BCR_IV Living_062621

iving L Summer 2021

magazine

SPOONS RESTAURANT AND BAR: A Princeton classic revitalized

ALSO: n

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Tips for building a vinyl record collection Crush your workout goals with a fitness buddy Fun books to include in your summer beach bag publication

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Living magazine

Better together

T

he pursuit of physical fitness isn’t easy – nor should it be. If you want to see results, you have to be willing to put in the effort. But, as someone who started running five years ago and who recently set up a small home gym, I know how hard it can be.

There are days you’d rather sit on the couch with a bag of potato chips than challenge yourself to exercise for 30 minutes or an hour. At moments like that, a fitness buddy can make all the difference.

Workout friends make those long hours of exercise more fun, and you become invested in wanting your friend to reach their goals. In this issue, we profile two women who meet up regularly

for exercise and support each other’s accomplishments.

Fitness friends can be your spouse, child, friend, or even a like-minded stranger who becomes a cheerleader for you. Check out our article in this issue to find out how valuable a fitness buddy can be. It might inspire you to find one of your own.

But you don’t have to stop at just one – I have several workout buddies I try to meet up with on a regular basis. My sister-in-law is my running buddy – we try to go running together as much as our schedules allow. My teenage son and daughter will go for walks with me, and my son has just started exploring weight-lifting as well, giving us another activity to do together. And when I’m ready for a walk in the evening, I can sometimes encourage my husband to go with me as well.

For all you multi-taskers out there, it gives you a chance to see your friends

while working up a sweat, so you can cross two things off your to-do list.

Working together and assembling a team isn’t just for exercise, however.

It’s something we rely upon in every aspect of our lives. I was reminded of this when I interviewed Greta Kelly, the owner of Spoons Restaurant and Bar in Princeton, for this issue of Illinois Valley Living magazine.

Her restoration and revitalization of the Spoons building and business wouldn’t have happened without the help and support of many people – something she was quick to point out in her interview. Greta is a fun, energetic woman, and the history of the Spoons building is fascinating. I think you’ll like reading her story as much as I enjoyed meeting her and writing it.

No matter what you’re doing today, I hope you take a moment to reflect upon who is on your team in your day-to-day life and come up with a way to expand your support circle a little. There’s nothing wrong with some alone time, but when we join forces, we can accomplish amazing things.

Contents Building a Playlist the Old-fashioned Way 5 Vinyl records continue to attract collectors.

A Princeton Fixture 12

Spoons Restaurant and Bar has evolved from a men’s-only club to a female-owned business.

Shannon Serpette Niche editor

Living magazine Bureau County Republican 526 S. Bureau Valley Pkwy., Ste. F Princeton, IL 61356 815-875-4461 Publisher Dan Goetz Niche Editor Shannon Serpette

sserpette@shawmedia.com

Exercise Buddies Turned Friends 18

Regional Advertising Director Jeanette Smith

Finding Books for Your Beach-Bound Bag 21

Writers David Cook Katlyn Sanden Shannon Serpette

Finding a fitness friend can result in better overall health.

The best place to find them is home to all your favorite page-turners.

On the cover: Spoons owner Greta Kelly stands near an old scale she remembers from when she used to stop by the restaurant as a young child. Kids could help themselves to the pennies on the bar counter to weigh themselves.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SHANNON SERPETTE

Do you have a story idea you’d love to read about in Illinois Valley Living magazine?

Share your idea with the editor by emailing sserpette@shawmedia.com.

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Photographers David Cook Katlyn Sanden Shannon Serpette Designer Liz Klein Published by: est. 1851

Living magazine

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Jim Lovejoy, the owner of Blue Jay Way Records, which is located at 524 S. Main St. in Princeton, is a big Beatles fan. The store has memorabilia, new and vintage albums by The Beatles, their solo work, Beatles-related artists, and a number of bootleg records that are all presented in their own section.

Building a playlist the old-fashioned way Vinyl records continue to attract collectors Story and photos by David Cook

D

espite modern technology evolving to include a number of streaming platforms offering algorithms that provide easy, endless, and mobile streams of entertainment, plain old vinyl records are thriving.

The well-documented resurgence of a more than 70-yearold format has been underway for more than a decade. But

Living magazine

one pandemic later, there’s a growing number of new collectors discovering, or even re-discovering, the fun of a record store and why so many prefer to keep their favorite music in a crate rather than a cloud.

