End of the Year Cheer

I have already seen someone's Christmas tree in their front window of their home. It was well before Halloween (several weeks actually) and was definitely Christmas themed. Where I think people should do whatever they want and should be able to celebrate Christmas early, I do like to think that it distracts us from the other meaningful holidays leading up to it.

Halloween has always been a favorite purely due to nostalgia. It was one of the holidays that was mostly geared towards kids and growing up this holiday was always hyped up. There were Halloween parties at school, dress-up days, and trick-or-treating. You got tons of candy and sometimes fun party toys or other kinds of treats. You got to play pretend and watch others join in too. It was a sort of magic that is difficult to manufacture. I think most people still really enjoy this holiday, but by decorating for another holiday so early on you can forget the true enchantment of it.

And Thanksgiving. It's like we are forgetting this holiday even exists. I think it's so important for us to keep the sentiment in mind, not necessarily the historical significance (though it can be equally as important with the correct facts) of this day. If Christmas doesn't really resonate as the day to be thankful for you and your loved ones being alive, then Thanksgiving surely should be. This is literally the single day in the year that highlights the need and importance of being thankful. If you aren't the type of person who practices gratefulness regularly this can be the day you set aside every year to do just that.

If you haven't heard of the positive effects of practicing gratitude, you can do a quick Google search and find these common themes: reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, enhances mood, and improves sleep. Even a single day to gain a little bit of that? Worth it. Not only that, you could prolong the effects by using Thanksgiving as your jumping off point for the year. Incorporating thankfulness can be a daily practice instead of an annual occurrence too. Lastly, the Macy's Day Parade is one of my favorite things to watch on TV and it only happens around this time. It just signifies to my subconscious that it's almost time for all the yule festivities!

So, throw up your Christmas tree before Halloween. Stock the aisles full of holiday decorations months before the actual holiday. Wish people a Happy New Year in September for all I care. But, if I can simply implore you to remember the significance of each one and what it means, that will be enough. They are cherished parts of someone's memory, maybe a large part of why someone keeps choosing to live on, and/or just a really meaningful time for someone else. We should honor each one not only for ourselves, but for others as well.

Enjoy your holidays and enjoy each other. 👪💝👐

Gluten-free like me? Try these fall recipes!

Want that apple pie taste without the horrible cramps and other unmentionable side effects of gluten? Try this recipe out:

Gluten Free Apple Crisp

First of all, what are the best apples to use in this recipe? Here are some to use: Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala, Jonathon.

Now onto the recipe itself! Here is what you will need:

• 8x8 Baking Dish
• 4 Granny Smith (or your choice) apples - peeled, cored, chopped (4 cups)
• 1 Tablespoon of sugar
• 1/2 Tablespoon gluten free flour (Almond or Coconut)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Add whip cream or vanilla ice cream when serving to make it even sweeter!
• For the crisp
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 1/2 Cup gluten free old fashioned oats
• 4 Tablespoons of cold butter
• 3 Tablespoons gluten free flour
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then spray a medium-sized baking dish (like a 6×9″ or 8×8”) with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. To a large mixing bowl add chopped apples, sugar, gluten free flour, and cinnamon then stir to combine and pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish.
3. For the Crisp Topping: to the same mixing bowl, add ingredients for crisp topping then use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is the consistency of a crumbly paste. Evenly sprinkle the topping mixture over the apples then bake for 40-50 minutes or until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender.
4. Let the apple crisp cool for 20 minutes before scooping into bowls and serving with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

If you're anything like me, when I was forced to go gluten-free one of the top things I missed was sweet desserts - particularly of the baked variety. When fall hit, I would especially miss pumpkin related baked goods. So, thankfully, there are ways to make delectable gluten-free options like this one right here:

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

What you will need:

• Loaf pan
• 1-1 1/2 gluten free baking flour blend (Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
• 1 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1 Teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 Cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 Cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 Cup olive oil
• 1/4 Cup unsweetened apple sauce
• 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees then spray a 9×5” loaf pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
2. To a medium-size mixing bowl, add the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon then whisk to combine and set aside.
3. To a large mixing bowl, add the pumpkin puree, sugar, eggs, oil, applesauce, and vanilla extract then whisk until smooth. Add the dry ingredients then whisk until smooth.
4. Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan then smooth the top with the back of a spoon and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Check on the loaf at the 20 minute mark — if the top is already browning, gently place a piece of foil on top (no need to crimp) then continue baking. Since this is a long-baking quick bread recipe, you don’t want the top to burn before the center has had a chance to fully bake through.
5. Let the pumpkin bread cool in the pan for 15 minutes then remove and transfer onto a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in a gallon size Ziplock bag on the counter. This bread is best served on day 2 after it has had a chance to soften.

I missed pumpkin baked goods, but I have also missed apple ones as well. When autumn rolls around, I crave these two like no other. Thank goodness there are options out there, like this one:

Gluten Free Apple Muffins

Things you'll need to get started:

• 12-cup muffin tin
• 1/2 Cup Olive oil
• 3/4 Cup sugar
• 1/4 unsweetened applesauce
• 2 eggs
• 1-1 1/2 Cups of gluten free baking flour blend (Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
• 2 Teaspoons cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 Teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Cup shredded apples

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners and set aside.
2. Add oil, sugar, and applesauce to the bowl of a stand mixer, or a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer, then beat until pale and smooth, 1 minute. Add eggs then mix until just combined. Add vanilla then mix until just combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt then add to the wet ingredient in two batches, mixing until just combined before adding the second batch. Add apples then fold into the batter with a spatula.
4. Scoop 1/4 cup batter into each muffin tin liner then bake for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let cool in muffin tin for 10 minutes before transferring muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or on the counter for 3-4 days.

