Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library Receives Two Generous Grants to Enhance Services and Programs

Marcellus, MI – January 27, 2025 – The Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library is excited to announce the receipt of two generous grants that will significantly enhance its ability to serve the community. The library has been awarded $7,359.73 from the Gateway Foundation and $3,000.00 from the Evergreene Foundation. These funds will be used to support a variety of library initiatives, including expanding programming, upgrading technology, and improving access to community resources.

"We are thrilled to receive these grants, which will help us further our mission to provide high-quality resources and services to the Marcellus community," said Patricia Buckhold, Library Director of Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library. "We are deeply grateful to the Gateway Foundation and the Evergreene Foundation for their continued support and commitment to enriching the lives of local residents."

About the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation: The Michigan Gateway Community Foundation is a philanthropic organization dedicated to making a positive impact on local communities in South Berrien and Cass Counties. This annual grant was made possible through the endowment fund established by the estate of Albert V. and Deana M. Lillie. In her will, Deana Lillie expressed her vision of creating a permanent endowment for the library "to provide the community with access and guidance to resources that inform, entertain, and enrich." The Gateway Foundation’s ongoing support continues to fulfill this vision and benefits the library and its patrons. To increase the annual impact of this grant, you can designate donations to the Michigan Gateway Community Foundation to go toward the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library Fund. 

About the Evergreene Foundation: The Evergreene Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1987 with a mission to support local charitable organizations. Focused on community building, education, health, the arts, area history and preservation, and environmental causes, the foundation seeks to make a lasting impact on the lives of those it serves. Their continued support of initiatives like those at Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library helps foster stronger communities and enriches the lives of local residents.

The Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library continues to be a vital resource for education, culture, and community engagement, and these grants will help ensure it remains a cornerstone of the community for years to come.

For more information about the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library, please visit marcellus.michlibrary.org, call 269-646-9654, or e-mail marcellusmichiganlibrary@gmail.com.

About Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library: The Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library serves as the center for lifetime learning and enjoyment in order to improve the quality of life for all citizens.  It does this by providing resources that enhance and contribute to knowledge, enlightenment, cultural and recreational needs.

Contact: Patricia Buckhold, Library Director 

Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library
269-646-9654

Marcellusmichiganlibrary@gmail.com

marcellus.michlibrary.org

When NFL player, A.J. Brown sent a book to the best seller’s list from the sidelines, his coach explained “Some guys pray in between, some guys meditate in between. A.J. reads in between. Whatever these guys need to do to put their mind in a place where they can play with great detail and great effort, I fully encourage them to do that.” If you appreciate that mindset, you’ll want to check out these new titles at the library:

Inner Excellence: Train Your Mind for Extraordinary Performance and the Best Possible Life by Jim Murphy. Do you want guaranteed freedom and confidence when you perform? Discover the life guide that has developed world champions, empowered athletes to become world #1, and most importantly, transformed their hearts and minds. This step-by-step training manual from one of the world's top mental skills coaches will teach you how to train your mind like the very best. 

Under His Wings: How Faith on the Front Lines Has Protected American Troops by Emily Compagno. Descending from a long line of respected Navy and US Army veterans, Compagno offers unique insight into the importance of faith during times of hardship. She shares stories from generations of servicemen along with her own experience visiting American troops in Iraq and Kuwait when she was a cheerleader for the Oakland Raiders. From World War I to current conflicts in the Middle East, Under His Wings blends the historical with the personal, featuring first-hand accounts from veterans whose religious beliefs emboldened them to persevere as they faced their own mortality on the fields of battle. Each chapter is highlighted by a range of fascinating stories, including celebrity visits to the frontlines with the USO—from Marilyn Monroe to President Ronald Reagan—as well as heartfelt letters between soldiers and their loved ones and treasured family photographs.

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga with Dave Sivley, Tuesdays at 6 PM, January 14-February 18th. Bring a yoga mat, water bottle, & a towel. $5 per class payable to Dave.

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— February 12th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers. 

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, February 6th, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, February 1st, 8th, & 15th, from 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

Cinema Saturday, February 15th at 11 AM. Join us as we watch TWO new movies! We will have 'Wicked' (PG) playing down by the fireplace, and another movie (TBD) will be going up in the children's area! This is a FREE event for all ages and we will have fresh popcorn available!

Did you know January is National Hobby Month? Here are two titles at the library that might inspire you to follow your passion!

Ingrained: The Making of a Craftsman by Callum Robinson. The eldest son of a master woodworker, Robinson spent his childhood surrounded by wood and trees, absorbing craft lessons in his father’s workshop. In time he became his father’s apprentice, helping to create exquisite bespoke objects. But eventually the need to find his own path led him to establish his own workshop and chase ever bigger and more commercial projects, until the devastating loss of one major job threatened to bring it all crashing down. Faced with the end of his business, his team, and everything he had worked so hard to build, he was forced to question what mattered most. In beautifully wrought prose, Callum tells the story of returning to the workshop and to the wood, to handcrafting furniture for people who will love it and then passing it onto the next generation—an antidote to a culture where everything seems so easily disposable. As he does so, he brings us closer to nature and the physical act of creation—and we begin to understand how he has been shaped, as both a craftsman and a son. Blending memoir and nature writing at its finest, Ingrained is an uplifting meditation on the challenges of working with your hands in our modern age, on community, consumerism, and the beauty of the natural world—one that asks us to see our local trees, and our own wooden objects, in a new and revelatory light.

Every Brain Needs Music: The Neuroscience of Making and Listening to Music by Larry S. Sherman and Dennis Plies. Learning, performing, and listening to music all place tremendous demands on the human brain. Learning to play a musical instrument is among the most challenging activities for the human nervous system, involving cognitive, sensory, as well as fine and gross motor functions. Music composition and improvisation also engage the human nervous system in remarkable ways. Understanding how the human brain functions and changes when engaging with music provides unique opportunities for understanding the nature of human creativity; the ways that the brain integrates sensory, motor, and cognitive activities; the characteristics of strong learners and teachers; and the ways that music can contribute to brain development and healthy brain aging. This book by Larry Sherman, a neuroscientist and life-long musician, and Dennis Plies, a professional musician and music teacher, explores the processes of teaching, learning, practicing, listening, composing, improvising, and performing music from the standpoints of behavioral, cellular and molecular neuroscience as well as the perspective of music pedagogy. The book surveys current neuroscience literature in the context of musical learning and teaching experience to explore how music literally changes the structures of our brains.

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga with Dave Sivley, Tuesdays at 6 PM, January 14-February 18th. Bring a yoga mat, water bottle, & a towel. $5 per class payable to Dave.

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— February 12th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers. 

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, February 6th, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

New year, new you…or are you struggling to maintain your resolutions for 2025? Two new books at the library may be able to help: 

The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About by Mel Robbins. What if the key to happiness, success, and love was as simple as two words? If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are, the problem isn't you. The problem is the power you give to other people. Two simple words—Let Them—will set you free. Free from the opinions, drama, and judgments of others. Free from the exhausting cycle of trying to manage everything and everyone around you. The Let Them Theory puts the power to create a life you love back in your hands—and this book will show you exactly how to do it. Written as an easy-to-understand guide, Robbins shares relatable stories from her own life, highlights key takeaways, relevant research and introduces you to world-renowned experts in psychology, neuroscience, relationships, happiness, and ancient wisdom who champion The Let Them Theory every step of the way. Whether you want to advance your career, motivate others to change, take creative risks, find deeper connections, build better habits, start a new chapter, or simply create more happiness in your life and relationships, this book gives you the mindset and tools to unlock your full potential.

