• 'Every Tom, Dick & Harry' by Elinor Lipman
• 'The Light We Lost' by Jill Santopolo
• 'People of Means' by Nancy Johnson

• 'Cafe With No Name' by Robert Seethaler
• 'The Medici Return' by Steve Berry
• 'The Bones Beneath My Skin' by TJ Klune
• 'Pro Bono' by Thomas Perry
• 'Paris in Ruins: Love, War and the Birth of Impressionism' by Sebastian Smee

• 'Paranoia' by James Patterson and James O. Born
• 'Black Woods Blue Sky' by Eowyn Ivey
• 'Bonded in Death' by J. D. Robb

• 'The Interpretation of Cats' by Dr. Claude Beata
• 'Leave The Girls Behind' by Jacqueline Bublitz
• 'Loose Lips' by Kemper Donovan
• 'William' by Mason Coile
• 'You're Safe Here' by Leslie Stephens
• 'How to Winter' by Kari Leibowitz, PhD.
• 'Night & Day' by John Connolly

• 'The Rise and Fall of Miss Fannie's Biscuits: A Cozy Amish Mystery' by Wanda E. Brunstetter and Martha Bolton
• 'Paranoia' by James Patterson and James O. Born

• 'On The Hippie Trail' by Rick Steves
• 'Meet Me At The Library' by Shamichael Hallman

Check out 'A Forty Year Kiss' by Nickolas Butler; it's a great Valentine's read about second chances for a couple forty years after their divorce. Charlie and Vivian, who parted ways after four years of marriage in their 20's, are brought back together when Charlie returns to Wisconsin. Vivian is a grandmother living with her daughter and two grandkids and Charlie has several failed relationships under his belt and a lifetime of struggling with alcohol abuse. Nickolas Butler is a graduate of the U of I Writer's Workshop and we have several other titles by him currently at the library. Happy reading, friends! ~Heather

I recently read 'This Is How It Always Is' by Laurie Frankel. Published in 2017, this book came onto my radar after reading Frankel's 'Family Family.' The novel tells the story of a midwestern family of seven: Mom Rosie, Dad Penn, and five kids. Mom is an ER physician, Dad is an author working on his DN (damn novel), and all five children are unique, rambunctious, and eager to hear Dad tell stories at bedtime. One evening, the kids are all sharing what they'd like to be when they grow up, and Claude, the youngest, states confidently that when he grows up he'd like to be a girl. The story continues from there, sharing the decisions this family makes in response to Claude's dream, as well as the many other dreams shared by this family.

I loved this novel for many of the same reasons I loved 'Family Family.' I find Frankel unparalleled when it comes to writing about emotionally complex topics, told through multi-dimensional mothers with a lot on their minds. The novel is full of honesty and heart, and I found myself right there with each of the characters every step of the way. In the author's note, Frankel writes, 'I wish for my child, for all our children, a world where they can be who they are and become their most loved, blessed, appreciated selves.' This book currently has 4.28/5 stars on goodreads.com and was a 2017 nominee for Goodreads Readers' Favorite Fiction.

Happy reading!

~Kelly Henkle, Library Director

Join us for our 2nd Annual Red Carpet Party at the library! We will be watching the celebrity red-carpet arrivals in Hollywood for the Academy Awards. Our night includes Oscar-themed trivia games, beverages, appetizers, and more! Formal dress is encouraged but not required. Thanks to a generous donation from Express Limousine of North Liberty, we are also holding a raffle for a 2-hour limo ride prior to the event. Purchase your raffle ticket at the library, or as an add-on during the Eventbrite ticketing process. Add on an optional VPL wine or beer glass for $15 as well. Beast & Bird of Vinton will be onsite selling a variety of beers and wine. All proceeds will benefit the 2025 Children's Summer Reading Program at our library. Thank you for your support!

Join us for our monthly book club where you pick the book! This month we reading books written by authors with red hair. Get creative and have fun with it! We're meeting at two different times; pick the session that works best for you!

*Thursday, February 20th, 2025, at Noon

*Thursday, February 20th, 2025, at 6pm

VS Seniors: Stop into the Vinton Public Library to work on your college and trade school scholarship applications! We’ll have free printing, free envelopes, snacks, and experienced professionals on hand to help answer your questions and provide essay feedback.

We're holding three sessions for your convenience:
Saturday, 2/15/25 from 9am-12pm
Saturday, 3/15/25 from 9am-12pm
Saturday, 3/22/25 from 9am-12pm

Join Jean Wilson (writing as J L Wilson) to discover the steps that go into crafting a novel. J L has 40 books in print and can give you an idea of the who, what, where, and how of publishing. Join her in one or all of these workshops, each 60-90 minutes long:

*Saturday, March 15th, 2025 @ 9am: Class 1
Gives you the basic tools of the trade: what goes into a novel, how to determine point of view, your author voice, software to use - the nitty-gritty.