You can find more gluten free recipes here: iowa girl eats. If you try one out, please let us know how you liked it here.

Credit to: Author Porter, Kristin. "Fall Cooking Bucket List: 50 Cozy Gluten Free Recipes." iowa girl eats, Iowa Girl Eats, October 17, 2025, https://iowagirleats.com/fall-cooking-bucket-list/

Watch these this Halloween

I just wanted to take a moment to share some of my favorite Halloween tv shows and movies that I always circle back to no matter how old I get.

Movies

• Sleepy Hollow (1999)
• Halloween Town (1998)
• Hocus Pocus (1993)
• Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
• Interview with the Vampire (1994)
• Beetlejuice (1988)
• Practical Magic (1998)
• The Corpse Bride (2005)
• The Blair Witch Project (1999)
• Nightmare on Elm's Street (1984)
• Gremlins (1984)

TV Shows

• Sleepy Hollow (2013)
• What We Do In the Shadows (2019)
• Supernatural (2005)
• Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
• The Walking Dead (2010)
• Charmed (1998)
• Goosebumps (1995)
• Tales from the Crypt (1989)
• Once Upon a Time (2011)

You can probably tell that I am a millenial from the fairly concentrated time range, but I assure you these are worthwhile if you haven't watched them before. Personally, I enjoy rewatching familiar shows because of the nostalgia, making it cozy and worth the revisit. There's nothing more fulfilling than burrowing down in some soft blankets with a warm beverage and indulging in a show you haven't seen for a while. Most of these I would not watch any other time of the year, though you can certainly do that if you want. Yet, it's much more festive to turn one on around this spooky season. I hope this quick list helps you find something new or reminds you of something you want to rewatch💀🍂

MeL will remain with us for another year

The Michigan Library Association sent out communications for the state of public library funding, including the ever-useful MelCat system. We are relieved to hear that the Library of Michigan has been enabled to spend federal dollars, as well as, remains staffed which ensures that they will continue providing assistance to statewide programs and services. There was also a sizeable one-time increase in state funding for MeL (Michigan eLibrary), further padding the ability to continue this invaluable service.

If you aren't sure what MeL is, it is a system all throughout Michigan that connects libraries who share their collection with other participating libraries. For instance, if you were looking for a particular book that was not at your home library but it was in another library somewhere in the state, as long as they are part of MeL you can borrow it from that library and have it sent to yours to pick up. And MeL is not only limited to books, if a library allows a material to circulate via MeL, it will show up in the OPAC. Some examples are American Girl Dolls, video games, magazines, CDs, research journals, vinyls, among various other types of things.

MeL is not only convenient and diversified, but it also serves the wonderful purpose of opening up opportunities to the more rural areas of our state. Without this service, materials that would benefit someone who is not geographically within the service area of a collection goes without. Imagine a homebound college student taking online courses and they are attempting to write a research paper on the effects of pesticides on our agricultural process and its lingering affect on food. Instead of focusing only on online research, they can request research journals from other colleges or institutions and get those sent to their local library for someone to pick up. Without MeL, this would not be possible.

By visiting mel.org, you can search for materials on their website and see what might be available for you to borrow. Explore how this service might benefit you, and as you do keep in mind how this service could benefit others as well. We love that we can continue providing materials to our patrons through MeL and we hope you do too!

Fall Things To Do

It is official. We made it to autumn. We have started seeing the changing of leaves and some drop off the tree, but full colors won't be for another few weeks. That doesn't mean you have to wait until then to celebrate the season. Below is a list of things you can start planning or participating in this fall:

Uncle John's Cider Mill

If you have never been to this place, you have to put this on your docket to visit this year. It is conveniently located off 127, right next to the highway, with big signs that let you know you're getting close so its difficult to miss. There is a generous amount of parking so even if its busy you can usually find a spot.

You have so many choices when it comes to what to enjoy first, but many people's favorite thing is to participate in the cider and donuts they provide. If you head into the main building, you are immediately hit with the scent of freshly made cake donuts and pressed apples. You may have to wait in a line to get your hands on either of these treats, but once you do you will be enchanted by the flavors and the atmosphere. If you are lucky, you might even come when they are in the process of crushing the apples to make the cider. 

You can enjoy these while you mull around and if you find your way to the lower level you can enjoy the cute gift shop full of interesting bits and bobbles. If you make your way outdoors, you might wander your way to the wine tasting room or the bakery building nearby. Overall, this can be a solid location to spend a few, lazy hours enjoying fall activities.

Potter Park Zoo

What could be better than looking at cute and/or fascinating animals while leaves tumble down all around? The zoo is the perfect place to blend learning about animals and enjoying fall scenery. If you wait until October you can also participate in Boo at the Zoo. You can dress up in costumes as you parade around the park looking for activities all around as well as brushing up on your animal knowledge. There is a hay ride, cider and donuts, an inflatable bouncy spot, and so much more! Be aware that some of the activities may be available at an additional cost and not included in the price of the ticket.