There's Food For That: The Top 100 Foods to Fight the Top 100 Diseases and Conditions in the United States by Mark J. Trudeau and Dr. Sadegh Arab. This bestselling book begins by identifying and ranking the most prevalent diseases and conditions in the U.S., a task that took nearly a year to complete. Following this, the authors meticulously reviewed medical journal articles and experimental studies to determine which foods positively or negatively impact these diseases. The result is a nonparametric ranking of the best foods to combat each disease. The book is structured for easy understanding, detailing each disease and the specific foods that can help fight it. Unlike general advice from nutritionists and doctors who often recommend "fruits and vegetables" without specifics, this guide provides precise information on which fruits and vegetables to consume for each condition.

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga with Dave Sivley, Tuesdays at 6 PM, January 14-February 18th. Bring a yoga mat, water bottle, & a towel. $5 per class payable to Dave.

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— February 12th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers. 

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, February 6th, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Community Read: The Star in the Sycamore, January 16th at 6 PM. Author, Tom Springer will be at the library in person to present on his book and answer questions. Contact the library to borrow a copy to read in advance!

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, January 18th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

Cinema Saturday, January 18th at 11 AM. Join us as we watch TWO new movies! We will have 'Transformers One' (PG) playing down by the fireplace, and for the kiddos, 'The Wild Robot' (PG) will be going on up in the children's area! This is a FREE event for all ages and we will have fresh popcorn available!

“Creative nonfiction writers do not make things up; they make ideas and information that already exist more interesting and often more accessible.” -Lee Gutkind. If you like nonfiction with an engaging narrative, check out the following new books at the library: 

Agent Zo: The Untold Story of a Fearless World War II Resistance Fighter by Clare Mulley. During World War II, Elzbieta Zawacka, the WWII female resistance fighter known as Agent Zo, was the only woman to reach London as an emissary of the Polish Home Army command. In Britain, she became the only woman to join the Polish elite Special Forces, known as the "Silent Unseen." She was secretly trained in the British countryside, and then she was the only female member of these forces to be parachuted back behind enemy lines into Nazi-occupied Poland. There, while being hunted by the Gestapo (who arrested her entire family), she took a leading role in the Warsaw Uprising and the liberation of Poland. After the war, she was discharged as one of the most highly decorated women in Polish history. Yet the Soviet-backed post-war Communist regime not only imprisoned and tortured her, but also ensured that her remarkable story remained hidden for over forty years.

Sisters in Science: How Four Women Physicists Escaped Nazi Germany and Made Scientific History by Olivia Campbell. In the 1930s, Germany was a hotbed of scientific thought. But after the Nazis took power, Jewish and female citizens were forced out of their academic positions. Hedwig Kohn, Lise Meitner, Hertha Sponer and Hildegard Stücklen were eminent in their fields, but they had no choice but to flee due to their Jewish ancestry or anti-Nazi sentiments. Their harrowing journey out of Germany became a life-and-death situation that required Herculean efforts of friends and other prominent scientists. Lise fled to Sweden, where she made a groundbreaking discovery in nuclear physics, and the others fled to the United States, where they brought advanced physics to American universities. No matter their destination, each woman revolutionized the field of physics when all odds were stacked against them, galvanizing young women to do the same

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga with Dave Sivley, Tuesdays at 6 PM, January 14-February 18th. Bring a yoga mat, water bottle, & a towel. $5 per class payable to Dave.

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— February 12th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers. (No story hour while we’re closed on December 25th and January 1st.)

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, February 6th, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Community Read: The Star in the Sycamore, January 16th at 6 PM. Author, Tom Springer will be at the library in person to present on his book and answer questions. Contact the library to borrow a copy to read in advance!

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, January 11th, 18th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

Cinema Saturday, January 18th at 11 AM. Join us as we watch TWO new movies! We will have 'Transformers One' (PG) playing down by the fireplace, and for the kiddos, 'The Wild Robot' (PG) will be going on up in the children's area! This is a FREE event for all ages and we will have fresh popcorn available!

The library has several new nonfiction books to help you go beyond the headlines to better understand a very complex and culturally rich part of the world:

Mapping the Holy Land: An Illustrated Atlas by Neal Asbury and Jean-Pierre Isbouts. A stunning journey through the Holy Land, as told by the rare maps and prints that have long inspired Jewish, Christian, and Muslim pilgrimages. From the earliest days of the Roman Empire to the current war between Israel and Hamas, mapping the Holy Land has been a never-ending source of high aspirations and bitter conflict. Illustrated with rare, hand-colored maps and engravings throughout and riveting scene-setting history, this remarkable volume shows how the faithful overcame impossible odds to reach the Holy Land, and dives deep into the historical understanding of these elusive lands from Roman times up to the modern Israeli-Arab conflict. 

Daybreak in Gaza: Stories of Palestinian Lives and Culture by Mahmoud Muna and Matthew Teller, with Juliette Touma and Jayyab Abusafia. This was Gaza. A place of humanity and creativity, rich in culture and industry. A place now pulverized and devastated, its entire population displaced by a seemingly endless onslaught. Today, as its heritage is being destroyed, Gaza's survivors preserve their culture through literature, music, stories and memories. Daybreak in Gaza is a record of that heritage, revealing an extraordinary place and people. Vignettes of artists, acrobats, doctors, students, shopkeepers and teachers across the generations offer stories of love, life, loss and survival. 

Impossible Takes Longer: 75 Years After Its Creation, Has Israel Fulfilled Its Founders' Dreams? By Daniel Gordis. As the country marks its seventy-fifth anniversary, Gordis asks: Has Israel fulfilled the dreams of its founders? Using the country's Declaration of Independence as his measure, he provides a thorough, balanced perspective on the ways in which the Israel of today exceeds the country's original aspirations and also how it has fallen short. In a deft and multifaceted assessment, he discusses the often-overlooked reasons for Israel's creation, the flourishing of Jewish and Israeli culture, Israel's economy and its transformative tech sector, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the distinctly Israeli form of Judaism that has emerged in the Jewish state, Israel's complex relationship with the Diaspora, and much more. Gordis offers new angles of thinking about Israel that bring moderation and clarity to the prevailing discourse. And through weighing Israel's successes, critiquing its failures, and acknowledging its inherent contradictions, he ultimately suggests that-in ways its founders could not have foreseen-the Jewish state is a success far beyond anything they could have imagined

Tuesdays:

Noon Year’s Eve, December 31st - Countdown at NOON! Join us for a glow party, with games, music, snacks and more to celebrate exceeding our community reading goal & ring in the new year! 

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga with Dave Sivley, Tuesdays at 6 PM, January 14-February 18th. Bring a yoga mat, water bottle, & a towel. $5 per class payable to Dave.

