Blog: Nonfiction

Kwanzaa and the Meaning of Unity

Satisfy your thirst for cultural exploration by learning about Kwanzaa. Explore its creation, learn about the seven principles of Kwanzaa, and digest new foods on your way to expanding your knowledge.

Jive Turkeys Everywhere: Best Books on Life in the 1970s

The 1970s was a strange decade bridging the hippie/New Frontier of 1960s to the Shoulder-padded/New Wave excess of the 1980s. Start the disco ball spinning, here are some super fun books on what it was like during that funky time.

Best Travel Guides for Great Road Trips

Fall is a wonderful time to hit the road and see what's around us. Here are some great guides to plan anything from an afternoon drive to a long vacation on wheels.

5 Titles to Start Your Environmental Feminist Journey

Local environmental activist, Angie Fitzpatrick, kicks off our discussion of Feminism and the Environment that will continue at the Sylvania Branch on (Tu) August 20 at 6 p.m. Local sustainability advocates will lead a discussion on their journeys to sustainability and what women in Lucas County can do to help.

Be Transported by the Top 20 Titles for World UFO Day

June 24th AND July 2nd are both referred to as World UFO Day (it's complicated). Whichever one you celebrate, shine up your tin foil hat and Mork up your Nanoo, we have a lot of great books and documentaries on extraterrestrials and unidentified objects to share the wonder.

Commemorating Juneteenth

Juneteenth celebrates the official date, June 19th 1865, when all slaves in Confederate states were officially freed. It has become America's second Independence Day holdiay, and we've gathered some great books to learn about this important day.

D-Day for Young Readers

The 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings is June 6th. Here are 10 books for curious minds to learn more about it and the war in general.

100 Years of Summer: 1945-1964

It's the 100th year of Summer Read! Here are books popular from 1945-1964. You're sure to recognize some of these classics!

15 Books for New Dog Owners

To all the dog parents out there, here are some recommendations for you and your kiddos on raising your newest addition to the family!

10 Incredible Real Life Mysteries

May is National Mystery Month! Learn about incredible heists, mysterious places, disappearances, and unexpected discoveries with these books.

Who Ya Gonna Call? TLCPL!

In case you're in for spooks, specters, or ghosts-- TLCPL has you covered! Check out our inventory of all things Ghostbusters!

10 Vocabulary Building Books for Rising Readers

One of the many ways we can improve reading comprehension is to strengthen children’s vocabulary and background knowledge. Try these tips from the Library's Ready to Read team to raise a confident reader.

9 Television Stars Who Left Us in 2023

Television personalities face the threat of cancellation but also enjoy the possibility of immortality through reruns and binge-watching. In that sense, these nine figures will always be with us.

Brewing Knowledge: 10 Must-Read Books About Kombucha

Dive into the world of kombucha with books that offer a blend of beginner-friendly insights and expert techniques. Uncover the secrets to mastering the art of fermentation and crafting your perfect batch of probiotic goodness.

20 Hockey Books for Kids

It's Hockey Night in Toledo as we welcome the Walleye back to the ice. Before enjoying a little family fun at the Huntington Center, be sure to share a few great hockey books with the young skaters and readers in your life.

5 Books to Help You Knit Socks – The Possibly (Im)perfect Last Minute Holiday Gift

Early Christmas morning / Sneaky as can be / I creep across the carpet / And I peek under the tree / Pick out a gift from Mom to me / And bring it to my ear / Give it a little shimmy shake and what do I hear? / Socks / This is the worst gift I ever got / It doesn't beep or buzz or bop or rattle in the box / Hey, why'd you waste the paper on a lousy pair of socks? - J.D. McPherson, 'Socks'

The First: Remembering Sandra Day O’Connor with 5 Books

"Sandra Day O'Connor blazed an historic trail as our nation's first female justice," Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement. "She met that challenge with undaunted determination, indisputable ability, and engaging candor."

15 Titles to Combat Violence Against Women

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women was November 25. These titles lean on personal experience, statistics, and work being done by women worldwide to end this crisis.

World Nursery Rhyme Week

Help children learn to read by celebrating World Nursery Rhyme week singing or rhyming your favorite rhymes!

LGBTQIA+ Nonfiction for Beginners

Talking about feelings is hard. Talking about feelings when you don't have the right vocabulary to describe them is even harder. And it's hardest when you don't know if those feelings are okay to have. (Hint: They are).

