What Do I Read Next?

Have you ever gotten hooked on a series? You want to read the series in order so how do you find out what to read next? One of our patrons fell in love with the stories about Jacky Faber, a bold young girl from England who escapes dire circumstances by posing as a boy and enlisting in the Royal Navy. Our patron wanted to read the stories in the proper order. I showed her NoveList, our online reader's advisory service. NoveList is there to help you find out what you might to read next based on books you have enjoyed in the past. One of the things it allows you to do is a series search.

The patron wasn't sure of the name of the series, just the lead character's name so we typed in JACKY FABER in the search box at the top of the page and clicked on the series button. Voila! The next screen told us that this was the Bloody Jack series, and listed the books in order, with descriptions for each book.

You can try NoveList here on the Library computers by clicking on the ONLINE NOW tab of the catalog. You can also use NoveList at home by going to the Online Databases page of our website and clicking on EbscoHost databases. Have your library card ready as you will need to type in the entire barcode to log on.

Try it, I think you will enjoy this terrific resource.

Story Times @ DPL

The Children's Room staff is pleased to announce that during the next 5 week session of story times (January 10-February 11), we will be offering a "drop-in" story time (suitable for ages 2-5) in addition to our "registered groups". This story time is open to all (visitors and non-resident card holders included)! Children are welcome to drop-in for any or all of these story times on Wednesdays @ 9:30 a.m. (Children under 3 must be accompanied by an adult.)

Registration for our regular series of story times for Dover children will begin on Monday, January 3. Children enrolled in these groups join us for story time on their chosen day for all 5 weeks.

For 3-6 year-olds, there are three different times to choose from:
Monday afternoon 1:30—2:15
Monday night 7:00—7:45
Tuesday morning 9:30—10:15

*Sign-up for the 3-6 year-olds begins at 9:00a.m. in the Children’s Room. Phone call registration begins at 9:15a.m. This 45-minute program (attended by the children only) includes stories, finger plays, songs and puppets. A theme related craft or film is also offered during each session.

For 2-year-olds (Toddlers), there are 2 different times to choose from:
Thursday morning 9:30—10:30
Friday morning 9:30—10:30

*Sign-up begins at 6:00p.m. in the Children’s Room for the toddler groups. Phone call registration begins at 6:15p.m. Toddler programs (attended by the children along with their parent or care-giver) include stories, finger plays and songs selected for a two-year-old’s developmental level.

Ho Ho Ho

Did you receive an eBook reader for the holidays? An iPod? Don't forget that you can access eBooks and audiobooks for free, with certain compatible devices, with your Dover Public Library card. Visit the New Hampshire Downloadable web site to find out more.

Bacon Donuts Anyone?

Lately we have been touting the "Best of" lists, but how about the "Worst of"? The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine have published a list of the "5 Worst Cookbooks of 2010". Here is the hall of shame:

• Gordon Ramsay's World Kitchen: Recipes from The F-Word By Gordon Ramsay
• Home Cooking with Trisha Yearwood By Trisha Yearwood
• How to Cook Like a Top Chef By the creators of Top Chef
• Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?: Fabulous Recipes & Easy Tips By Ina Garten
• The Primal Blueprint Cookbook: Primal, Low Carb, Paleo, Grain-Free, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free By Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier
  

FYI--the library owns The Primal Blueprint Cookbook and the Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That.:)

Holiday Hours

The Library will be closed on Friday, Dec. 24 through Sunday, Dec. 26. Have a happy and safe holiday!

Getting a Nook eReader for Christmas?

Here's what you need to know in order to get free eBooks for your Nook through the Library.

You will need to use use a PC or Mac computer.

First download and install Adobe Digital Editions to your PC or Mac.

Then register for an Adobe ID and authenticate your computer and Nook with the *same* ID.
 

Search for eBooks at the New Hampshire Downloadable Books website. You can then checkout and download the eBook to Adobe Digital Editions.

When downloading a recently checked out eBook, open the file with Adobe Digital Editions.

Drag and drop the eBook from the center section of Adobe Digital Editions to your Nook, which should be listed on the left sidebar of ADE.

