Coming in June, 2024 Summer Reading "Adventure Begins at Your Library".

Pick Up Your Passport for a Chance to Win Summer Reading Prizes 

Summer Reading 2024 is approaching, and we are getting ready for the best time of year! This year’s theme is Adventure Begins At Your Library. You will be keeping track of all the books you read with a passport, and each book will earn a stamp to show where you visited through reading. There will be 2 adult prize options. The first is a backpack with a lunchbox and charging port, a solar charging flashlight, a first aid kit, and walking sticks. The other prize is a crossbody bag, with a travel mug, binoculars, and a vintage wooden world travel puzzle. We have over 170 programs for all ages! Come and join us as we go on different adventures at the library! See below for some Summer Reading events coming in June and July! For a complete list of events, please visit the Events Calendar.

Adventures in Watercolor for Beginners

Part 1: Wednesday, 6/6 @ 10 am / Part 2: Wednesday, 6/13 @ 10 am / Part 3: Wednesday, 6/20 @ 10 am
Adventures in Watercolor for Beginner.  Begin your summer adventures by learning to paint in Watercolor. This class is for adults that have not previously attended a beginner 101 class in watercolor at the library. In this class you will learn about brushes, appropriate paper, different paints and painting techniques and complete a painting and book mark. Registrations is required as space is limited.  Adults only please.

Votes for Women! - A Chautauqua Event

Thursday, 6/13 @ 6:30 pm
Madeline McDowell Breckinridge- or Madge, as she preferred- was both a state and national leader of the women’s suffrage movement, and was highly instrumental in Kentucky’s ratification of the 19th Amendment, granting American women the right to vote. Born in Franklin County and raised in Lexington, Madge, the great-granddaughter of Henry Clay, was expected to dedicate her life to public service- but she surpassed every expectation. While her biggest triumph was the women’s suffrage movement, Madge was also a progressive reformer who worked tirelessly to advance the living conditions of the poor, established educational programs, changed the outlook on child welfare and juvenile rehabilitation, and promoted the needs for tuberculosis research. Unafraid and unapologetic, Madge used every opportunity to reach anyone who would listen.  She recited countless speeches and marched in many demonstrations, calling for “Votes for Women” – and proudly cast her ballot in the U. S. Presidential Election of 1920.

Adventures with the Other Side: Ghost Hunting Stories and Evidence

Saturday, 6/15 @ 6:30 pm
Adventures in Ghost Hunting.  Ghosts are not confined to October!  This summer, as we explore ways to start adventures at your library, we will join the Tri-State Shadow Chasers, a local paranormal investigative group, as they teach us all about ghost hunting.  They will share the equipment they use and explain the science and theories behind their investigative techniques and of course, they will show us the evidence they have captured!  Cool off this summer with this chilling program. 

Adventures in Amigurumi

Sunday, 6/16 @ 1 pm / Wednesday, 6/19 @ 10 am / Friday, 6/21 @ 5 pm
Join us for a tutorial on all things amigurumi and get started on making a stuffed friend of your own! Amigurumi are a type of small, stuffed 3D toy or figure made with crochet. Registration is required.

The Underground Railroad and American Memory

Thursday, 6/20 @ 6 pm
Dr. Turley will provide a review of the Underground Railroad as the product of the work of black and white southerners committed to an evangelical cause of freedom written about in Dr. Turley's latest book Gospel of Freedom: Black Evangelicals and the Underground Railroad. This book tells the story of Dr. Turley's ancestor's journey from slavery to freedom, who eventually settled in Powell County, Kentucky. This program is a joint presentation of the Scott County Historical Society and the Scott County Public Library.

Adventures in Rock Climbing

Thursday, 6/27 @ 6:30 pm
Have you ever wanted to go rock climbing?  Learn all about this great indoor/outdoor activity from those experienced in the field.  You will learn about equipment, techniques, places to climb and some great stories along the way.

Adventures in Painting Water with Watercolor

Thursday, 7/11 @ 10 am
Adventures in Painting Water with Watercolor.  Painting water can be very difficult! In this class you will experiment with painting water in its natural element and explore its many facets. This is not a beginner class but requires some previous painting experience to get the best results.  Registration is required as space is limited.  Adults only please.

SCPL Sounds: Brent Larimore

Saturday, 7/13 @ 2 pm
SCPL Sounds with Brent Larimore.  Enjoy a peaceful interlude by our fireplace with the soothing music of Brent Larimore.

Adventures in Picture Framing on a Dime

Monday, 7/15 @ 10 am
Framing artwork is expensive!  In this class, you will learn how to frame your art work for display without the high cost of framing shops. Registration is required.

