How Do I …
Decode My Hold: Understanding How Our Holds System Works
Some things at the library are just worth the wait. So we place the hold and we wait. And then we think, “It must be ready now.” But, if you check your account you’ll find any number of words in the status column of your holds list. Here’s how to decode your hold:
- pending - the item you are requesting is “in” at one of our Café Libraries and your request is being processed.
- active - our system is looking for the item you requested. If others are waiting for the same item, it may not be available right away (the number in the “queue” column is your place in line).
- shipped - your item is on the way! We will contact you when it is ready to be picked up.
- held - this means your item is ready to be picked up at your library.
- cancelled - this hold is no longer active, however you can reactivate it.
- inactive - you have placed an item on hold but do not want our system to look for it until a future time -- a date set by you.
Also, your library account includes your preferred way to be contacted by the library. Whether it is a text, an email or a phone call, you will receive a personalized notice when your hold is ready. If you need to update your contact information, please stop in or call us at 262-785-4980.
Please note that once ready, holds are kept at our front desk for four days before being returned to our shelves or given to the next person in line.
New Loves During Library Lover's Month
Sometimes a book feels so comfortable, so familiar, that when it’s over you feel like you’ve just lost a friend. Or that a piece of your heart is missing for a minute. Just like slipping into your favorite flannel pants or fuzzy slippers or favorite fancy frock for a night out, slipping into a much loved book feels cozy and warm and like someplace you never want to leave. Maybe it’s an old classic you read every year or maybe it is a brand new favorite that had you hooked in chapter one. We get it. But, because this month is officially Library Lover’s Month, let us challenge you to push out of your comfort zone and recommend ways some new books can become beloved old friends.
One common ambition shared by many hard-core book lovers is to read a “classic”; something it seems like everyone else has read and scholars intone you cannot be a true literature enthusiast without reading yourself. You may be thinking 2025 is the year you will actually read War and Peace or Jane Eyre or Catch-22. But, let us offer some alternatives that are arguably just as classic, but perhaps a little more comfortable, just like those fuzzy slippers:
If you love romance but don’t want to tackle Gone with the Wind, perhaps try a more contemporary love story that is part romance, part heartbreak such as The Time Traveler’s Wife (2003) or The Bridges of Madison County (1992). For something even more current, with some humor and family drama thrown in, try a title such as Nora goes Off Script (2022) by Annabel Monaghan. These books offer the type of timeless romance that made Scarlett and Rhett famous.
If you love thrillers & suspense but Crime and Punishment seems just a bit too daunting, try another classic such as The Turn of the Screw. Written by Henry James in 1898, this novel features two children, the nanny that cares for them, and some very creepy events. A modern take on this exact tale is The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware. Written in 2019, it tells the same nanny story, but with some high tech twists. The Shining (1977) or Gillian Flynn’s (of Gone Girl fame) Sharp Objects (2006) or Dark Places (2009) are also stories sure to have you on the edge of your seat, still leaving the lights on long after the book is done.
Perhaps you love, love, love a good historical fiction tale, but you’re just not feeling War and Peace. May we suggest trying something with a more contemporary edge, such as The Book Thief (2005), The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo (2017), The Help (2009) or Memories of a Geisha (1997). Each of these novels, although categorically fiction, are grounded in true events and attitudes of certain times and places in our world. With a more contemporary flair, these stories are good candidates to become new favorites.
And finally, if you haven’t already, sign up for our 2025 Adult Reading Challenge. This program is meant to push your boundaries as a reader and introduce you to books and authors you may not have previously chosen. Sign up here and kick start your reading resolution. Plus, as a bonus, there are drawings and prizes involved!
And of course, if you still have your heart set on a classic, we have plenty of those on our shelves here, too. So, our library love note to you this month wishes you lots of hours to read and lots of new books that become old favorites.
What We’re Reading
Karen Smith, circulation aide, is reading The Wedding People by Alison Espach
This story focuses on Phoebe, a woman who inadvertently finds herself the only guest at a hotel entirely reserved for Lila & Gary's wedding. Through the course of the wedding week, Phoebe begins to intertwine herself with Lila, Gary and a whole host of characters. She often finds herself offering sage advice, a level head and a bit of humor among a family in the throes of wedding madness. This book is sure to become an instant favorite!
If you enjoy books that combine humor and sadness with quirky, unpredictable characters, also try these titles:
- Green Dot by Madeleine Gray
- Margo's Got Money Troubles by Rufi Thorpe
- All Fours: A Novel by Miranda July
- Come and Get It by Kiley Reid
Mini Book Sale This Month:
If you missed last month’s book sale, fear not! Our Friends of the Library is hosting another mini book sale on:
Saturday, February 15 from 10am – 2pm
Books, Puzzles, DVDs, CDs and Audiobooks will be available for purchase.
Also, mark your calendars now for the FOL big spring event! This year’s annual spring book sale will take place:
- Friday, April 11 (preview night) 5 – 7pm
- Saturday, April 12 9am – 4pm
- Sunday, April 13 1 – 3pm