The borrowing period for eBooks is 14 days. After 14 days the eBook is "returned" to the collection for the next person and it will no longer be readable on your Nook or computer.

Try watching these helpful slideshows before you get started.

Using a PC & Nook to Enjoy eBooks

Using a Mac & a Nook to Enjoy eBooks

2010 Librarians' Choice list is Now Available

The media is flooded with "best of" lists this time of year. Your local librarians want you to know what we think the best books and media of 2010 are here at the DPL. We have been collecting titles all year of our favorite books, DVDs, audiobooks, teen books, and children's books. The list has grown so big this year that we could not fit it in our usual handy bookmark format. If you are looking for our top choices in all formats, look for the full size handout of The Librarians' Choice 2010.

Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction
The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen
The Crocodile’s Last Embrace by Suzanne Arruda
The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake By Aimee Bender
Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
The Weed that Strings the Hangman’s Bag by C. Alan Bradley
Veracity by Laura Bynam
Pray for Silence by Linda Castillo
The Passage by Justin Cronin
Maybe This Time by Jennifer Crusie
Edge by Jeffrey Deaver
Bodily Harm by Robert Dugoni
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Live to Tell  by Lisa Gardner
Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That by Ina Garten
Arcadia Falls by Carol Goodman
Crashers by Dana Haynes
Saving CeeCee Honeycutt by Beth Hoffman
Under the Dome by Stephen King
So Cold the River  by Michael Koryta
Such a Pretty Face by Cathy Lamb
Dexter is Delicious by Jeffry Lindsay
The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz
Stress Fracture by D.P.Lyle
The Doctor and the Diva by Adrienne McDonnell
An Object of Beauty by Steve Martin
Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn
Down to the Wire by David Rosenfelt
Broken by Karin Slaughter
The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall
Fragile by Lisa Unger
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman
The Lost Hours by Karen White

Audiobooks
At Home by Bill Bryson
Glass Rainbow by James Lee Burke
A Brief History of Montmaray by Michelle Cooper
I remember Nothing by Nora Ephron
Full Dark, No Stars by Stephen King
Dexter is Delicious by Jeff Lindsay
Life by Keith Richards
Bad Blood by John Sandford

DVDS
Alice in Wonderland
Blind Side
District 9
Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Harry Potter & the Half Blood Prince
Inglourious Basterds
Leap Year
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice
The Town
Valentine’s Day
Whip It
Zombieland

Teen Books
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
Crescendo by Becca Fitzpatrick
Torment by Lauren Kate

Children’s Books
The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
Bink and Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee
Miss Tutu's Star by Leslea Newman
Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to my Daughters by Barack Obama
It's a Book by Lane Smith
City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems
Knuffle Bunny Free: An Unexpected Diversion by Mo Willems

Would You Tip an Author?

Galleycat had an amusing article about the ever creative humorist David Sedaris. On a whim he started setting out a tip jar on a book tour and took in $4000!

Would you tip your favorite author?

Want to Download eBooks & Audiobooks to Your Smart Phone?

Great news from OverDrive, the company that supplies our downloadable audiobooks and eBooks! Now you can download both EPUB eBooks and MP3 audiobooks directly to your iPhone, iPod touch, or Android phone/tablet. Search for "OverDrive Media Console" in the Apple App Store and Android Market,if you already use an OverDrive app you will be alerted to update the existing  app on your devices.

iPhone eBooks
OverDrive Media Console v2.0 for iPhone and Android provides two major enhancements that improve the end user experience. First, the apps now enable you to download and enjoy EPUB eBooks on your devices (in addition to the existing ability to download MP3 audiobooks). The eBook reading experience includes user-inspired features for bookmarking and adjusting brightness and font size. Additional features will be added as the apps develop, including highlighting, annotation, in-app text-to-speech, and more.

Second, both apps offer a built-in 'Get Books' feature. If you have already downloaded audiobooks from Dover Public library with a previous version of the app, your library will be displayed when you select 'Get Books'. With a single click, you can reach the library site once again. If you are new to library downloads, you can quickly find your 'Virtual Branch' website and save it for single-click access going forward. Once you find your library using 'Get Books' feature, you can browse the 'Virtual Branch' website on your device, check out a title with your library card, and wirelessly download an EPUB eBook to the app.

