January 2026

Our January displays are up and fully stocked with books perfect for starting off a new year.

We have whiteout conditions on display highlighting books with white covers.  You can get a jumpstart on a new hobby or slide back into an old one with our selection of books that celebrate National Hobby Month.  Get a "new" year of reading started with our display of books with "new" in the title.  Did you know that Isaac Asimov was such a legendary author that his birthday, January 2nd, is celebrated as National Science Fiction Day? We’ve got Sci-Fi on display this month, ready to take you "To Infinity and Beyond!"

It's also National Soup Month, and while Campbell's may have started that tradition back in 1984, you don't have to settle for canned soup when you make your own with the help of our selection of cookbooks. 

Did you know that the creator of the Campbell's Soup Kids, Grace Drayton, was an illustrator and cartoonist who also created the  "Dolly Dingle" paper dolls? https://www.historyinthemargins.com/2025/04/21/grace-drayton-illustrator-and-creator-of-an-american-icon/

A new year of programs is about to begin!   Starting the week of January 19th, the Youth Department will host a Preschool Storytime for ages 3-5 at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and Tales for Tots, for ages 18 months through 3 years on Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m.   We have some fun family events lined up on January 22, February 19th, March 19th, and April 23rd, all from 2:45-4:45 p.m.

We are accepting entries for Kid Librarian of the Month.  Children in grades 2-6 are encouraged to apply.  We pick one name per month to be our Kid Librarian, and that child gets to design their own display of favorite books.  Their picture and their display will be shared.  You can call the library for more information or stop in the youth department to pick up an application.

Our YA department is home to the Mystery Question box.  Respondents were asked to pick between two options.  Last year's top answered questions were:  Mario vs. Luigi, binge watching television vs. one episode per week, and pancakes vs. waffles.  Questions are updated weekly.
 

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Introducing your newest e-reader. Palace allows you to access more of your library’s e-books and audiobooks in one place. Additionally, enjoy thousands of free titles on the Palace Bookshelf, which are yours to keep for as long as you’d like. Download the Palace app for Android or Apple iOS (in your app store) today!

 Don't forget you can stream movies and television with the library thanks to Kanopy!   Follow this link to see how Kanopy is offering to help you with your New Year's resolutions.  https://www.kanopy.com/en/category/51546

Mario vs. Luigi, binge watching vs. one episode per week and pancakes vs. waffles

Hear a crash? Or a bang? Or a clang? Rest assured it's most likely not a ghost in the basement.  It is, however, some much needed renovation. 

We are currently undergoing asbestos abatement. The area under renovation is completely sealed off during this process to ensure the safety of patrons and staff, but it might get a bit noisy at times. Thank you for your patience!

 

December 2025

Hello All! I know it's been a while since the last post, but never fear, DPL's Off The Shelf is still here!  It's been quite a busy year, and I wanted to just share some of what we have going on in December.

First of all, we must talk about books. We've added quite a few to the shelves this year, and if you need a "Holiday Read," here's a list of our latest Holiday titles. 

In no particular order we "present" to you:

"And To All A Good Bite" by Rosenfelt, David

"Christmas at the Women's Hotel: a Biedermeier Story" by Lavery, Daniel M.

"The Christmas House: An Amish Christmas novella" by Lewis, Beverly

"The Christmas Ring" by Kingsbury, Karen

"The Christmas Stranger" by Evans, Richard Paul

"A Ferry Merry Christmas" by Macomber, Debbie

"Five Golden Wings" by Andrews, Donna

"The Gingerbread Bakery" by Gilmore, Laurie

"Gingerbread Danger" by Flower, Amanda

"Good Spirits" by Borison, B. K.

"Holiday Ever After" by Grace, Hannah

"Holiday Romance" by Walsh, Catherine

"My Beloved: a Mitford novel" by Karon, Jan

"O, Deadly Night" by Delany, Vicki

"On a Midnight Clear: a 3-in-1 Christmas novella collection"

"Santa's Holiday Spectacular" by Michaels, Fern

"The Secret Christmas Library" by Colgan, Jenny

"Snow Kissed" by Thayne, RaeAnne

Follow this link to browse our other holiday titles.

