“No one goes this way alone. All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own.” This is the first of several thoughtful quotes included in the book, Eye of the Storm: Chanute Closes, written by former Rantoul Mayor, Katy Podagrosi. Published in 2000, the book is a comprehensive accounting of the process of the shutting down of Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul. In it, Ms. Podagrosi describes the Air Force officials’ actions and the impact the base closing had (and continues to have) on the citizens of Rantoul and the surrounding area. This is a fascinating read that will interest anyone living in East Central Illinois at the time, as well as anyone concerned with the growth of their own communities. The author skillfully weaves the facts of the situation in with the feelings of the people she has known and cared about through the years, making this a first-rate historical record with heart, a book of lessons to be learned for those with an eye on the future. Two new copies of Eye of the Storm: Chanute Closes have been donated to the Paxton Carnegie Library by Mrs. Rosemary Kaye, of Paxton.

Other new books on the library shelves include: The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeier, Prayers and Lies by Sherri Wood Emmons, Under the Mercy Trees by Heather Newton, The Usual Rules by Joyce Maynard, When We Were Strangers by Pamel Schoenewaldt, Bloodroot by Amy Greene, The Foremost Good Fortune by Susan Conley, Angel Sister by Ann H. Gabhart, Heartwood by Belva Plain, Being Polite to Hitler by Robb Forman Dew, The False Friend by Myla Goldberg, and True Grit by Charles Portis. In non-fiction, we have The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels, a Love Story by Ree Drummond, Twin by Allen Shaw, At Home in the World: A Memoir by Joyce Maynard, Cinderella Ate My Daughter: Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New Girlie-Girl Culture, My Father At 100 by Ron Reagan, The Good Daughter: A Memoir of My Mother’s Hidden Life by Jasmin Darznik, and Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn. There are two new magazines: Rolling Stone, which is ready for check out and Psychology Today, coming soon.

For teens, we now have The Clique Series by Lisa Harrison and on the Easy Reader shelves we have The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper and Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed by Emily Pearson. The Easy Reader books are highlighted during our weekly Story Hour. Every Thursday morning at 10, preschool children and their parents, grandparents, or caregivers are invited to the Children’s Library for stories and crafts. There are always new movies at the library too. While we await the arrival of the Academy Award nominees, we can enjoy some new “old” DVDS from the library: West Side Story, Funny Girl, The Way We Were, Sleepless in Seattle, and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. An anonymous donor has presented the library with a selection of classic DVDs featuring Buster Keaton, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, The Keystone cops, and Laurel & Hardy, as well as some vintage Sci-Fi movies. New this week: the documentary, Waiting for Superman, which calls attention to our country’s public education system.

Here’s a reminder for everyone who is interested in downloading eBooks: We have two Kindles for in-library use which already contain some eBooks. Patrons may work with these KIndles in order to learn the basics of how to use them. The Kindle is not compatible with the software provided by Media Mall, which offers free downloads to library cardholders on the LINC Horizon website. To see if your electronic device is compatible for temporary, free downloads of books go to www.paxtonlibrary.blogspot.com and the Online Catalog. Click on Media Mall to download the free software and to see a list of supported audio and eBook devices.