Library Staff Picks for 2024

Library Staff Picks for 2024

by | Dec 21, 2024 | Books

What were Huron County Library staff reading and watching in 2024? Here we highlight some of their top picks for the year! A full list of staff picks can be found on our online catalogue.

Book cover image of Ash's Cabin

Graphic Novel: Ash’s Cabin by Jen Wang

“This graphic novel has excellent storytelling, and beautiful illustrations! I highly recommend checking it out.” – Ashley, Branch Assistant

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of James

Fiction: James by Percival Everett

“This book is a reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn told from Jim’s point of view. It’s an adventurous, funny, and beautifully written novel that explores the complex themes of race and identity.” – Margot, Branch Assistant

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of The Examiner

Mystery: The Examiner by Janice Hallett

“This mystery-thriller is fast paced, clever and funny. The author tells the story by creating scenarios from emails, message, essays and chat forums.” – Paula, Branch Assistant

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of The Burining

Thriller: The Burning by Linda Castillo

“The Burning is a twisty atmospheric mystery set in Amish country. Linda Castillo does an incredible job of bringing the setting to life and populates her stories with characters you can’t help but cheer for. If you haven’t read the Kate Burkholder series, you should! There is no diminishment of quality from the 1st to the 16th book. They’re all great!” – Michelle, Branch Manager, Central Team

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Of Curses and Contempt

Fantasy: Of Curses and Contempt by H.L. Hamilton

“Great debut novel by a new author. Great plot line perfect for fans of fantasy. The banter between the main characters is witty and hilarious.” – Stephanie, Branch Assistant

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Funny Story

Romance: Funny Story by Emily Henry

“A laugh-out-loud romantic comedy about two opposites navigating heartbreak together and the unexpected spark of something more.” – Danielle, Branch Manager, West Team

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of The Menopause Brain

Non-Fiction: The Menopause Brain by Lisa Mosconi, PhD

“The struggle is real but with this book, women will feel more empowered and less alone along the journey.” – Amy, Marketing & Branding Coordinator

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of What Does it Feel Like?

Fiction: What Does It Feel Like?  by Sophie Kinsella

“A deeply personal and autobiographical story about a woman who gets diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor that is based on real events in the author’s recent life. This was a raw but hopeful read, particularly poignant for me as someone who is also a brain tumor survivor. Short but beautiful and highly recommended!” – Shannon, Branch Assistant

Place a hold online…

Book cover image of Stitching Science

Non-Fiction: Stitching Science by Keltie Thomas

“I was so excited for this book to arrive. I have been watching its development on Instagram for the last four years. Lauren is a fantastic textile artist from Guelph who handcrafted a work of art to illustrate 26 different scientific concepts one for each letter of the alphabet. The book is beautiful and informative.” – Dana, Library Collections Clerk

Place a hold online…

DVD cover image of The Iron Claw

DVD: The Iron Claw 

The Iron Claw will surprise you. It’s a true story of the Von Erich brothers trying to make it in the world of professional wrestling in the 1980s under the guidance of their tyrannical father. I don’t really care about wrestling, and despite its central place in the film, it’s not the driving force. The acting is incredible, the writing is strong, and witnessing what these brothers went through is both tragic and powerful. This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in recent years. It deserved several Oscar nominations, hands down.” – Hamilton, Branch Assistant

Place a hold online…

Service Updates: New Language Options Available

Service Updates: New Language Options Available

by | Nov 12, 2024 | Uncategorized

The Huron County Library is pleased to announce that users of Bibliocommons, our online catalogue, now have three new language options to choose from when using this platform. In addition to English, patrons can now select French, Spanish and simplified Chinese when browsing our collection online.

How to modify language options: 

To temporarily change the language options for the current browsing session only, patrons can use the drop down menu found in the upper left corner.

Image of the home page of Bibliocommons showing drop-down menu for language options.

To set a language as the default language, patrons must log into their account in Bibliocommons and go into the settings. Under settings, select ‘Display Language’ on the left then select prefered language and save changes.

Image of the log-in and settings in Bibliocommons
Image showing settings where language preferences can be changed
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

by | Sep 27, 2024 | Collection Materials, Exeter Branch, Goderich branch, Online Resources

The Huron County Library marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30 to honour the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. The library encourages the community to join us in learning more about the experiences of the children, families and communities impacted by Canada’s residential schools, which is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

To support this learning, we’re highlighting events and valuable resources from our collection below:

 

In-branch:

  • Drop into any Huron County Library branch on Sept. 30 to pick up an Every Child Matters button to show your support. Staff will also be honouring Orange Shirt Day by wearing orange.

