Lissa Staley

Lissa Staley helps people use the library. She is a Book Evangelist, Health Information Librarian, Arts and Crafts Librarian, Trivia Emcee, Classics Made Modern book group leader, and frequent library customer, especially with her preschool children. She reads a new book every few days, but recently loved "Swordspoint" by Ellen Kushner, "Love and Other Perishable Items" by Laura Buzo and "The Reluctant Assassin" by Eoin Colfer and is looking forward to "Homeland" by Cory Doctorow.

Contact Lissa at estaley@tscpl.org

Lissa‘s Book Picks

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Health Information

Celebrate Screen-Free Week at the library – April 30-May 6, 2012

For one week, turn OFF your TV and TUNE IN to your family, friends and community. The library is offering events for all ages, including storytimes for children, special afterschool programs from 4-H and the Topeka Zoo, weekend specials like a multicultural book celebration, an outdoor challenge for kids, an art exhibit, board games for adults, drawing class for adults, and FREE comic book day. And of course, we’ve got many, many books for reading!

Health Information

Prepare for Severe Weather and Be a Force of Nature!

Some people love a big storm, and others cower in fear – which are you? National Severe Weather Preparedness Week highlights the importance of planning and practicing how and where to take shelter before severe weather, such as tornadoes and severe thunderstorms, strike. Download a checklist to help your family be prepared.

Crafts

Journaling with Words and Images: personal growth and gardens

A monthly journaling workshop offers ideas and encouragement for people pursuing personal writing with words and images. Handouts including writing prompts about personal growth and gardens are archived here. The workshop meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 am at the library.

Books, Movies & Music

Winter Wheat: a vivid sense of place, in 1940′s Montana

“September is like a quiet day after a whole week of wind.”

The opening line of Mildred Walker’s most popular novel, Winter Wheat, sets the tone for the metaphors of the farming and natural worlds that bring this book to life.

Health Information

Who will make your health care decisions for you when you are unable?

Make your healthcare wishes known and guide you, your family and your friends through the process of Advance Care Planning for a living will and durable power of attorney for health care decisions.
Copies of Kansas State University’s Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care, and Living Wills Fact Sheets are available in the library’s Health Information Neighborhood.

Podcast

HUSH: a podcast from your library – Episode 21 – Medical Memoirs

Listen or download the library’s premier podcast – HUSH! In Episode 21, enjoy a discussion (26:27) about Medical Memoirs — books by doctors, nurses and patients about their experiences in unique or compelling situations. Have you read any of our recommendations? Plus continue the discussion on the library’s Goodreads group!

Books, Movies & Music

Arranged is a modern romance with a twist

The premise of this book both intrigued and repelled me. People choosing to pay big bucks to marry a stranger? Even with the year of marriage counseling and the foundation in friendship rather than love, I was skeptical of the whole affair. I mean, I like to read romance novels. And I didn’t really see how this was going to turn out satisfying for any of us, the readers or the characters.

Crafts

A new kids book about knitting:”Extra Yarn”

This children’s picture book will appeal to those adults with a yarn stash full of possibilities. For kids, in addition to the beautiful story of creating, sharing and brightening the town through colorful knitting, there is a bad guy who wants to steal the yarn box!

Crafts

Journaling with Words and Images: ideas for garden journals

A monthly journaling workshop offers ideas and encouragement for people pursuing personal writing with words and images. Handouts including writing prompts about ideas for garden journals are archived here. The workshop meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 am at the library.

Books, Movies & Music

The Art of Duke Hunting is a witty regency romp

His Grace Roman Montagu has just woken up, completely terrified, and tied to the rail of a ship named The Drake during a terrible storm –and the arrival of the Countess of Derby on the deck quickly takes things from bad to worse! Pick up this historical romance set in the Regency England, where Prinny himself makes a cameo appearance to twist the plot. The Art of Duke Hunting is a highly recommended and very enjoyable sensual historical romance.

Crafts

Journaling with words and images: Monthly Workshop

A monthly journaling workshop offers ideas and encouragement for people pursuing personal writing with words and images. The tips and ideas shared by participants in our first few meetings are archived here. The workshop meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 10:00 am at the library.