Mary Shelley was born 113 years ago on August 30th. Her most famous novel, Frankenstein, is still as fresh and popular today as it was when she published it in 1818. In fact, gothic novels are more popular than ever. Grab a copy of Frankenstein from the library, read it online, or listen to it online, then join in the discussion at Great Books on Wednesday, September 15 at 3 pm in the Sturgeon Bay Library.

With lots of sun and rain in Door County this summer, local gardens are magnificent! Now is a good time to brush up on gardening skills and plans with the Wisconsin Public Television program, The Wisconsin Gardener. The library's old VHS tapes of this series have been replaced by a full set of DVDs.  There is even one program about Bailey's Harbor. Go ahead, reserve your copies right now, then pick them up at the circulation desk: 

• The Wisconsin Gardener. Bailey's Harbor
• More Places to Visit
• Asparagus, Grass & Daffodils
• Ideas for Spring
• Places to Visit
• Horsetails, Tropicals & Tree Peonies
• Raising the Roof
• Think Green
• The Magic of Gardening
• The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
• Winter Landscapes
• Garden Design
• Celebrate Fall
• Healthy Weeds
• Focus on Foliage
• Container Gardening
• Harvest Traditions
• Hot Plants

You don't miss the summer programs for adults and teens at the Sturgeon Bay Library, Monday evenings at 7:00 pm.

On July 19th the Neptune's Dive Club will bring on the details of this fantastic underwater sport.  All your questions about SCUBA diving will be answered!  How do I get started?  Where do I dive?  Who do I dive with?  What will I find? Come find out!

On July 26th the Sail and Power Squadron and the Sturgeon Bay Yacht Club will tell all about the joys of Sailing the waters around the Door.  It takes some specialized skills to maneuver a sailboat, but the benefits of learning can be spectacular.  Come find out all about it.

August 2nd Mike Grimm from the Nature Conservancy will present a program on the Biodiversity of Door County.  Did you know that Door County has more biodiversity than any other county in Wisconsin?  Learn what you can do to preserve our natural heritage.

August 9th focuses on the ground beneath our feet.  Did you ever wonder why we are still here?  Why has the Door County Peninsula not been swept away into the Lake?  The short answer is the Niagra Escarpment, a huge stretch of some very tough rock.  This is the Year of the Escarpment, so come hear what Bob Bultman has to tell us about this rather special chunk of rock.

August 16th finishes our series with a special session about water quality in Door County.  The water you drink, wash and play in is a concern to all of us.  What we put in the water comes right back to us, so paying attention to what's in there makes sense, and not just because the water in the tap might taste funny.  Now is your chance to learn more about this important issue.

On July 1, 2010, the Library of Congress announced the name of the new Poet Laureate. W.S. Merwin is the 17th recipient of the title and will serve from 2010 to 2011.  Many books of his poetry are available through the library catalog:

The Shadow of Sirius, Pulitzer Prize (2009)

Present Company

Migration, National Book Award (2005)

Summer Doorways

The Ends of the Earth, essays

Background information:

W.S. Merwin on Wikipedia

The Poetry Foundation

The American Academy of Poets at Poetry.org