Big changes are coming for our website!

By the end of the month, the library will be launching a brand new website full of exciting features that will allow librarians to advertise new books quickly and easily, plan and promote library events, and utilize social media in new ways to make your library a better place.
While these changes take place, please be aware of the following:

• If the library homepage is down, you can still access our catalog directly by clicking here. Your username is your card number, while your password is your last name in lowercase letters.
• If you have problems with the catalog, feel free to call the circulation desk at 558-3500. Holds and renewals can both be done over the phone. 
• Because the new website includes a blog, our blogspot address will no longer be used. Blog posts will appear at andoverlibrary.org. There will be no new blog posts until the new site goes live.

We look forward to having you visit our new site soon and hope you enjoy the new design as much as we do!

Meet the Librarian: Tiffany, Circulation Librarian

Name: Tiffany Taylor

Position at the library: Circulation Librarian

1. How long have you been at APL?  7 months

2. What’s your favorite thing about APL? The staff. I’m incredibly blessed to not only find my co-workers tolerable, but to actually LIKE them all, too! Not many people can say that about their job.

3. What is your favorite book and why? My favorite books EVER would have to be the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. I didn’t read them until I was in college, but they got me reading again after being burned out from all the horribly boring textbooks I was having to read at the time. I’ve read them several times and all the characters honestly all feel like long-lost friends to me. I can’t say that about many other books.

4. Do you have any other book or author recommendations? The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, The Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth, and any book by C.S. Lewis, Jane Austen, and Mo Willems.

5. Do you have any hobbies? (Besides reading?) I watch a lot of Netflix with my hubby (that’s a hobby, right?) and I love to play board games. I like to play volleyball and racquetball as well, but I don’t really get to play anymore, so those are probably more a hobby of the past.

6. If you weren’t a librarian, what would you be? Perhaps a high school English or History teacher. Or to go in a different direction, I wouldn’t mind working for a non-profit working with homeless or foster children and teens.

7. What’s your favorite food? Panang Curry and Crème Brulee. I can’t get enough of either.

8. What is the funniest experience you’ve ever had at the library? Just last month I watched as a mother and her child were walking to the desk to check out their items. The mother warned her child to watch out for the display case since he was headed straight for it. Then she warned him again, and two seconds later everyone in the library heard a loud thud as the kid walked straight into it. He briefly cried, then was of course fine. Meanwhile, the mother and I tried not to crack up in front of him.

9. What does your dream library look like? Spacious, colorful, lots of comfy lounge chairs and study rooms, and a lot of happy people walking around.

10.   Talk about other stuff you like (movies, TV, music, games, etc.) Super Mario Brothers and Just Dance on the Wii, Settlers of Catan, Dominion, Ticket to Ride, Killer Bunnies, Balderdash, and many other awesome board games, How I Met Your Mother, any British murder mystery, The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit. This list could go on forever, so I’ll just stop with that.

This one time, in the stacks...

Past Events: Ladies' Valentine Luncheon, February 2012

Library party-planner extraordinaire Karen Osborne and her buddies among the Friends of the Library - the same ladies who plan all of our great themed parties for kids - decided to plan a fancy event for older ladies as well. Here's what they came up with in 2012. 

Each table was elegantly decorated.

A chocolate fountain was one of the many decadent treats available.

Ladies enjoyed a lively discussion of the book Pay It Forward.

Ladies were encouraged to bring a friend to the event.

If you would like to attend an event like this, sign up for our Downton Abbey tea party on Saturday, February 22, at 1:00PM. The event is free but registration is required.

Library Buzz: Books for Downton Abbey Fans

(Originally published in the Butler County Times Gazette 2/6/14. "Library Buzz" is written by Toria Hamilton.)

I’ll be honest: I don’t understand the appeal of “Downton Abbey”. Maybe it’s the costumes or the (admittedly lovely) setting. Maybe some people – and I know this is a stretch – actually enjoy drama. At any rate, I’ve watched several episodes trying to figure out what people see in it and I’m lost. Perhaps it just isn’t my thing. However, given its popularity, I recognize that it is undoubtedly somebody’s thing – lots of somebodies. If you happen to be somebody, you might like these Downton-esque titles.

For the true story of Highclere Castle (the estate that serves as Downton’s setting), try “Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey” or its sequel “Lady Catherine, the Earl, and the Real Downton Abbey” both written by the current Countess of Carnarvon, who lives on the grounds. Written using diaries and letters from the castle’s archives, these books are a great glimpse into the aristocratic life of the early 1900s.

In our DVD section, check out murder mystery “Gosford Park” written by Downton screenwriter Julian Fellowes. When the unpopular lord of the house is murdered, anyone could be a suspect, from the many aristocratic guests to the servants and staff.

