New! Re-launch of Our Library News Blog

We are getting back to our news blog so our users can subscribe to our posts and read some longer entries about the library and our activities.  We will post stories from our quarterly newsletter and hope to launch our own podcast soon!

Are there stories you want to hear about?  Questions about the library you want answered?  Just make a comment or drop us a message to web@rhcl.org and we'll find the answers.

In the meantime, here is the Director Column from the Fall 2023 issue of our newsletter:

Readers Know Better 

Reading gives you wider knowledge to help make decisions

    How do we know what we know? How do we stay informed and learn new things? 

    In libraries, we call the ability to search for and locate information “information literacy.” Like all literacies, we are talking about the ways that we add stuff into our brains and then use that information to make good choices and lead better lives. But what happens when people can’t tell the difference between fact and opinion? When all statements are treated as equally important and valuable? 

    Freedom of speech is a bedrock of the American way of life. We value and honor our rights to read and think and say what we want, but this does not mean there are no limits. You can’t yell “Fire!” in a crowded theater if there is no fire because you could cause a panic and people could get hurt trying to exit. But the presence or absence of fire is pretty straightforward. What happens when we move into areas where it is not so clear? 

    The ability to look up information on a computer is part of information literacy. Selecting a search service, typing in search terms, and examining the results are all a part of this process. Nearly everyone these days relies on looking stuff up online instead of using printed or other verified sources. What if you find a large number of results but decide you don’t believe any of them? Or if you are persuaded to believe something that is a lie? Who decides what is true? 

    I don’t have all the answers, but I do know one thing – readers are always better off than non-readers. Even readers of fiction are better at selecting high-quality, factual information for research and decision-making. People who read have a greater understanding of how resources are created and how content is reviewed before publication. Expanded vocabularies and broad comprehension skills help us be better consumers of information. Readers are harder to fool and have more empathy for others. They dig deeper and look at more sources before making up their minds about an issue. 

    The best way to fight disinformation is to be a reader and make sure your family and friends are readers too. Let the children in your life see you reading and set aside time for them to read as well. Read out loud and read together. The best skill you can teach your children to prepare them for whatever life has in store for them is to READ and enjoy reading! 

Michelle Mears 

Rolling Hills Library Director 

Have you heard? Audio books are growing in popularity

Reading Revival 

Have you heard? Audio books are growing in popularity 

    Where do you think the majority of “reading” takes place? In a cozy armchair or sitting at a desk? You might be surprised to find out that a growing number of people are reading while they commute to work, mow the lawn, or while exercising. Before you start ranting about the dangers of distracted drivers, this reading is taking place with the ears and not the eyes. The growing popularity of audiobooks can’t be denied. It is the largest category of usage on our Hoopla online service. 

    I’m not much for audio, but I do read a combination of e-books and printed books. I think I read faster than I can listen, but there is something about narration of non-fiction that makes it much more enjoyable for me. If you have ever listened to a podcast, you can understand how it can take a mundane topic and make it so interesting that you have to gorge on every episode. Digital audiobooks are like this. 

    The reading of books out loud and then recording them is nothing new. Even during the vinyl record phase (which is making a comeback in certain circles) there were spoken word recordings available. In libraries, the phrase “books on tape” is still used to describe audio recordings even if they are now on CD or digital download. Cassette tapes were great because they stopped at any point and could pick up right where you left off. CDs were not quite as user-friendly and were not as durable for the kind of use/abuse that library users could put them through. 

    Now, physical media is quickly giving way to digital downloads where you can put titles on your mobile device and listen wherever you are, with headphones or Bluetooth connections to your car or home sound system. 

    As you enjoy the outdoors this summer, bring along a good book to listen to around the campfire or when walking your dog.  If you need some assistance getting started with digital audiobooks, you can make a technology appointment with a librarian for one-on-one help. Try a book you have never read or maybe a favorite title you want to experience in a new way. 

    You may find yourself transported to another world while at the same time enjoying the great outdoors.

Michelle Mears, Rolling Hills Library Director 

Notary public services available now at library

Voter registrations. Passport applications. Now add notary public to the types of services Rolling Hills Library offers to the public besides helping people find something to read or watch. 