 When you come into the library, be sure to check out what we've got on display this month.

If Digital is what you are looking for we are pleased to announce that the Dixon Public Library is live on The Palace Project.  Palace allows you to access more of your library’s e-books and audiobooks in one place. Additionally, you can enjoy thousands of free titles on the Palace Bookshelf, yours to keep for as long as you’d like. Download the Palace app for Android or Apple iOS (in your app store) today!

      

We also invite you to explore the Dixon Public Library's video collection via Kanopy! You can install Kanopy on your device or by visiting Kanopy.com. Then just follow the prompts to find the Dixon Public Library, and enter your library card number to create your account! For further assistance, you can always come in or give the library a call.

A seasonal favorite is right around the corner!  Join us Thursday, December 11th, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. for Storytime with Mrs. Claus! We will also have cookies, crafts, and face painting in the youth department.

Our Fiber Arts Meet-Up is new this year and participation has been enthusiastic. The meet-up  takes place every Tuesday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. No supplies are needed to join. 

 

For those who prefer to do solo-crafting, we also offer monthly Take-and-Make Crafts. Those however are in a limited supply and are first come first serve.

 This year, thanks to the United Way of Lee County, a Mini-Food Center has been installed behind the library and is open 24/7.   For those able to give, donations of items such as canned vegetables and fruits, peanut butter, pasta, rice, canned meats, cereal, cheese, eggs, yogurt, and fresh produce are always welcome. Any questions about the Mini-Food Center should be directed to United Way of Lee County (815) 284-3339.

To go along with the Mini-Food Center, the Dixon Public Library has been growing our own microgreens to share with the pantry.  Our hydroponic station and microgreens can be observed by the back entrance of the children's department.  Here you can find more information about microgreens and even some recipes.  We just ask that you don't touch. 

Til' next year,

Happy Reading!

Great Depression

At some point last year, one of the not-so-random algorithm-rigged video suggestions on Facebook involved people creating Sims4 builds based on whatever design styles or colors were chosen on a spinner/picker wheel.  The part of me that is terrible at making decisions absolutely loves these wheels.  Just click to spin and voila a decision made for you!  Today, I generated a wheel of different periods to help narrow down just which era of historical fiction to look for and it landed on the 20th Century - Great Depression. You can find a variety of spinner/picker wheels via google.  The one I created can be found here: https://pickerwheel.com/pw?id=GUzrd

-Book descriptions featured are provided by the publishers-

The Antidote by Russell, Karen

The Antidote opens on Black Sunday, as a historic dust storm ravages the fictional town of Uz, Nebraska. But Uz is already collapsing--not just under the weight of the Great Depression and the dust bowl drought but beneath its own violent histories. The Antidote follows a "Prairie Witch," whose body serves as a bank vault for peoples' memories and secrets; a Polish wheat farmer who learns how quickly a hoarded blessing can become a curse; his orphan niece, a basketball star and witch's apprentice in furious flight from her grief; a voluble scarecrow; and a New Deal photographer whose time-traveling camera threatens to reveal both the town's secrets and its fate.

Russell's novel is above all a reckoning with a nation's forgetting--enacting the settler amnesia and willful omissions passed down from generation to generation, and unearthing not only horrors but shimmering possibilities. The Antidote echoes with urgent warnings for our own climate emergency, challenging readers with a vision of what might have been--and what still could be.