Cooking Through the Calendar

Thursday, 7/18 @ 6 pm
Join Alivia Faris, Scott County Cooperative Extension FCA Agent, as she prepares recipes from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Nutrition Calendar. Tastings are included. Please register.

Military History Group: Tora! Tora! Tora! Movie

Saturday, 7/20 @ 2pm
Come and see the movie Tora! Tora! Tora! This historically accurate film of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor will be presented by the Military History Group.  It will be discussed in more detail at our October meeting.  You are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch.

Steel Appeal: Steel Drum Band Concert

Saturday, 7/27 @ 2pm
The sound of the Caribbean is coming to Georgetown as steel drum afficionado, Dr. Chad Floyd, brings his still drum community band to town on July 27th, performing at Scott County Public Library. He welcomes the community to join him!

Adventures at the Movies: The African Queen

Monday, 7/29 @ 5:30 pm
If you have never seen The African Queen starring Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, you must see it here.  This 1951 classic is based on the novel by C. S. Forester.

We'll highlight topics of interest and share ideas that matter to you. Have a story to share? Send me an email at Melissa@scottpublib.org.

The World’s Great Mysteries

Inquisitive about the strange sightings people claim they’ve seen?  Or wonder if the Earth still holds mysteries yet to be realized?  At Scott County Public Library, we have a wide variety of books that cater to the inquiring mind. Do cryptids really lurk in the dark shadows? Is Bigfoot a reality or just a product of our overactive imaginations?  Are the stories we heard sitting around a campfire a reality or a hoax to get little children to behave?  Check out these selections and decide for yourself!

Mysterious Realms; Probing Paranormal, Historical and Forensic Enigmas  
by Joe Nickell and John  F. Fischer

Investigative writer Joe Nickell and forensic analyst John Fischer probe ten tantalizing mysteries which for decades have defied rational analysis and convinced many people that supernatural events really do happen. Using their skills and experience in historic document examination and forensic research, Nickell and Fischer carefully scrutinize the evidence for a variety of strange historical, paranormal, and forensic phenomena. Is a Kentucky house really haunted by a “’gray lady’s ghost?” Did Lee Harvey Oswald assassinate J.F. K. or was it a Soviet lookalike?  Has the U. S. government concealed evidence of UFO visitations to Earth?  Taking neither a credulous nor a close-minded approach, Nickell and Fischer search for answers to these questions and other mysterious conundrums. Their deductions and proposed solutions-which make use of blood chemistry, forensic analysis, document examinations, and a knowledge of stage magic-are truly worthy of Sherlock Holmes and will keep readers turning the page to find out “the rest of the story.”

UFO’s: Real or Imagined?   A Scientific Investigation    
by Stanton T. Friedman

The fact of an extraterrestrial presence on and around Earth for least half of the 20^th century has been increasingly accepted in the United States and much of the Western world, albeit slowly. This has happened in spite of continuous efforts of political, military, and cultural authorities in the United States and other nations to obscure and even deny that fact through the release of distorted and false information pertaining to sightings and other reports.

Irrespective of how one views the pros and cons of 60 years of official denial of alien presence on and around our planet, the truth has slowly seeped out into public awareness and acceptance, due in part to many of the inane stories and contradictions offered by official sources. Mostly, however, discovery of the truth has been due to the dedication, thoroughness, and capabilities of a handful of investigators such as Stanton Friedman.

Search at Loch Ness:  The Expedition of the New York Times and the Academy of Applied Science             
By Dennis L. Meredith

For almost 2000 years, stories and rumors about something in Loch ness have circulated.  The something is called The Beast by the people who lived around the Loch, and The Monster by the rest of the world. The scientific establishment in the past has either ignored the mounting evidence of The Beast’s existence or explained these sightings away as the imaginings of amateurs or willful eccentrics. However, in 1972 Dr. Robert Rines, founder of the Academy of Applied Science, photographed what appeared to be a triangular form. In 1975 his camera captured a grotesque horned head.

By 1976, when Dr. Rines led his seventh expedition, this time jointly sponsored by the Academy and the New York Times, the Loch Ness Monster had seized the imagination of millions. The scientists’ sophisticated sonar scanners and strobe light cameras brought them tantalizingly close to their target. They found definite traces of large moving objects, and, as a bonus, some prehistoric stone formations on the bottom of the Loch.

