Library News for Adults - Special Edition
July 8, 2020



We've begun reading A Good Time for the Truth: Race in Minnesota, and each week we will share a quotation from two essays and give you some points to ponder as you read along with us. Want to read along? Click here to read the open-access eBook in your browser, or place a hold on a print or eBook copy at the library. 

This week, we read the second and third essays.  

From "Moving to Minnesota to Live Just Enough for the City" by Taiyon J. Coleman:

"...at least the South had clear lines of demarcation and warning. In Minnesota, there were only smiling faces, open classroom doors, and a stinging persistent coldness that let me know I was in a new, different place that wasn't really welcoming..." 
  • Is failing to acknowledge racism and implicit biases just as damaging as explicit racism? How does "Minnesota Nice" exacerbate implicit biases? 
     
From "A Surrealist History of One Asian American in Minnesota" by David Mura:

"...while the stereotypes of African Americans are clearly present in the culture and are discussed constantly to contextualize news events involving blacks and race, the stereotypes of Asian Americans are not present or impressed in us...we're not part of most discussions about race." 
  • What factors contribute to the exclusion of Asian Americans from discussions on race? Despite the lack of inclusion on discussion, how does racism affect Asian Americans?  
Weekly Trivia

Here are the top five finishers from last week's challenge, with two perfect scores. It just goes to show that we love our national parks!
  1. Golden Duck - 100%
  2. Green Goat - 100%
  3. Dynamic Raccoon 
  4. Fast Shark
  5. Rockstar Glider

Here's this week's challenge. Good luck!


We all know the USA celebrates independence from Britain on July 4, but do you know when other countries celebrate their Independence Days? Try our Independence Days Around the World trivia, thanks to Kyle in New Prague! The multiple choice challenge is timed, so the faster you respond, the more points you get! You have until Tuesday, July 14 at noon to take the challenge.  

We've built our trivia challenge in Kahoot!, but there's no need for you to create an account. Just click the link, spin for a randomly-generated player name, and play! The top five winners will be revealed in next Wednesday's newsletter, so be sure to remember your player name!
Reminders

Individual Income Tax returns must be filed by next Wednesday, July 15th. For more information, click here.

Complete the 2020 Census if you haven't done so already. You may respond online, or via phone or mail. Click here to see how. Census workers will begin in-person visits in August.

Register to vote. The Presidential election will be here before you know it, so if you haven't already registered, now would be a good time to do so.  You may register online, or fill out an application and return it in person or by mail to your county election office. For more information, click here.
Library Staff Recommends

All titles are available (or will soon be available) in print, on Cloud Library eBooks or eAudiobooks, or RBDigital eAudiobooks.

You think your family has issues?  Try these books with family trials and troubles!     
  • The Imperfects by Lucy Foley
  • Thief River Falls by Brian Freeman 
  • Sea Wife by Amity Gaige 
  • Unorthodox by Deborah Feldman 
  • Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain
     
Recommended by Katy, Library Associate at the Prior Lake Library.


And after you've read one or all of the books listed above, you may want to dig through your own family tree!  Here are some genealogy titles suggested by Barb, Branch Manager of the Shakopee Library.

How to Find Your Family History in U.S. Church Records: a Genealogist's Guide by Sunny Jane Morton
 
Guide to Genealogy (for Kids) by Tamara J.  Resler

The Unofficial Guide to Ancestry.com: How to Find Your Family History on the #1 Genealogy Website by Nancy Hendrickson

Family Tree Factbook: Key Genealogy Tips and Stats for the Busy Researcher by Diane Haddad

A Dictionary of Family History: the Genealogists' ABC 

Organize Your Genealogy: Strategies and Solutions for Every Researcher by Drew Smith
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