We are just wrapping up our One Town One Title programs this week with Kent Nerburn’s visit to talk about his book Voices in the Stones on Thursday at 7 pm at the Olde Pine Theatre. It just so happens that his book Neither Wolf nor Dog has recently been made into a movie and will be shown at the State Theatre in Zumbrota both this Friday & next Friday at 7:15 pm! You can see the film’s trailer here if you are interested.
Tag Archives: One Town One Title
One Town One Title Event: Book Club
The library book club meets this Wednesday from 6-7pm at Betty Sue’s Better Brew Cafe. We are discussing the One Town One Title selection, Voices in the Stones by Kent Nerburn. Please join us if you can! If you have not yet gotten your free copy of the book, come on in to the library to pick one up. They are also available at Betty Sue’s & the Pine Island Bank.
Not able to make it to the book club but still interested in discussing the book? Here is a list of discussion questions created by Nerburn reader, Ann Culter:
- How has religion, in part, made us separate from the earth as opposed to being part of it? Have our individual rights of self worked against compassion and caring of the less fortunate?
- How has the lack of teaching the Native American story hurt these people, ignoring their very existence, marginalizing their accomplishments (among them, the practice of sustainability for thousands of years and looking ahead seven years), and reducing their image to caricatures?
- How did the boarding schools crush Native American culture? How did that affect Native American parenting? How did that cause PTSD?
- Do we, as descendants of white European culture, bear some responsibility for the “blood on the trail” barrier between our cultures? Are we able to acknowledge the injustices done to this culture? What is the power of acknowledgement?
- What continued disparity exists presently in funding of Native American programs in relationship to our own? Why?
- Do we fail to listen and, instead, try to push our views on others? What is the Native American view of religion?
- How does our society view and treat the elderly as a whole as opposed to Native Americans? Why do Native Americans serve their elders first?
- What is the value in an elder guiding a young one, not by violence, but by the stigma of being shamed?
- What lessons did Native American children learn by being solely responsible for a task? How does that differ, or does it, from our culture?
- What power do words have, and how is this power aided by the ability to remain silent?
- How has our Western way of dominance reduced our ability to see life in all things around us, compelling us to control it? Regarding sustainability and preserving the earth, air, and water, how well is that working for us? We think that we can solve everything, but can we? What about Hanford, the Valdez, the leaking pipe at Standing Rock?
- What are we leaving for future generations of our children? Are we leaving them in good health or in poor health with shorter life spans? What can we do individually and collectively do about this?
- What will you remember about this book? What will it change within you?
One Town One Title: Voices in the Stones
One Town One Title 2018 is underway!
For the next month, there will be opportunities to read more about Native American life and discuss what we’ve learned with our friends and neighbors! You can get more information on our programs on the One Town One Title page of our website, but here is a quick breakdown of what is happening between now and April 12:
- Free books (through April 12 or while supplies last!) available at the Library, Pine Island Bank, and Betty Sue’s Better Brew Cafe
- Tribal Justice Screening and Community Discussion – March 27
- Book Club discussion of the book – April 4
- Author Kent Nerburn visit – April 12
Please take a look at the One Town One Title page for more information on each event and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Barn Tour Update
The barn tour was cancelled due to weather on February 25, and we are sorry to say that we are unable to reschedule it this spring. Thank you all for your interest and we look forward to seeing you at the library soon!
Van Horn Library One Town, One Title Finale with Doug Ohman
Van Horn Public Library invites all area residents to the final event in our One Town, One Title program. Each year SELCO works with local libraries to build regional author tours around Minnesota Book Award (MNBA) finalists and winners. Van Horn Public Library is delighted to be part of the 2017 tour which features regional favorite Doug Ohman at 7:00pm on March 2nd at the Pine Island Area Historical Center, 314 North Main Street. This event, like all in the series, is free and open to the public.
An avid speaker, storyteller, and photographer, Doug has deep roots in Minnesota and has been a part of the creation of eight books featuring his photography. Prairie, Lake, Forest: Minnesota’s State Parks was a 2011 MNBA Finalist and Barns of Minnesota was a Finalist in 2006.
Ohman has captured the varied essence of the state and has created several photographic series on such subjects as cabins, barns and schoolhouses. In his presentation Vanishing Landmarks he’ll explore the back roads and small towns. We’ll hear the stories and history of Minnesota through historic buildings that are quickly disappearing. Doug will share his own experiences visiting many of these sites from Minnesota’s Oldest Courthouse to the last Civil War recruiting station.
Along with being an award-winning photographer, Doug Ohman is an author, storyteller, and popular public speaker. His work has been widely published in books, calendars, and numerous state and national magazines. Over the past seven years, Ohman has been working with the Minnesota Historical Society on the popular book series, “Minnesota Byways,” which includes Ohman’s exquisite photographs, coupled with texts by some of Minnesota finest authors, on the state’s vanishing historic sites—churches, barns, courthouses, schoolhouses, cabins, and libraries.
Ohman was born and raised in Anoka, Minnesota, and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in history and geography. Before turning to full-time photography, he worked as the director of operations at the Mall of America’s Camp Snoopy. He now makes a living through landscape and historical photography, traveling thousands of miles each year to document his subjects, while at the same time making regular stops at more than 30 art fairs and festivals around the state.
