photos by Mike Bender

End of Days: Predictions and Prophecies About the End of the World by Sylvia Brown

Secrets and Mysteries of the World by Sylvia Brown

Betty Crocker more Slow Cooker Recipes by Betty Crocker

The Watsons Go to Birmingham; a 1963 Novel by Christopher Paul Curtis

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Snow Bound by Harry Mazer

Eating Royally by Darren McGrady

Fox in Sox by Dr. Seuss

Poems by Alfred Tennyson

Gulliver’s Travels by Martin Woodside

Jane

Ice Age Trail Atlas: 105 Detailed Color Hiking Maps to Help You Connect With the Thousand-Mile Ice Age National Scenic Trail

Ice Age Trail Companion Guide, 2012

Dawn Light: Dancing With Cranes and Other Ways to Start the Day by Diane Ackerman

Graced by the Seasons: Fall and Winter in the Northwoods by John Bates

Graced by the Seasons: Spring and Summer in the Northwoods by John Bates

The Sense of Wonder by Rachel Carson

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Anne Dillard

An Incontinent Truth: the Crisis of Global Warming by Al Gore

Hiking Wisconsin by Martin Hintz

The Tender Place: a Story of a Wetland Year by Laurie Lawlor

Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

Gift From the Sea by Anne Morrow Lindbergh

Owls and Other Fantasies by Mary Oliver

Swan by Mary Oliver

Letters From Eden: a Year at Home, In the Woods by Julie Zickefoose

The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books!

Attention bibliophiles and bookworms!  The third annual Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books is just around the corner, celebrating books, literacy and reading, and authors.  The event will feature hundreds of local and national adult and children authors presenting sessions about their work and book signings.  Some of this year’s featured authors include: David Carter, Tawni O’Dell, Cathryn Cofell, Danielle Sosin, and Kathleen Ernst. This year’s theme is Freedom to Read.  So mark you calendars and make sure to attend this free two day event on June 15^th and 16^th at UW-Waukesha. 

The Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books is a free community-wide event organized by the UW-Waukesha Foundation in cooperation with community groups that include the Waukesha County Federated Library System, the Waukesha Public Library, the Literacy Council of Greater Waukesha and Martha Merrell’s Bookstore. 

For complete program information, schedules, and list of attending authors, check out the website: www.sewibookfest.com.

Old Fashioned Bed Turning

Crazy for quilting?  Just curious?  Discover these works of art, layer by later.  You've seen them at quilting shows; now see it at the library on Wednesday, June 13 from 2:00 to 3:00pm.  The technique used, histories, and stories behind some of these beautiful local works of art come to life as the many layers of quilts atop a bed are revealed one by one.  The artist will describe the quilt, it's features, how it came to be, and what it means to them.  See quilting in a new way at this free event open to all.  For more information for these events please stop by the Circulation Desk or call us at (262) 363-6411.

A Day of Poetry with Bruce Dethlefsen! Poetry Reading, Open Mic, and Workshop!

Poetry Workshop, Thursday June 14, 3:30 to 5:30pm

 

Bruce Dethlefsen, the 2012 Wisconsin Poet Laureate, will head up a poetry workshop for up to 12 people on Thursday, June 14^th from 3:30 to 5:30pm.  Topics covered will include what makes a good poem, how writers come to poetry, and various tools and techniques writers can use to improve their poetry.  Registration is required and space is limited.  To sign-up, please stop by the Circulation Desk or call us at (262) 363-6411.

Poetry Reading and Open Mic, Thursday June 14, 7:00 to 8:30pm

Bruce Dethlefsen will read his original work at the library on Thursday, June 14^th at 7:00pm.  Following his reading, the microphone will be open to those wishing to read their own original poems.  Light refreshments will conclude the evening.  Mr. Dethlefsen, a native of Wisconsin, is an award winning and oft-publishing poet and author of the book “Unexpected Shiny Things.”

For more information for these events please stop by the Circulation Desk or call us at (262) 363-6411.

Bluegrass Jam Session

Join us on Tuesday, May 22 from 6:30-9:00pm as we welcome a troop  of local musicians who will set up shop here at the library—guitars, mandolins, and banjos in hand—and jam to the tunes of traditional bluegrass, country and “old-time” mountain music.  Stop by just to listen a while or bring your guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, dobro, bass, or harmonica and join in.  This jam session is free and open to the public.

For more information, stop by the Reference Desk or call us at (262) 363-6411.

Subscription Database: Ancestry.com Library Edition

Trace your family history using Ancestry Library Edition.  This is a special version of the well-known Ancestry.com subscription web site made available free on computers in the Mukwonago Community Library.

What is Ancestry Library Edition?

Ancestry Library Edition is a database that contains documents useful for completing genealogical research from the USA, UK & Ireland, Europe, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.  These documents include:

• Census records
• Military records
• Court, land, and probate records
• Immigration records
• Periodicals and newspapers
• Birth, marriage, and death records (including the Social Security Death Index)
• Biography and history
• Reference and finding aids
• Directories and memberships

Getting Started

Basic Search

On the home page enter the first and last names of the person you are searching for.  You may also enter birth year, places they have lived, any life events, or family members.  Click the “Search” button and a new screen will appear with your results.

Advanced Search

Click the “Advanced Search” button to include keywords, gender, race/nationality, and to restrict the search to either “historical records,” “family trees,” “stories and publications,” or “photos and maps.”

Search Tips:

·         If you don't get any matches with an exact search, try broadening your search by including less information.

·         If you have too many results, try using the advanced search options to narrow down your results.

·         Use the default settings to find soundex or phonetic matches, names that only use initials, or names with similar meanings or spellings.