However, for people new to the hobby of record collecting, seven decades of pressing records on an industrial scale means there’s an awful lot of

variety. The following tips will be helpful to those interested in building a new collection that’s uniquely appealing.

WHERE TO GO Blue Jay Way Records is the Illinois Valley’s best destination for local record lovers, and the Princeton store also See RECORDS page 6

Summer 2021 – 5

Records

record when discussing market saturation. For decades, across generations, nearly FROM PAGE 5 every family had a collection. It’s common for people regularly attracts collectors who’ve traveled from far out- to inherit these collections, and frequently a memory of side the area.

But a quick online search a loved one’s records is the spark to begin their own. will show a number of Joel Ponce of Peru has stores located in larger cities enjoyed records since he for those willing to make a was a teenager, but his rereasonable trip. cent re-entry into the hobby Owner Jim Lovejoy isn’t began as a way to remember just a long-time collector; he’s known since childhood his late brother.

“I’ve been trying relocate he’d someday own a record all the ones I remember my store, saying a friend remembered him talking about brother having in his collection. I’ve found quite a it during an eighth-grade few so far. I like listening to P.E. class. them again. It’s stress relievHe spent the following ing, and I’ve enjoyed it,” he years buying entire colsaid. lections with the intent of Olivia Koehn, 21, of Gebuilding an inventory. Those neva, traveled with her famcollections were eventually combined to form the back- ily to browse Blue Jay Way bone of the store he opened Records. Although she was looking for albums for her in 2015. With the format’s sister’s new collection, both continued resurgence, Blue Jay Way Records also offers of them grew up hearing a growing selection of brand their mom play her favorites. new pressings.

“It (vinyl) just sounds better than CDs or streaming WHAT INSPIRES – you hear so much more.

NEW COLLECTORS We’ve got eclectic tastes, so As a music format, nothing compares with the vinyl it’s been fun looking for her,

and we both grew up listening to it,” she said as to why they prefer records.

Some other appealing features of the long-playing (LP) album are the covers.

Records give you something to look at while you listen, especially if it’s a gatefold cover. Fantastic artwork, photography, detailed notes and information, lyrics, and frequently humor can be found within the images on the covers. Older albums, especially those in the jazz and orchestral genres, feature helpful essays describing the music you’ll hear.

“You can hold it in your hands. It’s just the whole routine of listening to a record, all of it. It forces you to stop and listen if you want to enjoy it. Even the smell of the vinyl when you open a new record … it’s just great. I love all of it,” Lovejoy said.

TIPS AND TACTICS If you’re starting a collection from scratch, there was one piece of advice shared over and over by experienced collectors.

“Buy what you want to lis-

ten to, not what other people think you should have in your collection,” Lovejoy said.

Another piece of advice heard more than once was “Don’t loan your records to friends.”

All hobbies involve an investment in time and money. Yes, you can spend a lot of money acquiring a collection, but it doesn’t have to be that way. With time, consideration, and maybe a simple compromise or two, a diverse collection can be built affordably.

“Accept that records are going to make some noise.

That’s just the way it is,” Lovejoy said in reference to the frequently beloved pops, snaps, and static-y crackles associated with hearing a well-loved, and therefore well-worn, record.

You can build a collection by only buying flawless new re-issues or by tracking down mint condition vintage copies or rare variations, but it can quickly get prohibitively expensive.

Used records are fairly plentiful, and while delicate, they’re surprisingly durable.

Below: Colored vinyl doesn’t sound different than a normal record, but it’s an eye-catching and cleverly effective marketing gimmick that’s as popular as ever. Many new pressings of both new and classic releases often feature translucent or solid color vinyl. Other interesting variations and features you may find include marbled vinyl, picture discs, and laser-etched artwork.

6 – Summer 2021

Living magazine

Blue Jay Way Records’ fifth anniversary was postponed because of the pandemic, but the party is back on for August 13th at the Princeton Moose Lodge. It will feature Wayne ‘The Train’ Hancock, the ‘King of Juke Joint Swing.’ Tickets are $20 and are available in-store.

Along with a wavy, warped surface or a crack, both of which are fatal to a record’s usability, deep scratches are what you don’t want to see. They’re the cause of the dreaded skip – when the needle catches and gets locked into a short repeating pattern or jumps to an entirely new place on the record.

