For Adults - Fondulac District Library | East Peoria, IL

#FDL Film Review: The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

The Ghost and Mrs. Muir

Reviewed by: Sarah Baker, Circulation Assistant

Genre: Romance, fantasy

Rating: NR

What is this movie about?: Mrs. Muir, a widow, leaves her husband’s family and takes a cottage by the seaside-a cottage that is haunted by the ghost of its former occupant, Captain Daniel Gregg. Most renters barely lasted one night, but Mrs. Muir is determined to make it her home. Captain Gregg is intrigued and comes to befriend the widow. When she falls on hard times, he helps her write a book about his life. The publisher is completely taken with her and the tome, placing Mrs. Muir on the path to comfort. But at the publishers, she meets a man who charms her. Miles Fairley, a children’s author better known as Uncle Neddy, woos her, but isn’t all he seems. The resolution to this story is so good, I’m not going to ruin it here!

My Review: “Oh, this lovely place is haunted? Perfect, I’ll move in right away with my young daughter and middle-aged servant!” Haunted house movies all seem to start this way, but this one takes a lovely turn. There’s no gore, violence, or even creep out factor. Gene Tierney and Rex Harrison play against each other so well. Harrison isn’t quite to Henry Higgins levels of rude and brash, and because his character isn’t a man of breeding and education, they’re much easier to tolerate. He’s also kinder, showing softness to Mrs. Muir in times of distress. And Gene Tierney! I could rave about her gorgeous wardrobe designed by Oleg Cassini, the loving way that director Joseph L. Mankiewicz frames her, but really, she would shine through no matter what. She has a grace and strength that make her so likable.

Three Words That Describe This Film: Sweet, Romantic, Fun

Give this a try if you like…Ghost, Laura, My Fair Lady

Rating: (out of 5) 4.5/5

#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.

Susie Rivera2019-08-08T18:38:59-05:00August 8th, 2019|

#FDL: August New Fiction

These titles are all coming out this month. Check with us to place holds on new copies in our system.

Chances Are... by Richard Russo

One beautiful September day, three 66-year-old men convene on Martha’s Vineyard, friends ever since meeting in college, and must puzzle out a lingering mystery from the summer of 1971.

What Red Was by Rosie Price

A sophisticated and conversation-starting novel of modern love, sexual violence, and toxic inheritance from a new literary voice.

Dearly Beloved by Cara Wall

In a novel that spans decades, two young couples’ lives become intertwined when the husbands are appointed co-ministers of a venerable New York City church in the 1960s.

The Swallows by Lisa Lutz

When a creative writing assignment leads to unsettling allegations about her school’s indifference to sexual assault, a new teacher organizes a group of marginalized girls in an escalating gender war.

The Other’s Gold by Elizabeth Ames

A novel that begins on a college campus follows the friendship of four women across life-defining turning points.

The Warehouse by Rob Hart

In a near dystopian future, the best you can hope for is to land a gig at the Cloud, an all-powerful tech company. However, not all is what it seems to be in this thriller, which is already in the process of being adapted for film by director Ron Howard.

Post by Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.

Susie Rivera2019-08-14T12:19:49-05:00August 1st, 2019|

Back to School!

As your family prepares to head back to school this month, keep in mind that a student’s library card can be one of their most important tools for school! The library has a multitude of resources to help students of all ages achieve their goals, including access to online database resources; study rooms for tutoring, group project meetings, or quiet study sessions; librarians who can help with research; the Mango language learning app to boost foreign language skills; and a live chat feature on our website where anyone can ask a librarian a question during open hours. Not to mention the WiFi, computers, and printers that are available to use in the library. Patrons can access the library’s website 24/7, and our evening and weekend hours are convenient for almost any schedule.

Library staff will be available at each school registration, so stop by our table to register your student for a library card and check out some of the great programs we have coming up for kids and teens!

