The Collection Connection
News From Your State Library
Bestsellers/Newly Published
- Abundance by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson
- Atmosphere by Taylor Jenkins Reid
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Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism by Sarah Wynn-Williams
- Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History by S. C. Gwynne
- The First Gentleman by Bill Clinton and James Patterson
- Hidden Nature by Nora Roberts
- Mark Twain by Ron Chernow
- My Friends by Fredrik Backman
- Never Flinch by Stephen King
- Trump 2.5: A Primer by Taufiq Rahim
Employee Wellness & Workplace
Finance/Legal
Broke Millennial: Stop Scraping By and Get Your Financial Life Together by Erin Lowry
Discover WHY You Handle Money the Way You Do, and WHAT To Do About It! by Rachel Cruze
Truth and Repair: How Trauma Survivors Envision Justice by Judith L. Herman, MD
Handbook for Hard Times: A Monk's Guide to Fearless Living by Gelong Thubten
The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins
Magic Pill: The Extraordinary Benefits and Disturbing Risks of the New Weight-Loss Drugs by Johann Hari
Mayo Clinic Guide to Holistic Health: Unlock Your Body's Natural Healing Powers by Brent A. Bauer M.D.
Mind Your Body: A Revolutionary Program to Release Chronic Pain and Anxiety by Nicole J. Sachs, LCSW
Single: Living a Complete Life on Your Own Terms by Nicola Slawson
The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop
A Guide to Grief (for tweens/ages 10-14) by Cole Imperi and Bianca Jargoe
Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It by Richard V. Reeves
Restoring Our Girls: How Real Conversations Shape Our Daughters' Lives, Help Them with Teen Challenges, & Remind Them That They Matter by Cathy Cassani Adams, LCSW and Dr. John Duffy
What No One Tells You: A Guide to Your Emotions from Pregnancy to Motherhood by Alexandra Sacks and Catherine Birndorf
The Async-First Playbook: Remote Collaboration Techniques for Agile Software Teams by Sumeet Gayathri Moghe
Code Dependent: Living in the Shadow of AI by Madhumita Murgia
Our Biggest Fight: Reclaiming Liberty, Humanity, and Dignity in the Digital Age by Frank H. McCourt, Jr. and Michael J. Casey
Supremacy: AI, ChatGPT, and the Race that Will Change the World by Parmy Olson and Lisa Flanagan
Workplace
The First-Time Manager: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion by Alida Miranda-Wolff and Lisa Larsen
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The Leaders You Need: How to Create Diverse Leadership Teams for a More Dynamic, Resilient Future by Karen Brown
Managing Up: How to Get What You Need from the People in Charge by Melody Wilding
Never Lead Alone: 10 Shifts from Leadership to Teamship by Keith Ferrazzi and Graham Halstead
Who Better Than You? : The Art of Healthy Arrogance & Dreaming Big by Will Packer
Affrilachia: Testimonies by Chris Aluka Berry
Another Day: Sabbath Poems, 2013-2023 by Wendell Berry
Appalachian Ghost: A Photographic Reimagining of the Hawk's Nest Tunnel Disaster by Raymond Thompson Jr. and Rebecca Altman
Bourbon Land: A Spirited Love Letter to My Old Kentucky Whiskey by Edward Lee
Hidden History of Kentucky Political Scandals by Robert Schrage and John Schaaf
Landaluce: The Story of Seattle Slew's First Champion by Mary Perdue and Jon White
Thursday, 8/28 @ 2:00-3:00 pm EST
Discover What Your State Library Can Do for You!
Are you a new state employee unaware of the benefits you can derive from a State Library account? Have you had an account for a while, but would like a refresher on our services? Please join me in this introductory session to explore the ins and outs of requesting materials; downloading books, audiobooks, and magazines through Kentucky Libraries Unbound; using Ask-A-Librarian; researching topics with our databases; and more!
Mark Your Calendars!
Through September 1 - Dinopalooza - Louisville Zoo. Travel back 65 to 200 million years in time to meet prehistoric animals! Enjoy 23 of the world’s tallest, life-sized robotic dinosaurs — ranging from 5-foot-long baby triceratops to a 40-foot-long tyrannosaurus rex.
Through August 10 - Kentucky Shakespeare Festival - Central Park, Louisville, KY. Taking place in Old Louisville’s scenic Central Park, the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival provides free live-action performances of some of Shakespeare’s greatest works. Shows begin nightly at 8pm. The 2025 season includes performances of Much Ado About Nothing, Hamlet, and Cymbeline. Arrive early to get a bite at local food trucks and bring your own chairs or blankets. Dogs welcome!