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— January 8th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers. (No story hour while we’re closed on December 25th and January 1st.)

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, January 2nd, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Community Read: The Star in the Sycamore, January 16th at 6 PM. Author, Tom Springer will be at the library in person to present on his book and answer questions. Contact the library to borrow a copy to read in advance!

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, January 4th, 11th, 18th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

“Nature is, after all, the only book that offers important content on every page.” If you agree with this quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, you won’t want to miss these new nonfiction selections at the library:

Good Nature: Why Seeing, Smelling, Hearing, and Touching Plants is Good for Our Health by Kathy Willis. Good Nature reveals how, if we bring nature more into our lives, it can help improve our health and well-being in so many unexpected ways. Oxford professor Kathy Willis has spent her career researching fossilised plants and plant matter - but when she stumbled across a study that showed that patients recovering from surgery improved faster just by being able to see trees from their hospital bed, it radically changed the way she viewed the natural world. Professor Willis has since embarked on a process of discovery to find the research that has shown, time and time again, that there is a causal link between plants in our lives, both indoors and outside, and better physical and mental health. Consulting plant scientists and biologists, medical practitioners and psychiatrists, city planners and government health authorities, she encourages us to transform how we design and inhabit our environments. There are simple changes we can all make in our homes: for example, the scent of rosemary will make you more awake; green-and-yellow-leaved houseplants are the best at reducing stress; and touching and stroking untreated wooden surfaces can lower our blood pressure. But we can also think on a much grander scale: prescribing more nature in streets, offices and our homes will not only save money but improve the health of us all. 

Wild Game Cooking: Over 100 recipes for Venison, Elk, Moose, Rabbit, Duck, Fish & More by Keith Sarasin. Make the most of your wild game harvest! There is no food fresher than the food you get from the wild. No matter where you live or what you hunt, this cookbook has you covered. With delicious recipes for venison, moose, elk, boar, fish, duck, and more, this is a comprehensive guide for novices and experts alike. Learn to cook to perfection with a wide range of proteins and step-by-step preparations.

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Noon Year’s Eve, December 31st - Countdown at NOON! Join us for a glow party, with games, music, snacks and more to celebrate exceeding our community reading goal & ring in the new year! 

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— January 8th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers. (No story hour while we’re closed on December 25th and January 1st.)

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, January 2nd, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, December 21st, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

If you’re looking for something to take your mind off all this winter weather, the novels below should help! 

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt. They say love and construction don't mix. By that logic, hate and construction may as well be condemned. LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had one short and contentious summer fling when they were teens-certainly nothing to build a foundation on. But a decade later, when their grandmothers have left them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building, they're thrust back together and have to figure out how to brace up the pieces. LaRynn has the money, but in order to access her trust, she has to be married. Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds. A deal is struck: Marry for however long it takes to fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties. Thrust into a home without walls, LaRynn and Deacon quickly learn that it's easy to hide behind emotional ones, even in a marriage. But with all the exposure and pitfalls that come with living with the opposite sex (and none of the perks, much to their growing mutual frustration) they'll also have to learn what it means to truly cooperate as a team. Filled with crackling tension, The Co-op is a steamy second chance romance about restoration and renovation, and uncovering all the things that build character within ourselves. It's about the never-ending construction project that partnership is, and finding enjoyment at every stage

Love, Naturally by Sophie Sullivan. Presley Ayers is not the woman you bring on a camping trip. An accomplished concierge at an exclusive hotel in Great Falls, MI, she knows more about the top ten places for champagne and caviar than she does about the best hiking boots to go stomping around near Lake Michigan. But when she surprises her boyfriend of eight months with a vacation to the Get Lost Lodge and he dumps her instead, Presley decides to rough it solo and take the trip herself. When Beckett Keller helps the gorgeous woman off the rickety boat and onto Lodge territory, it's clear to him she's made a mistake. She doesn't like hiking, fishing, or nature in general, so why did she go on this trip? He's got other things on his mind though-a crumbling lodge, and his own plans and dreams that are forever deferred-so he doesn't have time for Ms. Fish-Out-of-Water. Even so, neither Beckett nor Presley can help that inexplicable draw they feel towards each other. He's all rough stubble and plaid shirts, while she's all high heels and brand-name athleisurewear. But you know what they say about opposites.

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Noon Year’s Eve, December 31st - Countdown at NOON! Join us for a glow party, with games, music, snacks and more to celebrate exceeding our community reading goal & ring in the new year! 

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— January 8th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers. (No story hour while we’re closed on December 25th and January 1st.)

Thursdays:

Sourdough for Beginners, December 12th at 5:30 PM. Learn the art of sourdough from Lindsey Morehouse of The Dough & More. $10 registration required and includes materials and your own starter to take home. Seats are limited.

First Thursday Book Club, January 2nd, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Santa’s Firefighters: Gift Wrapping Day, Saturday, December 14th - starts at 10AM, until everything is wrapped! Each year, the Marcellus Fire Department (and Santa) delivers donated toys to local families in need. Join us at the library to help the Marcellus Fire Dept. Auxiliary wrap the toys! All necessary supplies will be provided, as well as refreshments. Toy donation boxes can be found throughout downtown, including at the library.

Tech Time, select Saturdays, December 14th, 21st, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 18, 2024

Marcellus Enrichment Initiative Presents: A Collaborative Christmas in the Village

Marcellus, MI – The Marcellus Enrichment Initiative is excited to announce a collaborative approach to the annual Christmas in the Village celebration, taking place this year on Saturday, December 7th. This cherished holiday tradition promises to be bigger and brighter than ever, thanks to the combined efforts of local organizations, businesses, and dedicated community volunteers. 

The event will feature festivities designed to bring joy to all ages. From family-friendly activities to unique shopping opportunities and heartwarming holiday displays, there will be something for everyone to enjoy. Community members can look forward to:

• Delicious Food: FFA Breakfast 8AM, Lions Club Senior Lunch at VFW 12PM, Food Trucks: Honey Bunnies and Taco Guerrerenses 3PM.
• Holiday Craft Market: Local vendors showcasing handcrafted gifts and treats at the United Methodist Church 12-4PM.
• Kid-Friendly Activities: Cookies at the Library 11AM-6PM, Snowy Day Story Walk with Great Start Cass 2-4PM, Frosty & elves spreading holiday cheer.
• Seasonal Treats: Hot Cocoa fundraiser with the Bluegill Frolic Committee 3-6PM.
• Open House Celebrations: Marcellus Area Historical Society 3-5:30PM, Marcellus Food Pantry 3:30-5:30, Alpha Games 10AM-8PM.
• Live Music: Ewert Music Studios Piano Recital at the Library 4 PM.
• Parade & Tree Lighting Ceremony: The parade on Main Street starts by the United Methodist Church & stops at the Gazebo in Columbian Park for Santa to light the tree. Following the tree lighting, meet Santa & snap a photo at the gazebo, weather-permitting (Find him at the Fire Station in case of severe weather!)
• Snowflake Stroll: DDA’s Business Bingo 6-8PM & Lightpost Decorating Contest.