Beth Weimer2019-08-01T11:16:43-05:00August 1st, 2019|

FDL Reads: Kingdom of Copper

The Kingdom of Copper By: S. A. Chakraborty

Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Assistant

Genre: Fantasy

Suggested Age: Teens, Adults

What is the book about? This is the second book in a planned trilogy that follows Nahri (a djinn healer), Ali (a djinn prince), and Dara (an ancient djinn warrior) as they struggle to find lives of meaning and import in the djinn world. Nahri has been married to the heir to the throne of Daevabad, Muntadhir, for five years. Her abilities with the Nahid healing magic have grown and she is looking for ways to improve the lives the second class, part-human citizens of the city. Ali has been living in exile far from Daevabad during that same time. His unexplained luck at being able to ferret out new sources of water has benefited the parched rural area he has been calling home, but he has been plagued by assassination attempts that have left him wary and guarded. Meanwhile, Dara has been coming to terms with his upgraded magical abilities while training new fighters to join him in the service of the power-hungry Nahid who was revealed at the end of book one, The City of Brass. Can these three find meaning in their new roles or will the king, Ghassan, cause enough torment and anguish that they decide to act? Is their cause just? How far are they willing to go?

My Review: I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of this book. There were new characters and revealed secrets, but not too many unexpected surprises or plot twists, except maybe at the very end. I was struck by the recurrent theme of female empowerment. Whether you are rooting for someone specifically or not, the female characters really do seem to guide the course of the story, more so in this book than the first. While I found this noteworthy, I think it made for some decisions by characters that were a little less believable, but I just chalked it up to a complex fantastical society and a relatively new author. As I made my way through the book, I was trying to figure out the significance of “copper” in the title. The author seemed to use copper to represent danger, which was definitely an overriding theme in this book. Overall, I thought it was good and am anticipating the finale being published next year.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Schemes, Power plays, Revelations

Give This a Try if You Like…The City of Brass, The Golem and the Jinni, Aladdin

Rating: 4.5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Susie Rivera2019-07-31T14:52:32-05:00July 31st, 2019|

Trustee Seat Open for Appointment

Fondulac District Library’s Board of Trustees is looking for a civic-minded and motivated individual to serve as a Library Trustee and to participate in the continued growth of the library. Interested candidates must reside within the boundaries of Fondulac Public Library District and should have a strong interest in serving on an active board that represents the residents thereof.

This open seat is appointed by the current seated Trustees. The appointment fills an unexpired term through May 2021. More information about the library’s Board of Trustees, including membership, meetings, minutes, and more, can be found at https://fondulaclibrary.org/about-us/trustees/. A description of the Trustee role follows on this page.

Individuals interested in being appointed by the Board of Trustees to the open seat should submit the application information in writing to Genna Buhr, Library Director, 400 Richland Street, East Peoria, Illinois, 61611, or genna@fondulaclibrary.org.

Applications will be accepted until the seat is filled. All applications will be forwarded to the Board for review.

Please contact Genna Buhr, Library Director, at 309-699-3917 x1121 or genna@fondulaclibrary.org with questions.

Trustee Application Information

First and Last Name
Residential Street Address, City, Zip Code
Phone Number
Email Address
Please tell us something about your interest in public libraries, specifically Fondulac District Library.
What do you envision your role of the library trustee/board member to be?
Do you have any experience serving on boards, committees, or commissions? If so, please describe.
If you have had board experience in the past, what did you enjoy about it? What did you like the least?
What strengths can you bring to the Fondulac District Library Board of Trustees?
Based on your knowledge of libraries or your impressions of what might be challenging to libraries in the 21^st century, what do you see as being possible issues of concern to libraries and librarians in changing times? Challenges and issues can be positive…not necessarily negative.
Based on your knowledge of Fondulac District Library and the population it serves, what specific challenges and opportunities do you see for the library, now and in the future?

Board of Trustees Member Description

Regularly attends board meetings.
Volunteers for and willingly accepts assignments and completes them thoroughly and on time.
Fulfills the Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act Requirement as defined by the Illinois Statutes.
Stays informed about library related matters, prepares themselves well for meetings, and reviews and comments on minutes and reports.
Gets to know other committee members and builds a collegial working relationship that contributes to consensus.
Is an active participant in the committee’s annual evaluation and planning efforts.
Participates in fund raising for the organization.

genna2019-08-28T13:56:35-05:00July 30th, 2019|

FDL Reads: The Bride Test

The Bride Test by Helen Hoang

Reviewed by: Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

Genre: Romance

Suggested Age: Adults

What is this Book About?: Esme Tran lives in Vietnam, supporting her mother and little girl by cleaning hotel bathrooms. A chance encounter with an American gives her an opportunity to move to the U.S. to marry a man she has never met. But, there is a bit of a twist. Esme’s potential husband, Khai, doesn’t know that his mother is arranging a marriage for him. Nor does he want to marry. Khai has autism and relationships are very hard for him. When Esme and Khai have to live together for a trial period, it seems like a train wreck ready to happen.

