We get lots of interesting questions at the library. We almost never KNOW the answer, but we usually know where to FIND the answer. If you have lost Aunt Tillie’s phone number in Timbuktu, we can find it if she has a listed number. If you want to know how tall the Taj Mahal is, we can find out. If you want to know how to spell octogenarian, we’ll look it up. But, alas, once in a while we are stumped. This week a young man of rather short stature came in to find a book about “how to talk to girls.” We sent him to his elementary school library. However, after doing a small amount of research, we discovered that a young man from Castle Rock, Colorado has just written a book with that very title: How to Talk to Girls. It was written when the author was eight years old. So, young fellow from Humboldt, we ordered the book. Check back with us in a couple of weeks. I hope she will wait that long.

There are particular areas where we tread very lightly when answering questions. Medical and legal questions are especially tricky for librarians. We aren’t trained in either field. We do have access to books and websites where you might be able to find your own answers. Another field that gives us problems is income taxes. Libraries have long provided space for stacks of tax forms, but that’s it. The IRS doesn’t give us a class in how to know one form from the other. Truly, you don’t want to take tax advice from us. None of us does her own taxes.

If, however, you know the name or number of the form you need, we know the secret website for access to all IRS tax forms (www.irs.gov). Links to that website and to the Iowa Department of Revenue are on the library’s website: www.humboldtpubliclibrary.com. Another great source for tax advice is our resident expert, Jim the Tax Guy. Jim comes to our library every Wednesday during tax season (January 28-April 15, this year) to complete tax returns and file them immediately online. Can you believe he does this voluntarily? All you need to do is call us at the library for an appointment. No charge, no income or age restrictions. Believe me; he knows more about tax law than the average librarian.

We have just launched a winter reading program: Pop Open a Good Book. It runs through February 28. The program is for readers of all ages; however the rules vary slightly for children and adults. Check with a librarian for specifics. By filling out an entry form you will have an opportunity to win great prizes including movie tickets. Stop in!

Our newest Humboldt Reads! is ready for checkout. This time we are reading The Rope Walk by Carrie Brown. This is the book chosen by the Iowa Center for the Book as the All Iowa Reads title for 2009. We usually eschew All Iowa Reads selections. They often seem a little too high-brow and unreadable for normal folk, but this one promises to be more on my level. It’s my favorite type novel, a coming-of-age story; there’s my favorite word again –bildungsroman. It is available in paperback, large print, audio on cd and in downloadable format. We will meet to discuss the book on February 26, at 5:30 at Vinny’s. Try it; I hope we like it!