Mercer County Library Blog

 With Autumn in the air and on my mind, I long to slow down, enjoy the changing leaves, and pick up a mystery classic: to become an armchair detective myself. Maybe it’s the start of the school year that conjures up tweed and smoking pipes? Whatever it is, Fall seems like the perfect time to examine commonly used themes or tropes in the Mystery genre.   Join me as I continue my exploration of genre tropes considered in literature, film, and music, which I began with Romance and Historical Fiction earlier this year.  First, what is a trope?  A trope is a storytelling device that is characteristic of certain genres or types of stories.  Read on to discover five of the many tropes commonly utilized by mystery writers of different kinds of media.  Amateur Detective: This theme casts an everyday person taking on the role of sleuth to solve the mystery.   Book: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman: “In a peaceful retirement village, four u...

The subject of death may be somewhat macabre to speak about in casual company, and it can loom heavy over all of us as an unavoidable fact of human life. Especially as we near Halloween, people are thinking about all things spooky. While some people prefer mysteries, others may enjoy reading about death as a concept more generally. Reading about death can provide answers to unusual questions, provide comfort after a loved one has passed, or simply offer an alternate perspective on a subject that can be rather taboo.  Nonfiction books about death cover many different topics, such as what happens to people’s bodies after they die from the perspective of a mortician ( Smoke Gets in Your Eyes by Caitlin Doughty), musings about the afterlife ( Spook by Mary Roach), reflections on end-of-life care ( Being Mortal by Atul Gawande), coming to terms with one’s own terminal illness or death ( When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi, Gratitude by Oliver Sacks), dealing with the grief aft...

This November, MCLS offers opportunities to celebrate cultural heritage, explore history, and connect with our community. Discover programs recognizing Diwali, Native American Heritage Month, and Thanksgiving, along with events focused on Alzheimer’s Awareness Month and National Family Caregivers Month. As we continue commemorating the 2 50th anniversary of American independence , join us for more programs exploring our nation’s history and the diverse stories that shape our communities. Below are selected events and programs taking place throughout the Mercer County Library System in November. For a complete list of events at your local branch, visit the MCLS Events Calendar . T hanksgiving Events Programs for Kids  Story & Snack: Turkeys Friday, November 13, 10:30 am   Hickory Corner Branch No-Bake Pumpkin Energy Bites Saturday, November 14, 1:30 pm   Monday, November 23, 6:15 pm   West Windsor Branch Thanksgiving Bingo Wednesday, November 18, 4:30 pm   Hi...

Each year, The Mercer County Library System partners with The Maker’s Place to collect diapers for low-income families in Trenton, NJ. This year, the Diaper Drive will take place between Monday, November 2 and Monday, November 30.  Why diapers? A sufficient supply of clean diapers is essential for the health and well-being of babies and toddlers. Each day, babies require up to 12 diapers and toddlers require about 8. Without enough diapers, babies and toddlers risk infection and health problems.  How do diaper donations help? A daily supply of diapers is often a requirement for babies and toddlers who participate in childcare programs. As a result, parents struggling with diaper need may have to miss work or school if they can’t leave their children at childcare.  Diaper donations help families meet these requirements. With a sufficient supply of diapers, children don’t miss out on early childhood education and learning and parents don’t miss out on work and school. ...

I’m not a summer person—the minute the heavy heat and humidity drag on, I am more than ready to trade them for crisp air and cozy layers. So, every fall, a phrase echoes through our house: "Let’s go look at the colors." Apparently, that makes us “leaf peepers”! It’s probably just our family’s thing, but it’s a tradition we look forward to when the chill begins and the leaves start to turn. Years ago, when my husband used to travel through New York and New England for work during peak season, he’d always call to tell me how incredible the trees looked. Once he was home, one of our favorite weekend things to do was jump in the car, skipping the main highways, and seeing where the backroads took us. Honestly, just taking in the colors and quiet of fall is calming to me. Watching the landscape turn into all those warm, glowing shades feels like the nicest, gentlest way to ease into winter. Even though those weekend drives started years ago, they’ve grown into one of my favorite p...

October is here and that means Halloween is right around the corner. Ghost stories, trick or treaters, twelve-foot-tall skeletons in the front lawn, and the inevitable bags of leftover candy corn are soon to be upon us. It is the time of year when it’s fun to be scared. For many that means filling a bowl with popcorn, turning off the lights, and putting on a scary movie. Some people even make it a month-long marathon and do one movie per night, leading up to Halloween. But what if instead of turning off the lights, we keep them on and try something equally scary – reading graphic novels (note: I do not suggest reading in the dark, but I am leaving it up to you)? Let’s take a look at a few of the many graphic novels we have at the Mercer County Library System. Hopefully we can find something that is just the right level of scary for you this Halloween season.  We will begin our search by delving into some menacing and morbid manga.  Statues by Junji Ito  Japanese manga ar...

On September 26th the library held its second annual Book Festival - a celebration of books, stories, creativity and community.  It’s also one of my favorite days of the year!   Preparation for the Book Festival begins months in advance. While the event is held at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch, staff from branches across the Library System contribute to the planning, preparation and implementation.  It is truly Mercer County Library System’s largest event of the year.   Even though the day was dark and stormy due to a nor’easter, almost 40 authors representing a variety of genres joined us to share their stories.  We also had several speakers, performances, and activities throughout the day.  Some highlights included: • Crafts! We know that people of all ages love getting creative so we expanded our craft offerings from last year.  Kids and adults could bedazzle books, make bookmarks, decorate tote bags and more.   • Kids’ e...