It’s been 25 years since disaster struck the Chernobyl nuclear power plant deep in the former Soviet Union. Over time, forests, marshes, fields, and rivers have reclaimed the land, reversing the effects of human cultivation and development, returning everything to its natural state. See how wolves are coping with these changes. Feel free to bring a sack lunch; refreshments are provided.

Thursday, Jan 26 – 6:00 PM – Creative Writing Group

The group will meet at 110 W 11th – Cafe Semolino for this session. Character Study: We will take time to develop a character or two. Find out what they eat, how they brush their teeth, and what makes them tick!

Thursday, Jan 26 – 7:00 PM – Music organized by the Kansas Room

Friday, Jan 27 – 4:00 PM – Book Signing with Sarah Liborio

Hays resident and author Sarah Liborio will talk about her book My Once Upon a Time, which focuses on the story she created and shared with her husband Hugo, who passed away at age 29.

On a side note, you can see several library employees at the Humane Society Soup’R Bowl on Sunday, January 29 from 11:00 to 1:00. The event will be at the Schenk Building at the Ellis County Fairgrounds. Tickets to sample each soup and take a bowl of your favorite are $5. Each employee is actually representing a different business and therefore will feature a different soup recipe — so be sure to sample each one to see which you like best!

Monday, Jan 16 – 6:00 PM – Independent Film Series

In the award-winning film The Piano in the Factory, a steel factory worker decides to forge a piano from scratch in order to fight for custody of his piano-playing daughter.

Tuesday, Jan 17 – 5:00 PM – Herb Study Group

Tuesday, Jan 17 – 6:00 PM – OverDrive / eReader / Sunflower eLibrary training

Do you have a new Kindle, Nook, or other device that you’d like to learn how to use? Are you thinking about buying one but aren’t sure which is right for you? We will show you a few different devices that can be used with our downloadable audiobooks and ebooks. Don’t have a device? No problem! You can use these downloadable items on your personal computer, or even on your smartphone. We will meet upstairs in the Trish Davies Room.

Wednesday, Jan 18 – 12:00 PM – Feed & Film

As an air-breathing animal, the human is not built to survive in water. But people have found ways to live an almost aquatic life so they can exploit the sea’s riches. From a ‘shark-whisperer’ in the Pacific to Brazilian fisherman collaborating with dolphins to catch mullet, this journey into the blue reveals astonishing tales of ingenuity and bravery. Feel free to bring a sack lunch; refreshments are provided.

Wednesday, Jan 18 – 6:30 PM – Cozy Mystery Book Club

Join us in the Gallery to discuss the book Real Murders by Charlaine Harris and to hear about next month’s selection!

Thursday, Jan 19 – 5:00 PM – Mangako Anime Club

Friday, Jan 20 – 5:00 PM – We will close at 5PM for a staff meeting.

Sunday, Jan 22 – 2:00 PM – Local young talent Laken Kennedy will sing and play guitar.

If you’d like to try this recipe yourself, here it is:

Pesto Pasta (serves 8)

Read more at Calorie Count!

Top Ten Books

1. The Best of Me, by Nicholas Sparks (11 checkouts)
2. The Help, by Kathryn STockett (9)
3. Lethal, by Sandra Brown (8)
4. Now You See Her, by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge (7)
5. The Litigators, by John Grisham (7)
6. The Affair, by Lee Child (7)
7. Zero Day, by David Baldacci (6)
8. The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly (6)
9. Killing Lincoln, by Bill O’Reilly (6)
10. Heaven is for Real, by Todd Burpo (6)

Top Ten Videos / DVDs

1. Friends with Benefits (11 checkouts)
2. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (9)
3. The Help (8)
4. Green Lantern (8)
5. Wicker Park (7)
6. Thor (7)
7. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (7)
8. Cowboys & Aliens (7)
9. Being Human: Season 1 (7)
10. The X-files: Season 2 (6)

Tuesday, January 3 – 5:00 PM – Herb Study Group

Wednesday, January 4 – 12:00 PM – Feed & Film

We’ll show the short documentary Naturally Obsessed. Mixing humor and heartbreak, this film delves into the lab of charismatic professor Dr. Lawrence Shapiro, and follows three irrepressible graduate students on their determined pursuit of a PhD and scientific success. As if the pressure of scientific discovery isn’t enough, the students are also competing in a worldwide race to be the first to publish their findings.

Feel free to bring a sack lunch; other refreshments are provided.