Fall Festivals

The fun thing about living in Michigan is that each season brings about different types of festivals and catching one of them is a must. Check out:

1. Grand Ledge Fall Festival: features vendors, crafts, and family-friendly activities like a petting zoo and pony rides.
2. Oktoberfests: Old Town, Brewhouses, and Pubs all take advantage of the fall season to celebrate different kinds of beers, some specifically around the German culture. Horrocks is also a popular place to stop by because they have a biergarden and live music.
3. Fall in love with Old Town: usually a Saturday in September, this festival is more about exploring and supporting the historic parts of town.

You can keep abreast of festivals popping up near you by a quick Google search or by scrolling on social media. There's always something you can find and plan for!

Nature Centers

A perfect way to start viewing the leaves changing is to visit a nature center. There are a few in the Lansing area that attract attention, but even visiting a park can afford you some wholesome experience. Consider visiting Fenner Nature Center, Harris Nature Center, and Woldumar Nature Center and walk their many different trails to take in the sights and sounds of the changing season. Fenner Nature Center often does cider & donuts, live music, pressing apples, and pumpkin painting. Be on the lookout for other events on their websites or social media.

Tunnel of Trees

Speaking of nature, the best way to view the changing colors is to drive from Harbor Springs to Cross Village. It is a scenic drive down M-119 that spans around 20-miles of winding roads. The narrow roads can oftentimes feel like an actual tunnel so just imagine the majesty of reds, oranges, and yellows gliding over you! It can double as a road trip and give you an excuse to visit the smaller towns, enjoying the quaint charm of sleepier Michigan areas.

Pumpkin Patches and Orchards

If you do a quick Google search, you will see various options in the Greater Lansing area including:

1. Country Mill Orchard and Cider Mill
2. Uncle Johns Orchard and Cider Mill (see above information)
3. Reese Farms
4. Peacock Road Family Farm
5. Brimley's Pumpkin Farm
6. Barkham Creek Farms
7. Clearview Orchards

Any of these locations will have a load of pumpkins to choose from, but how you do it is up to you. You can walk to a row of pumpkins and pick your choice, or you can look through a variety that have been assorted for you. One is more involved and requires more stamina, but the experience of doing this activity is unforgettable. If you have a family or want to make a memory with a loved one, this is a perfect excuse.

🍁🍂

Fact Checkers Favorites

Have you ever wondered if what you were hearing or reading was real or fake? Being concerned with whether or not something is true should be considered a civil responsibility, and one that we should take upon ourselves to uphold with integrity. With that being said, you may have not been introduced to the CRAAP test, but it's one of the best ways to source the information you might come across. Here's how to use the test, ask yourself:

1. Currency: Is the information timely and up-to-date for your topic?
2. Relevance: Does the information relate directly to your research needs?
3. Authority: Who is the author or publisher, and are they qualified and reputable in the field?
4. Accuracy: Is the information supported by evidence and correctly cited, and can it be verified by other sources?
5. Purpose: What was the motive behind creating the content—to inform, persuade, or sell, and does it show bias?

From these questions, you should be able to identify whether or not something holds some value. If information does not conform under these rules, you may have a biased or inaccurate piece. And for fun, once something is verifiably true, you can say, "Well, that was a load of CRAAP."

Another great way is to use your library or local colleges to look up information via the databases that are available. You can access some of these resources for free on their websites without the need of a library card or being a student of their college. A quick Google search can get you to the right place.

Test your skills and fact checking by looking at sites like Not Real News or The Onion to see if you can spot the lies, misinformation, and other misleading tidbits within their articles.

Here is a short, reliable list of vetted sources you can refer to when you need to fact check:

• PolitiFact
• Fact Check
• Snopes
• NPR Fact Check
• Media Bias Fact Check
• SciCheck

The strongest position you can take is one where you are correctly informed...and have fun saying "CRAAP"!

Is September the new January?

Change is a constant. People gravitate toward constants, but may struggle with the concept of change itself. Many people think favorably of things that remain steady, predictable, and planned. However, we also tend to build things around great change: changing of seasons, political figures, weather, a new school year, etc. So, when summer begins its transition into fall, it's natural to feel either a sense of upheaval and/or renewal. This time of the year begs us to face the ever-constant: our relationship with change.

Just as we go into the New Year with a sense of renewal and hope, so too can September be the time of transition and reevaluation. In fact, this month can be called a 'temporal landmark' which is a significant time where goal-setting creates a boost in motivation and psychological sense of a clean slate. This can be a time of self-reflection and separation from the past. You can make September a routine "checking-in" point in the year to identify whether or not you are hitting your goals and/or achieving what you want in life.

Ride the same back-to-school energy by using that mindset to carry you through an intentional look at your year. A few bits of advice that can help you on your way:

1. Revisit goals you set earlier within the year.
2. If it's not working, reset it.
3. Break down goals into smaller, manageable ones.
4. Create a way to track your progress.
5. Keep things simple.

You can set practical steps towards your goals or create new habits starting this fall - it's the perfect new start to the year! 🍁

Late Summer Reads

In our particular area of the world, there is a certain rhythm that fills the days. We may not notice the small ones, but the seasonal ones are more apparent. Late summer is a time in the year with colder nights but mercifully warmer days. Yet, it hallmarks what is to come when autumn finally arrives. Although most people enjoy the change to fall, it is also one step closer to the dreaded frigid winter months. So, why not hold onto the end of summer or even celebrate the transition into fall with some books!