“We are thrilled to see so many organizations and individuals come together to make this year’s event truly special. We’ve worked closely with the DDA and used a very similar planning approach to First Fridays, encouraging everyone to participate and highlighting all the wonderful things going on in downtown Marcellus,” said Patricia Buckhold, president of the Marcellus Enrichment Initiative. “Christmas in the Village has always been about celebrating community, and this year’s collaborative effort takes that spirit to a whole new level.”

The Marcellus Enrichment Initiative invites everyone from the surrounding area to join in the festivities. Bring your family, friends, and neighbors to experience the magic of the holiday season in Marcellus! It’s never too late to get involved; contact enrichmarcellus@gmail.com if you’re interested in participating. Contact Lauren at 36 Lakes, laurenerndteman@gmail.com, to sign up to be in the parade (line up is at 5:30, step off at 6PM). 

For more information and updates on the event schedule, please follow MEI at https://www.facebook.com/EnrichMarcellus

As the holiday season begins and the weather gets colder, the library has an abundance of cook books to warm your kitchen and satisfy your appetite; Why not try one of our newest additions to the collection?

Half Baked Harvest: Quick and Cozy by Tieghan Gerard. 120+ recipes for delicious, soul-warming comfort food that comes together in a flash, to make you feel cozy any time of year. Colorful. Convenient. Comforting. Mega-bestselling author Tieghan Gerard is busier than ever-always taking photographs, posting recipes, and collaborating with friends. In her fourth cookbook, she returns with a collection of more than 120 recipes that reflect the way she cooks now: simple ingredients, easy to get on the table, short on time yet big on flavor. Having cooked for her large family from a young age, Tieghan loves the feeling of sharing great food-and now she wants to share that feeling with you. This collection leans into the comfort food she's known for, but with an eye toward getting it ready in a hurry. With many recipes doable in one pot or pan, most in under forty-five minutes, and a more-is-more focus on flavor (but not ingredients), you'll be feasting fast. Start your day with Maple Bacon Pancakes with Bourbon Maple Syrup, snack on Cheesy Roasted Shallot Bread, and make Garlic Butter Steak Bites with Bang Bang Sauce your family's new favorite. Enjoy delicious twists like Sheet Pan Mac & Cheese with All the Crispy Edges, and, of course, finish it all off with something sweet, like a Dark Chocolate Pistachio Cake with Cream Cheese Icing. Relying on basic ingredients and Tieghan's signature knack for making sauces and dressings that you'll want to double to keep on hand at all times, these recipes will make your meals feel like a warm hug. If you've ever needed a belly full of comfort and a plate bursting with fresh, unexpected flavors-and wanted it all right now-Half Baked Harvest Quick & Cozy is for you

Not Too Sweet by Jessica Seinfeld with Sara Quessenberry. An inclusive, all-new collection of dessert recipes for everyone to enjoy, no matter their age, dietary restrictions, or skill level in the kitchen. In her five cookbooks to date, Jessica Seinfeld has shown readers that healthy eating need not be a chore or a bore. Now she’s back to show you that this truth applies even to dessert. The recipes in Not Too Sweet allow home cooks to prepare crowd-pleasing desserts for any diet, be it vegan, gluten-free, less-sugar, no-sugar, no-nuts...or “no restrictions.” With her trademark accessibility and ingenious use of ingredients, Seinfeld provides step-by-step instructions for making all manner of treats—chocolatey, fruity, traditional, quirky—that will satisfy every (not too) sweet tooth. Featuring gorgeous, inviting photography, and entertaining stories from the kitchen table of the dessert-obsessed Seinfeld family, Not Too Sweet is the ultimate guide to plotting a happy path to a delicious final course.

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM through December 10th. $5 per session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, from 6-7 PM. Bring a yoga mat & water bottle. 

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— December 11th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers. (No story hour while we’re closed on December 25th and January 1st.)

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, December 5th, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Sourdough for Beginners, December 12th at 5:30 PM. Learn the art of sourdough from Lindsey Morehouse of The Dough & More. $10 registration required and includes materials and your own starter to take home. Seats are limited.

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Cookie Decorating, December 7th 11 AM-6 PM, during Christmas in the Village. Stop by the Children’s Library to create your own sweet treat! 

Piano Recital by Ewert Music Studios, December 7th at 4 PM, during Christmas in the Village. Gather near the fireplace to enjoy festive music by talented, young musicians.

Tech Time, select Saturdays, December 7th, 14th, 21st, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

As the holidays approach, there’s an abundance of ways to get involved and contribute within our community. The library is featuring two new nonfiction books that highlight the value of community, connection, and kindness. 

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer. As indigenous scientist and author of Braiding Sweetgrass Robin Wall Kimmerer harvests serviceberries alongside the birds, she considers the ethic of reciprocity that lies at the heart of the gift economy. How, she asks, can we learn from indigenous wisdom and the plant world to reimagine what we value most? Our economy is rooted in scarcity, competition, and the hoarding of resources, and we have surrendered our values to a system that actively harms what we love. Meanwhile, the serviceberry’s relationship with the natural world is an embodiment of reciprocity, interconnectedness, and gratitude. The tree distributes its wealth—its abundance of sweet, juicy berries—to meet the needs of its natural community. And this distribution insures its own survival. As Kimmerer explains, “Serviceberries show us another model, one based upon reciprocity, where wealth comes from the quality of your relationships, not from the illusion of self-sufficiency.” As Elizabeth Gilbert writes, Robin Wall Kimmerer is “a great teacher, and her words are a hymn of love to the world.” The Serviceberry is an antidote to the broken relationships and misguided goals of our times, and a reminder that “hoarding won’t save us, all flourishing is mutual.

Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times by Gregory Boyle. At a time when society is more fractured than ever before, beloved Jesuit priest Gregory Boyle invites us to see the world through a new lens of connection and build the loving community that we long to live in. Over the past thirty years, Boyle has transformed thousands of lives through his work as the founder of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang-intervention program in the world. The program runs on two unwavering principles: (1) Everyone is unshakably good (no exceptions) and (2) we belong to each other (no exceptions). Every community wants to be a safe place, where people are seen, and then are cherished. By remembering that we belong to each other, we find our way out of chaos and its dispiriting tribalism. Pooka, a former gang member who now oversees the program’s housing division, puts it plainly: “Here, love is our lens. It’s how we see things.” In Cherished Belonging, Boyle calls back to Christianity’s origins…He calls us to cherish and nurture the connections that are all around us and live with radical kindness.

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  For November, we'll be making scarecrows using clear glass bottles.  Please bring your own bottle!  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM. $5 per session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, from 6-7 PM. Bring a yoga mat & water bottle. 

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— December 11th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM (following the school calendar - no story hour on Nov. 27th). Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Not A Box:  Cardboard Construction.  Wednesday, November 27th from 12PM-3PM.  What can a box become? Whatever you can dream of! Construct these boxes into anything....just not a box!  We have all the supplies needed.  Grab your friends and make the coolest creations ever!  All ages welcome!