The SELCO Winter Author Tour project is made possible with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the people of Minnesota for Library Legacy activities.
For more information call 507-356-8558 or email pipl@selco.info.
Barn Tour Cancelled
Saturday’s Barn Tour is cancelled due to the pending snow storm. We hope to reschedule it for for sometime in March or April, so stay tuned!
Book Club This Week
Have you read The Barn by Avi as part of One Town One Title? Do you want to talk to others in Pine Island about it?
Our library’s book club is meeting on Wednesday, February 8 at 6pm at Better Brew Coffeehouse to enjoy a cuppa and also talk about The Barn. All are welcome to join us in this informal discussion!
Haven’t had the chance to read this book yet? We still have a few free copies here at the Library, Pine Island Bank & Better Brew. This is a quick read so there is still plenty of time for you to enjoy this slim novel!
One Town, One Title Book Club Event at Better Brew
One Town, One Title Book Club Event at Better Brew
Van Horn Public Library invites all Pine Island area residents to participate in the fifth annual One Town, One Title program from January 28 – March 2, 2017. The selection this year is “The Barn” by Avi. Free copies of the book are available at Van Horn Public Library, Better Brew Coffeehouse and Pine Island Bank until March 3rd.
On WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 8TH the monthly Van Horn Book Club will be held at 6:00pm at Better Brew Coffeehouse, 301 N. Main St. As always, everyone is welcome to join the group for a cuppa and an informal chat about the book and the issues it brings up about family, loyalty and coping with loss.
ABOUT “The Barn”: Ben is away at school when his father mysteriously falls ill in the spring of 1855. With no adults to help, he and his brother and sister must take over the family farm in Oregon Territory’s rugged Willamette Valley. Despite his siblings’ doubts, Ben is determined to build the barn Father had planned, in the hope of waking him from his silent, frozen state. But will it be enough?
This short beautiful story will delight the entire family.
Avi’s work spans nearly every genre and has received nearly every major prize, including the Newbery Medal for CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD and Newbery Honors for NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH and THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE.
2017 One Town One Title Coming Soon!!!
Van Horn Public Library invites all Pine Island area residents to participate in the fifth annual One Town, One Title program from January 28 – March 2, 2017. 
The selection this year is “The Barn” by Avi. Free copies of the book will be available at several Winterfest events (details below) on January 28th and at Van Horn Public Library, Better Brew Coffeehouse and Pine Island Bank beginning January 30th.
ABOUT “The Barn”: Ben is away at school when his father mysteriously falls ill in the spring of 1855. With no adults to help, he and his brother and sister must take over the family farm in Oregon Territory’s rugged Willamette Valley. Despite his siblings’ doubts, Ben is determined to build the barn Father had planned, in the hope of waking him from his silent, frozen state. But will it be enough?
This short beautiful story will delight the entire family.
Avi’s work spans nearly every genre and has received nearly every major prize, including the Newbery Medal for CRISPIN: THE CROSS OF LEAD and Newbery Honors for NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH and THE TRUE CONFESSIONS OF CHARLOTTE DOYLE.
One Town, One Title 2017 will kickoff January 28th as part of Pine Island’s Winterfest celebration. Van Horn Library Board Member Kim Aarsvold will join her husband Mark Aarsvold in conducting a Story Time at Better Brew Coffeehouse, 301 N. Main St. at 10:30am. Free copies of “The Barn” will be available as well as at the Winterfest Headquarters at the Pine Island Golf Course from 5pm to 8pm.
On Wednesday, February 8th the monthly Van Horn Book Club will be held at 6:00pm at Better Brew Coffeehouse, 301 N. Main St. As always, everyone is welcome to join the group for a cuppa and an informal chat about the book and the issues it brings up about family, loyalty and coping with loss.
On Saturday, February 25th from 10am to noon everyone is invited to tour two local family farms where we will learn about the past and future of dairy farming as well as get a chance for a first hand view of their facilities. The Alberts family has been in the dairy farming business since 1854 and the original Knutson Family Farms barn was constructed in the early part of the 1900’s. Group transportation will leave the library at approximately 9:45am. Sign-up is necessary. Please stop in at the upstairs circulation desk during library hours or call 356-8558 to reserve a spot.
Each year SELCO works with local libraries to build regional author tours around Minnesota Book Award (MNBA) finalists and winners. Van Horn Public Library is delighted to be part of the 2017 tour which features regional favorite Doug Ohman. His talk Vanishing Landmarks will be the One Town, One Title Finale event at 7:00pm on March 2nd at the Pine Island Area Historical Center, 314 North Main Street.
An avid speaker, storyteller, and photographer, Doug has deep roots in Minnesota and has captured the varied essence of the state and created several photographic series on such subjects as cabins, barns and schoolhouses. Vanishing Landmarks explores the back roads and small towns with stories of Minnesota through historic buildings that are quickly disappearing. Ohman will share his own experiences visiting many of these sites from Minnesota’s Oldest Courthouse to the last Civil War recruiting station.
The SELCO Winter Author Tour project is made possible with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund and the people of Minnesota for Library Legacy activities.
There is no charge for the any of the One Town, One Title events or for the books themselves and information about the events as well as a list of suggested discussion topic will be included with each copy.
For more information call 507-356-8558 or email pipl@selco.info.
Tom Ryan, Special Guest for One Town, One Title Finale