Persephone Fraser is pulled back to Barry's Bay, her home town, when a call about a former close friend's mother's funeral comes, pulling her back into orbit with Sam Florek. It was their friendship over the course of 6 summers that turned into something breathtaking, only to be ripped apart, that pushed her far away from anything her heart could want. When she returns, their connection is undeniable. Yet, unless Percy can find a way to face her choices and make peace with the things she tortures herself with, neither will know what all of it amounts to. This story is built on nostalgia, love, and choices that change people forever.

One summer in the late '70s, Caitlin Somers chooses Victoria Leonard as her friend, thrusting her into the heart of her sprawling, eccentric family and sweeping her off to places of unimaginable privilege. During their vacations, they become "summer sisters". Years later, their long, complicated friendship has faded but when Caitlin begs Vix to come to her Vineyard wedding to be her maid of honor, she knows she will go. Not simply as principle, but to finally know what happened during that last shattering summer and why her summer sister still has the power to break her heart.

Four freshman arrive at a college, they strike up a conversation in their shared room, and seeds of friendship are planted despite their backgrounds being from completely different worlds. Their bonds grow tighter as their college years pass, making them inseparable, but as graduation looms, a desperate act leads to tragic consequences. In the aftermath, the friends promise to always be there for one another no matters the distance. 10 years down the road, one calls the other after remembering their pact, testing whether promises made have the strength to stand the test of time. In this portrayal of grief, hope, and love, you will be asking yourself, "When things fall apart, who will be by your side to help pick up the pieces?".

Brought back to Grace, Arizona by her ailing and distant father, Codi is attempting to confront her past while struggling to follow Loyd Peregrina's advice of, "If you want sweet dreams, you've got to live a sweet life." What she comes back to, however, is a silent environmental disaster and some illuminating clues to her own identity. With a blend of flashbacks, dreams, and Native American legends, the book is a suspenseful story around Cori and a man whose view of the world could change the course of her life.

At the age of 58, divorced and facing an empty nest, Dawn is trying to settle herself into her new future. However, she finds herself continually returning to the past and a secret she's kept for so many years: when she was 16, she found herself pregnant. Being in Trinidad, and as was a common practice, she was forced by her parents to give the baby up for adoption. Now, more than 40 years later, she feels the overwhelming need to reconnect with her lost daughter, but tracking her down is not easy. It will take an immense emotional load to retrace her steps back home and to question the very choice she had to face all those years ago, the one that has shaped all the choices she has made since then. Depicting the powerful bonds of a mother-and-child, this story echoes of enduring bonds in love, family, and home.

Thomas is caught in the mundane of being a shrimp shanker while selling his wares in the afternoon and rehearsing songs on his guitar as he pines for Joan Wyeth down the street. Although he is a folk musician at heart, a private dream he keeps, he must eek out a slow, deliberate life in his grandfather's trade with his mother in Longferry. However, when a stranger shows up with the temptation of Hollywood glamour, he is shaken from the drudgery of life and sees the silver lining in a different future. Will Thomas trust the American's promises of a bright future, and how far can he truly carry his dreams? This is a haunting story about a young man hemmed in by his circumstances though longs to fulfill the purpose he believes will lead him away from it.

This is a story about a young woman attending a liberal arts college in New England as an international student and her long distance Skype calls to her mother who lives in Brazil. In the blue glows of their computer screens, the two women develop new rituals of intimacy and caretaking. Although their realities apart are vastly different, they find communion in drinking whiskey together in the middle of the night and keeping watch as the other slides into sleep. 
Yet as Autumn approaches, each begins to realize that spring might not hold hopeful beginnings but rather difficult endings. This follows the difficult transition of a person making a home in a foreign place and the sacrifices they and their loved ones make in order to fulfill that dream.

In this book of mystery and heart, you will meet a strange character named Ayumi Shibuya. Carrying a tattered notebook, dressed in a designer duffel coat, he intercedes on behalf of the living searching for a way to bridge the gap between this world and the next. Ayumi meets his clients at a luxury hotel to lay down ground rules: the service is entirely free, but the reunion is a one-time deal. Oh, and it can be refused by the dead and only happen during a full moon. During these encounters, we see a variety of longings unfulfilled only fulfilled by the Go-Betweeners. With each rendezvous, you are given a clue as to who Ayumi really is. In this page-turner you are led through both living and dead as they are given one last chance at closure.

We have gotten a lot of patrons asking about our book sale. At Portland District Library, we do a semi-annual book sale and it's coming up soon. Stop in September 8-19 and fill a bag with not only books but anything else that we set out on the tables to sell for only $2.00! 

You can also visit the cart upstairs and the book room to find things to stuff in your bag. You can certainly bring your own bag but if you don't, we have you covered - we've got (free) bags here. Please stop by the circulation desk to ask about bags or anything else related to the book sale.

If you can't make it during this date, know that we keep the cart and the book room stocked full of things for you to peruse, buy, and take home. From books to CDs to movies to puzzles, there is an array of things to choose from all year round. Spend some time looking at our selection and see if there is something(s) you would like to take home with you this next book sale!

