Autumn Chills & Domestic Thrills

 October is here at last, and with it begins what is affectionately known as the "spooky season".  Ghosts, werewolves, vampires...  There are all sorts of terrors lurking in the dark ; sometimes, on a dark and stormy night, the only place you really feel safe is in your own home, surrounded by your loved ones.

But... are you?

I'm sorry to say that the following list is not for those seeking comfort while tucked cozily into their beds.  Rather, these domestic thrillers (compiled with the help of our own Ms. Shannon) will leave you questioning whether home really is a safe place, after all.

Sometimes, a haunted house is less scary than one that's lived in.

Waiting for Hoover

One cool thing about working at the library is you get to see what people are reading.  You also get to notice when a book is popular - a few books have spent weeks on the reserve list, being returned just to get marked for the next patron line.

One author I've seen repeatedly on our reserve shelf, and no more than twice in the actual fiction section, is New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover.

I honestly don't think there's another author for whom we have this sort of demand in the library.  It's not like Hoover only has one or two books; we have twelve, yes twelve, of her books, and it is a very rare occasion that any of them are on the shelf.  That's how popular she is.

The best way to check one of these out is to reserve it, either through our online catalog or simply by visiting us and asking a staff member for help.

But what on Earth is there to read during all that waiting?  Or what if, perish the thought, you've already read Hoover's books, and don't know what to read next?

Well, we at the library have got your back.  Read on to see a handful of great titles to hopefully fill that gap in your book-loving heart.

Back to School

Well, it's that time of year again.  The youth department is quiet once more, until classes let out and students flock from their school building to ours, desperately yearning for more education...

Okay, yeah, that's probably not what's happening.  But school in Portland has started up again, and we miss the kiddos already!  Luckily, there's still plenty of time for the library after school, especially when you consider us part of the curriculum!

I wonder if there are any teachers who don't like apples.

I've got one of my own at home (starting third grade already!) and it's been a bit of an adjustment.  Thankfully, we haven't had to worry about any homework or tests or anything yet, but experience tells me it's going to be a bit of a struggle to focus while sitting at the kitchen table with distractions all around.

This is where the library comes in handy!  Though we are far past the days of shushing every patron who makes so much as a peep, the library does tend to be a more peaceful place than many - perfect for sitting down with a book or some notes and getting your study on.

Do grade schoolers still do book reports?  (No, seriously, do they? I'm hopelessly out of touch.)  Well, at any rate, we've got books!  Need to do a research project?  Try the non-fiction section, or ask a librarian for help finding web-based sources!

This isn't even to mention that all our books and programs are a fantastic way to help reinforce lessons learned both in and out of the classroom.

This isn't just for the younger kids, either.  Tweens and teens can use our space and resources for their own projects and test prep, and even college students if they don't feel like hanging around campus to get things done.  I know I could never study at home during any of my years of education, so having a quiet but familiar spot away from home is seriously helpful.

So if you (or one of your young ones) could use some study space away from home, come on in.  It's just one of the many wonderful things we have to offer!