Thursdays:

Community Read- The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland.  Thursday, November 21st, 2024, at 6:00 PM.   Based on interviews with the passengers, the locals, and the airline crews, this book tells the true story of how the residents of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 6,132 passengers who were diverted to their town during 9/11 and recounts the acts of kindness and generosity that the people of Gander showed to the stranded travelers. We’ll listen to the author, Jim DeFede, being interviewed and then join in a discussion about his book. Contact the library to request a copy to read before this discussion.

First Thursday Book Club, December 5th, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Sourdough for Beginners, December 12th at 5:30 PM. Learn the art of sourdough from Lindsey Morehouse of The Dough & More. $10 registration required and includes materials and your own starter to take home. Seats are limited.

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Screenplay Saturday, November 23rd at 11 AM. Down by the fireplace, we will be showing the movie, Come From Away (NR), which is the musical based on our community read book, 'The Day the World Came to Town’. In the children's area, we will be showing the movie, Despicable Me 4 (PG)! Come see what the newest member of the Gru family is up to! Fresh popcorn will be provided!

Cookie Decorating, December 7th 11 AM-6 PM, during Christmas in the Village. Stop by the Children’s Library to create your own sweet treat! 

Piano Recital by Ewert Music Studios, December 7th at 4 PM, during Christmas in the Village. Gather near the fireplace to enjoy festive music by talented, young musicians.

Tech Time, select Saturdays, December 7th, 14th, 21st, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

The PLAN: Manage Your Time Like a Lazy Genius by Kendra Adachi.  Often, so-called "life hacks" leave us drowning in tasks, schedules, and unfulfilled expectations-but why? Most time management systems prioritize optimization and greatness in service to an imagined future, but what if that's not your goal? In this book, author Kendra Adachi, in her straightforward, humorous style, reveals why the problem isn't you! If you're longing for a book that helps you live wholeheartedly today, then this is the book for you. Using the acronym "PLAN," you'll learn to prepare, live, adjust, and notice like a Lazy Genius and all through the lens of what really matters to you in your current season. Readers will discover two beliefs that will change time management forever as well as how to integrate hormones, personality, and one's current life stage into one's planning process. Adachi teaches the "Lighten the Load" to-do-list framework to help readers get their stuff done and the "PLAN Pyramid" to help us visualize a balanced life. Ultimately, readers will experience freedom from the crushing pressures of greatness, potential, and hustle. The author's approach is refreshingly compassionate and practical!

Panic Proof: The New Holistic Solution to End Your Anxiety Forever by Dr. Nicole Cain. To the millions of people who have had panic attacks, this book offers a holistic approach and personalized path to freedom from dealing with panic disorders. Other books have focused on the thoughts that contribute to panic. Panic Proof is the first book to teach the body that it’s safe in order to prevent panic before panic attacks. Remedies offered range from probioties, herbal remedies, adaptogens targeted for each person’s anxiety type, and healing practices for releasing trauma stored in the body. In her warm and approachable style, Dr. Cain shares her personal story of managing panic and examples from the patients she's helped over a decade of working with them to manage their own panic disorders. She guides the reader through the nine types of anxiety that she's identified. The book includes quizzes, worksheets, and self-reflection checklists to guide one along the journey to panic freedom. This book offers research-backed, body-based solutions for preventing panic. It will guide you to decoding what your panic is telling you and help you resolve the root causes so that you can finally achieve deep healing.

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 4:30 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  During November, our guided project will be scarecrows using clear glass bottles.  Please bring your own bottle (an empty wine bottle, salsa jar, or mason jar will work well)!  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM. $5 per session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, from 6-7 PM. Bring a yoga mat & water bottle. 

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— December 11th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM (following the school calendar). Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Not A Box:  Cardboard Construction.  Wednesday, November 27th

from 12PM-3PM.  What can a box become? Whatever you can dream of!

Construct these boxes into anything....just not a box!  We have all the supplies needed.  Grab your friends and make the coolest creations ever!  All ages welcome!

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, December 5th, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Community Read- The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland.  Thursday, November 21st, 2024, at 6:00 PM.   Based on interviews with the passengers, the locals, and the airline crews, this book tells the true story of how the residents of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 6,132 passengers who were diverted to their town during 9/11 and recounts the acts of kindness and generosity that the people of Gander showed to the stranded travelers. We’ll listen to the author, Jim DeFede, being interviewed and then join in a discussion about his book. Contact the library to request a copy to read before this discussion. 

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, November 16th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

Screenplay Saturday, November 23rd at 11 AM. Down by the fireplace, we will be showing the movie, Come From Away (NR), which is the musical based on our community read book, 'The Day the World Came to an End'. In the children's area, we will be showing the movie, Despicable Me 4 (PG)! Come see what the newest member of the Gru family is up to! Fresh popcorn will be provided!

This week the library is featuring two new adult fiction books.

After Oz: A Novel by Gordon McAlpine.  In 1896, a tornado destroys the Gale family farm in Kansas. Their daughter, 11-year-old Dorothy goes missing. The family is terrified that the worst has happened. But, four days later, Dorothy turns up unharmed, and the Gale family and the townspeople breathe a collective sigh of relief. This is short lived, however, because Dorothy relates her account of what happened during her absence. Dorothy describes a fantastical land and its magical inhabitants including a scarecrow, the tin man, the cowardly lion, a wizard, and the witch. Her descriptions are seen as delusional, pagan, and diabolical, and when a local spinster is found dead, connections are made between the evil which Dorothy claims to have defeated and the ill-tempered old crone who died. Incriminating evidence against Dorothy is thought to be found, and Dorothy is sentenced to the insane asylum. There, a psychologist interviews Dorothy and begins to wonder if Dorothy truly committed the crime or if something unbelievable has actually occurred.

Eight Nights to Win Her Heart by Miri White. Andie Williams is not looking forward to spending her first Chanukah alone after her father's death. To add insult to injury, she is also about to lose her job and the only prospect for another work opportunity is across the country. She could use some chutzpah to make it through the next eight nights alone.  Leo Dentz has lived across the hall for Andie for years. He has a crush on Andie but has never had the courage to say anything. Then, Andie drops her grocery bags and Leo notices her drug store Chanukah candles. Leo steps out of his comfort zone and volunteers to join Andie on the first night of Chanukah and offers to share dinner with her. As Andie and Leo fall for each other one night at a time, and the clock ticks down on Andie's move, will the season of miracles light their way forward?

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  During October, we’ll be making Halloween “book witches” and in November, scarecrows using clear glass bottles.  Please bring your own bottle!  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM. $15 for the remaining 3 weeks in this session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, October 1 - November 12th from 6-7 PM (No class on Election Day - November 5th).

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— November 13th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM (following the school calendar). Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, November 7th, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Community Read- The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland.  Thursday, November 21st, 2024, at 6:00 PM.   Based on interviews with the passengers, the locals, and the airline crews, this book tells the true story of how the residents of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 6,132 passengers who were diverted to their town during 9/11 and recounts the acts of kindness and generosity that the people of Gander showed to the stranded travelers. We’ll listen to the author, Jim DeFede, being interviewed and then join in a discussion about his book. Contact the library to request a copy to read before this discussion. 