Grace of the Empire State : a novel by Tizzard, Gemma

• "After the death of their father, it's up to Grace O'Connell and her twin brother Patrick to support their family as the Great Depression takes its toll on New York City. When Grace is laid off from her dancing gig and Patrick is injured at work on the construction of the Empire State Building, desperation leaves them only one solution: Grace must disguise herself as Patrick and take his place on the half-built skyscraper. She soon proves herself as capable as any man on the steel, and her affection for the loyal men around her--especially Italian immigrant Joe--grows by the day. But when a terrible accident happens high above the city and Grace is the only one capable of saving her stranded colleague, she must make a split-second decision to risk everything or live with her conscience forever. Set against the backdrop of a city at a crossroads, this electrifying story is full of heart and hope, family and friendship, and the sacrifices we make for those we love"--. Provided by publisher.
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A Killing On the Hill: a thriller by Dugoni, Robert

Seattle, 1933. The city is in the grips of the Great Depression, Prohibition, and vice. Cutting his teeth on a small-time beat, hungry and ambitious young reporter William "Shoe" Shumacher gets a tip that could change his career. There's been a murder at a social club on Profanity Hill--an underworld magnet for vice crimes only a privileged few can afford. The story is going to be front-page news, and Shoe is the first reporter on the scene.

The victim, Frankie Ray, is a former prizefighter. His accused killer? Club owner and mobster George Miller, who claims he pulled the trigger in self-defense. Soon the whole town's talking, and Shoe's first homicide is fast becoming the Trial of the Century. The more Shoe digs, the more he's convinced nothing is as it seems. Not with a tangle of conflicting stories, an unlikely motive, and witnesses like Ray's girlfriend, a glamour girl whose pretty lips are sealed. For now.

In a city steeped in Old West debauchery, Shoe's following every lead to a very dangerous place--one that could bring him glory and fame or end his life

The Four Winds by Hannah, Kristin

• "From Kristin Hannah, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Nightingale and The Great Alone, comes an epic novel of love and heroism and hope, set against the backdrop of one of America's most defining eras-the Great Depression. Texas, 1934. Millions are out of work and a drought has broken the Great Plains. Farmers are fighting to keep their land and their livelihoods as the crops are failing, the water is drying up, and dust threatens to bury them all. One of the darkest periods of the Great Depression, the Dust Bowl era, has arrived with a vengeance. In this uncertain and dangerous time, Elsa Martinelli-like so many of her neighbors-must make an agonizing choice: fight for the land she loves or go west, to California, in search of a better life. The Four Winds is an indelible portrait of America and the American Dream, as seen through the eyes of one indomitable woman whose courage and sacrifice will come to define a generation"-- Provided by publisher.

If It Rains: a novel by Wright, Jennifer L.

• "A story of resilience and redemption set against one of America's defining moments-the Dust Bowl. It's 1935 in Oklahoma, and lives are determined by the dust. Fourteen-year-old Kathryn Baile, a spitfire born with a severe clubfoot, is coming of age in desperate times. Once her beloved older sister marries, Kathryn's only comfort comes in the well-worn pages of her favorite book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Then Kathryn's father decides to relocate to Indianapolis, and only the promise of a surgery to finally make her "normal" convinces Kathryn to leave Oklahoma behind. But disaster strikes along the way, and Kathryn must rely on her grit and the ragged companions she meets on the road if she is to complete her journey. Back in Boise City, Melissa Baile Mayfield is the newest member of the wealthiest family in all of Cimarron County. In spite of her poor, rural upbringing, Melissa has just married the town's most eligible bachelor and is determined to be everything her husband-and her new social class-expects her to be. But as the drought tightens its grip, Henry's true colors are revealed. Melissa covers her bruises with expensive new makeup and struggles to reconcile her affluent life with that of her starving neighbors. Haunted by the injustice and broken by Henry's refusal to help, Melissa secretly defies her husband, risking her life to follow God's leading. Two sisters, struggling against unspeakable hardship, discover that even in their darkest times, they are still united in spirit, and God is still with them, drawing them home"--. Provided by publisher.