Currently the iPhone app will work on iPad with iOS 4 and enables the full browse, check out, download experience. However, an optimized version for iPad-with improved resolution and additional features is coming soon, along with apps for BlackBerry and other mobile devices.

I haven't tried this app yet because it is too much of a strain on my old eyes to read a book on my iPod Touch, but I would love to hear from anyone that does try it!

Last Chance to Donate Food for Fines

Today is the last day to donate to the City of Dover employees' FOOD DRIVE! Bring a canned good or dry staple item to the Library and get $.50 deducted from your current fines for each item you donate to our collection box. Help us help the local food pantries!

Otis

My son and I have discovered a new favorite picture book: Otis by Loren Long. Otis is a tractor who befriends a lonely, young calf who is missing his mother. Otis' gentle "putt puff puttedy puff" soothes the scared calf, and they become inseparable--from frolicking in the fields to playing Ring Around the Rosie. When the farm acquires a big, new, shiny, yellow tractor Otis is moved out of the barn to become overgrown with weeds. The book has a feel of a book from the past, with scenes reminding me of The Story of Ferdinand, and Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, but the message of friendship and loyalty are timeless.

What is Going to Happen to Fabio?

I have read several articles lately about how romance novels are the fastest growing segment of the ebook market. Apparently readers are embarrassed by the heaving bosom covers and are choosing the publishing version of a pair of dark glasses--reading it on an ereader. I know I am dating myself by being concerned for Fabio (he is 51 now!), but I don't know who the current equivalent of Fabio is? If these covers are no longer produced it will be the end of an era!

Books for Holiday Giving

Our lovely Children's Room staff have come up with some great books for you to get the kids on your list. Read on!

Picture Books & Readers:

• LMNO Peas by Keith Baker
• Llama Llama Holiday Drama by Anna Dewdney
• Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo
• Santa Duck and his Merry Helpers by David Milgrim
• The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
• City Dog, Country Frog by Mo Willems
• We Are In a Book! (or any Elephant & Piggie book) by Mo Willems

Grades 3 to 6:

• The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger
• The Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow
• The Extraordinary Mark Twain by Barbara Kerley
• Diary of a Wimpy Kid: the Ugly Truth by Jeff Kinney
• Built to Last by David Macaulay
• A Ghost Tale for Christmas Time (Magic Tree House) by Mary Oppe Osborne
• Big Nate Strikes Again by Lincoln Pierce
• Spaceheadz by Jon Scieszka

Really You Liked That One?

All of the "Best of 2010" lists are coming out, and so some of the library staff were discussing our fiction favorites from 2010 over lunch. Some titles that came up were Freedom by Jonathan Franzen, Under the Dome by Stephen King, the Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender, Red Hook Road by Ayelet Waldman, and Skippy Dies by Paul Murray. Of course, for each glowing endorsement there was someone berating it. There is nothing like a good tussle over lunch! What would be on your best list?

Ladybug Award Winner Announced

During the month of November, 18,193 New Hampshire children from preschoolers to those in third grade voted for their favorite book from the 2010 list of Ladybug Picture Book Award nominees.

And the winner is...Princess Hyacinth: (the surprising story of a girl who floated) by Florence Parry Heide (receiving 2,941 votes!).

This award, designed to promote early literacy and honor the best in recent children's picture books, is a project of the Center for the Book at the New Hampshire State Library. Click here to see the complete voting results.

Past or Present?

I finished a book the other day and went on to the next book in my stack. Crown of Dust by Mary Volmer had received good reviews and sounded like an interesting story. A young girl runs away to find her fortune in California during the gold rush, posing as a boy. I just could not get into it. I realized that the author had written it in the present tense and it was really irritating me to read a historical novel written in the present tense. No worries, on to the next book in my little hoard. The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory is another well reviewed book with the added bonus of glowing reviews from other library staff. Just the ticket. I picked up this historical novel about Margaret Beaufort, the matriarch of the Tudor line. Aaaagh! Once again it is written in the present tense, and to top it off it is in the first person singular. I do not like first person singular narratives, just another quirk of mine. So now I am down to the last book in my stack, a modern Gothic novel taking place in the Great Lakes. It is not written in the present tense or first person singular. So far, so good.