*Saturday, March 22nd, 2025 @ 9am: Class 2
Digs into the Who and Why of your book. This is all about creating characters and finding their goals and motivations.

*Saturday, March 29th, 2025 @ 9am: Class 3
The Where and When of your book. Choose your setting and time period wisely because you will be living there with your characters as you write.

*Saturday, April 5th, 2025 @ 9am: Class 4
Jumps into Plots and Pacing, making sure your plot lines hang together and your pacing keeps your audience engaged.

*Saturday, April 26th, 2025 @ 9am: Class 5
Gives you an overview of publishing: where and how do you submit your work or self-publish it? What goes into that?

Space is limited: RSVP to library@vintonia.gov to reserve your spot today! This event is intended for adults and is offered at no cost.

Thanks to donations from the Friends of the Vinton Public Library and the Esther Ann Hite Estate, our library recently purchased new mobile shelving for our Children's Library! This shelving accomplishes two things: the shelves hold more books, allowing us to continue to grow our physical collection, and they are mobile so that we can move them during our programs. This makes our programs more accessible to everyone in our community. Stop in and check out the shelving today!

This friend has read 300 books! Keep up the good work.

Have you seen this cool literary trend? Let your book's cover art inspire a book blanket! If you're interested in learning how to crochet a granny square, mark your calendars for Saturday, April 5th, as the talented Steph Gibbs joins us for a demonstration!

The Kansas City Chiefs won last week's 'This or That' challenge by one vote! This week we set out materials to make your own Love Note, just in time for Valentine's Day--stop in today!

Stop in & check out our latest display celebrating Black History Month!!!

Check out our latest community puzzle, featuring the bright lights of Broadway!! #librarylife #puzzlelover

Congratulations to Brittany S. on completing our 8 BOOKS reading challenge for adults this winter! Yay! She took home a VPL swag bag!

We hope to see you at our 2nd Annual Red Carpet Party on Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, from 5-7pm! Don't forget to purchase your $10 limo raffle tickets and pre-order your VPL glassware to use at the event! Beast & Bird will be onsite selling drinks and Trivial Dudes will be testing our Hollywood trivia knowledge. This is a night you won't want to miss, and all proceeds benefit the 2025 Children's Summer Reading Program right here at our library!

SAVE THE DATE and plan to make healthy connections with us at the Benton County Community Health & Wellness Fair! We’d love to see you at the Vinton-Shellsburg High School on Saturday, March 1st from 8am-Noon! Not only will you see us there, but you’ll find access to information, freebies and resources geared towards better health from throughout the county. Make sure you stop by! Find more details at www.bentoncohealthfair.com.

Chocolate won our latest THIS or THAT challenge!!! Check out our Super Bowl 2025 THIS or THAT challenge: Chiefs or Eagles? Who are you rooting for? Stop in and vote or comment below!

Congratulations to Jace on completing our "Bundle Up With Books 3rd-5th Grade Reading Challenge!" He took home a puzzle and hot chocolate!

What's your caption?!

Congratulations to Michele S. on completing our "8 Books Winter Reading Challenge for Adults!" She took home a VPL swag bag of goodies!

Thank you, Tananger Expressive Arts for the fun and creative programs that you bring each month!

Congratulations to Kristie D. on completing our "8 Books Winter Reading Challenge for Adults!" She took home a VPL swag bag of goodies!

One lucky winner will get a limo ride for up to 8 guests on March 2nd, 2025, from 3-5pm. Get your $10 tickets today!

Congratulations to Henley on completing our "Bundle Up With Books K-2nd Grade Reading Challenge!" She took home a puzzle and hot chocolate! #readingchallenge #BeanstackApp

Henley insisted on getting a picture next to Henry, the tortoise.

Mondays: 9a-5p

Tuesdays: 9a-8p

Wednesdays: 9a-5p

Thursdays: 9a-8p

Fridays: 7a-4p

Saturdays: 9a-Noon

Sundays: Closed

Copy services: $0.20 per black and white, $0.25 per color

Fax services: $1.00 for 1-2 pages, $2.00 for 3+ pages

Notary services: No charge, call 319-472-4208 for availability

Free Wifi

Boardroom available at no charge; reservations required

Email: library@vintonia.gov
Website: vinton.lib.ia.us
Location: 510 2nd Avenue, Vinton, IA, USA
Phone: (319) 472-4208
Facebook: facebook.com/heartofvinton