Dennis Meredith was a member of the historic 1976 expedition and here recounts the human as well as the technical aspects of the search. He provides a history of the major sightings and theories, and details how the Academy’s search at Loch Ness started amid general skepticism and even ridicule, but gradually earned the respect and admiration of fellow scientists. There are many theories about the identity of The Beast, but it seems to have a striking similarity to a prehistoric creature- the elasmosaur.  In any case, as a result of the Academy’s work, most would now agree that The Beast not only could, but probably does exist.

American Monsters: A History of Monster Lore, Legends and Sightings in America
By Linda S Godfrey

From pre-Columbian legends to modern-day eyewitness accounts, this comprehensive guide covers the history, sightings, and lore surrounding the most mysterious monsters in America-including Bigfoot, the Jersey Devil, and more.  Bigfoot, chupacabras, and thunderbirds aren’t just figments of our overactive imaginations; according to thousands of eyewitnesses, they exist, in every corner of the United States. Throughout America’s history, shocked onlookers have seen unbelievable creatures of every stripe-from sea serpents to apelike beings, giant bats to wolfmen- in every region.

Nationally recognized author and cryptid investigator Linda S. Godfrey brings the same fearless reporting she lent to Real Wolfmen to this essential guide, using historical records, present-day news reports, and eyewitness interviews to examine the hidden menagerie of America’s homegrown beasts.

Monster Hunters: On the Trail with Ghost Hunters, Bigfooters, Ufologists, and other paranormal investigators
by Tea Krulos

Do ghosts exist? What about Bigfoot, or Skinwalkers?  And how will we ever know?  Journalist Tea Krulos spent over a year traveling nationwide to meet individuals who have made it their life’s passion to hunt down evidence of entities that they believe exist but that others might shrug off as nothing more than myths, fairy tales, or the products of overactive imaginations.

Follow along with Krulos as he joins these believers in the field, exploring haunted houses, trekking through creepy forests, and scanning skies and lakes as they collect data on the unknown- Poltergeists, Chupacabras, Skunk Apes (Bigfoot’s stinky cousin), and West Virginia’s Mothman.  Along the way, he meets a diverse cast of characters- true believers, skeptics, and hoaxers- from the credible to the quirky.  And in the end, Krulos leaves it to the reader to decide; are those people tilting at supernatural windmills, or are they on to something?

Mail to: Michael.stephens@scottpublib.org

Cozy Up With a Classic

Classic novels tend to deal with timeless, universal themes-good vs. evil, the inevitability of death, the corrupting nature of power. They examine the enduring and immutable truth of the human spirit and sweep us away to another world, showing us the best and the worst of human behavior. Check out some of the many classics we have here at Scott County Public Library. They are worth a revisit!

The Grapes of Wrath  
by John Steinbeck

At once naturalist epic, captivity narrative, road novel, and transcendental gospel, Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath is perhaps the most American of American classics. Although it follows the movement of thousands of men and women and the transformation of an entire nation during the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s, The Grapes of Wrath is also the story of one Oklahoma farm family, the Joads, who are driven off their homestead and forced to travel west to the promised land of California. From their trials and the repeated collisions against the hard realities of this new America, Steinbeck creates a drama that is intensely human yet majestic in its scale and moral vision, logical but ultimately stirring in its insistence on human dignity.

BRAVE NEW WORLD  
by Aldous Huxley

A towering classic of dystopian satire, BRAVE NEW WORLD is a brilliant and terrifying vision of a soulless society-and of one man who discovers the human cost of mindless conformity. Hundreds of years in the future, the World Controllers have created an ideal civilization. Its members, shaped by genetic engineering and behavioral conditioning, are productive and content in roles they have been assigned at conception. Government sanctioned drugs and recreational sex ensure that everyone is a happy, unquestioning consumer; messy emotions have been anesthetized and private attachments are considered obscene. Only Bernard Marx is discontented, developing an unnatural desire for solitude and a distaste for compulsory promiscuity.  When he brings back a young man from one of the few remaining Savage Reservations, where the old unenlightened ways still continue, he unleashes a dramatic clash of cultures that will force him to consider whether freedom, dignity, and individuality are worth suffering for.

Pride and Prejudice  
by Jane Austen

Along with the plays of William Shakespeare and the works of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen’s novels are among the most beloved books of Western literature. Pride and Prejudice (1813) was in Austen’s lifetime her most popular novel, and it was the author’s personal favorite. The reader will find a larger appreciation of the novel’s enduring pleasures and provides insight into the lives of Darcy, Elizabeth Bennett, Lady Catherine and all the characters who inhabit the world of Pride and Prejudice. This romantic novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennett, the dynamic protagonist of the book who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness.  Its humor lies in its honest depiction of manners, education, marriage, and money during the Regency era in England. Pride and Prejudice has consistently appeared near the top of lists of “most loved books” among literary scholars and the reading public.

