I've Got What?

Have you ever gotten a diagnoses from your doctor that was filled with words you're lucky to spell let alone pronounce? What about that funny looking growth on your hand? Wonder what it might be? I don't know about you but at my last doctor visit I spent more time in the waiting room then I did in the treatment room. I know doctors are over booked and the personal time spent with patients can sometimes be too short. Often times I walk out of the doctor's office with more questions then before I went in. Why is it you can't think of a single question when the doctor or nurse is standing right in front of you?

Perhaps you're a high school student needing to draw and label all the parts of the brain or the digestive system and it's due tomorrow! Maybe you're a psychology student and you need definitions for terms before class. If you can relate to any of these scenarios then I may have just the answer for you.

Armstrong Library has a wonderful resource both in print and online called the Magill's Medical Guide published by Salem Health. The 1,178 entries in this 6 volume encyclopedia set describe major diseases and disorders of the human body, the basics of human anatomy and physiology, and common surgical and nonsurgical procedures. The articles are written by nearly 400 authors from the fields of life science and medicine.  There are over 400 illustrations and photographs providing visual context for entries about diseases, research, surgery, and human anatomy. For each disease and disorder one can find an information box listing causes, symptoms, duration, and treatments, acting as a quick reference tool for the reader.

Virtually all of the content in the Magill's guide is available online through your Library website.  The electronic resource includes extremely flexible search and browsing capabilities. Students and patrons can save articles and searches to personalized logon areas for later retrieval. It even provides citation information for every article written.

Now, if you're like me and tend to think you have every symptom in the book, I suggest you use this resource after your visit to the doctor. I have found it to be a great tool for gaining more insight and understanding of my medical problem, and it also helps me come up with good questions to ask my doctor at my next visit about treatment or prevention.

BUT, and I say it in caps because this is an Important Notice. The materials presented  in the Magill's Guide is intended for broad informational and educational purposes only! These resources are not meant for self diagnosis, if you have a medical problem get to your doctor.

Magill's Guide reminds its readers that they are not to be considered definitive on the covered topics, and readers need to be reminded that the health care field is characterized by a diversity of medical opinions and constant expansion in knowledge and understanding. In other words, talk to your medical professional first, then use Magill's as a tool for better understanding or to get that homework assignment finished.

To access Magill's Medical Guide, go to our website. On the orange bar to the left, click on Resources, and then select Online Research. Scroll down to the orange button that says Magill's Medical Guide. That will take you to Salem Health, where you can select Magill's Medical Guide.

New Books for April:

FICTION

Daddy's Gone A Hunting by Mary Higgins Clark. Two sisters are threatened by a dark secret from their family's past.






Don't Go by Lisa Scottoline.  An army doctor returns from Afghanistan when his wife dies in what at first appears to be an accident and finds that his life is falling apart.

Unintended Consequences by Stuart Woods. The New York lawyer Stone Barrington discovers a shadowy network beneath the world of European wealth.

The Burgess Boys by Elizabeth Strout. Two brothers, both lawyers, come together in a small Maine town to defend their good for nothing nephew.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. A woman disappears on her fifth anniversary; is her husband a killer?

Six Years by Harlan Coben. Jake Fisher discovers that neither the woman he loved nor their life together were what they seemed.

Starting Now by Debbie Macomber.  A Seattle lawyer loses her job and remakes her life; she finds support at the local knitting store.  A Blossom Street novel.

The Interesting by Meg Wolitzer. Six friends meet in the 1970s at a summer arts camp and pursue success, and one another, over succeeding decades.

Tapestry of Fortunes by Elizabeth Berg. A woman and her three housemates in St Paul embark on a road trip to reconnect with people who have left their lives.

Midnight at Marble Arch by Anne Perry. The Victorian sleuths Charlotte and Thomas Pitt investigate a horrific rape and apparent suicide.

NONFICTION

Gulp by Mary Roach. A science writer's pilgrimage down the digestive tract.







Mom & Me & Mom by Maya Angelou. The developing reconciliation between the poet and her mother, who sent her to live with her grandmother at age 3.

Carrie and Me by Carol Burnett. The comedian recalls her oldest daughter, who died in 2002.

Clean by David Sheff. A review of research on addiction from psychology, neuroscience, and medicine.

TEENS

The Lightning Dreamer by Margarita Engle. Tula is a girl who yearns for words, who falls in love with stories, but in Cuba girls are not allowed an education. No, Tula is expected to marry well - even though she's filled with guilt at the thought of the slaves Mama will buy with money gained by marrying Tula to the highest bidder. Then one day, hidden in a dusty corner of a convent library, Tula discovers the banned books of a rebel poet. The poems speak to the deepest part of her soul, giving her a language with which to write of the injustice around her.

Period.8 by Chris Crutcher. An hour a day. You can hang out. You can eat your lunch. You can talk. Or listen. Or neither. Or both. Nothing is off limits. The only rule is that you keep it real; that you tell the truth. Heller High senior Paul Baum - aka Paulie Bomb - tells the truth. Not the "Wow, that's an ugly sweater" variety of truth, but the other kind.

The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington. Jade loves the house she's just moved into with her family. She doesn't even mind being the new girl at the high school. It's a fresh start, and there's that one guy with the dreamy blue eyes. But then things begin happening. Strange otherworldly things.

Shadows by Ilsa J Black. Even before the EMPs brought down the world, Alex was on the run from the demons of her past and the monster living in her head. After the world was gone, she believed Rule could be a sanctuary for her and those she'd come to love. But she was wrong.

CHILDREN

Albert's Bigger than Big Idea by Eleanor May. As the smallest mouse, Albert gets the smallest bag when he collects fruit in the People Kitchen with his sister, Wanda, and Cousin Pete, but he wants to carry more than just a blueberry so he makes a bigger bag. Introduces the concept of comparing sizes.





The Lion Who Had Asthma by Jonathan London. Sean's nebulizer mask and his imagination aid in his recovery following an asthma attack. Includes information on childhood asthma and how to control its symptoms.

In the Garden with Dr Carver by Susan Grigsby. A fictionalized account of how plant scientist George Washington Carver came to an Alabama school and taught the children how to grow plants and reap the rewards of nature's bounty. Includes factual note about George Washington Carver.

Two Shy Pandas by Julia Jarman. Panda and Pandora live next to each other but never speak or play together because they are much too shy.

Happy Holidays!

Spring is here! Or so the calendar says…I think Mother Nature is sleeping in late here in the Natchez area, but nonetheless, this is a time to celebrate life, fertility, abundance, and all things new. Trees are budding, flowers are breaking through the soil, and baby animals are taking their first breaths on this beautiful planet. This is a time of year to rejoice, as we awaken from the Winter.

