Labor Day

Labor Day is now considered the traditional end-of-summer celebration - and the end to wearing white for the summer season.  Before these traditions, however, Labor Day had a deeper meaning. The day has a vital history to the American worker. The first Monday in September marks the creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social & economic achievements of American workers.  It represents an annual national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the United States and beyond. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union. In 1884, the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday, and the Central Labor Union urged organizations in other cities to follow its example and celebrate a “workingmen’s holiday” on that date. The idea continued to spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country.  

The first governmental recognition of the holiday came from municipal ordinances passed during 1885 and 1886. The first state bill was introduced into the New York legislature and the first law passed was in Oregon on February 21, 1887. That same year four more states - Colorado, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York - created the Labor Day holiday by state law.  By the end of the decade Connecticut, Nebraska, and Pennsylvania followed suit.  By 1894, 23 other states adopted the holiday in honor of workers, and on June 28th, Congress passed an act making the first Monday in September of each year a legal holiday in the District of Columbia and the territories. For more information about the history and origin of Labor Day and current information on workers’ rights and safety, visit the United States Department of Labor website.  As we relax, barbeque, and celebrate this Labor Day holiday, please remember the history of the American worker and the struggles they endured and survived.   Happy Labor Day!

New on the Shelves

Adult Fiction:

A Mutiny in Time – James Dashner

Happy Ever After – Nora Roberts 

Savor the Moment – Nora Roberts 

Bed of Roses – Nora Roberts 

Return to Willow Lake – Susan Wiggs

A Sunless Sea – Anne Perry

Last to Die – Tess Gerritsen 

Bones are Forever – Kathy Reichs

Adult Christian Fiction:
The Shadow on the Quilt – Stephanie Whitson

Teens:
Rise of the Elgen – Richard Paul Evans 

Every Day – David Levithan

The Iron Legends – Julie Kagawa

Kids:
Olivia and the Fairy Princesses – Ian Falconer
American Girl Series – Caroline 1812

Movies:
Battleship PG-13 

Think Like a Man PG-13 

Pirates: Band of Misfits PG 

Revenge: The First Season PG-13 

The Lucky One PG-13

New Arrivals

Come in and take a look at our most recent additions to our shelves!
 

Adult Christian Fiction

Where Love Grows - Jerry Eicher

Susanna’s Christmas Wish - Jerry Eicher

Westward Hearts - Melody Carlson

The Breakthrough - Jerry Jenkins

A Plain and Simple Heart - Lori Copeland

A Hidden Truth - Judith Miller

Adult Fiction

Wards of Faerie - Terry Brooks

By Starlight - Dorothy Garlock

The Dog Stars - Peter Heller

Where Did You Go, Bernadette - Maria Semple

The Deep Zone - James Tabor

Black List - Brad Thor

Adult Non-Fiction

Solo: A Memoir of Hope - Hope Solo

The Secret Life of Objects - Dawn Raffel

Nursing School Flashcards                           

Nursing School Practice Tests

Adult Paranormal

The Lady is a Vamp - Lynsay Sands

Blood Bath and Beyond - Michelle Rowen

Teen Fiction

An Illustrated Guide Leviathan Series - Scott Westerfeld

The Kill Order - James Dashner

Children's Fiction (K-2)

Creepy Carrots - Aaron Reynolds

Penny and Her Doll - Kevin Henkes

History of Money

Money! Decisions about money are all around - how to get it, keep it, spend it, or save it. The United States Department of Treasury’s Bureau of Engraving and Printing Office provides a unique perspective on the history of U.S. money. The U.S. Treasury began processing and issuing paper currency as early as 1861. Before currency was processed by machine, workers signed and trimmed sheets of Demand Notes by hand in the Treasury Building. On August 29, 1862, a new engraving and printing workshop began processing the notes and it became the basis for the current Bureau of Engraving and Printing. It eventually produced currency, revenue stamps, government obligations (like U.S. savings bonds), and other security documents. In 1877, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing became the sole producer of all U.S. currency. Postage stamp production was added in 1894 and established the Bureau as the nation’s security printer.

Today, the Bureau is the largest producer of U.S. Government security documents, with production facilities in Washington, DC and in Ft. Worth, Texas. The history of currency can be fascinating and somewhat confusing. For example, there were more than five types of currency one person could have in their wallet before the late 20th century. A person could have denominations ranging from three cents up to $10,000! Imagine trying to break that bill at the grocery store. In addition to the history of the Bureau and currency, there is historical legislation about counterfeiting, defacement, and other laws relating to money and definitions of money as we know it today. The next time you get money from your wallet, remember that you’re handling a piece of history!