Several staff members at the Belt and Savannah branches have completed training to be notary publics and can witness and authenticate the signing of certain types of documents, administer oaths and take some affidavits. They also will can notarize mail-in ballots for the November elections. 

The notaries are available during library hours on a walk-in basis. No appointments are needed, so it’s best to call ahead to see if a notary is available before coming to the library. No fees will be charged for notary service. 

“Our mission is to serve the residents of Andrew and Buchanan counties, and we believe notary public services is something we can easily offer,” said library Director Michelle Mears. “A lot of people think of banks first when they need a notary. But with bank lobbies being closed due to the coronavirus pandemic, people may be having trouble finding a notary. We can help them now.”

Registration is open for Summer Reading Program

Sign-up is now open at for the 2020 Summer Reading Program, and while the annual effort to promote reading promises plenty of books and prizes, it will have a different look than past years.

There will be no in-library events including the featured weekly performers, but there will be virtual Storytimes for young kids, book discussion groups for adults and crafts and activities for all ages from June 1 through July 31. This year’s theme of “Imagine Your Story” highlights fairy tales, fables and make-believe stories.

The coronavirus pandemic may have shortened the summer agenda, but it hasn’t diminished the importance of reading for youths and adults. Libraries use summer reading programs to help stave off the “summer slide” in students’ reading capabilities, library Director Michelle Mears said. And with many local students being out of school since March, the library is making it as easy as possible to register.

Youths from babies to teens and adults can sign up online at rhcl.org/summer or by calling the Belt Branch at 816-232-5479, the Savannah Branch at 816-324-4569 or the Bookmobile at 816-205-7100 to speak to a staff member. In-person registrations will be taken when the library reopens to the public on Tuesday, May 26.

Everyone who registers will be entered into prize drawings for gift baskets and three $100 Walmart gift cards. Participants who reach their reading goals will earn a second entry for the drawings as well as other prizes. Youths will receive a cloth book bag full of activities to do at home when they register.

While youths and families look forward to the many summer events at the library, Mears said, the library opted to cancel all in-person programs to keep everyone safe from possibly spreading the coronavirus in crowds.

“We are very disappointed that we can’t bring the performers to our communities this year,” Mears said. “We want kids to be safe, and we know there could be many parents who might not bring their kids to these events to keep them safe, so we had to weigh those factors and cancel the programs.”

The library will announce online programs on its online calendar at rhcl.org and on Facebook. Some events are already posted while others will be added throughout the summer.

2020 Library Fundraiser Bee is a spelling bee for all ages

--EVENT CANCELLED DUE TO LIBRARY CLOSURE--

Registration is now open for the third Annual Library Fundraising Bee, and this year’s event will test participants’ spelling prowess – and pit all ages against one another.

Scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Saturday, March 28, in the Belt Branch Upper Story, the bee is a spelling contest open to all ages. Participants are encouraged to put together teams of friends and family members. Teams can register and pay their fees at Books Revisited, the Friends of the Library bookstore.

The contest is limited to 10 teams of four to eight spellers. The entry fee is $15 per person, and spectators can purchase $5 tickets at the bookstore or at the bee. Sponsored by the Friends and the Rolling Hills Library Foundation, the event will benefit the library’s endowment fund.

Teams will face eight rounds of spelling. Words spelled correctly are worth four points, while words spelled with the help of mulligans are worth three points. MIsspelled words earn one point. The team with the most points will be the winner.

A variety of mulligans will be available for spellers or their fans to purchase and use in case they run into trouble spelling. The mulligans include a “team huddle” to consult with team members and “15 seconds with a dictionary” to look up a word but then spell it correctly without looking at the dictionary.

Because minors could be participating or attending the bee, non-alcoholic beverages along with snacks will be offered for sale at the concession stand. A 50-50 drawing will be the event’s other money-making effort.

Feed Your Mind with Adult Winter Reading Program

For many people when the weather turns cold, the first impulses are to curl up with a good book and to eat to stay warm. That’s what makes food the perfect theme for the 2020 Adult Winter Reading Program.

“We try to pick a broad theme every year, something that we can find with a lot of books that are tied to that theme and something we can do some programming with,” Belt Branch manager Kelly Morris said in describing the “Feed Your Mind” theme.

