World War II Reenactor at Kirtland Public Library

Join us on May 17^th at 7:00 pm at the Kirtland Public Library as reenactor Peter Booth brings the story of an American soldier to life.  Told in the first person, Peter shows us what it was like for American soldiers landing on the beaches of Normandy, France on D-Day in June 1944.

To help bring this story more fully to life Peter will be bringing historical objects from the time period to show what types of equipment and weapons American soldiers used and fought

against.  The public is invited to bring any items of historical interest along to the event, however we ask that any weapons be left at home.  This event is made possible through the generosity of the Friends of the Kirtland Public Library.

The library has many great resources, for adults and young readers, which can help illuminate more fully the story of D-Day and America’s involvement in the Second World War.  If you don't see the book you want on this list ask a librarian and they will be able to help you find what you want.

Books for Young Readers

The Journal of Scott Pendleton Collins: A World War II Soldier by Walter Dean Myers

Rangers Lead the Way: Pointe-du-Hoc D-Day, 1944 by Steve Zaloga

Remember D-day: The Plan, the Invasion, Survivor Stories by Ronald J Drez

Books for Adult Readers

D-day: The Battle for Normandy by Antony Beevor

Eyewitness D-Day: Firsthand Accounts From The Landing At Normandy To The Liberation Of Paris by D.M. Giangreco

Voices of Valor: D-Day, June 6, 1944 by Douglas Brinkley

Overlord: D-Day And The Battle For Normandy by Max Hastings

Six Armies in Normandy: From D-Day to the Liberation of Paris by John Keegan

D-Day, June 6, 1944: The Climactic Battle of World War II by Stephen Ambrose

Double Cross: The True Story of the D-day Spies by Ben Macintyre

The Longest Day: June 6, 1944 by Cornelius Ryan

Omaha Beach: A Flawed Victory by Adrian R. Lewis

Movies & Documentaries

While these movies & documentaries featured here might not strictly be about D-Day they offer insights into the experiences of American soldiers during World War II

D-Day (2004)

D-Day's Sunken Secrets (2014)

D-Day 360 (2014)

The War (2007)

Band of Brothers (2002)
Also available on Blu-Ray, based on the book of the same title by Stephen Ambrose

Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Also available on Blu-Ray, based on the book of the same title by Max Allan Collins

Why Do We Celebrate Labor Day?

For most of us, Labor Day signals the unofficial end of summer.  Vacations are finished, the kids are back in school and the cool autumn weather isn’t too far off.  Labor Day is sometimes one of the few remaining days left to fire up the grill and to enjoy one last summer cookout and picnic.  Have you ever wondered why we celebrate Labor Day and what its origins are?

The first Labor Day was celebrated in New York City in 1882.  Even with its relatively recent history there is some controversy over who first championed the idea of a labor holiday.  According to the Department of Labor’s website, Peter J. McGuire, general secretary for the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners and later a founder of the American Federation of Labor, suggested a day to honor those "who from rude nature have delved and carved all the grandeur we behold."  Initially, this version of Labor Day’s history went unchallenged until the late 1960s, when a retired machinist claimed a deceased union brother of his, Matthew Maguire, originated the idea of a labor holiday.

Matthew Maguire, then serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union, proposed a

“workingman’s holiday” be celebrated.  The Central Labor Union was made up of members from many different unions as a way to increase their collective strength.  In May 1882 a “monster labor festival” was proposed for September.  Although the first Labor Day parade began haphazardly with a small number of participants, by the time the parade concluded at Wendel’s Elm Park, located at 92^nd Street and 9^th Avenue in New York City, nearly 10,000 workers had assembled.  The post-parade activities included a picnic, speeches by union officials, and "Lager beer kegs... mounted in every conceivable place."  The festivities of the first Labor Day carried on until 9:00 pm that evening.

Initially Labor Day celebrations were an entirely local affair.  During 1885 and 1886 various cities and municipalities passed ordinances recognizing the holiday. New York, New Jersey and Colorado were among the first states to legally establish the holiday. New York legislators first introduced a bill recognizing Labor Day.  However, Oregon holds the record as being the first state to pass a bill, February 21, 1887.  It wasn’t until 1894 that Senator James Henderson Kyle of South Dakota introduced a bill establishing the first Monday in September as Labor Day, making it a Federal holiday.  The bill was approved on June 28, 1894.

