Library News for Adults
February 2023
All libraries will be closed Monday, Feb. 20th for Presidents Day.

Booklovers Love Winter Reading!

With the frigid temperatures outside, it's time to grab a blanket and a hot drink and crack open a good book. Been wanting to read that 400+ page book? Now's the time!

And just to sweeten the pot, enter the titles you've read into Winter Reads and get a shot at winning a prize. You can either pick up bookmark entry forms at the library, or log your titles on Beanstack, our online reading app. Our first drawing was today, but you have a second chance in March! All titles read between now and February 28th make you eligible for the drawing, and the more titles you enter or log, the better your chances of winning.

Want more? You can also take the Black History Month Challenge on Beanstack. This is open to all ages, and there are book recommendations for adults, as well as Kids & Teens. Learn more about black history -- beyond what you were taught in school.

Remember, winter doesn't last forever, and aren't you glad you're a reader so you can enjoy it!
Upcoming Adult Programs
Small Business Website Classes

Learn how to design and create a business website using WordPress, and add features such as images, plugins, a Google map, forms, and more. Then discover the importance of SEO (Search Engine Optimization) that connects your website to Google and other search engines.

All classes will be taught live on Zoom in February. Register for one or two, or all four! First class is tomorrow evening.

Thursday, February 2nd, 7:00-8:00pm

Thursday, February 9th, 7:00-8:00pm

Thursday, February 16th, 7:00-8:00pm

Thursday, February 23rd, 7:00-8:00pm
Live Music

February 8th, 7:00-8:30pm
Club Prior / Prior Lake Library

Feel like a little toe-tapping music to break up your work week? Come on over to the Prior Lake Library and Club Prior for a clappin', dancin', good ol' time with Switched at Birth! They will perform live bluegrass music to warm the body and the soul and keep those winter blues away.

Join us each second Wednesday of the month -- through April -- for live music at Club Prior.
Game Nights!

Join us each week to learn and play games, help complete a puzzle, and/or enjoy some warm drinks! We will have a collection of games available and game play will be self-directed by participants. Savage Library participants will play in the large meeting room, and Prior Lake participants will play near the fire. Families, adults, teens, and kids of all ages are welcome to play!

Mondays, 5:30-7:30pm
Prior Lake Library

Thursdays, 5:30-7:30pm
Savage Library
Help with Technology

Wednesdays, 1:30-2:30pm
Prior Lake Library

Designed for anyone who needs help using our app, website, or electronic resources, or who needs other help with technology. Call the Prior Lake Library at 952.447.3375 to register.
Hands On! Art Exploration for Adults -- Coming Soon

We know you are wondering, so here's the "official" word. Hands On! art classes will be coming in mid-March. These classes are aimed at adults who may have a little artistic talent, or none at all (at least not that you've discovered yet).

More to come in next month's newsletter!
Book Sale

Thursday, February 2nd, 10:00am-6:00pm
Friday, February 3rd, 10:00am-4:00pm
Saturday, February 4th, 10:00am-2:00pm

Find your new favorite book or an old favorite at the Shakopee Library Book Sale. All proceeds go to supporting the Shakopee Library.
Book Clubs

All library-facilitated book clubs are now meeting in-person at the library.

Second Wednesday, 7:00-8:00pm
Savage Library
No meeting in February.

Prior Lake Library "Good Book" Club
Fourth Tuesday, 6:00-7:15pm
Prior Lake Library
February selection: A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

Fourth Wednesday, 6:30-7:30pm
Savage Library
February selection: The Dry by Jane Harper

Have your own book club? Find book club kits easily in the catalog by using the dark blue Category menu below the search bar, and choose "Book Club Kits".
Job & Career Resources

All events listed below are presented by CareerForce. Some require advance registration.

Searching for a new job? Check out these offerings -- both in-person and virtual!

Thursday Morning Job Club, Thursday, Feb. 9th, 9:00-11:00am - Virtual - Topic: Polishing your LinkedIn Profile - A well-crafted LinkedIn profile is your most important marketing document for job hunting.

South of the River On-site/Virtual Hiring Event - Thursday, Feb. 9th, 2:00-4:00pm, CareerForce Center, West St. Paul - Meet employers in the building and/or attend the Virtual job fair to learn more about job openings. See link for employer list and how to register for online fair.

Training Program Finder - Check out training opportunities throughout the metro area that are available to eligible participants at no cost. Classes beginning in February include Case Management, HTML5 & CSS Fundamentals, Project Management, and Office Specialist with Hennepin County.
This and That

Carver-Scott Master Gardeners classes begin this evening, and are scheduled every Wednesday evening at 6:30pm. Tonight's topic: Landscape Design 101 will be held virtually on Zoom. Click on the link above for a complete listing of classes and links to the classes.

MN Book Awards Finalists have just been announced! Take a look at the finalists in each category, and maybe find some new reading material. Previous winners and finalists are found toward the bottom of the page, as well as the winners of the Kay Sexton Award, the Book Artist Award, and the Hognander Minnesota History Award.
Monthly Trivia Challenge

This month's challenge is Art Smarts . Good luck!

Remember when you took that required art history class in high school or college? Bet some of you never thought it would be of any use, but here we are -- testing your "art smarts"! The multiple choice challenge is timed, so the faster you respond, the more points you get! You have 3 weeks, until February 21st, 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!

For those of you who remember your "name" from the Curious Critters challenge in January, here are the top 5 finishers.

  1. Daring Dingo 
  2. Snowy Wildcat
  3. Daring Panda
  4. Golden Tiger
  5. Diplomat Ant
Library Staff Recommends
 
All titles are available (or will soon be available) in print at the library, and/or in eBook and eAudiobook form on Libby.
Nonfiction Books I Can't Stop Thinking About -- recommended by Marietta, Library Associate at Savage Library

While the history of the tomato sounds boring, this book is anything but! Learn about the Aztecs, the invention of ketchup and how pizza became popular. I laughed out loud, read portions to my family and stayed up very late to finish this book.

We live in an Instagram society where every photo is perfect. We live in homes that are definitely not ready to be photographed. (Well, at least I live in that type of home. Too many library books scattered everywhere.) Learn why that is fine, and how to be okay with it.

The Boys by Ron and Clint Howard
Ron Howard made more money one year than the LA Dodgers pitcher Sandy Koufax. I thought I knew how this book would turn out after I read that sentence. I was totally wrong. Heartwarming, interesting and a snapshot of life in Hollywood.

The Address Book by Deirdre Mask
My mind was blown when I read this book. From the slums in India to rural West Virginia, people around the world face a plethora of obstacles without permanent addresses. Can't get a bank account or a loan. Can't apply for a job. Receive government help. Have an ambulance sent. The list goes on and on. Definitely an eye-opening book, but not without hope.

Anti-racism books can be dry and full of jargon. This book by Amber Ruffin about her sister Lacey is definitely not that! It is funny, sad, irritating, annoying, and brilliant because you can see how these situations can come about, but get frustrated by the thoughtlessness of others. And it makes you see how you too can be thoughtless and annoying. I have changed my interactions with others because of this book.

In Case You Get Hit by a Bus by Abby Schneiderman
No one likes to think about death. But, it is unavoidable. Having things organized can give peace of mind to the individual and the survivors. But what does that mean? What things need to be organized? How? This book walks you through step by step, beginning with passwords. Just getting through that chapter alone is worth it!