Have you ever wondered why people choose to read books about holidays around the holiday?? I have. I think that it is just silly! It shouldn't matter if you read a Christmas themed book around the Fourth of July or a Easter book around Thanksgiving. All that matters is that you READ!!

So, to mix things up a little here are a few children's books that I picked out to enjoy around Easter along with your other book selections: Books about books, and books about the library!!

That Book Woman by Heather Henson. A moving tale that honors a special part of American history--the Pack Horse Librarians, who helped untold numbers of children see the stories amid the chicken scratch, and thus made them into lifelong readers.



I Know A Librarian Who Chewed on a Word by Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton. All librarians love books but have you ever met one who just ate them up...literally? Miss Devine does. In this adaption of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," one Dewey Decimal Diva has gone on a most unusual eating binge.

READING Makes You Feel Good by Todd Parr. Reading makes you feel good because...you can imagine you are a scary dinosaur or you can make someone feel better when they are sick and you can do it anywhere! Read this book and feel good!

The Return of the Library Dragon by Carmen Agra Deedy. Miss Lotta Scales, a dragon also known as Miss Lotty the Librarian, wants to retire from taking care of the school's library but will not willingly stand by and see her beloved books replaced by computers.

I hope everyone enjoys the Easter holiday! And remember, no matter what type of book you read this weekend, the most important thing is that you read it!

New Books for March

FICTION

Calculated in Death by J D Robb. Lt Eve Dallas must crunch the numbers as she investigates the death of a successful accountant; by Nora Roberts, writing pseudonymously.

The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult. A New Hampshire baker finds herself in the midst of two Holocaust stories: her grandmother's story of survival, and the confessions of an elderly German man, an SS officer.

Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson. While Alex Cross pursues a Washington serial killer (or killers?), someone is after him.

A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy. This final book by Binchy, who died in 2012, is about guests at an inn by the sea on Ireland's west coast.

Red Velvet Cupcake Murder by Joanne Fluke. Hannah Swensen becomes a suspect when her romantic rival turns up dead; recipes included.

Guilt by Jonathan Kellerman. The Los Angeles psychologist detective Alex Delaware and the detective Milo Sturgis pursue the story of a beautiful nurse.

Touch and Go by Lisa Gardner. An investigator probing the disappearance of a seemingly perfect Boston family must dig beneath the surface.

Bad Blood by Dana Stabenow. Kate Shugak, an Aleut private investigator, must sort out murders motivated by revenge between two Alaska towns.

Private Berlin by James Patterson & Mark Sullivan. A superstar agent at the German headquarters of an investigation firm disappears.

NONFICTION

Coolidge by Amity Shlaes. This biography reclaims the 30th president as a conservative hero.

Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard. The host of The O'Reilly Factor recounts the events surrounding the assassination of  John F Kennedy.

Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard. The host of The O'Reilly Factor recounts the events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

Remembering Whitney by Cissy Houston with Lisa Dickey. The gospel singer discusses her daughter Whitney's life.

TEENS

Confessions of a Murder Suspect by James Patterson & Maxine Paestro. Tandy Angel is, along with her brothers, a suspect in their parents' murder but having grown up under Malcolm and Maud Angel's perfectionist demands, Tandy decides she must clear the family name no matter what.

Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare. When seventeen year old orphaned shapechanger Tessa Gray is kidnapped by the villainous Mortmain in his final bid for power, the London Institute rallies to save her, but is beset by betrayal at every turn.

The White Bicycle by Beverley Brenna. Taylor Jane Simon, an eighteen year old girl with Asperger's Syndrome, travels to France, as she struggles to become independent of her controlling mother and meets a new mentor.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Sanez. Fifteen year old Ari Mendoza is an angry loner with a brother in prison, but when he meets Dante and they become friends, Ari starts to ask questions about himself, his parents, and his family that he has never asked before.

In Darkness by Nick Lake. In the aftermath of the Haitian earthquake, fifteen year old Shorty, a poor gang member from the slums of Site Soleil, is trapped in the rubble of a ruined hospital, and as he grows weaker, he has visions and memories of his life of violence, his lost twin sister, and of Toussaint L'Ouverture, who liberated Haiti from French rule in 1804.

CHILDREN

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds. The carrots that grow in Crackenhopper Field are the fattest and crispiest around, and Jasper Rabbit cannot resist pulling some to eat each time he passes by, until he begins hearing creepy carrots wherever he goes.

Emeraldalicious by Victoria Kann. When Pinkalicious and Peter decide to visit their favorite park, they find that it's no longer their favorite place--the park is now filled with stinky trash!  So, Pinkalicious decides to make an extraspecial wand out of a stick and some flowers.

Skippyjon Jones Cirque de Ole' by Judy Schachner. Skippyjon Jones, the Siamese cat that thinks he is a Chihuahua dog, wants to perform his high wire act in the circus.

Pete the Cat: Pete's Big Lunch by James Dean. Pete the cat shares his big lunch with his friends.

Pete the Cat: Play Ball! by James Dean. Pete the cat is ready to play baseball!  Pete's team, the Rocks, is playing the Rolls.  But when the game doesn't go Pete's way, what will Pete do?

It's Awards Time Again!

Yes, it's that time again! Awards are being aired practically every weekend for the next month. We have The Golden Globes, The Grammys, and The Oscars. Everyone in entertainment is getting ready to be recognized for their great performances in film and music. While all the TV hype has been going on, the lists for award winning young adult literature quietly arrived in my email box. Here are a few titles to tantalize my teen readers.

PRINTZ AWARD

Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. On October 11, 1943, a British spy plane crashes in Nazi occupied France. When "Verity" is arrested by the Gestapo, she's sure she doesn't stand a chance. As a secret agent captured in enemy territory, she's living a spy's worst nightmare. Her Nazi interrogators give her a simple choice: reveal her mission or face a grisly execution. As she intricately weaves her confession, Verity uncovers her past, how she becomes friends with the pilot Maddie, and why she left Maddie in the wrecked fuselage of their plane.

Dodger by Terry Pratchett. Seventeen year old Dodger may be a street urchin, but he makes his living from London's sewers, and he knows a jewel when he sees one. He's not about to let anything happen to the unknown girl, not even if her fate impacts the most powerful people in England. With Dodger's encounter with the mad barber Sweeney Todd to his meetings with the great writer Charles Dickens, history and fantasy intertwine in a breathtaking account of adventure and mystery.