Bring a bit of Downton into your own home with Emily Ansara Baines “Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook”, featuring the expected tarts, crepes, and scones, but also appetizers and entrees suitable for both upstairs and downstairs.

You could also flip through “The Butler Speaks: A Guide to Stylish Entertaining, Etiquette and the Art of Good Housekeeping” by Charles Macpherson for detailed instructions on how to tie a perfect bow, set a table, fold a shirt (or a napkin!), and other things most of us will never be organized enough to do.

Not a Downton fan? You should read “Downtrodden Abbey”, a parody by Gillian Fetlocks. Starring characters with horrible names (like the Dowager Countess, Vile, and the long-suffering housekeeper, Mrs. Used) and loaded with inappropriate content (“Cripples Wanted!” reads the newspaper advertisement on page 29), it’s sure to get a laugh out of those who aren’t exactly prim and proper.

Stop by the library anytime this month to find these and other Downton-themed titles on display, or sign up for our upcoming Downton Abbey tea party on Saturday February 22, 1:00PM-3:00PM. This free event for adults includes traditional tea-time fare. Registration is required and begins February 10. We hope to see you there!

Bird Watching at Your Library

If you'd like to teach your children about backyard wildlife, visit the big windows in our children's section. Behind the library, we keep several bird feeders donated by the Wichita Audubon Society. Bird watching books are available nearby. A wide variety of birds have been spotted at our feeders, including some that are rare for this area. Drop by and see if you can identify any.

When asked about their favorite birds, your Andover librarians said:

"Tufted Titmouse." -Cathy, Children's Librarian
"Same here." Tori, YA Librarian

"My favorite was the library peacock but he seems to have flown the coop
so I would have to say the cardinal. He is so pretty in the winter snow fall.
My third choice would be any bird that doesn't poop on my freshly washed car."
-Kathy, ILL Librarian

"Cardinal." -Karyn, Administrative Director

"I think I’m gonna go with the Phoenix, unless that doesn’t count.
If not, then the Flamingo." -Kristina, Circulation Librarian

"Either owls, [my mother had a collection of several hundred figurines],
or flamingos, neither of which will be snacking at our feeder."
-Cheri, Assistant Director

"Great Blue Heron." -Tom, Library Director

"Mallard ducks." -Tiffany, Circulation Librarian

"Peregrine falcon, because there was one in My Side of the Mountain."
-Benjamin, Circulation Librarian

Teen Reads: Silly Books for Middle School Boys

When you’ve already read the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and you’re wondering what to read next, these titles may do the trick. Full of off-the-wall humor and strange happenings, they’ll keep you entertained from cover to cover.

1. Lizard Music by D. Manus Pinkwater
Home alone for the summer when his parents go on vacation and his babysitting older sister decides to take a road trip, Victor makes the best of his time by eating nothing but junk food and staying up all night. When he finds evidence that a society of giant lizards lives nearby, he sets out with the help of a homeless man and a trained pet chicken to find them.

2. Whales on Stilts by M.T. Anderson
When Lily uncovers a world domination plot led by cranky whales, she counts on her extraordinary best friends – boy genius Jasper Dash and action hero Katie Mulligan – to get to the bottom of it, but their plans aren’t working and time is running out. Can average, ordinary Lily contribute to the cause or will she only get in the way?

3. Alcatraz Versus the Evil Librarians by Brandon Sanderson
A cult of evil librarians plans to take over the world, and only Alcatraz and his family can stop them. Using strange powers, and with the help of even stranger friends, Alcatraz sets off to thwart the librarians in an adventure spanning several books. There are even dinosaurs involved – this series has everything!

4. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Sixth grader Dwight is a total loser. For example, lately he’s been talking to everyone through an origami finger puppet of Yoda. However, classmate Tommy soon notices that Yoda’s predictions come true, and Yoda’s advice seems to be working. Is Dwight up to something or is the Yoda puppet somehow really a Jedi?

5. Antsy Does Time by Neal Shusterman
When 14-year-old Antsy (short for Anthony) of Brooklyn finds out classmate Gunnar only has six months to live, he selflessly signs a month of his own life over to Gunnar. Soon, everyone in the school wants to do the same, but later Antsy discovers Gunnar may have been exaggerating about the whole “imminent death” thing.

6. Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by Dave Lubar
Scott’s mom has just surprised him with the news: he’s going to be a big brother. Unfortunately, since he’s about to start his freshmen year of high school, he sort of has other things on his mind. In a journal meant to be a high school survival guide for his future sibling, Scott leads readers through the ups and downs of his freshmen year.

Stop by the library for these and other suggestions. We know we have something you’ll like.