And food is something most people can relate to, Savannah Branch manager Saundra Keiffer pointed out: “If they don’t like to cook, they like to eat.”

The annual reading initiative for adults ages 18 and older opens Jan. 2 and ends Feb. 29. Adults can sign up at any time during the two months and must read four books. Logs will be available on Jan. 2.

When they sign up, participants will receive a reading log and a starting gift of lip balm. The log will provide different food-related categories to choose from, and library staff will be able to recommend authors to read in the categories. Some of the categories are Cookbook, Appetizer (short stories), Comfort Food (re-read an old favorite), Spaghetti Western, Taste of Home (local author or setting) and Tickle Your Taste Buds (humor).

If they don’t want to read food-themed books, Morris said, participants can read any four books of their liking, but the fun of the program comes from reading genres or authors that might not be familiar.

The reading log also has a section for participants to write in a recipe that will be turned in when they complete the program. The recipes will be made into a library cookbook.

Participants who read four or more books will receive prizes of a limited-edition library oven mitt, a free book or a Books Revisited coupon for a book, entry into the grand prize drawing and an invite to an end-of-program party. The grand prizes are $50 Walmart gift cards for the Belt Branch and Savannah Branch and a gift basket of similar value for Bookmobile and Service to Adult Reader patrons.

Several food-themed events have been planned as part of the program, including:

Appetizers and Finger Foods – Try some new and delicious dishes. Bring the recipe and samples to share with others. 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 7, Savannah.

Recipe Cards with Word – Learn how to use Microsoft Word to make printable recipe cards on your computer. Register in advance at events.rhcl.org/events. 3:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 13, Savannah.

Saltshaker Snowpeople – Clear glass or plastic saltshakers will be turned into cute crafts. All supplies provided, but you can bring your own shaker. Register in advance at events.rhcl.org/events. 10 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, at Belt.

Recipe Cards with Word – Learn how to use Microsoft Word to make printable recipe cards on your computer. Register in advance at events.rhcl.org/events. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, Belt.

Backyard Bird Feeding – Exchange wild bird stories while making a cute feeder for the winter and a bird bath for spring. Bring two saucers and two teacups or one teacup and a wide mug. All other materials furnished. Register in advance at events.rhcl.org/events. 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, Savannah.

Cup of Tea – Amanda Paden, owner of the Simply Tea shop, will discuss types of tea, the processes for preparing them and the health benefits of different kinds of teas. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, Belt.

DIY Recipe Books – Learn how to use Microsoft Publisher to create your own recipe book. Remember to bring recipes to use in your new book. Register in advance at events.rhcl.org/events. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30, Belt.

Take Home Dog Treats – All ages and families will mix up some dough and use cookie cutters to make dog treats that you bake at home. You’ll also learn how to make dog bone wreaths. Register in advance at events.rhcl.org/events. Tuesday, Feb. 4, Savannah.

Heart Healthy Living – Gina Lucas, a health education specialist with University of Missouri Extension, will present information about having a healthy heart. Feel free to bring your lunch. Noon Thursday, Feb. 6, Belt.

Insta Pot Luck – Bring your favorite dish made with an Insta Pot along with the recipe to share after we discuss how to use this new kitchen appliance. 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 13, Savannah.

Literary Potluck – How does food or cooking play a role in a book you’ve enjoyed? Tell the group and bring a book-related dish to share. Please include a card that lists a dish’s ingredients. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 25, Belt.

Library changing its hours to be open longer

In an effort to serve the public more effectively, Rolling Hills Library is changing the hours its Belt Branch and Savannah Branch will be open, beginning Thursday, Jan. 2. With the change, the branches will be open two hours longer each week and will be open on some federal holidays.

The Belt Branch is currently open 1-5 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The new hours will be noon-6 p.m. Sunday and 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

The Savannah Branch is now open 1-5 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. The new hours will be noon-5 p.m. Sunday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.

Both branches also will be open on Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents Day and Veterans Day.

“We are aligning our hours closer to the demand we see from users, based on foot traffic statistics and requests from users,” Library Director Michelle Mears said. “These changes add 292 hours to library availability per year.”

The library will continue to honor the origins and reasons for the four holidays by serving the public on those days and having programs related to the holidays, Mears said.