Mercer County Library Blog

Growing up, my sister Jenny was an avid reader. I cannot remember a time in our childhood when I did not see a book in her hands. During the two-hour car ride up to my grandparents' house, she would be reading in the car. The night before our family trips to Cape Cod, she would pack as many books as she could in her suitcase and, at night when we were supposed to be sleeping, she would be reading her books. Even when we were going to play outside, my sister would climb the highest tree in our backyard, lean against the tree trunk and read. One of Jenny's ambitions was to read all the cat books in the Walter C. Black Elementary School library. Our local library, the Hickory Corner Branch , became a second home to her. We would stop at the library during our family walks for Jenny to check out even more books. Throughout my childhood, I looked up to my older sister and wanted to be just like her. Everything she did, I tried to do - especially when it came to reading. There was a...

My recent trip to Japan was a lot of fun. One of the best things I was able to bring back with me was an appreciation for Japanese food. A lot of everyday Japanese dishes are easy for westerners to make at home - or find locally. Here are some of my favorites. I didn't include the amazing stuff you can get at 7-11 in Japan , but keep that in mind if you ever go there. Japanese Curry Japan has its own take on curry, and in my experience, Japanese people will be quick to remind you of that if you confuse it with other curries. Japanese curry is typically served over rice, meat or noodles. It's ingredients are available in most American grocery stores if you want to make it at home. If you're ever in Tokyo, you might want to stop by a neighborhood called Jinbocho that's famous for two things: bookstores and Japanese curry! Wasabi Because it was my first time in Japan, I had to try the sushi. It was great, of course, and one of the things that stood out to me was the u...

As the weather grows warmer and the days longer, thoughts turn to gardening and, more specifically, to vegetable gardening. There are many information resources available for the Mercer County gardener. A good source of general information is the Home, Lawn and Garden Section of the Rutgers Agricultural Experiment Station. https://njaes.rutgers.edu/home-lawn-garden/ Another good source is the Master Gardeners of New Jersey Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County – Providing horticultural information and programs to the community (mgofmc.org) , who are located at 1440 Parkside Avenue in Ewing, NJ, and are available Monday through Thursday from 9am-3pm and Friday from 9am to noon. They can be reached by phone at (609) 989-6853. If you come to the office in person, a photo or sample is very helpful.  A book from our collection that focuses on growing vegetables in New Jersey is: Grow Great Vegetables in New Jersey by Marie Ianotti Th...

From the Transcontinental Railroad to the Orient Express, you may have read tales of thrilling and luxurious train journeys of the past. But for anyone who has even taken a New Jersey Transit train, it is hard to imagine a train ride being luxurious. Yet in parts of the United States and abroad in Europe and Japan, a train voyage can still be considered not just a means of getting to your destination, but a destination in itself. How do you find a train journey that will be a joyful experience and not just a means of getting from point A to point B? One good way is to do some train travel research in the library. There are many resources at the Mercer County Library which will provide you with all the information you need to make your next rail adventure extraordinary. As a college student, one of the best parts of my trip to Europe was watching the European landscape go by from the train windows. With the Eurail pass, you could literally hop on a train at the spur of the moment and ...

One of the great benefits of working at the circulation desk for the Mercer County Library System is getting to interact with our patrons. As patrons come in and out of the library to pick up their materials, you get to know what they like to read, watch and listen to by the materials they have reserved and that they check out during their visit. Many patrons return a book or a DVD and let us know it was a great book to read or a show they really enjoyed watching. And because of that, one of the perks of working at the circulation desk is picking up recommendations from patrons. Talking with fellow circulation workers at the branches around the county, we all have the same situation of a growing list of must-read books and new DVDs to watch - many based on the recommendations of patrons. With that in mind, I’ve put together a list of books and DVDs that have been recommended over the past year or two. So, in essence, look at this as suggestions from the people that utilize the l...

Throughout the year, we like to share essays by members of our Teen Advisory Board (TAB). TAB members help with programming, suggest books for purchase, and write the quarterly TAB magazine. This month, Sharon Vasudevan talks about all the ways TAB service has been meaningful for her. Her essay highlights the importance of TAB as a means of service that suits kids of a literary bent.  The Library’s Worth Greetings and salutations to you all! My name is Sharon, and I am a sophomore at Lawrence High School. Like any growing fifteen-year-old, I have multiple hobbies, such as playing piano and violin. I also treasure reading, especially after a grueling timed essay and eight long hours of school. In fact, digging into the most thrilling YA novels gives me the needed dopamine boost to survive the next day at school. Speaking of school, that is a whole different story. I dub it a “mix of emotions” because I go from elated by the hundred at the top of my history test to frustrated at th...

The Lawrence Branch is pleased to welcome patrons to our new sensory walkway. Sensory spaces have become more common in schools and libraries as we have become more aware of the needs of neurodivergent individuals. These spaces are designed to offer a range of stimuli that are calming and can help to engage and develop the senses. All of us are taking in information from our senses all day long. These senses include sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, vestibular, proprioception and interoception. However, some of us can have trouble interpreting and integrating this information. This can affect how a person feels and behaves. A sensory space can help a person regulate their senses. It can have a calming affect on those who are experiencing a sensory overload, but can also provide sensory input for those who like more stimulation.  At Lawrence, our sensory walkway is perfect for children and adults who might feel a little overwhelmed by our more act...

We have been living through strange times. And while they may seem extra strange to us, they don’t get stranger than The Twilight Zone , Rod Serling’s classic speculative fiction anthology series. Though it first aired in 1959, the show itself may feel like it eerily reflects our current reality. Beginning with these words, both invitation and warning, Serling brings us into a world that mirrors the subconscious of our own: "There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition, and it lies between the pit of man's fears and the summit of his knowledge. This is the dimension of imagination. It is an area which we call  The Twilight Zone ." In an era when television was just finding its place as a more serious medium (remember just as many theatrical performers eschewed film, most film stars would not do television),...

Do you find yourself realizing, after two hours working on an art or DIY project that you found on Pinterest, that you should have been doing your load of laundry the whole time? Have you ever found yourself working on a crocheted, knitted, or stitched project when you should be washing the dishes in the sink? If you answered “yes” to either one of these questions, you’re a lot like many creative people. Congratulations! You’ve discovered the art of proCRAFTination: crafting instead of doing all the things you actually need to get done today. There’s no need to feel ashamed, as there’s a large population of creative souls who feel and always do the same thing…myself included. As the librarian-in-charge of Robbinsville’s adult craft programs, I’m always on the hunt for new creative projects to try and share with my patrons. This results in searching Pinterest for my work, but I am always fighting the urge to become distracted by ideas for my own crafty pursuits due to previous search...