Ever wonder if Santa Claus has an alter ego?  I never did---liked him just as he appeared in “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”  Santa Claus was the kindly giver of toys each Christmas and an early guiding light into “grown up” belief as each new birthday added different possibilities of doubt about the unseen.  Occasionally an adult with a wicked gleam in his eye would remind us of the switches Santa supposedly carried to punish bad children, but I never placed much stock in that…until recently.  In looking for a new Christmas novel to read, I stumbled upon Krampus: the Yule Lord  by Brom.  The origins of the being known as Krampus are somewhat hazy.  He seems to have been a primal figure in European folklore, originally representing nature and fertility, possibly akin to the Norse god Loki. Having horns, he was transformed by the coming of Christianity into a figure of fear and evil.   Gradually, he became associated with St. Nicholas and evolved into Santa’s terrifying assistant of punishment, dispensing coals and switches.  Brom takes this figure of old European mystery and Norse mythology, transplants him to hills of modern West Virginia amid poverty, criminal bosses and lost dreams to weave a wild tale of furious redemption and renewed hope. 

Want to know when Richland Library is closed? Here's a list of 2013 closings. Check individual locations pages for regular business hours, as well as maps, and location specific events.

The calendar may say that the holidays are almost here, but the thermostat tells a different story.  How do you get in the holiday spirit when the weather refuses to cooperate?  Good books will always do the trick.  Whether it’s Peter’s snowball that melts in his pocket or Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods, these great stories will bring winter to your home.  So, grab a quilt, some hot chocolate and snuggle up.  The weather outside may be frightful, but these books are so delightful.  Happy Holidays and as always, Happy Reading!

Are you looking for an entertaining event to usher in the Holiday Season?  Well, look no further because Charles Dickens': A Christmas Carol is coming to your library!

Join Richland Library as our Literary Resident, Howard Burnham performs his solo Dickens': A Christmas Carol.

Why books? Long after the wrapping paper, ribbon and boxes are gone, books will be pulled out again and again. These stories will help us go to sleep, calm our fears and make us dream. The characters found in the books we share become part of our family and their stories become part of our own. Best of all, these books work their magic, bringing us always closer together.