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Michelle Krmpotich started working for the Sweetwater County Library System in August 1995 as a Substitute Librarian. Twenty-eight years, and several promotions later, Michelle is retiring. Her last day was July 26. "Little did I know, this little 'sub job' would turn into a career beyond my wildest dreams," Krmpotich said. She will be moving to Arizona, where her husband, Matt, has taken a new position. "Michelle's is one of those rarely heard stories nowadays," said Library Director Lindsey...
Can you believe that it’s almost spring? This winter went by quickly, and while it may still snow a few more times (we do live in Wyoming) things have pretty much thawed out for the year. Spring is one of my favorite times of the year. It’s a time of renewal, a time to get outside, a time to try something new. Speaking of trying something new, have you gotten hooked on audiobooks yet? Spring Break starts in Green River next week, so if you’re planning to take a vacation, now would be a good time to stop by the library and pick up an audio...
Everyone is creative in their own way. Some people like to paint. Some people like to write. Some people like crafts. That’s the great thing about the library, you can find materials on all of your interests. We have books on painting, writing, crafting and a whole variety of other creative activities. Not only do we have materials on these activities, we also host events where you can learn something new. You can discover a new hobby, learn a new artistic technique, and make something. We have an event like this coming up this month. The S...
About this time last year, the Sweetwater County Library System brought young adult author Shannon Hale to the county for an author visit. Along with having a presentation and book signing at White Mountain Library in Rock Springs, the library also arranged for Hale to talk with kids from both Monroe and Lincoln schools in Green River. Hale’s presentations were fantastic. She delivered a great message about not giving up while writing and not to let gender stereotypes influence your reading selections. The only regret those of us at the l...
The deaths of David Bowie and Alan Rickman rocked the world last week. Both of these celebrities were influential to pop culture – Bowie to the world of music, and Rickman for his portrayal of many on-screen characters. We will always remember Bowie for “Space Oddity,” “Ziggy Stardust” his many other brilliant albums, and we’ll remember Rickman for his portrayal of Professor Severus Snape from the “Harry Potter” series, Dr. Lazarus from “Galaxy Quest,” and the Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood Prince of Thieves,” among his many fantasti...
It’s a new year! That means it’s time for a reboot. It’s time to look at what you can do to learn something new, experience something new, do something to make yourself happier, healthier. Thankfully, the Sweetwater County Library System has the resources you need to do all of these things. Are you looking to read more this year? We’ve definitely got you covered. Our libraries have thousands of books to help you reach this goal. Stop by and check out our selection of mysteries, romances, sci-fi books and more! We have biographies and memoirs...
With the holiday season well under way, life may seem hectic. Between shopping, decorating, working, volunteering and going to holiday parties, stress can overwhelm what should be a time to relax and celebrate. If you’re looking for a great way to reduce your stress load this season, pick up a book and read. Reading is one of the best and fastest ways to reduce stress, according to a study by the University of Sussex. That study concluded that reading for just six minutes can be enough to reduce your stress levels by more than two-thirds. T...
When it comes to the holidays, my family has a tradition – we decorate the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. At the same time, we break out the holiday music. Typically, we listen to the same two Christmas CDs that we’ve had for years. This year, however, we were able to break out of our holiday music rut, thanks to the Sweetwater County Library System. The library can help you spice up your music collection without having to spend any money. All you have to do is use Hoopla, a service that provides streaming music for the library sys...
“All time is all time. It does not change. It does not lend itself to warnings or explanations. It simply is.” ― Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five Sometimes I wish that time didn’t take so long. I know that sounds strange, but I’m sure you’ve been in situations in which time seems to pass very slowly. A recent example for me is a road trip back from a funeral in Illinois. It was a 17-hour drive to get back home to Green River, and for some of it, it felt as though we were traveling in slow motion. We saw cornfield after cornfield and farmhou...
Before I figured out that I wanted to live in Wyoming for the rest of my life, I lived in the Midwest – Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois, to be exact. My parents were both born and raised in the Midwest as well – my dad in Wisconsin and my mom in Illinois. But besides knowing that the majority of my relatives lived in the Midwest, I never really looked into the rest of my family heritage. I’m curious to know when they ended up in the Midwest. How many generations have lived there? When did my family arrive in the United States? October is Fa...
On Oct. 10, the Sweetwater County Library will be swarming with kids dressed in their Harry Potter best as we transform the library into our version of Hogwarts for our annual Harry Potter Party. The kids will be making snitches and attending the Yule Ball. It will be magical. Can you imagine, however, a world where kids (and adults) didn’t know about Harry, Hermione and Ron? A world where kids didn’t know what a muggle was? A world without Quidditch and golden snitches? If critics had their way, that’s exactly what we would have. J.K. Rawlings...
I’ve heard some people say recently that there’s nothing to do here in Sweetwater County. To that I say: Not true! When I first moved to the area five years ago, I also said there was nothing to do here. But that was before I truly took the time to look. And one great place to look, of course, is at the library. I recently updated the library’s online calendar through the end of October. I personally added more than 100 events. Yes, your read that right, more than 100. Our libraries are full of events and activities for people from age zero...