The Giver of Stars by Moyes, Jojo

• "Set in Depression-era America, a breathtaking story of five extraordinary women and their remarkable journey through the mountains of Kentucky and beyond, from the author of Me Before You and The Peacock Emporium Alice Wright marries handsome American Bennett Van Cleve hoping to escape her stifling life in England. But small-town Kentucky quickly proves equally claustrophobic, especially living alongside her overbearing father-in-law. So when a call goes out for a team of women to deliver books as part of Eleanor Roosevelt's new traveling library, Alice signs on enthusiastically. The leader, and soon Alice's greatest ally, is Margery, a smart-talking, self-sufficient woman who's never asked a man's permission for anything. They will be joined by three other singular women who become known as the Horseback Librarians of Kentucky. What happens to them--and to the men they love--becomes a classic drama of loyalty, justice, humanity and passion. Though they face all kinds of dangers, they're committed to their job--bringing books to people who have never had any, sharing the gift of learning that will change their lives. Based on a true story rooted in America's past, The Giver of Stars is unparalleled in its scope. At times funny, at others heartbreaking, this is a richly rewarding novel of women's friendship, of true love, and of what happens when we reach beyond our grasp for the great beyond"-- Provided by publisher.

Sold on a Monday : a novel by McMorris, Kristina

• 2 CHILDREN FOR SALE The sign is a last resort. It sits on a farmhouse porch in 1931, but could be found anywhere in an era of breadlines, bank runs and broken dreams. It could have been written by any mother facing impossible choices. For struggling reporter Ellis Reed, the gut-wrenching scene evokes memories of his family's dark past. He snaps a photograph of the children, not meant for publication. But when it leads to his big break, the consequences are more devastating than he ever imagined. At the paper, Lillian Palmer is haunted by her role in all that happened. She is far too familiar with the heartbreak of children deemed unwanted. As the bonds of motherhood are tested, she and Ellis must decide how much they are willing to risk to mend a fractured family. Inspired by an actual newspaper photograph that stunned the nation, Sold on a Monday is a powerful novel of love, redemption, and the unexpected paths that bring us home.

The Saints of Swallow Hill: a novel by Everhart, Donna

• "During the Great Depression, wretched labor camps crop up in remote areas of the expansive pine forests throughout the American South. Destitute workers live and toil under terrible conditions to harvest pine gum, hacking into tree trunks, drawing out the sticky sap that gives the Tar Heel State its nickname, and hauling it to stills to be refined into turpentine. Subsistence living means racking up huge debts they are forced to work off, creating an endless cycle of labor and debt. But for the most desperate among America's vast unemployed, these camps are often the last and only option. This much is true for the individuals whose lives intersect in the deep woods of Georgia at the Swallow Hill turpentine camp in 1932. For Rae Lynn Cobb, a young woman disguised as a man, Swallow Hill offers distance and anonymity from those who would wrongly imprison her for killing her kind, though careless, husband. For a charming bachelor named Del Reese, it's a place where backbreaking work might drown out memories of a recent trauma that's shaken him to his core. But Swallow Hill is no easy haven. The squalid camp is ruled by a sadistic boss named Crow and the greedy commissary owner Otis Riddle, a man who takes out his frustrations on his browbeaten wife, Cornelia. As Rae Lynn forges a deeper friendship with both Del and Cornelia, she begins to envision a path out of the camp."--. Provided by publisher.

Memory Keeping

I've started watching the NBC show Brilliant Minds since it is streaming on Peacock.  I have a weakness for medical shows, especially dramas.  This show focuses on neurology. The third episode involves a patient whose ability to create new memories is compromised. A couple quotes from this episode that are thus far sticking with me are: “When we experience something, neurons in our brains are activated; the memory is recorded, but if we don’t reactivate the memory the synapses gradually weaken. Over time, memories fade. Just as easily the brain remembers it also forgets.” and “Memories are powerful windows to the past. They can fill us with joy, or overwhelm us with grief. A moment in time we want to keep to ourselves, other times, they’re shared experiences. And when we struggle to remember them, it takes a village to fill in the gaps.”

 This time of year I often think about memory keeping.  I think about attempting to regularly journal,   scrapbooking, sorting through my boxes of photos,  sorting family recipes, and reorganize my comfort clutter. These thoughts seem to stem from the combination of holidays, family, moods moving from merry to maudlin, and the ever-present "new year, new you" types of advertisements, which can lead to the oft ill-fated resolutions; such as keeping a journal. The intent, however, is always about capturing and preserving memories. 

