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One Book, One Community 2015

This entry was posted in Adult Services on July 23, 2015 by admin

This year the Tuscarawas County Literacy Coalition and all the libraries in the county are please to announce that Jay Asher’s bestselling book Thirteen Reasons Why has been selected as this year’s community reading title. The One Book, One Community Project is a grassroots reading movement that aims to bring people together by giving them a shared experience! When we all read the same book, we all have something to talk about. The One Book, One Community’s goal is to break down the barriers between different groups of people to strengthen Tuscarawas County!

About Thirteen Reasons Why

When Clay Jenson plays the cassette tapes he received in a mysterious package, he’s surprised to hear the voice of dead classmate Hannah Baker. He’s one of 13 people who receive Hannah’s story, which details the circumstances that led to her suicide. Clay spends the rest of the day and long into the night listening to Hannah’s voice and going to the locations she wants him to visit. The text alternates, sometimes quickly, between Hannah’s voice (italicized) and Clay’s thoughts as he listens to her words, which illuminate betrayals and secrets that demonstrate the consequences of even small actions. Hannah, herself, is not free from guilt, her own inaction having played a part in an accidental auto death and a rape. The message about how we treat one another, although sometimes heavy, makes for compelling reading. Give this to fans of Gail Giles psychological thrillers.

Save the Date! Jay Asher will be coming to Tuscarawas County on Monday, October 12 at 7:00 PM at Kent State Tuscarawas. Asher will talk about his book and do a book signing. More details to come!

Annual Book Sale

This entry was posted in Adult Services on July 21, 2015 by admin

Attention book lovers! The Friends of the Library will hold their Annual Book Sale on Friday, August 14 from 9:00-6:00 PM and on Saturday, August 15 from 9:00-5:00. Thousands of books and other items will be available, including donated books, discarded library books, audiobooks, DVDs, & more. Items will be available for a donation to the Friends of the Library. For more information, please call the library at 330-343-6123.

An Evening with Wanda Brunstetter

This entry was posted in Adult Services on July 20, 2015 by admin

This is your chance to meet bestselling Christian fiction author Wanda Brunstetter! Hear a presentation, ask questions, and get a book signed! Wanda is the author of 50 books with more than 5 million copies sold and is considered one of the founders of the Amish fiction genre. Her work has earned national attention by Time Magazine, USA Today, and others. All of Wanda’s novels are based on personal research intended to accurately portray the Amish way of life. Many of her books are well-read by the Amish, who credit her for giving readers a deeper understanding of the people and their customs. Call the library at 330.343.6123 to register for this free program. For more about Wanda Brunstetter, click here.

It’s all related : DNA testing for genealogists 1

This entry was posted in DPL Blog on July 17, 2015 by admin

I have to admit that when it comes to DNA testing for genealogy, I am no expert. I once sat through a class on the subject that made my eyes glaze over as the instructor tried to cram a complete undergraduate degree in genetics into 45 minutes. It was great because I am the type of person who wants to know exactly how something works, down to the last detail, but there is a LOT that goes into the study of genetics and inheritance. Having a science background helped, but if you are someone who doesn’t have that prior knowledge, there are many resources out there on the ever expanding web for you to explore DNA testing. I will try to boil down the essentials of what it is and what you can learn from the test.

First of all, a DNA test is not the golden ticket that will automatically fill in your family tree and break down your brick walls. In fact, it may even leave you with more questions than answers. But if you are willing to put in the work, DNA testing is a useful tool that can help you in conjunction with traditional research methods.

For non-science majors, you need to know that what is generally tested is “Autosomal DNA,” or everything but the x’s and y’s. FamilyTree Magazine has a pretty great definition of the Autosomal DNA test: “An autosomal DNA test analyzes the 22 pairs of non-sex chromosomes that make up your genetic composition. These tests can tell you about both sides of your family, confirm living relatives and can even include a predicted relationship. They often include a ‘biogeographical estimate,’ which means they can estimate your ethnicity by comparing your DNA to reference populations of people in a particular location for hundreds or thousands of years. Tests can be taken by both men and women, and are offered by companies such as 23andMe, AncestryDNA and Family Tree DNA.”

