All posts by Angie

We Heart MN: Eating and Cooking with Mushrooms!


In this series, we’ll pick some of our favorite things about Minnesota and share some related book suggestions. (We’re open to your suggestions! Comment below or email us and tell us some of your favorite MN things!)

So mushrooms are not one of my favorite foods, but they are so healthy and you can find several types right here! Get out, explore, and see what you can find for wild mushrooms, then read these books to learn which are safe to eat and how to cook them. Or, try to grow your own!

Untamed Mushrooms: From Field to Table by Michael Karns, Lisa Golden Schroeder, Dennis Becker (Photographer)
“Step into nature, whether in a park, forest, prairie, or lakeland, and you are surrounded by edible wild foods–if you know where to look. Old traditions of foraging have seen a passionate resurgence of interest among midwestern chefs and home cooks intrigued by the vitality of foods growing just footsteps–or a healthy hike–from their doors. But many hesitate over collecting wild mushrooms: How do you know which ones are okay to eat? And once you do, how should you prepare them?”

Mushrooms of the Upper Midwest: A Simple Guide to Common Mushrooms by Teresa Marrone
“Hundreds of full-color photos with easy-to-understand text make this a great visual guide to learning about nearly 400 species of common wild mushrooms found in the Upper Midwestern states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. The species (from Morel Mushrooms to Shelf Mushrooms) are organized by shape, then by color, so you can identify them by their visual characteristics. Plus, with the Top Edibles and Top Toxics sections, you’ll begin to learn which are the edible wild mushrooms.”

Midwest Foraging: 115 Wild and Flavorful Edibles from Burdock to Wild Peach by Lisa M. Rose
“The Midwest offers a veritable feast for foragers, and with Lisa Rose as your trusted guide you will learn how to safely find and identify an abundance of delicious wild plants. The plant profiles in Midwest Foraging include clear, color photographs, identification tips, guidance on how to ethically harvest, and suggestions for eating and preserving. A handy seasonal planner details which plants are available during every season. Thorough, comprehensive, and safe, this is a must-have for foragers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and North Dakota.”

Mushroom Cultivation: An Illustrated Guide to Growing Your Own Mushrooms At Home by Tavis Lynch
“Understanding how mushrooms grow is crucial to successfully cultivating them, and Mushroom Cultivation offers comprehensive instruction both on how mushrooms grow and how you can cultivate them yourself to enrich your soil, speed up your composting, and even to suppress weeds. Some cultivate mushrooms for medicinal use or make them into teas and tinctures.
After reading Mushroom Cultivation, you’ll discover that growing a mushroom is really no more difficult than growing a tomato.  You just need a slightly different set of skills.”

We Want YOU to Podcast With Us This Summer!

Stop by and chat with us this summer!

We’re making our summer plans at CMLE and you probably are too! Before your calendars get filled up too much, consider adding “podcasting with CMLE” to your list of summer activities!

We especially would like to feature school library people on our podcasts (Linking Our Libraries and Reading With Libraries). We understand it can be tough to get away during the school year so we want to make sure you have an opportunity to come record with us when it fits your schedule.

A big majority of our members work in school libraries and we want to make sure we are sharing your voices and experiences with your colleagues across our system!

Watch for an email headed your way later this week with more information. Or email me at ajordan@cmle.org with any questions!

Can’t make it to our office?

No problem!! You can still participate!
Maybe you’ve listened to our Book Bites series. That’s when we record around 5ish minutes of a guest talking about a book they’ve enjoyed. If you have a book you want to share, record yourself with your phone or computer and send it to ajordan@cmle.org! We’ll fix it up and use it in our series!

We love to hear about the variety of cool books that our members are reading.

Thank you for being willing to share your love of books and libraries with us and our larger community! We are all stronger when we work together!

Book Bouquet: Neighbors


Each week we look at a collection of a few books on a topic. You can explore the books on your own, or use them as a foundation for building a display in your library!

If you’re like me, you’ve been enjoying more time outdoors, doing yardwork, planting gardens, or just relaxing. That means there is more opportunity to interact with the other people that live around you! We’re sharing some book this week about neighbors and neighborhoods, ranging from happy encounters to romances to thrillers that might have you watching the people that live nearby with a wary eye.

City Shapes by Diana Murray. illustrated by Bryan Collier
“Diana Murray’s playful and poetic verse encourages readers to look for shapes everywhere, noticing the hidden details in even the simplest of scenes around them every day. And Bryan Collier’s beautiful illustrations add even more layers to the cityscapes, letting readers get immersed in the hustle and bustle, culminating in a thrilling twist when the girl looks through her kaleidoscope and sees the skyline in a completely new way.”

In Lucia’s Neighborhood by Pat Shewchuk, illustrated by Marek Colek
“This beautiful, thought-provoking picture book about a little girl’s observations of her community has been adapted by the award-winning author/illustrator team of Pat Shewchuk and Marek Colek from their animated short film, Montrose Avenue. Inspired by the work of urban studies writer and activist Jane Jacobs, seven-year-old Lucia takes readers on a daylong tour of her own bustling city neighborhood, commenting on all the people and their activities that she encounters along the way. Intergenerational and multicultural, her busy neighbors are seen going to school, tending their gardens, opening their shops, practicing Tai Chi and visiting with each other on their porches.”

Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen
“The first time Juli Baker saw Bryce Loski, she flipped. The first time Bryce saw Juli, he ran. That’s pretty much the pattern for these two neighbors until the eighth grade, when, just as Juli is realizing Bryce isn’t as wonderful as she thought, Bryce is starting to see that Juli is pretty amazing. How these two teens manage to see beyond the surface of things and come together makes for a comic and poignant romance.”

