When I was a young(er), I lived in the world of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Louisa May Alcott. With those wonderful memories in mind, I am pleased to put in a plug for the Murrell Library and their most recent endeavor: The Laura Ingalls Wilder Exhibit. This exhibit is on display in the Teacher Education Library on the MVC campus through Nov. 17 and is free for viewing by the public. Created by the Springfield-Green County Library, the exhibit is traveling throughout the state, thanks for a grant from the Missouri Humanities Council. Through the efforts of Pam Reeder, director, the exhibit has been supplemented with items that might have been found in a typical home of the period. In addition, the Murrell Library has commissioned an enthralling presentation that combines music and literature in a program titled Song from the Little House: singing, storytelling, and selected readings provided by a pair who have spent over a decade researching and recreating Americana music. Song from the Little House takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 1:30 pm and is a free public program. I am really looking forward to that program and I encourage everyone to visit the exhibit, which was a pleasure to view.

I am also pleased to announce that a project I have had in mind for some time has come to fruition. Beginning next month, the Marshall Public Library will be hosting a Parent-Child book group. Reading together can bring a real closeness within families -- it's another way to keep connected with your child -- and encourages parents to be involved in their child's reading experiences. In honor of the Laura Ingalls Wilder exhibit here in Marshall, we will start with Little House on the Prairie. Please stop by the library or call (660) 886-3391 after Oct. 28 in order to obtain a copy of the book (if needed) and for more details about meeting times.

Donations and memorials

Mary Ann Turley has given a book to the library in honor of Carl and Wanda Morrow and their daughters. We extend our appreciation to Mary Ann for her generosity.

New books

Fiction

-- "Special Topics in Calamity Physics" -- Marisha Pessl

-- "Broken Flower" -- V.C. Andrews

-- "Found" -- Karen Kingsbury

-- " Last Light" --Terri Blackstock

-- "Light From Heaven" -- Jan Karon

Non-fiction

-- "Elizabeth" -- J. Randy Taraborrelli

-- "Culture Warrior" -- Bill O'Reilly

-- "Love you, Mean It" -- Patricia Carrington

-- "The Way We Were: Remembering Diana" -- Paul Burrell

Library events

-- Preschool Story Time each Tuesday, 10 a.m. Games, stories, crafts. Appropriate for children approximately 3 to 7 years.

-- Pajama Story Time each Monday, 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome. Wear your jammies or come as you are. Games, crafts, stories.

-- Wee Ones Lap Time Story Times for babies up to 24 months, each Wednesday. 10 a.m. Interactive finger play and song time for mothers and babies.

-- Travel With Lewis and Clark Series every other Tuesday of the month, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Moderated by Marvin Wilhite.

How can I support the Marshall Public Library?

-- Bring your receipts from Patricia's into the library when you're returning or checking out books. Each month, Patricia's Foods will donate a portion of the collected receipts to the library.

-- When purchasing items from Amazon.com, use the link to Amazon that appears on the Marshall Public Library's Web site: www.marshallpubliclibrary.com. A portion of your purchase will go to support the library.

-- Consider joining Friends of the Marshall Libraries. Membership forms are available at the library.

-- Honor a mentor. Celebrate a friend. Commemorate an event. A gift to the Marshall Public Library is a unique and enduring way to pay tribute to friends and family. Your generosity will be a lasting source of joy and enrichment for the community. For additional information, please call (660) 886-3391 with any questions.

Check It Out appears Wednesday.