Light scuffing isn’t good either, but instead of skipping, you’ll usually just hear some interference as the needle passes over the area, and many used records play better than they look. Each album has to be judged on its own.

One way used records are priced is according to the condition of both their album sleeve and the record itself. An eight-dollar record will almost certainly sound better than the two-dollar copy, but it’s always worth looking at both. Ask yourself: Does it bother you the Living magazine

first owner signed it back in 1956? Or if there’s some tape on the edge of the album cover?

Sometimes a record just hasn’t been cleaned in the past few decades, and once the dust is removed, you’ll be left with something that sounds much better than first expected.

Another helpful piece of advice to keep things on the inexpensive side is to look for greatest hits or compilations of various artists. Compilations are great for those one-hit-wonder songs, and they’re usually packaged as a collection of artists from a particular label or genre, or as the hits of the specified year.

Record stores also usually have a bargain bin, and while these can be chaotic and comprised of lower-priced selections, they’re worth looking through because you never know what you’ll find. It’s good to be

one of the dozens of Lawrence Welk albums released during his long career. It’s hard to explain how frequently you’ll see albums DISCOVERING A like this, but this is a good NEW FAVORITE thing because it’s easy to “Don’t be afraid to try find nice ones and they’re something new, weird, never expensive. There’s a strange, or different. You never know what you’ll end lot of skilled performances on albums like these, by a up liking,” Drew Lovejoy, who helps run Blue Jay Way variety of conductors, and they’re more enjoyable than Records with his dad, recan inexperienced collector ommended.

He also advised that if you may realize.

They’re frequently themed dislike a particular album, by the mood they set and you can always gift it to a friend to try, sell it, or trade were also often used to showcase new developments it back to the store. in stereo, ‘high fidelity,’ or The most likely music to even ‘quadraphonic’ speaker be thought of when considering vinyl records is classic arrangements, so they often sound great. rock. But there’s also counThere were also peritry, soul, jazz, classical, and ods when certain types more. One genre not to be of albums were extremely overlooked is most easily described as orchestral. This popular. During the 1950’s, there were countless algenre can also frequently bums of Hawaiian-themed cross over into jazz and classical.

See RECORDS page 10 An easy example would be open to seeing what’s in the crate and possibly trying something new.

Summer 2021 – 7

Blue Jay Way Records also has 45 rpm records, a selection of CDs, DVDs, shirts, music-related collectibles, art, incense, and more.

8 – Summer 2021

Living magazine

Living magazine

Summer 2021 – 9

Records FROM PAGE 7

music. Pretty much all of them included a version of “Hawaiian War Chant,” but there’s also a wide variety of arrangements. Genres like this can be fun to explore.

At Blue Jay Way Records, these albums are in their own section, not too far from those labeled in the store as a “Catch-all for the

Weird, Odd, Strange and Unclassifiable.” Sections like this can include albums of music by nationality, poetry, exercise, famous speeches, the moon landing, sporting events, silly or unusual themes, and the instructional.

Comedy albums are another way to enjoy the format. These records used to be about the only way to hear a comedian. They’ve inspired countless new

comics, and some are nearly as famous as iconic rock records.

Those from roughly the mid-60’s and earlier are extremely tame when compared to more modern routines, but it’s pretty easy to find those classic George Carlin, Richard Pryor, Monty Python, and Steve Martin records. One warning is if a comedian’s routine was highly physical, it may not translate as well

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to a record. This is because you can’t see what the audience saw, you’ll just hear the laughter.

If you decide to explore, or re-explore, the aging yet surprisingly thriving, endlessly diverse, and still fascinating media format known as vinyl records, you’ll be sure to find something enjoyable. No other format is as capable of bringing back fond memories as it is creating new ones.

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Greta Kelly bought the Spoons building in Princeton six years ago on a whim during an auction.

She’s breathed new life into the structure and the business, making it a popular eatery that serves comfort food with a global flair.

12 – Summer 2021

Living magazine

A Princeton Fixture Spoons Restaurant and Bar has evolved from a men’s-only club to a female-owned business Photo and story by Shannon Serpette

T

o hear Greta Kelly tell it, she was destined to own Spoons Restaurant and Bar in Princeton. Although she didn’t know it, everything in her life seemed to have been pulling her to it.

That pull toward Spoons began the day she was born.

Her grandparents were having lunch in the building for their anniversary when Kelly’s parents were trying to call them to share the news about her birth.