The Things We Wish Were True by Marybeth Mayhew Whalen
“From the outside, Sycamore Glen, North Carolina, might look like the perfect all-American neighborhood. But behind the white picket fences lies a web of secrets that reach from house to house.
Up and down the streets, neighbors quietly bear the weight of their own pasts—until an accident at the community pool upsets the delicate equilibrium. And when tragic circumstances compel a woman to return to Sycamore Glen after years of self-imposed banishment, the tangle of the neighbors’ intertwined lives begins to unravel.”

Edith’s Diary by Patricia Highsmith
“As Edith Howland’s life becomes harsh, her diary entries only become brighter and brighter. She invents a happy life. As she knits for imaginary grandchildren, the real world recedes. Her descent into madness is subtle, appalling, and entirely believable.”

The Girls in the Garden by Lisa Jewell
“You live on a picturesque communal garden square, an oasis in urban London where your children run free, in and out of other people’s houses. You’ve known your neighbours for years and you trust them. Implicitly. You think your children are safe. But are they really?
Midsummer night: a thirteen-year-old girl is found unconscious in a dark corner of the garden square. What really happened to her? And who is responsible? “

The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
“Anthony Peardew is the keeper of lost things. Forty years ago, he carelessly lost a keepsake from his beloved fiancée, Therese. That very same day, she died unexpectedly. Brokenhearted, Anthony sought consolation in rescuing lost objects—the things others have dropped, misplaced, or accidentally left behind—and writing stories about them. Now, in the twilight of his life, Anthony worries that he has not fully discharged his duty to reconcile all the lost things with their owners. As the end nears, he bequeaths his secret life’s mission to his unsuspecting assistant, Laura, leaving her his house and and all its lost treasures, including an irritable ghost.

Recovering from a bad divorce, Laura, in some ways, is one of Anthony’s lost things. But when the lonely woman moves into his mansion, her life begins to change. She finds a new friend in the neighbor’s quirky daughter, Sunshine, and a welcome distraction in Freddy, the rugged gardener. As the dark cloud engulfing her lifts, Laura, accompanied by her new companions, sets out to realize Anthony’s last wish: reuniting his cherished lost objects with their owners.”

Report from Springtime Tea with CMLE!

We were so impressed that CMLE member (and frequent podcast Guest Host!) Ariel matched beautifully with the Mad Hatter’s spring color scheme!

Our members are awesome! CMLE is made up of school, public, academic, and special libraries, and we really appreciate all our members who are doing such impressive work in their libraries.

It can be hard to make connections outside of your library and we always want our members to know you are part of a larger profession! That’s why we hold member events. Plus, we like to have tea!

Take a look at the fun we had, and stay tuned to our website for several more opportunities to connect with other library people! Some upcoming events include roller derby and camping (with a day trip option). Is there an activity you think would make a fun member event? Email us at admin@cmle.org or leave a comment, let us know!

The ginger carrot soup was a hit!

Thank you again for all the members that were able to join us! If you missed this event, we hope to see you next time!

Music Book Mash-Up: May


In this series, we are going to share a fun variety of books about music! Even if you don’t play an instrument you can still absolutely be a music lover. So check back each month for a different collection of books all relating in some way to music! We’ll share fiction and nonfiction titles and try to cover many different genres and time frames. Feel free to leave suggestions in the comments! Happy reading (and listening, and playing!)

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. We’re sharing some books that investigate the ways music can impact your brain and mental well-being.

This Is Your Brain On Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by David Levitin
“Whether you load your iPod with Bach or Bono, music has a significant role in your life—even if you never realized it. Why does music evoke such powerful moods? The answers are at last be- coming clear, thanks to revolutionary neuroscience and the emerging field of evolutionary psychology. Both a cutting-edge study and a tribute to the beauty of music itself, This Is Your Brain on Music unravels a host of mysteries that affect everything from pop culture to our understanding of human nature.”

Music Medicine: The Science and Spirit of Healing Yourself With Sound by Christine Stevens
“With Music Medicine, music therapist Christine Stevens presents an information-packed resource, filled with scientifically-based practices for accessing and attuning to the natural healing properties of music.”

Tune In: A Music Therapy Approach to Life: Use Music Intentionally to Curb Stress, Boost Morale, and Restore Health by Jennifer Buchanan
Tune In is a mix of personal stories, real-life examples, interactive exercises, tips, and checklists all designed for the person who is looking for inspiration and a boost to feeling better. When we experience the right music, in the right way, transformation can happen – improved wellness, a boost in motivation, overall feelings of happiness, and stronger communities.”

The Tao of Music: Sound Psychology by John Ortiz
“Just about everyone likes to listen to music to put them “in the mood,” and these techniques get you “out” of a mood! The “Tao” part is about accepting what you’re feeling, and dealing with it, by using Dr. Ortiz’s methods. Includes musical menus that you can use to create your own program for dealing with issues, koans for meditation, and various other fun exercises to make music a part of your holistic health program.”

Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain by Oliver Sacks
“Oliver Sacks explores the place music occupies in the brain and how it affects the human condition. In Musicophilia, he shows us a variety of what he calls “musical misalignments.” Among them: a man struck by lightning who suddenly desires to become a pianist at the age of forty-two; an entire group of children with Williams syndrome, who are hypermusical from birth; people with “amusia,” to whom a symphony sounds like the clattering of pots and pans; and a man whose memory spans only seven seconds-for everything but music.”