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?

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 Club” 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.

The Fargo Public Library invites you to chase away the chill of winter with a series of great stories. The library’s annual Winter Read-A-Thon can add mystery, adventure and a little excitement to dreary winter days.

To participate, pick up an official book log at any library location beginning Monday, Jan. 5. You’ll record the titles and authors of books you read in your book log, then turn it in on or before Saturday, Feb. 28 to be eligible for prizes and prize drawings. Readers of every age can participate.

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

From The Ant Bully to Zathura, from picture books to novels, children’s literature has long been a rich source of material for Hollywood filmmakers. Over the years, several classics such as Charlotte’s Web, Heidi, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory have been put on film multiple times.  But as the recent controversy surrounding the novel The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman demonstrates, parents differ as to what is appropriate for their own children to read and see. 

During the remainder of December and throughout 2008, nine different children’s books are slated for release as movies. Read the books first and decide for yourself whether they’re movies you’d like your kids to see.

The Water Horse by Dick King-Smith - due out December 25, 2007

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black - due out February 15, 2008

Horton Hears a Who! by Dr. Seuss - due out March 14, 2008

Inkheart by Cornelia Funke - due out March 19, 2008

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis - due out May 16, 2008

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak - due out October 3, 2008

The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau - due out October 10, 2008

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling - due out November 21, 2008

The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo - due out December 19, 2008

A few months ago we blogged about the death of fantasy writer Robert Jordan, leaving his Wheel of Time series in limbo.

 Jordan’s estate has announced that Brandon Sanderson will be completing the Wheel of Time. Sanderson is best known for the Mistborn Trilogy, perhaps the only books in the exclusive “fantasy/heist” genre.

List of Brandon Sanderson titles at FPL.

Lists here and here of Robert Jordan titles at FPL.

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.

We’re excited to have best-selling author Lorna Landvik for the first official author visit at the new Dr. James Carlson Library. She will be in the community room to discuss her new book, The View from Mount Joy, and to sign her books. (Copies of the new book will be available for sale at the event). The program will run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 27.

All of Landvik’s books are available at the Fargo Public Library. Ones that are checked out can be placed on hold, and copies can be shuttled from one branch to another for easier pick-up. Some are also available in large print and audiobook (CD) editions.

Lorna Landvik’s works so far:

Patty Jane’s House of Curl (1995)

Your Oasis on Flame Lake (1997)

The Tall Pine Polka (1999)

Welcome to the Great Mysterious (2000)

Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons (2003)

Oh My Stars (2005)

The View from Mount Joy (2007)

Thanksgiving is almost here, and that’s just the start of the holiday season. Whether you’re looking for new food ideas, or brushing up on the tried and true, the library has numerous resources available.

The magazine racks contain current issues of Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, Fine Cooking, Gourmet, Martha Stewart Living, and Taste of Home’s Simple & Delicious, and some back issues are available for check-out.

All kinds of cookbooks are available at each of the Fargo Public Library locations, as well as guides to entertaining that range from the traditional (Better Homes and Gardens’ Christmas Comfort and Joy) to the wacky (Amy Sedaris’ I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence). As always, if you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to ask the staff for assistance.

The temporary library at 408 Roberts Street currently has a display of books in honor of Veteran’s Day (November 11). Some of the items currently available include the documentaries The First World War and WWII in Color. There are also books on the display cart such as Voices of War: Stories of Service from the Home Front and the Front Line, and Offerings at the Wall: Artifacts from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Collection. (Availability is subject to change, but library staff can help you place a hold on items that are checked out).

 Also, don’t forget: the library will be closed on Monday, November 12, in observation of the holiday.