What do you think, should a historical novel be written in the past tense? Do you have any quirky reading habits?

Special Holiday Story Time

The Children's Room will be hosting a holiday "drop-in" story time on Saturday, Dec. 11 from 10:30am to 11:15am. Take a break from shopping and enjoy this special story hour with Miss Kimberly--it promises to be lots of FUN!

Hogwarts Holiday Tree

The library's "Hogwarts Holiday" tree, abounding with Harry Potter decorations, won 2nd prize in Dover's first annual Festival of Trees at City Hall auditorium on Friday night, December 3! We had golden snitches, owls, lightning bolts, school scarves in Hogwarts colors, Bertie's Bots, Marauders Maps, school crests and gowns, Harry's glasses, and the Sorting Hat as the tree topper! And under the tree was a set of all 7 HP books by J.K. Rowling! The winning bid for our tree was $110, with all proceeds going toward the City Lights organization which is raising funds to illuminate downtown Dover during the holiday season. Here are some photos of our tree in progress but check out our Facebook album if you want to see some close-up photos of all the decorations. What book series would you like to see us create as a Christmas tree next year?

Children's Holiday Books & Crafts

Stop by the Children's Room and check out the "Happy Holidays" bulletin board display. Miss Karin has created a little house that looks good enough to eat as well as many samples of crafty items that the kids can make while they wait for the holiday celebrations to begin or to give as gifts to someone special.

Also, there are still many Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanza books available for borrowing.

Is it a House? A Hat?

I recently took home a brand new picture book from the library for my son and I to enjoy--The Wonderful Book by Leonid Gore. As you can probably guess I was attracted to the title and the great cover. It is a really cute story about how different animals come across a book in the forest and each decide for themselves what they think it is--a house, a hat, a table, and a bed. My son thought that this was hilarious! Near the end of the book a little boy comes along and tells them it is a book and reads the story to them. It is a really simple story with great illustrations--perfect for our overstimulated lives. Imagine my amusement when I read a review of the book in Kirkus magazine and the reviewer used terms such as metatextuality, metalayers, and codex. Oh well I just thought it was cute:).

Christmas at the Library

Christmas elves visited the Library yesterday. Come see the lovely decorations and bring something for the City of Dover employees' Food Drive or our Dover Fire Toy Bank box.

Say it isn't so!

Recently, the New York Times newspaper ran an article about the fading popularity of children’s Picture Books (see: Picture Books No Longer a Staple for Children). They blamed not only the economy but the fact that parents and schools are encouraging children to read “big-kid chapter books” earlier and earlier. Bookstores agree that sales are down and that they sometimes have to pack up the Picture Books and return them to the publisher. In turn, the publishers are curtailing the number of Picture Books they produce for market and those wonderful, talented authors and illustrators of Picture Books are feeling the pinch. Please, say it isn’t so!

If I had to choose my favorite type of children’s book, it would be the Picture Book. Most Picture Books are written with a sophisticated vocabulary that children can understand but not necessarily read (until they are school-age) and their bountiful illustrations can help develop sensitivity, humor, critical thinking and imagination. And remember, there are the Picture Books that are written with the older child or even the adult in mind (see books by Patricia Polacco). Oh, the things they can teach and the emotions they can invoke (I’m often seen at the circulation desk with teary eyes after reading a new picture book)! Picture Books are so important to developing a love for reading.

Please say it isn’t so…that their popularity is fading or that parents don't see (as literary experts are quick to say) that Picture Books are not for dummies …

Wait…
one of our patrons just checked out 30 Picture Books!

Have You Downloaded Today?

