October's Middletown Book for Discussion: A Founding Mother, Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie (October 30)

 

The MUM Book Discussion group will next meet on Friday, October 30.  Our title is A Founding Mother by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. Here is a brief summary:

"A sweeping, intimate portrayal of Abigail Adams-wife of one president and mother to another-whose wit, willpower, and wisdom helped shape the fledgling republic. In the heart of revolutionary Boston, Abigail Adams raises her children amid riots, blockades, and the outbreak of war. While her husband, John Adams, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder, often away for years at a time, Abigail builds her own independence-managing their farm, making lucrative investments, amassing savings, battling plague and loss, and defending their home. Unafraid to speak her mind, she famously offers fearless political counsel, urging John to "remember the ladies" in the new government. From war-torn streets to the chandeliered halls of power, A Founding Mother is the unforgettable story of a woman ahead of her time-one whose voice, vision, and valor still resonate powerfully today." (publisher)

Here is where you can find the book:

• There are copies available from Miami, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio, all searchable and requestable from the Miami University Libraries Search catalog. You may also access SearchOhio through your local public library.
• Amazon has the paperback, Audible, and Kindle available, and Bookshop.org has links to purchase the title from independent booksellers.

Stephanie Dray will be speaking about the book on the Hamilton Campus on October 8 at 7:00pm (more details here) as part of the  MU Regionals Passport to Programming series for Fall 2026.

We will meet at 11:30am on the 30th both in Room 123 in the Library and on Zoom.  Join the Zoom here! 

Our group is always finding interesting titles to share, and we look forward to the new things you'll bring to the table. In addition to discussing Yesteryear, the group also shared these titles for consideration at their September 18 meeting:

• Esme Cahill Fails Spectacularly, Marie Bostwick
• 11/22/63, Stephen King
• Educated, Tara Westover
• The Editor, Steven Rowley
• Theo of Golden, Allen Levi
• By Any Other Name, Erin Cotter
• The Paris Wife, Paula McLain
• The Last Mandarin, Louise Penny and Mellissa Fung
  
• Undivided: The Quest for Racial Solidarity in an American Church, Hahrie Han
• A Perfect Union, Catherine Allgor
• Dickens and Prince - Nick Hornby
• Buckeye, Patrick Ryan
• Crook Manifesto, Colson Whitehead

Please come along to our discussions to share what you've been reading/watching/listening to/experiencing!

If you're looking for something interesting to read, check out our page of past and future reads at http://www.mid.miamioh.edu/library/bookdiscussion.htm

John

"Abigail Adams" by Wally Gobetz is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Upcoming events at Gardner-Harvey Library (Grand Teton, 9/16, Navigating AI, 9/17, Short Story Club, 9/25)

 

National Parks

Grand Teton Wednesday, Sept. 16 | 4:30 p.m. | Zoom only event Tammie L. Gerke, geologist, introduces attendees to the geology of national parks and other sites. Get your geology questions answered and participate in lively discussions! Join us for an overview of Grand Teton National Park, where mountains tower over beautiful lakes and wildlife.  No RSVP is required. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/Libraries | BurkeJJ@MiamiOH.edu

Visit for Zoom Link

Enhance Your Education with the Library: Navigating AI in College

Ethical AI Use for Academic Success Thursday, Sept. 17 | Noon | Zoom only event Join us on Zoom to learn how you can incorporate AI in your study tools while keeping academic integrity intact. This workshop will discuss ethical use of AI for students, as well as AI uses to avoid. No RSVP is required. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/Libraries | BurkeJJ@MiamiOH.edu

Visit for Zoom Link

Short Story Club- Join us for a discussion about short stories! Selected stories take 20 minutes or less to read, so you don't need much time to prepare! How do you join the club? Just stop in the Zoom for one (or more) of our meetings!

Zoom links and links to the individual short stories can be found in our events calendar on the library website.

--

Jennifer Hicks, MLIS, MA Instructional Design & Technology

Outreach & Instruction Assistant Librarian

Gardner-Harvey Library

Miami University Middletown

513-727-3221

Gardner-Harvey Library Fall Newsletter!

Hello!

I hope your semester is off to a great start! The Gardner-Harvey Library fall newsletter is now available. This edition covers new makerspace equipment, events, and new designated spaces in the library!