Beloved  
by Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison-author of Song of Solomon and Tar Baby- is a writer of remarkable powers. It is the story set in post-Civil War Ohio of Sethe, an escaped slave who has risked death in order to wrench herself from a living death; who has lost a husband and buried a child; who has borne the unthinkable and not gone mad; a woman of “iron eyes and backbone to match.” Sethe lives in a small house on the edge of town with her daughter, Denver, her mother-in-law Baby Suggs, and a disturbing, mesmerizing intruder who calls herself Beloved. Sethe works at beating back the past, “but it is alive in all of them.” It keeps Denver fearful of straying from the house. It fuels the sadness that settled into Baby Suggs’ desolate center where “the self that was no self, made its home.” Soon Paul D arrives with something “blessed in his manner.  Women saw him and wanted to weep.” Sethe and Paul D share their cathartic stories of their years in captivity. Beloved now has come from the “place over there” to claim retribution for what she has lost and for what was taken from her. In Beloved, Toni Morrison has given us a great American novel.

To Kill A Mockingbird  
by Harper Lee

One of the best-loved stories of all time, To Kill a Mockingbird has been translated into more than forty languages, sold more than forty million copies worldwide, served as the basis for an enormously popular motion picture, and was voted one of the best novels of the twentieth century by librarians across the country.  A gripping, heart-wrenching, and wholly remarkable coming-of-age tale in a South poisoned by virulent prejudice, it views the world of great beauty and savage inequities through the eyes of a young girl, as her father-a crusading local lawyer- risks everything to defend a black man accused of a terrible crime.

So don’t think of the classics as old worn-out stories. Indeed, think of them as an old friend…You haven’t seen them in a while, but wouldn’t it be nice to visit them again?                                                                                          

Mail to: Michael.stephens@scottpublib.org

Authors’ Debut Novels

Each year, many people try their hand at writing, with varying success. But at Scott County Public Library, we have assembled some of the best work by new writers across our country. The debut novels featured here will thrill you and inspire you! If this is the first novel by these writers, I can’t wait to discover what their budding careers will become. These gems have been hailed as some of the best new novels of the year!

The Quiet Tenant
by Clemence Michallon

Aidan Thomas is a hardworking family man and a somewhat beloved figure in the small upstate New York town where he lives. He’s the kind of man who always lends a hand and has a good word for everyone. But Aidan has a dark secret he’s been keeping from everyone in town and those closest to him. He’s a kidnapper and serial killer. Aidan has murdered eight women and there’s a ninth he has earmarked for death: Rachel, imprisoned in a backyard shed, fearing for her life.

When Aidan’s wife dies, he and his thirteen-year-old daughter Cecilia are forced to move.  Aidan has no choice but to bring Rachel along, introducing her to Cecilia as a “family friend” who needs a place to stay. Aidan is betting on Rachel, after five years of captivity, being too brainwashed and fearful to attempt to escape. Both a searing thriller and an astute study of trauma, survival, and the dynamics of power, The Quiet Tenantis an electrifying debut thriller by a major talent.

The House in the Pines
by Ana Reyes

 Maya was a high school senior when her best friend, Aubrey, dropped dead in front of the enigmatic man named Frank whom they’d been spending time with all summer. Seven years later, Maya lives in Boston with a loving boyfriend and is kicking the secret addiction that has allowed her to cope with what happened years ago, the gaps in her memories, and the lost time that she can’t account for. But her past comes rushing back when she comes across a YouTube video in which a young woman suddenly keels over and dies in a diner while sitting across from none other than Frank.

Plunged into the trauma that has defined her life, Maya heads to her Berkshires hometown to relive that fateful summer-the influence Frank once had on her and the obsessive jealousy that nearly destroyed her friendship with Aubrey. At her mother’s house, she excavates fragments of her past and notices hidden messages in her deceased Guatemalan father’s book that didn’t stand out to her earlier. To save herself, she must understand a story written before she was born, but time keeps running out, and soon, all roads are leading back to Frank’s cabin…

Your Driver is Waiting
by Priya Guns

Damani is tired. Her father just died on the job at a fast-food joint, and now she lives paycheck to paycheck in a basement caring for her mom and driving for an app that is constantly cutting her take. The city is rolling in protests-everybody’s in solidarity with somebody- but while she keeps hearing that they’re fighting for a change on behalf of people like her, she literally can’t afford to pay attention.

