• 'Babylonia' by Costanza Casati
• 'The Champagne Letters' by Kate Macintosh
• 'The Quiet Librarian' by Allen Eskens
• 'The Wedding Veil' by Kristy Woodson Harvey
• '33 Place Brugmann' by Alice Austen

• 'Kills Well With Others' by Deanna Raybourn
• 'Famous Last Words' by Gillian McAllister
• 'Close Your Eyes and Count to 10' by Lisa Unger

I was excited when my hold for Coco Mellors' 'Cleopatra and Frankenstein' became available on the @libby.app after waiting several months for it! Yay! Check out this talented author if you haven't already!

"Twenty-four-year-old British painter Cleo has escaped from England to New York and is still finding her place in the sleepless city when, a few months before her student visa ends, she meets Frank. Twenty years older and a self-made success, Frank's life is full of all the excesses Cleo's lacks. He offers her the chance to be happy, the freedom to paint, and the opportunity to apply for a Green Card. But their impulsive marriage irreversibly changes both their lives, and the lives of those close to them, in ways they never could've predicted." ~Goodreads.com (3.72 rating)

Happy reading, friends! ~Heather

#librarylife #librarylovers #libbyapp

If you are a fan of unsolved mysteries and documentaries this is the book for you. Bel Price and her family have agreed to do a true crime documentary that will follow their family and dig up the past from when Bel's mom disappeared 16 years ago. Bel is irritated with this whole documentary thing and just wants her life to go back to normal.

But it may never go back to normal.....Not when Rachel Price reappears after all of these years, when everyone thought she was dead. What really happened to Rachel? Who in the family is lying? Can Bel trust anyone? Check this one out to find out!

This month's Adventures in Bookclubbing theme was 'Authors with Red Hair.' I chose to read ‘Beyond Anxiety: Curiosity, Creativity, and Finding Your Life’s Purpose’ by Martha Beck. It is a nonfiction book that was added to our collection just last month. In this book, Beck describes techniques for calming your inner anxiety creature, and then, once tamed, living a life full of creative energy. I strive to live a life full of creativity, and I’m glad I read the book. About ¾ of the way through she got a little too far out there for me personally, but I plan to incorporate some of her techniques into my current journaling practice.

I would recommend this book to anyone working through anxiety, looking to live a more creative life, or both!

Happy reading,

Kelly Henkle, Library Director

We are excited to announce that ‘The Queen of Sugar Hill’ by ReShonda Tate is the featured title for #TogetherWeRead! Together We Read is a digital book club connecting readers to the same ebook & audiobook at the same time - no waitlists, no holds.

"The Queen of Sugar Hill" tells the story of Hattie McDaniel, the first African American woman to win an Academy Award, focusing on her life after her Oscar win for "Gone With the Wind" and the challenges she faced as a Black actress navigating Hollywood's challenging social landscape, particularly highlighting her struggles with restrictive housing covenants in a neighborhood called "Sugar Hill" where she bought a home despite facing backlash from white neighbors; the book explores her personal life, friendships with other Hollywood figures, and her fight for racial equality.

More info: www.togetherweread.com/US/

Thank you to our friends at the Libby App for sponsoring Together We Read 2025!

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 several sessions for your convenience:
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.

Join us for our monthly book club where you pick the book! This month our chosen theme is 'Winds of Change.' Get creative and have fun with it! We will meet two times; pick the time that works best for you!

• Thursday, March 20th, 2025, at 11:30am
• Thursday, March 20th, 2025, at 6:00pm

Join us Monday mornings @ 10am for Adult Coloring!

Thank you to Gerry Ries for donating this original diamond art to our library! Gerry has donated to several local organizations including Fire, Police, EMS and others. We appreciate you and your talents!

Think of it like a Super Bowl Party, but for the Celebrity Red Carpet Arrivals!! We're partying this Sunday, March 2nd at 5pm at our 2nd Annual Red Carpet Party! Stop by for a drink and some trivia and remember it's all for a good cause!! This event is for adults only. All proceeds benefit the 2025 Children's Summer Reading Program.

Our after-school crowd stayed warm at the library on this cold afternoon!

This friend has read 800 books. Way to go!

Look who has read 900 books! Let's show him some love.

Congratulations to Pat Neve! She has won our 2025 Red Carpet Limo Raffle Drawing! She and up to 7 guests will enjoy a 2-hour limo ride prior to our @22nd Annual Red Carpet Party next Sunday, March 2nd, 2025! This prize is made possible thanks in part to our friends at Express Limousine of North Liberty!

Congratulations to Abby on completing our "Bundle Up With Books 6th-12th Grade Reading Challenge!" She took home a puzzle and hot chocolate!

This friend has read 100 books. Way to go! #beanstack #1000booksbeforekindergarten

I found this article from the April 27th, 2012, edition of the Cedar Valley Times in our library's local digital archives. The article credits Tammy Hepker with the suggestion of including the title 'Gone With The Wind' on the statue. Great suggestion Tammy! Coincidentally I was visiting the library on the day that Brian Parr was carving this tower. My youngest son was 3 years old at the time and we were at the library for Children's Storytime. I'll never forget the look on his face while watching Brian at work.

For the link to this article, and any other local newspaper article dating back to 1855 visit our website at www.vinton.lib.ia.us and select Online Resources, Digital Archives, and then select the Benton County Historical Society and VPL icon.

Do you have a memory of Brian's carvings following the 2011 derecho that you'd like to share? I'd love to hear it!

Kelly Henkle, Library Director

Join us Sunday, March 2nd from 5-7pm for our 2nd Annual Red Carpet party! We'll be watching the celebrity red carpet arrivals to the Oscars and playing some Hollywood trivia. We'll have also have charcuterie, drinks and desserts. We will be collecting a free will donation to benefit our 2025 Children's Summer Reading Program. Come party with us at this one-of-a-kind event right here in Vinton!

Love the hit TV series 'Younger'? Check out the books by Pamela Redmond:

~Younger' (book 1, Younger)

~'Older' (book 2, Younger)

Join us Sunday, March 2nd from 5-7pm for our 2nd Annual Red Carpet party! We'll be watching the celebrity red carpet arrivals to the Oscars and playing some Hollywood trivia. We'll have also have charcuterie, drinks and desserts. We will be collecting a free will donation to benefit our 2025 Children's Summer Reading Program. Come join in on the fun at this one-of-a-kind event right here in Vinton!

We are so excited for our 2nd Annual Red Carpet Fundraiser on Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, from 5-7pm & are loving all these Red Carpet looks Angelina Jolie has worn over the years! Which one is your favorite? Comment below and let us know which look is your favorite!

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