To Kelly, it feels as if divine intervention has been heading her back to Spoons ever since.

First opened in the 1930s, the building located at 541 S. Main St. in Princeton was originally called Lenihan’s Place.

It featured the beautiful bar that still stands in the building today and was a place to stop for tobacco and cigars.

The business changed hands, and in the 1960s until 1986, it was called The Greasy Spoon.

Only men were allowed in, Kelly said, and when women were looking for their husbands, they would yell into

them from the front door.

“It was one of those places they didn’t allow women,” Kelly said.

John Sitterly bought the establishment in 1986, and turned it into a place that attracted a lot of dedicated locals for breakfast, lunch, and drinks.

In 2015, the building was going to be auctioned off, and Kelly decided to attend the auction as moral support for her friend, whose family had owned it. Kelly had grown up in Princeton and had fond recollections of weighing herself on the giant scale in the building.

“I knew the former owners,” she said. “I had all these great childhood memories.”

The auction Kelly had stopped by to see wasn’t going well.

“Nobody was bidding on the place,” she said. “I thought, ‘I’m going to at least try to drive it up.’”

Chalk it up to competitive spirit or a subtle push from destiny, but that bid led to Kelly purchasing the business.

“I got it for $22,000,” she said.

She’s the first to admit the purchase was a fluke.

“But it was probably one of the neatest things I’ve ever done,” she said.

The next order of business was telling her husband she purchased a business when the plan was just to provide moral support for her friend.

To make it an even harder sell when explaining it to her husband, the building had seen better days when she bought it.

“It was in bad shape,” she said. “He was leery of it, but he was very supportive of the dream and the vision. He knows not to underestimate me.”

As a real estate appraiser and someone who had cherished that establishment in her younger years, Kelly could see the potential. That job experience, and an educational background in catering, restaurants, and travel, gave Kelly the know-how to pull off a successful business.

See SPOONS page 15

While going through the building during the renovation process, this old advertising board turned up. It showcases many businesses that no longer exist in Princeton and some that remain.

Living magazine

Summer 2021 – 13

Pieces of the past are all around Spoons Restaurant and Bar in Princeton, from the original ceilings to the exposed brick wall on one side of the restaurant.

14 – Summer 2021

Living magazine

Spoons FROM PAGE 13

“This brings out my creativity,” she said.

As someone who had grown up in Princeton and loves to visit when she can, Kelly wanted to contribute to the downtown area she enjoys so much.

“I just wanted somewhere fun to come back to. There is something really cool about this area,” she said.

For Kelly, the timing for a project like this couldn’t have been better. As a mother of five grown kids, she was facing a new transition as an empty nester. As someone brimming with energy who was used to a busy schedule, she wasn’t looking forward to the downtime.

“I think I needed this,” she said.

They started renovations on the top level and worked their way down. The upstairs now has three apartments, and Kelly uses one as an office.

“The condition of the building was the biggest challenge,” she said.

Since Kelly lives just over an hour away near Peoria, she needed someone dependable who could handle the day-today operations of the business when she couldn’t be onsite.

Without looking, she found David Jones and hired him as the executive chef and manager. She had heard about him from a friend who thought she might need a chef for Spoons.

“Everything just fell into place. It’s so bizarre,” she said.

Jones has been with the restaurant for six years, ever since it opened, and he lives upstairs in one of the building’s renovated apartments. He enjoys the feelings of warmth that seem to radiate from the dining room and also loves how caring Kelly is.

“She’s probably one of the best bosses I’ve ever had. She definitely treats everyone like family. In her words, she leads with her heart,” he said.

Megan Shipp of Wyanet is a server and bartender at Spoons and handles some social media posts as well.

“I just always love the atmosphere of this place,” she said.

“I feel like our place has a lot of great regulars.”

Sometimes, the staff wonders if some of the regulars have ever truly left. Occasionally, Jones and the staff will hear weird noises they can’t explain – and the noises were worse when renovations were underway.

“We always say it’s the ghost coming back to play pool,” Kelly said.

If a ghost is coming back to visit its old haunts, Kelly loves the idea that Spoons was such a happy place for its patrons to visit that they still want to stop by.

Although she’s breathed new life into the old building and turned it into a bustling stop that serves comfort food with a global twist, she is equally grateful for what the building has done for her.

“I don’t know if I saved it,” she said. “It saved me, I say.”