Results Page

Main Results

If your search is successful then a list of results will appear.  A number of results will appear at the top of the page.  Also this list of results can then be “sorted by relevance” or “summarized by category” by clicking the appropriate dropdown in the upper right hand corner.  Move the mouse over any of the results to get a preview of the record.  Click on the result to see the full record.

Searching For

The “Searching For” option can be found on the left hand side of the page.  This option will allow you to edit your current search or to start a new search.

Narrow by Category

The “Narrow by Category” option located on the left hand side lists the categories that produced results along with the number of hits in each category.  Clicking on a specific category will refine the listed results in the center of the page and provide more specific sub-categories to continue the narrowing process.

 

Printing, Emailing and Saving Your Results

Most records have an image that you can view.  When viewing an image, the “Print” button lets you print the entire image or just the selection currently visible on your screen.

Click on the “Properties” button in the box that pops up to change the print settings.

The “Save” button in the upper right hand corner lets you save the image as a .jpeg file on your thumb drive.

The “Share” button allows you to email the document.  Emailed documents will expire a few days after they are sent.

May's Staff Picks!

The Mukwonago Community Library features staff picks for each month of the year!    May’s featured staff members are Judy and Louis.  You can find their picks at the library by the windows behind the Reference desk or right here below:

Louis’ Favorites

Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes

Frindle by Andrew Clements

Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan

Joust by Mercedes Lackey

Exiles’ Honor: a Novel of Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey

Mossflower by Brian Jacques

Owlsight by Mercedes Lackey

Wheel of Time: Book 1 Eye of the World by Robert Jordan

Pendragon: Before the War, Book 1 Travelers by D.J. MacHale

Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo

Eragon by Christopher Paolini

Lord of the Rings: Book 1 by J.J.R. Tolkien

Silmarillion by J.J.R. Tolkien

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

Otherland Book 1: City of Golden Shadows by Tad Williams

Judy’s Favorites

Little Hide and Seek Animals

Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs and Communications of the Dying by Maggie Callanan

The Boy Who Dared by Susan Campbell Bartolett

I Like Bugs by Margaret Wise Brown

Room by Emma Donoghue

Pioneer Women Cooks: Food From My Frontier by Ree Drummond

Stephanie Plum Series 1-18 by Janet Evanovich

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day by Keff Hertzbery M.D. and Zoe Francois

Epiphany by Rita Herron, Debra Webb, and Mallory Kane

The Tale of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler

Mrs. Piggle Wiggle Won’t Take a Bath Cure by Betty MacDonald

Falling Leaves: the True Story of an Unwanted Chinese Daughter by Adeline Yen Mah

13 Gifts by Wendy Mass

Guess Who by Diane Namm

3 Sisters Trilogy by Nora Roberts

Born in Fire by Nora Roberts

Look Me In the Eye by John Elder Robinson

Elephant Run by Roland Smith

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Genealogy: 101

Interested in genealogy but don't know where to start?  Join us for a free class from the Waukesha County Genealogical Society that will introduce the tools you will need to start finding your roots.  Learn the basic steps for finding and using key resources, and organizing your research.

This program will be help on Tuesday, May 1st from 6:00 to 8:00pm.  Can't make it on May 1st?  Then join us on Tuesday, May 15th from 1:00 to 3:00pm when this program will be repeated.   

To register or for more information, stop by the front desk of call us at (262) 363-6411.

Got Interest in Pinterest? A Quick Overview

What Is Pinterest?

Pinterest is a social media network that allows you to create a collage or a bulletin “board” of images based upon themes including apparel, photography, recipes, events, home décor, entertainment, crafts, technology, etc.  You bookmark or "pin" images and videos that you find online that you wish to save or share with friends.  Also you can follow your friends’ boards and “repin” their content that you like to your own board.

Getting Started With Pinterest?

First, to get started with Pinterest, a friend needs to invite you or you can go to Pinterest.com and request an invite which will be sent to your email.

Then create a profile so friends and family can follow your boards, and other users can learn a little more about your pins.

When you start Pinterest you will be given five templates for boards.  You can keep/delete/edit these boards.  Once a board is created, you can then start pinning.

To pin images on your board you have to install the “Pin It” button.  Instructions can be found on the “Goodies Page.”

Start pinning or repining images onto your boards!  However, make sure to check out Pinterest’s “PinEtiquette.”  Pinterest stresses the importance of being respectful, authentic, crediting your sources, and reporting objectionable content.

Why Pinterest?

Pinterest is great way to share unique ideas and creativity with your friends!  When used, Pinterest can become your community, an escape, a life planner, and a way to express yourself.  Plus you can connect you Pinterest account to your Facebook and Twitter accounts also.

How can you use Pinterest?

Planning an event or a wedding?  Create a board with pictures of all the ideas you may have about venues, decorations, entertainment, clothes, caterers, flowers, etc.

Redecorating or just moved into a new home?  Pin images with decorating ideas from bedspreads, furniture, appliances, accents, and arrangements.

Craft a lot?  Save all your crafting ideas and do it yourself projects that you find, but might not be able to do right away!

Traveling soon?  Mark all the historical sites, attractions, and restaurants you might want to visit.

Interested in gadgets and gizmos?  Mark and compare all the new technology trends.

Enjoy books, movies, and music?  Keep track of what you’ve enjoyed and disliked.

Cook a lot?  Create a visual cookbook and pin recipes that were successful and ones you have yet to try.

Technology of the Civil War

Pat Kaboskey, long-time member of the American Civil War Shooting Association and featured expert on the National Geographic Channel’s “Machines of War,” will be here on Saturday, April 21st at 1:00pm for a presentation about the weaponry of the Civil War and the technology behind it.  Along with his vast knowledge of Civil War era technology, Mr. Kaboskey will bring along examples of the uniform and firearms used by the 1^st U.S. Sharpshooters and other Civil War units.