Search Stories

What is Toolkit Tuesday?

How often have you heard someone exclaim, “I didn’t know the Library had that!” We get the enthusiasm. We also understand why it can be an epiphany—the Library has so much to offer, but sometimes it’s hard to be in-the-know. With our Tuesday Toolkit, we share Library tools that you might not know about that make your life so much better.

Whether it's a Library hack, a tip or trick, or even a can't-miss resource, come back each Tuesday for a new tool to add to your toolkit.

This week’s tool: eNewsletters. 

Stay informed about all that’s happening at Johnson County Library. We’ve created a few monthly newsletters to help meet your specific needs. Sign up today! 

• The Open Book—updates on Library buildings, upcoming events and programs, service highlights and how the Library is evolving to meet your needs.
• Career & Finance—Bringing you up-to-date and valuable career and finance information to help you make progress on your goals.
• Kids & Family—Connecting you with fun and engaging programs and resources for you and your children, from infants to teens.

eNewsletters! A great tool for your toolkit!

This week at the Library, you can join us at:

Tabletop Games – Monday, Dec. 18, 6 – 7:45 p.m.

Join us at the Gardner Library for a fun-filled event with family and friends and become a part of the Johnson County tabletop gaming community. Discover new games from our collection or bring your personal favorite to share – you might get creative with a round of Dixit, collaborate to escape the Forbidden Island or strategize your way to victory as King of Tokyo! Come and go as you please. Refreshments are provided.

American Girl Book Club – Tuesday, Dec. 19, 6 – 7 p.m.

Kids love to read and this book club at the Cedar Roe Library helps kids learn more about important moments in American history. American Girl offers many character stories exploring historical perspectives from a girl’s point of view. Join this group to read and craft with some new friends. Participants will get a free book while supplies last. Stop by the desk to pick-up your book. Best for ages 8-12; all kids are welcome. Tonight’s feature is American Girl Book Tasting.

Open Mic – Friday, Dec. 22, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Johnson County Library is teaming up with Bear Necessities Coffee Bar (9609 W 87th St, Overland Park, KS 66212) to bring you an Open Mic from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on the fourth Friday of every month. Bring poems, short stories, essays and excerpts to share on the stage, or come just to listen. We’ll feature readings from our contest winners and the rest of the time is for you. Sign up at the event; three-minute limit.

And there’s much more happening this week … 

Already have a busy week?  Remember, you can watch recordings of many of our programs at your convenience with Library OnDemand. 

Today's Science

“There are in fact two things, science and opinion; the former begets knowledge, the latter ignorance.” 
– Hippocrates

We get introduced to so many facts on any given day. What is based in science and what is fiction? Today’s Science bridges the gap between the science taught in classrooms and real-world discoveries by leading scientists, giving comprehensive and in-depth explanations of some of the most important advances in biology, chemistry, environmental science, space, physics and technology. You most certainly do not have to be a student to explore what's behind article headlines like:

• Wildfires and the Air We Breathe
• Genetically Engineered Bacteria Detects Colorectal Cancer in Mice
• A Mind-Blowing Discovery: The Brainless Caribbean Box Jellyfish is Capable of Associative Learning

The hush of a branch is often what makes it an inviting space for patrons, and as it turns out, the setting is also beneficial for Johnson County mental health workers. 

As a Johnson County Mental Health case manager, Brian Young said many of the young adults he sees are nervous in busy social settings. 

But at the Library, he said, “It’s not fast-paced. It's not overwhelming. It's calming. Plus, it gets (the clients) out of the house.” 

Young and his case manager colleague, Amy Pixton, said meeting at the Library also allows their clients to take advantage of the collection. Pixton has one client who checks out video games — she is a fan of the fine-free policy — and another one who reads as a coping mechanism. And while they are at the Library, Pixton can introduce them to Library programming. 

“It’s nice because the schedule and everything is there. So you can just grab it and say, ‘Hey, this is going on. Is there anything here you’d like to participate in?’” 

The branches are also convenient waystations as the case managers shuttle between appointments. Usual stops include Central Resource, Cedar Roe, Gardner, Monticello and Spring Hill. Antioch is convenient for Pixton because she has a client who can come from their job at a nearby restaurant. 

