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August 12, 2020

Book some time at the Bandera Library

By Mauri Guillén Fagan
Bandera Library Director

School is back in session this week. While it may look quite different than in other years, rest assured the Bandera Public Library has resources for your student to excel. Thanks to two grants we received from Bandera Electric Company and the Alkek Foundation, the Children’s Library has many new titles both in fiction and non-fiction. But what happens when the teacher assigns a project on a topic and someone checks out every single book in the library on that topic? No need to worry, in addition to the physical books in the library, patrons can also take advantage of the digital content available. CREDO Reference database has approximately 1,300 non-fiction titles for students of all ages. You can think of it as an academic alternative to google or wikipedia. Students and teachers alike can use the easy-to-navigate, full-text reference books. CREDO also has downloadable flash cards to help build study guides, maps, and images that are free to use. You can access CREDO on the library’s public access computers or from home with your library card log-in information. 
One of the new books out this week are Midwife Murders by James Patterson and Richard diLallo. With years of experience under her belt, Lucy Ryuan is a midwife at a university hospital in Manhattan. She thought she had seen everything and anything during her tenure. Except the string of kidnapping of patients. Then the stabbing of another. Rumors begin flying about the culprit: is the Russian mafia? Is it a shadowy underground adoption network? NYPD has bigger fish to fry so Lucy takes it upon herself to find the criminals.  
Also out this week is The Buddhist on Death Row: How One Man Found Light in the Darkest Places by David Sheff. This is the story of one of the world’s most renowned Buddhist thinkers and writers who also happens to be on death row. Jarvis Jay Masters’ backstory is one that is unfortunately all too familiar. Growing up in and out of foster care, drugs, and theft eventually led to prison. While serving time for petty crimes, Masters was framed for the murder of a guard which landed him on death row and in solitary confinement for two years. During this painful isolation he suffered panic attacks, debilitating headaches and seizures. At the insistence of his attorney he began a long process of learning how to meditate to ease his pain. Through a years long process, Masters has transformed into a man who has dedicated his life to easing the suffering of others. From stopping fights among inmates, to providing guidance to high school age students, and even helping guards and prisoners alike find meaning in their lives, Masters has found his calling.   
The library is open by appointment Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
Happy tales, y’all.