On October 10, the FM Half Marathon will start and finish next to the New Main of the Fargo Public Library (see details here). That led a few of us FPL staffers to wonder what it would take to read a half marathon, which would be 13.1 miles of type.

The calculations work out to something like this:

A half marathon is 830,016 linear inches. A standard paperback has 4 inches of type per line and 38 lines of type per page. For a hardcover adult title, it was 4.5 inches of type per line and 37 lines per page. So the range of pages to read a half marathon would be from 4,985.1 pages for hardcover books to 5,460.6 pages for paperbacks. Yes, the amount of white space at chapter breaks could vary widely, and most people don’t read exclusively paperbacks or hardcovers. So let’s round it off to 5300 pages.

Are you up to the challenge? Can you go the distance and read a half marathon by October 10?

Teen game night, a special Dr. Seuss storytime, a visit with “Clifford the Big Red Dog� and Saturday storytime at the Northport Branch are some of  the upcoming events hosted by the Fargo Public Library this week.

First, teens are invited to the community room at the Dr. James Carlson Library for Rock Band® and Wii® starting at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 5. Contact Teen Librarian Bree Schmidt at 476-5978 or bschmidt@cityoffargo.com for details.

Kids who love Dr. Seuss stories can join us Friday, March 6 to celebrate “Read Across America� at the Dr. James Carlson Library from 1 to 2p.m.  During this special storytime event, radio personalities from local radio station MoJo 104.7 will read classic Dr. Seuss stories and kids can even create their own Dr. Seuss characters.  No registration is required. For more information, call the Children’s Librarian at 241-1495.

Our “Read Across Americaâ€� event also includes a children’s book drive. New or gently used children’s books can be dropped off at the Dr. James Carlson Library (or any Fargo Public Library location) now through March 6. Books will be considered for the library collection or donated to area non-profit organizations in an effort to provide kids access to books and reading opportunities.

On Friday, March 6, youngsters will have a chance to meet “Clifford the Big Red Dog� at a starting at 2 p.m. community room of the Dr. James Carlson Library. No registration required for this storytime event. This program is geared for kids age 6 and under. For more information, call Children’s Services at 241-1495.

On Saturday, March 7, the Fargo Public Library is offering Saturday Storytime starting at 10 a.m. for preschoolers and toddlers at the library’s Northport Branch ( 2714 N. Broadway). No registration is required. Contact Children’s Services at 241-1495 for information.

Finally, the National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota will offer a “Braille Readers are Leaders� event to introduce the community to the services, resources and materials available to all ages. This event is open to the public; no registration is required. Contact Melisa Duncan at 476-4076 or email mduncan@cityoffargo.com for details.

Fargo Public Library events are free and open to the public. Adults must accompany children 10 and under.

People with disabilities who plan to attend Fargo Public Library events and need special accommodations should contact Beth Postema at 701-241-8198 or TDD at 241-8258. Please contact us at least three business days in advance of the event to give our staff adequate time to make arrangements.

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Crafts for teens and the Kids’ Book Club are some of  the upcoming programs at the Fargo Public Library.

First, teens are invited to the library to make “marble magnets� on Thursday, Feb. 12 starting at 4:30 p.m. in the community room at the Dr. James Carlson Library (2801 32^nd Ave. S.). Space is limited; pre-registration is required. For details or to register for this teen craft event, contact the Teen Librarian at 476-5978 or at bschmidt@cityoffargo.com, or check out the Teen Services page .

Next, all interested readers in grades four through six can join us for “Kids’ Book Clubâ€� on Saturday, Feb. 14 from 1 to 2 p.m. at the Dr. James Carlson Library. This month’s featured title is Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett. Space is limited; pre-registration is required. Call Children’s Services at 241-1495 or email askchildrens@cityoffargo.com to register. More information can also be found at the Children’s Services page.

Fargo Public Library events are free and open to the public. Adults must accompany children 10 and under.

People with disabilities who plan to attend Fargo Public Library events and need special accommodations should contact Beth Postema at 701-241-8198 or TDD at 241-8258. Please contact us at least three business days in advance of the event to give our staff adequate time to make arrangements.

Discovering new hobbies, reading therapy dogs and movies for teens are the focus of upcoming events hosted by the Fargo Public Library.

First, kids in grades kindergarten through 6^th grade will have a chance to improve their reading skills when the library welcomes certified therapy pets from Therapy Dogs of the Red River Valley on Saturday, Jan. 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. in the community room at the Dr. James Carlson Library. Pre-registration is required, and kids can sign up to read to one of the therapy pets for 20 minutes. Children can bring their own book to read or choose from a selection of library books. To register, visit the Dr. James Carlson Library’s Reference Desk or call 476-5980.

Interested in trying a new hobby? The Fargo Public Library is celebrating National Hobby Month with an event for kids of all ages entitled “Hobby Day @ your library�. The hobby open house is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Dr. James Carlson Library at 2801 32^nd Ave. S. Learning stations featuring card making, guitars, cartooning, cross country skiing and more will be set up throughout the library. For more information, call the children’s librarian at 241-1496.