YALSA AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN NONFICTION

Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose (on order). In 1995, he received a black band on his lower right leg and an orange flag on his upper left, bearing the laser inscription B95. Scientists call him the Moonbird because, in the course of his astoundingly long life, this gritty, four ounce marathoner has flown the distance to the moon and half way back. B95 is a robin sized shorebird from the rufa species. Each February, he joins a flock that lifts off from Tierra del Fuego, headed for the breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic, nine thousand miles away. This species of bird has lost nearly 80% of its population because many of its ancient feeding stations along the migration circuit have been destroyed by human activity. Moonbird has been sighted as recently as November 2011, which makes him nearly twenty years old. Shaking their heads, scientists ask themselves: How can this one bird make it year after year when so many others fail?

Bomb: The Race to Build and Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin. A suspenseful combination of science and history, Sheinkin exposes the international race to develop an atomic weapon and bring an end to World War II. This true life spy thriller features an international cast of characters and will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Period photographs of key players and an abundance of primary sources bring this well researched story to life.

These are just a few of the winners and all can either be found on the shelves of the Teen Zone or they are in the process of being purchased. These books and their authors are being recognized for great writing, captivating stories, wonderful characters, and interesting research. Don't be afraid to expand your horizons, you may never know what great things you'll find. Ask the Teen Librarian for a full list of winners and finalists.

New Books for January

FICTION

A Memory of Light by Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson. The 14th and final novel in the Wheel of Time fantasy series.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn.  A woman disappears on her fifth anniversary; is her husband a killer?

The Fifth Assassin by Brad Meltzer.  Tracking an assassin who is recreating the crimes of the four men who murdered presidents, Beecher White discovers that they all were working together.

The Third Bullet by Stephen Hunter. The veteran sniper Bob Lee Swagger investigates the assassination fo John F. Kennedy.

Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker by Jennifer Chiaverini. A novel about Elizabeth Kechkly, who was born a slave, earned her freedom through her dressmaking skill and became a friend to Mary Todd Lincoln; she is a character in the movie : Lincoln.

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie by Ayana Mathis. Fifty-some years in teh life if ab African-American family whose matriarch arrives in Philadelphia in 1923.

Standing in Another Man's Grave by Ian Rankin. After retiring from the Edinburgh police force, John Rebus investigates the case of a young woman who disappeared in 1999.

Kinsey and Me by Sue Grafton. Stories about Grafton's character Kinsey Millhone as well as explorations of Grafton's own past.

The Forgotten by David Baldacci. The military investigator John Puller, the protagonist of "Zero Day," probes his aunt's mysterious death in Florida.

Collateral Damage by Stuart Woods.  Back in New York, the lawyer Stone Barrington joins his former partner Holly Barker in pursuing a dangerous case.

The Round House by Louise Ardrich. A native American family faces the ramifications of a vicious crime.

The Husband List by Janet Evanovich. In New York City in 1894, a wealthy young woman yearns for adventure and the love of an Irish-American with new money, rather than the titled Britons to whom her mother hopes to marry her off.

NONFICTION

Thomas Jefferson by Jon Meacham. The Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer celebrates Jefferson's skills as a practical politician.

No Easy Day by Mark Owen with Kevin Maurer. An account by a former member of the Navy SEALS, written pseudonymously, of the mission that killed bin Laden.

TEENS

Ali's Pretty Little Lies: Pretty Little Secrets by Sara Shepard. In the weeks leading up to Ali's murder, Ali reveals her plots against Emily, Hanna, Aria, and Spencer, as well as a dark secret that has the potential to destroy everything.

Bitter Blood by Rachel Caine. College student Claire Danvers struggles to remain neutral in the growing conflict between the vampiers and humans of Morganville, which is further complicated by the arrival of a ghost-seeking television production crew.

Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor. Seventeen-year-old Karou, a lovely, enigmatic art student in a Prague boarding school, carries a sketchbook of hideous, frightening monsters--the chimaerae who form the only family she has ever know.

Blood Moon by Alyxandra Harvey. When the vampire tribes convene for the rare Blood Moon ceremonies, family secrets and forbidden magic put all of the Drakes in danger, and Nicholas is caught between saving his little sister Solange or his girlfriend Lucy.

CHILDREN

The Best Time to Read by Debbie Bertram. A boy who has just learned to read tries to find someone in his family who will listen to him read aloud.

Pete the Cat Saves Christmas James Dean. When Santa falls ill and Christmas may have to be canceled, Pete the cat comes to the rescue.

Ace Atkins - At home in Mississippi

Fans of the late Robert B Parker have asked me, "Who is this Ace Atkins who's taken over writing the Spencer books?"

Well, as it turns out, Ace Atkins is quite an interesting guy! (His real name is Ace, by the way: William Ace Atkins.)

Currently visiting professor in Journalism at the University of Mississippi, Atkins has an extensive background as a crime writer. He covered the crime beat as staff reporter for the Tampa Tribune from 1996 through 2001. He wrote his first two novels during that period. His first, Crossroad Blues, is about the murder of Robert Johnson in 1938.

His reporting on the unsolved murder of Tampa crime boss Charlie Wall earned him a Pulitzer Prize nomination in 2000. In 2006, Atkins turned the story into the novel White Shadow. Colleen Bancroft, Tampa Bay Times book editor commented, "White Shadow, the best novel set in Tampa I've read."

His next novels, Wicked City, Devil's Garden. and Infamous were all set in personally relevant locations: San Francisco, Alabama (where he was born) and Tampa. A mixture of first-hand interviews, original research into police and court records and tightly woven plots, they reflect Atkins' interest in true crime stories. In Devil's Garden, Atkins explores the early life of one of his heroes, Dashiell Hammett, the originator of the hard-boiled crime novel.

Recently Atkins began a series featuring Quinn Colson, a veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan who returns home to north Mississippi. In 2011 the estate of Robert B Parker tapped him to continue the Spenser novels. When he was offered the previous books for reference, he answered that wouldn't be necessary - he already owned all of them! Robert B Parker was one of his literary heroes. Release of the two series is being coordinated so that the Spenser books will appear in the spring and the Colson books in the summer.

When asked why he moved to Mississippi, Atkins said, "Because most of my books are set in Mississippi, because the looks of the land and the people are different from the rest of the country, and because Mississippi is a very culturally rich state." He lives on a historic farm outside Oxford with his family.

Lovers of Parker's books I have spoken to have received Ace Atkins as a worthy successor, and that is really saying something! The next Spenser novel, Wonderland, will be out in May.

Find out more about him at his website.