We are getting a new coat of paint

The library has been under light renovations to introduce new colors to our space. If you stop in you can see the swathes of our new paint on the walls and ceilings, but please be aware that certain areas will be more restricted or closed entirely while the painters are working. The painters are working their way from the top-down and soon each floor will have a new look. It would be worth a gander to pop in and see what your local library looks like now, but you can always wait until it's completely finished as well. We anticipate this task being completed in September.

And while you're in, you can also explore the programs and materials we have available to borrow. We have new items freshly rotated from our new shelves, giving you the opportunity to see different titles. These are right at the front of the collections so it is easy to explore them as they become available. You can also inquire about our programs at the Circulation Desk which is also right at the front. We have a library calendar of events that outlines everything happening here, and its color coordinated so its easy to find things based on age ranges. 

With a new set a of paint, you may be interested in trying something new as well. The library is a perfect, free way to explore some low-pressure activities including (but not limited to):

• A new hobby
• A new skill
• A program
• A board game
• Doing a community puzzle
• Exploring local history

You have access to so much when you utilize the library and it can be so new and surprising to simply visit. We invite you to come and admire, but stay for the array of options we offer.

Memories at the library

It's natural for us to want to make memories, curating our schedules to work around a carefully planned vacation that is sure to make them. We organize our lives in compartmentalized sections, always planning a section for relaxation and enjoyment, and look at locations or places that will fulfill these requirements. Yet, perhaps we don't stop and think about the places we routinely visit as places to make memories. The places you orbit, travel, and frequent can fall into a rhythm that rarely gets identified as anything but what it seems like: usual. However, let me challenge you to look at it from a different perspective.

Maybe the truest memories we make are the steady, everyday ones that we constantly live. Whenever you walk down the street and simply observe the scenery. Whenever you drive down the road and name the things as they pass as a sort of game, to yourself or with others in the car. Whenever you visit a place that you see almost every day like the grocery store or the gas station. These memories are collected and kept in a seamless way so it doesn't stand out. It's simply the baseline flow of thoughts you live with every day. Yet, when you draw attention to them, you start to realize how much they actually mean.

A visit to the library can be something that builds, not just impresses a few times and then disappears from thought. There are so many people, especially families, that come to the library not really seeing the potential of making it part of their regular schedule. Libraries aren't generally seen as big and flashy. They don't pull in the masses as a fun and exciting part of a city's venue, but it certainly can be like that if you give it a try. Even so, a library tends to slowly make space in the mind and heart as a safe place to simply be. No expectations. You can return time-and-time again and simply enjoy existing. Sometimes, people (even adults) just need a place like that.

Not everything in life has to be about catching the next big moment, you can experience lasting memories simply from existing in place that holds space for you. That's what makes things last a lifetime.

Rain or shine, we're here

The library is such a dependable place. If you need a quiet place to study, it's usually the first place someone thinks of to go. Yet, you may not think of us as anything other than a serene space filled with a lot of silence. That's great for someone looking for some peaceful solitude, but you might be surprised how versatile a space we have. No longer must you feel intimidated by the almost-sacred silence of library space in days gone by. Rather, we have programs and events that often fill up the space with people and noise (to a reasonable extent), including movie showtimes, family story times, ukulele practicing, sea shanties, kids reading to animals, teen advisory boards, adult book clubs, and so much more.

If you haven't been to a summer reading kickoff, that is a perfect example of the peak of chaos (all for the good of reading) that can inhabit a library. Gone are the stuffy days where librarians were "shushing" and asking for patrons to be quiet. In are the fun, explorative, imaginative days of: trying a new hobby, creating crafts, learning a new skill, meeting new people, having pleasant conversations with neighbors, and expanding your horizons. Libraries are so many things: the community hub, the supporters of knowledge, the safe place, the perpetuators of creativity, and just the general all-around place to go when you don't have a place to go. We love that we can say "rain or shine, we are here for you".

I hear so many people come into the library and say, "I didn't know you (insert something we do/have)!" It is so nice seeing curious minds venture in because they have discovered another avenue to explore. What is more exciting than experiencing something you thought you knew, made "new"? Even if you've never stepped foot in a library, it's never too late. 

Experiencing the library can be so many things all at once, but the main thing is that it acts as a bridge. It connects people to resources they cannot get themselves or never knew existed. It allows people to experience other lives, other places, other worlds. It's a place people can gather in community and communication. The exciting thing is, the library can be whatever the community needs it to be - it isn't a stagnant place where change never happens. If you imagine dusty shelves of books you have to hold like priceless art pieces, think again. Libraries are priceless because of what we offer, not necessarily the price points on the materials.

Libraries have been evolving with the times, but if you haven't been in one you would miss that fact entirely. Librarians have also been evolving, developing and improving on the stereotypical assumption that we will put a stop to most your endeavors, especially if it looks anything like fun. Whatever the reason you haven't seen us in a while, or at all, we invite you to come check us out. We will do our best as stewards of goodwill to help you, and in the very least, give you a place to go.

Summer Reading 2025

If you are looking for a fun challenge this summer, consider starting a reading one. There are so many different options to try out and each is relatively easy to sign up for. Take a look at a few here:

Portland District Library

Yes, your local library does put on a reading challenge every summer and we would love for you to participate! You have two ways you can sign up: in-person using a paper tracker -OR- via our app called Beanstack. For directions on how to sign up for the app, please call (517-647-6981) or stop in.