Librarians are freaks for statistics. The beginning of the month is my big day to collect all my statistics on how many people visit our blog, Facebook and Twitter accounts, the We Remember Dover and Rabid Reader wikis (thank you to all of those who do!) I also collect statistics on our databases, how many books we borrow and loan through Interlibrary Loan, and how many audiobooks and eBooks are borrowed through our website. Downloadable eBooks just became available this spring so I was curious to see how popular the service was with Library patrons. I was delighted to see that 3,677 eBooks have been check out by Dover Public Library patrons since March! I wonder how many more titles will more get checked out if eReaders like The Nook are popular Christmas presents this year?

A Wild and Crazy Guy

I love reading fiction about art, artists--generally anything about the art world--I'm not sure why, it's just how it is. So I was very excited when I read the review of Steve Martin's new book, An Object of Beauty, which is set smack dab in the center of the New York art scene. I loved Mr. Martin's last two fiction novels, Shopgirl and The Pleasure of My Company, so I had high hopes. I was thrilled when I got the book just in time for the Thanksgiving holiday--could things get any better? Yes, because I loved the book! I was immediately taken into the story and felt like an art world insider. The story is that of Lacey Yeager, a young woman fresh out of college, just getting her start at Sotheby's, the auction company. Even though Lacey is an awful person--conniving, dishonest, manipulative, amoral, I could go on and on--she is also fascinating. Steve Martin also fascinates me because I have a hard time picturing "that wild and crazy guy" as the writer of these wonderful novels. Anyhow, I strongly suggest you try one of his novels, or even better, listen to the book on CD which he narrates himself. Let me know what you think.

The Distant Hours

I have been waiting for The Distant Hours with great anticipation since I read a review of it last winter. Kate Morton writes the sort of books that I can’t wait to get back to. I dive into them and have to be dragged out, and I’m sad when I finish one.  The House at Riverton (1920s England) and The Forgotten Garden (Australia and Cornwall) were beautifully written; atmospheric with intriguing characters and involving plots, books you could lose yourself in. unfortunately The Distant Hours proved difficult to get into. People Magazine called it “nuanced”. That’s one way of describing a 500 plus page book that doesn’t begin to get interesting until 400 pages in. I found myself reluctant to return to the book, it became a chore rather than a pleasure. Things do pick up in the last 100 pages or so. You will have to decide for yourself whether the commitment is worth it. I only persisted so long because I am such a fan of Kate Morton’s early books.

Holiday Hours

The Library will be closed Thursday and Friday in honor of Thanksgiving. We will be open again on Saturday 9-5. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Award Winner or Not?

Fallen by Lauren Kate is a popular book with the teen crowd--it's a supernatural romance need I say more. There is a glowing blurb on the cover by P.C. Cast (another wildly popular author with teens) that reads "Sexy and fascinating and scary...I loved loved loved it!" Does it need any further recommendation? While straightening up in the teen section yesterday I noticed that Fallen had a silver sticker on it denoting it as an award winner--you know like the Caldecott and Newbury winners have? Anyhow, I didn't remember this book ever winning such an award, and when I looked closer at the sticker it read "The Stephen T. Colbert Award for the Literary Excellence". Of course I researched this award and found this description:

The Stephen T. Colbert Award For The Literary Excellence is the most prestigious award given for literature in the United States. To qualify for the award, there is only one requirement: you must be Stephen Colbert. The first recipient of the Stephen T. Colbert Award For The Literary Excellence was the book I Am America (And So Can You!), a work of such staggering genius that it was given the award before it was even published. Subsequently, several books have been honored retroactively with the award.

Too funny! I don't know if we have a reader who is putting these stickers on their favorite books, but it certainly did give me laugh.

Potter Mania Begins

I have posted before about Cake Wrecks, a really amusing blog about professionally made cakes, often created with hilarious errors. They have a post up of some extraordinary Harry Potter themed cakes, no errors on these beauties! The golden snitch and the sorting hat are spectacular. I wanna have a Harry Potter party!

Food for Fines

City of Dover employees' FOOD DRIVE is on! Bring a canned good or dry staple item to the Library and get $.50 deducted from your current fines for each item you donate to our collection box! Sorry, donations may not be used to pay for "lost" items or as credit towards future fines. Help us help the local food pantries! Donations accepted up until 4:00pm on Monday, December 13th.