Favorite Reads 2012: The Greater Journey

I love to read nonfiction, especially history and biography. Obviously, David McCullough is one of my favorite authors. His books are so well written that you might think they were fiction. They definitely are not, as they are meticulously researched.

His latest, The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris, is a bit different from his earlier books. It's not about one person or event, and it doesn't take place in the United States. It's about the hundreds of Americans who went to Paris between 1830 and 1900 - not to visit or live - but to study. These were American artists, doctors, writers, scientists, and others who were adventurous enough to cross the Atlantic Ocean (which in those days was a dangerous and long trip) just to learn. They went on to have a tremendous effect on American culture and history.

What we as Americans may not realize is that during these years there was no place in America to learn these skills. Since they had to leave home, they decided to go to the best place to learn - Paris, France. Paris was the intellectual and cultural center of the world at that time. The book ends in 1900, because by then, it was no longer necessary to leave the US to study, mainly because of these intrepid adventurers who brought their knowledge home.

I was amazed at how many well known American artists, physicians, writers, and others made the "greater journey" to Paris. Elizabeth Blackwell, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Mark Twain, Samuel Morse, James Fenimore Cooper, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Charles Sumner, John Singer Sargent, and Mary Cassatt are just a few.

Through the eyes of this author you will come to love Paris and vividly see the impact of this city upon these American students. You will also come to realize the tremendous effect these travelers had on our country. It also has many magnificent color pictures. This is an inspiring, enlightening, and entertaining book that I can highly recommend.

Favorite Reads 2012: Have You Met Pete the Cat?

Have you read to your child today? Have you been upstairs in our Children's Department lately? If not then I must introduce you to one of my new favorite characters, Pete the Cat!

Pete is a cool, laid back, blue cat who never sweats the small stuff. He never gets flustered when he runs into a problem, and he always manages to find a way to make lemonade out of lemons. He teaches young kids ages 4 and up to be resilient and to bounce with the bumps in life.

My first introduction to this "cool cat" was the book Pete the Cat: I Love my White Shoes written by Eric Litwin and illustrated by James Dean.  The book begins with Pete singing about how much he loves his new white shoes. On each new page he steps into colorful piles of strawberries, blueberries, mud; each time changing his shoes to a new color. Does he whine? Does he complain? Heck No! He just sings a new song about red shoes, blue shoes, and brown shoes and so on.

Frankly, things don't get much better than a happy song about each and every bad luck event, each of which can be turned into something positive. This is a book any child would love, as well as would the adult in his or her life.

The Library has been building up our collection of Pete the Cat books so come in and introduce yourselves to Pete. You can also find Pete at his web page. Here you will be introduced to the author and illustrator who also have very interesting background stories themselves.

Favorite Reads 2012: Loves Carolyn Haines

A native of Mississippi, Carolyn Haines is the author of over fifty books in multiple genres. She was named the 2010 recipient of the Harper Lee Award and is the recipient of the 2009 Richard Wright Award for Literary Excellence.

Bonefire of the Vanities is my 12th book in the Carolyn Haines Bones series. Why do I continue reading every one of these books? Well...when they are so well written and more than interesting...how could I not continue reading them. This latest in the Sarah Booth Delaney Mysteries was no exception.

Sarah Booth Delaney and her BFF Tinkey (and partner PI) have been requested by Madam Tomeeka aka Tammy to guard Marjorie Littlefield from harm. It appears Marjorie is staying with the Westins, Brandy & Sherry, at an estate, Heart's Desire. Heart's Desire has a long history and most of it is quite dark and only getting darker. Sarah Booth and Tinkin set out under the guise of being maids for Marjorie.  How long being a maid will last with Tinkie...your guess is as good as mine!

Despite the wishes of her overprotective fiance, Sarah Booth Delaney can't give up her detective work, no matter how dangerous it becomes. It's too much a part of her. On this case, avoiding danger might be impossible--she's on the trail of a porn-star-turned-psychic operating from a haunted estate on the edge on town. Medium Sherry Cameron promises to reunite grieving family members with their dearly departed, but it seems vaguely suspicious that Sherry will only accept emotionally vulnerable and tremendously wealthy clients.  Aging billionaire Marjorie Littlefield fits the profile perfectly--her daughter died in a tragic accident as a young girl, she's been estranged from her son for decades, and she's planning to leave her considerable inheritance to her cat.

Convinced she's uncovered a scheme to separate a lonely woman from her fortune, Sarah Booth talks her way onto the estate as a maid, where she finds Marjorie and several other wealthy eccentrics ready to commune with the dead. Between chores, Sarah Booth explores the estate, mingles with the other staff...and finds a few dead bodies. But which guest or staff member might be the killer? Even Jitty, Sarah Booth's personal haunt, won't tell until Sarah Booth has uncovered all of Sherry's well-kept secrets.

With spooks and charlatans around every corner, Sarah Booth is the only PI in the southlands who can put an end to this elaborate scam in Bonefire of the Vanities, the charming twelfth entry in Carolyn Haines's sparkling series.

I love going back to Dahlia House and going on another journey with Sarah Booth and Tinkie.  Love this series and appreciate the author taking the time to write such an interesting story with substance rather than churning out one shallow book after another in short order.  Well worth the wait.

Favorite Reads 2012: A Fascinating Historical "What If"

One of my favorite reads of 2012 was a novel based on a fictionalized John F Kennedy being sent on a secret spy mission by FDR, just as Hitler's forces were spreading over the map of Europe like a dark, spilled potion.

Jack 1939 by Francine Mathews hooked me right from the beginning. I was immediately intrigued by the notion of Harvard senior JFK setting off on a "research" trip around Europe. That alone would have been fascinating; and, indeed, he did actually travel to all the places described in the novel at those times. But even more fascinating was the idea of FDR summoning the young, sickly student to his private train coach deep beneath the Waldorf Astoria Hotel and confiding to him that he could not trust anyone around him, particularly FBI Director J Edgar Hoover. Now, the United States had no real secret service in 1939. "Spies" were often diplomats and trusted citizens living abroad. It's hard to imagine such a situation living in today's high tech surveillance world.

FDR had decided to use JFK's tour of Europe, gathering historical information for his senior thesis, as a convenient cover to gather intelligence on Hitler's plan to buy off American presidential candidates in order to unseat FDR, insuring America's neutrality. He mentions suitcases full of cash coming into the country. The fact that young Jack was considered a wild, undisciplined, and completely inexperienced "weak link" in the Kennedy clan does not seem to concern FDR at all. His confidence convinces Jack to give it a try. There is no way for him to anticipate the perilous situations in which he will find himself traveling through European countries in the throes of being marched upon by the Nazis. He encounters helpers along the way and even has to learn to send and receive messages in code.