I remember the first day of school when I was a kid. Every year, I looked forward to seeing my friends, meeting new teachers and preparing for all the fun that was to happen in the year to come. What I never thought about, however, was all of the studying, tests and schoolwork that was ahead of me. While I typically excelled in some classes, English and social studies, for example, I struggled in math and science classes and needed a little extra help. I would have loved to have the resources available from today’s library. The Sweetwater C...
Over the weekend our dishwasher leaked and water ended up between the layers of our floor and proceeded to leak into the basement. It was a mess. We had to pull up our vinyl floor and run fans to dry out the subfloor. Our kitchen is unusable at the moment, but hopefully we can get everything back up and running soon. Thankfully, we have resources at the library to help us figure out how to repair our kitchen. We often fix things ourselves in our house as a means to save money, and books available at the libraries are a great resource....
So, it’s mid-July, that means the summer is more than halfway over. Kids here in Green River will be heading back to school in just five weeks. Where has the summer gone? As we move into the second half of the season, it may be time to check in on your summer reading progress (and your kids’ summer reading progress). If you’ve signed up for the Sweetwater County Library System’s summer reading program, you would be right on track if you are halfway done with your reading log. For adults, that means you should have logged about two or three b...
I truly do love books and reading. At one point in time, however, I was on the fence about eBooks. I liked “real” books, physical books. Now, however, I read more eBooks than physical books. You may wonder what changed, and when it comes down to it, it was convenience. I can read an eBook while using my treadmill. I can take eBooks on vacation without weighing down my bag. I can check out eBooks from anywhere. And, quite frankly, I’ve discovered that I have the same experience reading an eBook as I do reading physical books. For those of you w...
There’s a magic in children’s literature that can be transforming. It can help children see other worlds, other perspectives. It can help them travel -- in their imaginations, at least -- to places that they may never be able to actually visit. My favorite children’s book fits this description. I remember reading Frances Hodgson Burnett’s “The Secret Garden” when I was about nine or 10 years old. It was (and still is!) an amazing book. Mary Lennox arrives at Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle after she was orphaned. The estate was...
Take a look at today’s libraries, they are far different from the libraries of a century ago. Walking around today’s library, you will find kids playing with LEGOs, teens working on computers, adults researching job opportunities, and preschoolers singing and “shaking their sillies” out during Story Time. Stepping out of the library buildings, patrons still have access to library materials and resources. They can find homework help, eBooks, digital audiobooks, movies and a large selection of databases. These are all available with a library...
It’s been said that hobbies are good for your health. A quick Google search on the subject and you’ll find countless articles about how hobbies reduce stress, help keep your brain active and help stave off things such as dementia. Sometimes finding a new hobby can be hard, however. With so many choices out there, where do you look to find something that will fit your personal interests? Well, the Sweetwater County Library System has an event this week that can introduce you to a few new hobbies, and provide a few hours of Saturday fun. The Marc...
I’ve always wanted to write a book. When I was a teenager, I actually started writing several books, but I never made it too far before I quit. It seemed that I lacked the inspiration to follow through with what I started. I haven’t given up on writing, however. I still love to write, but now I stick to shorter pieces (like newspaper columns!). I would still love to write a book, but I’m waiting for the inspiration to strike me. Perhaps a visit with a bestselling author will do the trick! Young adult author Shannon Hale also felt inspired at a...
This year I’m taking the plunge and going back to school to get my master’s degree. I graduated from college back in the late 90s, so it’s been a while since I actually had to study, write research papers or take tests. It will take me a few years to earn my degree, so I’m making quite the time commitment. Thankfully, with modern technology I can get my master’s degree without ever stepping foot in a classroom. It’s amazing how much things have changed since I was in college. I know that going back to school is not for everyone. The cost associ...
So I’ve been watching the new television show “The Librarians.” Being someone who works at the library, the title intrigued me -- and the show didn’t disappoint. “The Librarians” revolves around a group of people who work for the library, a mysterious place designed to protect all of the magical artifacts of the world. The librarians battle an evil group that wants to destroy the library and use the artifacts for evil instead of for good. Basically, the librarians are super geniuses who, armed with all the knowledge of the library, help mankin...
I love a good movie. Dramas, comedies, action movies -- I find them all appealing. There’s not much that I won’t watch. What I don’t like about movies, however, is the cost. Don’t get me wrong, I love to see movies in the theater. I love the big screen, the popcorn, the experience. But I have to be REALLY interested in a movie to see it in the theaters. I like to save money, and it’s always less expensive to wait and see movies on DVD or online. Even before I started working at the library, I would visit the library to check out movies or...
Last week on the library’s Facebook page I asked followers to share the titles of books that changed their lives. We received a lot of responses: “To Kill a Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee “Anna Karenina,” by Leo Tolstoy “The Color Purple,” by Alice Walker “Siddhartha,” by Herman Hesse “On the Road,” by Jack Kerouac “The Stand,” by Stephen King “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” by Hunter S. Thompson “Atlas Shrugged,” by Ayn Rand “Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity,” by Katherine Boo “The Solace of Open Spa...
So many books, so little time, that’s what I think about when I glance at my “To Be Read” list. I read a lot, but the problem -- or advantage -- of working at the library is that I always find more books that I want to read. Like many others, I work full time and have a family, so free time sometimes feels like a luxury. So the question is, how to do I find more time to read when I’m already so busy? The answer: audiobooks. I didn’t really listen to audiobooks prior to working at the library. After starting here in January, however, I started...
