Mercer County Library Blog

The last few years have seen an explosion of new kitchen appliances designed to save users time without sacrificing taste. Today we are talking about the air fryer. An air fryer is essentially a small convection oven; it cooks food by circulating hot air around the food. Unlike a deep fryer, air fryers use little to no oil, which makes for healthier meals. They also produce food that is crispier than food cooked in a regular oven. Most air fryers are pod shaped and come in various sizes. I use a compact air fryer that holds two quarts. That is typically enough for a single person or a couple. However, family-size air fryers can go up to five or six quarts and toaster air fryers (a combination of a toaster oven and air fryer) can get up to sixteen quarts. Most people buy air fryers to make “fried” food at home. After all, how many of us have access to a deep fryer? It’s not a coincidence that almost every ad for air fryers features the most golden, perfect-looking French fries you have...

When many adults think of graphic novels, they think of “silly” mainstream comic books about superheroes or compilations of Garfield or Calvin and Hobbes comic strips. When kids and teens think about graphic novels, they think of The Witch Boy, Smile, many types of Japanese manga, and, of course, superheroes such as Captain America, Batman, Iron Man, and Wonder Woman. When I, Miss Jamie the Youth Services Librarian, think about graphic novels, I think a lot about a format that is inviting to all kinds of readers. These graphic novels are great for: New and old readers who would like to see stories in a different format from what they’re used to reading; English-language learners who can use the visual support to comprehend and build background information about the text; Readers who don’t really like reading but are immediately engaged by captivating graphics and text; and Those who want more ...

Many/most of us enjoy listening to classical music, especially as we mature past our pop music years, though I’m sure some children and young people were attracted to it from an early age. One of the better definitions of classical music I could find can be read from this link: CLASSICAL MUSIC MONTH – September Though I enjoy all classical music, I particularly enjoy the peaceful, soothing sound of Gregorian Chant. I have been surprised on occasion when people ask me “what’s that?” Many people don’t know that our modern musical notation first started when Pope Gregory ordered that this chant be codified and written down in some form. For more information on Gregorian Chant, see the Encyclopedia Britannica article. I recommend Gregorian Chant: A Guide to the History and Liturgy by Dom Daniel Saulnier, OSB, one of several books on the subject in our library system. A number of sound recordings (both on CD and hoopla) in our collection on this topic can found through the library catalo...

Photo by Laurent Liotardo. Courtesy of artist. My admiration for Frida Kahlo  began when I was 18. My mom took me to the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit. At the time, I had not the faintest idea of who Frida Kahlo was. However, I instantly became enamored by her artwork and life story. As the years progressed, Kahlo’s popularity has grown. Now, it seems that Kahlo’s image is emblazoned everywhere. Her image can be seen in just about every medium--from t-shirts, puzzles, magnets, dolls, and, now, dance. The English National Ballet premiered the performance of Broken Wings on Wednesday, April 22 and will premier different performances every Wednesday. Broken Wings depicts pivotal moments in Frida Kahlo’s life and was choreographed by Colombian-Belgian artist Annabelle Lopez Ochoa. The ballet provides viewers with a colorful and vivid performance. The ballet begins with the tragic bus accident that greatly impacted the rest of Frida Kahlo’s l...

The year has certainly been one for the history books and one which you can help write the history of, even if just for your family members to recall what life was like living through a pandemic, murder hornets, wildfires, and the fight for civil justice. As a new school year begins, stretching our year of uncertainty into a third season, keep in mind that it is not too late to stop and assemble a personal or family recollection of this time in history. Many of us have taken plenty of photos, posted to social media, sent texts and emails, or even written short passages in journals about the pandemic experience, as well as our reaction to the myriad of other events that have taken place, from derechos to hurricanes to protests. Locally, we have even seen some more minor, but unusual events as well, from snow squalls in May to the recent earthquake that shook central New Jersey. These mementoes and memories can be saved in various ways as a reference for future generations to explore...

Since I’ve been a little girl, I’ve always grown up with dogs. We’ve had small dogs, big dogs, goofy dogs, lovable dogs. The list goes on and on. Having dog as a companion is nothing like any relationship you can have with another individual. As I got older, moved out of my parents’ house, and eventually got married, I was ready to have my own dog. So one bright morning a couple months after we got married, my husband and I brought home a small little fluff ball we named Libby. She became our world. Libby was always there to listen. She was there when I was home alone, so I would feel safe. Libby was my 12 pound security system. She would snuggle with me when I might have had a bad day and protected me through two pregnancies. She later became a part of my children’s lives. Then last fall she became ill, and by Halloween we had to say goodbye. It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. We are slowly approaching a year without her and I still feel her ab...

Sanford Meisner On Acting Vintage Original, August 1987 792 in the Dewey Decimal System will get you to a stack of titles that may look a little unusual or specialized. Stage Presentations. Lots of thin paperbacks maybe twenty, thirty years old. Has arts education has been cast into the shadows by other fields that promise earning power, marketability, and “staying power” (STEM-- Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, for starters)? Actually, film and (cable) television have never been more eagerly consumed, here in the 21st century. Theater, if not as “sexy” as it once was, when there was less competition for attention, is still held in great esteem by performers and devotees as a noble and rich terrain for the true measurement of talent. Wandering these stacks, I picked up Sanford Meisner’s On Acting because the cover drawing is of the author in a dated overcoat with a raised faux fur collar. He is balding and wearing heavy plastic-frame glasses that are very much of ...

For many years, I have shelved and pulled for hold requests the book Moloka’i by Alan Brennert. I often thought about reading it, but then other titles would come up that I was excited about and it was always put on the back burner. With its sequel just released, Daughter of Moloka’i , my interest was again piqued and I checked it out. Perfect timing, as it turns out - I was able to read it during New Jersey’s stay-at-home order. In 1999, I visited Hawaii for the second time. I went to the islands of Hawaii, Kauai, and Molokai. I did a lot of hiking (about 50 miles worth) and saw a lot of sights. One of the best parts of the trip, however, was touring Kalaupapa Peninsula on Molokai – where Hawaii had sent people who were diagnosed with leprosy, now referred to as Hansen’s disease. Between 1866 and 1969, about 8,000 people had been taken to live there. Little was known of the causes of leprosy and it was believed to be highly contagious. There was no cure. The stigma of having le...

Grief. It’s a subject that many of us don’t like to talk about. It can make us feel uncomfortable, angry, depressed, or just plain sad. Why shouldn’t we avoid thinking about grief unless it is absolutely necessary? Why read about it or discuss it unless there is no way around it? Our discomfort with grief leads many of us to say things like “It’s time for you to move on.” “This isn’t healthy.” “It’s been long enough already.” “When are you going to get over this?” Often, we kick ourselves for not resolving our feelings of loss quickly enough. I was living and working in New York on 9/11. Every year, as that date approaches, I find a sense of sadness welling up inside me. Then it slowly lessens as the month moves on. Even nineteen years later, random memories or simple conversations can suddenly bring up a well of tears that literally leaves me unable to speak. The haunting, palpable sense of pain and loss was like a cloud that had settled on the city, with no plans to depar...