Living magazine

Summer 2021 – 15

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Exercise buddies turned friends Finding a fitness friend can result in better overall health Story and photos by Katlyn Sanden

N

estled on the outskirts of Sheffield, you can find a quaint health and wellness center that caters to all walks of life. It fills a void in the rural communities of Bureau County. This place, Cornerstone Community Wellness, is the meet-up location for people who want to improve their physical and emotional health – whether it be in the gym or taking advantage of a number of other services.

When patrons get to know each other and cheer each other on, the quest for physical fitness turns into something more.

“The communication that happens while you work out reduces stress, increases happiness, and helps with social and emotional support,” said Kathy Barker, Operations Manager at Cornerstone Community Wellness.

She gets a unique perspective of the day-to-day operations since she has a front row seat to the gym.

“I see so many different types of relationships. There are mothers with their adult daughters spending time together while they walk on the treadmills. Farmers come in to de-stress with exercise and do a little crop talk,” Barker said.

“Couples drop their kiddos off in childcare and concentrate on some much-needed self-care time in the gym. Best friends work out together and share stories of grandchildren visiting and end up laughing for a good part of the time.

Teenagers come after school to work out and encourage each other to be better. I watch gym partners show up each week like clockwork because they have made health and wellness a priority,” she continued.

Being centrally located makes this gym the perfect

18 – Summer 2021

Fitness buddies Jennifer Baumgartner (left) and Connie Stetson (right) begin their weekly workouts with 30 minutes of cardio.

“The communication that happens while you work out reduces stress, increases happiness, and helps with social and emotional support.”

Kathy Barker Operations Manager at Cornerstone Community Wellness spot to meet up for friends who live on opposite sides of the county. Connie Stetson of Neponset and Jennifer Baumgartner, a Princeton resident, make it a point to meet at least twice a week, to not only get their friend time in, but move their bodies

as well. The duo met years ago at Curves, and now hold each other accountable to achieve their health goals.

They typically begin their workouts with 30 minutes of cardio to get their heart See BUDDIES page 20

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Jennifer Baumgartner (left) and Connie Stetson (right) push each other to reach their health goals. They end their workouts with 30 minutes of weight training or stretching.

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Summer 2021 – 19

FROM PAGE 18

rate up, followed by 30 minutes of muscle work and stretching exercises. Before they met, it was easy to talk themselves out of working out, but now they cherish this time.

“It’s like an appointment,” Stetson explained. “You want to go. You can talk yourself out of going without your buddy.”

The duo says they feel better when they make the time to work out together.

“It’s not fun working out by yourself, but now it’s motivational,” Baumgartner said. “There’s times we go for coffee afterwards.”

Cornerstone Community Wellness isn’t the only place workout buddies meet up in Bureau County. Tammy Lange, executive director of the Princeton Park District, said the Bureau County Metro Center is bustling with members and guests in the morning and evening hours

during scheduled class times, but also sees several duos throughout the day.

“Husband and wife, girlfriends, people who meet here at the same time each day end up becoming workout buddies because of their schedules,” Lange said. “It’s important you pick the ‘right’ workout buddy. You want to exercise with someone who is at your same level so neither of you get discouraged.”

Stetson and Baumgartner agree, however, they do challenge each other and push each other to do heavier weights or more repetitions.

They said they get a better work out when they challenge each other.

Total health is more than just physical fitness – it also means being strong emotionally and mentally. Fitness buddies can help each other with every component of wellness.

“My favorite thing is seeing everyone come together to achieve the common goal of becoming the healthiest version of themselves they can,” Barker said.

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Looking for some fun summer reads? Princeton Public Library Director Julie Wayland was asked for some beach-themed books and, within a matter of minutes, she returned with these titles and several more.

Finding Books for Your Beach-Bound Bag Hint: The Best Place to Find Them is Home to All Your Favorite Page-Turners Story and photos by David Cook

T

here’s been countless books read during a pandemic-filled year of canceled events, restricted traveling, and a substantial amount of home time. But many readers are more than ready to once again enjoy a classic summer activity – relaxing on the beach with an entertaining book. If you’re not going anywhere this summer, these books can still be enjoyed in your own backyard with a fruity drink by your side.

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Even without the pressure of preparing for a vacation, choosing a new book can be a challenge. With that in mind, Princeton Public Library Director Julie Wayland was asked to share some advice for readers packing beach bags this summer.