Wednesday, January 4 – 5:30 PM – Meat Free Meals

Italian food is known for rich, creamy sauces and cheese. But what if you are avoiding those ingredients? We will talk about examples of Italian dishes that leave them out but don’t sacrifice taste.

Featured recipe: Pesto pasta and polenta

It’s a book club for movie lovers … or is it a movie club for book lovers? Read2Reel is the new club offered by the Hays Public Library.

The first discussion is scheduled for Tuesday, January 31 — we will be talking about The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly, and then we will watch the recent movie version.

Here’s how it works:

1. Read the book, if you have time. The library will have multiple copies available for you to borrow, or you can get a copy through interlibrary loan or buy one.
2. Meet with us in the HPL gallery to discuss the book. The book discussion starts at 5:30 PM.
3. Come watch the movie, even if you haven’t read the book. The film starts at 6:00 PM. Bring a bagged meal if you like, and enjoy the provided refreshments.
4. Discuss the film afterward and how it compares to the book.

You can come for all four steps, or just choose to stay for the discussion or just watch the movie. You can attend just one month or try for all of them. You never know – there may be prizes!

Full schedule:

January 31 – The Lincoln Lawyer, by Michael Connelly
February 28 – Atonement, by Ian McEwan
March 27 – A Good Year, by Peter Mayle
April 24 – Seabiscuit, by Lauren Hillenbrand
May 22 – True Grit, by Charles Portis
June 26 – Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert
July 24 – Into the Wild, by Jon Krakauer
August 28 – Revolutionary Road, by Richard Yates
September 25 – Friday Night Lights, by H.G. Bissinger
October 23 – Shutter Island, by Dennis Lehane
November 27 – In Her Shoes, by Jennifer Weiner
December 18 – Fast Food Nation, by Eric Schlosser

We are OPEN on Tuesday (12/27), Wednesday (12/28), and Thursday (12/29).

The library is CLOSED on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday for the New Year holiday.

If you’re looking for Christmas-specific recipes, a great option is the Pillsbury Family Christmas Cookbook (641.5686 Pillsbury). This cookbook even includes some craft ideas if you’re looking to dress up the dinner table.

Cookies are especially popular this year and make a great homemade gift.
Just package cookies in a cute box and tie with a ribbon, and you have a ready-to-go gift. Crazy About Cookies (641.8654 Castella) includes over 300 recipes for cookies, so you can easily find a variety for every person on your list.

Men, are you looking to contribute to the holiday dinner this year? Get some tips from Esquire’s Eat Like a Man (New Nonfiction - 641.5973 Eat) cookbook. This book contains “all the real food men love to eat and wish they could cook.”

Cooking for a vegetarian? The Vegan Table (641.5636 Patrick-Goudreau) is a thorough cookbook that leaves out the animal products. Organized by occasion, it’s easy to find a holiday-related recipe for just the size of gathering you are hosting.

If you’re cooking for someone on a gluten-free diet, we can help there too. You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten-Free (641.5638 Ryberg)includes over 500 recipes: baked goods, appetizers, entrees, and yes — even desserts!

5:00 PM – Herb Study Group

Wednesday, December 21

12:00 PM – Feed & Film

Bring a lunch, enjoy refreshments, and watch the film A Murder of Crows.

The library is closed on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Local, but internationally-renowned, artist Kris Kuksi has released a book featuring stunning photos of his assemblage art. In Divination and Delusion, Kuksi “successfully merges a sumptuous echo of the past with a satirical and critical commentary of our modern industrial world.” Order online here.

Is there an audiobook listener on your list? Jacqueline Kennedy: Historic Conversations on Life with John F. Kennedy is a beautifully packaged audio and print combination that includes over eight hours of interviews that gives us insight into a unique and tumultuous time in our country’s history.

If you’re looking for music, there are several great options. Lioness, a posthumously released album, contains previously unreleased songs by Amy Winehouse. The music is a collection of songs “that deserved to be heard.”

Movie buffs will not be disappointed with the selection available this holiday season. The Big Lebowski has become a cultural icon, and now it’s available on Blu-ray and packed with a collector’s edition illustrated book.

If television action and intrigue is more your giftee’s speed, Lost: The Complete Collection is also out on Blu-ray and in a unique package that includes a collectible game of Senet, a replica of the island, and over three hours of never-before-seen footage.

And for those sports lovers, ESPN has released a collector’s set of their 30 for 30 films. Award-winning filmmakers apply their own perspectives to extraordinary sports stories from the last thirty years. The limited edition set includes a retro ESPN logo hat and over five hours of bonus features.

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