Then she gives a ride to Jolene (five stars, obviously). Jolene seems like she could be the perfect girlfriend-attentive, attractive, an ally- and their chemistry is off the charts.  Jolene’s done the reading, she goes to every protest, and she says all the right things. So maybe Damani can look past the one thing that’s holding her back; she’s never dated anyone with money before, not to mention a white girl with money. But just as their romance intensifies and Damani finally lets her guard down, Jolene does something unforgiveable, setting off an explosive chain of events.

A wild, one-sitting reading brimming with dark comedy and piercing social commentary and announcing Priya Gun’s feverishly original voice, Your Driver is Waiting is a crackling send-up of our culture and modern alienation.

Hard by a Great Forest
by Leo Vardiashvili

Saba is just a child when he flees the fighting in the former Soviet Republic of Georgia with his older brother, Sandro, and father, Irakli, for asylum in England. Two decades later, all three men are struggling to make peace with the past, haunted by the places and the people they left behind.

When Irakli decided to return to Georgia, pulled back by memories of a lost wife and a decaying but still beautiful homeland, Saba and Sandra wait eagerly for news. But within weeks of his arrival, Irakli disappears, and the final message they receive from him causes a mystery to unfold before them: “I left a trail I can’t erase. Do not follow it.”

In a journey that will lead him to the very heart of conflict that has marred generations and fractured his own family, Saba must retrace his father’s footsteps to discover what remains of their homeland and its people. By turns savage and tender, compassionate and harrowing, Hard by a Great Forest is a powerful and ultimately hopeful novel about the individual and collective trauma of war and the indomitable spirit of a people determined not only to survive, but to remember those who did not.

Search History
by Amy Taylor

After Ana flees to Melbourne in the wake of a breakup, all she has to show for herself is an unfulfilling job at an overly enthusiastic tech startup and one particularly questionable dating app experience. Then she meets Evan. Charming, kind, and responsible, Evan is a complete deviation from her usual type; Ana feels as if she has finally awoken from a long dating nightmare. As much as she tries to let their relationship unfold IRL, Ana can’t resist the urge to find Evan online. When she discovers that his previous girlfriend, Emily, died unexpectedly in a hit-and-run less than a year ago, Ana begins to worry that she’s living in the shadow of his lost love. Soon she’s obsessively comparing herself to Emily, trawling through the dead woman’s dormant social media accounts. Online, Evan and Emily’s life together looked perfect-but just how perfect was it?  And why won’t he talk about it?

Perceptive and original, full of pathos and humor, Search History explores the contradictions and uncertainties of twenty-first-century romance. Ana’s journey down the internet rabbit hole of modern dating asks the question; Which is our “true self”- the one we show to the world online, or the one we keep to ourselves?

Mail to: Michael.stephens@scottpublib.org

February is African American History Month

In honor of African American History Month, we have some wonderful resources highlighting the contributions of our African American citizens. Come check some of these out. You might be surprised at the interesting tidbits and the inspirational lessons that you may come across. These are just a sample of the resources available at Scott County Public Library and we’d love to have you join us!

Black Genius and the American Experience
by Dick Russell

Black Genius explores the historical roots and contemporary exemplars of black achievement in America. Interweaving past and present, Dick Russell emphasizes the importance of the traditions that nurtured black artists, scientists, intellectuals, physicians, and spiritual leaders. The author’s interviews with numerous remarkable individuals, the well-known and the overlooked, offer a deeply personal and inspiring message through their own unique voices.

African Founders; How Enslaved People Expanded American Ideals
by David Hackett Fischer

Enslaved people brought to America from Africa came from different regions and different ethnic groups, just like their enslavers. Over time they interacted with colonists of European origin to create new regional cultures in the colonial United States, from Puritan New England, to Dutch New York, Quaker Pennsylvania, cavalier Virginia, coastal Carolina, and multicultural Louisiana. The Africans brought with them linguistic skills, novel techniques of animal husbandry and farming, and generations-old ethical principles, among other attributes. African Founders reveals how much our country was shaped by these African influences in its early years, producing a new, distinctly American culture. African Founders re-creates the diverse regional life that shaped the early American republic and shows us the varieties of slavery in America and the emergence of a new American civilization.