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, November 2nd, 9th, 16th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

Screenplay Saturday, November 23rd at 11 AM. Down by the fireplace, we will be showing the movie, Come From Away (NR), which is the musical based on our community read book, 'The Day the World Came to an End'. In the children's area, we will be showing the movie, Despicable Me 4 (PG)! Come see what the newest member of the Gru family is up to! Fresh popcorn will be provided!

This week, the library is highlighting two new non-fiction books.

Take Care of Them Like My Own: Faith, Fortitude, and a Surgeon's Fight for Health Justice by Ala Stanford, M.D. In her inspirational memoir, Stanford, the founder of the Black Doctors Consortium, highlights the devastating racial injustices in our healthcare system. The author thanks her faith, her family, and her sheer strength of will for enabling her to become one of the vanishingly small number of Black women surgeons in America and an unrelenting force in the fight for health justice. She explains how her experiences on both sides of the scalpel informed her understanding of America's insidious and lethal racial health gap that exacts a devastating toll on Black communities across the country. When COVID-19 arrived in her hometown of Philadelphia, Dr. Stanford knew that it would disproportionately affect the Black population. Observing the city's inability or unwillingness to protect its most vulnerable citizens, she took matters into her own hands. She purchased a van, made some calls, and began administering tests in church parking lots. Soon, she found herself at the helm of a powerful grassroots campaign that would successfully vaccinate tens of thousands of Philadelphians. She and her movement are living proof that by drawing on faith, community, and personal strength, everyday people can stimulate tremendous change.  This book offers urgent lessons about the power of communities working together to care for one another and the importance of fighting for a healthcare system that truly fulfills its promise to all Americans.

Impossible Takes Longer: 75 Years After Its Creation, Has Israel Fulfilled Its Founders' Dreams?by Daniel Gordis. In 1948, Israel's founders sought a "national home for the Jewish people," where Jewish life would be transformed. The state that Israel has become, Gordis asserts, is one of extraordinary success and maddening disappointment, unprecedented human triumph and great suffering. When Israel reached its seventy-fifth anniversary, it was in the throes of a judicial reform crisis. With the October 7th War, Israel was attacked form the outside and plunged into existential uncertainty. In light of that 75 year history and the events of 2023, the author asks whether the country has fulfilled the dreams of its founders. With Israel's Declaration of Independence as ruler of sorts, Gordis measures Israel's achievements, critiques its failures, and acknowledges its contradictions. Gordis ultimately suggest that although it has fallen short at times, the Jewish state has experienced success far beyond anything its founders imagined.

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  During October, we’ll be making Halloween “book witches” and in November, scarecrows using clear glass bottles.  Please bring your own bottle!  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM. $5 for the remaining week in this session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, October 1 - November 12th from 6-7 PM (No class on Election Day - November 5th).

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— November 13th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM (following the school calendar). Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Thursdays:

Trick or Treat, October 31st, 5-7 PM. Enter our children’s library from the ramp on Main St during trick or treat hours for a scare-free experience. If you’re brave, enter our Burney St entrance for a spine-chilling venture through the stacks! We’ll be closing early to set up for our biggest event of the year!

First Thursday Book Club, November 7th, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Community Read- The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland.  Thursday, November 21st, 2024, at 6:00 PM.   Based on interviews with the passengers, the locals, and the airline crews, this book tells the true story of how the residents of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 6,132 passengers who were diverted to their town during 9/11 and recounts the acts of kindness and generosity that the people of Gander showed to the stranded travelers. We’ll listen to the author, Jim DeFede, being interviewed and then join in a discussion about his book. Contact the library to request a copy to read before this discussion. 

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, November 2nd, 9th, 16th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

Screenplay Saturday, November 23rd at 11 AM. Down by the fireplace, we will be showing the movie, Come From Away (NR), which is the musical based on our community read book, 'The Day the World Came to an End'. In the children's area, we will be showing the movie, Despicable Me 4 (PG)! Come see what the newest member of the Gru family is up to! Fresh popcorn will be provided!

Thrillers combine elements of crime, horror and other genres, but are best defined by the moods they elicit in readers: heightened feelings of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation and anxiety. If you’re looking for a book that will keep you up at night, check out these new thrillers!

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden. She's looking for the perfect man. He's looking for the perfect victim. Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She's seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can't shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot. Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He's charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet. Then the brutal murder of a young woman—the latest in a string of deaths across the coast—confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them. Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can't shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn't get to the truth, she'll be the killer's next victim... 

Bad Liar by Tami Hoag. A murder victim dumped at the dead end of a lonely country road, face and hands obliterated by a shotgun blast, is not the way sheriff's detective Nick Fourcade wants to start his week. His only lead takes him to the family of a hometown hero suddenly gone missing. Marc Mercier left his home for a weekend hunting trip and hasn't been seen since. Meanwhile, sheriff's detective Annie Broussard begins her first day back on the job after suffering a brutal attack by taking on the case of B'Lynn Fontenot, a mother desperate to find her grown son, a recovering drug addict. Robbie Fontenot has been missing for eight days, but the local police have no interest in the case, telling B'Lynn that an adult has the right to disappear, and a missing addict is no big surprise. But B'Lynn swears her son was turning his life around. Sympathetic to a mother's anguish, Annie agrees to help B'Lynn, knowing she's about to start a turf war with the city police. As Annie searches for Robbie Fontenot and Nick investigates the disappearance of Marc Mercier, it quickly becomes apparent that nothing is as it seems in the lives of either man. And it's still not clear whether either--or neither--of them might be the unidentified murder victim. Old jealousies and fresh deceits, family loyalties gone wrong and love turned sour all lay a twisting trail that leads deep into the Louisiana swamp, endangering all who cross the path of a bad liar.

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  During October, we’ll be making Halloween “book witches” and in November, scarecrows using clear glass bottles.  Please bring your own bottle!  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM. $15 for the remaining 3 weeks in this session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, October 1 - November 12th from 6-7 PM (No class on Election Day - November 5th).

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— November 13th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM (following the school calendar). Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, November 7th, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Trick or Treat, October 31st, 5-7 PM. Enter our children’s library from the ramp on Main St during trick or treat hours for a scare-free experience. If you’re brave, enter our Burney St entrance for a spine-chilling venture through the stacks! We’ll be closing early to set up for our biggest event of the year!

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time @ The Library Need help navigating mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

This week, the library is featuring two new non-fiction titles.

A Very Vintage Holiday: Collecting, Decorating, and Celebrating All Year Long by Bob Richter. This book celebrates the joy and sentimentality associated with all of the major holidays on the calendar from Easter to Halloween to Christmas and more. The author believes that vintage decorations, holiday customs, history and lush images bring great comfort, connection, and continuity to our lives in this fast-paced world. Slowing down and connecting is the goal for each holiday we celebrate. Carving pumpkins, dying Easter eggs, or hanging Christmas stockings all help to bond us with our loved ones and bring forth good memories while creating new ones. The book is loaded with beautiful photographs, tips on collecting, and suggestions on how to make family heirlooms. Each chapter is focused on a different holiday. The common thread that runs through all of the chapters is the love of beautiful holiday decorations and an interest in their history, preservation and relevance in today's world

We Used to Dream of Freedom: A Memoir of Family, the Holocaust, and the Stories We Don't Tell by Sam Chaiton. Sam Chaiton and his four brothers grew up in Toronto and they knew that their parents had once been prisoners in Bergen-Belson. Their parents, however, did not share their whole story which included the fact that they had also survived Auschwitz. What the author's parents did not share ended up shaping their children's lives. This book explores the psychology of survivors and the impact of survivor silence on the family. The book also explores the responsibility of second generations from traumatized communities to share knowledge from their own histories to help alleviate the suffering of others. The book moves from being irreverent at times to moving and tragic. It tells the story of a man who disappeared on his family and his quest to understand why it was that he just had to leave. It also reveals a long-overdue discovery about the author's parents that ultimately brought him back.