Magical/Realism : essays on music, memory, fantasy, and borders by Villarreal, Vanessa Angélica

• "From award-winning poet Vanessa Angélica Villarreal comes a brilliant, singular collection of essays that looks to music, fantasy, and pop culture to excavate and reimagine what has been disappeared by the forces of migration and colonialism. In Magical/Realism, Vanessa Angélica Villarreal offers us an intimate mosaic of migration, violence, and colonial erasure through the lens of her marriage and her experiences navigating American monoculture. As she attempts to recover the truth from the absences and silences within her life, her relationships, and those of her ancestors, Vanessa pieces together her story from the fragments of music, memory, and fantasy that have helped her make sense of it all. The trauma of remembering gives the collection its unique structure: Each chapter is an attempt to reimagine and re-world what has been lost. In one essay, Vanessa examines the gender performativity of Nirvana and Selena; in another, she offers a radical but crucial racial reading of Jon Snow in Game of Thrones; and throughout the collection, she explores how fantasy can provide healing when grief feels insurmountable. She reflects on the moments of her life that are too painful to remember-her difficult adolescence, her role as the eldest daughter of Mexican immigrants, her divorce-and finds a new way to archive her history and map her future(s), one infused with the hope and joy of fantasy and magical thinking. By engaging readers in her project of rebuilding narrative, Vanessa broadens our understanding of what memoir and cultural criticism can be. Magical/Realism is a wise, tender, and essential collection that carves a path toward a new way of remembering and telling our stories"--. Provided by publisher.

You: The Story: a Writer's Guide to Craft Through Memory by Sepetys, Ruta

• "A deeply personal how-to book for aspiring writers, encouraging them to look inward and excavate their own memories in order to discover the authentic voices and compelling details that are waiting to be put on the page"--. Provided by publisher.

Creative Journaling: A Guide to Over 100 Techniques and Ideas for Amazing Dot Grid, Junk, Mixed-media, and Travel Pages by Day, Renee

• "Creative Journaling includes easy-to-follow instructions with photos for any DIY fan to complete creative projects on their own"--. Provided by publisher.

Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Genova, Lisa

• The Harvard-trained neuroscientist presents an exploration of the intricacies of human memory that distinguishes between normal and concerning memory loss while explaining the profound roles of sleep, stress, and other contributing influences.

Food, Hope & Resilience: Authentic Recipes and Remarkable Stories from Holocaust Survivors by Hersh, June

• "Culinary Traditions Preserved, Stories Never to be Forgotten. This vital collection of survivor stories uplifts and inspires alongside recipes that nourish your soul. Read about daring partisans who fought in the woods, hidden children who sought comfort from strangers and those who endured unimaginable internment. For Holocaust survivors, food was a way to connect their lives before the war with the homes they created after. Their kitchens were filled with the aromas of familiar foods like chicken soup and brisket while unfamiliar delights they adopted, like arroz con pollo and gnocchi, became part of their repertoire. These are the recipes they share with you. Culinary icons such as Michael Solomonov, Jonathan Waxman, Ina Garten and more contribute their own recipes as tribute to the remarkable survivor community. Author June Hersh gives readers a taste of history and a life-affirming message that honors the legacy of Holocaust survivors. A portion of the proceeds from sales of this book will benefit organizations committed to Holocaust education."--. Amazon.com

The Art of Memoir by Karr, Mary

• Karr breaks down the key elements of great literary memoir, opening our concepts of memory and identity, and illuminating the cathartic power of reflecting on the past; anybody with an inner life or complicated history, whether writer or reader, will relate.