--

Jennifer Hicks, MLIS, MA Instructional Design & Technology

Outreach & Instruction Assistant Librarian

Gardner-Harvey Library

Miami University Middletown

513-727-3221

Upcoming events hosted by GHL! (9/2 to 9/11)

Hello!

The Gardner-Harvey Library invites you to one (or all) of our upcoming events!

Fascinating Physiological Features

Introduction + Overview of Organ Systems Wednesday, Sept. 2 | 2 p.m. | Gardner-Harvey Library | Middletown | Zoom and In-person Important Things Everyone Should Know About How the Human Body Functions Take a focused journey through various organ systems within our human physiology for optimal health and wellness. The first Wednesday of each month, we will walk through a new physiological system in the human body. All are welcome! No RSVP is required. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/Libraries | BurkeJJ@MiamiOH.edu

Visit for Zoom Link You Can Make It @ the TEC Lab Makerspace! Faux Stained Glass Wednesday, Sept. 9 | 12:30-2 p.m. | Gardner-Harvey Library, 014 | Middletown Give the Makerspace a try and see what wonderful creations you can make and take home. Drop in at any point during the workshop to start making your gear. Create a faux stained glass panel to show off your Miami pride! Meet in the TEC SPACE, 014. No RSVP is required. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/Libraries | HicksJL2@MiamiOH.edu Reflections on 60 years at Miami Middletown Friday, Sept. 11 | 5:30 p.m. | Verity Lodge | Middletown September 5, 2026, is the 60th anniversary of the first classes offered on the Middletown campus. Join a group of Middletown faculty, staff, students, and alumni to learn about the campus's founding and share memories from 1966 to the present. RSVP to John Burke at BurkeJJ@MiamiOH.edu. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/Libraries  RSVP to John Burke

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Jennifer Hicks, MLIS, MA Instructional Design & Technology

Outreach & Instruction Assistant Librarian

Gardner-Harvey Library

Miami University Middletown

513-727-3221

September's Middletown Book for Discussion: The Book Club for Troublesome Women, Marie Bostwick (September 18)

 

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The MUM Book Discussion group will next meet on Friday, September 18.  Our title is The Book Club for Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick. Here is a brief summary:

"By 1960s standards, Margaret Ryan is living the American woman's dream. So why doesn't that feel like enough? Margaret is thrown for a loop when she first meets Charlotte Gustafson. As an excuse to be in the mysterious Charlotte's orbit, Margaret concocts a book club get-together and invites two other neighborhood women. As the women share secrets, cocktails, and their reactions to the controversial bestseller The Feminine Mystique, they have no idea their impromptu club and the books they read will become the glue that helps them hold fast through what will prove to be the most consequential and freeing year of their lives." (publisher)

Here is where you can find the book:

• There are copies available from Miami, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio, all searchable and requestable from the Miami University Libraries Search catalog. You may also access SearchOhio through your local public library.
• Amazon has the hardcover, paperback, and Kindle available, and Bookshop.org has links to purchase the title from independent booksellers.

We will meet at 11:30 am on the 18th both in Room 123 in the Library and on Zoom.  Join the Zoom here! 

Our group is always finding interesting titles to share, and we look forward to the new things you'll bring to the table. In addition to discussing Yesteryear, the group also shared these titles for consideration at their August 21 meeting:

• Running Out of Time, Margaret Peterson Haddix
• The Secret, Book, & Scone Society, Ellery Adams
• Educated, Tara Westover
• The Crash, Freida McFadden
• Three books are featured in the MU Regionals Passport to Programming for Fall 2026, and authors will be coming to the Hamilton campus (see the schedule of those talks here): A Founding Mother (Laura Kaye and Stephanie Dray), A Perfect Union (Catherine Allgor), and Undivided: The Quest for Racial Solidarity in an American Church (Hahrie Han).
• Theo of Golden, Allen Levi
• Trash! A Garbageman's Story, Simon Pare-Poupart
• Sisters in Yellow, Mieko Kawakami
• In the Time of the Butterflies - Julia Alvarez
• 1776 - David McCullough
• The Greatest Sentence Ever Written - Walter Isaacson (about the Declaration of Independence)
• Dickens and Prince - Nick Hornby
• The Souls of Black Folks - W.E.B. DuBois
• Family of Spies - Christine Kuehn  (a Nazi family who assisted the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor)
• The Impeachers - Brenda Wineapple

Please come along to our discussions to share what you've been reading/watching/listening to/experiencing!