Events:

  • Special Storytime Trail with Indigenous Author Kristi White: Join us Wednesday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m., at the MacNaughton Park Pavilion in Exeter for storytelling, songs and a SURPRISE with Indigenous author Kristi White to launch her book series The Adventures of Jay and Gizmo on the MacNaughton-Morrison Storytime Trail! The story will be available on the trail until the end of October.
  • Art & Symbols: Painting Turtle Island: Join us Saturday, Oct. 5, 1 p.m., for an enriching cultural experience at the Goderich Branch as we welcome renowned Ojibway artist Red George of Red Dog Art Studios. Participants will have the unique opportunity to explore the cultural and spiritual meanings behind Indigenous symbols in art and their significance in storytelling and tradition. Afterwards, participants of all ages will have the opportunity to create their own painting of the turtle, representing Turtle Island, a name used by some Indigenous peoples for Earth, or North and Central America. Registration required: Please contact the Goderich Branch by email goderichlibrary@huroncounty.ca or by phone 519-524-9261 to register.
  • Thanks to everyone who joined us in Seaforth on Sept. 26 for a First Nations Beading Workshop and in Exeter on Sept. 19 for Storytelling and First Nations crafting for kids.

Read:

  • First Nation Communities Read celebrates the very best of Indigenous literature across Turtle Island. The program encourages family literacy, intergenerational storytelling as well as intergenerational knowledge transmission. FNCR also helps to increase awareness of the importance of First Nation, Metis and Inuit writing, illustration and publishing. Explore our collection through our online catalogue.

Watch:

Learn:

  • Cherokee is the language of North America’s Cherokee people. It is one of the healthiest Indigenous languages of North America with an extensive library of literature and a significant community of native speakers. Visit Mango Languages to start learning the language and culture. 
  • The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario have a variety of resources available online to learn and reflect on the ongoing legacy of Residential Schools.
  • Learn more about the Calls to Action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report.
Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit highlights impact Huron County Library services have on community

Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit highlights impact Huron County Library services have on community

by | Sep 4, 2024 | News

Public libraries are critical cultural and social infrastructure for the communities they serve, and new findings released from the Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit show that every $1 invested in the Huron County Library generates $4.66 in Social Return on Investment (SROI).

SROI takes something offered at no charge and applies a dollar value to it. Impacts include direct spending, direct benefits and indirect benefits.

Developed in collaboration with the NORDIK Institute and the Ontario Library Service, the toolkit was developed to help Ontario libraries measure their value and impact within their communities. The toolkit specifically measured the SROI of library services on seven different domains: education, culture, inclusion and well-being, entertainment and leisure, economic development, civic engagement, and space.

Libraries are integral for building personal entrepreneurial, and social capacity through access to information, programs and opportunities for community engagement. As a result, the overall economic benefit the Huron County Library has to the local community totals $17,555,981. This number translates to an overall economic benefit of $596 per household or $286 per resident. For every hour the library’s 12 branches are open to the public, the economic benefit is $413. 

Specific impacts for the different domains are:

  • Education: $1,360,502
  • Culture: $346,459
  • Inclusion and Well-being: $529,672
  • Entertainment and Leisure: $10,003,283
  • Economic Development: $3,373,143
  • Civic Engagement: $26,916
  • Space: $1,916,003

“The results demonstrate the significant impact the library has in our communities and supports the library’s continued work to bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and support a thriving community,” said County Librarian and Director of Cultural Services Beth Rumble.

To learn more, an infographic has been created to outline results.

Add a Huron County Library card to your back-to-school list

Add a Huron County Library card to your back-to-school list

by | Aug 23, 2024 | Children & Families, Library Card, Object Library, Online Resources

Get ready to head back to school by registering for a Huron County Library card! Access a wide variety of FREE resources to support learning for ALL ages!

The Huron County Library offers a variety of Online Resources that provide card holders 24/7 access from home. Find tools to support literacy, creativity and research supports, including:

  • PebbleGo is packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for K-3 students of all abilities. To access from home, a username and password is required. Contact your local library branch for this information.
  • Tumblebooks offers resources for children in K-6, including animated talking picture books, chapter books, videos, non-fiction books, playlists, graphics novels.
  • cloudLibrary provides access to over 120,000 eBooks and Audiobooks for download or streaming.
  • Mango Languages is a powerful learning platform that delivers fast and effective language learning.
  • Canadian Reference Centre can support research projects through its database that includes leading Canadian and international periodicals, reference books, biographies, and images.
  • Never stop learning through kanopy’s The Great Courses which offers enriching courses by the world’s greatest professors and experts on history, science, religion, health, travel, and more.
  • The Huron County Library supports life-long learning through Contact North, which brings distant learning options to local residents, and Gale Courses, which offers six-week personal and professional courses led by expert instructors.

The Huron County Library’s Object Library offers a wide variety of items to support hands-on learning, including:

Of course, the library also offers a great collection of books on an endless variety of topics for all ages and interests! And if you’re looking for in-person opportunities, each of our 12 branches offers programs and events for all ages to come together to learn something new while having lots of fun!