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your own crafts or work with our craft supplies. We will have a sample project each week if you need inspiration on what to make.  During October, we’ll be making Halloween “book witches” and in November, scarecrows using clear glass bottles.  Please bring your own bottle!  Enjoy coffee, tea, and the company of other adults as you work.  Ages 15 and up are invited to attend.

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM. $20 for the remaining 4 weeks in this session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, October 1 - November 12th from 6-7 PM (No class on Election Day - November 5th).

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— November 13th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM (following the school calendar). Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Thursdays:

Community Read- The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland.  Thursday, November 21st, 2024, at 6:00 PM.   Based on interviews with the passengers, the locals, and the airline crews, this book tells the true story of how the residents of Gander, Newfoundland welcomed 6,132 passengers who were diverted to their town during 9/11 and recounts the acts of kindness and generosity that the people of Gander showed to the stranded travelers. We’ll listen to the author, Jim DeFede, being interviewed and then join in a discussion about his book. Contact the library to request a copy to read before this discussion.  

First Thursday Book Club, November 7th, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Trick or Treat, October 31st, 5-7 PM. Enter our children’s library from the ramp on Main St during trick or treat hours for a scare-free experience. If you’re brave, enter our Burney St entrance for a spine-chilling venture through the stacks! We’ll be closing early to set up for our biggest event of the year!

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, October 19th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

A work of fiction and one of nonfiction are in the library's spotlight this week.

The Curious Kidnapping of Nora W. by Cate Green, Nora Wojnaswki is her family's matriarch, a Holocaust survivor, and at 122 years and four months old, she's 18 days away from being the oldest person ever to have lived in this world and potentially a Guinness World Record holder. As her big day approaches, her family is determined to celebrate in style, but Nora's great granddaughter, Debs, is not too happy about being left in charge of the party. Their Rabbi can't commit to a date and the Wojnawski clan can't agree on what food should be served. Nora, however, isn't your average centenarian and has very different ideas. She disappears with her caregiver, Arifa, and goes on a trip down memory lane in the East End of London when a wartime secret Nora has kept buried deep for 70 years will finally be revealed. Green has written that this book, her debut novel, is not a historical novel, and it's not a novel about victims of war and injustice. Instead, this is a novel about survivors of war and injustice and their lives as ordinary people with extraordinary pasts.

Birding Under the Influence: Cycling Across America in Search of Birds and Recovery by Dorian Anderson. Anderson, a neuroscience researcher on a pressure-filled life trajectory.  He walks away from the world of elite institutions, research labs, and academic publishing. When he does this, he falls in love and discovers that he has freed himself to embrace his lifelong love for birding. He embarks on a continent-spanning adventure in which he attempts to see as many species of birds as possible in twelve months.  This would be a massive undertaking under any circumstances, but Anderson is doing this on a bike while maintaining his sobriety. As the author pedals across the country describing the birds he sees, he faces the challenges of long-distance cycling such as treacherous weather, punctured tires, speeding cars, and injury. He comes across eccentric characters, blistering blacktop, dreary hotel rooms, snarling dogs, and an endless sea of smoking tailpipes. He also confronts his past struggles with alcohol, drugs, and risky behaviors that began in high school and followed him into adulthood.  This book is a candid, honest look at Dorian's double life of academic accomplishments and addiction. His journey to recovery is both poignant and inspiring, and it is ultimately his love of birds and nature that provides the scaffolding to build a new and very different life.

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your crafts or work with our craft supplies! Enjoy coffee, tea and the company of other adults while you work on your creative projects. 

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM. $30 for this 6 week session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, October 1 - November 12th from 6-7 PM (No class on Election Day - November 5th).

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— November 13th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM (following the school calendar). Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, October 3, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Trick or Treat, October 31st, 5-7 PM. Enter our children’s library from the ramp on Main St during trick or treat hours for a scare-free experience. If you’re brave, enter our Burney St entrance for a spine-chilling venture through the stacks! We’ll be closing early to set up for our biggest event of the year!

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, October 5th, 12th, 19th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

If you’ve browsed the library shelves lately, you might have noticed an increasing number of bright orange labels. These spine labels are to draw your attention to the LARGE PRINT books in our collection, including the following new fiction titles:

Snake Oil by Kelsey Rae Dimberg. Rhoda West is the luminously charismatic founder of the fast-growing startup Radical, a wellness company whose core mission is the betterment of women's lives. Rhoda's Instagram page offers intimate glimpses of her personal life alongside promotions for the cult-status products developed in the Well, Radical's secretive lab. Dani Lang is a 'quester,' as Rhoda calls her most avid followers. Dani found Radical at a low point in her life, and took an entry-level job just to get in the door. When she volunteers to test a controversial new supplement, Dani wins an opportunity to rise in the company, even to work with Rhoda herself. Cecelia Cole is a 'quasher.' She grinds away at the Customer Worship queue, resenting the entitled customers, the woo-woo Radical jargon, and Rhoda's smiling hypocrisy. Cecelia, who suffers from a miserable chronic illness, knows the remedies that Rhoda sells can't cure real sickness. Just as Rhoda announces another fundraising round that could turn Radical into a billion-dollar unicorn, an anonymous Twitter account begins spilling snarky gossip from inside the startup. Is Rhoda really the nurturing leader she presents to the world, or a fraud? Or is this just another case of a woman in business being punished for her strength and audacity? Tensions rise and loyalties clash, then tragedy strikes during a company party. In the aftermath of what looks more and more like a crime, even the most faithful questers begin to wonder what lengths Rhoda will go to protect her company. Part page-turning suspense, part darkly comic skewering of startup culture, Snake Oil is a gripping exploration of ambition and authenticity, shining a revealing light on the wellness world.

Happiness Falls by Angie Kim. This book tells the story of a biracial Korean American family in Virginia whose lives are upended when their beloved father and husband goes missing. Mia is the irreverent, hyper analytical twenty-year-old daughter who is not initially concerned when her father and younger brother Eugene do not return from a walk in a nearby park. But, then, Eugene runs through the front door bloody and alone and it is clear that the father in this close knit family is gone and the only witness is Eugene. Eugene has a rare genetic condition called Angelman syndrome and cannot speak. What ensues is a ticking clock investigation about this missing man and a revelation of a family's most personal secrets which just may be at the heart of the disappearance.

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle, Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your crafts or work with our craft supplies! Enjoy coffee, tea and the company of other adults while you work on your creative projects. 

