New Books for September

FICTION

A Wanted Man by Lee Child. A carload of people involved in a conspiracy pick up a disheveled hitchhiker, Child’s vigilante hero Jack Reacher.

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

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom. A fable about the inventor of the world’s first clock, who returns to our world after centuries of banishment; from the author of Tuesdays with Morrie.

Delusion in Death by J. D. Robb (Nora Roberts, writing pseudonymously).  Lt Eve Dallas investigates a mass delusion at a bar her husband owns.

Telegraph Avenue by Michael Chabon. Fathers and sons in Berkeley and Oakland, California.

Zoo by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge. A young biologist warns world leaders about the reasons for escalating animal attacks on cities.

Frozen Heat by Richard Castle.  The NYPD homicide detective Nikki Heat investigates the case of a woman whose body is found in a freezer.

The Tombs by Clive Cussler and Thomas Perry. Sam and Remi Fargo, a husband-and-wife treasure hunting team, search for the tomb of Attila the Hun.

Robert B Parker’s Fool Me Twice  by Michael Brandman. Jesse Stone, the chief of police in Paradise, Massachusetts,, deals with the arrest of a troubled movie star. A continuation of the series by Parker, who died in 2010.

Last to Die by Tess Gerritsen. The detective Jane Rizzoli and the medical examiner Maura Isles protect a boy whose family and foster family have all been murdered.

NONFICTION

The Price of Politics by Bob Woodward. Inside the debt ceiling negotations of 2011 with the Washington Post journalist.
 

Michael Douglas: A Biography by Marc Eliot. A groundbreaking portrait of one of Hollywoods’s most successful stars, from the critically acclaimed and bestselling biographer.

The Oath: The Obama White House and the Supreme Court by Jeffrey Toobin.  Presents an insider's account of the ideological war between the John Roberts Supreme Court and the Obama administration, tracing several landmark cases and the strong views that will be shaping the Court of the near future.

TEENS

Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake. For three years, seventeen year old Cas Lowood has carried on his father's work of dispatching the murderous dead, traveling with his kitchen witch mother and their spirit sniffing cat, but everything changes when he meets Anna, a girl unlike any ghost he has faced before.

Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake. Months after Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell and sacrificed herself for seventeen year old ghost hunter Cas Lowood, persistent visions of Anna being tortured cause Cas to decide to save her as she once saved him.

The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. Though she is from a family of clairvoyants, Blue Sargent's only gift seems to be that she makes other people's talents stronger, and when she meets Gansey, one of the Raven Boys from the expensive Aglionby Academy, she discovers that he has talents of his own--and that together their talents are a dangerous mix.

Abandon by Meg Cabot. A near death experience, a horrible incident at school, and a move from Connecticut to Florida have turned seventeen year old Pierce upside down, but when she needs him most, John Hayden is always there, helping but reminding her of her visit to the Underworld.

CHILDREN

If You Give a Dog a Donut by Laura Numeroff. Chaos might ensue if you were to give a dog a donut.

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies by Laura Numeroff. Taking a mouse to the movies can lead to letting him do other things, such as making a snowman, listening to Christmas carols, and decorating the Christmas tree.

How Rocket Learned to Read by Tad Hills.  A little yellow bird teaches Rocket the dog how to read by first introducing him to the "wondrous, mighty, gorgeous alphabet."

Another Year with Good Friends

A Friends party always has a bar

A rainy evening did not deter over 75 true blue Friends of the Library from enjoying an Open House showcasing our new logo and celebrating other good news last Monday.

When the Friends of the Library Annual Gathering comes around each September, it is a reminder for members to renew their memberships and for anyone interested to find out more about joining the Friends group. It is always a fun gathering, and this year it was held at the Library. There was staff on hand in every department of the Library to "show and tell" our many services. We had lots of news to share and to show our Friends and the public.

First, we have a sleek new logo to go with our new name: Judge George Armstrong Library. (The Wilkinson County libraries will now be a separate system. See our previous blog post.) Our other big news is the addition of ebooks to our catalog. Director Susan Cassagne demonstrated the ebook feature and another new addition, Rocket Languages. If you've ever wanted to learn a foreign language, Rocket Languages provides an online program that is FREE for library patrons.

