Are you looking for your next favorite book? Have you read everything by one author and are looking for a similar writer? Want to expand your reading horizons?  Try our Reader’s Advisory Services!

Did you know the Manchester Public Library has two staff members, Lynn J. and Lynn D., who specialize in recommending books to patrons? Our Reader’s Advisory service is like a personal shopper for book lovers, someone who guides people in finding books they would enjoy reading. Reader’s Advisors also create spaces, like displays and lists, to pique people’s interest in books they may not have normally encountered.
Lynn J. has been a Reader’s Advisor for more than ten years and her specialties are literary fiction, family drama, and historical fiction.  Lynn D. was promoted this past July to a Reader’s Advisor and her genre interests include literary  fiction, historical fiction, mysteries, memoirs, and books on mindfulness and meditation.
You may often see Lynn J. roaming the stacks. She says that the most rewarding part of her job is introducing a reader to something new. Lynn D. loves showing her enthusiasm for particular books, and bringing joy to others, something she has done for several years with bookmobile patrons.
When recommending books and authors, Lynn J. finds Harlan Coben to be well received, while Lynn D. has success with Liane Moriarty, Christina Baker Kline, and Louise Penny.
Both Lynns encourage patrons to call and ask for them, as they can pull book suggestions and have them ready for you.
Contact Lynn J at: ljacobs@manchesterct.gov and Lynn D at: ldufour@manchesterct.gov, or call the library at: 860-643-2471. Staff at the Whiton Branch building also give recommendations for patrons looking for suggestions; call 860-643-6892.

Available for the first time to the greater public outside of the monthly program for Silk City Board Game Group, the library’s extensive collection of board games for adults can be checked out and taken home.

More than 130 unique titles, most donated for free in the shrink wrap from board game publishers to our library, are available for Connecticut residents to check out with their valid (not expired) library card for three weeks. There is no limit how many you can take home, but items need to be returned to the main library when it is open (not in the backdrop overnight). Board games may be placed on hold for pick up at the main library and if they are returned late have an overdue fee of $.15 per day per title.

Titles range from Catan, to Smash Up, to Commands and Colors: Ancients, to Codenames. Skill level ranges from easy to difficult. For more information about particular board games or what game might be good for you, please contact Jenn at 860-643-2471 or jbartlett@manchesterct.gov.

Book Review: Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine

Eleanor Oliphant is a “self-contained entity.” An almost 30 year-old Scottish office worker, she has little contact with people. She has her routines, including the crossword and her 2 bottles of vodka at the weekend. The only thing she dreads is her weekly phone talk with Mummy.

Her solitary existence is interrupted when she sees a man Mummy would call “husband material.” As she sets about making herself over for the man, she has a chance encounter with the new I.T. guy, Raymond, (clearly not “husband material”). Her unexpected friendship with Raymond eventually opens up her world to new experiences, relationships and emotions. She gradually comes to see herself through the eyes of people who are truly caring and accepting. This shifts how she understands herself and her life.

This is not just a smart, funny book about an endearing, quirky character. It also speaks to questions about how all of us develop inner authority and a self-assured sense of who we are. Eleanor is a role model for everyone who wants to learn to talk back to the critical voices in their head.

Bonus: The audiobook is narrated by a fantastic narrator with a great Scottish accent! -Lynn D.

NEW BOOK CLUBS AT MANCHESTER PUBLIC LIBRARY

Recipe Readers

Our newest book club is Recipe Readers, focusing on cooking in a particular style or cook book, meeting Saturday January 6th, 2018 at 1PM at Mary Cheney. This month's selection is Make It Ahead by Ina Garten. Copies of the book are available for check out in reference. Participants are asked to call with their recipe selection to bring and share. For more information, contact Michelle at: 860-645-0821.

Getting Graphic

Getting Graphic Book Club: A book club focusing on graphic novels for adults, will meet on Tuesday January 16th, 2018 at 7PM. This month's selection is Saga by Brian K. Vaughan. Copies of the book are available to check out in the lobby. We are thankful to A Hero's Legacy Comics and Collectibles for their partnership with this program. For more information, contact Jenn at: jbartlett@manchesterct.gov.

Find out more

Manchester Public Library
http://library.townofmanchester.org
 

Contact us

Mary Cheney Library

586 Main Street

860-643-2471

Whiton Branch Library

100 N Main Street

860-643-6892