When planning to make a big purchase, what key factors influence your selection process? Do you go to the store and pick based on the best sale? Do you read through customer reviews on the retailer websites and pick the item with the highest number of stars? Or do you stick with brand loyalty, and only review items with a certain label? Read more about Before you buy...

Winter Weather got you down? Well, it’s time to

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

  Read more about laissez les bon temps rouler!

One of the great things about TV these days is that so many international programs are available here in the United States, on DVD or through online streaming. Recently I watched two television productions, one from New Zealand (via BBC and the Sundance Channel) and one from France, both of which were incredibly compelling and much different than programs you are apt to catch on American primetime.

Read more about International TV that will keep you up at night: Top of the Lake and The Returned

Read more about Unlikely...But Adorable!

Are you a fan of gorgeous photographs? Do you enjoy Urbana Free’s art collection? Read more about Scrumptious Photographs

            Read more about Black History Month at The Urbana Free Library

Something is wrong in Area X, an isolated coastal region, full of wildlife, empty of human inhabitants. The Southern Reach, as the organization responsible for exploring, explaining, and possibly containing Area X, has sent a team of scientists through the border to investigate. This the twelfth expedition. The previous expeditions were not successful. Successful at what? That's a good question. Something wrong in Area X? Read more about Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer

The Golem and the Jinni was one of the first books I read this year, and having read it, I sincerely wish I'd picked it up back in Ap Read more about The Golem and the Jinni

Since moving to the area a few years ago, I’ve encountered the phrase “it used to be…” more times than Read more about Hot Type: 150 Years of the Best Local Stories from The News-Gazette

Below are some of the music releases of 2013 that the staff at The Urbana Free Library enjoyed the most. A few of these titles are re-releases of older obscure artists, others are the debut records of brand new artists, still others reflect the current state of artists that have been making music for some time. Read more about Staff Picks- Best music of 2013