I got a whole new perspective on JFK from this book. Even though it is fiction, it is clear that the author did quite a bit of research on him and his family. I knew that he had been ill much of his life, but had no idea how baffled doctors were as to what repeatedly nearly killed him. He was eventually diagnosed with a hormonal deficiency, but the treatment in 1939 was almost as horrific as the attacks he suffered. I knew that he had lived in the shadow of his brother Joe, who was the heir apparent to the Kennedy fortune and who carried the hopes of patriarch Joseph P Kennedy for ultimate political power, but did not fully realize that Jack was considered almost a throwaway by his father. But in the world of fiction, what Jack uncovers during his harrowing trip will change that dynamic forever.

Of course, there are vivid descriptions of other members of the Kennedy clan. The relationships among the older siblings, and the very young Teddy, belonging to another generation, almost. There is romance, of course: the mysterious Diana whose allegiances are never quite certain. And murder: many of them! Carried out by a Nazi assassin whose mark is a spider carved into the victim.

Hooked yet? This genre is not one I usually am drawn to; the subject of JFK is what attracted me. It sparks a lot of speculation about what historical secrets may still be out there, and how some things in the power struggle of politics never change.

Jack 1939 may be found in the "new" section at the library.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all our wonderful patrons!

New Books for November

FICTION

The Racketeer by John Grisham.  Malcolm Bannister, an imprisoned ex-lawyer, knows who murdered a federal judge.  And he concocts a scheme to exchange this information for his freedom.

The Panther by Nelson DeMille.  The antiterrorist task force agent John Corey and his wife, an FBI agent, pursue a high ranking Qaeda operative.

The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling.  The sudden death of a parish councilman reveals bitter social divisions in a idyllic English town; a novel for adults by the creator of Harry Potter.

Back to Blood by Tom Wolfe.  A Cuban American cop is a hero turned pariah in Miami, where ethnic and class tensions threaten to explode.

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury.  The destruction of a beloved bookstore offers the shop's supporters second chances on love and leases.

The Bone Bed by Patricia Cornwell.  A paleontologist's disappearance in Canada turns out to be connected to crimes much closer to home for the chief medical examiner Kay Scarpetta; the 20th Scarpetta book.

Angels at the Table by Debbie Macomber.  Angels cook up a plan to reunite a young couple.

Winter of the world by Ken Follett.  Members of five interrelated families from five countries grapple with the historical events of the years 1939-49.

The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton.  A British actress searches for secrets in her 90 year old mother's past.

The Uncommon Appeal of Clouds by Alexander McCall Smith. Edinburgh's Isabel Dalhousie attempts to recover a stolen painting.

NONFICTION

American Again by Stephen Colbert, Richard Dahm, Paul Dinello, Barry Julien, Tom Purcell et al. The mock pundit of Comedy Central's Colbert Report tells how to bring America back from the brink.

Killing Kennedy by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. The host of  The O'Reilly Factor recounts the events surrounding the assassination of John F Kennedy.

Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. The host of The O'Reilly Factor recounts the events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

TEENS

Beautiful Redemption by Kami Garcia. When Ethan wakes after the chilling events of the Eighteenth Moon, his one goal is to return to Lena and his loved ones. Meanwhile back in Gatlin, Lena vows to do  whatever it takes to bring Ethan home--even trusting old enemies and risking the lives of those Ethan left to protect.

Finale by Becca Fitzpatrick. Nora and Patch must hide their relationship in order to end the war between the fallen angels and the Nephilim.

Beastly by Alex Flinn. Presents a modern retelling of Beauty and the Beast from the point of view of the Beast, a vain Manhattan private school student who is turned into a monster and must find true love before he can return to his human form.

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan. The Greek and Roman demigods will have to cooperate in order to defeat the giants released by the Earth Mother, Gaea. Then they will have to sail together to the ancient land--Greece itself--to find the Doors of Death.

CHILDREN

Corduroy Goes to the Library by Don Freeman. Corduroy has so many fun things to do at the library.

Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers by Dav Pilkey. After being sent to jail for the rest of their lives, George and Harold are taken on a trip back in time by Tippy Tinkletrousers back to their Kindergarten days where they must deal with their bully without the help of Captain Underpants.

D W, Go to Your Room!, by Marc Brown. When D W is sent to her room as punishment for making baby Kate cry, it is Kate who finally makes her feel better.

Dork Diaries 5:  Tales from a Not-So-Smart Miss Know-It-All by Rachel Renee Russell. When Miss Know-It-All's inbox overflows with pleas for guidance, Nikki Maxwell, the school newspaper advice columnist, turns to her best friends for help. 


 

 

What's the Scariest Book You've Ever Read?

In honor of Halloween, I thought it would be fun to ask this question, and I hope you'll respond. I'll get the ball rolling by answering it myself.

Sometime in the 1980's, I was in a hotel room alone in Columbus OH. I always read when I go to bed, and on this occasion, I was reading Rosemary's Baby. Do you remember this book? It was one of the first modern horror novels to become a national bestseller. It was extremely well written and was having its intended effect on me.

As I lay there reading, I noticed that the picture on the wall in front of me was swaying, but I thought I was tired and my eyesight was just blurry. Then I noticed that the armoire next to my bed was shaking. Now I was starting to get a little worried. Next, my bed started shaking. Pretty soon, everything in the room was shaking vigorously. Now I'm not only worried but scared to death.

I had been in a couple of minor earthquakes, and I decided that must be what was happening. So I got up and opened the door. If this was an earthquake, there would be people in the hallways, talking and escaping. However, my hallway was totally empty and quiet. Total fear now!

I thought about calling the desk, but I was afraid I was imagining all this and I would sound like a weirdo. In my mind, it was better to die in an earthquake or be possessed by the devil than appear like an idiot. (Vanity can definitely get you in trouble.)

By now, the shaking had stopped. I wanted to go to sleep but I was too petrified. I realized I would not be able to sleep until I had found a satisfactory answer for what had happened. I finally came up with the idea that the room next to mine was a utility room which contained a laundry - and the shaking was caused by a washing machine that was overloaded. After all, hotels have bedspreads and blankets to wash, and they are very heavy. I guess I was really sleepy, because I convinced myself this was true and finally fell asleep.

