Check out what's going on at GHL!

Welcome back for the spring semester!

• See what we dragged out of the archives
• Learn about the grant the library was recently awarded (new TEC Lab equipment incoming!)
• Find out about our upcoming events

And that's not all! I don't want to spoil it, so check out the Spring 2026 newsletter and see what else GHL is up to this semester!

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Jennifer Hicks, MLIS, MA Instructional Design & Technology

Outreach & Instruction Assistant Librarian

Gardner-Harvey Library

Miami University Middletown

Gardner-Harvey Library events this week!

 Join us at the Gardner-Harvey Library in Middletown this week for our first two events of the semester! 

What's In Our Backyard Series

A Virtual Tour of the Natural Areas Around Miami University Middletown, A Campus Among the Trees! Wednesday, Feb. 4 | 4 p.m. | Gardner-Harvey Library, 014 TEC SPACE | Middletown Zoom and In-person event The beautiful, natural areas around the Middletown Campus are a positive protective factor for our region and our university. These areas are a favorable investment for our Metroparks and are open to the community to improve their health through visiting the green spaces. No RSVP is required. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/GHL-Events | BurkeJJ@MiamiOH.edu

Visit for Zoom Link

You Can Make It @ the TEC Lab Makerspace!

Valentine's Day: Wood Burning Pens and 3D Pens Thursday, Feb. 5 | Noon - 2 p.m. | Gardner-Harvey Library, 014 TEC SPACE | Middletown Burnin' love! Join us in the TEC Space to create a wooden heart Valentine using our wood burning pens or create your own design with 3D pens. No RSVP is required. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/GHL-Events | BurkeJJ@MiamiOH.edu

Double the Fun! Two Middletown Books for Discussion in March: A Sand County Almanac (March 6) and Broken Country (March 27)

The MUM Book Discussion group will have two book discussions in March! First, we'll join forces with the Department of Languages, Literatures, and Writing (LLW) and their community read of Aldo Leopold's A Sand County Almanac on Friday, March 6. Here is a brief summary:

"First published in 1949 and praised in The New York Times Book Review as "a trenchant book, full of vigor and bite," A Sand County Almanac combines some of the finest nature writing since Thoreau with an outspoken and highly ethical regard for America's relationship to the land." (publisher)

Then on Friday, March 27, we will discuss Claire Leslie Hall's Broken Country. Here is a brief summary:

"Beth and her gentle, kind husband Frank are happily married, though their relationship relies on the past staying buried. But when Beth's brother-in-law shoots a dog going after their sheep, Beth doesn't realize that the gunshot will alter the course of their lives."

Here is where you can find the books:

• For A Sand County Almanac, thanks to a grant that Marianne Cotugno received, there are free copies of the book available at the Gardner-Harvey Library, while supplies last. Please let me know if you'd like one.
• For Broken Country, there are copies available at Miami and in OhioLINK. Use Miami University Libraries Search to search both of those catalogs. SearchOhio, allowing for lending among over 40 public library systems in Ohio and also OhioLINK, is still not operating (but should return to service in February -- I will send an update once that is operating again). If you have a card for MidPointe, Lane, or Cincinnati Public, you can find available copies through those systems. Amazon has the hardcover, paperback, and Kindle available, and Bookshop.org has links to purchase the title from independent booksellers.

For A Sand County Almanac, we will meet at 12 noon on the 6th both in Room 123 in the Library and on Zoom. Join the Sand County Zoom here!

For Broken Country, we will meet at 11:30 am on the 27th both in Room 123 in the Library and on Zoom.  Join the Broken Country 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 What Happened to the Bennetts, the group also shared these titles for consideration at their January 23 meeting:

Eternal, Loyalty, The Unraveling of Julia, and The Truth About the Devlins, Lisa Scottoline

Harlan Coben (author)

Call the Midwife (the show)

West Wing (the show)

Landman (the show)

Dark Winds (the show)

11/22/63 (the show and the book by Stephen King)

Frankenstein (the movie and the book)

F1 (the movie)

Eleanor of Avignon, Elizabeth DeLozier

Rebellion 1776, Laurie Halse Anderson

The Girl From Greenwich Street, Lauren Willig

Kingmaker, Sonia Purnell

Life of the Party, Christopher Ogden

Which Way Tree, Elizabeth Crook

A Woman of No Importance, Sonia Purnell

Fight Night, Miriam Toews

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

"Wisconsin Farmland in the Fall" by pistosbooks is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.