Black Profiles In Courage: A legacy of African-American Achievement
by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Alan Steinberg

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar knows the importance of heroes. As a child, he admired Martin Luther King, Jackie Robinson, Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and others whose lives influenced their fellow African Americans, as well as the country as a whole. But today, according to Abdul-Jabbar, there is a scarcity of heroes for the African American community. Black youth do not feel connected to this country or its institutions. Their ancestors were instrumental in building the nation and changing the course of American history in many significant ways – yet these black heroes remain obscure to those who need them most. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar believes that this is partly because standard historical texts have ignored, diminished, or deliberately covered up black achievement in America. In Black Profiles in Courage, he focuses on extraordinarily courageous black men and women who typified the virtues of integrity, discipline, and self-respect. Taken together, their lives form a legacy from which African Americans of all ages can draw inspiration, wisdom, and pride.

Black History; More than Just a Month
by Mike Henry

Over the years, history has become the forgotten child of the academic household. Only recently has it been brought to our attention that our students don’t know even basic American history. In June 2011, results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that U. S. students were less proficient in American History than any other subject. Some of the most interesting people and events of the past are often bypassed in the classroom. This includes a large number of African Americans who helped build this country. Black History: More than Just a Month pays tribute to these forgotten individuals and their accomplishments. There are many individuals who have changed our history and, even if they don’t make it onto the state test, their accomplishments deserve attention. Some of the people included are war heroes, inventors, celebrities, and athletes. This book is great for history buffs and will be a good supplement to any discussion of American history.

Unseen ; Unpublished Black History from the New York Times Photo Archives
by Darcy Eveleigh, Dana Canedy, Damien Cave, and Rachel L. Swarns

Unseen showcases 175 photographs from the archives of the New York Times and the stories behind them in this extraordinary collection. Among the entries is the 27-year-old Jesse Jackson leading an anti-discrimination rally in Chicago; Rosa Parks arriving at a Montgomery courthouse in Alabama; a candid shot of Aretha Franklin backstage at the Apollo Theatre; Ralph Ellison on the streets of his Manhattan neighborhood; the firebombed home of Malcolm X; Myrlie Evers and her children at the funeral of her slain husband, Medgar; a wheelchair-bound Roy Campanella at the razing of Ebbetts Field; a behind-the-scenes photo shoot of Arthur A. Mitchell, cofounder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, and his principal dancers; images of the peace and organized demonstrators at Resurrection City in 1968 that contrast the photographs of disorder and theft dominating the coverage of the time; and a series by Don Hogan Charles, the first black photographer hired by The Times, capturing life in Harlem in the 1960s. Unseen dives deep into The Times’s archives to showcase this rare collection of photographs and stories for the very first time.

We look forward to seeing you at Scott County Public Library, a great place to learn, know, gather, and grow.

Mail to: Michael.stephens@scottpublib.org

Taking Care of the New Puppy!

Every Christmas, many households across America are blessed with a new companion, a new puppy. Caring for the puppy is a serious commitment- one that will last many years. But many questions arise. How do I create a loving bond with Gigi? How do I potty train Max? How soon do we get Daisy spayed? How do I keep Bingo off the couch? Here at Scott County Public Library, we may be able to help. We have several sources that will bring you joy and assistance as the New Year begins. Check out these tasty morsels!

The Ultimate Guide to Puppy Care and Training by Tracy Libby

Is there a tiny four-pawed furry creature in your near future? Adding a puppy to your home and life can be very exciting and a little scary. At once personable, dog-smart, and reassuring, author Tracy Libby offers new owners reams of great advice in The Ultimate Guide to Puppy Care and Training, covering every topic under the canine sun-from selecting a new puppy, household safety, and vaccinations to house training, remedying common puppy problems, and first aid. In nineteen information-packed chapters, this new colorful guide provides everything a new puppy parent needs to know to raise a smart and healthy puppy.

The Dog Behavior Problem Solver by Teoti Anderson

A contented loving dog is a friend for life. However, coping with a badly behaving dog can be frustrating at best and even dangerous at worst. If you’re concerned about your dog’s behavior, what you need is reliable help and fast. The Dog Behavior Problem Solver is your key to resolving many of the most common dog behavioral problems that pet owners encounter. Written by dog behavior expert and certified trainer Teoti Anderson, this vital resource is packed with sound, down-to-earth, and, above all, effective instruction that will help you turn a problem pooch into a well-behaved, happy member of your family. In this book, you’ll find a wealth of tried-and-true positive training techniques that will help you eliminate undesirable behavior while strengthening your relationship with your dog.