There was a special Friends Book Sale during the open house to show off the new Better Books section of new condition hardbacks and paperbacks. The book sale is regularly held on the first Tuesday of every month 11 am - 2 pm and the third Saturday10 am - 12 pm.

Just a sample of the homemade goodies

Friends President Maria Bowser thanked everyone who had contributed to purchasing paint and repairing shutters on the building. She expressed gratitude to the Library staff for being "Johnny on the spot" and all the Friends members who had brought delicious homemade goodies which were enthusiastically enjoyed by all!

If you are not a member of the Friends of the Library, it's easy to join. Just stop by and fill out a membership form, or print it out from our website. Individual memberships are only $10, Family memberships are $15 and Contributor memberships are anything over $25.

Next stop for the Friends: Christmas Tour of Homes, Sunday December 2, 2-5 pm.

We love our Friends - a Library can never have too many!

Significant Changes at the Library

Changes are never easy, but sometimes necessary. Our patrons know us as the Judge George W Armstrong Library, but we also have served as the headquarters of the Natchez Adams Wilkinson Library Service (formerly the Homochitto Valley Library Service) and often referred to as NAWLS. Both are equal mouthfuls! Since 1979, the Armstrong Library has managed the public libraries in Wilkinson County: the Kevin Poole Van Cleave Memorial Library in Centreville and the Woodville--Wilkinson County Public Library in Woodville.

Among the numerous services provided to these two libraries are the selection, purchasing, and cataloging of all materials (books, dvds, cds, etc.); network maintenance; payroll and bookkeeping; all record-keeping; the filing of all taxes, reports, statistics, etc.; applying and filing for Universal Services discounts (telephone and internet costs); inventory control; and the library's automation system (card catalog and patron database). Providing these services meant weekly visits to each of the two libraries.

Funding for these services has never been completely dependable and this has created problems for the Armstrong Library. At no time have Natchez taxpayers financially supported the Wilkinson County libraries, but there have been times when the funding situation became critical. There have been discussions by the Library Administrative Board of Trustees for several years about these funding concerns.

The final straw, so to speak, for the Board, was the mechanical problems with the Armstrong Library-owned station wagon. This vehicle was purchased thirteen years ago, simply to make the weekly trip to Wilkinson County and back. When mechanical problems developed, it was determined that the cost of the repairs nearly equalled the blue book value of the vehicle. We took it as a sign of what needed to be done.

The contract between the Armstrong Library and the Wilkinson County libraries allowed that either party could decide to not renew the contract and simply had to provide  sixty days written notice to the other party. That notice was given, and changes are taking place.

As of October 1, 2012, there will be no Natchez Adams Wilkinson Library Service. We will simply be the Judge George W Armstrong Library. Of course, that means that each and every reference to the Natchez Adams Wilkinson Library Service must be changed!

Did you ever wonder why our web addtess was www.naw.lib.ms.us? Think about it - naw (Natchez Adams Wilkinson) dot lib (library) dot ms (Mississippi) dot us (United States). So, of course, our email addresses followed that guide. And, if you think that is a hard to repeat to someone, try www.homochitto.lib.ms.us, which used to be our name! We would lose people at "h o m o c h - what???" 

You'll be happy to know that beginning October 1 (the beginning of our new fiscal year), our new web address will be www.armstronglibrary.org. Email addresses, likewise, (firstname@armstronglibrary.org) will be much more simple. We also have a new logo, created by local designer, Timothy Givens - and we really like it!

We feel this change is a good one, even though it will take us some time to make all the adjustments.  There may be some bumps, but we are looking forward to our new look and hope you agree. However, every reference to NAWLS will need to be changed: policy manuals, documents, vendor contacts, name tags, etc.

 

So, please bear with us during this transition. The results will be worth it!

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!