Starting next week, teens at the Fargo Public Library can enjoy their own “teen movie night� which will be held on the fourth Thursday of every month at the Dr. James Carlson Library. Join us for a showing of “Get Smart� (rated PG-13) on Thursday, Jan. 22 starting at 4:30 p.m. in the community room at the Dr. James Carlson Library (2801 32^nd Ave. S.). Free popcorn will be served. For details, contact the Teen Librarian at 476-5978 or at bschmidt@cityoffargo.com.

    Fargo Public Library events are free and open to the public. Adults must accompany children 10 and under.

    People with disabilities who plan to attend Fargo Public Library events and need special accommodations should contact Beth Postema at 701-241-8198 or TDD at 241-8258. Please contact us at least three business days in advance of the event to give our staff adequate time to make arrangements.

 

Join the teen Anime Manga Club for an all day event on Monday, September 22nd from 11-6 in the Dr. James Carlson Library’s Community Room. Whether you’re an avid fan or just curious, you’ll be able to participate in a variety of activities centered on Japanese culture. Plus, you’ll get to try making sushi rolls and what could possibly be more fun? Check out the teen page for more info.

We’ll be dancing away the dog days of summer every Friday in August at the Dr. James Carlson branch of the Fargo Public Library as we feature movies with a beat. All shows begin at 1:30 p.m. There is no charge for these programs and free popcorn will be served.

This summer, we’ve got the real dancing stars:

• August 8 - Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr in The King and I (G)
• August 15 - Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor in Moulin Rouge (PG-13)
• August 22 - Shirley Jones and Gordon MacRae in Oklahoma! (G)
• August 29 - Robert Sean Leonard and Christian Bale in Swing Kids (PG-13)

A special swing dance demonstration will be presented by members of the Northern Lights Ballroom Dance Club prior to the August 29 showing.

Book Club in a Bag kits are now available for check-out at the Dr. James Carlson branch of the Fargo Public Library. Each kit has everything you need to start your own book club or keep your current club supplied. Zippered tote bags contain 10 copies of a single title and a list of discussion questions about the book to help spark your conversation. Kits check out for six weeks on one card and the borrower is responsible for all materials in the kit as well as any overdue fines. Kits are located at the Carlson Information Desk and may be reserved up to one year in advance by calling 476-5980. They may also be sent to any Fargo Public Library location for pick-up. Ten different kits are now available, including both fiction and non-fiction titles. Three of the kits include two copies each in large print.

Current Book Club in a Bag titles:

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson
The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls
The Kite Runner by Khalid Hosseini
Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden*
My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult*
One Thousand White Women by Jim Fergus
The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee*
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks

*These kits contain two large print copies

In the midst of your holiday shopping and seasonal events, you may be looking for that perfect recipe for your holiday get-together. Come and check out our book display at the temporary library downtown for a wide selection of books and DVDs filled with soul-warming recipes. 

There is something for everybody, including The Secrets of Baking by Sherry Yard, The Children’s Jewish Holiday Kitchen by Joan Nathan, and the DVD Martha’s Baking Favorites with Martha Stewart. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, be sure to ask our staff, as we have a large collection of cookbooks and recipe magazines not currently on display.

On a waiting list for Oprah’s book club’s newest book, Love in the Time of Cholera?  Pick up one of these titles with similiar themes and ideas.

Allende, Isabel. The Stories of Eva Luna

Barrett, Andrea. Ship Fever

Doctorow, E.L.  Ragtime

Esquivel, Laura.  Like Water for Chocolate

Kundera, Milan. The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Mamet, David. Glengarry Glen Ross

Marquez, Gabriel Garcia. Of Love and Other Demons

Remarque, Erich Maria.  All Quiet on the Western Front

Rushdie, Salman. Midnight’s Children

Solzhenitsyn, Aleksandr. One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich

Please check out the online catalog or give us a call at 241-1472 to put any of these items on hold.

Arrr! Wednesday, September 19, is International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Even if you don’t have a parrot to carry around on your shoulder, you can always check out some piratical material to help get you in the spirit!

Items are at various Fargo Public Library locations; any of them can be placed on hold and/or shuttled to different branch for pickup.

Books:

Blackbeard: the Real Pirate of the Caribbean, by Dan Parry. 364.164092 P264. At Northport and Southpointe.

Empire of Blue Water: Captain Morgan’s Great Pirate Army, the Epic Battle for the Americas, and the Catastrophe that Ended the Oulaws’ Bloody Reign, by Stephan Talty. 972.904 T152. At 408 Roberts Street, Northport, and Southpointe.

Under the Black Flag : the Romance and the Reality of Life Among the Pirates, by David Cordingly. 910.45 C795. At Southpointe.

DVDs:

Blackbeard, Terror at Sea. Nonfiction 920 B628. At Southpointe.

Pirates of the Caribbean: the Curse of the Black Pearl. Drama. At Northport.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest. Drama. At 408 Roberts, Northport, and Southpointe.