Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

BY JOHN MARUSKIN

Clark County Public Library

At 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, join reference librarian Brad Allard for Split the Room, the surreal game of what-ifs from Jackbox Games.

You will be given a scenario with a blank spot in it. Your job will be to fill in the blank to complete the scenario. However, you want to try to divide everyone else’s opinions about the words you choose. You cannot make the scenario too appealing or too repulsive, but the more contentius your what-if scenario reads, the better.

Here is an example: “Ads before online videos have been banished. Instead, they are replaced by 15-second videos of ___. They are not skippable. Is life better?”

What would your answer be? Sports bloopers? Clothes drying? Old men tap dancing? The possibilities are endless. (Peyton Manning tap dancing till his shirt is dry?)

Players with the most divisive scenarios in each round will win a gift card to Starbucks. Register to receive a Zoom invitation to play by going to Clark County Public Library’s Facebook page, www.facebook.com/clarkbooks, click on the “Events” link and then open “Game Night-Split the Room.”

If you have questions about playing Split the Room, email brad.clarkbooks@gmail.com.

At 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26, James Gardner, also known as The Scary Librarian, leads a discussion of horror novel “It Will Just be Us” by Jo Kaplan.

This month, Books from Beyond takes you to Wakefield Manor, which is no place to raise kids. Sam Wakefield, having grown up in the house and seen its apparitions wandering the halls, knows this more than most. But when her pregnant sister Elizabeth comes to stay after leaving her husband, Sam begins to see a faceless boy with a penchant for cruelty. He’s connected to a room in the house that has never been opened, but Sam might have to open that door if she is to save herself and her family.  (But, to quote Jeeves, “I would not advise it.)

E-Book and Audiobook copies of “It Will Just be Us” are available through Hoopla in CCPL’s online Library. Go to the Library’s homepage, click on the “Online Library” tab, select Hoopla from the dropdown menu, search for the book, click borrow. If you need help with Hoopla, contact the reference desk 859-744-5661, ext. 2.

If you’d like information about Books from Beyond or you want to get an invitation to the Zoom meeting, contact Gardner at james.clarkbooks@gmail.com.

Meeting of Minds, the Library’s discussion also meets on Zoom at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 26. There’s no topic set for discussion this month.

The conversations at Meeting of Minds are always enjoyable. There’s no agenda, we don’t argue, it’s not a debate. Meeting of Minds provides a friendly, open forum in which people can share ideas about any topic and get different perspectives. All viewpoints are welcome.    

If you’ve got a topic you’d like to talk about, email me at john.clarkbooks@gmail.com. I will pass your suggestion on to the rest of group and send you a Zoom invitation to the meeting.

The Clark County Health Department is looking forward to moving to Phase 1B COVID-19 vaccinations, soon. This phase includes persons 70 years and older. The health department currently has a waiting list for phase 1B. If you are 70 years of age or older, you can get on that waiting list by calling 859-744-4482 or by emailing ClarkhdDOC@ky.gov.

Now’s the time to be extra cautious and responsible about taking the proper steps to defeat this pandemic. Wear your mask, avoid large gatherings, social distance and wash your hands. Those simple steps and vaccinations can help us have a glorious spring.

John Maruskin is director of adult services at the Clark County Public Library. He can be reached at john.clarkbooks@gmail.com.