Sinéad O’Connor (1966-2023)

The Irish musician Sinéad O'Connor had one massive hit and a lifetime of influence. Regrettably for those of us who were fans, July 26 was the last day of our acquaintance.

15 Tony Award Winners

This Sunday night is the 76th Tony Awards, the biggest night in American theater. Or at least the biggest night in a certain fourteen-square-block section of American theater.

Leaving Funky Town: So Long, Winkerbean

The newspaper comic strip Funky Winkerbean has been telling stories about its Ohio-based characters day by day for fifty years. But at the end of this month, that all changes.

8 Books to Help You Make Comics

Your one-stop-shop to get you started making your first comic or graphic novel. Writing, storyboarding, drawing, and publishing!

9 Books to Read If You Like Better Call Saul

The Breaking Bad saga is wrapping up with the final season of Better Call Saul. If you're looking to recapture the edge of your seat twists and turns that show provides, these are the books for you.

5 Books with Terrible Hotels

Have you ever listened to friends complaining about a disappointing hotel or a vacation spot? Well, the people in these books have entered the chat.

Rethinking World War II 80 Years On

Two University of Toledo professors choose their top book picks for look at how WWII and the events of 1941 are remembered 80 years later. Here are their top book picks.

Inspiring Prison Memoirs

Out of the stark and brutal conditions of prison, come inspiring stories of faith, redemption and hope. Get a glimpse of this world from authors who have lived it.

Humor and Laughter

Humor is something I have shared with family and laughter is a strong glue that binds us. Laughter can help us cope with pain and recover more quickly from hardship.

Children’s Library & Teen Recommends – Summer 2021

Youth Services Librarians love to read, too! Check out what your favorite Children’s and Teen Librarians at Main Library are reading, whether it be a picture book about penguins, a middle grade adventure in a treehouse, vampires in Louisiana, or a time-traveling phone booth!

Discover Dolly!

Here is a selection of available materials at TLCPL of all things Dolly!

End of Life Memoirs

Authors who write about the last months of their lives offer perspective and inspiration.

True Stories of Dreamers

Our vast resources include true stories of immigrants past and present and vital information and resources that Dreamers and new immigrants may need.

Red or White?

Unfortunately, this blog is not about Italian Chianti or Chardonnay. It is about Mother's Day.

Rural Relocation

City dwellers find themselves relocated to new zip codes involving barns, chickens and dirt roads.

Grow Your Own Food at Home

Creating a kitchen garden is not only a fun hobby, but can provide your home with fresh produce all year long.

Ohioana Book Festival Books for Adults

Since its start in 2007, The Ohioana Book Festival provides readers opportunities to connect with Ohio writers. Check out this list of adult titles from the 2021 festival!

A Plethora of Poetry Books to Celebrate National Poetry Month

National Poetry Month is the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K-12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, bloggers, and, of course, poets marking poetry’s important place in our culture and our lives every April.

March is Disability Awareness Month

March is a month of many observances.  Though maybe not as well known as Women’s History Month, St. Patrick’s Day or the beginning of spring, Disability Awareness Month is certainly as important.

Books for Bibliophiles

If you've somehow run out of books or recommendations, first of all, I commend you. Second, these titles should help you stock back up.

UFO’s: Out of this World

UFO’s are getting a lot of attention recently. Although I have never seen a UFO, I often look up at the sky hoping one is there! Check out these books, documentaries, and feature movies to open your mind to the world of ufology.

Motivation for Runners

Whether you’re a newbie runner, training for a 5K or going the distance, we’ve got you covered with helpful resources in multiple formats. Runners, take your marks!

Celebrate Toni Morrison Day!

On December 21, 2020, Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 325 declaring Toni Morrison’s birthday, February 18, Toni Morrison Day in Ohio.

A Happiness Reading List

Here are a few books that may help you keep a lookout for the small moments, practices, and words in life to lift spirits and find the wonder in the world around us.

Homeschooling Resources for Grades PreK-12

Below are just some of the materials that may be helpful to teaching children at home. Whether you’re new or experienced, there are resources available to help you. The Independent Learner’s Guide to Successful

1920s America: A Decade of Great Change

In the Fact and Fiction department at the Main Library we field a variety of questions. Every day brings new inquiries from people doing research and/or folks simply trying to gain a better understanding

New Year’s Intention: Get Organized

Want to leave 2020 in the dust? Set an intention this new year to declutter! A home or workspace in disarray can cause added stress and anxiety that chips away at our mental health.