From its origins as a way to commemorate workers and their unions, Labor Day has become a civic holiday.  Besides featuring labor unions, Labor Day parades will also include various civic and fraternal groups, business members and elected officials.  This year, while having one last picnic take a little time to remember all of America’s workers-past and present, male and female who work hard to make this country what it is.

Check out these links from the Department of Labor for more information on Labor Day and its history.

The History of Labor Day 

Department of Labor's Historian on History of Labor Day 

Labor Daze-Pride, Chaos and Kegs on Labor's First 'Day' 

If you would like to learn more about Labor Day and the history of the modern labor movement the library has a wide selection of books.  Here are some of the available titles:

For children and young adults:

 Labor Day by Geoffrey Scott

Labor Day by Lynn Hamilton

Labor Day by Meredith Dash







General history on the labor movement in America:

"All Labor Has Dignity" by Martin Luther King Jr.

Sweat and Blood: A History of Labor Unions by Gina Skurzynski

Working Americans, 1880-2011 by Scott Derks

Good Girl Work: Factories, Sweatshops and How Women Changed Their Role in the American Workforce by Catherine Gourley

New Graphic Novels at Kirtland!

The Kirtland Public library proudly introduces its new and expanded collection of graphic novels.  We have a wide selection of graphic novels that will appeal to children, young adults, and adults.  We have favorite superheroes, such as Batman, Spider Man, and Captain America as well as stories that will appeal to young adults and those interested in trying different comic styles, such as Manga.  If you are interested in reading something new or something familiar I’m sure we will have a graphic novel that will interest you.  The graphic novels described below are meant to give Kirtland library patrons a sense of the variety of graphic novels we have available.

George O’Connor. Olympians. (First Second: New York, 2010).    The acclaimed author, George O’Connor, in his series Olympians, uses ancient Greek mythology to re-tell the stories of the gods in this series of brightly illustrated graphic novels.  The library has Zeus, Ares, and Athena with more available!  Come and check out these entertaining books.  Readers of all ages will find the stories and artwork highly entertaining.

Matt Dembicki, ed. Trickster: Native AmericanTales: a Graphic Collection.  (Fulcrum Books: Golden, CO, 2010). Matt Dembicki, a comic book creator in his own right, assembled a group of Native American storytellers to create a book of trickster tales and legends from various native cultures.  The stories are visualized through the efforts of many talented artists and illustrators, who worked hand-in-hand with the storytellers to get it all just right. This book will provide an entertaining, beautifully presented view into one aspect of Native American culture and storytelling.  This is a must read for anybody interested in Native American stories or looking for something a little different.

Akira Himekawa. The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons. (Perfect Square: San Francisco, CA, 2014).  This series of Manga graphic novels ties their stories into that of the popular videogame series from Nintendo.  The books are laid out in the traditional Manga format: the book is read from right to left and is started from what American readers would consider the back of the book.  One does not need to be familiar with the videogames or their plot to enjoy the story and artwork in these books.  If you are looking for something a little different this may be the place to begin.

David Hine and Fabrice Sapolsky. Spider-Man: Noir. (Marvel: New York, 2009).  This series takes familiar characters and re-imagines them in 1930s New York City.  Prior to be bitten by a spider Peter Parker, along with Aunt May, are socialist agitators trying to stir up the unemployed.  The arch-villain, the Goblin, is one of the most powerful gangsters in the city.  The drawings successfully capture the feel of earlier pulp and noir artwork.  If you are looking for a new twist to traditional superhero stories, this one will be just right.

Jordan Mechner, A.B. Sina, LeUyen Pham, and Alex Puvilland. Prince of Persia: The Graphic Novel. (First Second: New York, 2008).  While based on the popular video game series, this graphic novel is a story separate from the main storyline of the game. The graphic novel follows two separate, yet related, stories set several hundred years apart in the city of Marv.  Visually, the story set in Marv in the 9^th century, is told using bright pastel colors.  The other story, also set in Marv, however in the 13^th century, is visualized using darker hued colors.  As the two stories intertwine and co-mingle with each other the only way to sometimes to tell them apart is through their coloring.  If you are a fan of the 2010 movie The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, or perhaps if you remember the videogame, or are interested in well-written and beautifully illustrated stories this one will be right for you.

Victoria Jamieson. Roller Girl. (Dial Books for Young Readers: New York, 2015). This story follows Astrid as she explores a new sport, roller derby, and the changing dynamics of her friendship with Nicole, who prefers ballet to roller derby.  It sensitively handles the difficulties young people have in trying to find themselves and their way in the world.  After reading this book you will also have a good overview of the rules of roller derby by an actual roller derby racer.  This book is appropriate for children 9-12, and not just girls, but also boys.