I Just Got a Puppy. What Do I Do? By Mordecai Siegal and Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis

Newly revised, this perennially popular guide to everything you ever needed to know about your new puppy is now a more invaluable resource than ever. First use the author’s safe and effective test to determine your dog’s temperament; strong-willed, shy, high-energy, outgoing, calm, aggressive; then use their personalized techniques to begin your training. Soon you’ll be on your way to a rewarding and loving relationship with your new dog. You will also get the lowdown on…
Where to get a puppy (and where not to),
What to do and buy to prepare for your puppy’s homecoming,
How to create an immediate bond of trust between you and your puppy,
How to paper train and housebreak your puppy,
How to correct behavioral problems like spot soiling, furniture chewing, begging, jumping, excessive barking, and biting.
Complete with updated training techniques and an all-new section of profiles of the twenty-five most popular breeds.

Dog Owner’s Guide to Puppy Care & Training -How to rear the perfect pup by John and Mary Holmes

Taking on a puppy is a major commitment, and it is something that should never be rushed into. With luck you are looking forward to a relationship that will last 12 to 14 years, so your choice of dog should never be decided on a whim or on an impulse. There is little doubt that the majority of dog problems arise because many people buy the wrong puppy or dog. That can be such a frustrating position, when the new baby you thought would bring love and affection brings heartache and regret. The baby dog deserves better than that and you do, too. In this book, learn all about…Early lessons, Diet and Exercise, Health care, Socialization and Training exercises, etc. Authors John and Mary Holmes have spent a lifetime working with dogs in movies and on television, as well as training their dogs for obedience competitions and for farm work.

The Secret Language of Dogs -Unlocking the Canine Mind for a Happier Pet by Victoria Stilwell

Recent studies into the minds of canines show they have a rich social intelligence and a physical and vocal language as complex and subtle as our own. In The Secret Language of Dogs, world-renowned trainer and star of Animal Planet’s It’s Me or the Dog Victoria Stilwell reveals how to both interpret and “speak” the hidden language of dogs. This book is your guide to understanding your pooch, communicating effectively, strengthening your bond, and helping dogs learn in the most effective way possible so they feel confident navigating the human world with success. Along the way… you’ll learn the answers to questions such as: What do different tail wags mean? What does being right-pawed say about my dog’s personality? How can I tell the difference between boredom barking and warning barking? What does it mean when my dog spins around, arches his back, or gives me the whale eye? Do dogs feel guilt? How do dogs perceive human faces? Why do some scientists think dogs’ emotional experience is even greater than ours?

I know you will find information in these resources and more that will help your dog become a cherished member of your family. Come see us, for Fido’s sake!

Mail to: Michael.stephens@scottpublib.org

A Homemade Christmas

It’s here again…the most wonderful time of the year! Each year we strive to make the holidays special as we share time with our family and friends. But the gatherings, too, can be a bit stressful. Here at Scott County Public Library, we have numerous sources to help you bring that special charm to your holiday events and leave the stress outside in the snow! Check out these Holly, Jolly book choices!

Handcrafted Christmas – Ornaments, Decorations, and Cookie Recipes to Make at Home by Susan Waggoner

If Susan Waggoner had her way, every Christmas would be a handcrafted one. In her newest volume, she captures the magic of Christmases past with an irresistible assortment of more than thirty-five crafts and recipes inspired by the most sought-after treasures and flavors of the 1920s through the 1960s. From punched tin votive holders to wooly needle-felted snowmen, and beloved cookie swap recipes such as Chocolate Sour Cream Drops and Pecan Tassies, the delights of a handcrafted Christmas take Center stage in this vintage-style celebration of the most wonderful time of the year!

Have Yourself a Homemade Christmas by Gooseberry Patch, Oxmoor House, Publisher

Create the sweetest memories of Christmas with festive food and crafts. Find over 400 of the tastiest recipes and 200 of the most thoughtful gifts and decorations to make the season bright. In this tasty morsel of a book, you will find scrumptious recipes, handmade crafts and heartfelt gifts- all in one source! You’ll find chapters such as Christmas Fun and Games, Gifts from your Christmas Kitchen, Gifts to Delight, Blue Ribbon Cakes and Christmas Dinner Classics. Gooseberry Patch has put together everything you need in one place. You’ll surely find inspiration in these cute, clever, and easy-to-create designs!

300 Ways to Make the Best Christmas Ever! Decorations, Carols, Crafts & Recipes for Every Kind of Christmas Tradition Edited by Mimi Tribble

Reading the quintessential American Christmas story, “A Visit from Saint Nicholas,” to youngsters on Christmas Eve heightens anticipation for the next morning. Exquisite Victorian-style “Glass Ball Ornaments” can provide a touch of magic on any holiday tree and are quick and easy to make. If you long for an old-fashioned country Christmas, create a gingerbread “Snow-Covered Cottage” that has storybook appeal. Don’t forget to put out a plate of “Herbed Cheese” and glasses of “Baltimore Eggnog” for neighbors and friends to enjoy when they stop by to visit. Do you have roots in the South? Celebrate them by putting together an eye-catching “Corn Husk and Straw Wreath” to hang on your door. The ideas in this collection can help you make every Christmas merry and bright.