January's Middletown Book for Discussion: What Happened to the Bennetts (January 23)

 

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The MUM Book Discussion group will next meet on Friday, January 23.  Our title is What Happened to the Bennetts by Lisa Scottoline.  Here is a brief summary:

"Jason Bennett is a suburban dad who owns a court-reporting business, but one night, his life takes a horrific turn. He is driving his family home after his daughter's field hockey game when a pickup truck begins tailgating them, on a dark stretch of road. Suddenly two men jump from the pickup and pull guns on Jason, demanding the car. A horrific flash of violence changes his life forever. Later that awful night, Jason and his family receive a visit from the FBI. The agents tell them that the carjackers were members of a dangerous drug-trafficking organization - and now Jason and his family are in their crosshairs. The agents advise the Bennetts to enter the witness protection program right away, and they have no choice but to agree." (publisher)

Here is where you can find the book (well, this gets interesting):

• There are no copies available at Miami, but there are some available in OhioLINK. Use Miami University Libraries Search for both of those catalogs.
  
• SearchOhio, allowing for lending among over 40 public library systems in Ohio and also OhioLINK, is still not operating (but should come back in February 2026). If you have a card for MidPointe, Lane, or Cincinnati Public, you can find available copies through those systems. Germantown Public Library has a copy of their own, but they are also part of the SEO (Serving Every Ohioan) Consortium, and there are 86 copies available from those libraries. 
• Amazon has the hardcover, paperback, and Kindle available, and Bookshop.org has links to purchase the title from independent booksellers.

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 Time of the Child, the group also shared these titles for consideration at their December 19 meeting:

Four Letters of Love, Niall Williams

Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold

The Correspondent, Virginia Evans

Mona's Eyes, Thomas Schlesser
Atmosphere, Taylor Jenkins Reid
The Poisoner's Handbook, Deborah Blum

The 13th Gift, Joanne Huist Smith

The Imperial Cruise, James Bradley

Has Anyone Seen My Toes?, Christopher Buckley

Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows, Balli Kaur Jaswal

Sleeper Agent: The Atomic Spy in America Who Got Away, Ann Hagedorn

I'd Give Anything, Marisa De Los Santos

Hail Mary,  Andy Weir

Fever Beach, Carl Hiaasen

Angelica: For Love and Country in a Time of Revolution, Molly Beer

Ann Cleves (author)

And, an encouragement was offered to check out Blue Dog Books in Springboro, a new local bookstore.

We will meet at 11:30 am on the 23rd both in Room 123 in the Library and in Zoom at 

Join Zoom Meeting

Passcode:  989282

‬Add this event to your Google Calendar!  (which includes the Zoom information) 

Please come along to our discussion 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

"Pickup truck crash on Park Boulevard (ii)" by allaboutgeorge is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.

The Truth About Trees: Special Trees on the Oxford Campus (Dec. 3)

The Underground Academy Presents: The Truth About Trees Series

Your Guide to Special Trees on the Oxford Campus Wednesday, Dec. 3 | 4 p.m. | Gardner Harvey Library, 014 TEC Space | Middletown Campus Biology faculty member Janelle Allen knows trees, and she wants to share that knowledge with you. Learn about the importance of trees in our world and the unique examples we have in our   campus ecosystems. Zoom and In-person Event. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/Libraries | BurkeJJ@MiamiOH.edu

Visit for Zoom Link

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December's Middletown Book for Discussion: Time of the Child (December 19)

The MUM Book Discussion group will next meet on Friday, December 19.  Our title is Time of the Child by Niall Williams.  Here is a brief summary:

