Spring is here and it's time to start planting! The library has an extensive selection of books on gardening and horticulture, whether you are interested in growing vegetables or creating impressive flower beds. Plagued by pests? Want to create some quick compost? Have an interest in herbs? We have a book for that!

Click here for a list of a just of few of our popular gardening books. The library also carries several popular gardening magazines, like Organic Gardening and Horticulture, which are available for checkout.

Erik Larson is the master of the researched narrative. He can take on the most intricate historical event and craft a compelling book out of it, often following the grisly path of a serial killer or some cataclysmic natural disaster. In his latest book, "In the Garden of Beasts", he has turned his attention to the beginnings of World War II and the rise of the Nazis in Germany.

Larson uses memoirs, personal correspondence, official records, newspaper articles and journal entries to piece together the story of William Edward Dodd, U.S. ambassador to Germany from 1933 to 1937, and his daughter, Martha. Although closely related, the two have dissimilar views about the changes happening in Germany but realize that Adolf Hitler's leadership will rip apart the world.

 Gary Eclebarger's incisive book about the 1864 Battle of Atlanta provides a comprehensive look at one of the Civil War's most decisive-- but less heralded-- battles. Read this book, then check out the movie "Gone with the Wind" to see another rendition of war-time Atlanta. 

The book discusses President Lincoln's multi-faceted dilemma of appointing disastrous generals, thus incurring horrendous numbers of casualties (1,500 per day) yet having few definitive victories to show for it all. This lack of victories put Lincoln's viability as president in question. Atlanta, as the iconic symbol of the South, became the linchpin for his re-election. 

Mango Languages is an instructional database that can be used both inside the library and from home. Forty-four languages are available, with twenty-nine offered as Mango Passport, a conversational format especially for travelers.

Mango, which has received several awards for its user friendliness and has been adopted by numerous government agencies and educational institutions both here and abroad, has audio and colorful visual elements to guide users through lessons. Users can move at their own pace, jumping ahead to future lessons if they are ready for them.

Once you create a profile on the database, the service will track your progress as you learn. To try it out, click on the "Learn a Language" link to the left or follow this link. You will need a valid library card number to get started.