Alive, Alive Oh! : And Other Things That Matter by Athill, Diana

• "A luminous, wise, and joyful insight into what really matters at the end of a long life, from the beloved author of the award-winning Somewhere Towards the End. What will you remember if you live to be 100? Diana Athill charmed readers with her prize-winning memoir Somewhere Towards the End, which transformed her into an unexpected literary star. Now, on the eve of her ninety-eighth birthday, Athill has written a sequel every bit as unsentimental, candid, and beguiling as her most beloved work. Writing from her cozy room in Highgate, London, Diana begins to reflect on the things that matter after a lifetime of remarkable experiences, and the memories that have risen to the surface and sustain her in her very old age. 'My two valuable lessons are: avoid romanticism and abhor possessiveness, ' she writes. In warm, engaging prose she describes the bucolic pleasures of her grandmother's garden and the wonders of traveling as a young woman in Europe after the end of the Second World War. As her vivid, textured memories range across the decades, she relates with unflinching candor her harrowing experience as an expectant mother in her forties and crafts unforgettable portraits of friends, writers, and lovers. A pure joy to read, Alive, Alive Oh! sparkles with wise and often very funny reflections on the condition of being old. Athill reminds us of the joy and richness of every stage of life--and what it means to live life fully, without regrets"-- Provided by publisher.

Bored and Brilliant: How Spacing Out Can Unlock Your Most Productive and Creative self by Zomorodi, Manoush

• "It's time to move 'doing nothing' to the top of your to-do list. In 2015 Manoush Zomorodi, host of WNYC's popular podcast and radio show Note to Self, led tens of thousands of listeners through an experiment to help them unplug from their devices, get bored, jump-start their creativity, and change their lives. Bored and Brilliant builds on that experiment to show us how to rethink our gadget use to live better and smarter in this new digital ecosystem. Manoush explains the connection between boredom and original thinking, exploring how we can harness boredom's hidden benefits to become our most productive and creative selves without totally abandoning our gadgets in the process. Grounding the book in the neuroscience and cognitive psychology of 'mind wandering'--what our brains do when we're doing nothing at all--Manoush includes practical steps you can take to ease the nonstop busyness and enhance your ability to dream, wonder, and gain clarity in your work and life. The outcome is mind-blowing. Unplug and read on."--Dust jacket flap.

Creative Walls : How to Display and Enjoy Your Treasured Collections by James, Geraldine

• Any wall is perfect for display, whatever its size, shape or style. In this inspirational guide, Geraldine James, veteran collector of all things beautiful, shows ways to organize and display your valuables to celebrate their uniqueness and your creativity. A collection of fans, teapots or clocks will illuminate a little corner, whereas a teenager's bedroom will transform instantly when hoarded football memorabilia makes the leap from the floor to the wall in a bold, clever arrangement. Look for unusual spaces and items: line up a series of themed prints above a picture rail, set heaps of floral china plates in grand style above the fireplace or simply add a mirror into a display to instantly create another in its image. Chapter by chapter, discover how to arrange virtually anything from scratch, rearrange the collections you treasure to best effect and begin a journey into colour, texture and themes to create elegant displays that give a home character and charm. From a memory wall of sepia family photographs to witty collections of kitsch art, this clever guide shows how to create a look that will bring any space to life.--publisher's website.

Give Your Family a Gift That Money Can't Buy: Record & Preserve Your Family's History by Bockman, Jeffrey A.

Shows how to record and preserve your immediate family's history. Someday your children, grandchildren, or other family members will appreciate the gift of the information that only you can give. This is also the perfect starting point for those people wishing to research their family's history. Using a combination of basic instruction and interesting personal examples it covers:FAMILY FACTS: Walking you through filling out the two genealogical forms that are used to record the basic facts and family relationships. Numerous blank forms are included at the end of the book.HOME SOURCES: Identifying the various documents that can help with filling out the forms and that should be saved and will be appreciated by future family members and researchers.PHOTOGRAPHS: Showing the correct method for identifying the people in family photographs.PRESERVATION: Describing the basic techniques and products to use to save your documents and photographs so that future generations can enjoy them.FAMILY STORIES: Encourages telling those stories that make your family "Your Family."FAMILY HISTORY RESEARCH: Explaining where to find the answers for some of the missing information on your forms or how to start adding onto your family tree using the internet, Vital Records, Wills & Probate Records, Cemetery Records, Newspaper articles & obituaries, US Census Records and a variety of other sources. 

*Book descriptions featured are provided by the publishers*