These are just a few of the many selections available at the Kirtland Public Library! Stop by and see for yourself, and if you don’t see something you want the librarians are there to help you find it.

Artists in Novels

Since the publication of Girl in Hyacinth Blue and Girl with a Pearl Earring, historical fiction about art and artists has remained popular. The following titles are just a few examples of novels featuring artists.

Sunflowers, by Sheramy Bundrick is about the relationship between Vincent Van Gogh and a prostitute named Rachel, who becomes his model and his love during the final two years of his life.

The Passion of Artemisia, by Susan Vreeland features lesser-known 17^th –century artist Artemisia Gentileschi, the first woman elected to the Accademia dell’Arte in Florence. Vreeland’s other novels are also about artists and their work, including Girl in Hyacinth Blue (Vermeer) and Luncheon of the Boating Party (Renoir).

I Am Madame X, by Gioia Diliberto is a fictional memoir of Virginie Gautreau, the model for John Singer Sargent’s painting, Portrait of Madame X, which is featured on the book cover.

American 19^th-century painter Mary Cassatt’s work is the subject of Lydia Cassatt Reading the Morning Paper, by Harriet Scott Chessman. Lydia, Mary’s older sister who was dying of Bright's Disease, was the model for a series of paintings reproduced in this novel.

The Anatomy Lesson by Nina Siegal imagines the background story of Rembrandt’s first masterpiece, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicholaes Tulp.

These titles and many more, including novels about Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, Michelangelo, and Leonardo da Vinci, are available in our fiction collection. Please ask a reference librarian for more recommendations.

Staff Picks: E-books!

Most of the books I read are physical library books but the convenience of e-books keeps me reading more conveniently and widely. With e-books, I can read anywhere on anything--a desktop, laptop, e-reader, even my phone. And I can read books both old and new.

I read the following books as e-books. E-reading lets me read faster and has me reading books I wouldn't normally checkout!

A Feast For Crows (Game of Thrones # 4)

by George R. R. Martin

LIGHT READING. All of the books in the Game of Thrones series are hefty books. This book alone is 1,104 pages in mass market paperback; the trade paperback and hardback are 784 pages. That's a heavy book to carry around. I was able to download the e-book to my Nook which was much easier to tote and hold comfortably. The series reads quickly and is completely engrossing despite its long length. Start with the first book which you can check out digitally and read on any device.

Gone Girl

by Gillian Flynn

CONVENIENCE. This book is still popular even though it came out in 2012. When it still had a long waiting list last year, I just had to read it to find out what the fuss was, but I couldn't get my hands on a copy! Then I checked eMedia and found it available. I was able to read it quickly without waiting for the hardback copy to come in. It's nice to have options when you just have to read a book! The twists in this book will keep you guessing until the very end. Don't forget to check for a digital copy if the Library doesn't have a book you're waiting for.

North and South

by John Jakes

SEAMLESS READING. I've always wanted to read the beginning of John Jake's Civil War trilogy and I was surprised to find it available as an e-book. How refreshing that many oldies-but-goodies are now available digitally. Once I started reading, I was hooked. I had to have this book with me everywhere so I checked out both the physical book and e-book. I was able to read the e-book when I was out and about, and read the physical book at home which I left on the bedside table. That way, North and South was always available for me to read and I didn't have to worry about transferring it to and from my purse. I'll definitely be reading the rest of the trilogy and more by John Jakes. 

  

Bright's Passage

by Josh Ritter

EASY BROWSING. The e-Media website makes browsing easy and enjoyable. You can clearly see book covers and get a description of the book's content from the comfort of your home or any WiFi or Internet connection. You can browse and search by subject with just a click. I found this book just by looking at covers. This one drew me in so I checked out the e-book and was pleasantly surprised. This beautifully written story was sad, funny, and heroic all at once. 

Mind of My Mind (Patternist Series #2)

by Octavia Butler

BONUS MATERIAL. Octavia Butler is one of my favorite writers but that's not why I wanted to read this e-book. A "reprint" of the 1977 science-fiction, this e-book contains an illustrated biography of the author "including rare images from the author's estate." I had to check out the book and see the extra material, then I had to read the book, of course. Many e-books contain bonus material such as author interviews or reading guides which makes a digital checkout even better. 

Why not check out an e-book today? You'll be surprised by what you find!

You can access tons of e-books through our website with just your library card. CLEVNET offers e-books for every reader and device, and it is easy to use.