Harry Potter Tattoos

I was doing a Google image search looking for a picture of Harry Potter's marauder's map for a library project (more on that later) when I noticed loads of  Harry Potter themed tattoos. Apparently quite a few people are walking around with Potter quotes, Hedwig, Dumbledore, a house elf, and even the dark mark permanently etched onto their bodies. I like the series, but not enough to wear it forever. I also ran into another site that specializes in literary tattoos. There were some really striking images.What literary quote or image would you choose as a tattoo?

Patti Smith Rocks

The National Book Award winners were announced last night, and rock musician Patti Smith won for her nonfiction book Just Kids. In her acceptance speech Ms. Smith said “I dreamed of having a book of my own, of writing one that I could put on a shelf. Please, no matter how we advance technologically, please don’t abandon the book. There is nothing in our material world more beautiful than the book.” Well said Ms. Smith--we couldn't agree more!

Here is the full list of winners:
Fiction: Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon
Nonfiction: Just Kids by Patti Smith
Poetry: Lighthead by Terrance Hayes
Young People's Literature: Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

The View from the Library

This is the view of the skylights from my desk this morning.

 It brought to mind a certain song I'm sure you have heard before.

All the leaves are brown
And the sky is grey
I went for a walk
On a winter's day
I'd be safe and warm
If I was in L.A.
California dreamin'
On such a winter's day

Stephen Abram has Killed the Romance

Recently I read a blog post by Stephen Abram titled "Are books smelly?" in which he outlined the components of book smell: Glue, dust, mould, ink and dryness. He expounded a bit on each of these, but dust is the one that has really stuck with me--the principle component of dust being sloughed off human skin. Ewww!!!! I always loved the scenes in books where the bibliophile would happen upon a library--usually in a large English castle--and take a favorite title off the shelf, open the book, and breath in the heady scent. Romantic? Not anymore--just dead skin of the previous Viscounts, Dukes, and Lords who had spent time in that library. Thanks Stephen for killing the romance.

Free Lecture on Loons Tuesday, November 16th

The Friends of the Library present Loons by John Rockwood, Tuesday Night at 7:00 in the Lecture Hall.

Have you ever heard that haunting and eerie sounding call of a loon on a lake? Doesn’t it send shivers down your spine? Want to know what loons are really communicating to each other and learn more fascinating behaviors about these elusive aquatic birds? Join us for a spectacular and very entertaining multi-media slide show, filled with stunning close up Loon photos by Professional Photographer, John Rockwood.

10 Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2010

As much as I am loathe to bring up anything related to the upcoming holiday season I am going to do it--if this offends you please stop reading now and accept my apologies.

OK, for all others who have little ones to buy for, and are not completely done with your shopping (my own sister falls into this category--can you believe it?!? Most annoying.) the New York Times has announced their 2010 Holiday Gift Guide--The 10 Best Illustrated Children's Books of 2010. Here is the line up:

1. Big Red Lollipop by Rukhsana Khan illustrated by Sophie Blackall.
2. Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee.
3. Busing Brewster by Richard Michelson and illustrated by R.G. Roth
4. Children Make Terrible Pets written and illustrated by Peter Brown.
5. Henry in Love written and illustrated Peter McCarty.
6. Here Comes the Garbage Barge! by Jonah Winter, illustrated by Red Nose Studio.
7. Seasons written and illustrated by Blexbolex.
8. Shadow by Suzy Lee.
9. Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip C. Stead and illustrated by Erin E. Stead.
10. Subway written and illustrated by Christoph Niemann.

The Library Will Be Closed for Veterans Day

The Library will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, November 11, in honor of Veterans Day.

Free Saturday Matinees are Back

Saturday Matinees are back after a brief hiatus due to our Book Sale! We have some great family movies on tap for November:

• Sat., Nov. 13--Toy Story, rated G.
• Sat., Nov. 20--Oceans, rated G.
• Sat., Nov. 27--Tinker Bell & the Great Fairy Rescue, rated G.

As always movies are FREE and open to the public. Follow this link to see a full listing of upcoming movies along with descriptions.