“Beach books are about escapism. They should be enjoyable and not require deep See BOOKS page 23

Summer 2021 – 21

Princeton Public Library Director Julie Wayland is shown with a few of her favorite beach reads that she’d highly recommend to other readers.

22 – Summer 2021

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Books FROM PAGE 21

concentration. The purpose of going to the beach is to relax, and your reading material should not prevent you from doing so. On the other hand, a beach read should be engaging; otherwise, it will sit on the bottom of the beach bag all summer,” she said.

Wayland said another sign of a good beach read is when the friends you’re vacationing with borrow it after you turn that last page.

“I left with three books on my last vacation and returned with only one,” she added, a good indication it may be prudent to choose more than one title.

Wayland then shared a few favorite beach-worthy titles she’d recommend to someone unfamiliar with them.

“The last book I really enjoyed would be a great summer read, ‘Anxious People’ by Fredrik Backman, who also wrote ‘A Man Called Ove’, which is equally entertaining.

I found it funny and touching as a group of random strangers are forced together in an unintentional hostage situation and they form an unlikely bond and friendship in the process,” she said.

“For a light-hearted, laughout-loud experience, I’d take ‘The Stench of Honolulu’ by former Saturday Night Live writer Jack Handey with me to the beach. An utterly over the top adventure told by an unforgettable narrator with a really unique way of reading the world around him,” she added.

Since the ‘New Releases’ section of the library is always a popular stop for browsing patrons, Wayland was asked about new or upcoming book releases that might find their way into her own beach bag.

“I’d like to read Taylor Jenkins Reid’s ‘Malibu Rising: A Novel’ (available June 1) about a rock star’s children throwing a blow-out party and the secrets that come out during this late summer night soiree. The novel is set in the ‘80s, a time period I love to go back to and relive the

Living magazine

The Friends of the Library book sale recently held in the meeting room of the Princeton Public Library helped patron Barb Skean find books to fill her beach bag for an upcoming summer vacation.

Sometimes beach reads are best enjoyed with other items that help you nail down your theme.

The Princeton Public Library or your local Bureau County library may be able to provide some beach-themed tunes if appropriate background music would be appreciated while reading at the beach. The library can also find some beach-themed movies if you’d like to complete the theme across multiple media formats.

campiness,” she said.

Offering a thematic change of direction, Wayland said she also enjoys a good thriller.

“I’m looking forward to reading ‘The Last Thing He Told me’ by Laura Dave. It’s about the sudden vanishing of the main character’s husband. Along these same lines is ‘The Maidens’ (available June 15), which is set at

Cambridge University and explores the questionable intentions of a popular and charming Greek tragedy professor,” she said.

For those enjoying combinations of humor, romance, and mystery, Wayland said she enjoys the books of Jesse Q. Sutanto.

“I might indulge in a book like ‘Dial A for Aunties’ for

some lighter, upbeat entertainment. Plus, I happen to be an awesome aunt,” she added with a smile.

With pandemic restrictions easing, there’s recently been the return of another book-related activity the patrons of Princeton Public Library were excited to see come back – The Friends of the Library Book Sale. This is a fantastic event to visit when searching for a diverse selection of books and other materials.

Barb Skean of Princeton was one of the many people who made an appointment to peruse the book-covered tables that filled the Princeton library’s large meeting room, and she did so with a specific purpose – to fill her beach bag.

Her beach of choice is in South Carolina, and she was looking forward to returning there this summer after travel restrictions prevented it last year.

“I can read for hours, so I need something I can really get into,” she said, adding that she loves “good, compelling mysteries,” as well as historical fiction and those based around the sea.

For those looking for newly-released mysteries, “Murder at Wedgefield Manor” by Erica Ruth Neubauer might fill your beach bag nicely.

And if you enjoy an element of fantasy with your mystery, “The Witness for the Dead”

by Katherine Addison might be a tempting choice.

With new books being continuously released and the overwhelming amount of previously released books that exist, a reader’s best choice for finding new material is often their local public library. Browsing can be done within the library or through the user-friendly online catalog system that connects several hundred regional libraries, and all you need is your library card. After ordering a book online, you’ll be contacted when it’s available for you to pick up.

With the help of your local library, packing a beach bag will be easy, and you’ll soon be enjoying a new book while wiggling your toes in the sunwarmed sand on a perfect summer’s day.

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