The next morning I dressed quickly, packed up my stuff, and went downstairs. I wanted to get out of that room as soon as possible! On the way, I noticed a room number on the supposed utility room, but I imagined they didn't want people to know it was a utility room. I went in the restaurant to have breakfast, and I noticed the newspapers people were reading had huge headlines. "Earthquake Hits Columbus!" Such a relief! I was not crazy after all nor had I been possessed by the devil.

Then I heard everyone talking about the earthquake. Apparently, the hotel had been evacuated. Why did I not know about it? Why didn't I see or hear people in the hallway? When checking out, I asked the people behind the desk. They were horrified! Apparently, I was the only person staying on my floor, and they forgot about me! I pretended that I slept through the whole thing - I wasn't about to confess what I had really been doing. (There's that vanity again!)

By the way, I left my copy of Rosemary's Baby in the hotel room and never finished reading the book. I also have never read another horror book - I'm not taking any chances. So it remains the scariest book I've ever read.

Annual Gathering of Friends

Every September, the Friends of the Library gather together to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year and announce the goals for the upcoming year. Usually we meet at the home of a member, but this year we decided to have an Open House at the Library to show it off to the community.

So please join us on Monday, September 17, 5:30 - 7 pm for this special Open House @ your Library, 220 South Commerce Street. Refreshments will be served. It is free and open to the public, although we hope you will become a member of the Friends of the Library. Be sure to bring your children - no one benefits more from a Library than children.

Most people have NO idea of all the services the Library provides. What better way to find out than to visit and see for yourself. Staff will be available to demonstrate all services and answer any questions. Here's a sample of what you may see:

• Of course, we have books! And magazines, newspapers, audio books, DVDs. It's all listed in our online catalog which you can access from anywhere - to search, renew, request materials. And if we don't have what you're looking for, we can probably get it for you.
• You can find out almost anything at your Library. Ask our Reference Librarian and she'll either answer your question or tell you how to find it. Although we have a large assortment of printed reference materials, most resources are online now. Many of these expensive resources are available for free through your Library.
• One of the most valuable resources is Learning Express Library, which has over 770 practice tests and tutorials for ACT/SAT, GRE, certification and licensing exams, and just about anything you need. We also have a special online course to learn a new language.
• We have lots of computers - including 3 that are just for young children, 2 just for teens, and 2 that are designed for reading newspapers online. We have copying and fax machines. We even have a typewriter!
• We have a genealogy and local history section that people from all over the country come to visit, including our microfilm collection and free access to expensive genealogy databases.
• The Children's section is wonderful and includes furniture and other fixtures designed for kids. There's a special section just for the very young child with a much used rocking chair. Of course, we have unbelievable programs for kids.
• Teens have their very own room that just has to be seen. Take a teen in there, and she may never leave!
• We also want to show off all the renovations. Our HVAC renovation is complete, so for the first time in years, we can guarantee it will be comfortable in the Library. You can see the progress of the exterior renovations, which is being funded by contributions from the community.
• Of course, there is much more, but you really have to come and see it for yourself. Even long time library users find stuff they never knew we had.

All you need to access all this is an absolutely free Library Card - and we'll happily give you one at the Open House.

See you @ your Library on Monday, September 17, 5:30 - 7 pm!

New Books for August

FICTION

Odd Apocalypse by Dean Koontz.  Odd Thomas, who can communicate with the dead, explores the mysteries of an old estate now owned by a billionaire.

Where We Belong by Emily Giffin.  A woman's successful life is disrupted by the appearance of an 18-year-old girl with a link to her past.

Friends Forever by Danielle Steel.  Three boys and two girls who meet in kindergarten maintain their bonds as they grow to adulthood.

Black List by Brad Thor.  If the counter terrorism operative Scot Harvath can discover who targeted him for death, he can prevent a terrorist attack.

The Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva.  Gabriel Allon, an art restorer and occasional spy for the Israeli secret service, discovers a global criminal enterprise behind a murder at the Vatican.

I, Michael Bennett by James Patterson.  A New York detective takes refuge with his 10 children in an upstate cabin.

Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness.  An Oxford scholar/witch and a vampire geneticist pursue history, secrets and each other in Elizabethan London.

Broken Harbor by Tana French.  A Dublin murder squad detective's investigation of a crime in a seaside town evokes memories of his hard childhood there.

Creole Belle by James Lee Burke.  The Louisiana detective Dave Robicheaux hunts for a missing Cajun singer.

Haven by Kay Hooper.  The FBI agent Noah Bishop and his special crimes unit help two sisters probe the secrets of a North Carolina town.

Judgement Call by J A Jance.  Joanna Brady, an Arizona sheriff, must function as both a law officer and a mother when her daughter's high school principal is murdered.

NONFICTION

Dearie: The Remarkable Life of Julia Child by Bob Spitz.  Draws on the iconic culinary figure's personal diaries and letters to present a one hundredth birthday commemoration that offers insight into her  role in shaping women's views and influencing American approaches to cooking.

Double Cross: The True Story of the D Day Spies by Ben MacIntyre.  Traces the sophisticated D Day operation through which extraordinary spies deceived the Nazis about the location of the Allied attack, profiling the successful Double Cross System and the remarkable individuals who used the program to save thousands of lives.

War on the Waters: the Union and Confederate Navies, 1861-1865 by James McPherson.  Recounts the naval campaigns of the Civil War, discussing the daring and innovation of the Confederate navy in sinking Union shops, and the Union navy's blockade of the Confederate coast and victories in some of the war's most strategic battles.

TEEN

Fever by Lauren Destefano.  In a future where genetic engineering has cured humanity of all diseases and defects but has also produced a virus that kills all females by age twenty and all males by the age twenty-five, teen aged Rhine escapes her forced marriage and journeys back to New York to find her twin brother.

The Last Guardian by Eoin Colfer.  Teenage genius Artemis Fowl and his arch rival Opal battle to the last in this eighth and final book in series.

Bloodrose: A Nightshade Novel by Andrea Cremer.  Calla Tor, the alpha member of her shape shifting wolf pack, must decide if her illicit love for the human Shay is worth the ultimate sacrifice.

Divergent by Veronica Roth.  In a future Chicago, Beatrice Prior must choose among five predetermined factions to define her identity for the rest of her life, a decision made more difficult when she discovers that she does not fit into any one group.

CHILDREN

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Alvin Gets an A by Kirsten Mayer.  When the chipmunks have to write a school report on what they did on their summer vacation, Alvin is having trouble writing his, until his teacher suggests he present his report differently.

The Duckling Gets a Cookie by Mo Willems.  Pigeon is very angry when the duckling gets a cookie just by asking politely.