Don't Look for Nora Ephron on Twitter!

Nora Ephron was on NPR's Morning Edition today plugging her new book, I Remember Nothing: and Other Relfections, which is a collection of essays. This was a great way to start my day because she is really such a hoot. In the interview Ms. Ephron talks about how as she gets older she doesn't feel the need to be up on the latest trends hence the title of my blog post. Here is Ms. Ephron's list of things she refuses to know anything about:
"The former Soviet Republics, the Kardashians, Twitter, all Housewives, Survivors, American Idols, and Bachelors. Karzai's brother, soccer, monkfish, Jay-Z, every drink invented since the Cosmopolitan, especially the drink made with crushed mint leaves. You know the one." I don't feel so bad now that I know very little about anything on that list, however when the mint is plentiful in the garden I do like an occasional Mojito.

Mystery Author Rosemary Herbert here Nov. 15!

We're pleased to host a visit from award-winning mystery editor and new mystery novelist Rosemary Herbert on Monday evening, November 15 at 7pm in the Library’s Lecture Hall.
Herbert is an Edgar-nominated editor-in-chief of “The Oxford Companion to Crime and Mystery Writing”, co-editor with the late Tony Hillerman of “A New Omnibus of Crime”, and also worked for ten years as the book reviewer for the Boston Herald. But from the age of nine, when she read Nancy Drew novels under the covers with a flashlight, Rosemary wanted to become a mystery writer. With the publication of “Front Page Teaser: A Liz Higgins Mystery” (Down East Books, 2010), she has finally made her dream come true.
Her experience in the newsroom as well as her career in academic and public libraries were used to great advantage to create Liz Higgins, a gutsy reporter for Boston’s scrappy tabloid newspaper, the Beantown Banner. Liz rails at being assigned only light and community news stories that, at best, receive front-page teasers leading to articles buried deep in the newspaper. When a devoted mom goes missing from Liz’s community news beat, the reporter vows to discover the truth about the disappearance and nail front-page news in the process.
In a reading and booktalk leavened with humor and entitled “From Nancy Drew to Dream-Come-True”, Rosemary will tell readers why her first novel is a love song to the news-reporting life, as well as a tribute to librarians. She will also reveal how Boston’s lively Irish music scene was useful to her as a mystery writer, and discuss the roles of romance and the holidays in mystery fiction. Rosemary is currently hard at work on the 2nd Liz Higgins Mystery.
Mystery readers will surely enjoy this “behind-the-scenes” explanation of how a mystery novel is researched, and how story lines are developed and connected. This program is free and all are welcome. For more information, call us at 516-6050.

Dover's Black Day

Did you see the story on WMUR this morning about Dover's flood in 1896, the Calamity on the Cocheco? The DPL librarians provided a great deal of the information to the news station. We are so excited to see it air!

Book Sale Bargains!

Get a bag or a box of books for $1.00. There are still tons of books available. Why not stock up in preparation for winter storms?

A New Library!

On my way home yesterday I heard a story on Public Radio International's The World that I just had to share with you. The small nation of Bhutan, located between China and India, with a population of 684,000, has just opened its second library in the village of Ura. The library was opened by the non-profit group Read Global. Though the villagers were somewhat skeptical at first, the library has been a rousing success. The librarians have been working extra hours because the kids are begging them to stay open just a little longer. Here is a short piece from the story: "On this Saturday, after the usual half day at school, fifty kids are crammed in here, reading, helping each other, and clambering to get onto one of six computers. Even though they can’t get on the Internet yet, they’re excited to be able to play with technology they don’t have at home." You can watch a short clip of the kids in the library from the PRI link above.

Isn't it nice to hear happy news once in awhile?

Reduced Prices at our Book Sale!

The Dover Public Library's Annual Book Sale is still going on and prices have been reduced! Here are the new prices that will be in effect through Saturday, Nov. 6:

Hardcover Books $1

Large-size Paperbacks $.75

All Media $.50

Paperbacks $.10

Children's Skinny Paperbacks $.10

How Would You Like Your Stieg Larsson?