Any way you decide to log your minutes, as you move through the program you earn level badges. Each level you complete you earn a prize and a ticket, which you can allocate to a drawing for a grand prize. Earn up to 8 tickets that you can divvy up between any of the prizes in any way you see fit.

And it's free to sign up!

Barnes & Noble

I've been curious about this reading program, but haven't done much delving in until now. Information seems a bit sparse on their website but looking at their .PDF illuminates how it actually works. 

If you sign up for this program, you simply track 8 books and describe what part was your favorite and why. Once you are finished, you bring the completed journal to your local branch and then you get to choose a book from the list provided. Seems pretty breezy to me!

Pizza Hut

There are a few chain restaurants that offer reading challenges, including Pizza Hut, but you can explore the many options by searching online. Personally, I like the sound of earning a single topping personal pan pizza just for reading! It is easy to download their app and track progress.

Online options

If you are just looking for an easy way to motivate your little readers, doing a quick search on the web can pull up many resources and tools to support them. During the summer, many organizations such as Reading Is Fundamental or The Good and the Beautiful offer things like reading charts, reading lists, and other motivational options to encourage reading.

Other public libraries

Many families don't know if they're allowed to participate in more than one reading program at a time, especially if that program is at another public library. We want to assure you that most libraries are not stingy about what libraries you utilize for reading, and most will encourage you to sign up for more than one program! In our area, here are a few libraries to consider signing up at:

• Grand Ledge Area District Library
• Sunfield District Library
• Mulliken District Library
• Ionia Community Library
• Lyons Township District Library
• Delta Township Library
• Saranac-Clarksville District Library

Any way you choose to read this summer, feel good about the progress you make. Any time spent reading is time well spent.

Summer Reading is easy

Summer reading is in full swing, so if you haven't signed up yet you should consider joining today! It's easy to start: stop in, get a paper tracker (or download the Beanstack app), track your minutes, and win prizes. Not only can you get level prizes, but you can also use your completed tickets for a chance at a grand prize.

If you aren't sure what to read, try these books out to get you started:

Sunny Greene, a plus-size divorcee, begins her struggle to embrace her size and start dating again. But, the dating world is pure chaos, and stuck between 3 eligible men (1 being her ex himself), she is not having an easy go of it. With a Carrie-Bradshaw-esque heroine, readers are pulled on, rooting for Sunny as her journey brings her through the trials of dating, friendship, and finding yourself.

From the author of The Killers of the Flower Moon, a retelling of what happened to His Majesty's ship "The Wager" when it left England on a secret mission in 1740. It chased treasure only to maroon its crew on a desolate island off the coast of Patagonia. In order to escape their natural prison, 30 sailors strapped what was left of their ship and sailed away, finding purchase in Brazil and being hailed as heroes. However, the real kicker comes when 3 other sailors turn up in Chile with a completely different story to tell. Rather, it seemed the stranded crew had major disagreements on how to proceed and ultimately they fell into violence and anarchy. It was decided that the Admiralty convene a court martial and whichever side was deemed guilty would hang.

Alice is a photographer, satisfied with standing on the sidelines and capturing others in the limelight, but when her Nan falls and breaks her hips she goes back to the place where it all began: the lake. She spent just one summer at 17 in this place and took a photo of 3 teenagers in a yellow speedboat - one that comes speeding back into her life with a man in it. Charlie was 19 when she took that photo and with his piercing green eyes he sees Alice as the person who sees others - which makes her worry for her heart.

Joan, a woman whose life hasn't really turned out how she planned it, decides to change her life dramatically by opening a café where customers can find connection through conversation. She creates a space for meaningful relationships and builds a lasting legacy through her business. In this novel about found family and the joy and loneliness that comes with age, Joan's rich observations lead you into a comic yet profoundly moving story about seeking satisfaction at every stage of life.

When one sister returns home to work for the other, it could be seen as a disaster waiting to happen. Denise and Helen might be a nightmare working together under usual circumstances, but when shady real estate developers destroy their childhood home to make way for condos, these ladies will be the perfect duo. Siblings-turned-sleuths find out about a dead body that turns up after one of the Falcon family's building collapses. So they do some of their own investigating to see how low these developers will go in order to stay afloat - and hopefully pin them before a big storm hits and wipes out all evidence.

Daphne found her fiancé's recounting of their "story" to be funny - up until he realizes that he's actually in love with his childhood best friend, Petra. Now in Waning Bay, Michigan, Daphne is a children's librarian living with the only person who could understand her predicament: Petra's ex, Miles. Opposites attract when these two come up with a plan to take misleading photos of their summer escapades. Maybe these ex-fiancés can find something better than what they once had?

A group of international players, all with their own loyalties and grievances, gather together for a diplomatic dinner. Gathering in a tiny village off the coast of Iceland, they can't even finish their dinner without one of them ending up dead. Jane, the ambassador's wife, is tasked with finding the killer but with violent weather trapping them together and a finite suspect list, you would think it would be quick work. Nope, this locked-room mystery is 336 pages long so get ready for the twists and turns in this mystery!

Portland Creates 2025 Reception

Portland Creates finally came to a close on Friday, June 13 with around 60 attendees. We had a total of 85 artists and 129 submissions this year, doubling what we had last year, with various art types.