Each case manager said it’s not unusual for them to stop off at branches upwards of four or more times a day. It’s not uncommon for them to bump into one of their colleagues coming or going. Pixton and Young also said the meeting rooms allow them to work on sensitive client material and make calls to physician offices if need be. 

One technological benefit is that they can connect quickly to the county computer network without the time-consuming workarounds needed at other public spots. Young and Pixton also said that at the Library, they avoid the pressure of having to buy something every time they pop in. 

Branches also offer a respite during a busy day. 

“Sometimes I just go and drink my coffee and stare at my phone and take a break — just to disconnect for a little bit,” Young said. 

Young is especially partial to the Monticello branch; at his suggestion, the whole young adult team had a retreat there a couple of summers ago. They reserved a back room and had a potluck breakfast before embarking on a morning of activities. It was easy to book the space, he said. 

Plus, he said, “It was not in the office, which is essentially where you don’t want to be when you’re trying to do a fun outing with your teammates. It doesn’t even feel like you’re at a library, to be honest.” 

Hello and welcome to NoWaitWednesday, where we take a peek at a great book that's on the shelves at one of our local Library branches just waiting for a patron to come along and check it out. Why be number 342 in line for the newest celebrity-endorsed bestseller when there's all sorts of great new books available, on the shelf, right now?

This week's pick is An Inheritance of Magic by Benedict Jacka. This first in a promising new fantasy series is set in modern-day London where magic is real, however it's tightly controlled and available only to a lucky and powerful few, as wielding magic in this world is an expensive proposition, affordable only to elite families and mega corporations. Regular people are all but shut out of the process. However, there are some folks who can practice magic who exist on the margins. Take Stephen Oakwood, for example. He's a poor orphan from East London who lacks formal magic education, however he does have a few advantages up his sleeve: he does have a rudimentary ability to use magic at lower levels, taught to him by his missing father, and he also has a mysterious link to one of the larger magical families in London, a connection left from his mother. That, and his cat, Hobbes, who is definitely more than he seems.

When his fledgling ability attracts the attention of some powerful enemies, Stephen (and Hobbes) must spring into action, using what little resource he has into gaining education and some insight into this very exclusive world that he finds himself in the middle of. Combining a coming-of-age story with magical training featuring a plucky orphan who uses a bit of luck to scrape by, Jacka has laid the foundations for an altogether enjoyable urban fantasy series that readers should love. Jacka's writing style, by the way, straddles the line between mainstream and YA, so this series would be ideal for those who are looking for a fun, inventive, fast-moving crossover book set in a world filled with the wealthy and corrupt that's just itching for a character to come along and start the dominoes falling.

Place a hold and give this title a shot, especially if you like V.E. Schwab's Shades of Magic series or Naomi Novik's Scholomance novels.

2023 JoCoLibrary Uncovered Podcast Year in Review

What a year! Compared to last year, our average number of listeners per month tripled and our number of total listens doubled. Our average number of listens per episode rose by 34%, and our podcast was downloaded 20,000 times! To date, we have created more than 100 Library podcast episodes.

Over 40 staff members contributed their talents to the podcast in 2023. Here are just a few of the many people we have to thank:

• Library Administration, for their support of Librarians sharing their knowledge and passions with a broader audience in this medium
• MakerSpace facilitator Brian, who voiced our announcer narration segments, our photographer Lydia and our social media guru Lisa
• Learning and Development Manager Laura, who recorded more than 20 “eResource of the episode” spots
• Readers Advisory Librarian Gregg and his team for their wonderful collection deep-dive contributions
• You! Thank you so very much for listening!

Top Subject-focused episodes of 2023:

1. KC True Crime
2. Library Kids on Library Books
3. Incarcerated

Top Collection Deep Dives of 2023:

1. Hopepunk
2. Thrillers
3. Books About Book Lovers

Are you interested in Johnson County’s history? Want to read about it from the comfort of your home, car, or wherever you are on your phone? Check out the Museum’s collections on JoCoHistory.org – a collaborative resource with digitized photographs, maps, newspapers, newsletters, and more! Learn more in this month’s #JoCoHistory Blog post. »