Creatures of Habit

Last night after work I plopped myself down exhausted from a long day at work, and there were my two dogs sitting in front of me staring, waiting anxiously for me to take them on their daily run. I told them I was tired and there would be no run today. The 90 pound shepherd put her big paw on my arm and looked at me with those big brown eyes as if to say,"but we do this EVERY day, same time, same place!" My little terrier just kept jumping up and down trying to get me up out of my chair. I was determined to stand my ground. I was tired and didn't want to go for a walk. I was prepared to just give them their dinner and go take a bath. I opened the back door to get their food, and zoom, out the door they flew. They were going for their run regardless of how I felt about it. But I fooled them. I went straight for their food dishes, and they just looked at me with confusion. Then I added a little gravy to the dry chunks of food. They slowly returned to the house with their heads hanging. But once they tasted the gravy laden chunks, they were happy dogs, wolfing down their dinner. The daily run was forgotten. They are creatures of habit, they have a routine, and they don't like change, even if that change might provide a tastier outcome.

We are all creatures of habit. I remember a few years back when students came to the library to do internet research, they went immediately to Wikipedia. Now it's Google. Sure, its easy to search these sites, but how reliable are they? Who put these sources out there? How credible are they really? I must admit I am guilty as well of rushing to these sites when I'm in a hurry or need a quick answer. However, when it comes to research or term papers, it's my job as a reference librarian, to provide students and patrons with good reliable sources.

There are so many reference databases available that it can be overwhelming. I love Ebsco. I eagerly send college students to Academic Search Premier for journal articles. I send high school students to Masterfile for general interest articles, and I run to Novelist for readers advisory to help someone find the perfect book to read. All of these are available through MAGNOLIA, an extensive online research tool provided to public libraries by our State Legislature. When school started this month, I went back into MAGNOLIA to refresh my memory and see what's new in this HUGE database. I caught myself heading right back to the old tried and true Ebsco. However, I looked just below and saw Credo. I knew it was a reference database but never really spent much time in there. I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try something new. After seeing what it had to offer. All I can say is WOW, I never knew!

Now, this may not be something a reference librarian should be admitting, but I am a creature of habit and don't like stepping out of my comfort zone. But I did, and I found a great source that I plan to use and recommend to my students as another resource tool to help them succeed in school. So let me tell you a bit about what I found.

CredoReference provides an online reference collection that includes hundreds of encyclopedias, dictionaries, handbooks, biographies, quotations,and even a crossword solver. All information is provided by reputable associations and research libraries, and it's easy to use. There are over 3 million full text entries in 601 reference books. You can search for images as well. The best part of all; Credo also provides proper online database citation for all the major formats. These are just a few of the tidbits of exciting information I was able to glean in the short time I spent in CredoReference.

Well, I certainly learned my lesson, and I intend to step out of my comfort zone and be less of a creature of habit and enjoy the tasty rewards it provides. If you would like to know more about Credo, Ebsco, or the other useful research tools found in MAGNOLIA stop by the library and ask for the new and improved reference librarian.

By the way, my dogs still got to run, after my bath!

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! 

Movie Lovers Unite!

I'm excited that our adult programs have enjoyed increased attendance and interest this summer, especially our movie events. We dreamed of Paris with Midnight in Paris, went on a great adventure with Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and made ourselves really hungry watching the great Julie & Julia. Many people have asked me what is next. I have some movies in mind, but I would like to ask you what movies you would like.

Keep in mind that our movie license (yes, a license is required even for a nonprofit charging no admission!) is based on a list of titles on their website. Not every suggestion will pass the list test.

I really would like to hear from all you movie lovers out there:

• What days/times would work best for you?
• What genres?
• Does anyone have suggestions for programs related to movies?
• Do we want monthly movies? (I say yes!)
• Do you have specific titles to request?
• How about foreign films? Or do we want to stick with American-made films?

Later this month, Hunger Games will be released on DVD, and we'll be scheduling a movie event showcasing this very popular movie based on Suzanne Collins' best seller trilogy. These books
have been popular with our teen and adult patrons alike.

A really delightful film I saw in Baton Rouge will be out on DVD soon: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. Starring Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, and an outstanding supporting cast, it is a heartfelt romp by some of the greatest British actors of our time. I hope lots of you will join us at the Library for this outstanding film.

We'll be letting everyone know dates and times for these events, and expect to present movies roughly once a month.

Please let me hear from you! Email or call at 601.445.8862 - or just drop by and see us.

See you at the movies!