Memorial Day

Every Memorial Day, we gather as a nation to mourn our collective fallen servicemen and servicewomen. It is actually written into the United States Code, or the Federal Code of Regulations, that the president issue a proclamation each year "calling on the people of the United States to observe Memorial Day by praying, according to their individual religious faith, for permanent peace". Some interesting facts about Memorial Day, which has been observed since the close of the American Civil War, can be found below.

Talking Book Services Resources Roundup

The National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS) is "a free braille and talking book library service for people with temporary or permanent low vision, blindness, or a physical, perceptual, or reading disability that prevents them from using regular print materials." The Mississippi Library Commission's (MLC) Talking Book Services (TBS) is the local network NLS library in Mississippi. That means that MLC staff are here to help set you up with NLS, troubleshooting your BARD and equipment problems, and assisting with finding books you want to read. That's not all they do, though! Here are just a few of the extra services we provide.

Beyond the Encyclopedia

Have you ever wondered where on earth your local librarian found the answer to that extremely specific question you asked? You may assume that they are just better at Googling than you, but that is not the case! Well, sometimes it’s the case. But they also use a variety of sources that may not fit your idea of traditional reference materials and that you might not have access to at home. 

Read With MLC: Short Stories

Welcome to May, and the fifth reading prompt for our 2024 Read With MLC reading challenge: read a short story collection. May is actually Short Story Month and reading one is a great way to celebrate this brief but tantalizing literary form. Lauren Groff, guest judge at last year's O. Henry Prize for Short Fiction said of short stories, "They are quick, breathtaking windows into other humans’ souls, which is where the infinite resides, in my personal credo. The story form is infinitely malleable, gorgeously economical, and endlessly surprising." Don't know where to start finding one, or some, to read? We have some ideas below!