News from Shelburne Library

Library Card Sign Up Month: Sept. 1 to 30: Starting Sept. 1, any patron who signs up for a membership will be entered into a draw for a Kobo ClaraBW (compatible with the library's digital collection). Additionally, anyone who comes in to renew their membership will be entered into a weekly draw for a $5 gift card or a “skip the line pass.” This is a great month to sign up or renew, so drop by your Library soon.

 MoD Scanning Day: Saturday, Sept. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: The MoD Archives is looking to collect digital scans of community photographs to include in an upcoming exhibition on children and play. Community members will leave with their original photograph, leaving only a digitized copy with the MoD Archival collection. In MoD's upcoming events they are looking to collect photographs of ‘children at play,' both historic and modern. MoD wants to see the moments you have captured of kids being kids. This could include playing with toys, friends and family, sports, on playgrounds, and more.

 Into the Wild of Nature Photography with David T. Chapman: Saturday, Sept. 21 at 3 p.m.: In this fascinating nature photography presentation, David will focus on three exciting areas of outdoor photography. The first one being landscapes, sunrises/sunsets, autumn colours, wooded and agricultural areas as well as utilizing changes in the weather to make the same location look entirely different. The second segment will cover wildlife photography. This will be mainly focusing on both songbirds and birds of prey but also some of the exciting wildlife we can see right here in Ontario. Last, but not least, we will be looking into the highly detailed world of macro photography as we take a much closer look at the world of wildflowers and insects. Call 519-925-2168 or head over to our Linktree to register (https://linktr.ee/shelburnelibrary). 

 Shelburne Public Library Staff's Book Recommendation: “The Familiar by Leigh Bardugo” is this week's book. In the new capital of Madrid, Luzia Cotado uses scraps of magic to get through her days of endless toil. But when her scheming mistress discovers that the servant cowering in the kitchen is actually hiding a talent for little miracles, she demands Luzia use those gifts to better the family's social position. Determined to seize this one chance to better her fortunes, Luzia plunges into a world of seers and alchemists, holy men and hucksters, where the lines between magic, science, and fraud are never certain. But as her notoriety grows, so does the danger that her Jewish blood will doom her to the Inquisition's wrath.

Why Britt Recommends it: Leigh Bardugo is a staff-favourite at the library! You may have already read the Alex Stern series (Ninth House, Hell Bent), and if so, you're going to enjoy this one too. Magical realism peppered with a bit of romance makes this an enjoyable read.

One of my favourite parts of Bardugo's writing style is the depth she gives to her characters. Even characters who play relatively minor roles in the larger plot are given substantial backstories, which draws the reader in to the story. Getting to know each of the characters and the perils they face adds an element of urgency to the story.