My Review: I read Helen Hoang’s debut novel, The Kiss Quotient, last year and loved it. As soon as I found out she was writing a companion novel this year, I quickly added The Bride Test to my Goodreads TBR list. One does not have to read the first novel to understand this one since the main characters are different. There is some fan service, though, as the star couple from The Kiss Quotient do show up briefly. Esme and Khai are very likable and the reader is rooting for their relationship to work out. It’s definitely more than just a steamy romance. Esme is a strong woman who takes a huge risk to help her family and Khai is a complex character who is quirky, neurotic, and lovable.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Cute, Funny, Romantic

Give this a try if you like…The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, Meet Cute by Helena Hunting, Fix Her Up by Tessa Bailey

Rating (out of 5): 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Susie Rivera2019-07-29T10:43:33-05:00July 26th, 2019|

#FDL: Best Books of Summer 2019

Our summer reading program is almost over, but that’s not an excuse to stop reading! Summer 2019 has been quite a season for great books. Check out these lists below for the most popular reads so far.

USA Today Best-Selling Book List

USA today “ranks the 150 top-selling titles each week based on an analysis of sales from U.S. booksellers.” This summer has been dominated by Delia Owens’ Southern mystery, Where the Crawdads Sing, but recently Daniel Silva’s most recent release, The New Girl, has taken the #1 spot.

Publisher’s Weekly Summer Reads 2019

Publisher’s Weekly has it covered in their guide to summer reads of 2019. Staff picks include titles from various genres. Young Adult as well as Children’s books are included. A few of their recommendations are Casey McQuiston’s romantic comedy, Red, White and Royal Blue as well as the YA sci-fi novel, Aurora Rising, by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff.

Oprah Magazine’s 28 Best Beach Reads of 2019

These books “belong in your suitcase” according to the editors of Oprah Magazine, whose picks still carry quite a bit of weight in the bookish world. There’s something for everyone on this list including those who love suspense, romance, nonfiction, fantasy and more. The Wedding Party by Jasmine Guillory, My Lovely Wife by Samantha Downing, and The Bride Test by Helen Hoang are all great picks from this list.

Check out all of these titles at our library or via our digital collections.

Post by Susie Rivera, Reference Specialist

#FDL is a weekly update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.

Susie Rivera2019-07-25T18:44:29-05:00July 25th, 2019|

FDL Reads: Strange Stars

Strange Stars: David Bowie, Pop Music, and the Decade Sci-Fi Exploded by Jason Heller

Reviewed by: Sarah Baker, Circulation Assistant

Genre: Nonfiction, Music

Suggested Age: Adult

What is this Book About?: So much of our lives is defined by music, and no time more so than the late 60s. With the collapse of the hippie movement and the rise of space fever, a new sub-genre of music was born: space rock. Exemplified in works by David Bowie, Hawkwind, Pink Floyd, Emerson Lake and Palmer, Crosby Stills and Nash, and the Moody Blues, these weren’t the silly songs of yesteryear like Purple People Eater. These were thoughtful pieces with philosophical hearts. They contemplated the implications of space travel on society, on what the future might hold, and how humanity would change. And these weren’t just random thoughts or suppositions. These songwriters and musicians all shared a love of sci-fi. Influenced by works such as Dune by Frank Herbert, Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A Heinlein, Nova by Samuel R Delany, the Foundation Series by Isaac Asimov, Sentinel by Arthur C Clarke (the basis for 2001: A Space Odyssey), and many, many more. As the 70s raged on, space became passe, until a certain space opera took the world by storm – Star Wars made space cool again.

My Review: I’m crazy about David Bowie, and have been for over 20 years. When I saw the cover, I knew I had to read this. It’s a fairly fast read, but one would benefit from keeping YouTube handy to look up and enjoy the songs referenced. (I’d also recommend keeping Goodreads or another book site handy – I added nearly 15 books to my “to read” list.) I was mostly reading before bed, but I took an evening to go back and just listen. (It also fed in to my current obsession with metal – Lemmy of Motörhead got his start in Hawkwind, so I had to get more of both of those bands!)