Dixie and the School Trip by Grace Gilman.  Sneaking onto the school bus when her human companion Emma embarks on a class trip to a dinosaur museum, Dixie the dog learns all about how real dinosaurs lived before accidentally mistaking dinosaur bones for doggie treats.

Jack and the Giant Barbecue by Eric Kimmel.  When Jack's mother tells him how his father died when a giant stole his barbecue recipes, Jack vows to find the giant and retrieve the book.

Come by your Library and check these out! 

New Books for July

FICTION

Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich. The Salem, Massachusetts pastry chef Lizzy Tucker and her partner, Diesel, take up a murdered Harvard professor's quest for a powerful ancient relic.

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. A woman disappears on the day of her fifth anniversary. Is her husband a killer?

Calico Joe by John Grisham. A pitcher beans a promising rookie, ending both their careers. Years later, the pitcher's son brings them together.

The Mission to Paris by Alan Furst. In Paris in 1938, an actor stumbles into the clutches of Nazi conspirators who want to exploit his celebrity.

The Storm by Clive Cussler and Graham Brown. The 10th NUMA files novel.

The Third Gate by Lincoln Child. Professor Jeremy Logan, an "enigmalogist," is called to Egypt to assist at a pharaoh's newly discovered tomb.

Porch Lights by Dorothea Benton Frank. The widow of a New York City firefighter returns to her Lowcountry South Carolina home.

Stolen Prey by John Sandford. When a Minnesota family is murdered, the Minneapolis investigator Lucas Davenport believes a Mexican drug gang is involved.

11th Hour by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro. Detective Lindsay Boxer and the Women's Murder Club investigate a possible serial killer.

The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter. A scientist invents a device that allows travel to alternate Earths.

A Blaze of Glory by Jeff Shaara. A re-creation of the Battle of Shiloh in 1862.

Bring Up the Bodies by Hilary Mantel. In this sequel to Wolf Hall, Thomas Cromwell conspires against Anne Boleyn.

NONFICTION

I Hate Everyone...Starting with Me by Joan Rivers. The comedian's humorous reflections.

Killing Lincoln by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard. The host of  The O'Reilly Factor recounts the events surrounding the assassination of Abraham Lincoln.

It Worked for Me by Colin Powell with Tony Koltz. Rules for effective leadership from the four star general and former Secretary of State.

TEENS

Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer. Artemis's mother has contracted a deadly disease --and the only cure lies in the brain fluid of African lemurs. Unfortunately, Artemis himself was responsible for making the lemurs extinct five years ago. Now he must enlist the aid of his fairy friends to travel back in time and save them. Not only that, but he must face his deadliest foe yet . . . his younger self.

Artemis Fowl: The Atlantis Complex by Eoin Colfer. Teenaged criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl must save the underwater fairy metropolis of Atlantis from danger, while battling a psychological affliction known as the Atlantis Complex.

Little Blog on the Prairie by Cathleen Devitt Bell. Thirteen year old Genevieve's summer at a frontier family history camp in Laramie, Wyoming with her parents and brother is filled with surprises, which she reports to friends back home on the cell phone she sneaked in, and which they turn into a blog.

CHILDREN

The Science Fair from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler. Mean Mrs Green says that everyone has to invent something for the school science fair. But everyone would rather invent a way to get out of it! Hubie can't decide on what he's going to do. He thinks all the good inventions have been done already. And all of his friends have figured out what they are going to do.  He tries to decide between cloning himself or building a laugh machine. After a bad dream about cloning, he decides to build a laugh machine. After many tries, he makes himself into a human laugh machine and wins a special prize for Silliest Invention.

Fancy Nancy and the Mermaid Ballet by Jane O'Connor. Nancy makes the best of not dancing the lead in her ballet school's Deep-Dances show, but becomes jealous when her best friend gets a better role than hers.

The Mystery on the Underground Railroad by Carole Marsh. Four kids visit the Underground Railroad Museum in Philadelphia and get caught up in a mystery which involves reading a quilt.

The Last Time I Saw Paris

The last time I saw Paris? Well, in my case that was never, but I hope to change that fairly soon. It seems Paris has been on lots of people's minds lately. We've recently discussed The Paris Wife by Paula McClain and watched Midnight in Paris at the Library. It seems just about everyone I know has visited Paris, is there right now, or is going soon.

So when I was planning my Adult Summer Programs, I thought it would be fun and enlightening to invite some Paris travel veterans to share their experiences.

So far, regular patron and intrepid traveler Bill Slatter has agreed. I am planning to enlist the services of others, so if you would like to participate or know someone who might like to, please have them contact me.

We are planning this program for Thursday, July 12 from 3-5 pm. It will be a Paris "show and tell," and participants will be able to share ideas, bargains, and valuable tips.

In the meantime, allow me to recommend some recent Paris reading, all of which are available at the Library.

• The House I Loved by Tatiana de Rosnay (2012)
• Sacre Bleu: a Comedy d'art by Christopher Moore (2012)
• The Dud Avocado by Elaine Dundy (latest edition 2007)
• Mission to Paris by Alan Furst (2012)
• An Unexpected Guest by Anne Korkeakivi (2012)
• Crime Fraiche by Alexander Campion (2011)
• Paris in Love: a memoir by Eloisa James (2012)

I'd love to hear from you if you have stories to share or would just like to come and dream along with me. (Anne White 601.445.8862  awhite@naw.lib.ms.us)

New Books for May

Here are the new books your Library has acquired this month. Do you need one for the Memorial Day holiday?

FICTION

Deadlock by Charlaine Harris.  The telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse investigates a murder that has more to do with her than she imagines.

The Wind Through the Keyhole by Stephen King.  A new entry in the Dark Tower epic western-fantasy series; this novel, Kings says, is "Dark Tower 4.5".

The Innocent by David Baldacci.  A hitman who has become a target of the government rescues a teenage girl whose parents have been murdered and who may be at the center of a dangerous conspiracy.

Robert B Parker's Lullaby by Ace Atkins.  Spencer helps a girl investigate her mother's murder; a continuation of the series by Parker, who died in 2010.

The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark.  A biblical scholar who made an amazing discovery is murdered.

The Shoemaker's Wife by Adriana Trigiani.  Childhood sweethearts in turn of the 20th century Italy meet again in America.

A Dance with Dragons by George R R Martin.  After a colossal battle, the Seven Kingdoms face new threats; Book 5 of A Song of Ice and Fire.

The Reverend's Wife by Kimberla Lawson Roby.  The Rev Curtis Black and his wife, Charlotte, are on the brink of divorce.

Born of Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon.  Darling battles the resistance and vows to regain the throne his uncle stole; a League novel.

