The Library Vault

How Junie B. Jones Saved Dinnertime

As many parents already know, dinnertime and bedtime in a house with young children can be fraught. There’s screaming, kicking, and running on a regular basis – and the kids don’t behave well, either! But, seriously, trying to get a six-year-old to sit down and eat her dinner instead of running in circles around the…

Amy S.

May 15, 2023

Recommendations

BookBagKits, ChildrensBooks, JunieBJones, LoveOfReading, YouthAndFamilyLearning

Tell Me Your Story

“What are you most grateful for right now?” This question was the spark that motivated us to launch the Middletown Strong podcast in February of 2021. The inspiration to start a library podcast emerged within my first year of joining the Russell Library. I became the Executive Assistant here at the library in February of…

Cate T.

May 8, 2023

Inside Stories

LocalNews, Middletown, Podcast

The Fig Tree in the Basement

Underground there liveSurprisingly happy figsWill the trees bear fruit? -Brandie, Assistant Director If you’ve been on one of the Secrets of Russell Library tours, you know that Russell Library has several basements. The first is the A/V area that used to be the basement of the church. The second is the basement under the Lobby…

Amy S.

May 1, 2023

Inside Stories

FerryStreet, FigTree, JapaneseMaples, MiddletownGardenClub, Spring

That Time it Rained in the Bank

the storm came indoorsceiling tiles drip ontopuddle-covered floors -Brandie, Assistant Director Saturday, November 12th, 2022 Hurricane Nicole passed over Middletown during the night of Friday, November 11th. I remember looking forward to a quiet day of reference work as I drove up to the building. I am the department head for circulation and cataloging, but…

Amy S.

April 24, 2023

Inside Stories

Bank, Flood, Libraries

Goodbye Overdrive, Hello Libby

The OverDrive app will be discontinued on May 1st, requiring readers everywhere to switch to Libby, OverDrive’s newer reading app. Libby is user-friendly, making finding and downloading digital materials easier than ever. Libby debuted in 2017 and gets much more use than the OverDrive app, so it no longer made sense for the company to…

Mary

April 21, 2023

Library Services

Eaudiobooks, Ebooks, Libby, Overdrive