Summer's coming, and we're hiring! We're looking for an energetic individual who loves kids to join us as our Children's Summer Reading Program Assistant! Applications are available at the library or by visiting cityofvinton.org and selecting the Government tab. Turn in your completed applications to Kelly Henkle at the library by April 30th, 2025.

Your feedback is important to us! Please visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6VS35KJ to take our brief survey! Your responses will be used to guide future programming and services here at our library.

• 'Murder by Cheesecake: A Golden Girls Cozy Mystery' by Rachel Ekstrom Courage
• 'Your Neurodiverse Child: How to Help Kids with Learning, Attention, and Neurocognitive Challenges Thrive' by Nechama Sorscher
• 'British Children's Literature of the 19th Century: A Companion' by Patrick C. Fleming

'Fourth Wing' by Rececca Yarros is a book that doesn't sit on the shelf for long due to its high demand. With patrons checking it out over 20 times since we received it, I tried my shot at Libby and not so patiently waited. The Empyrean series is projected to have 5 books in total: 'Fourth Wing,' 'Iron Flame,' and 'Onyx Storm' are the books currently published and at our library. This romantasy story blends together dragons, military, and a passionate enemies-to-lovers storyline.

The story follows Violet Sorrengail, a 20-year-old woman who has no say in her future plans due to her mother. Violet is unexpectedly thrown into the brutal world of dragon rider training at Basgiath War College. Violet might be the smallest physically, but her resilience and intellect help her navigate deadly challenges.

I can't even put into words how Yarros excels in world-building, strong characters and fast-paced storytelling with twists that will keep you at the edge of your seat.

Violet learns that there is a lot that the leaders in her community are not sharing and it is her job now to be ready to fly or die. The cliffhanger at the end will want you wanting more. I can't wait to get my hands on 'Iron Flame.'

~Kellie

I recently purchased a giant handbag to cart my books to and from work, but I still can't resist the lure and ease of reading on the @libby.app! I might be the app's biggest fan. I can fall asleep and not lose my place and my handbag doesn't weigh a ton. It's a win-win situation.

Currently, I am reading 'The Guest' by Emma Cline on Libby and it is a roller coaster ride of ANXIETY. Ever get lost in a grocery store as a small child and have a panic attack, suddenly realizing how easily you can get lost? 'The Guest' is one long panic attack. A young woman is basically a grifter that drifts from one man to the next without money, is homeless, sometimes with only the clothes she has on, and often with a phone on the verge of dying or dead. I can't decide if I love it or hate it. I want to tell her to get her life together. Figure out this nonsense! Stop conning men! I can't stop reading it because I want to know whether she changes or perfects the art of being a con artist. Something tells me she will end up on the losing end though. I plan on finishing it tonight and hope to end this anxiety attack. I will keep my fingers crossed that she has a happy ending. Happy reading, friends! ~Heather

I stumbled across my choice for this month's Adventures in Bookclubbing completely by accident; I have been wanting to read 'The Cruelest Month' by Louise Penny ever since I finished 'A Fatal Grace.' ‘The Cruelest Month’ takes place during Eastertime, so I waited until this Spring to start. The book begins with the following excerpt from 'The Waste Land,' the highly celebrated poem by T. S. Eliot: "April is the cruelest month, breeding..." A light bulb went off, and I decided it fit our book club's 'April' theme perfectly!

'The Cruelest Month' is the third book in the Chief Inspector Gamache series. The series is wildly popular and has 19 books to date with the 20th planned for a Fall 2025 release. The series takes place in a small village in Quebec and features many close friends, Chief Inspector Gamache, and murder. In this book, several friends gather for a séance at the old Hadley house, which is rumored to be haunted and was prominently featured in the first two books. The séance is led by a visitor to their community who is a practicing Wiccan. During the séance they hear a shriek and a thud, and when they turn on the lights one of their friends has died - apparently ‘scared to death’ based upon the look on her face. Was it fear? Or was it murder? Inspector Gamache is called to investigate, and the story continues from there.

These books are like a warm sweater and cup of tea on a stormy night; cozy, yet dark and mysterious. I love Penny’s descriptions of foods throughout. The food never takes center stage but is always nearby. In fact, for last week’s Books & Cooks Cooking Contest I made her recipe for Tourtiere, a French meat pie that is traditionally served at Christmastime in Quebec. I highly recommend the series for lovers of cozy mysteries and detective fiction. 'The Cruelest Month' currently has 4.2/5 stars on goodreads.com.

Happy reading!

~Kelly Henkle, Library Director

Join us for our monthly book club where you pick the book! This month you can choose a book about an interesting time in history! We have two meeting times for you to pick from; choose the one that works best for you!

• Thursday, May 15th, 2025, at 11:30am
• Thursday, May 15th, 2025, at 6:00pm

Thank you to Pourville Art Studio and Gallery for sharing your time and talents with us at last week's Memory Cafe! Resources provided to us through Dementia Friendly Vinton allowed us to experience this fun art project together! Our Memory Cafe meets the second and fourth Fridays of every month at 10am. Email khenkle@vintonia.gov to learn more! Photo credits: Afton Marie Photography

Want to earn those Black and Gold hours? Volunteer for our Book Buddies Program and read with children Mondays from 10am-Noon from June 2nd-July28th this summer at the library! Contact us @ 319-472-4208 or email hegan@vintonia.gov for more information! #librarylife #librarylovers #volunteer

Adult readers have logged over 21,000 minutes so far in our Beanstack April Library Love Reading Challenge! It's not too late to sign up; there are challenges for all ages! Adults that log 600 minutes of reading or more during the month of April get the chance to win a Library Lovers Prize Pack! That's just an hour a day for 10 days! Join in on the fun and sign up today!

We love getting notes from our library friends! This month's Beanstack April Library Love Reading Challenge contains activities, including sending thank you notes to library staff! Check out this artwork we received this week from our friends at REM!

It's annual survey time!! Help us reach our goal of 100 completed surveys! Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6VJTRWR to take our survey today; your feedback helps drive decision making here at our library!

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 11, 2025! Check out our latest display and get ready for that special day!

Hear what your friends and neighbors are saying about the resources available at the Vinton Public Library! Have you signed up for our Beanstack April Library Love Reading Challenge yet? We have challenges for all ages!

Interested in local history? Then stop into our library's archive room! We have a complete copy of The Vinton Newspapers August 2019 publication celebrating Vinton's Sesquicentennial. This newspaper is not available for checkout, but you can take a look through it here at our library. Stop in today! We're open until 8pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

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