The Limpopo Academy of  Private Detection by Alexander McCall Smith.  the 13th novel in the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series.


NONFICTION

Natural Companions by Ken Druse.  The garden lover's guide to plant combinations.

Back to Baking by Anna Olson. Two hundred timeless recipes to bake, share, and enjoy.

Big Book of Salads by CookingLight.  Over 150 smart salad recipes.  Starters, sides and easy weeknight dinners.

Fabric by Fabric by Rebecca Yaker.  One yard wonders.  Cottons, knits, voiles, corduroy, fleece, flannel, home dec, oilcloth, wool, and beyond.  One hundred and one sewing projects.


TEENS

Gone by Lisa McMann.  While Janie ponders her future with Cabe, knowing that her abilities as a dream catcher means eventual blindness and crippling, the father she never knew is hospitalized with brain trauma and seems to need her help.

Sailor Moon 5 by Naoka Takeuchi.  Chibi Usa gets sucked into the far reaches of space time and vanishes!  It's up to Tuxedo Mask to reach her and get her back safely while Sailor Moon and the others must escape Nemesis and the evil clutches of Wiseman and his cronies.  But as Tuxedo Mask travels through the space time storm, he encounters an ominous woman claiming to be his daughter!
Who is this strange woman?  Is she really Chibi Usa?


CHILDREN

Clifford Sees America by Norman Bridwell.  Clifford takes a long overdue vacation to America.

Curious George Colors Eggs by H A Rey.  Curious George is off to dye eggs with his friends.  But can a curious monkey explore the wonderful world of color without getting messy?

Fancy Nancy Hair Dos and Hair Don'ts, by Jane O'Connor.  Preparing for picture day at school by choosing just the right outfit, Nancy wonders how she should style her hair and considers pigtails, a bun, and long ringlets before formulating a plan that has her reaching for the scissors.

Libraries and ebooks  . . .

Does our library offer ebooks? I’m sorry, no – at least not just yet!

Everybody has an iPad, Nook, Kindle, or other ereader device, right? Well, not really, at least not here in Adams County, MS. As the popularity of these devices increases, public libraries are being pressured – from both the publishing industry and our patrons to provide free downloads!

If you have a Kindle, you know it is relatively simple to purchase a title from Amazon and have it “magically” appear on your device. I have the Kindle app on my iPad and that’s how it works for me. I’m not familiar with downloading directly from iTunes to the iPad, or downloading to a Nook or another ereader, but I imagine the process is similar.

Simple, right? WRONG!

So, why can’t you do it at the library? Well, think about it – if you have an ereader device, you have an account somewhere (with the device maker or with a third party, which provides the service) that allows you to purchase and download your books. The connection is just between you and them.

Enter the library. You have a library card, which you present when you check books out, correct? Checking a print book out from the library and downloading a virtual book to your device are similar in that they both require that you have a library card in order to check out the book. The GETTING the book is where the difference comes in. With a printed book, you come in to the library, select a title, take it off the shelf, and bring it to the circulation desk where the clerk scans your library card and the barcode on the book, gives you a printed receipt, hands you the book, and says, “Thank you, this book is due back in two weeks!” You walk out the door. Easy! But, back to downloading a book…

The library has to buy the book (which we have to do for printed books, as well!) – but, back to THIS subject later – and make it available. We don’t actually physically HAVE the book, but we have to still pay money for the titles we think our patrons would like to read. So, how do you know what titles we have purchased? We buy the right to access titles from a supplier, much like Amazon, or another source. Again, back to this subject later.

Ok, you have a library card and an ereader device and want to download a title you have found in our catalog. How does it get from our virtual shelf to your device? Well, that’s the tricky part. The LIBRARY has to pay for the interface to accomplish this. Think of the circulation clerk at the desk as the interface to check out a print book. The interface which allows you to download (check out) access to the title you have chosen to your ereader device (hardware) from our catalog (software) is another piece of software. The library has to purchase software to allow your ereader device to communicate with our catalog in order to download the title.

Remember that subject I said we would get back to? Well, here it is. The software the library has to purchase is not cheap! There are two major software vendors that provide this interface. One is Overdrive (http://www.overdrive.com) and the other is 3M Cloud Library (http://solutions.3m.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/3MLibrarySystems/Home/Products/Cloud+Library/). The ANNUAL cost of the interface for our area (based on our population and circulation statistics) is between $3,000 and $5,000 – yes, that is THOUSAND, annually! Before we buy access to any titles – another subject to address! We also have to purchase (a one time cost) a protocol (some invisible access allowance somethingie!!!) to allow the vendor to get the titles into our catalog so you can find them!

So, now the library has paid for the “protocol” and paid for the software interface. How do we pay for the books. Well, the software vendor has taken care of that for us. We pay them for access to the titles.

Have you noticed that I keep using that word – ACCESS? We don’t actually OWN the virtual book. We just have the right to pass access to the title on to you, one at a time. So, if we purchase access to one copy of the newest Greg Iles title, it’s just like having one print copy on the shelf. Only ONE PERSON AT A TIME can check out that print copy – and only one person at a time can have access to the downloaded title.

Now, the good part is that you can’t lose or damage it (and have to pay the library for it), and it won’t go overdue (so you rack up those huge overdue fines!) – the download just disappears from your device! But, if you weren’t quite finished reading it, you are out of luck. No keeping it just a few more days until you finish it. You might be able to renew it (if someone else is on the request list for it, the title is not renewable!) and finish it, but if the title is not renewable, you have to get back on the request list for it!

On to that last subject I was going to get back to – the cost, and availability of – purchasing access to titles. Some publishers of best-selling titles just won’t sell to public libraries. At all. And, some publishers of best-selling titles have tripled the cost of purchasing access to their titles to public libraries. And, one publisher has actually changed their policy to state that a public library can download a title twenty-six (26) times, and then it has to be repurchased!

There are several different formats for titles to be downloaded.  The most common are .epub, .pdf, ibooks (for the iPhone and iPad), and .azw and .kf8 (for Kindle). There are many other and some formats are specific to the actual device.

If you have made it through to here, the end of this article, you can understand that offering ebooks is not a simple or inexpensive service. I have attended conferences, webinars and workshops on the subject, only to be more convinced than ever that the world of ebooks is as not ready for us as we are for it.

Delegating one-fourth to one-fifth of the library’s book budget for the small segment of our users that have requested ebooks is just not fiscally responsible. And – until the publishing industry settles on fair treatment and pricing for public libraries – not acceptable! When that happens, perhaps we can revisit the justification of the cost of the service!

Thank you!