Episode Transcript
[00:00:17] Speaker A: Greetings readers. Welcome to the second episode of our January 2025 Library News. As we kick off the new year, we've got some exciting updates, book recommendations and events to share. Whether you're a fan of cozy reads, intriguing podcasts, or community happenings, there's something for everyone this month.
[00:00:34] Speaker B: Let's dive in for this month's dela Spotlight Midwinter Mysteries Midwinter Fireside Tales from the Queen of Mystery By Agatha Christie, DB117068 There's a chill in the air and the days are growing shorter. It's the perfect time to curl up in front of a crackling fire with these wintry whodunits from the l legendary Agatha Christie. But beware of deadly snowdrifts and dangerous gifts, poisoned meals and mysterious guests. This chilling compendium of short stories, some featuring beloved detectives Hercule Poirot and Ms. Marple, is an essential omnibus for Christie fans and the perfect holiday gift for mystery lovers. Cruel Winter A Cork County Mystery By Sheila Conley, DB93003 Snow is a rarity in Maura Donovan's small village in County Cork, Ireland, so she wasn't sure what to expect when a major snowstorm rolled in around Sullivan's Pub. But now she's stranded in a bar full of patrons and a suspected killer in a long ago murder. Mrs. Jefferies and the Midwinter Murders by Emily Brightwell, DB 110074 Mrs. Jeffries and Inspector Witherspoon should be checking off their Christmas present list by but instead they're listing murder suspects in this latest entry of the Victorian mystery series. Harriet Andover had no intention of dying young like her silly siblings had. She intended to outlive them and outdo them as she always had. But Harriet discovers that the best intentions can lead to murder when she is strangled inside her mansion with a house full of holiday guests. As much as Inspector Witherspoon enjoys his job delivering justice, the last thing he wanted was a complicated murder case just a week before Christmas. He soon discovers that Harriet's own husband and grown stepchildren are not overcome with grief, and neither are most of her friends. And to put the icing on the Christmas cookies, the room where Harriet's body was found was locked from the inside, and she had the only key in her pocket. Mrs. Jeffries in the household have no intention of letting their inspector down and learn that Harriet's sister may have died from foul play as well. As the clues mount, this dedicated band of Mary Sleuths will not rest until they've delivered a stocking full of coal to a crow.
[00:03:01] Speaker C: Crafty Killer the Dark Winter by David John Mark, DB 93866 A series of suspicious deaths rock the English port city of Hull and capture the attention of Detective Sergeant Aker McAvoy, a physically imposing man far more comfortable. Exploring computer databases, then throwing around his muscle, he notices a pattern missed by his fellow officers. Dead of Winter By Stephen Mac Jones, DB 103463 when the dying owner of Authentico Foods calls Detroit ex cop August Snow to a business meeting, August isn't expecting to be asked to buy the business. August isn't interested in the purchase, but wants to know who is blackmailing the owner to sell it to him. A Midwinter's Tale By Sophie Kelly, DB 79612 this holiday season, Mayville Heights librarian Kathleen Paulson has her hands full hosting a fundraising event, and when a guest at the gala drops dead, Kathleen's uncanny cats Owen and Hercules will have their paws full of helping her solve the murder.
Midwinter Nightingale By Joan Aiken, DB 57160 Dido and her friend Simon, Duke of Battersea, have many perilous adventures trying to protect the ailing King James from the plotting of the evil Baron Magnus.
The baron is determined that his brutish son Lothar will be the next King of England.
[00:05:16] Speaker A: Between summer's Longing and Winter's End, the Story of a crime by Leif G.W. person, DB 112379 A young man falls to his death from a window in a student dorm in Stockholm, his loose shoe striking and killing, the little dog being taken for his evening walk by an old man. It seems to be a mundane suicide, at least that's what the police chose to think. But the young man is American, not Swedish, and there are a couple of odd things about the room when they search it. From these tiny beginnings, Leif GW Person slowly begins to unravel a puzzle that gets larger and larger as it becomes more and more complex, until it sweeps us into a web of international espionage, backroom politics, greed, sheer incompetence, and the shoddy work of Sweden's intelligence force that leads to the murder of the prime minister, the first novel in a dark and dazzling trilogy that has become the defining fictional account of the unsolved 1986 assassination of Swedish Prime Minister Olaf Palm, an event that triggered the biggest criminal investigation in recorded history.
Between Summer's Longing and Winter's End is a riveting insider's combination of black satire, thriller, psychological drama and police procedural by a writer universally acknowledged as Sweden's leading criminologist.
The Wolves of Midwinter, by Anne Rice, DB 77830 After Reuben Golding's transformation in the previous book, Morfinkinder tutors him in his Wolfen powers. Meanwhile, Ruben's pack prepares for Midwinter festivities despite tension with a rival group.
Death on a Winter's Day By Verdi Bright, DB 105940Amateur sleuth lady Eleanor Swift has been invited by friends to spend Christmas in Scotland. But when an unpopular business associate of her host is found dead and the host arrested, Eleanor must discover who the killer is amongst the other guests.
[00:07:44] Speaker B: For January, our Magazine of the Month is Reader's Digest. Known for its diverse content, this publication offers a blend of short stories, political analysis, and a wide range of general interest topics. Many articles are condensed from popular print magazines while also featuring humor, antidotes and a condensed book each issue. Reader's Digest is published 10 times a year and is available in various formats, including audio on cartridge, audio downloads through Bard, and braille downloads through Bard.