So when you are talking about going back several generations, the key word to remember here is estimate: they can give you an idea of where your ancestors come from based on their best comparison matches, but you have to take the results with a grain of salt. It will take diligence in research on your part to turn their estimates into fact. Why so uncertain? Mainly because of how inheritance breaks down.

As you can see, only a little over 6% of your DNA matches with your great-grandparents, and there is no definite pattern of inheritance when it comes to autosomal DNA. So you could have your great-grandmother’s eye color, but your sister might not.

If you are curious and want to try DNA testing, here are some links to comparison sites so you can determine which company is the best for you:

http://www.isogg.org/wiki/Autosomal_DNA_testing_comparison_chart

http://www.legalgenealogist.com/blog/2014/04/06/2014-most-bang-for-dna-bucks/

Have you had the test done? Reply in the comments to this post and let us know what you think! Or stop in to our genealogy forum on Saturday July 18 from 1-4 in The Roots Cellar to share your experience.

Happy hunting, genealogists!

– Claire Kandle, Local History & Genealogy librarian

The Wright Brothers Invent the Airplane

This entry was posted in Adult Services on July 14, 2015 by admin

Two young men from Dayton, Ohio, solved the basic technological problems of using a heavier than air machine to allow humans to fly like birds. This presentation provides a clear history of their achievements and descriptions of the underlying technology. Presented by Chad Malkamaki from the Western Reserve Historical Society. Call 330.343.6123 to register.

Essential Oils Program

This entry was posted in Adult Services on July 10, 2015 by admin

The Library will host a program on Essential Oils on Thursday, July 16th at 10:00 AM as part of its Third Thursday Series. Presented by Bobbie Ballentine, Diana Felgenhauer, and Dr. Deb McFarland, participants will learn about the holistic benefits of essential oils, including their usefulness for skincare, their aroma benefits, cooking, and more. A zytoscan will be available for participants to determine which oils are most beneficial for their bodies. Information, door prizes, sampling, and more will be available for participants. Please call the Library at 330-343-6123 to register for this free program.

Minecraft Mania

This entry was posted in DPL Blog Uncategorized on July 10, 2015 by admin

minecraft_logo If you’ve come into the Tech Room lately, you’ve probably noticed the handful of kids playing a computer game with mediocre graphics and no clear objective. The game is called Minecraft, and you may have friends and family who are completely obsessed with the game. I first heard of Minecraft a couple of years ago when a few kids I know started showing off castles and mines they had constructed in the game. They showed me something new they had done in their game worlds literally every time we saw each other. Two years later, and they’re still going strong.

So what’s the big deal? As I mentioned, the graphics are nothing amazing. There isn’t really a clear objective or end-goal to the game (although slaying the Ender-Dragon can provide a sort of “end” to those players who’d like one). The game only costs about $30, and after that every upgrade is free. And yet, I’ve encountered individuals with seemingly nothing else in common who love Minecraft and can spend hours talking about their recent escapades in the game. In an effort to understand, I read articles and blog posts galore. Finally, I decided to just start playing the game demo. And I’m completely hooked.

Minecraft isn’t like any other game I’ve ever played. It requires a different kind of thinking, as you do everything from collect resources to create huge structures (a scale model of the U.S.S. Enterprise, anyone?) to planning your farm layout so you have a steady food supply. It’s not really violent, and it certainly isn’t graphically so. It can be played by a single player in a different world each time, or in the same world, or on a multiplayer server–the options are really endless. Teachers can use the game to teach different concepts or connect with students if school has to be canceled, and players typically have no problem focusing on their own, self-created objectives for long periods of time. steve_minecraft

For parents, siblings, and others who don’t play but live or work with someone who does, the obsession with Minecraft can be baffling and even concerning. Fortunately, we have a couple of tech programs coming up for players and non-players alike:

First up is a special after-hours Minecraft playing party for kids ages 8-18. This program will run from 5:30 to 7:30 on Saturday, July 25, and pizza and pop will be provided! Parental permission is required to confirm program registration.

Just a few days later, we’ll be hosting Minecraft for Parents. This tech class will be Tuesday, July 28 from 6:30 to 7:30, and will include information about the game, including essentials for safe game play. Just curious about the game? In spite of its title, you need not be a parent to take this class! Call 330-343-6123 for more information and to register.

-Kathryn Green, Technology Manager