August 8–9 - Bluegrass in the Park Folklife Festival, Henderson, KY. Discover that uniquely Kentucky music form, bluegrass, while enjoying a weekend of first-rate bluegrass bands, folklife, food, and family-friendly fun.
August 14 - 24 - Kentucky State Fair - Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville, KY. All things Kentucky all in one place! The Kentucky State Fair is a 100 year plus tradition that celebrates Kentucky’s culture, art, agriculture, music and so much more. Enjoy music, family-friendly activities, fun amusement rides, and The World’s Championship Horse Show all while learning about our great state!
Through August 16 - Pioneer Playhouse - Theater Under the Stars - Danville, KY. This summer, Kentucky’s oldest outdoor theater celebrates its 76th anniversary! Performances in August include the plays Not From Around Here, a zany comedy by local authors Jennifer Goff and Brian Scruggs, and Good Rockin’ Tonight!, an enthusiastic celebration of Elvis complete with a full live band. Dinner & show at 7 p.m.; shows start at 8:30 p.m.
August 14-17 - Berea Celtic Festival - Berea, KY. A gathering of talented musicians, singers and others interested in traditional grassroots Celtic music. There will be concerts, dance, lectures, theater, workshops and presentations.
NewsBank
Have you checked out NewsBank lately? We recently upgraded our subscription and now have access to twice as much content as we previously did with over 2,300 new resources! Enjoy searching through Frankfort’s State Journal, Lexington’s Herald-Leader, and many other Kentucky and U.S. newspapers and news magazines with full-text and bright, colorful PDF image editions.
NewsBank has been a premier information provider for over 45 years. NewsBank consolidates current and archived information from thousands of newspaper titles, as well as newswires, web editions, blogs, videos, broadcast transcripts, business journals, periodicals, government documents and other publications. You can pinpoint information from primary sources at the local, state, regional, national and international levels; and explore tens of millions of current and archived news articles and obituaries.
We've updated our webinar on NewsBank. To learn the ins and outs of this fantastic database at your convenience, go to our Archived Webinars page and filter by the category State Library Resources and Services.
Kentucky turned 233 on June 1. Dig into Kentucky's rich history with these three titles that consistently earn strong praise from readers interested in Kentucky’s past.
A Concise History of Kentucky
by James C. Klotter and Freda C. Klotter. In this book, the authors introduce readers to a captivating story that spans 12,000 years of Kentucky lives. The Klotters examine all aspects of the state's history―its geography, government, social life, cultural achievements, education, and economy. Blending the insight of a state historian with the perspective of an seasoned educator, A Concise History of Kentucky is the definitive guide for both lifelong Kentuckians and newcomers eager to explore the rich past, dynamic present, and promising future of the Bluegrass State.
My Father, Daniel Boone: The Draper Interviews with Nathan Boone
edited by Neal O. Hammon. Born in 1819, archivist Lyman Draper dedicated his life to preserving the past, tirelessly gathering oral histories from both prominent figures and everyday people. Among his most valuable work was a visit in 1851 with Nathan Boone—Daniel Boone’s youngest son—and Nathan’s wife, Olive. From their conversations, Draper compiled over 300 pages of notes that remain the most important firsthand account of Daniel Boone’s life. These interviews offer rich, accurate details about Boone’s time in Kentucky, his capture by Native Americans, the defense of Fort Boonesborough, his extensive hunting expeditions, and his final years in Missouri. My Father, Daniel Boone is a captivating narrative in which Nathan Boone carefully distinguishes legend from truth, offering a vivid, authentic portrait of one of America’s most iconic pioneers and bringing a pivotal chapter of frontier history to life.
They Say in Harlan County: An Oral History
by Alessandro Portelli. Made famous by the 1976 documentary Harlan County, USA, this corner of Appalachian coal country has long been defined by generations of miners and some of the fiercest labor struggles of the 20th century. But beyond its battles, Harlan County has given rise to a powerful tradition of protest songs and a rich, distinctive culture. They Say in Harlan County isn’t just a book about coal miners—it’s a compelling oral history told through the voices of more than 150 men and women who have lived its story. Spanning from pioneer days through the explosive strikes of the 1930s and 1970s to the early 21st century, their words bring rare emotional depth, gripping personal narratives, and unforgettable characters to life. This is the true story of Harlan County—a culture forged in struggle and sustained by resilience.
Connect with the State Library
Email: KDLAReferenceDesk@ky.gov
Website: https://kdla.ky.gov/Pages/index.aspx
Location: 300 Coffee Tree Road, Frankfort, KY, USA
Phone: 502-564-8300
Facebook: facebook.com/kystatelibrary