The attendees enjoyed light refreshments, music, and some came in their best attire. We gave out door prizes as well as a best dressed prize after making the announcements for the winners. Here are some pictures of the attendees, including some of the winners:

While waiting for the announcement, attendees had the option to create a unique page or two for our community art book. Take a look at some of the work of art we had:

These pieces will be compiled into a community art book and will be available to look at later this year. We want to take a moment to thank the community for their participation in this program and their steadfast support for all the things we do here at the library.

Portland Creates Reception 2025

You've created. You've submitted. You've voted. Now the long awaited reveal is here! Join us June 13 3:00-5:00pm to see whose been awarded a prize. Winners will be announced at 4:00pm.

Get your glam on and be the best dressed at the reception. If you impress us, you'll get a best-dressed prize! Enjoy light refreshments as you participate in the community art project during the event. The created pieces will be compiled into a community art book to be enjoyed for years to come.

We hope to see you there!

Portland Creates voting period ending

 In an effort to remind the community of when voting ends, we are posting about this last week before voting closes. Voting will last up until 2:00pm on Saturday, then this period of the program will conclude.

We are excited to tally up the votes and see which art pieces got the most votes! Stay tuned to hear about the reception where we will be announcing the winners of Portland Creates, as well as, offering our community art project!

Come Again In the Spring

I was often led around places and into situations as a kid not knowing what to expect. When I recall going on a class trip to the library for a story time reading I was just doing what I was told. I had no idea where I was or who this woman was perched on top of the tiered seats, a book in hand and watching all of us file in. I remember observing everything and interpreting that she was a librarian and she was going to read to us, but I had no idea why and thought it was strange that we were pulled out of school for it. After all, we had a library at school, why did we have to get on a bus to go here?

The woman introduced herself, I can't remember her name or even what she looked like, but I remember the book she held in her hands very distinctly. When she held it up and said she was going to read it aloud, I was struck by the simple black and white illustrations on the cover. It portrayed an elderly gentlemen feeding some birds, presumably from his front doorstep.

I was the type of child who went into every situation curious, but also skeptical. Despite my inner judgements about where we were and what we were doing, I was open to the story: 1) Because I loved stories and books were one of the vessels to share them, 2) The old man on the front of the book reminded me of my own grandfather. My grandfather loved birds. When I visited, we would often sit by the bay windows where the bird feeders were right up next to the glass and watch them as they went about their bird business. We would identify their types, genders, and mimicked their sounds as they flitted about outside. On pleasant days, we would walk around the yard and refill their feeders, all while chatting and sharing our stories.

I find it interesting that this librarian decided to read this book, especially since the story itself has to do with a difficult subject. It is about Old Hark who has a special bond with the birds that he provides for, and as his time on earth draws to an end he is visited by a mysterious figure that you come to realize is Death himself. Old Hark and Death enter into a wager in order to allow him to stay on earth one more year to feed the birds. Death asks him progressively difficult questions about his life, daring him to remember memories that eventually should have stumped him. How he ends up making Death agree to coming again in the spring is lovely because the birds end up saving him. It is beautifully done in more ways than one and left a distinct impression on me.

My own grandfather was unable to strike up a bargain with death, but despite this I still think of him every time I see, read, or think of this book. It is a reminder that books are more than just for entertainment or information, but are also powerful parts of how we think and feel. That story has stuck with me ever since then, reminding me how important it is to pay attention to life's every day moments, and most importantly, to be kind and thoughtful to the small creatures in this world. My grandfather was known to be harsh and angry, but with the birds he was as gentle as a breath of air.

I still have this book and it is now on my daughter's bookshelf, awaiting the day I crack it open and read it to her. I am waiting for her to be a bit older so that she can understand some of what is going on in the story, but I hope that she can come to appreciate it just as I have. Maybe not in the same capacity, but my hope is that she develops her own sense of understanding from reading the story and that the time we spend together will be fruitful in some way. It is one reason why libraries are so important. They allow anyone to walk in and find a book, perhaps with the intention of sharing it and, in that way, benefitting the people around them. I'd like to think that this eventually shapes the world we live in, and hopefully for the better, just as this book did for me.

Miss you, Grandpa Willard, but you live on in me.

Portland Creates Voting Period is Here!

Portland Creates has moved on from our submission period to the voting period! We have received many excellent art pieces this year and surpassed our own expectations. We have received more submissions this year than any time before. It is an exciting time in the life this program, and we want you to be as involved as possible. From now until the end of the month, you can stop by the library and vote for your favorite pieces. You can grab a voting ballot from either upstairs or downstairs, fill out as many categories as you please, and drop it in one of our voting cans to be counted towards the grand prizes. An individual can vote up to once per day, but each one could add up towards winning so we highly encourage your participation.

Please consider supporting artists in your community by casting your vote today!

A free resource to help you

I don't know about you but I like to learn. One of my favorite things to learn are hands-on life skills, especially if its applicable to my current lifestyle. If you are looking to learn about a number of topics that are relevant to you, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) offers a great website to get you started.

At Michigan GetSetUp you can explore a range of different topics from understanding VA benefits to learning how to navigate and use social media. Once you become a member, all the classes are currently free, and you can join a live class or book one from wherever you happen to be. It makes learning a lot more convenient as you can even do it from the comfort of your own home.