Handmade Christmas – Easy Crafts and Creative Ideas for Sewing, Stitching, Papercraft, Knitting and Crochet Editors of Future Publishing

Christmastime is a great time to try out a new craft or to brush up on old skills. Giving handmade gifts tells your loved ones that you care enough to spend time making them something special. Handmade for Christmas is packed with creative ideas for handcrafted merrymaking. You’ll discover hundreds of clever ideas here for bunting, baubles, decorations, table settings, cards, gift tags, wrappings and much, much more. You’ll find such projects as cute felt slippers to make and give, a knitted gift for someone special, fun designs using plastic drinking straws, felt decorations that look good enough to eat, and a sparkling Santa hat topper for your tree!

Easy Christmas Crafts by Susan Cousineau

Make the holiday season magical with these 26 quick and easy projects, perfect for decorating, gift giving, tree trimming and more! Each one comes with easy0to-follow instructions and color photos-all the information you need to create beautiful holiday décor! Make papier-mâché Santas, potpourri candle jars, holiday ornaments, Victorian-themed keepsakes, sugarplum cottages and more! There are five fun Christmas themes in all, perfect for craft lovers at any skill level. Chapters include Vision of Sugarplums, Santa Claus Lane, Frosty Fun, Teddy Bear Treasures, and Glitters of Christmas Past. You’re sure to find lots of fun projects to bring cheer to your holiday gatherings.

I know you’ll be inspired by these wonderful little projects to add a personal touch to your holiday season. Come on by and see us at Scott County Public Library and Happy Holidays to you all!

Mail to: Michael.stephens@scottpublib.org

Yoga

Let’s face it…life can be messy and busy! And while life’s craziness can certainly make things interesting, there are times when it is necessary to take a deep breath and slow down the pace. Practicing yoga and a mindful state of being can help foster a deeper inner awareness and allow one to relax more fully. Yoga and mindfulness practices link the breath to movement, and body to mind. These amazing practices help center you in the now, so that you can better appreciate the moment.

If yoga and mindfulness is something that you are interested in learning more about, you are in luck! SCPL offers Beginners Energizing Yoga and Chair Yoga. See our online calendar for date and times. Registration is required, and proper social distancing measures are followed. We look forward to seeing you in class! Namaste.

Tai Chi

Tai Chi is a moving meditation conducted through a sequence of gentle movements that promote harmony between mind and body.  Registration is required and space is limited.  Be sure to wear comfortable clothing and flat-soled shoes.

Waiver Needed

These program contains physical activity that has risks associated with participation. You will be asked to sign an Accident Waiver & Release of Liability form before you can participate.

Please print and fill out this form before attending: Accident Waiver & Release of Liability

A book discussion for adults where we meet on Fridays at noon about every six weeks and talk about both fiction and nonfiction works.

We gather at the library the first Wednesday at 5:00 p.m. for a casual book discussion.  We read books from a variety of genres and enjoy talking about the books that we love.  No registration required.

Join us as we discuss our favorite horror novels and authors, in the casual book discussion led by associate professor of English Literature Gerry Adair of BCTC.  Feel free to bring your favorite books to share.

This group meets twice a month for anyone interested in writing memoirs and/or family history. Please come join us.

Enjoy the sounds of talented musicians and their instruments by the fireplace. Go to our events calendar to see the next scheduled musician to perform at the Scott County Public Library.

Discover!  Programs are designed for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities in mind.  Registration is required - participants’ caregivers need to be present and register for the class as well.  Ages 16 and older.

On-site family history research assistance is provided by a volunteer from the Scott County Genealogical Society.

AARP Foundation Tax-Aide 2024

The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide Program will be providing free tax preparation services at the Scott County Public Library in 2024. Tax preparation will begin on February 1st and continue each Thursday through April 11th. Hours will be 9:30 AM to 2:30 PM, by appointment only and requires an email address. Beginning January 16, 2024, you can call 502-219-6447 to schedule your appointment. Please leave a phone number and email address, and an AARP volunteer will return your call to schedule your appointment. You can also make your own appointment by using the QR Code below:

Please visit our website for a list of documents you should bring to your appointment at: aarpfoundation.org/taxaidedocuments.

Click here for more information: Free Tax Preparation from AARP Foundation Tax-Aide