If you're looking for something interesting to read, check out our page of past and future reads at http://www.mid.miamioh.edu/library/bookdiscussion.htm

John

"Gapers Block Book Club: Water for Elephants" by danxoneil is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Middletown campus library events this week (8/24-8/28)

Hello!

The Gardner-Harvey Library on the Middletown campus has a few events happening this week to welcome you to campus!

Wednesday, August 26th-12:30pm-2:00pm

JHN main hall

Pop-Up Print Shop- Stop by and talk with librarians while we help you make a coaster. 

Thursday, August 27th-1:00pm-3:00pm

TEC Lab (Library)

New Equipment Open House- Stop by and see what equipment we have added to the TEC Lab makerspace! Event will be in-person from 1:00pm-3:00pm as well as the option to join our Zoom tour from 2:00pm-3:00pm. You can access the Zoom link right here or through our Events Calendar located on our website.

All week!

Library

Scavenger Hunt- Grab an answer sheet at the library front desk and use clues to answer the questions. When you return your answers you will get a prize!

We hope to see you this week!

Jennifer Hicks

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Jennifer Hicks, MLIS, MA Instructional Design & Technology

Outreach & Instruction Assistant Librarian

Gardner-Harvey Library

Miami University Middletown

513-727-3221

August's Middletown Book for Discussion: Yesteryear, Caro Claire Burke (August 21)

The MUM Book Discussion group will next meet on Friday, August 21.  Our title is Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke.  Here is a brief summary:

"Natalie Heller Mills is a traditional American woman, a beautiful wife and mother who sells her pioneer lifestyle of raw milk and farm-fresh eggs to her millions of social media followers. So what if there are nannies and producers behind the scenes, her kitchen is hiding industrial-grade fridges and ovens, and her husband is the heir to a political dynasty? Until one morning she wakes up in a life that isn't hers. Her home, her husband, her children -- they're all familiar, but wrong. Her kitchen is warmed by a sputtering fire rather than electricity; her children are dirty and strange; and her soft-handed husband is suddenly a competent farmer. Carved into the wooden threshold is a date: 1855. Just yesterday Natalie was curating photos of homemade jam for her Instagram, and now she's expected to haul firewood and handwash clothes until her fingers bleed. Has she become the unwitting star of a ruthless reality show? Could it really be time travel?" (publisher)

Here is where you can find the book:

• There are copies available from Miami, OhioLINK, and SearchOhio, all searchable and requestable from the Miami University Libraries Search catalog. You may also access SearchOhio through your local public library.
• Amazon has the hardcover, paperback, and Kindle available, and Bookshop.org has links to purchase the title from independent booksellers.

We will meet at 11:30 am on the 21st both in Room 123 in the Library and on Zoom.  Join the Zoom here! 

Our group is always finding interesting titles to share, and we look forward to the new things you'll bring to the table. In addition to discussing The Queens of Crime, the group also shared these titles for consideration at their July 30 meeting:

The Other Einstein, Marie Benedict

Inspector Alleyn mysteries, Ngaio Marsh

Josephine Tey (author)

Dark Winds (TV)

Song of Achilles and Circe, Madeline Miller

The Odyssey, Emily Wilson (translator)

Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid

The Housemaid and The Crash, Freida McFadden

In Cold Blood, Truman Capote

Missing Pages, Alyson Richman

The Bookman's Wake, John Dunning

Firefly Lane, Kristin Hannah

This Changes Everything, Lisa Scottoline

Theo of Golden, Allen Levi

The Foursome, Christina Baker Kline

On the Calculation of Volume III, Solvej Balle

Please come along to our discussions to share what you've been reading/watching/listening to/experiencing!

If you're looking for something interesting to read, check out our page of past and future reads at http://www.mid.miamioh.edu/library/bookdiscussion.htm

John

"Pioneer house .. Ruckle farm" by Nick Kenrick.. is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.