They have categories for topics that range from fitness and wellness, to cooking, to technology. They even have art classes available!

We shared this information on our website, but I thought it was a great resource (especially senior citizens) and thought it would be beneficial to share it here. Common feedback from our older patrons is a wish for more opportunities to learn, so my hope is that by sharing this resource we can reach more people concerning this.

If you have any suggestions for improvement on this front, please drop a comment or visit our Facebook page and share your thoughts there. We love to hear from our community!

Some Romantasies With High Marks

We all know that fantasy has been increasingly popular, dominating the mainstream more than ever. We see new fantastical ideas emerging every day in media like a Netflix series or even in children's shows. There is more need for new ideas, and even more for those that transport us to different realms. Perhaps it is a result of a generation plagued by escapism, maybe neurodivergent folk are finally getting a say in what gets digested by the masses - either way, there is more fantasy-based media to delight and engage you.

I may be biased, but plenty of that starts out in book format. Take a look at some new fantasy books that have been published this year with stellar reviews.

Onyx Storm

If you haven't read the first two books in this series, you are missing out. The highly anticipated third book has high marks, but read the reviews before diving headfirst into this story. This series follows Violet Sorrengail who is a skinny, scholar-to-be thrust into dragonriding by her hard-as-nails mother - who's also the general. The only way that she will survive in this quadrant is by bonding with a dragon, but with her small stature and brittle bones she is more likely to be eaten, incinerated, or otherwise destroyed than be bonded. She has to use her wits, speed, and tenacity to get through to graduation, and all while fighting her growing attraction to her worst enemy - Xaden Riorson. This book continues the struggle against the new evil that rises, navigating complicated relationships, and our protagonist's struggle to learn control over her overwhelming power.

Sunrise on the Reaping

A prequel to the first Hunger Games book, it follows Haymitch Abernathy as he is called as a tribute for District 12 and shuttled to the Capitol. Twice as many tributes are taken from their homes this year, including one of Haymitch's friends who is like a sister, a compulsive oddmaker, and a stuck up girl from his own district. Highly anticipated and filling in the gap where the previous series left us hanging, this book has been hitting high marks so read it for yourself and see what the hubbub is all about.

The Knight and the Moth

A gothic tale of a prophetess and a knight unraveling the mystery of her disappearing sister Diviners. Sybil draws her powers from Omens, six unearthly figures in her dreams, which can predict terrible things before they occur. Just as her and her sisters near their end of service, they begin disappearing and she must rely on the mysterious, just-arrived knight to accompany her outside her cloister, to solve the mystery. If you are looking for something reminiscent of a medieval Pan's Labyrinth, this book can fill that yearning while also having an immersive, lore-filled world. Add in a tension-filled romance, and you have a spectacular romantasy must-read.

A Witch's Guide to Magical Innkeeping

An exiled witch Sera Swan, after resurrecting her aunt from the dead, losing most of her magic in the process, decides to help her run an enchanted inn in Lancashire, Great Britain. An icy magical historian appears, though wanting to remain uninvolved, decides to help her in her plans to restore her power via a secret spell. By reclaiming her lost power, running the inn, and staying one step ahead of the Guild she was exiled from, Sera learns that the family she found may be the best magic of all. If you want a cozy and whimsical read, this book will hit the marks for you, and of course mix in the romance and wholesomeness and you got a recipe for goodness.

Rose In Chains

I have come to really appreciate the Harry Potter series and knowing that the author wrote this book originally as a Draco X Hermione fan fiction just made me raise my brows. Could it work? Will it read like it's own story? I think so! With their hero dead and her castle overrun, Briony Rosewood is taken captive and sold to the highest bidder which just so happens to be Toven Hearst. He is part of a family known for its cruelty and horrors, but as she tries to navigate her new world and the role she must play in it, she realizes that hope is not all lost - it may arise from the most unlikely of places. Look, if this doesn't sound like it could be strangely fulfilling based on the idea of it starting as Harry Potter fanfic, then give it a try solely on its good reviews.

Immortal by Sue Lynn Tan

A standalone romantic fantasy, if you enjoyed Daughter of the Moon Goddess like I did than you are sure to enjoy this. The princess Liyen is destined to ascend the throne and serve the immortals who protected them in the past. Then, she's poisoned and Liyen's grandfather steals an enchanted lotus flower, provoking the immortals to attack them. After her grandfather dies, Liyen ascends and promises to cut ties with the immortals. However, she is summoned to the immortal realm and begins a tenuous alliance with the God of War in order to safeguard her people. Liyen must risk her people, safety, and even her own heart to accomplish her tasks. Will she succeed, or will she fall into darkness? If you like lush, fantastical worlds with Chinese mythology driving the story along, as well as, rival-to-lovers/enemies-to-lovers tropes, then this will be right down your alley.

National Library Week

It's National Library Week! For those of you who aren't aware: yes, the library is celebrated for an entire week. You may see larger library systems really celebrating this week with day-to-day activities and programs, even having guest speakers. It is a truly exciting time for those who work for libraries, love libraries, love to read, or really have any need for a library in all its wonderful capacities.

We decided to highlight one of the most important aspects of a library: the staff. Take a look at our Facebook page to learn more about the staff members who work at Portland District Library. Happy National Library Week!