Mercer County Library Blog

I have heard of world Ice Cream Day (in July), World Donut Day (in June), World Pizza Day (in February), World Taco Day (in October) and many more days dedicated to food, but I had never heard of any day dedicated to Samosas. Samosas are the favorite food of my entire family, many of my friends, and even most of my coworkers! I just recently found out that World Samosa Day is coming up on September 5th this year.  This fun little pastry-type treat can be found at just about every South Asian restaurant.  It is usually a savory snack made with potatoes and vegetables or could have a meat or chicken filling.  It is deep fried deliciousness and can also be baked or put in an air-fryer as a healthier alternative. Samosas can be served alone as an appetizer or snack or as part of a larger meal. With its delicious flavor and crispy texture, it's no wonder that samosas are so popular!     Many believe that the beloved snack item originated in India, but the earliest mentions of this

If you’ve been in Libby recently, you might have noticed some “Extras” that add to your overall experience. I for one was especially interested in Kovels Antique Trader. I’ve long been a fan of searching for treasures in thrift shops, or spending a Saturday driving around and checking out yard and estate sales. There’s an excitement when you find something that speaks to you out in the wild and then discover its part of a larger set you now HAVE to find. But for me, I really love how this becomes my own personal historical adventure. What time period is the item from? Was it mass produced, or made in small batches? What can I learn about how it was made? A vintage item can connect you to the past as you give it a second (or third) life in the present. Previously, I’d taken the common routes to learning more about an item. A google here, maybe leading me to some useful search terms there. But it was hard to be confident in what I was finding. Kovels Antiques and Collectibles allows us

As a child, reading was mainly for school - some of those books were either a hit or a miss. But when given the chance to decide on a book for oneself, it was marvelous and it just had to be about horses. The series that ended up being the favorite was Pony Pals by Jeanne Betancourt. The characters bond over their love for ponies and create their own little group called Pony Pals - hence the title. Together they go on trail rides and explore their little town. Within each book, a problem presents itself and together the Pony Pals work to help each other solve it. The problems that come up in the series are, to a child, maybe some of the hardest kinds of problems to deal with, such as: What do you do when a pony is sick? Is it a simple dietary issue or sprained ankle? Or just an upset stomach? A Pony in Trouble by Jeanne Betancourt Pam's father is a veterinarian, so she is used to being around sick animals. But when her own pony gets sick, Pam needs her Pony Pals more

A helpful way to understand a literary genre is as a set of reader expectations. Sci-fi readers expect that fictional worlds and technology will be consistent and have clear limits, so that readers can maintain a solid understanding of what’s possible within the book’s universe and what’s not. Similarly, readers of mysteries expect intrigue, a central character to unravel all the secrets, and clues to follow along the way. In the end, the mystery’s solution must fit with the established facts. So what happens when sci-fi and mysteries collide? Authors must juggle both sets of expectations effectively. If a sci-fi murder is finally explained by some previously unmentioned technology, readers are let down both by the lack of clear sci-fi worldbuilding and by the absence of any previous foundation for the mystery’s solution. The worst of both worlds! Successful sci-fi mysteries, on the other hand, use rules of their worlds not only to clarify the setting, but also to lay out all the piece