"Doctor Jack Troy was born and raised in Faha, but his responsibilities for the sick and his care for the dying mean he has always been set apart from the town. His eldest daughter, Ronnie, has grown up in her father's shadow, and remains there, having missed one chance at love -- and passed up another offer of marriage from an unsuitable man. But in the Advent season of 1962, as the town readies itself for Christmas, Ronnie and Doctor Troy's lives are turned upside down when a baby is left in their care." (publisher)

Here is where you can find the book (well, this gets interesting):

• There are currently no copies available at Miami or in OhioLINK, but I have ordered a copy for the Gardner-Harvey Library, and hope to have it arrive the week after Thanksgiving break (please check with me if you need it).
  
• SearchOhio, allowing for lending among over 40 public library systems in Ohio and also OhioLINK, is still not operating (but should come back in the new year). If you have a card for MidPointe, Lane, or Cincinnati Public, you can find available copies through those systems. Germantown Public Library does not have a copy of their own, but they are part of the SEO (Serving Every Ohioan) Consortium, and there are 24 copies available from those libraries. And SearchOhio might surprise me and hop into action in December, so check through your local public library for additional copies from around Ohio.
• Amazon has the hardcover, paperback, and Kindle available, and Bookshop.org has links to purchase the title from independent booksellers.

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 Madstone, the group also shared these titles for consideration at their November 21 meeting:

The Which Way Tree, Elizabeth Crook

Vianne, Joanne Harris

Before the Coffee Gets Cold, Toshikazu Kawaguchi

The Correspondent, Virginia Evans

Coming Home, Brittney Griner
Rosamunde Pilcher (author)
The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell, Robert Dugoni

The Lost Passenger, Frances Quinn

Ghost Forest, Pik-Shuen Fung

The Black Wolf, Louise Penny

A Bitter Feast, Deborah Crombie

The Stationery Shop, Marjan Kamali

Mina's Matchbox, Yoko Ogawa

The Third Realm,  Karl Ove Knausgaard

We will meet at 11:30 am on the 19th both in Room 123 in the Library and in Zoom at 

Join Zoom Meeting

Passcode:  255259

‬Add this event to your Google Calendar!  (which includes the Zoom information) 

Please come along to our discussion 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

The image above is a Public Domain image.

Join the Gardner-Harvey Library this week for 2 exciting events!

 

National Parks: Book Discussion: “Death and Life of the Great Lakes"

Book Discussion: “Death and Life of the Great Lakes" Talk Series Tuesday, Nov. 18 | 4:30 p.m. | Zoom Only Geologist Tammie L. Gerke will share presentations and lead discussions about geology and related topics. Get your questions answered and participate in lively discussions in three events this semester. Join us as Tammie L. Gerke leads a book discussion of “Death and Life of the Great Lakes,” by Dan Egan. Get your geology questions answered and participate in a lively discussion. Request a copy of “Death and Life of the Great Lakes." MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/Libraries | BurkeJJ@MiamiOH.edu

Visit for Zoom Link You Can Make It @ the TEC Lab Makerspace! Laser Engraved Spoons and Cutting Boards Thursday, Nov. 20 | Noon Gardner-Harvey Library, 125 | Middletown Give the Makerspace a try and see what wonderful creations you can make and take home. Drop in at any point between noon and 2 p.m. to start making. Join us in the TEC Lab as we use our laser engravers to make custom spoons, cutting boards, and more. We'll demonstrate how our three laser cutters/engravers can add text and images to wood, acrylic, and other materials. MiamiOH.edu/Regionals/Libraries | HicksJL2@MiamiOH.edu

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Jennifer Hicks, MLIS, MA Instructional Design & Technology

Outreach & Instruction Assistant Librarian

Gardner-Harvey Library

Miami University Middletown

513-727-3221

Help us help students! The Gardner-Harvey Library Care Cabinet is stocked with personal hygiene items for students in need. We also provide free snacks in the lounge because students can't focus when they are hungry. If you would like to help, we would gladly accept donations in person or sent directly through our Amazon Wishlist