[00:08:18] Speaker C: Hey hi, it's Leland here with your monthly tech tip. Today I wanted to share the easiest way to enter passwords in the NLS ereaders.
If it's entering your password for your WI fi or to log into Bard, this tip will help you Once you have navigated to the place where your password goes, you will see the words Enter password with what feels like square brackets using dots 7 and 8 with a cursor which is just dots 7 8. If you don't see the cursor, locate the blank braille cell between the square brackets and slide your finger up to the low button above and press it.
Check the braille and you should now see the cursor 78 inside the square brackets.
Now for entering your password. The easiest way to ensure the E reader understands what you are typing Use uncontracted braille and numbers preceded by dots 345 6.
If your number is followed by a, b, c, D, E, F, G, H, I or J, you'll need to enter dots 56 otherwise these letters will become numbers and that's it. Typing in passwords on your NLS E reader following these tips will help you sign in to different services and in case if you have specialty characters like the at sign, dollar sign, pound sign uses two cells. At is dot four dot one dollar is dot four dot two three four the letter S and pound sign is dots 4561456. As always, feel free to give us a call at 5 1-528-11-1323. If you have troubles or question about passwords with your NLS E Reader.
[00:10:55] Speaker D: Welcome to this month's Spotlight. This is Jerry with the imc. And today we're going to explore some of the most influential works of literature. Today we're diving into the most famous satires ever written. Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. Published in 1726, Swift's novel is much more than just an adventure story. It's a biting critique of politics, human nature and society itself.
Gulliver's Travels follows Lemu Gulliver, an English surgeon, as he embarks on a series of fantastical voyages to far off lands. Each journey introduces him to strange civilizations that force him to question everything from the structure of government to the flaws of human nature.
Let's take a quick look at four main voyages, each more absurd than the last, yet rich with layers of meaning.
In the first book, Gulliver ends up in Lilliput, a tiny island where the inhabiters are just 6 inches tall. On the surface, it's a fun adventure. Imagine a giant among miniature people. But Swift uses a small world to satirize the pettiness of political conflict. The Lilliputians are obsessed with trivial disputes like which end of an egg should be cracked open.
It's a clever allegory of ridiculousness of the world political factions in Swift's time, especially in England.
Next, Gulliver travels to Brodingang, where everything is the opposite. Here he's a tiny one surrounded by giants. At first he's terrified, but as he interacts with the giant inhabitants, he realizes their society is more rational and virtuous than his own.
Through this contrast, Swift critiques the corruption and moral decay of European society.
In the third book, Gulliver lands on Laputa, a floating island inhabited by people so absorbed in abstract thought that they've completely lost touch with reality. This represents Swift's criticism of the intellectual elite of the time, those who, in their pursuit of theoretical knowledge, forgot the practical and human aspects of life.
Finally, in the fourth book, Gulliver finds himself in the land of Hunim. Rational, peaceful horses who live in harmony. They view humans, who they call Yahoos as brutal, filthy creatures. A mirror of human nature as Swift saw it.
Through this chilling portrayal of human depravity, Swift challenges readers to examine the darker side of their own nature.
At its heart, Gulliver's Travels is about perspective. Swift forces us to look at ourselves through the lens of the absurd, to laugh at the follies of society, but also to reflect on our own behavior. What makes this novel still relevant today is how universal and timeless its critiques are. Whether it's political corruption, the dangers of unchecked intellectualism, or the flaws of human nature, Swift's sharp wit and dark humor cut through the centuries.
So the next time you read Gulliver's Travels, remember that it's not just a story about a man traveling to strange lands. It's a cautionary tale, a mirror reflecting our own world back at us in the most absurd and thought provoking ways. Thanks for listening to this month's Staff Spotlight. We'll see you then next time. For more adventures in literature.
[00:14:56] Speaker A: Save the Date the Iowa Regional Braille Challenge will be held Saturday, February 22, 2025 at the Iowa Department for the Blind. Braille readers in grades 1st through 12th from Iowa will gather to test their Braille skills in five reading comprehension, Braille spelling charts and graphs, reading proofreading and Braille speed and accuracy. Winners of the Iowa Regional Braille Challenge may go on to compete in the national finals in California. The theme for 2025 is Blast off with Braille. This year. Following the competition, there will be an ice cream social and birthday bash for the Iowa Department for the Blind, who celebrates its 100th birthday in 2025.
Join us in making your own ice cream, karaoke and more.
[00:15:45] Speaker B: The NLS program Smart Speaking to the Smart speaker will begin on Thursday, January 16 at 6. This month's topic is Searching for Books using a Smart Speaker. The session will start with a presentation on various search methods followed by a live demonstration. Afterward, participants will have the opportunity to ask questions about searching or anything else related to using the My Talking Book skill on Alexa enabled Smart Speakers. For login information, please contact the library.
The All May eread the monthly NLS program that focuses on the NLS Braille Ereader will be held at Tuesday, January 28, 6pm via Zoom. You can contact the library to get login information for all the NLS programs.
[00:16:33] Speaker C: The Collections Division of the National Library Service has a new monthly newsletter that can be delivered directly to your email inbox. Collection Connections is a monthly e newsletter that contains books of note curated by the NLS Collections Division. Each issue contains book lists to spark your curiosity and interest. To sign up, send an email to connectionsoc.gov the library will be closed Monday, January 20th in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Please don't hesitate to contact the library with any questions or comments at 515-281-1132, 3 or by email at librarylind state ia us.
The library is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 4:30pm Happy reading.
