Tag Archives: mystery

Libraries can be mysterious places…

Avon Lake Public Library

“Someone has been hiding empty A.1. steak sauce bottles throughout the Avon Lake Public Library and no one knows why.

Dan Cotton, the library’s page supervisor, said 28 of the 10-ounce bottles have turned up since he found the first one Jan. 11 hidden among the library’s newspapers.

No one has been spotted hiding the bottles, but it’s become almost a game among library staff to locate the bottles, which are typically left lying on their sides behind books on the shelf.

“It became something everyone wanted to find,” Cotton said.

The library’s security guard and pages, who shelve the books, have found most of the dark glass containers among the magazines, the fiction section, the children’s section and elsewhere. Although the bottles appear at random, the most popular location seems to be in the nonfiction section, Cotton said.

“We mapped the first 12 to see if we could find a pattern, but we couldn’t find a discernible pattern,” Cotton said.

Jill Ralston, the library’s public relations and marketing coordinator, said there doesn’t appear to be any malicious intent from whoever the culprit is. The labels have been removed and the bottles have been thoroughly cleaned.”

(read the rest of this library mystery article here!)

Featured Book: May Day

May DayThis post is part of an original series created by librarians/media specialists across Central Minnesota featuring books.

Title: May Day by Jess Lourey
Review by: Angie Gentile-Jordan, Office Administrator at CMLE

Our event on May 5th featured a talk from author and professor Jess Lourey. Before the event, in an attempt to familiarize myself with her work, I began reading May Day, the first in her popular Murder-by-Month series.

The book is about assistant librarian Mira James, who moves to the small town of Battle Lake, MN from the big city of Minneapolis as a way to get a fresh start on her post-grad life. As she settles in, she encounters many characters that will be familiar to readers that have spent any amount of time in small-town Minnesota.

All seems to be going well for Mira. She even begins casually dating an archaeologist visiting the town on business. But when his lifeless body shows up (she stumbles across it in the library, no less!) Mira decides to find some answers.

I enjoyed reading this book for several reasons: the tone was light and clever, and I could picture many of the scenes playing out in northern Minnesota. I liked the way Mira bluffed her way through conversations about fishing to gain trust with the locals, throwing out words like “pan fish” not having any idea what it meant.

I’ve already purchased the next in the series, June Bug, and am looking forward to reading it from the boat while doing a little pan fishing of my own!

Author Spotlight: Jess Lourey

Jessica LoureyJess Lourey is a Minnesota-based author who firmly believes “books are magic.” According to her website, when she is writing, she feels that she is “in the right place at the right time.” She shares her enthusiasm about writing and books with her students at St. Cloud Community & Technical College as well as with the public through workshops and presentations.

Her work explores several genres, including mystery, YA, and even fantasy. In September, her new book Salem’s Cipher will be released. It will be the first book in the Witch Hunt series. Preorder your copy here.

February FeverLourey will be giving a presentation at our event on May 5th at the new SCTCC Library. Come tour the new library and hear a show-and-tell about ebooks Minnesota. Plus, you will get a FREE copy of February Fever, from Lourey’s popular Murder by Month series!

In honor of Cinco de Mayo, culinary students will be providing a taco bar as well!

Get excited for spring, fun activities, and time with colleagues. Register here! Thanks to the library staff at SCTCC and Minitex for their partnership.