Heller unrolls this history with ease. There’s a lot to take in, but it’s presented as a year per chapter, highlighting what is relevant. I never felt bogged down by unnecessary information. And while Bowie is a consistent thread in the tapestry, he isn’t the sole focus. It was nice to see how he wove in to the larger picture, as well as the various things that were likely influences.

As this was all before my time, it was great to have it all broken down by year. Highlighting scientific discoveries, especially those in space, along side social changes and shifts in attitude really helped me get a feel for what some of that time might have been like. The breakdown of the hippie movement, greatly accelerated by the Altamont Music Festival, still left its seeds of hope, but as the 70s progressed darkness crept in. As hippie musicians evolved, so did new genres. Space rock, yes, but also the beginnings of punk, electronica, metal, and new wave. Artists changed what noises you could make from “standard” instruments, and new technology allowed for the creation of better synthesizers. All in all, a fascinating look at a fascinating time.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Informative, Entertaining, Awesome

Give this a try if you like… The Toys That Made Us (TV series), any of the bands mentioned above, golden and silver age sci-fi, rock ‘n’ roll history

Rating (out of 5): 4/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Susie Rivera2019-07-23T15:20:18-05:00July 23rd, 2019|

Get MORE out of your FDL card!

Your library card is your access key to more than just Fondulac District Library! Did you realize your FDL card also gives you access to other area libraries’ services and materials? Most local libraries belong to a shared library system and participate in reciprocal borrowing services, which means FDL cardholders in good standing can go to another library and check out that library’s materials and use their services! Cardholders can also search the shared catalog, pick up holds and check out items at other libraries, and return items from FDL at other libraries (and vice versa)! For example, a Peoria Public Library cardholder can go to Morton Public Library, check out a book, and return it at FDL. And of course, cardholders from other libraries are welcome to visit FDL and borrow items. As always, librarians will be happy to answer any questions about reciprocal borrowing, so try it out!

Please note that each library may implement reasonable restrictions on services or material lending, applied equally among all reciprocal access patrons, in accordance with requirements of the library system’s resource sharing plan.

Beth Weimer2019-07-22T12:05:12-05:00July 22nd, 2019|

FDL Reads: The Library Book

The Library Book by Susan Orlean

Reviewed by: Beth Weimer, Communications Specialist

Genre: Nonfiction, Libraries

Suggested Age: Adults

What is this book about? This book chronicles the devastating 1986 fire of the Los Angeles Public Library – a fire that raged for seven hours, consumed more than 400,000 books, and damaged an additional 700,000 books and materials. Orlean examines the arson investigation, the eccentric suspect, and the history of that particular institution, as well as the history and importance of libraries around the world and throughout time. She also details the numerous colorful characters connected to the library, those who founded, nurtured, or antagonized Central Library through the years and its dedicated staff and patrons of today. Orlean manages to perfectly capture the day-to-day bustle, societal challenges, and expanding impact that libraries have within our communities with an account that’s insightful and entertaining.

My Review: Calling all bibliophiles, lovers of libraries, and those who question the modern relevance of the institution: this one is a must-read. Orlean is a compelling storyteller and a master of narrative nonfiction. Her dive into the library world is lovely to experience. Her approach is anything but boring: meticulous and thoughtful, witty but sensitive, expansive but still intimate. She connects the history and facts with cultural context and engaging accounts of the people involved, paying homage to library traditions and championing their value without ignoring the problems they face. It’s impossible to resist the nostalgia and sense of civic virtue her observations invoke. I think even people who don’t usually read nonfiction will find this to be an interesting and enjoyable read.

Three Words That Describe This Book: Fascinating, Evocative, Funny

Give This a Try if You Like… The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion, Dead Wake by Eric Larson, In the Stacks: Short Stories about Libraries and Librarians by Michael Cart.

Rating: 5/5

Find it at the library!

About FDL Reads

FDL Reads is a series of weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library.

Susie Rivera2019-07-20T10:07:18-05:00July 20th, 2019|