Yoga at the Library, Tuesdays at 6 PM. $30 for this 6 week session, payable to Instructor Dave Sivley. Tuesdays, October 1 - November 12th from 6-7 PM (No class on Election Day - November 5th).

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— October 9th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM (following the school calendar). Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Newton Family History: The Rest of the Story, presented by Allen Butchbaker. Wednesday, October 9th at 6 PM. Learn about the significance of the Newton family and their impact that reaches far beyond Volinia Township. 

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, October 3, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Trick or Treat, October 31st, 5-7 PM. Enter our children’s library from the ramp on Main St during trick or treat hours for a scare-free experience. If you’re brave, enter our Burney St entrance for a spine-chilling venture through the stacks! We’ll be closing early to set up for our biggest event of the year!

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

History of the Pokagon Band, during First Friday, October 4th, 4-7 PM. Cecil Wilson, Historic Research Specialist, studies the vast history of the Potawatomi people and shares his findings with communities. He will be here to discuss the background of the Pokagon Band!

Kebaonish Tea Tasting,  during First Friday, October 4th, 4-7 PM. Kebaonish is an indigenous and woman-led coffee/tea company who take pride in their tea blends inspired by the Anishinaabe Seven Grandfather Teachings. Experience the essence of these timeless principles.

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, October 5th, 12th, 19th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

This week, the library is highlighting two new reference books for adults (Note: Neither book is a replacement for the expertise and professional services of licensed attorneys.)

Nolo's Essential Guide to Child Custody & Support 6th Edition by Emily Doskow. A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley School of law, the author is a practicing attorney and mediator who has worked with families in the San Francisco Bay area since 1989. She specializes in family law, including adoption, parentage issues, domestic partnership formation and dissolution, and divorce. When getting divorced, couples can make a tough time easier for themselves and their children if they work together to agree on a custody plan and child support. If they can't resolve these issues, they'll have to head to court and ask a judge to decide for them. Either way, this book can help. Readers will learn how to negotiate and use mediation to keep costs down and improve future dealings with an ex-partner, find a particular state's child support guidelines, and advocate for desired custody arrangements. This guidebook covers how to enforce and change custody and support orders, anticipate how a judge will handle a case if it goes to trial, recognize the situations when a lawyer is necessary, and the best ways to work with a lawyer. 

Law Forms for Personal Use 12th Edition by the Nolo Editors. At some point in time, all of us will need to get an agreement in writing. Where to start, however, is the question! This reference book makes it easy to create legal agreements and organize essential information. The plain-English instructions will help readers to plan an estate, delegate authority, rent out a place to live, borrow or lend money, and sell personal property. Readers will also learn new information about how to settle legal disputes, handle personal finances, hire household help, deal with scammers and telemarketers, and so much more! The book includes downloadable forms, letting the reader save and customize all of the agreements, checklists, and other forms within the book.

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle: Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your crafts or work with our craft supplies! Enjoy coffee, tea and the company of other adults while you work on your creative projects. 

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— October 9th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM starting September 11th. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Newton Family History: The Rest of the Story, presented by Allen Butchbaker. Wednesday, October 9th at 6 PM. Learn about the significance of the Newton family and their impact that reaches far beyond Volinia Township. 

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, October 3, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

A Trail of Money and Death, September 26th at 5 PM. A virtual presentation on the Morris Murders by the author of A Trail of Money and Death, offering another perspective on the unsolved murders of Esther and Charles Morris in 1879. 

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, October 5th, 12th, 19th, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!

This week, the library is highlighting two new non-fiction books.

I Heard There Was a Secret Chord: Music as Medicine by Daniel J. Levitin.  Music is perhaps one of humanity's oldest medicines and its most universal.  Historically, multiple cultures have developed rich traditions for using sound and rhythm to ease suffering, stimulate healing, and calm the mind. However, despite this history, music therapy has long been considered alternative medicine, quackery, or pseudoscience. In the last decade, though, a body of scientific research has brought forth evidence that music can offer profoundly effective treatment for a wide range of ailments—from Alzheimer's to PTSD, depression, pain and cognitive injury. Levitin explores the critical role music has played in human evolution. Music insinuates itself into our earliest memories and it is closely connected to our emotional regulation and mental activities. Music can have profound benefits for both young and old.

Sailing Alone: A Surprising History of Isolation and Survival at Sea by Richard L. King.  In this book, King chronicles the daring, disastrous, and often bizarre history of those who chose to sail across the ocean in very small boats alone. When one sails alone and out of sight of land, the experience can be invigorating and terrifying, compelling and tedious and often all in a few hours. There is also a lot of time to think and reflect. This book tells the story of some of the remarkable individuals who, over the last four centuries, have spent weeks and months moving slowly over the world's oceans. These individuals have observed themselves, the weather, the stars and skies, and sea creatures both small and massive. King includes the account of his own nearly catastrophic solo crossing of the Atlantic, and the mystery of his inexplicable survival one sunny afternoon.

Upcoming Events at the Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library:

Tuesdays:

Creative Social Circle: Tuesdays at 5 PM. Bring your crafts or work with our craft supplies! Enjoy coffee, tea and the company of other adults while you work on your creative projects. 

Southwest Michigan Reads: Tobin Buhk, September 24th at 6:30 PM at Arclight Brewing Company in Watervliet. Join readers from all over southwest Michigan to hear Tobin Buhk, author of Killer Women of Michigan cover the darker side of regional history. The true crime author will be signing books following the presentation. Food truck, Hendo’s BBQ will be on site beginning at 6 PM. 

Wednesdays:

Support Group for Parents of Challenging Kids, the 2nd Wednesday of every month— October 9th at 9 AM Parenting isn’t easy. If you are feeling overwhelmed, join others to gain valuable support coping strategies and information about community resources.

Preschool Story Hour, Wednesdays at 11 AM starting September 11th. Join us for music, movement, stories & crafts intended for ages 0-5 and their parents/caregivers.

Thursdays:

First Thursday Book Club, October 3, 2024, 12 NOON-1 PM. Join others to chat about what you have been reading or to get suggestions from others.

Comic Book Workshop, September 19th at 4 PM. Do Art Productions will cover the foundations of creating your own comics with this interactive and entertaining program aimed at ages 6-15. 

Community Read.  September 19 at 6 PM.  September’s Community Read will be focused on Lisa Wingate’s The Book of Lost Friends.  We’ll listen to the author being interviewed and then join in a discussion about her book.  If you would like us to obtain a copy of the book for you in time for this experience, just contact the library!

A Trail of Money and Death, September 26th at 5 PM. A virtual presentation on the Morris Murders by the author of A Trail of Money and Death, offering another perspective on the unsolved murders of Esther and Charles Morris in 1879. 

Fridays:

Lego at the Library, Fridays 3:00-4:30 PM. Build & create with our Lego & Duplo collections!  All ages are welcome!

Saturdays:

Tech Time, select Saturdays, September 21st, From 10AM-1PM. Are you struggling with your phone? Do you have trouble navigating the internet? Do you need help with mel.org, the Libby App or the Marcellus Library Catalog? Drop in the library to ask Justin your IT related questions and learn to navigate your device or our computers!