Did you know that many of the popular best sellers are available at the Library in a multitude of formats? Take Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo for example. You can read it as a hard cover book, listen to it as a CD, watch it as a DVD, download the audiobook to your MP3 player or PC, or download the eBook.

Would you prefer Bill Bryson's latest, At Home; A Short History of Private Life? You can read it as a hard cover book, a large print book, listen to it on CD, download the audiobook to your MP3 player or PC, or download the eBook.

Next time you look for a book, consider the possibilities.

Never-Ending Book

I recently read an article on the CNN web site titled "Never-ending book heralds new chapter in e-publishing." You know when you are reading a really fabulous, engrossing book and you are dreading the moment when you read the final page because you will have to try and find something equally fantastic to read next? This article is arguing that with the advent of e-publishing the book doesn't have to end. Hmm...for my own part I have certainly read books that I don't want to end, but I still think they have to. Don't you? A reader comment made at the end of the article asked the question: wouldn't this be like a Soap Opera? I am not convinced this is a good thing--what do you think?

Vote Tomorrow!

In case the non-stop political ads, phone calls from pollsters and politicos, and signs decorating every strip of roadside grass haven't clued you in, elections are being held tomorrow. 

The Dover City Clerk says the general election is Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2010. Polling places in the City of Dover will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Polling places are as follows:

Ward 1, St. Mary' Church Hall, Chestnut Street (Between Third and Fourth Streets);

Ward 2, First Parish Church Hall, Central Avenue (Between Church and Angle Streets);

Ward 3, Langdon Place, Middle Road (Between Hubbard Road and Augusta Way);

Ward 4, Maple Suites, Holiday Drive (Off Back River, between Durham and Mast);

Ward 5, St. John's Methodist Church, Cataract Avenue (Between Rutland Street and Sunset Drive);

Ward 6, Riverside Rest Home, County Farm Road (At the intersection with County Farm Cross Road).

For more information on the general election or to see sample ballots, visit the election section of the Dover City web page or call the City Clerk's office at 603-516-6020.

A Tribute to a Librarian

Today my mother died after a short month-long illness. She was not only a great mom, she was my mentor as a librarian. Before her retirement in the late 1980s, she had worked in local public libraries for about 30 years and I basically grew up in a library. She always instilled in me an appreciation of books and reading and she always let me read whatever I wanted. We liked a lot of the same books but we also liked to “bicker” about the merits of various titles we’d read. In fact, my mother was reading and enjoying one of my favorite books of this year, “The Lonely Polygamist” by Brady Udall, when she passed away.

There were two children’s books that we’d argued about when I was in grammar school. These two books were her favorites from her own childhood: “Hitty: Her First Hundred Years” (1929) by Rachel Field about a doll’s travels over a century, and “The Secret Garden” (1911) by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the story of lonely orphans on the Yorkshire moors. Over and over, she’d recommended these books to me and each time I tried to read them I hated them. She finally gave up and “Hitty” became a running joke between us, calling any book we’d disliked “Hitty-ous”.

This past Monday, October 25, I opened a box of donated books at the library. My mother had been admitted to a hospice house three days earlier. This is absolutely a true story: the two books on top of the pile were “Hitty” and “The Secret Garden”. I know now that this was her signal: she is still nagging me to read these damn books. I promise, Mom, this time I’ll read them! Lovingly, Cathy

Musings on Candy Corn

Where do you stand on candy corn? Some of the librarians are addicted to it, you can't leave them alone with the bag of the stuff or they will demolish it. Others of us can't abide the stuff. Lets see, I could eat a luscious piece of chocolate with nuts and caramel, or a blob of sickly sweet wax. I agree with Lewis Black's assessment, from his hilarious essay, "Halloween; It's Scary for all the Wrong Reasons". 

Nothing proves just how stupid we are as a people more than candy corn. Which, by the way, is not candy at all. You can actually melt it down and run a car. I think it's tar based. Candy Corn is the only candy in the history of the country that has never been advertised. It just appears.

 Want to read the rest of the essay? Check out Nothing's Sacred by Lewis Black.

Happy Halloween from the DPL!